MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush Review
The Insider Score
Cream blush balmsA bright pink dome that makes a surprisingly soft cheek.
Flush Balm is our pick for a satin flush you can blend with a fingertip. Le Bonbon looks bold in the pot, but a light tap lets plenty of skin show through.
I liked the soft wash of cheek colour from the balm.
Insider Beauty tester- Colour and finish
- 4.5/5
- Dome pickup and blending
- 4.8/5
- Value per balm
- 4.3/5
How the score adds up
Our editors awarded 89 of 100 available points across these six criteria. Divide by 20 for the five-point rating.
- Colour and finish
- 27 / 30 pts
- The balm gives a sheer first wash of colour and builds to a brighter cheek with a natural satin finish.
- Dome pickup and blending
- 19 / 20 pts
- The rounded dome works directly on bare cheeks. Fingertip pickup gives more control over a finished base.
- Value per balm
- 17 / 20 pts
- The $30 full size contains 9 g and can also be tapped onto the lips.
- Support for product claims
- 12 / 15 pts
- MERIT identifies the finish and provides directions for both direct application and fingertip blending.
- What sets it apart
- 9 / 10 pts
- The broad dome makes it quick to place a diffused flush without a brush or a wand.
- Shade and formula disclosure
- 5 / 5 pts
- Le Bonbon is the bright pink illustrated here, one of several shades in the same balm format.
How MERIT Flush Balm builds from a sheer cheek tint, how to apply it over concealer and what the 9 g balm buys.
- Rank
- Not ranked
- Current price
- $30.00
- Listed size
- 0.31 oz
- Updated
Reviewed byInsider BeautyEditorial team ·
Editor’s cut
At a glance
Tap a fingertip on the dome for the lightest layer.
Keep the first touch where you want the strongest colour.
Add the second layer to the centre of the cheek.
The pink dome is a better applicator than it first appears
MERIT Flush Balm in Le Bonbon looks emphatically pink in the pot. Touch a fingertip to the dome, though, and you can pick up a small enough amount for a very soft cheek. That difference between the colour in the pot and the colour you choose to put on your face is what I like about Flush Balm. It’s easy to wear the bright shade as a wash and build it only at the centre.
The cream leaves a natural satin finish. There’s enough light for the cheek to look fresh without the separate gold reflection you’d get from a baked shimmer blush. For a face with very little foundation, I’d put the first touch high on the cheek and blend with two fingers. One places the colour. The cleaner finger takes care of the edge.
Direct swipe or fingertip?
The dome is broad enough to glide straight across a bare cheek. That’s the quickest technique, especially with a shade close to your own flush. With Le Bonbon, or any colour that looks much brighter than your base, I’d begin with the fingertip method. You get a preview of the pigment before it lands in the middle of your makeup.
Over carefully placed concealer, tap the balm on instead of swiping the stick across the skin. It’s a small change, but it keeps the coverage underneath where you wanted it. If you want more colour, put the next tap inside the first area and blur just the edge. Repeatedly extending every layer towards the temple is how a small fresh cheek turns into rather more blush than you planned.
The case for a $30 balm
The 9 g fill is generous for a cream cheek product, and MERIT also suggests tapping it onto the lips. I’d buy it for the cheeks first and treat the lip option as a convenient way to pull a look together. For somebody who usually does makeup with their hands, this is a particularly satisfying format.
A concentrated liquid blush gives you more colour from the smallest dot. Flush Balm gives you more control at the sheer end. If a bright pan usually puts you off, that’s a good reason to try this one on the cheek before deciding.
Useful details
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply Flush Balm over foundation?
Yes. Pick it up with a fingertip or brush and tap it over foundation to keep the base in place.
Does Flush Balm have a powder-matte finish?
It leaves a natural satin finish and builds from sheer colour.