For years I thought I couldn’t wear cream blush—that it would slip and slide over my face and wouldn’t last the day without lashings of powder over the top. But modern cream blushes are formulated differently, with staying power for days and the ability to make you look positively luminous. Very cutesy, very demure.
There are so many reasons we stan a cream blush these days. Firstly, cream formulas glide onto the skin and are super blendable. They’re often packed full of emollients so they can melt effortlessly into your skin.
Secondly, dewy complexion. With the rise of glass skin and cloud makeup, the matte dolly look of the past is over. We’re looking for combo glow and a tiny bit of matte, and cream blushes give that natural flush of rosiness that mimics a real life blush. It’s giving radiance, glow and luminosity in a way that powder blush could never.
Thirdly, cream blushes are PERFECT for beginners. They’re so user friendly, easy to apply with fingers, and easy for on-the-go people who have no time to sit down and do a full face with brushes. We’re busy now—we need easy options and cream blushes fit that mold.
Cream blushes we’re obsessed with
Nudestix Nudies Blush Sticks and the NEW Nudestix Stax All Over Colour Blush Balm
Nudestix has always been the poster child for easy, fuss-free makeup on the go that looks amazing. Their original Nudies Blush Sticks are not only fabulous for getting that perfect budge-free flush, but they’re also a major multitasker product: cheeks? Check. Lips? Check. Eyelids? Check. One stick, so many uses and even a little brush on the bottom to blend blend blend.
NOW they’ve gone one step further and created the future in cream blush balms: please welcome Nudestix Stax All Over Colour Blush Balm to the chat. They’re purse-perfect magnetic stacking blushes in an array of colours for that perfect natural flush.
The first thing we noticed with these was the cloud-cushion texture of the formula. This isn’t just makeup, it’s also skincare. The Stax are packed with a multi-tasking blend of ingredients, including antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Green Tea for skin brightening, safflower and rosehip oils for moisturizing skin-soothing properties, and a gelled emollient complex to hydrate and protect skin’s moisture barrier.
It glides on super smooth and also has a really incredible blurring effect on the skin. Each colour gives a luminous lit-from-within glow while also radiating a matte version of dewy skin. Think still glowy, but blurred rather than a wet or shiny look.
Like the Nudies, this product can also become a lip or eye colour with the swipe of your fingers. Pick your perfect shades, snap them together and keep your magnetic Stax on hand for touch-ups on the go!
Nudestix is available from Sephora in Australia.
ZOEVA Velvet Love Liquid Highlighting Blush
Another multitasker—and we LOVE that—the ZOEVA Velvet Love Liquid Highlighting Blush is a combo highlighter and blush. AND it’s also skincare, as the formula is infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid and plumping Peptides to leave your complexion looking glowing and gorgeous, with a perfect soft flush of colour.
Combining the luminosity of a highlighter with the radiance of a silky cream blusher, our Highlighting Blush is infused with hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and plumping Peptides to leave your complexion looking glowing and gorgeous, with a perfect soft flush of color.
The light-reflecting pigments create a glowing effect—not glittery but glowy which is perfect for the lit-from-within look. The formula blends like a dream. ZOEVA has crested the perfect skin pick-me-up that can you can pop on after work to glam up your look. Swipe, blend, done.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
One word: PIGMENT. Truly this is the most pigmented formula I’ve come across—one dot each cheek and you are done. That one tiny dot will blend out over the apples of your cheeks and up towards your temples for a natural blush that won’t budge all day. And as I found out when I chatted to the Rare Beauty reps at the House of Sephora showcase, it can even go over powder, making it ideal for touch ups.
Soft Pinch Liquid Blush comes in matte or dewy formulas so you can choose your look depending on your mood.
I also just really love the philosophy behind Rare Beauty—they’re committed to making us feel good while also having a strong social impact. As their website states: “Rare Beauty is breaking down unrealistic standards of perfection. This is makeup made to feel good in, without hiding what makes you unique—because Rare Beauty is not about being someone else, but being who you are.”
Huda Beauty Blush Filter Liquid Blush
This blush is like an IRL filter, hence its name. It’s a lightweight liquid blush with buildable pigments and finely milled micro-pearls for a soft-focus, high-impact glow.
It’s available in five shades that work across all skin tones, Blush Filter also has a yummy candy scent to complement the sweet shade names. It’s also super easy to use: just apply three dots of blush on your cheeks and blend with your fingers for a multi-dimensional, pigmented finish.
All these cream blush stunners are available at Sephora Australia.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
