Ignite your skin’s natural radiance as we unveil the holy grail of drugstore blushes for acne prone skin! These flush-inducing gems have the power to transform your complexion, allowing you to confidently flaunt a flawless, healthy glow. Bid farewell to clogged pores and blemishes, as we navigate the vast aisles of the drugstore beauty world in search of the ultimate blush formulas that won’t aggravate your skin. So, embark on this cosmetic journey with us as we bring together the best of both worlds – impeccable style and acne-friendly solutions, all within reach of your fingertips. It’s time to unlock the secret to achieving the radiant skin you’ve always dreamt of, without compromising your acne-prone complexion.
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
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
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
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
Best for Mature Skin
L’Oréal Age Perfect Satin Blush
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
Best for Fair Skin
Physicians Formula Powder Palette Custom Blush
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
Best for Olive Skin
Maybelline New York Cheek Heat Gel Cream Blush
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
Best for Dark Skin
Rimmel Maxi Blush
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
Best Splurge
Pixi Beauty On-the-Glow Blush
Ulta
- 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
Best Powder
Almay Healthy Hue Blush
Target
- 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
Best Shade Range
Maybelline Fit Me Blush
Ulta
- 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
Best for Sensitive Skin
Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Origin Blush
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
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 Photoready Insta-Blush Stick
CVS
- 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
Best Stick
Julep Skip the Brush Creme to Powder Blush Stick
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
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.
1. “Flawless Glow on a Budget: Discover the Holy Grail Drugstore Blush for Acne Prone Skin”
When it comes to achieving a flawless complexion without breaking the bank, finding the perfect blush for acne prone skin can seem like an impossible mission. But fear not, fellow beauty enthusiasts! We’ve scoured the drugstore shelves to uncover the holy grail of affordable blushes that will give you the perfect glow, even if you struggle with acne.
Introducing the Revolution Pro Blush Palette – a game-changer for those of us dealing with acne prone skin. This gem of a blush palette offers an array of highly pigmented shades that are specially formulated to minimize irritation and breakouts. With its creamy texture and buildable formula, you can effortlessly create a natural flush or build it up for a more intense pop of color. Plus, the palette features a perfect combination of matte and shimmer shades, providing endless possibilities to customize your look.
-
- Formulated to minimize irritation and breakouts
- Creamy texture for effortless application
- Highly pigmented shades that are buildable
<
2. “Banishing Blemishes with Brilliance: Uncover the Ultimate Drugstore Blush for Acne Prone Skin
Frankly put, blush is the equivalent of a really great party guest: Fun, reliable, and complementary to every situation. Plus, with its rise in popularity on TikTok as well as all the how to videos from celebrity makeup artists, the well of inspiration for how you can apply it and the looks you can master never runs dry. What’s even better — working with a more affordable drugstore brand gives you a little more leeway to try them all without sacrificing quality.
Best Overall
Milani Baked Blush
MILANI
What We Like: The blush comes in an extensive shade range, is super buildable, and makes skin glow.
What We Don’t Like: It could be too shimmery for those who prefer a matte finish.
Recommended by all three of our experts and thousands of TikTok users, we had to get our hands on the Milani Baked Blush – and the results were as dazzling as everyone promised. A glowy, natural color warmed our cheeks with one swipe while the shimmer finish gave our cheekbones an eye-catching allure, making us feel positively radiant.
We are equally impressed with the way the blush blends seamlessly over pores and rough textured skin. Even though we typically turn to creams for the most blendability, creative and editorial makeup artist Anya Tisdale applauds this powder’s buildable formula. This all-star attribute makes the blush conducive for layering it with your other products to create a cohesive, not cakey, makeup look.
With 11 shades to choose from, we have no doubt that you’ll find one suitable for your needs, but the aptly named Luminoso is our favorite — its subtle peachy hue looks natural on a variety of skin tones. Each of the colorways leaves behind a satin or shimmer finish that we think provides a gorgeous lit-from-within effect. However, if you’re glitter-averse we recommend opting for the matte finish of Milani’s equally beloved rose powder blush.
Price at time of publish: $11
Shades: 11 | Finish: Satin, shimmery | Size: 0.16 oz
Best Palette
e.l.f. Cosmetics Powder Blush Palette
ELF
What We Like: Between the clean formula that’s safe on all skin types and the universal shade range, this blush will suit a variety of skin tones.
What We Don’t Like: The ultra rich formula makes the shades easy to over apply.
Boasting versatility, there’s so much fun to be had playing with the shimmer and matte finishes included in this quartet of colors. Consider taking the warm, top-right brown shade to the inner hallows of our cheeks for added depth, and combining the bottom two pink ones to create a more understated, everyday blush. You can even swatch your lids with any of the four shades for a no-fuss eye makeup application.
The best part? Everyone can enjoy them since the natural-looking shades come in universally flattering rose and peach colors that suit a wide range of skin tones. If you’re skeptical, let us explain: The formula mixes together seamlessly, allowing you to customize a shade that works best for you, and it means you can use this palette every season.
Word to the wise: Use a very light hand when applying these blushes because the color payoff is very strong and can be too intense for more natural looks.
Price at time of publish: $9
Shades: 4 | Finish: Matte, shimmer | Size: 0.48 oz
Best Cream
NYX Professional Makeup Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint
NYX
What We Like: The creamy formula has hydrating ingredients that feel luxe and lightweight on the skin.
What We Don’t Like: It can look patchy if you don’t blend it before it dries down.
Calling this pick “small but mighty,” Tisdale swears by the strong color payoff and extensive shade range this blush offers. Enjoy the freeing feeling of going bare-faced, courtesy of its lightweight formula, yet you’ll still reap the benefits of brighter, cheerier skin that the pigmented colors provide.
There are also added benefits for your complexion from the inclusion of shea butter and glycerin: Two ingredients that not only contribute to an effortless application, but they may help your skin appear softer and more hydrated over time.
Feel free to ditch your other makeup tools because the cushioned, doe-foot applicator makes for a super straightforward application — just dot it onto skin and buff. If you are eager to try different techniques à la the sunburn blush trend, know that manipulating the creamy texture with a brush or makeup sponge is just as simple.
Although we appreciate how blendable this is upon first application, we recommend working quickly because it dries down fast.
Price at time of publish: $10
Shades: 6 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.67 oz
Best for Mature Skin
Makeup Revolution Superdewy Liquid Blusher
REVOLUTION
What We Like: The pigmented shades stand out on mature skin without looking too bold.
What We Don’t Like: The finish isn’t as dewy as the name implies.
We’ve discovered some game-changing concealers (thanks, Jamie Lee Curtis) and outstanding foundations that enhance mature skin, and now we found a way to add color back into these complexions with this affordable liquid blush from Makeup Revolution.
Simply put, “as people age, their skin tends to get drier and thinner,” explains Gray, who tells us this blush does an excellent job of bringing back radiance with its hydrating formula and pigmented shades. It also “blends like a dream,” she adds, which makes the blush totally customizable. In fact, we found that its ultra-lightweight texture felt similar to applying a silky, luxe serum. This feature made it a delight when we wanted to build the intensity of our look, especially with the shade Flushing For You, which applied to our medium skin like a neutral pink, but lent itself to a brighter, bolder red as we swiped on each layer.
The fine-tipped applicator allows you to better control how much you’re using so you can target certain features, like the corner of your cheekbones or the top of your temples. And even though it settles down into a semi-matte finish rather than providing skin with the intense luminosity implied by the name Superdewy, we like that it still looks fresh and doesn’t cake on dry skin.
Gray is also a fan of the diverse colorways, specifically calling out the peachy-toned Fake the Flush shade as being very complementary to fair skin and suggesting deeper skin tones try Blush Me Up, a berry-colored hue.
Price at time of publish: $7
Shades: 8 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.5 oz
Best Liquid
NYX Bare With Me Luminous Cheek Serum
ULTA
What We Like: The liquid formula melts in your skin to provide a natural-looking finish that’s perfect for everyday wear.
What We Don’t Like: It’s not a very extensive shade range.
A top-notch liquid blush dries fast, won’t transfer, and plays well with our other skincare and makeup products. And this little number from NYX ticks all those boxes and more, says celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray. She recommends this blush over other liquid options because its long-lasting formula is also “extremely lightweight” and “easily blends into the complexion to give a natural flush of color.”
The blush seemingly does it all. The finish is dewy, but won’t increase the sheen on an oilier complexion and it glides across the rough, flakier areas of dry skin without skipping or dragging. We partially credit this attribute (and our gleaming skin) to the formula’s use of tremella mushroom, a hydrating plant-based ingredient some experts believe helps the dermis retain moisture.1
Though there are no pink shades for when we seek that cherub-cheeked glow, we’re overjoyed at how the bronzy shades will fake a beach day better than any self-tanner.
Price at time of publish: $10
Shades: 3 | Finish: Dewy | Size: 0.33 oz
Best Stick
Revlon Photoready Insta-Blush Stick
CVS
What We Like: This travel-friendly stick-style applicator makes application a piece of cake.
What We Don’t Like: The shades are a little sheer.
Housed in convenient twist-style tubes that lend themselves to easy application, blush sticks are a great option for beginners and no-fuss personalities. Celebrity makeup artist Elizabeth Seropian is a huge fan of blush sticks, and specifically name-checks this Revlon pick as one of her favorites. She tells us there’s no wrong way to apply it (a boon for blush novices), whether it’s “directly to your cheeks and blended out with your fingers,” or with a brush.
And if you feel lost in whether cream vs. powder blush is better, this cream-to-powder formula efficiently quashes the debate. You can manipulate the creamy texture into whatever trend Hailey Bieber is sparking before it dries down into powder to lock your look in place without looking dusty.
The rosy sheer shades provide just the right amount of coverage if you need a touch of color before a first date or seek an on-the-go blush that’ll go great with everything, but we’d layer them with one of our other favorites on this list if you want a more striking look.
Price at time of publish: $16
Shades: 2 | Finish: Semi-matte | Size: 0.31 oz
Best Blendable
e.l.f. Cosmetics Putty Blush
E.L.F.
What We Love: The plant-based formula is easy to layer thanks to hydrating ingredients that provide radiance to all skin types.
What We Don’t Love: It’s difficult to fit larger brushes into the small packaging.
Gray and Tisdale both waxed poetic about the buildable, long-wearing, and high-impact creamy formula of the e.l.f. Putty Blush. Tisdale is impressed with how it “diffuses beautifully into the skin,” so we can see why it’s a cult favorite among social media influencers and has even made an appearance on the red carpet.
The secret sauce behind its blendability is the argan oil and vitamin E-infused formula that “moisturizes the skin throughout the day,” says Gray. The plant-based emollients lock in moisture and lend themselves to a more malleable blush you can layer without it clumping. What’s more, the putty texture feels like nothing on your skin and stretches from your dimples to your temple without feeling sticky.
Our experts are equally impressed with the shade range, particularly Bali, a warm nude that doubles as a bronzer or contour shade, and Bora Bora, a bright, Barbie pink ideal for springtime looks.
It wasn’t easy to fit our larger, fluffier brushes into the small round pot, but since we found the best results patting on the blush with our fingers, this isn’t much of an issue.
Price at time of publish: $7
Shades: 8 | Finish: Semi-matte | Size: 0.8 oz
Best for Beginners
Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Blush
AMAZON
What We Love: The multi-faceted tool works well as a blush, contour, and as eye makeup.
What We Don’t Love: It’s not very long-lasting.
Especially as the beauty world embraces a “more is more” attitude with blush (welcome back, ‘70s glam) there are truly no rules when it comes to how you wear it. However, learning how to work with this makeup can still be intimidating for beginners, which is why we love the uncomplicated application of this swipe-and-go stick-style blush.
The blush, which actress Rachel Bilson deemed her “favorite secret weapon,” boasts a cream-to-powder formula that layers with minimal effort and even includes vitamin E to treat your skin to a satiny feel.
Don’t ditch this from your routine even once you feel more comfortable with your technique — the shimmery finishes double as a highlighter while its deeper, nude-toned options make for wonderful contour colors.
Seeing as how it doesn’t have the longest staying power, we’re glad the travel-friendly, micro-chubby stick is an adorable accessory to any purse pocket so we can swiftly reapply it at a moment’s notice.
Price at time of publish: $5
Shades: 6 | Finish: Satin | Size: 0.8 oz