Many people think luxury beauty brands offer the best blushes on the market, but they’re not the only options. Milani blushes are affordably priced and offer the impressive shade variety and high-impact color seen in many high-end blushes.
Milani Cosmetics, which is quickly becoming one of the most popular drugstore brands, currently offers four blush formulas. The beauty brand’s Milani Baked Blush has become a favorite — and a top choice — due to its luminous finish.
Milani’s diverse blush collection includes powder, cream, stick and liquid formulas.
Milani’s Baked Blush is the brand’s best-selling formula. The luminous blush is made from superfine pigments baked on Italian terracotta tiles. All baked blushes have ornate marbled appearances with glow and shimmer pigments. Milani’s other powder formula, the Rose Powder Blush, is known for its flattering shade range and matte finish.
Milani Cream Kiss Cream Blush has a buildable formula that blends easily with fingertips. It works well with most cream and liquid foundations, and you can wear it on bare skin. The Cream Kiss Liquid Blush is a lightweight formula you can wear sheer or saturated.
Milani’s newest addition to its blush collection is the Supercharged Cheek + Lip Multistick. The gel formula creates a natural-looking flush on cheeks, and it enhances the lip's natural color. Like both Milani Cream Kiss blushes, it has a buildable, easy-to-spread texture.
When it comes to achieving the ideal blush look, it’s more than a matter of selecting a flattering shade. The right application can complement your entire look, which is why it’s worth learning a few basic techniques.
Most of Milani’s products are cruelty-free, and some blushes are vegan. While Milani states it strives to have vegan-friendly products, it indicates that a handful of products may include lanolin, beeswax or carmine.
Milani blushes often contain nourishing ingredients, such as fruit and flower extracts, antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E. Many blushes contain plant-derived oils, while others are free of irritating ingredients such as parabens and sulfates. All formulas are free of cyclopentasiloxane, formaldehyde, plastic microbeads, triclosan, triclocarban, sodium formate, glutaral and hydroquinone.
Compared to many drugstore brands, Milani has a slightly larger shade range across its formulas. Besides universally-flattering shades, some Milani blushes come in bold colors, including deep purple and vibrant peach.
Milani Baked Blushes are available in 10 shades, ranging from lighter pinks to deep, sunset-inspired reds. The Rose Powder Blush comes in six matte shades, and the Supercharged Cheek + Lip Multistick comes in eight. Both Cheek Kiss formulas are available in four shades.
All Milani blushes are formulated for buildable color. They give wearers the option to create a natural-looking flush or a bolder, statement-making look. The formulas have saturated colors, which means a little goes a long way. For that reason, it’s smart to begin with thin layers and gradually build them.
Milani’s powder blushes are luminous or matte. The other formulas, however, fall somewhere between them. While Milani describes the Cream Kiss and Supercharged stick formulas as having luminous finishes, they’re akin to smooth, satin finishes. They reflect some light, but they’re nowhere as radiant as Milani’s Baked Blushes.
Milani stick blushes cost $9, whereas the powder, cream and liquid formulas cost $9. Milani also has a few blush palettes and face palettes with blush that start at $13.
A. Because Milani Baked Blush has a luminous finish, some people forgo highlighter to achieve a subtle glow. Other people prefer using highlighter, including those made by Milani, with the blush to create an overall dewy, radiant look.
A. Milani occasionally releases new blush shades for its top-selling formulas. The beauty brand also releases exclusive shades, which are only available from select retailers. Some exclusive shades are seasonally themed. Milani’s Baked Blushes, for example, were released in autumn-inspired shades such as Sunrise Serenità and Cocoa Felicità.
What you need to know: This blush is one of the top drugstore formulas for its radiant formulation.
What you’ll love: The high-pigment adds depth and dimension to looks with luminous undertones. It’s made with ultra-fine pigments that blend easily across skin. The formula is buildable and works well with all foundations.
What you should consider: Some buyers felt that certain colors appeared much different in tone when they were applied.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Ulta
What you need to know: This creamy matte blush blends seamlessly on skin for a natural-looking flush.
What you’ll love: The lightweight formula has a barely-there feel and doesn’t have a greasy finish like most cream blushes. It softens skin with fruit extracts, antioxidants and vitamins. Color is buildable and easy to blend with fingertips or brushes.
What you should consider: Shade assortment is limited and not every color is universally flattering.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Ulta
Milani Cheek Kiss Liquid Blush
What you need to know: This liquid blush has the buildable color you can wear sheer or heavy, depending on the look you’re creating.
What you’ll love: The shade range includes a few neutral colors that are universally flattering. The formula has a soft, spreadable texture that glides across the skin. It’s infused with skin-softening ingredients and won’t dry out the skin.
What you should consider: Because it’s a liquid formula, there’s a bit of a learning curve with the application.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
