The inspiration behind the blush: “Flush Balm was designed to be the answer to all our usual issues with blushes,” explains Aila Morin, the SVP of brand, growth, and innovation at Merit. “Its lightweight, creamy formula looks soft and dewy without masking your natural skin texture; it’s sheer yet buildable, making it impossible to mess up and super versatile, and it was formulated without pore-clogging ingredients like coconut oil, which are often found in clean beauty products. The result is a natural-looking glow that’s never cakey or acne-triggering.”
What makes it so special: “Flush Balm is a super-blendable formula that easily becomes one with the skin. It’s a great product when you want your blush to look believable,” says makeup artist Jenna Menard.
What makes it different from other cream blushes: “Our Flush Balm has skin-nourishing ingredients, like vitamin E, that leave a subtle glow and make your skin feel moisturized. The formula also has a low molecular weight emollient, which softens your skin and gives it a velvety finish without clogging pores or feeling heavy. The emollient in the formula also constructs a breathable layer that keeps color intact throughout the day. And my favorite detail is that Flush Balm was designed to be the perfect on-the-go product—it’s small, lightweight, and fits perfectly in one hand, so you can apply it anywhere,” says Morin. “Plus, it can actually be used anywhere on the face—if I don’t have time to put on any other makeup, I’ll add a quick swipe onto my lips, cheeks, and a bit on my eyelids for a monochromatic look.”
How to find your go-to shade: “The shades work well with all skin tones because of the sheer, buildable formula. I love to have a basic, neutral flush like Après or Mood and a pop of color like Persimmon or Cheeky in my bag,” explains Morin. “You can also mix shades to create a custom color just for you.”
Unexpected places you can apply it: “Blush is always great on the lids and lips in addition to the cheeks. I love to bring a whole makeup look together by using one product multiple places on the face,” says Menard. “Applying with a brush for lips and lids allows you to use the product differently but keep the tone consistent. Since there’s a lot of area on the cheeks, blush placement is key for different looks: For something fresh and poppy, use a bright shade on the apples of the cheeks; use a deep shade below the cheekbones swept up as a blush contour; for a natural flush, use a shade closest to your natural cheek color and apply mid-cheekbone upward; for a faux post-workout flush, apply a deeper version of your natural cheek color to the center of your cheeks pulled down a bit.”
Best application tips: “I love utilizing the dome-shaped stick right on the face,” says Menard. “It allows just the right amount of product to dispense on the skin and then can easily be blended with a brush into the skin even further. Sometimes I just tap it on for even less product. You’re always able to work your way up and build the desired intensity. For more control, you can use a brush and tap into the product rather than going straight to the face. It’s great for achieving a subtler blush look.”
