I’m Dark-Skinned and Blush-Obsessed, so I Tried This Highly Pigmented Formula

Flash back to three years ago, and you’ll find absolutely no photographic evidence to support my love for blush. Although I used to spend hours watching beauty tutorials on YouTube, I never put those skills into practice. I’d go out to dinners, bars, and formal events barefaced and completely unaware of how much of a confidence boost I’d get from adding even the tiniest swipe of pigment to my cheeks. As you can imagine, I’ve done a complete 180 since then: I now have a designated drawer for all of my blushes (cream, liquid, and powder), my camera roll is full of the obligatory “I just got ready” selfies, and my routine isn’t complete without blush.

I have a deeper skin tone, so finding a blush that shows up on my skin and doesn’t look ashy has been quite the struggle. Luckily, the beauty industry has made major advancements in recent years, and people with melanated skin are being included in the conversations around shade range and pigment. Over time, I’ve become pretty loyal to some cream and liquid blushes on the market, but the competition is heavy now that I’ve been exposed to the TikTok-viral Blushed Liquid Blush by Juvia’s Place ($18).

My blush is the most complimented part of my makeup. Strangers often stop me to tell me how good it looks on my skin tone, and I get tons of DMs asking for links. So when I set out to test this liquid blush, the bar was pretty high. I was looking for strong pigment, a dewy finish, and staying power, and I got all of the above and then some.

Whenever I’m confronted with an assortment of blush shades, I often feel intimidated. I’m always left with a range of what-ifs: What if it disappears into my skin when I blend it out? What if it washes me out? What if I look like I clown? But this time around, I was pretty confident that I could make every single shade work for me—yep, all 12 shades. When it comes to blush, many people are chasing that natural flush, but I can’t say that I’m after that same look. I pack my blush on heavily, and over-blushing has never been a problem for me, so when I saw the bright pinks, nudes, and browns, I was more excited than nervous. There’s a shade for every single preference, but application is absolutely key.

I tested four of the 12 shades, and I adored them all, which is pretty rare. Coral Rose has a beautiful auburn hue; Pink Lady is the perfect hot pink; Soft Tulip has red and pink undertones; and Sweet Berries is a stunning purple shade. Compared to the other blushes in my arsenal, this one is by far the most pigmented. The liquid formula feels light and definitely gives a glowy finish once fully blended out. I wore this blush for eight hours without using setting powder, and it lasted the entire day. To say that I’m impressed is an understatement. The only downside to this blush is the extra time it takes to blend out the extreme pigment, but the overall results are totally worth the added time.

When applying this blush, I recommend starting small and building your way up. Depending on the look you’re going for, one small dot of product is more than enough to add a pretty flush to your desired area. I’ve seen people blend with brushes, sponges, and fingertips, but I started with an angled brush for initial control and ended with a sponge to get rid of any harsh lines and absorb any additional product I applied too heavily. I love blending blush into my temples for a lifted effect and my eyelids for extra color.

It’s been a few days, and I’ve already bragged about this blush to all of my friends and family. I mean, I knew that the pigmentation was the biggest talking point after I watched the TikTok reviews, but nothing could have prepared me for how stunning this blush would look in real life. I’m pretty lazy when applying makeup, so the fewer steps the better. I loved using the leftover blush on my brush to apply as eye shadow. It gives a monochromatic look without much effort or product. A pea-sized amount was just enough product to cover my eyelids and the high points and apples of my cheeks.

What was the process for creating this liquid formula?

We are passionate about creating formulas that work across all skin tones, and we’ve become known as experts in beautiful textures, color theory, and pigmentation. We wanted to create a new blush formula that could work for everyone, so we partnered with our incredible manufacturer to bring our vision to life. Blush can be intimidating for some customers, so it was important that our formula have a seamless and buildable texture. We tested the formula across our makeup artists and other non-artists on the team to ensure ease of use and top-notch quality. We have been incredibly proud and excited about the response in the market. The Blushed Liquid Blush formula is incredibly versatile and can be layered above or beneath our best-selling powder Blushed Duo for an extra pop of color to the cheekbones.

You’re known for eye shadows and powdered blushes. What made you decide to add liquid blush to the collection?

We have grown our complexion/face category over the past few years, and our goal is to create the best and most inclusive formulas across any texture. We noticed the growing trend of using blush not only to enhance the cheek but as an overall brightener under the eye and wanted to create a formula that allows our customers to achieve a beautiful, flushed look. This innovative blush trend combined with the ultra success of last year’s powder Blushed Duos inspired us to expand our beautiful colors into liquid. The new Blushed Liquid Blush proves our commitment to creating highly pigmented and blendable products in various forms. Our Blushed Liquid Blush does an incredible job at giving a hydrating flush of natural color.

This blush is going viral for how beautifully pigmented it is. Do you have any application tips for blush beginners?

A little goes a long way with our liquid blush! We recommend adding one to three dots to the cheeks and using our tapered brush, tapping the product across the cheekbone. For an ultra-seamless application, the I Am Magic Sponge creates the soft, airbrushed finish, making the blush look like second skin. Finally, if you prefer to use your fingers, you can also lightly tap and blend the formula this way.

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