Our beauty needs change as we get older. Some swaps—like a richer body lotion or retinol-packed night cream—are obvious. The best blush for mature skin might seem less important, but experts say it’s just as key to your makeup look as a concealer, tinted moisturizer, or foundation for aging skin.
Because mature skin tends to be on the drier side, cream and liquid blush formulas are ideal, says Azesha Ramcharan, a professional makeup artist in New York. Powder and matte versions—especially those with glitter or shimmer—can highlight dryness and settle into fine lines and wrinkles, whereas the creamier formulas blend beautifully, creating a lit-from-within flush and a more youthful glow.
Makeup artists like Ramcharan say skin tone is the driving factor in color selection—not age. For fair to medium skin tones, shades like soft peach, coral, and warm pink look beautiful; for deeper skin tones, warmer hues like terra cotta, plum, and berry are ideal, says Ramcharan.
To help you pick the best blush for mature skin, no matter what shade you have your eye on, we asked makeup artists for their go-tos, plus scoured top retailers like Amazon, Sephora, and Ulta for the most highly rated options.
The main difference between a young face and an older one is not the number of wrinkles (well that too) but the loss of something called ‘the” luminance of contrast.” Translation, your skin begins to lose its natural glow and radiance as you get older. Skin tone becomes more uneven and brows, eyes, lips, and especially cheeks all lose color and become less defined. Let’s talk about The Best Blush for Mature Skin.
I penned the original of this post back in 2019 and decided it was time for an update. You will find the original comments at the bottom of the comment section. I have combination skin and am still prone to the occasional breakout at 67. It has taken me a while to ditch the powder for cream. I have a current favorite and have tried many on my original list. A few remain but many have changed. I am not an expert, I rely on the research of those who are. I have done my research and am sharing my findings with you.
Most of us don’t look like teenagers like my friend Mary Ann of Classic Casual Home, but the right blush can help us get that glow back (or most of it). I know many of us harbor visions of those “older” ladies that “over imbibed”. None of us want to look like that. Let’s talk about what we can do to look our best, and how to choose the right blush.
Before you go out and spend a lot of money on blush, you need to find out what your skin undertone is. According to makeup artist Tiffany Laurence, “Skin tone can change over time for a variety of reasons, but undertones remain constant (yes, even when you tan). Understanding your undertone is the difference between a flawless makeup application and looking too made-up.” According to the experts, there are three undertone colors: warm, cool, and neutral.
Warm
: If the base tone of your skin is yellow or gold, you have warm undertones.
Cool
: If you see hints of blue, pink or red, then you have cool undertones.
Neutral
: If there’s a mixture of both warm and cool hues, or your undertone is the same color as your actual skin color, then you fall into the neutral category.
Supposedly if you look at the veins on the inside of your wrist and they are greenish you have warm undertones. If they are bluish you have cool undertones. To be honest, I can’t tell with my own, but my veins are not very prominent.
Let’s take a look at some of the beautiful women who have been featured on Ageless Style , the series Elizabeth (the vintage contessa) and I do once a month. Elizabeth is a natural beauty. You might not know it but she can get ready in a flash but she always has a rosy glow.
Most experts agree that when comes to blush, it’s best to stick with a cream formula. It looks more natural, and it’s less likely to settle into those lovely fine lines and creases. As we age it becomes harder for us to maintain a good moisture level due to the environment, menopause, and the whole aging process.
Image Consultant Brenda Kinsel was a master at attaining that natural rosy glow and she always sported a companion red lip. You can still find all of Brenda’s wonderful tips on her blog.
The colors you choose and the technique that works for you can be a personal thing. The idea is to strive for the most natural fresh flush that will remain soft and balmy on your skin all day. Here is a roundup of some of the best blush options for mature skin and why the skincare gurus love them
A multipurpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips, and body. Its unique lightweight, the cream-to-powder formula blends effortlessly to provide sheer allover color, shimmering accents, contours, and dynamic highlights for all skin tones. This is a much loved option. I personally could not find a color that suited me
Why They Love It
This one is really pricey but is much loved
Why They Love It
A hydrating, multi-use lip and cheek color stick fortified with mango butter and avocado oil. This is my absolute favorite. I have been using this for a couple of years. I love the color flip.
Why They Love It
A compact with two complementary blush formulas that give you full, bold color one powder and one creme.
Patented Biomimetic Pigments: Mirror the skin’s ceramide structure, ensuring adhesion, true color, and the most natural finish.
– Micronized Pigments: Provide even, flawless payoff, a luminous finish, and extended wear.
Why They Love It
A Clean multipurpose blush stick that contains soothing ingredients that work to balance moisture. It is free of
Why They Love It
Another Soft, crème to powder cheek color, for a natural blush, look for those who can’t ditch the powder.
Why They Love It
Claims to be non-greasy, sweat and water-resistant, and impossible to overdo. Cruelty free, and instantly melts into skin for a wash of color and natural-looking flush in 10 easy-to-use, sheer shades.
This blush is formulated with nourishing minerals to provide a soft wash of just-blushed, subtle and natural color. It is Paraben-free; sulfate-free; phthalate-free; mineral oil-free.
A versatile tint for on-the-go application with the hydrating properties of avocado oil, vitamin E and organic cocoa.
Maybe the most popular favorite
Multitasking cream color for lips and cheeks. Drier skin types are advised to moisturize first.
You might also enjoy these helpful links for more in-depth information on the best blushes for Mature Skin and how to apply them.
Beauty by Hollie has a great post on Drug Store brands here.
Best Cream Blush for Women Over 50-Sharing a Journey
Editorialist Best Creme Blushes
Best Creme Blushes of 2022-Town and Country
The Best Cream Blushes for 2022-WWD
Prime Women How to Apply and Which Blush to Buy
Best Cream Blushes of all Time Harpers Bazaar
Best Blush for Mature Skin and How to Apply It Huff Post
Rank and Style Best Blush for Mature Skin
Five Best Anti-Aging Blushes
For more budget-friendly options here are some of the favorites for under twenty dollars.
Here are some articles that might help you if you are looking for a great blush at a good price:
Whew, that was a long post. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent researching this particular post. I am determined to disperse more information about products for women our age because I know how hard it is to sift through or even find the relevant information. All products will be linked below along with their prices. I would love it if you would use the affiliate links above or below to make your purchase so I can continue to provide you with detailed posts like these.