Nothing Brightens My Face Like These Dewy Cream Blushes

Soaking up beauty culture as an early ‘00s teen, I believed two things to be true: top and bottom eyeliner makes everything better and a shiny face is to be avoided at all costs. And while I still stand by a well-done waterline look (controversial, I know, but you won’t change my mind), I’ve come to see the beauty of a dewy, light-reflecting cheek. Cream blushes, in my opinion, make dull skin seem refreshed and bright, and refreshed and bright skin appear downright ethereal.

“Cream [blushes] are easy to use, and in addition to color, deliver lots of moisture to the skin and lips,” says rms beauty founder (and, NBD, Gisele Bündchen’s go-to makeup artist) Rose-Marie Swift, whose line exclusively features balm-like products. When I ask her exactly why creamy blushes give me such a lift, she says it comes down to one thing: the hydration factor. “Powder pulls the natural moisture from the skin and that highlights wrinkles, fine lines, and imperfections, aging you immediately,” she explains. “It also leaves a thicker dry residue or buildup on the skin which will be very noticeable in natural light and even worse in bad light. Cream formulas do exactly the opposite: They give skin moisture, dewiness, and natural radiance with a more natural-looking flush of color.”

Swift instructs me to apply cream blush with my fingers (although a brush, when used properly, is also fine) above the nostril line — anything lower throws off the contours of the face. “Gisele always called it a ‘puppy dog face’ as it pulls the face down,” she tells me. “Applying the blush higher lifts the face, especially for mature women. This technique works wonders and really gives a more youthful appearance to the face, mark my words. Always remember to blend, blend, blend — and check the final results in natural lighting.”

Shop Swift’s line, alongside a few of my other favorite formulations ahead.

We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.