The Best of Cream Blushes

 (L-R, Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy, Smashbox Cream Blush in Captivate, Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew, Max Factor Creamy Touch Miracle Blush, Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation, Estée Lauder Pure Colour Cheek Rush in Pink Patent, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, Chanel Creme Blush in Intonation)

I never used to be a cream blush fan at all, but I think I was looking in all the wrong places. With a couple of notable exceptions I do believe that the best cream blushes are found on high end counters. 

I was sick of using cream blushes that either took off my foundation or had disappeared from my face after an hour. However, once I discovered the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, that all changed. This is what I'd describe as a true cream blush, it applies as a cream and whilst it does 'set' into the skin, it stays looking creamy and natural. It's got perfect pigmentation, not so heavy that it's easy to go overboard, but enough to not have to use too much. The wear time of this is fantastic too, it really stays put for most of the day, I do however find if I'm heading out in the evening that I like to top this up. This can also be used on the lips, it's a little dry but over lip balm it's fine. The colour is gorgeous, kind of a dirty peach shade. This is definitely the product that kick started my cream blush love affair.

After that was the Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew, a cream to powder formulation in a perky pink shade. Because it has a more powder finish it does tend to last longer than your average cream blush, although it doesn't have the best lasting power of all the blushes here. This is definitely a favourite of mine for summer months, because the shade is quite bold. You can sheer it out if you buff it in loads, but for the most part this is quite a bright cheek colour. These retail for a mere £7, so a good budget option!

From here things went from bad to worse for my budget, as I fell in love with the Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation. I was working in Boots at the time on the YSL counter which was directly opposite the Chanel counter, you see the problem here? I think I held out two weeks, swatching them on every shift, until I caved and picked one up. These almost have a moussey texture to them, and they really set into the skin and last all day easily. This shade is a dusky pink kind of shade, but I also ended up picking up the shade Intonation from the spring collection, a gorgeous bright coral.

Then came my dalliance with the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink. This, like the Bobbi Brown offering, has a real 'traditional' cream blush formula, it stays looking slightly sheeny throughout the day, but really just looks so natural on your skin. The colour is really pretty, it's a good natural everyday pink, and the product is so easy to work with, you can even apply it with your fingers. The packaging is pretty cheap and crappy but it's small and compact which is always good (it makes me feel like I have less makeup than I actually do). 

Back in January I picked up a Smashbox set in the sale and inside was the Smashbox Cream Blush in Captivate. This is the darkest of all the blushes here, it's a warm pink shade with reddy undertones, but once you blend it in it looks really natural. Out of all the blushes here this is the only one I tend to reach for in the Winter months because it's not as bright a shade. The formula's great and it lasts really well on the skin.

A recent addition is the Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy, which kind of reminds me of a giant stick deodorant. This is almost a 'watercolour' blush, it's quite sheer, which makes it super natural looking on the skin, it just leaves a coral sheen to the cheeks. Because it's got a bit of a stain quality so it sticks around really well throughout the day. Perfect for low-maintenance makeup days.

And the newest addition to the blush roundup is the Estée Lauder Pure Colour Cheek Rush in Pink Patent, one of the strangest products I've ever used. It's a liquid blush dispensed from a pump which is strange to start. I've found the best way to apply this is to dispense a little onto my hand and apply it with either my fingers or a stippling brush. This is the most natural looking blush I've ever used, it just looks so natural. And the best thing is that once this is on, it's going nowhere.

Coming into Summer I always reach for cream blushes more, and I would wholeheartedly recommend every single blush mentioned here!

What are your favourite cream blushes?