Back in the day I was a straight-up powder gal when it came to cheek products. Did they even sell cream formulas back then? Matte finishes were the dish of the day – every morning I powdered my skin until it resembled the texture of cake – and anything that promoted shine in any way shape or form was shunned in the makeup aisle. But in recent years complexions have had a makeover. Now it’s all about healthy, sheer, skin-like formulas and my previously powder-clogged pores are certainly happy about that. With this glowy movement, comes a wave of cream-based cheek products which actually I’ve come to find, are some of the most natural, easy to apply, fuss-free ways to add a pinch of colour without going overboard. Texture-wise it’s a hard one to judge with the oiler skinned among us shrugging them off as a grease-giver and drier skin types not knowing where to start. But I’ve got an edit that depicts cream blushers all *insert The Office GIF that seems to semi-fit in*…
FOR OILY SKINS: The key here is to go for cream to powder textures or stains to avoid the ‘TMO – too much oil’ look. My top one for a cream to powder finish is Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet, which blends on creamy, dries matte and so you still get that light wash of colour but without too much of the sheen. If you want something with a bit more shine to it then the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelée in Poppy Paradise is the best one I’ve found. The formula is weirdly watery and it feels cooling when it’s applied on the skin, but upon contact it gives off a sheer stain that does not budge and lies completely flush.
FOR ‘IN THE MIDDLE’ SKINS: Really you go can either way on this one, taking recommendations from both the oily and dry categories, depending on which way your complexion leans but I’ve got two picks that sit slap bang in the middle of the cream blush spectrum giving off a fresh finish without too much oiliness in the texture. You must have heard me ramble on about the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink before? The easiest to transport from the line-up, it’s pretty much fool proof and the colour works a perker-upper on most. Then there’s the Josie Maran Argan Colour Stick in Coral which is my current favourite. It just does something pretty special to my cheeks that somehow makes me look more awake and I like the fact that I can just stripe it on, blend and go. With all of these I find that fingers are the best way to apply and if I go in too heavy handed I just dust over with the foundation brush I’ve just used.
FOR DRY SKINS: You and cream blush should get on like peas and carrots. The texture hydrates, leaving a veil of sheeny colour behind that doesn’t cling on to problem areas with not a patch of dryness to be seen. The classic formulas are more likely to suit you best as they tend to be a little heavier in ‘slip factor’. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Hibiscus is a good’un that deposits a serious hit of colour with the teeniest tiniest fingertip swipe of formula, but for something with a little less pigment give Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera a go. The latter is more of a soft pink that’s an easy one for fellow blush noobs to master. It’s also worth noting that the creaminess of these two products mean that they’re good candidates for lip colour too. Schwing.
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