I Currently Own More Than $500 in Blush—My Top 5 Start at $11

The sheer amount of new blushes on the market in 2025 alone are proof the recent blush boom isn't going away anytime soon. No surprise here, a really good blush can make all the difference in achieving that natural-looking flush we all covet in the first place. Every kind of blush formulation—sticks, liquid, creams and powders—have taken over my beauty drawer like no other makeup has, but after testing dozens (and dozens) of cheek color, I find myself reaching for the same select few. From a smooth powder to dewy creams, read on for my top five blushes of 2025.

I Currently Own More Than $500 in Blush—My Top 5 Start at $11

1 / 5

Best Blending

REFY Cream Blush ($20)

Of all the blushes in my makeup drawer, REFY's Cream Blush is the dreamiest to blend—it never leaves a harsh line, becomes patchy or disappears as I work it into my cheeks. Plus, the addition of synthetic beeswax to the formula smooths skin on contact, giving cheeks an instant airbrushed effect, and the light cream texture builds beautifully no matter how much color you work in.

BUY ON REFY - $20

BUY ON SEPHORA - $20

2 / 5

Best Natural-Looking

MERIT Beauty Flush Balm ($30)

For a natural glow in two seconds (no exaggeration), MERIT Beauty's Flush Balm wins the contest every time. Flush Balm is one of the easiest, most efficient blushes I've ever owned (it's so conditioning I regularly swipe it over my lips and eyelids too), and the sheer veil of color it delivers truly looks like your own healthy flush.

BUY ON MERIT - $30

BUY ON SEPHORA - $30

3 / 5

Best Powder

Saie SuperSuede™ Talc-Free Powder Blush ($28)

Saie's SuperSuede pulled me out of my powder blush slump. This baked blush is made with skin-softening squalane and glycerin and hydrating hyaluronic acid so it never dries skin out, plus (ethically sourced) silica and mica to blur and diffuse skin instantly. It's velvety without being cakey or heavy and has the perfect amount of sheen to catch the light right where you want it to.

BUY ON SAIE - $28

BUY ON SEPHORA - $28

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4 / 5

Best Budget

Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush ($12)

For just over $10, Milani's Cheek Kiss Cream Blush always leaves me more than impressed. The balm-to-gel cream formula, infused with pomegranate, rose extract, watermelon, vitamins A, C and E and spherical powders to hydrate, brighten and blur skin. Plus, you only need a tiny amount for a healthy dose of color that really pops (the red-wine hued Merlot Moment is my personal favorite). Pro tip: blend the color out on the back of your hand before applying on cheeks for easier blending.

BUY ON ULTA - $12

BUY ON AMAZON - $11

5 / 5

Best Splurge

Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick ($48)

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the luxurious Baby Cheeks Blush Stick by Westman Atelier, a product worth every penny. The creamy, multi-purpose formula works on both lips and cheeks, and is made with organic jojoba seed oil and raspberry leaf stem cell extract for deep hydration and seamless blending. I especially love that it settles in to skin like silk and stays as vibrant throughout the day as when I first apply it.

BUY ON CREDO BEAUTY - $48

BUY ON SEPHORA - $48

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