There are makeup products that catch the eye with a specific shade and others that do so with their texture. With the so-called cloud-blushes, it is mostly the latter. The aim is no longer simply to put color on the cheeks, but to make that color seem to melt into the skin and leave a soft, diffused, and slightly velvety finish.
After several seasons in which highly pigmented liquid blushes and finishes especially luminous have dominated our makeup bags, it seems that a quite different alternative is starting to push through. The blush remains visible, but its edges nearly disappear and the texture on the skin becomes much less noticeable.
I’ve tested some of the new proposals that follow this trend, including those from 3INA and Sephora Collection, and I fully understand why this finish has started to generate so much curiosity. Especially because it achieves something fairly difficult: delivering a good amount of color without it looking like there’s too much product.
What exactly is a cloud-blush effect?
It’s practically the opposite of a very juicy or shiny blush. Here we are not trying to reflect light or achieve a wet-skin effect, but to create a very thin layer of color that seems integrated into the skin itself.
One of the products that best summarizes this trend is The No-Rules Cloud by 3INA. The brand itself defines it as a formula that shifts from a creamy texture to a velvety matte powder finish and diffused. Moreover, it is a multi-use product that can be used on eyes, lips, and face.
The first thing that catches the eye when using it is precisely that transformation. When you pick up product it feels creamy, but once you start working with it, that sensation quickly fades and it sits much lighter on the skin.
The No-Rules Cloud de 3INA.
The color does not remain deposited as a very obvious stain on the cheek, but it is relatively easy to sweep it outward and blur the edges. You can start with a very small amount to achieve an almost imperceptible blush or add more layers if you prefer the blush to take center stage.
In my case, what I liked most is precisely the finish. It does not stay completely flat despite being matte and it does not give that dry feeling that we sometimes associate with this type of product. The skin still looks like skin; it simply gains that touch of soft color and velvety feel.
I also find it especially interesting for those who tend to have problems with blushes that are too pigmented. There are liquid formulas where you end up using a bit more product than you should and spend several minutes trying to blend them. Here it is much easier to control the result.
Another version of the cloud-blush
Another formula that fits very well within this new way of wearing blush is Blush & Go by Sephora Collection, a liquid blush with a matte finish currently available in several shades. One of them, in fact, bears the name On Cloud 9, quite revealing considering where cheek textures are evolving.
What I like most about this type of liquid blushes is that they allow you to place the product exactly where you want and then blend it until you achieve the desired intensity. To achieve that cloud effect, my advice is to always start with a very small amount and work the product gradually.
Colorete All-In-One Cream Color de Sephora Collection.
It is also a good option for those who want to dip their toes into this trend without fully giving up the liquid format that has become common in recent years.
The result again is much softer than what we usually associate with some extremely pigmented liquid blushes. The key is to ensure the color does not end abruptly anywhere on the cheek.
Why cloud-blushes have convinced me
After trying them, I think I understand perfectly why they’re starting to attract so much attention. They don’t reinvent the blush, but they do slightly change the way we wear it.
For a long time we have chased pigmentation, glow, and that very juicy skin effect. Cloud-blushes propose almost the opposite: imperceptible texture, diffused edges, and a much softer feel.
