"Over the past few years, the dreaded “winter uglies” have started hitting me sooner and sooner. Come November, when all remnants of my summer glow have faded and my skin becomes dry and dull from the cold Chicago weather, looking good becomes a tall task—in realty, I’m settling for merely looking alive.
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To contrast my skin’s sallowness year-round—but especially in the winter months—I’ve become quite the blush affecianado. Call it blush blindness if you must, but the way a hint of color on my cheeks instantly transforms my entire complexion has made it a non-negotiable in my daily routine. In the winter, swapping out my go-to cool pink blushes for deeper shades that mimic a just-got-in-from-the-cold flush has made “chilly girl” the look I’m constantly aiming for—and thanks to some stellar formulas, actually achieving in a way that lasts all day long.
These are the best eight winter blushes rely on to battle dull, lifeless skin this season.
After beauty TikToker Golloria applied this blush in a recent video, she asked “Is this not the prettiest blush you’ve ever seen?” to which I screamed “Yes!” at my screen. LYS’s creamy blush stick leaves the skin with a long-lasting, dewy flush, thanks to a formula that incorporates green tea extract and rosehip oil for a boost of added hydration.
Patrick Ta’s blush duos have become the gold standard, thanks to their cream and powder formulas that can be layered to achieve a long-lasting, radiant glow. The shade ‘She’s Wanted’ is a deep plum that mimics the skin’s natural flush. To apply it Patrick’s way, apply the powder first, then layer the cream on top for a skin-like finish.
If you’re a liquid blush beginner, Saie’s Dew Blush is calling your name. The perfectly pigmented formula melts into the skin with minimal effort, and leaves behind a perfect, natural-looking flush every single time. The shade ‘Chilly’ is a subtle mauve hue that’s a standout for the winter months.
Pores? Never heard of ’em. Danessa Myrick’s Yummy Skin blush is unlike anything else in your makeup bag, with a cream-to-powder formula that blurs the skin in a way that you need to see to believe. It’s a buildable, easy-to-use formula that’s a dream come true for textured skin.
Nars’s iconic powder blush was recently relaunched with an upgraded talc-free formula that’s the crème de la crème of powder blushes. With 16-hour wear and a weightless formula, the shade ‘Dolce Vita’ gives the perfect dusty-rose flush that, unlike other powder formulas, is completely non-drying.
Infused with mango butter, almond butter, and shea better, NYX’s Buttermelt Blush melts into the skin for color payoff that lasts through what ever you put it through—unexpected snow storms included. It’s available in 12 shades, but ‘Back and Butta’ is our editors’ preffered shade for a winter flush.
When Kosas released their iconic baked powder formula in a blush, beauty buffs everywhere rejoiced. Their talc-free formula includes squalane and hyaluronic acid for dimensional color that hydrates the skin and leaves a glowing—but not sparkly—radiant finish.
Westman Atelier’s creamy, ultra-blendable blush stick formula has made waves on #BeautyTok for being a worthwhile splurge for your makeup bag. The shade ‘Bichette’ is a deep, red-berry shade that’ll perfectly compliment all of your red lip looks this holiday season.
Madeline Galassi, Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor
Madeline Galassi is the Fashion & Beauty Editor at The Everygirl, where she oversees the fashion and beauty categories of the site. She brainstorms, writes, and edits stories across a broad range of topics including trend reports, product reviews, celebrity style, and more. She’s always keeping a pulse on the latest trends to create timely, exciting content for our readers.