Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush is My Latest Drugstore Beauty Thrill

I don't know how Revlon's PhotoReady Cream Blushes escaped me until now—since they've been out for at least a year or so in Canada—but they've just come into my life, and I think they need to stay.

(By the way, what is going on? I just reviewed the Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tints, and now there's another great drugstore blush option? Times they are a-changin'. It used to be that you could only find decent blushes at Sephora or department stores. Especially cream blushes.)

I think these Revlon ones are great. They feel creamy to touch in the pots, but as soon as you transport them to your skin, they're very thin and dry, and there's quite a bit of “slip” to help you spread them around. The colours are sheer, but you can build up to more intensity, depending on your skin tone. Unlike some blushes (*cough* Stila Convertible Colors *cough*) there is no sticky/oily feel; you just feel skin.

There are four shades, and here's what I thought of each.

Coral Reef is a bright, orangey coral and definitely the most intense shade of the four. It reads much more orange than pink, so I'd recommend this for someone who is already comfortable wearing that tone in a blush. You do pick up quite a bit of pigment on first swipe, but after blending, it's a lot more wearable:

I found this shade pretty, and I could get away with it, but it would be even better on someone not as fair as I am, and with warmer colouring.

Pinched

Pinched is the lightest shade of the four, and I'd describe it as a light peach or apricot. It seems to have the tiniest bit of shimmer through it (compared to the other colours, which are all flat), but it's not an in-your-face shimmer.

This colour is on the pale side, so I don't think it would show up very well unless you have light skin. I think it's a really interesting colour. Most blushes that are this light have some pink in them, but this shade is a super-light orange—could be really pretty for a different blush look than the norm.

Flushed

Flushed was my favourite, since my hot-pink lip and cheek obsession continues unabated. It looks like an extremely bright fuchsia in the pot, but is more sheer on the skin.

This colour is great if you're like me and love a stronger blush look. I think it would work on a wide range of skin tones, from fair to dark, and the hot pink is a little easier for most of us to wear compared to the coral.

Charmed

For some reason, my photo of Charmed came out as a light baby pink, but it's really more of a rose shade, with a bit of brown in it. But, on the skin I think it's the closest to a “universal” blush colour.

This rosy shade would suit absolutely everyone. Surprisingly, it's slightly deeper than the hot pink.

Here are all four together (and unblended) so you can really see the differences:

The only caveat with these is that you may have to layer them with a powder blush for more longevity, if you have skin that's on the oilier side. My cheeks tend to be drier in the wintertime, so I didn't have an issue, but in the summer they may need a mid-day reapplication. The Rimmel cream blushes definitely last longer (since they're more like a stain) and are probably still my top drugstore blush pick. But, these are definitely worth a look—especially if you want an alternative to pricey YSL creme de Blush, and if you're intrigued by these unusual colours.

Would love to hear if you tried these!

Where to buy

Have your say

Have you tried the Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes?

Which of these colours would you wear?

What's your favourite drugstore cream blush?