Okay, I have a confession to make. Blush has never really been a staple in my makeup bag. There, I said it. I used to live my life fully dedicated to highlighter and bronzer only, but I'm now starting to see what all the hype is about. Better late than never, right? I guess I should take the opportunity to explain myself a bit. My gripe with a lot of blushes in the past is that the colors just never quite looked right on my Brown skin. I always thought any shade of pink was really pushing things into "highly unnatural-looking" territory so I'd kind of avoided them ever since.
Now, however, I have to say I'm eating my own words. Yes, I am wearing blush in the above photo, but my goal is for it to be so subtle, you can't even tell. With the right formula (and shade for that matter), blush can create the perfect healthy-looking glow. Granted, there are still some shades I'll steer clear of, but overall, I'm branching out. My current favorite individual blushes at the moment include Tower 28's BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Magic Hour ($20) and Refy's Cream Blush in Citrine ($20). Don't get me wrong, I love a single blush to throw in my bag every day, but you know what's even better? A full-blown blush palette, folks. Make the investment. Trust me—you won't regret it. That way, you can mix and match your favorite hues based on your current mood. If you love sporting that sunny, summery type of radiance every day, scroll through below and find the absolute best blush palette for you.
1. Nars Afterglow Blush Palette
This limited edition cheek palette delivers that lit-from-within glow using six universally flattering shades. There are a few more muted shades that work perfect for daily wear and a couple more vibrant hues for a night out.
2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Face Palette - Universe
Just looking at this Hourglass palette makes me crave a glowing, marble-esque makeup look. In addition to the two rosy blush colors, the palette also comes with a bronzing shade and a few highlighters. It's truly an all-in-one illuminating palette.
3. Kosas Color Light: Cream Blush Highlighter Duo
Kosas's Color Light duo is an everyday staple for me. It provides you with just the right pop of color and comes in a variety of shades that complement all skin tones.
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trio
I love this blush trio because each shade is next-level pigmented. It's easily one of the best blush palettes around for its buildable intensity and natural-looking finish.
5. Jouer Cosmetics Blush Bouquet Dual Blush Palette
The quality for price delivered by this blush palette is truly unmatched. Each blush glides on so smoothly and I have to say I'm obsessed with the shades, which range from rosy and nude to deep magenta.
6. Christian Louboutin Abracadabra La Palette Blush Highlighter Palette
These rich, warm hues promise sun-kissed summer skin year round. They even have a metallic finish for extra heat and radiance.
7. Danessa Myricks Beauty Dewy Cheek Lip Palette
I know some of you out there prefer a powder formula, but if you fall into the ride-or-die cream camp, this one is for you. These ultra-dewy blushes are so pigmented and give any skin tone a healthy flushed look or can be built up in intensity.
8. Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush + Glow Trio
As a bonus, you receive an iridescent highlighter with these divine blushes from Pat McGrath. All the shades in this palette provide multidimensional color on the skin and a healthy glow even without the ambient lighting.
9. Lunar Beauty Moon Prism Blush Palette
I love that Lunar Beauty's Moon Prism palette comes with five gorgeous matte blushes and one shimmer blush. They can be blended to create a perfectly flushed look or can even be used as eye shadow.
10. CoverGirl Instant Cheekbones Blush
CoverGirl's Instant Cheekbones palette features the perfect shades of warm nude. I love that the palette is the perfect size to throw in your purse and each shade provides you with fully rosy cheeks without being too over the top.
11. Tom Ford Shade Illuminate Blush Duo
Tom Ford's Shade Illuminate Blush Duo earns a spot on the list for its beautifully crafted semi-matte blushes that also double as highlighters thanks to the light-reflecting finish.
12. Sephora Collection Clean Velvet Cream Blush Palette
Each of these universally flattering hues is creamy, highly pigmented, and look like an absolute dream on the skin. The colors even contain squalane for extra hydration and an overall dewy look.
13. Melt Cosmetics Monarca Blush Palette
If you vibe with a bolder, brighter blush look, this Melt Cosmetics palette will be your new holy grail item. Each tone is warm, vibrant, and when worn, makes your skin look freshly kissed by the blazing sun.
14. Kjaer Weis The Cheek Collection
The bronzy gold shade in this palette will sit perfectly atop either of the other rosy hues for a naturally elegant look.
15. E.l.f. Cosmetics Powder Blush Set
The shades in E.l.f.'s mini blush quad can be blended together or worn separately. Either way, they provide brilliant, long-lasting color on the cheeks.
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