Best Blush Colours for Every Skin Tone

Discover the best blush colours for every skin tone including super-flattering, stretchable shades that look beautiful on fair, medium, tan and dark skin.

Darlings, working as a makeup artist to the stars for over 30 years has made me a colour expert! I’ve had magical models of all skin tones in my makeup chair and I know the best blush colours that will make each complexion pop!

Applying a blush shade that perfectly harmonises with the natural overtones and undertones in skin helps to lift and beautify the look of your complexion. When developing each of my cream, liquid and powder blushes, I create a breadth of beautiful blush colours that are stretchable and easy to wear so that everyone, everywhere can discover a blush shade they will love.

Every blush is beautiful, darlings… Wear what you love! But here are some Tilbury cheat codes to finding the best, most-flattering blush shades for fair, medium, tan and deep skin.

best blush colours for every skin tone

Tilbury Tip: Apply your perfect shades of AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur with my AIRbrush Flawless Easy Soft Blur Bronzer & Blusher Brush for a flawless blend.

Best Blush Colours for Dark Skin

For deeper skin tones, I recommend reaching for pigmented blush colours like punchy reds, beautiful berries, hot pinks, and rich, rosy browns. Some lighter shades might not be as apparent on a deeper complexion, so choosing an impactful shade of blush is the best way to give deep skin a beautiful, blushing look.

  1. Black Cherry Blush for Dark Skin

    Black Cherry Blush For Dark Skin

    To make the darkest skin tones blush, you need colour saturation and pigmented payoff. One of my favourite shades to make deep skin blush is a delectable black cherry blush like my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Forbidden Cherry. A cherry blush matches the rich tone of deep skin while introducing blushing red, berry and purple tones. These shades have the umph to pop on deep skin and never appear dull or ashy – they meld so beautifully with a cocoa complexion and are a brilliant way to get that sun-blushed look on dark skin.

    Shop Forbidden Cherry

  2. Berry blush for dark skin

    Berry Blush for Dark Skin

    Berry tones like raspberry, cranberry and blackberry come alive on dark skin, darlings. The sweet, dreamy tones in berry blushes like my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Berry Glow have plenty of depth to ensure they don’t get lost on a deeper complexion. Berry Glow looks rich and vibrant even on deep-dark complexions – apply onto deep skin and suddenly your cheeks will glow with an irresistible, juicy-looking, fruity flush.

    For a more muted berry blush look, tap Pillow Talk Lip & Cheek Glow onto your cheeks for soft, chiffon-sheer coverage. This flexible cream lip and cheek tint gives your makeup a dewy-looking flush and the shade Colour of Passion is a perfect berry blush for deep skin. The radiant berry-pink shade leaves a dreamy Pillow Talk tint on the lips and cheeks, sheering out to leave a soft, flattering kiss of colour.

    Shop Berry Glow

  3. pink blush for dark skin

    Pink Blush for Dark Skin

    Lighter shades of pink like pastel pinks and baby pinks can look ashy and unflattering on dark skin. Instead, reach for a rich, vibrant pink like my Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm Sunset to give your cheekbones the pink glow that you’re looking for. I created Pinkgasm Sunset as a sunset-inspired sister to my legendary Pinkgasm shade; it’s a coppery pink inspired by magical glow of sundown. Dotting Pinkgasm Sunset onto deep skin casts dreamy horizons of pink light across the cheekbones, creating a sunset blush look that’s truly breathtaking.

    Shop Pinkgasm Sunset

  4. red blush for dark skin

    Red Blush for Dark Skin

    Is red the new pink, darlings? Red blush pops so beautifully on dark skin – just a dot of my Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Dream Pop gives deep and dark skin the dreamiest, love-blushed look! This cheeky cherry shade creates a Pillow Talk-inspired flush, exploring a romantic, red rendition of my globally adored Pillow Talk Effect. Dream Pop has a natural-matte liquid blush formula that’s easy to dot onto the cheeks; it delivers a breath-taking red blush look that gorgeously enhances the richness that comes with a deeper complexion.

    To give dark skin a magical glow, choose a red blush with a dewy-looking glow finish like my Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek cream colour in Pinched-Cheek Glow. This blazing red is inspired by the sunsets of Ibiza and gives cheeks a softly pinched look. Tap onto your cheeks to build a dreamy, doll blush look with a perfect summer red hue.

    Shop Dream Pop

Best Blush Colours for Tan Skin

Tan skin naturally has a lot of warmth, so blush colours with nude and peach tones meld beautifully with a tanned complexion. Building up a blush look that looks summery and sun-kissed adds dreamy dimension to a tanned skin tone, flushing olive and tanned complexions with the perfect pop of colour.

  1. pink blush for tan skin pillow talk medium

    Pink Blush for Tan Skin

    Some pink blushes can appear flat or stark on tan skin, but choose the right shade of pink and your tan skin will look sun-flushed and gorgeous! Pink blushes like my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Loved Up give you that loved up look, darlings… This vibrant pink is a beautiful pink blush for brown skin. It’s pigmented, it’s playful, and it gives you that rosy, cherub look. If you love pink but worry about wearing pink blush on your complexion, Loved Up is the shade for you. Swish it onto your cheeks to create the dreamiest pink diffusion that looks vibrant and blurred.

    Tilbury Tip: Give your tan skin a pretty pink flush using my Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek tint in Sun-Blushed Glow! This hot pink blush has a touch of coral to add the perfect pop of summertime pink to your makeup. It’s easy, beach day blush that gives you the pinkened glow of a day in the sun!

    Shop Loved Up

  2. nudenude blush for tan skin pillow talk dreams

    NUDE BLUSH FOR TAN SKIN

    To get the nude blush look for tan skin, choose a blush rich in rose and brown tones that appear as a natural, rosy flush. I created my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Pillow Talk Dreams as a flawless burnt rose that looks fabulous on tan skin. Pillow Talk Dreams is the dreamiest nude shade for tan skin tones; it marries the romantic, rosy world of Pillow Talk with rosewood brown tones to create a soft, beauty-boosting blush look that enhances your natural features and flushes your complexion with super-flattering, instantly beautifying nude blush.

    Shop Pillow Talk Dreams

  3. coral blush for tan skin sunset siren

    CORAL BLUSH FOR TAN SKIN

    Tan complexions don’t need to shy away from colour – hot pops of coral, fuchsia and cherry look gorgeous on tan skin! I love to use a coral blush like my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Sunset Siren to give tan complexions a standout summer flush! I love this shade because it is so vibrant and brings every skin tone to life with warm flashes of orange, pink and peach – it’s like a sunset horizon in a beautifying, blurring blush! If you want to inject some colour into your makeup routine or want to create that gorgeous, back-from-vacation sun-blush effect, coral blush is the way to go! Trust me, darlings, I just know you are a Sunset Siren at heart!

    Shop Sunset Siren

  4. Nude blush for tan skin

    Blonzer for Tan Skin

    Have you heard of blonzer, darlings? A blush that’s more brown or nude in tone and looks similar to your go-to bronzer can create a super-flattering, super-bronzed blush look. On tan skin, sandy clay, cocoa brown and warm terracotta can serve as the perfect blonzer to complete your look. I love to blush tan skin with my Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek tint in Sunset Bronze Glow – it’s a warm, bronzed terracotta that makes a tan complexion look dappled in the warm glow on sunset.

    Shop Sunset Bronze Glow

  5. peach blush for tan skin summer lovegasm

    Peach Blush for Tan Skin

    Looking for the perfect pop of peach blush for tan skin? Tan complexions pair beautifully with golden-peach shades of blush like my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Peachy Glow. Naturally, tan skin is rich in golden-brown overtones that are complemented by the warmth and brightness of peach blush colours. I created Peachy Glow to give every complexion a radiant, golden hour glow – it’s like a ray of sunshine in a blush stick! This pigmented peach looks beautiful on tan skin, melting seamlessly into the cheeks and elevating the natural warm tones present in a tan skin tone.

    Tilbury Tip: My AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Summer Lovegasm is a warm peach that leans more terracotta. If you love a matte finish, this shade is like a peachy blur filter for tan skin.

    Shop Summer Lovegasm

  6. red blush for tan skin

    Red Blush for Tan Skin

    A tan complexion looks radiant in red! Cherry, strawberry or scarlet shades of red blush can all look beautiful on tan skin. Red blushes are naturally bolder and more pigmented than classic peaches and pinks – they can softly rouge your cheeks or pack a punch to give them a glowing rush of red. To get the red blush look for tan skin, I recommend swiping my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Cherry Glow onto your cheeks and blending out to diffuse the edges of your dream pop of red. Darlings, your cheeks will look delicious dipped in Cherry Glow… Trust me, darlings, it’s the cherry on top of your go-to makeup look!

    Shop Cherry Glow

Best Blush Colours for Medium Skin

Medium skin tones are flexible with in-between tones, so the best blush colours for medium skin can lean a little softer or brighter depending on your preference. Explore juicy peach tones to create a warm glow or nude-leaning pinks for a more understated blush look.

  1. Pink blush for medium skin

    Pink Blush for Medium Skin

    Everyone loves pink blush, darlings, and there are so many beautiful pink options to choose from in my blush wardrobe! One of my most famous pink blushes shades is my Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm – it’s a social media sensation that took the beauty world by storm! Pinkgasm is legendary, darlings, and it looks fabulous on medium skin! Dotting Pinkgasm onto your cheekbones gives them a pearlescent pink glow with a twinkling, high-gloss finish. Pinkgasm is ICONIC… It’s the pink blush of your beauty dreams!

    Shop Pinkgasm

  2. Rose blush for medium skin

    Rose Blush for Medium Skin

    To give medium skin a natural-looking pop of blush, reach for a rosy shade like my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Rosy Glow. Rosy-pink blush shades mimic the natural flustered look that we get when we’re embarrassed or falling in love which makes them a perfect choice for creating barely there blush looks. Rosy Glow is a warm pink that blends out into a romantic, rosy cloud of blush; it’s a mid-toned hue that never looks washed out on a medium skin tone, making it easy to apply just a touch of rose, or to build more pigmented looks when the mood takes you.

    Another rose blush that looks fabulous on medium skin tones is my Pillow Talk Lip & Cheek Glow in the irresistible Colour of Dreams! This radiant, rosy blush shade is formulated to give medium skin the dreamiest flush of fresh, floral pink to give the complexion an ethereal blush look. Designed to be worn on the lips and cheeks, this dreamy cream blush tint is perfect for creating monochromatic makeup looks on medium skin tones with a just-kissed look and a flattering flush of rose blush.

    Shop Rosy Glow

  3. Peachgasm blush medium skin tone

    Peach Blush for Medium Skin

    Peachy blushes look so flattering on medium skin tones; they are warmer and more golden in tone than your average pink which plays nicely with medium overtones. If your medium skin has a warm undertone like gold, peach or yellow, you may find peach blush colours like my Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Peach Pop particularly flattering. Peach Pop is a soft-peach blush with warm, sun-kissed tones that blend beautifully into a medium complexion. It bathes cheeks in vibrant, peachy colour with a dreamy, natural-matte finish for perfect, peachy cheeks – just dot, dot, blend and pop!

    Darlings, if you love to glow… And I know you do… My Beauty Light Wand in Peachgasm will be an instant favourite of yours! This peach blush and highlighter has a shimmering, high-gloss finish that looks like pools of beauty light! The super-flattering, mega-shine formula looks mesmerising in every type of light, and Peachgasm is the perfect shade to give your medium skin a gorgeous, glossy, golden-peach glow! One dot of Peach Pop and one swipe of Peachgasm is my secret to the perfect peach blush look. You need to try this one, darling!

    Tilbury Tip: I love to apply AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur powder blush in Ecstasy as a pretty peach finishing touch. Ecstasy flushes cheeks with the perfect shade of peach, giving medium skin a glowing, sun-kissed look.

    Shop Pillow Talk Glow and Blush Beauty Wand Kit

Best Blush Colours for Fair Skin

Blush can be easily over-applied on a lighter skin tone, so it’s important to choose the best blush shades for fair skin to avoid an overpowering flush. While deeper blush colours can work on fair skin when applied with a light hand, I recommend choosing sweet pinks that give cheeks a dreamy wash of colour and beautifully complement a fair-to-light complexion.

  1. Pink blush for fair skin

    Pink Blush for Fair Skin

    You can never be steered wrong with a classic pink blush for fair skin, darlings. There’s something magical about the way bright, pretty pinks enliven the look of a fair complexion… It’s like a beauty booster that gives you an in-love happy glow! Hot pinks, bubblegum pinks, watermelon pinks, and berry pinks can all be playful pops to make fair skin blush. One of my favourite pink blushes for fair skin is my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Pinky Glow; if you have a fair-to-light skin tone and love pink makeup, this shade belongs in your makeup bag! Swipe the vibrant pink shade onto your cheeks and create a dream-sheen effect in the most flattering shade of pink! The formula is also so malleable, darlings… Sheer it out or build it up to unlock your perfect Pinky Glow!

    Another pink blush that’s always in my makeup kit is my Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek tint in Paradise Pink Glow! This bright, cool-toned pink is the secret to a dewy-looking island glow… It’s a one-way ticket to island paradise! On days where you want a soft pop of cream blush, reach for Paradise Pink Glow to tint your lips and cheeks with a hint of pink that gives you that healthy, holiday glow!

    Shop Pinky Glow

  2. nude blush for fair skin naughty talk

    NUDE BLUSH FOR FAIR SKIN

    Blush doesn’t have to be bold and bright, darlings… If you prefer a whisper of nude blush that softly defines your cheekbones, you will be obsessed with Naughty Talk blush. This rosy-beige shade is inspired by my Naughty Talk Lipstick, giving your cheeks the same flirtatious, love-blushed effect. Light and understated, Naughty Talk looks fabulous on fair skin, giving the complexion a soft and dreamy flush that diffuses beautifully between your bronzer and foundation shades. If you get overwhelmed by punchy pink and peach blushes and are looking for something more muted and suggestive, you need to try Naughty Talk!

    Shop Naughty Talk

  3. peach blush for fair skin ecstasy jerry hall

    Peach Blush for Fair Skin

    Darlings, peachy shades of blush can effortlessly lift the look of a fair complexion. One of the considerations when choosing a blush for fair skin is not to choose a colour that makes you look washed out or ghostly. Peach blushes have warm, golden and coral tones that make fair skin appear brighter and sunnier. Try my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Ecstasy – it’s a soft peachy pink that makes fair skin look softly flushed with a healthy-looking glow. I love this shade darlings because it gives you the perfect soft pop of blush that makes you look so fresh and alive!

    I also like layering Ecstasy with a cream blush for a perfectly peachy blush moment! Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek tint in Beach Peach Glow is a dewy, sweet peach that melts into your lips and cheeks for a subtle, sun-blushed effect. Tap it on, darlings, and you’ll look fresh from a day on the beach!

    Shop Ecstasy

  4. Rose blush for fair skin loved up

    Rose Blush for Fair Skin

    When you think about applying blush, the classic look your mind goes to is rosy cheeks that look softly pinched or flushed with endorphins. The blushes in my Pillow Talk collection are inspired by that natural love rush that floods your cheeks when you fall in love – they’re perfect for giving your cheeks a dreamy pop of colour that looks like love at first sight in a blush! Get the look with my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Pillow Talk Medium, darlings! This muted, rosy-pink shade is a dream for pale skin, building up from a subtle pink flush to a more pigmented rose bloom.

    Tilbury Tip: Pair Pillow Talk Medium with a semi-sheer cream blush like Pillow Talk Lip & Cheek Glow. Colour of Dreams mimics the radiant rose tones of beautiful bouquets to give the cheeks a romantic wash of colour; it looks gorgeous on fair skin and is perfect for creating the appearance of love-bitten lips and naturally flushed cheeks. It’s the dreamiest, dewy-looking, Pillow Talk love tint.

    Shop Pillow Talk Medium

  5. Lilac blush for fair skin

    Lilac Blush for Fair Skin

    You will love the way your cheeks look with a veil of light-catching lilac blush! The cool, lavender tones in lilac blushes like my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick in Pretty Glow look so beautiful on fair skin – they cast an ethereal dream light over your face for the perfect, love-blushed look. Darlings, lilac blush and fair skin are a true love match! Lilac blushes are delicate by nature and when applied to fair skin, they become much more apparent as they don’t have to compete with the pigments in a deeper skin tone. Instead, they cushion over cheeks like soft, lilac chiffon and create a mesmerising blush and glow look. I created my Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick as a stretchable, super-flattering lilac blush that everyone can use to get the lilac effect, however, I particularly adore the way it looks on fair skin with rosy undertones.

    Shop Pretty Glow

  6. Light pink blush for fair skin

    Light Pink Blush for Fair Skin

    A dot of my Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pink Pop can effortlessly lift the look of a fair complexion. This pretty, salmon-pink blush is easy to dot onto the apples of the cheeks, giving fair-skinned beauties romantically flushed cheeks that appear softly pinched and perfectly pink! This easy liquid blush can look captivating on a light skin tone with the slightest touch, but for blush lovers, Pink Pop is effortlessly built up to create a pigmented pink blush look – just dial up the dots!

    Tilbury Tip: Add glow to your matte blush look with Beauty Light Wands in Pillow Talk, Pinkgasm or Peachgasm.

    Shop Pink Pop

Darlings, a veil of blush in the best blush colour for your skin tone will work in total harmony with your complexion. The right shade of blush will give you that dreamy, love-blushed glow that makes you look happy, healthy and blushed to the nines!

And darlings, if you’re curious how a certain shade will look on your complexion, use my Virtual Try On beauty tech to see it on your skin tone!

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Author Details

Charlotte Tilbury

Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty

With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.

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