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There’s nothing quite like blush to give you an immediate, healthy glow. And you don't need to drop upwards of $25 to get the look. Drugstore brands have evolved to be just as good, and in some cases better, than prestige brands. These TikTok-approved blushes are known for melting skin for a flawless and lightweight flash of color. From dramatically rosy cheeks to the smallest dust of color, these drugstore blushes blend beautifully. Choose from creams to powders, gels to sticks; they can all be found in the drugstore for a couple of bucks. We promise nothing on this list costs more than $20.
We conducted hours of research on the best drugstore blushes, evaluating each formula on shade range and finish, as well as pigment level, blendability, and how they feel on your skin. Our product testers tried out some of the top-rated picks, and shared their insights to help us narrow down the list. We also considered application, because we're always here for a good hack when it comes to applying blush. Many of the drugstore blushes on this list make it easy to use the "W" application technique that TikTok made famous for creating a sculpted, naturally-contoured look.
Ahead, the best drugstore blushes that are easy to apply and deliver the look you crave.
Best Overall
Milani Baked Blush
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Amazon
Buildable
Great color payoff
Shimmer finishes double as a highlighter
Has a lot of fallout
It’s amazing to believe a blush of this caliber could be available at a drugstore. Milani proudly asserts the product is sun-baked on terracotta tiles in Italy, creating a formula that melts into skin for the best buildable glow. With 22 shades to accommodate all tones of pale, olive, and dark skin, these blushes are highly pigmented. They're also available in either a satin or shimmer finish (which can even double as a highlighter). Talk about bang for your buck.
Price at time of publish: $14
Shade Range: 22 | Finish: Satin, shimmery | Size: 0.12 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
What Our Testers Say
"I enjoyed my experience with Milani's Baked Blush, as it added a nice pop of color and luminous finish that sat well over my foundation all day long." — Celeste Polanco, Product Tester
Best Budget
e.l.f. Cosmetics Powder Blush Palette
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Elf
Versatile
Doubles as contour powder or highlighters
Great color payoff
Cannot buy single refills for the shades
This brand is synonymous with super affordable luxury, and their blush palette is no exception. With four different colors in the one compact, you’re given the option to switch up your shade depending on your mood, or mix several of the colors together for a custom blend. With each option finished in either matte or shimmer, this blush palette can be used to contour, color, or highlight to your heart’s content.
Price at time of publish: $9
Shade Range: 4 | Size: 0.14 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Mature Skin
L'Oréal Age Perfect Satin Blush
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L'oreal paris
Hydrating
Isn't cakey
Buildable
Not long-lasting
Visible Lift, Loreal's long-acclaimed blush for mature skin, has been discontinued—but luckily the brand has come out with a great new option. The Age Perfect Satin Blush is Visible Lift’s successor and it's even better than before. It’s the same cake-free finish but is also formulated with antioxidant-filled camellia oil so it shouldn’t dry out your skin.
Price at time of publish: $13
Shade Range: 6 | Finish: Satin | Size: 0.31 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Fair Skin
Physicians Formula Powder Palette Custom Blush
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Amazon
Includes a blending brush and mirror
Blends easily
Buildable
Not long-lasting
One of the most famous powder blushes (drugstore or otherwise), this cult favorite features a mosaic of different complementary hues that naturally adapts to your skin tone upon application. It also comes with a baby flat brush and mirror within the compact, which is ideal if you want a product to take on the go.
Price at time of publish: $10
Shade Range: 4 | Finish: Shimmer | Size: 0.17 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Olive Skin
Maybelline New York Cheek Heat Gel Cream Blush
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Amazon
Oil-free
Blends easily
Buildable
Dries fast; may appear blotchy
There’s truly nothing like a liquid blush for a natural glow. The Cheek Heat is oil-free, so it won’t clog your pores when you’re wearing layers of makeup all day long. The water base allows it to easily blend and build if you’re going foundation-free. Available in six shades ranging in pigment intensity, there’s a blush for every preference.
Price at time of publish: $6
Shade Range: 6 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.27 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Dark Skin
Rimmel Maxi Blush
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Amazon
Lightweight
Buildable
Doubles as an eye shadow
Color payoff could be better
For those of you who enjoy a subtler glow, there’s no way to overdo it with Rimmel Maxi Blush. The powder consistency is so fine it easily competes with a gel or cream in the soft finish. Its four-shade range looks natural, but is pigmented enough to offer darker skin tones a real pop of color.
Price at time of publish: $4
Shade Range: 4 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.31 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge
Pixi Beauty On-the-Glow Blush
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Amazon
Soothes the skin
Blends easily
Easy-to-apply stick formula
Can feel heavy
The downside of cream blushes is often that they’re so pigmented they can be difficult to nail on the first go, forcing you to tone down your application with additional blending or excess foundation. This vitamin-packed blush eliminates that issue, promising perfect color in just one swipe. Also, if you’re acne-prone, it’s formulated with aloe vera and ginseng to help heal and balance the skin.
Price at time of publish: $14
Shade Range: 3 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.67 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Powder
Almay Healthy Hue Blush
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Walmart
Lightweight
Buildable
Sourced from paper
Can look intense if overused
Almay is always a drugstore favorite for hypoallergenic ingredients and natural results—their fool-proof blushes express this ethos tenfold. The four tones are designed to vary in intensity upon application, making this the ultimate buildable powder that's lightweight enough to never look cakey. The Healthy Hue blush is also created from sourced paper—sustainable makeup all the way.
Price at time of publish: $10
Shade Range: 4 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.17 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Shade Range
Maybelline Fit Me Blush
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Amazon
Blends easily
Dermatologist-tested
Color payoff could be better
Did someone say 10 shades? Don’t mind if I do. This even-wearing, true-to-tone blush is designed to suit every skin tone and level of makeup proficiency. With a creamy texture and matte finish, there’s a reason the Fit Me has been a crowd favorite for so long. Of all the powders, this should work best on make-up free skin to elevate a natural look.
Price at time of publish: $6
Shade Range: 10 | Finish: Natural | Size: 0.16 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Sensitive Skin
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Origin Blush
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Walmart
Hydrating
Lightweight
Blends easily
Reviewers note packaging is flimsy
You can always count on Burt’s Bees for an all-around great product. Available in six shades, this blush is free from harsh chemicals and includes bamboo honey, jojoba oil, and vitamin E—leaving skin nourished and hydrated.
Price at time of publish: $7
Shade Range: 5 | Finish: Radiant | Size: 0.19 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Because the blush is shimmer-free, it makes for an ideal warm contour. For lighter to olive skin tones the “toasted cinnamon” might just be your perfect bronzer.
Best Cream
Revlon Insta-Blush
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Amazon
Easy-to-apply stick formula
Great color payoff
Hydrating
Can remove heavy foundation
Fans claim this is the product that encouraged them to throw out their powder blush, and it’s easy to understand why. The stick makes for easy application (although beware—this one is highly pigmented when built so you’re going to need to blend with a brush rather than fingers). The high coverage can also remove heavy foundation when applied direct-to-skin, so the product works best with minimal additional makeup. This is a great option for dry or mature skin that needs that extra boost of hydration.
Price at time of publish: $10
Shade Range: 4 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.31 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Stick
Julep Skip the Brush Creme to Powder Blush Stick
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Amazon
Easy-to-apply stick
Long-lasting
Doubles as a highlighter
Color payoff could be better
This stick is the creme-to-powder option of your dreams—it glides on silkily and sets into the skin for all-day wear. Fans believe it to be one of the easiest-to-apply blushes out there, claiming just a swipe and a few finger dabs is enough to achieve a seamless blend. Just to take it a step further, it also boasts luminescent pearls for an extra glow, although this does mean it’s slightly less pigmented than other cream-based products out there. Still, if you’re looking to save money on an additional highlighter, invest in a blush that truly does it all.
Price at time of publish: $18
Shade Range: 8 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Final Verdict
Our best overall pick is Milani Baked Blush, a cult-favorite that has a unique baked formula. We love how this blush melts into skin. We also love Maybelline New York Cheek Heat, an oil-free formula safe for those who are acne-prone, which comes in a hygienic tube.
What to Look For in a Blush
Color
When selecting a powder blush, the most important thing is finding a shade that flatters your skin tone. If you’re struggling to find the perfect shade, pay attention to what your cheeks look like when they flush naturally and purchase something similar.
Blendability
You’re going to want a blush that blends beautifully into the skin. If you’re going for a cream blush, blendability is even more important because the last thing you want is streaks on your face. Blendability is also determined by skin type, as those with drier skin might require a more hydrating formula. It's important to feel comfortable with applying a blush, whether that means blending with your fingers, brush, blender, or sponge. There's no one recommendation—it's really what works best for you.
Ingredients
With so many options out there the last thing you need is a blush that’s jam-packed with harsh chemicals. Scout for blushes that contain nourishing and hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin E, or camellia oil, like the Burt's Bees pick on this list.
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