15 New & Improved Formulas Giving Blush A Better Beauty Rap

Blush can get a bad rap — and, I have to admit, I was once one of the classic beauty product's biggest skeptics. In yesteryears, the traditional powder forms used to give me the charming effect of unnaturally pink cheeks à la Marie Antoinette while also aging me 20 years. However, thanks to a new guard of improved formulas, blush has become my go-to product for a naturally flushed complexion.

Since the 1700s — and, TBH, the early to mid-2000s — rouge has come a long way. Today's innovative blush trends (the creams, the gels, the liquids, and even the powders) kiss complexions with a lit-from-within glow instead of a caked-on-painted-doll palette. These formulas aren't just buildable (whether you want a softer sheen or a more dramatic look), but they're also very versatile; with the ability to be tapped, swiped, dabbed, or dotted on the cheeks to lips and eyelids. Ahead, behold 15 of such products that are giving blush a better beauty rap in 2021 and beyond.

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