It’s not often that you’ll find me fawning over yet another makeup launch, let alone a blush. But every beauty insider knows that Glossier Cloud Paint is far from your average blusher. Having flipped the world of minimalist makeup trends on its head all the way back in 2017, this iconic glowy blush has found its way into practically every beauty editor’s makeup bag—courtesy of its buildable pigment and a radiant finish.
And in my humble opinion, it paved the way for the whole cream blush movement before it even became a thing (a bold statement, I know). In fact, I can account for at least five emptied-out tubes that I’ve thrown out in the last four years alone. Now, imagine my excitement when I got wind of the news that Glossier is launching a new iteration of the Cloud Paint blusher—a hybrid plush formula that applies like a cream and dries down like powder for a soft-focused, blurred makeup look.
Full disclosure: I’ve sworn off powder formulas a good few years ago, and apart from an occasional dab of setting powder, my choice of makeup products often leans on the glowier side (read: skin tints, cream bronzers, liquid highlighters—you name it). So, although I was very much intrigued by the launch, at first, I was convinced that because of its powdery nature, the new Glossier blush wasn’t for me.
From the get-go, I loved the packaging. In keeping with the brand’s aesthetic, it is minimalist yet playful, mirroring the colour of each shade on the outside. Housed inside each compact, the formula is unlike any blush I’ve tried so far (and that’s no mean feat, considering I’ve quite literally tested hundreds). The “memory cloud” soufflé-like texture means that each dab into the product feels like touching the softest Play-Doh.
Innovative textures aside, the shade range doesn’t disappoint either. With ten shades in total, four of said shades were inspired by the original Cloud Paint blush line-up (Puff, Beam, Soar and Storm), while the remaining six are brand-new additions. From wearable mauve-y pinks and bolder corals and reds to the more muted blonzer-esque shades, there’s no shortage of options to complement every skin tone.
Having opted for shade Puff (a neutral pinky hue), I first applied it using the brand’s new dual-ended Cloud Paint Cheek Brush, which features a pillowy-soft end that feels like applying makeup with your fingertips and a fluffy brush end designed to buff, diffuse and blend.
Glossier
Cloud Paint Plush Blush
Make no mistake: this isn’t the most pigmented blusher on the market, but nor is it trying to be. It offers a buildable veil of flexible coverage that can be easily amped up if you’re after that dramatic look, but it’s also sheer enough to wear on a day-to-day basis.
To my surprise, it doesn’t feel drying at all. Rather, it delivers the same smooth and seamless application that you’d expect from a cream blusher. Thanks to ingredients like powdered ceramides and botanical glycerides, it doesn’t grip to any of my dry patches, ensuring comfortable wear all day long.
As it dries down, you start to notice the blurring effect almost immediately—but not the kind that leaves you looking all cake-y and filtered. Although it is on the more matte side, it still maintains that skin-like finish, which is almost never the case with other powder blushes I’ve tried before.
Above all, I appreciate how seamlessly it works with the rest of my makeup. Often, when you apply a powder directly on top of a glowy foundation, the formula may lift, move around and inevitably turn patchy. I’m glad to report that due to its hybrid nature, the Glossier formula does nothing of the sort. In fact, I have even tried layering some liquid highlighter right over top to restore some of the shine on the high points of my cheeks, and I have had no issues whatsoever.
That said, as impressive as it is, the real test is the longevity check. After all, we all know that blush is the first product to move, slip or gradually disappear throughout the day. And nothing puts a formula to the test better than wearing it on a busy day of running around between press appointments in central London.
To my surprise, despite having been on my face since the crack of dawn, it stayed firmly in place without budging. Around late afternoon, I topped it up to intensify the pigment just before heading out to dinner, and I can confirm that by the time I’d returned home, apart from looking a bit worn-in, it sure didn’t look as though it had been over 11 hours since the first application. About the only con worth mentioning is that I wish the compact also included a mirror for easier on-the-go touch-ups.
Long story short, this blusher singlehandedly made me fall in love with powder formulas all over again. Everything from its innovative texture to the impressive shade range and the handy brush that it comes with proves that the era of blurring makeup products is far from over.
