There are a few essentials I absolutely love in my makeup routine. Slicked and filled-in brows, glossy lips, and a luminous, healthy-looking foundation are a few. And while sometimes I can go a day without wearing one of those, there's one thing I won't skip: blush. Not only can a good cheek rouge add a pop of color to the face, but it can also shape and add dimension, especially when you choose the right shade. This is why I’ve found myself myself gravitating toward brown blush more often.
“Using brown blush is all about enhancing your natural warmth, adding subtle dimension, and sometimes even replacing bronzer or contour altogether,” senior artist for M.A.C. Cosmetics, Deney Adam, tells me. “It’s a shade that’s been trending because it aligns perfectly with today's major beauty moments. Think natural glam, latté makeup, and minimalist, sun-kissed skin.”
I have been building my brown blush collection for years, so I feel fully qualified to chat all about the best ones on the market. So if you’re looking for a blush that can be subtle yet dramatically reshape the face at the same time, enhance the skin, or simply perfect your everyday makeup routine, keep reading to see the top brown blushes on the market.
The Best Brown Blushes
- The Best Brown Blush Overall: M.A.C. Cosmetics Powder Blush in Blunt
- The Best Viral Brown Blush: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed in Crème Brûlée
- The Best Multi-Purpose Brown Blush: Make Up For Ever Artist Color Crayon in Wherever Walnut
- The Best Cream Brown Blush: Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Clove
- The Best Liquid Brown Blush: Chantecaille Cheek Gelee in Thrill
This is the product that started it all for me. I have avoided M.A.C.’s Blunt for years because, to be honest, it doesn’t have much pan appeal. But a few swipes of the powder on your face and you’ll see beautifully bronzed cheeks that almost look like they’ve been contoured, without the extra effort of applying two different formulas.
Texture: Powder
Finish: Matte
What I Love: True neutral brown that looks good on a wide range of skin tones; Simple yet chic packaging with a clear top that allows you to see the color inside
What I Don’t: The color looks different in the pan than on the skin
Review for MC: As someone who avoided the more neutral, brown shades of blush from M.A.C. in the early aughts in favor of bright pops of pink and peach, I have to say that I’m so glad I’ve seen the light. This blush is a lovely golden brown that leans just slightly toward mauve when applied to my skin. The result is a gorgeous nude blush for my deep skin tone that I can wear all year round. I’ll never stop raving about it.” – Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing MAC Powder Blush in Blunt.
By now, nearly everyone has heard of Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin line. The viral brand is known for its innovative formulas, and the cream-to-powder blush in Crème Brûlée is one of the newest additions to its flushed line, a range of cheek colors that feature the brand’s blurring balm formula. This recent shade is a gorgeous toasty brown that adds a sun-kissed warmth to my face, so much so that I sometimes use it as a bronzer when I’m extra pale in the winter.
Texture: Cream-to-powder with a putty-like consistency in the pan
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Unique formula; Long-Wearing
What I Don’t: No mirror in the packaging
Review for MC: “I love this line of blushes from Danessa Myricks Beauty. The shade Crème Brûlée is one of the deepest brown blushes I’ve seen on the market. I’ve seen it modeled on a variety of skin tones, and it looks stunning every time. Still, on me, it provides a gorgeous wash of bronzey color, reminiscent of the shades my aunt used to wear in the ‘90s. I’m obsessed with the color, and the texture works wonderfully with my oily skin while blurring pores and imperfections on my face.” – Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed in Crème Brûlée.
Make Up For Ever is a brand that I genuinely trust to deliver, no matter what product I’m looking for. So, when they released the Artist Color Crayons, I knew I had to give them a try. I’ve tested nearly every shade in the line, and my favorite is none other than Wherever Walnut. It’s a deep, rosy brown that is the neutral pink blush I believe everyone should own. A tiny swipe of color blends out to highlight the pink undertones in the formula, but the more you build it up, the more the brown hues become noticeable. It can also be used all over the face for an easy monochromatic moment.
Texture: Cream
Finish: Satin
What I Love: Easy jumbo-crayon packaging; Skin-like shade that looks like a natural flush of color
What I Don’t: I wish the brand made matching powder formulas with the same pigments so that I could set this formula in place; otherwise, I only get about three hours of wear
Review for MC: “This is one of my favorite launches of the year, and this shade in particular is a clear favorite. It’s the perfect color to pop on my eyes, lips, and cheeks, without looking like I’m trying too hard. Instead, I always end up with an elegant, monochromatic makeup look that is low-effort but has a super high impact, thanks to how well the color complements my skin tone.” – Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Make Up For Ever Artist Color Crayon Waterproof Multi-Use Stick in Wherever Walnut.
I legitimately squealed with excitement when I saw that Haus Labs was releasing a line of brown blushes in their existing cream blush formula. Not only does Haus Labs have one of my favorite blush formulas ever, but the shades they recently introduced are all blonzer (or a blend of blush and bronzer) hues. I rotate between Clove and Ginger, but honestly, all of them look beautiful on my skin.
Texture: Cream
Finish: Radiant
What I Love: Glassy finish; Inclusive range of brown shades
What I Don’t: This glossy formula may not be ideal for people with oily skin
Review for MC: “Haus Labs continues to up the ante, and I will never stop singing its praises because of it. The brand recently released shade extensions for its popular cream blush stick, offering a variety of brown blushes to match different skin tones. One of my favorites in the entire line is Glassy Clove, which is a reddish-brown that looks beautiful on deep-dark skin. I’ve used it in a myriad of ways, but my favorite is to add a few taps of color onto the cheek after I’ve applied a powder blush. It influences the initial color just slightly, allowing the nuances of each shade to shine through.” – Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Clove.
I’ve long been a fan of Chantecaille's famous Future Skin Foundation (along with many of the brand's skincare offerings), but a recent addition to the line has made me a big fan of the blushes as well. Housed in sleek tube packaging, the shade Thrill from the Cheek Gelee line is a beautiful terracotta brown—another option perfect for "blonzing." It’s a radiant liquid formula that I’ve found works just as well on top of powder as it does on its own. You can even use it to finish off an eye look for a subtle hint of shine on the lids.
Texture: Liquid
Finish: Radiant
What I Love: Subtle shimmer doesn’t emphasize pores; Cooling effect on the cheek upon initial application
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: "I finally tried the Chantecaille Cheek Gelees and fell madly in love with the color Thrill. I love wearing it both on its own and over a powder blush because it always makes my skin look super natural—it doesn’t give me a cake face in order to get a true-to-color, pigmented result. It’s the perfect product to keep in my work makeup bag because I truly don’t have to think too much about it. I just apply it to my cheeks and eyes, and I’m done. Easy peasy.” – Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Ariel Baker testing Chantecaille Cheek Gelee in Thrill.
Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge Matte Cream Blush is suitable for anyone with large pores who wants to try this color trend. Not only is the shade Warm Mocha a beautifully rich brown, but the product also has a mousse-like texture that blurs the skin perfectly without sacrificing pigment or color payoff.
Texture: Creamy mousse
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Red-based brown so perfect for blonzing; Blurs pores around my nose and cheek area
What I Don’t: Pot packaging can feel a little unsanitary
Customer Review: “Can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this blush — it seriously slays. I’m not usually a Bobbi Brown girl, but this one? Game changer. The powder-mousse texture melts into the skin and gives the most effortless, sun-kissed glow. It nails that “barely there but better” vibe. I loved it so much I grabbed a second one within days. Bonus points: it looks amazing on the lips, too. The shade Warm Mocha is universally flattering and delivers that perfect summer glow on every skin tone.”— Sephora
What happens when you combine the traditional qualities of a brown blush with the glow of a highlighter? You get this gem from Saie Beauty. These creamy highlighting blushes are available in a range of shades, from traditional pinks and peaches to a soft bronze that can double as a highlighter. However, the standout shade in the line is Bronzeglow, a pearly, reddish-brown hue that merges blush, bronzer, and highlighter into one product.
Texture: Cream
Finish: Radiant
What I Love: It comes in a mirrored compact, which makes it feel extremely high-end
What I Don’t: Use a targeted brush for application, otherwise it may come out a little streaky on the cheek
Customer Review: “This blush is incredible. It is so soft and easy to apply. I am obsessed with the color. It’s such a nice natural with the perfect amount of glow.” — Sephora
How to Pick a Brown Blush
When exploring a single-color category, it's important to put your color theory hat on to find the hue that best fits your needs.
"Brown can come in a variety of shades," says makeup artist T. Cooper. "There are rose browns, reddish browns, taupe browns, rich mochas, and many more—what shade to look for really depends on your skin tone and how bold you want to be."
If you want a naturally flushed look, try brown blushes with red or rose undertones. For more structure and contour, opt for taupe or cool-toned versions of that color. A trick is to look at how the shade is described and match it to your foundation shades. "Look for words like mocha, bronze, cocoa, caramel, cinnamon, and terracotta," says makeup artist Nydia Figueroa.
Many makeup brands use similar descriptors for their complexion products, so this trick can help you narrow down the selection of brown blushes you should consider.
How to Use Brown Blush
How you use a brown blush depends on the look you want to achieve. “You can use it just like you would any other blush by placing it on the apples of the cheeks or the top of the cheekbone for a lifting effect,” Cooper says. “One of my favorite ways to use brown blush is to blonze.”
If that’s a term you've never heard of before, "blonzing" is essentially using a product that combines blush and bronzer into one, which is why brown hues work so well for the technique. You get to add shape and warmth to the face like a traditional bronzing formula would, but you also get the warmth and pop of color that a blush would give. “It’s a great technique for adding a sun-kissed glow and dimension without using too many products,” Cooper adds. “You can even use brown blush as an eyeshadow for a monochromatic moment. It is super versatile.”
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
For this story, Beauty Writer, Ariel Baker, sourced and tested over 30 brown blushes. She scoured the internet for customer reviews to ensure each product was rated highly, then she evaluated each option based on qualifiers like ease of application, shade inclusivity, wear time, and more.
Meet the Experts
Deney Adam is the Global Senior Artist for M.A.C. Cosmetics, North America.
T. Cooper, a native New Yorker and proud "Bronx Girl" who transitioned from a successful career as a tailor to finding her true passion in beauty. What began as a hobby soon evolved into a full-time career, leading her to trade in her sewing machine for makeup brushes and a blow dryer.
Nydia Figueroa is a renowned celebrity makeup artist with over eighteen years of expertise in the beauty industry.
