I’m a Blush Snob—These 5 Chanel Ones Are Pure Luxury

Most recently seen on Margot Robby during the Wuthering Heights press tour, I enjoyed this lip and cheek balm much more than I anticipated. The shade Vital Beige, a warm terracotta hue, quickly leaped to the top of my favorites list because of how versatile it is across a wide range of skin tones. My favorite part of this line is the nuanced shades that suit a variety of undertones, as well as the dewy, buildable formula that doubles as a glossy highlighter.

On top of this, the product is just as pigmented on the lips as it is on the cheeks, but can be sheered out or built up as desired. It’s not the most ideal formula for oily skin types (especially if you don’t properly prime your skin), but if you’re constantly chasing the glow like I am, this blush needs to be in your makeup bag immediately.

This formula came out of left field for me, and I have to say that I have become obsessed. It has that quintessential putty texture that cream-to-powder formulas tend to, but it doesn’t lean too far into either category—it’s like they found the perfect balance between the two worlds. The shade Rouge Franc, in particular, has become my go-to, and while the bright red shade intimidated me at first, on the skin, it turns into the most beautiful, natural-looking flush. It also lasts a surprisingly long time—I got about three hours of wear until I noticed that it had faded away—but given that blush is typically one of the first products to disappear from the face, I’d call that a win.

The award for coolest blush innovation would go to none other than the Water Fresh Blush line. In the same vein as the complexion formula, the pigments in this blush are encapsulated in a serum made of 75 percent water, as well as other ingredients like glycerin and tamarind seed extract, which help keep the skin hydrated throughout the day. It feels like a true skincare-makeup hybrid, and because it’s primarily made up of skin-loving ingredients, it’s a fantastic formula for all skin types.

Be warned, these blushes can look deceiving — they’re extremely pigmented, so be careful to take your time and build up the color on the cheek when applying. That being said, the level of pigment creates an extremely long-lasting stain effect on the cheek, especially when paired with a complementary powder on top. I would love to see a few more shades for deep dark skin, as I don’t think the deepest shade, Deep Bronze, will show up very well on deep-dark skin tones. Still, the beauty of this formula is that it’s also fantastic to mix, so anyone can use it to customize the exact shades they’re looking for.

Now, for what is arguably one of my favorite products from Chanel’s entire blush lineup: the Les Beiges Trio Powder. As the name suggests, the compact has three shades: one for bronzer, one for blush, and one for highlighter, but you can also mix them all. By that metric, you technically get four products in one. I wear the shade Deep Rose Gold, the second darkest in the line, and as my tan (hopefully) progresses throughout the summer, I’ll likely add Deep Mauve to the rotation as well.

I prefer (and recommend) mixing every color together to give me a pinky-bronze cheek with a very subtle hint of glow. Otherwise, I’d have to use some extremely precise brushes to get into each section of the trio, which feels like a lot more work than it’s worth, especially when I’m trying to fly out the door every morning. Still, my method always gives me the exact look that I'm aiming for, so while she's pricey at almost $100, this product is well worth it in my book.

As for the Joues Contraste line (also known as their powder blush formulas), I have to say that I was unexpectedly impressed. The shade Rose Ruban is incredibly pigmented without being too much so, resulting in a beautiful wash of color on the cheek that doesn't give clown face. There is also a slight radiance to this formula, so if you have oily skin but don’t want your face to appear matte, this would make a phenomenal addition to your collection.