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Over time, the bloom goes off any rose—luckily, cheeks have options. The best blush for mature skin should melt seamlessly into the complexion, livening the face with a healthy flush that doesn’t settle into fine lines, or appear to come from a compact or tube at all. To make a wash of cream, liquid, or powder color look all the more natural, Westman Atelier co-founder and creative director Gucci Westman has a few tips that are guaranteed to make you blush. Read them all below.
Our Top Picks:
- The Editor’s Pick: Chanel Joues Contraste, $52
- Best Cream Blush: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks, $48
- Best for a Second-Skin Flush: Merit Beauty Flush Balm, $32
- Best Powder Blush: Jones Road Beauty The Best Blush, $28
- Best Multipurpose Blush: RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek Lip Cheek Color, $36
- Best for Dry Skin: Ilia Multi-Stick, $36
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm, $29
- Best for a Soft-Focus Glow: Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush, $42
In This Article:
- Should you use cream or powder blush on mature skin?
- What color blush is best for mature skin?
- Where should you apply blush for mature skin?
- How to Choose a Blush for Mature Skin
- Meet the Experts
Valentino Eye2Cheek Blush and Eyeshadow
- Why we love it: Infused with an exclusive Roma-Light Complex, Valentino’s multitasking formula brings Eternal City-style luminosity to the eyelids and cheeks. The patented ingredient is infused with pearls, giving the cream-to-powder product a radiant, highlighter-like finish. At once highly pigmented and sheer, Eye2Cheek is designed for layering, and it feels positively weightless on the skin. The 12-color range flits between corals, pinks, and plums, and each hue can be worn as a blush, as an eyeshadow, or as a hybrid of both if you use Valentino’s draping technique. (For the latter, bring the product from the highs of the cheeks up to the lids, channeling Pat McGrath’s runway work for the brand.) Ideal for mature skin, the powder melts into the skin without emphasizing fine lines, wrinkles, or other textural concerns.
- Key ingredients: Roma-Light Complex, bergamot fruit oil
- Shades: 12
- Type: Cream-to-powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Large shade selection | Some users report that the formula starts to dry out slightly after several months |
| Buildable | |
| Lightweight feel |
E.l.f. Cosmetics Camo Liquid Blush
- Why we love it: This drugstore gem provides a wealth of value (and pigment!) at a refreshingly low price. Let’s put it this way: You could pick up one of these liquid blushes in every color and still feel like you’ve saved. So, why not use the long-lasting formula as an excuse to play around with new hues? The 12-color selection includes everything from bright pink to lavender-lilac and vibrant orange, and the ultra-pigmented shades aren’t shy about showing up on the cheeks. (Prefer something more demure? The blush is also available in more neutral hues like peachy pink.) Lightweight and buildable, the formula has a soft and dewy finish that suits all skin types. The blush is also infused with ingredients that nurture mature skin, including hyaluronic acid and rose flower water for hydration and hibiscus flower water for gentle exfoliation.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rosa damascena flower water, castor seed oil, hibiscus flower extract
- Shades: 12
- Type: Liquid
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Budget-friendly | May be too pigmented for some fairer skin tones |
| Robust color selection | |
| Buildable |
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks
- Why we love it: Westman designed Baby Cheeks so that color appears to be radiating from within the skin, rather than sitting on top of it. Ideal for the ultimate no-makeup makeup look, for which Westman is known, the innovative blush harnesses biomimicry pigment technology, which lessens the risk of inflammation by encapsulating the synthetic pigments in the blush. (In essence, the technology brings a healthy flush to life in more ways than one.) The blush also hydrates and detoxifies the skin with vitamins C and E, and kaolin clay in the formula. What’s more, it’s infused with organic jojoba oil to tone the skin, and raspberry stem cells to rejuvenate it. Among the blush’s many celebrity fans is 57-year-old Nicole Kidman, who’s been known to accent her red-carpet looks with a sweep of Baby Cheeks in coral-peach “Minette.”
- Key ingredients: Biomimicry pigment technology, organic jojoba oil, Vitis Vita grape extract, kaolin clay, vitamins C and E, Berryflux Vita extract
- Shades: 9
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Multi-purpose formula can be used on lips and cheeks | Can be too pigmented for some fairer skin tones |
| Hydrating | |
| Detoxifying |
Merit Beauty Flush Balm
- Why we love it: Remember the “sunburn blush” trend Hailey Bieber set off a few years ago? This creamy balm was responsible for the look that French makeup artist Violette previously told Vogue “encompasses the spirit of summer.” Imparting a transparent wash of color that gives the cheeks a natural flush, the blush is equally luminous on mature skin. Infused with vitamin E to condition the skin, the formula glides right over the cheeks without settling into creases. Sarah Jessica Parker’s makeup artist Elaine Offers used Flush Balm on the 59-year-old actress on the set of And Just Like That; offscreen, Parker wore the blendable blush to the show’s Season 2 premiere party. (Her hue of choice? The cool-pink “Cheeky.”) Pro tip: Offers also used Merit’s bronzer on Parker, dipping into the Bronze Balm in “Seine” to create a “warming halo” on the forehead, chin, neck, and decolletage.
- Key ingredients: Vitamin E, oxtyldodecanol, hydrogenated polyisobutene
- Shades: 8
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Cruelty-free | May require reapplication throughout the day |
| Easy to use | Dewy finish may accentuate shine in oily skin |
| Conditions skin with vitamin E |
Jones Road Beauty The Best Blush
- Why we love it: This silky powder formulation melts into the skin to provide a lit-from-within flush, which you can admire all day. All the pinky hues come in a mirrored compact for blush touch-ups (or just a little self-admiration) on the go. The buildable powder is talc-free—so it runs little risk of irritating or drying out sensitive, aging skin—and its tightly curated shade range enhances the cheeks’ natural flush. Available in rosy, tawny, berry, and peachy pink, the blush also comes in a vibrant shade called “Pop,” which has a hint of golden shimmer. To use the product, the brand recommends smiling and using a blush brush to apply the powder from the apple of the cheeks to the hairline.
- Key ingredients: Mica, synthetic fluorphlogophite, magnesium, myristate
- Shades: 5
- Type: Powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Talc-free | The pink shades may be too cool for some deeper skin tones |
| Buildable | |
| Easy to use |
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek Lip Cheek Color
- Why we love it: RMS’s multitasking formulation gives lips and cheeks a subtle pop of color in a format that flatters aging skin. RMS Beauty founder Rose-Marie Swift previously told Vogue: “Cream blush is fabulous for mature skin. It adds hydrating color to make the skin look more youthful.” The formula is steeped in hydrating ingredients that smooth out fine lines and creases, including wildcrafted burrito oil, shea butter, and organic cocoa seed butter. With a radiant finish, the creamy color is blendable and buildable; the color is highly concentrated, so a scant dab goes a long way. In a video on the brand’s website, Swift shares a candid application tip. Gently tapping the product into her cheek, she points to the area under her eyes. “I took the blush right up to where the bag is—I didn’t go into my bag! Don’t go into the bag; just go right up the bag!” The result? “Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous,” she says.
- Key ingredients: Wildcrafted buriti oil, shea butter, organic cocoa seed butter
- Shades: 5
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Multi-tasking color works on lips and cheeks | Some customers find that the colors appear slightly different online than what arrives |
| Easily blendable | The packaging isn’t ideal for on-the-go touch ups |
| Buildable |
Ilia Multi-Stick
- Why we love it: A blush stick is ideal for amping up one’s glow on the go, and this one is a top pick amongst Vogue editors and celebrities alike. (It’s a must-have for 59-year-old Brooke Shields, for example.) Also beloved by pro makeup artists, the creamy color sinks into the skin on contact, leaving cheeks and lips with a luminous glow. Available in 12 shades, the multitasking stick is easy to apply without aid from a blush brush. What’s more, the formula is packed with nourishing ingredients such as avocado oil, shea butter, and orange-peel wax to soften the skin while giving it a boost of antioxidants. For Willow Lindley, Vogue’s fashion market and collaborations director, the stick is clutch for virtual meetings. “This has been my Zoom saver!” she said. “This stick is the perfect pick-me-up for my face. I swipe a little on my cheeks, my lips, and across the bridge of my nose, and dab a tiny amount on the lids of my eyes when I need to look put-together onscreen.”
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, avocado oil, orange peel wax
- Shades: 12
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Multitasking color can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks | The creamy texture can make precise application slightly more difficult |
| Easy to apply on the go | Runs the risk of smudging when applied over foundation |
| Packed with skin-softening ingredients |
Chanel Joues Contraste
- Why we love it: One of Vogue’s favorite blushes for achieving an easy, radiant glow, Chanel’s iconic blush has an ultra-fine texture that glides easily over the skin. Available in 12 shades ranging from gold-flecked beige to soft apricot and brick red, the blush revives mature cheeks with a pop of color. Its subtle rose scent is an added perk, as is the blush brush that comes with it. Though it looks unassuming, our editors have found that the included brush works brilliantly for touch ups.
- Key ingredients: Talc, cellulose, silica, synthetic fluorphlogopite
- Shades: 12
- Type: Powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Easy to apply | Contains talc, which can be drying or irritating on some mature skin types |
| Formula glides easily across the skin | |
| Delicate, rosy scent |
Guerlain Terracotta Powder Blush
- Why we love it: Light as gossamer but long-lasting, Guerlain’s buildable blush peps the cheeks up with a natural-looking flush. Writer Coco Mellors tested the blush for Vogue, using the method prescribed by Guerlain’s creative director Violette. After applying the product where the blood naturally flows and blending warm and cool shades together for a sfumato effect, Mellors wrote: “Somehow I look like I just slept 12 hours. Blush is rest, I think.” Offering lightweight, second-skin coverage, the formula is infused with argan oil for a silky, comfortable feeling on the skin. Its six-shade range—which includes different intensities of nude, pink, and coral—has options that flatter any skin tone.
- Key ingredients: Argan oil, mica, lauroyl lysine
- Shades: 6
- Type: Powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Long-lasting | Its coverage may be too light for some |
| Lightweight texture that lets skin breathe | |
| Made for blending and building |
Clé de Peau Beauté Cream Blush
- Why we love it: A good cream blush is a secret weapon for achieving a dreamy, dewy makeup look—even in the winter. “I always use a cream blush, even if I add a powder blush over the cream and layer the product,” celebrity makeup artist Robert Sesnek previously told Vogue. “It really gives the skin a lit-from-within look and is another way to add dimension.” Moisturizing and radiance-boosting thanks to hyaluronic acid and reflective micas in the formula, this creamy blush can be swiped on lightly for a subtle flush or layered for a contoured look. Fragranced with the brand’s signature scent, the blush tops off color with a whiff of rose—and it comes in delicious hues of Persimmon, Cranberry, and Pale Fig.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, mica
- Shades: 3
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Buildable | The three-shade range may be limiting for some |
| Pleasant rose scent | |
| Hydrating |
Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm
- Why we love it: This oil-free, allergy-tested blush imparts a sheer, long-wearing glow. Easy to stash in a purse or beach bag, the stick swivels up so no sharpening is required—nor is a brush. The product blends seamlessly into the skin with the pat of a finger. Ideal for delivering a sun-kissed glow, it comes in four shades ranging from apple-red to a reddish-orange hue inspired by rhubarb. Pro tip: If you fall in love with the cheek formula, note that Clinique also makes a Chubby Stick for lips, and it’s a celebrity favorite. Padma Lakshmi, for instance, once told Vogue that she constantly reapplies the lipstick on the set of Top Chef. “It gives [my lips] a little moisture, but it’s not super shiny,” she said.
- Key ingredients: Isodecyl isononate, polyethylene,
- Shades: 4
- Type: Cream
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Oil-free | With just four shades, the color selection is relatively small |
| Allergy-tested | |
| Long-wearing | |
| Portable |
Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush
- Why we love it: Tilbury, the doyenne of soft-focus glow, infused her silky blush with pearlized pigments and light-flex technology to ensure that anyone who wears it will find their light. The two-step application process starts with swishing a blush brush around the outer color, then applying it to the cheekbones using upward strokes. Afterward, dip the brush into the center hue and use it to add a touch of luminous color to the apples of the cheeks. Ultimately, the duo of shades conspire to warm up the cheeks with a lit-from-within luster.
- Key ingredients: Talc, mica, isononyl isononanoate, rice starch
- Shades: 6
- Type: Powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Silky texture | The application process may be slightly complicated for some |
| Luminous finish |
Gucci Luminous Matte Beauty Blush
- Why we love it: This featherweight blush brings matte—but still luminous!—color to cheeks and eyes. The buildable hues, which range from cool and neutral pinks to plum and coral, can achieve everything from a light flush to a bold, vibrant blush. With a second-skin feel, the formula is infused with ingredients, such as black rose oil and hyaluronic acid, that nourish and hydrate mature skin. The display-worthy compact, decked with gilded stars, makes the blush all the more appealing. Pro tip: For a summery flush any time of year, celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips previously told Vogue that she tops off cream blush with this powder and a touch of Gucci’s powder bronzer.
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, hyaluronic acid, black rose oil
- Shades: 9
- Type: Powder
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Multitasking color works on cheeks and eyes | Since the formula is infused with oil, it may not suit those with oilier skin types |
| Hydrating ingredients | |
| Chic packaging |
Monika Blunder Liquid Flush Cheek Tint Blush
- Why we love it: Featured in Kate Hudson’s Beauty Secrets, this liquid blush is formulated with a blend of Austrian botanicals. Made with arnica flower extract, edelweiss extract, and safflower oil, it revives skin with a sunkissed glow—as if indeed, you’ve just returned from wildcrafting in the sun. To make the most of the creamy formula, use the doe-foot applicator to apply the blush to the high points of the cheeks. (Adding a dab to the bridge and the tip of the nose will emphasize a sun-kissed effect if that’s your makeup look du jour.) The buildable tint, also beloved by Amanda Seyfried, can be blended out with fingers or a brush.
- Key ingredients: Arnica flower extract, edelweiss extract, safflower oil, C10-18 triglycerides, caprylic/capric triglyceride
- Shades: 4
- Type: Liquid
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Skin-loving ingredients | Cream blush doesn’t always have staying power on oily skin |
| Buildable color |
Saie Dew Blush
- Why we love it: One of the best liquid blushes we’ve tested, Saie’s Dew Blush lives up to its name. It leaves behind a dewy flush and melts into the skin for an unfussy, what, this old radiance? effect. It’s formulated with mulberry and licorice root extract to brighten the skin, and glycerin to keep it supple and moisturized. What’s more, the formula comes in eight buildable shades, which range from cool baby pink to bright berry and warm terracotta.
- Key ingredients: Elderberry fruit extract, licorice root extract, plant-derived glycerin
- Shades: 8
- Type: Liquid
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Dewy finish | May require reapplication throughout the day |
| Hydrating | |
| Brightening | |
| Buildable |
Everything You Need to Know
Should you use cream or powder blush on mature skin?
When it comes to selecting powder or cream, “it depends on the level of maturity of the skin, but it’s in the application technique,” Westman says. “If you’ve created a radiant finish using foundation, then you can absolutely either use a powder or a cream blush. It really all depends on the skin’s finish and the preparation you used.”
Jenny Patinkin, a makeup artist and the founder of Jenny Patinkin Eco-Luxe tools, says: “I generally think that liquid or cream blush is better for mature—or ‘lived-in’ skin as I like to call it—because it has a reflective appearance, even if it’s formulated without any shimmer. A reflected bounce of light off of skin that has started to thin or droop can create the illusion of a smoother, more glowy appearance. Not to mention that as skin ages it doesn t retain moisture as well, so liquid or cream blushes can also give the appearance of being more hydrated and plump.”
As for powder blush, Patinkin doesn’t generally recommend it for everyday wear on mature skin. “Powder blush formulated with shimmer can give the same effect of making the skin appear more glowy and fresh, but that’s mostly when you view it either on camera or from a distance,” she says. “Close up, powder blush with shimmer can settle into fine lines and pores, which can make them appear more pronounced.”
Westman adds a caveat: Powder blush can work on mature skin types, but only if the skin has been properly prepped—and that’s particularly true for those with moisture loss. “If your skin is very dry to the touch, you would need to add some sort of radiance, whether that be from your moisturizer or a skin enhancer, to ensure the skin feels a bit more alive,” she says. “If skin is prepped, it will ensure the products are blending seamlessly together for a softer finish.” That soft finish is key to Westman’s general makeup philosophy for aging skin. “Less is more, especially with mature skin,” she notes. “You don’t want to overdo it.”
What color blush is best for mature skin?
Though the best blush color will vary by skin tone, Westman cautions that mature skin types prone to redness don’t should steer clear of pinks. “You won’t want to add more pink or red shades,” she says. “If there are any sort of discolorations on the skin, you’d want to offset that. Generally speaking, I would suggest bronzy, taupe, and/or tawny shades.” Not only can these hues complement one’s natural skin tone—as someone very dear to Westman can attest, peach and bronze hues also have a contouring effect that can enhance facial features in a flattering way. “My mother looks much better with a peachy bronzy blush that follows her cheekbone, since she has more of a round face,” she says. (Her mother’s blush of choice? It’s actually Westman Atelier’s tinted highlighter, Super Loaded, in Peau de Pêche.)
Where should you apply blush for mature skin?
“Your face changes a lot as you age,” Westman notes. “If your face is rounder, I would suggest creating more definition and shape. If it’s hollower, you’d want to create a softer, oval application.” To achieve this, Westman recommends putting the edge of a blender brush directly under the cheekbone, then using the brush to follow the cheekbone’s natural curvature, while creating a horizontal oval. “Sort of like how you do contour, but make it soft for a rounder face,” she says. “This gives you warmth, radiance, and definition all in one.”
Celebrity makeup artist Mia Hawkswell whose worked with Pamela Anderson and Rose Byrne also previously told Vogue that the classic application technique of applying blush on the apples of your cheeks doesn’t work as well after a certain point, as the apple “has fallen.” Haskell’s top tip? Instead of placing the product where you normally would, she suggests applying it under the eye, on the top of the cheekbones, and close to your contour if you use it. Then, she says, use a brush to blend the blusher upwards towards your temples.
How to Choose a Blush for Mature Skin
To choose the best blush for an aging complexion, consider the factors below.
- Formula: “For mature skin, liquid blushes can provide hydration and long-lasting color that is easy to apply and blend with fingertips,” says celebrity makeup artist Aaron Paul, whose clients include 66-year-old Jennifer Tilly. “It can also be used on the lips or as an eyeshadow.” When it comes to powder formulas, Paul prefers those with a matte finish for mature skin. “Shimmer powders tend to magnify unwanted skin textures,” he says.
- Shade: As she describes in greater detail below, Westman generally recommends blush shades that fall into the bronze, tawny, or taupe shade range. For his part, celebrity makeup artist Ermahn Ospina, who works with clients like 77-year-old Jacki Weaver, says: “Look for shades that have a pink or a peach base, these shades tend to match all skin tones and add a brighter bounce to the cheeks!” That said, the best color for mature skin will vary by skin tone.
Celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard previously told Vogue: “You’re going to want to pick a blush that harmonizes with your skin tone. Peach, coral, and terracotta shades bring warmth to golden and yellow undertones, while true pinks, mauves, and berry tones enhance cooler, pink skin tones.” - Ingredients: Mature skin tends to be on the drier side; chalk it up to decreased oil production, a weakened skin barrier, and other natural factors. As such, blushes infused with hydrating ingredients are particularly beneficial. For instance, hyaluronic acid and natural oils and butters will help the skin maintain a dewy glow. And at any age, using products with antioxidants such as vitamins C and E will help protect the skin from free-radical damage.
Meet the Experts
- Ermahn Ospina is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Walton Goggins, Amal Clooney, and Carla Gugino.
- Aaron Paul is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lilly Singh, Jennifer Tilly, and Yvonne Orji.
- Gucci Westman is the co-founder and creative director of Westman Atelier and a celebrity makeup artist for the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Anne Hathaway.
- Jenny Patinkin is a makeup artist and the founder of Jenny Patinkin Eco-Luxe Beauty Tools.