Finding the best blush for mature skin shouldn’t be a chore. There are more options than ever before on the market, and luckily, we’ve done our due diligence testing and trying a variety of products as well as consulting experts like makeup artists to find you the best blush that will suit your skin type.
The top tip for finding the best blush? Go for cream or liquid formulas. “For mature skin, I prefer to use a cream or liquid blush for a more dewy, lightweight finish,” says NYC-based makeup artist Kat Dorn. “I find creams blend beautifully into the foundation and do not settle into lines as much.”
Similar to how your routine changes as you age (like using less under-eye concealer that can settle into fine lines), so should your makeup products. Using the right makeup formulas will make all the difference in accentuating your skin. Buying the right makeup for mature skin is going to be a bit different from stealing from your daughter’s stash, and luckily, we know experts who have great recommendations.
As a person with very fair skin, I absolutely love blush and have literally been using it since middle school to brighten and liven up my appearance. Now, I’m sharing the top tips for women over 40 to find the most appropriate makeup for their specific skin type.
This stunning, organic cheek-and-lip combo is a cream formula that includes hydrating ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil and castor oil, as well as plant-based rice bran and carnauba wax to soften and protect skin. Makeup artist Mary Wiles used it on Naomi Watts at the 2025 Golden Globes. It’s soft and silky, and the buildable formula will give you the exact look you’re going for. “The strong pigment is plant-based. It creates a natural flush and, once on, does not move,” Wiles says.
This award-winning bestseller is perfect for dull skin, as well as all mature skin types. “It’s my top pick for 2025 because I’m seeing a return to classic formulas,” says makeup artist and brand founder Laura Geller, whose brand is designed with mature skin in mind. “Baked makeup starts as different colors of cream pigments and is then baked into a powder, so it maintains its moisture like a cream or liquid formula but in an easy-to-use format to apply like a powder. Skin dries as we age, so a baked moisturizing powder is a great choice for mature skin.”
This buildable blush that Dorn recommends is lightweight, comes in 13 shades and contains hydrating ingredients like jojoba and grapeseed oils as well as vitamin E. The multipurpose blush can be used on both cheeks and lips, and works great when applied with your fingers. “One of my favorite items in a makeup bag is cream blush because you can quickly use it on the eyes, cheeks and lips to create a beautiful cohesive look,” she says. She recommends the shades That’s Peachy and Totally Synched, and adds that Big Diva Energy is gorgeous for deeper skin tones.
Another pick from Dorn, this cream blush contains hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate the skin. It produces a dewy, radiant sheen that won’t accentuate fine lines. “The warmth from your hands helps to meld liquid/cream products into the skin very nicely,” Dorn says. “I love applying cream blush with either my fingers or the same brush I used for my foundation, because it helps the product blend evenly into the skin since it’s already moist.” The makeup artist loves the shade Rose Crush.
“When I am doing makeup for a wedding, big event or photoshoot, it is important to add a little extra color to the cheeks because with the camera flashes on makeup, you want to make sure there is always enough color on the cheeks and lips, as to not wash out the face,” Dorn says. “One of my favorite blushes with bright pigmentation is by Patrick Ta. It’s a cream and powder blush duo so you can layer the colors — cream first, then set with the powder blush. My favorite color right now is She’s A Doll, a bright neutral pink.”
Makeup artist and licensed esthetician Amanda Gabbard picked this e.l.f. liquid blush as a budget-friendly option that comes in 12 gorgeous shades. She recommends using the e.l.f. fan brush to apply. “In general, avoid bringing blush too close to the nose as it makes the face look shorter and downcast. Also, keep blush away from the under-eye area, as we don’t want to emphasize dark circles or fine lines,” Gabbard says.
Though this is a powder blush, it was recommended by two of our experts, Dorn and Gabbard. It provides a radiant finish and can be layered with the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush for a bolder look. It comes in six glowy, highly pigmented shades. “I always recommend choosing a color similar to if you were to go running and get a natural flush,” Dorn says. “One of my personal favorites is the color Happy, a cool pink.” Since liquid blush can come with a learning curve, Gabbard says this is a good option if you like powder blush. “If you prefer powder blush over liquid/cream blush, look for words like ‘lightweight’ and ‘radiant.’ Apply the powder blush with a fan brush in light upward strokes for a soft and natural look,” Gabbard says. “You want a lifted look — nothing that will bring the face downward.”