Blush is an important step in most makeup routines and it’s something I never skip on days that I choose to wear makeup. It adds a flush of color to the cheeks that makes me look much more awake and healthy. I’ve accumulated quite a collection of blushes at this point, but they aren’t all perfect. I’ve found that some blushes fade significantly throughout the day (some fade before I’ve even finished applying all of my makeup). That really bothers me since I’m not usually one to touch up my makeup. Once it’s all applied, I leave it alone, so I usually expect my makeup to hang on all day.

One of my favorite long-wearing blushes is the e.l.f. Primer Infused Blush. As the name suggests, it’s formulated with primer powder to provide all day cheek color. E.l.f. has several blush formulas, but this is my favorite one so far. Read on to learn more about this product!

Product claims directly from ElfCosmetics.com

This long-wear blush is infused with lock on primer powder to ensure a full day of perfectly placed blush. This blush is easy to blend, perfectly pigmented for ease of application, and grips your cheeks like second skin.

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Other product details

• Price: $6.00
• Net weight: 0.35 oz.
• Made in China
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan
• 2019 Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner
• Shelf life: 12 months
• 13 shades–7 matte; 6 shimmer (e.l.f. doesn’t provide shade descriptions, so I’ll do my best to describe each shade based on swatches)
  • Always Punchy: Matte cool-toned pink
  • Always Rosy: Matte nude pink
  • Always Cheeky: Matte light coral (this is the shade that I have)
  • Always Earthy: Matte peach/brown (looks like a light bronzer to me)
  • Always Spicy: Matte red/brown
  • Always Peachy: Matte light peach
  • Always Fiery: Matte red/orange
  • Always Breezy: Shimmer peach
  • Always Hazy: Shimmer mauve/brown
  • Always Lucky: Shimmer berry
  • Always Preppy: Shimmer cool-toned pink
  • Always Cheery: Shimmer warm bold pink
  • Always Silly: Shimmer light coral/pink
• Where to buy: ElfCosmetics.com
  • ElfCosmetics.com ships to the USA and Canada only.
• Overall rating: 9.4/10
  • Inclusivity: 10/10
  • Packaging/ease of application: 9/10
  • Texture: 8/10
  • Staying power: 10/10
  • Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

E.l.f. seems to be heavily considering inclusivity with all of its newer products these days. 13 shades is a big range for blushes! While some of the shades are similar, I think it’s great that e.l.f. offers so many options in this formula. There seems to be a shade for everyone. There are more subtle shades for fair to light skin, very bold shades for deeper skin tones, and of course plenty of shades in the middle. I think it’s important to take skin tone into consideration when selecting a shade, since these blushes are very pigmented. I originally purchased the Always Fiery shade because I loved the color, but since it is so bold and pigmented, I couldn’t make it work on my fair skin. I later purchased the Always Cheeky shade and it is perfect for me! Looking at it in the pan, it doesn’t look like much, but it looks beautiful once it’s applied.

I also try to consider personal preference when thinking about inclusivity in makeup. When e.l.f. first launched the Primer Infused Blushes, I believe it was just the matte shades. A lot of people prefer shimmer blushes for some “highlight optional” glow, so I’m really glad they expanded the range to include six shimmer shades. I haven’t tried any of the shimmer shades, but they look gorgeous in photos!

Packaging/ease of application

The packaging for the e.l.f. Primer Infused Blushes is simple yet sleek. It’s a matte black compact with a clear lid so the blush shade is easily visible. The compact is easy to open and also closes securely so you don’t have to worry about it popping open in your purse or luggage. 

The blush itself is easily blendable when applied over setting powder, but I don’t think it would apply very well directly over liquids or creams. As I mentioned previously, this blush is very pigmented, and that means that it’s necessary to exercise some caution when applying. You don’t want too much product to stick to a single spot. It would also be easy to apply too much of this blush.

Since this blush is so pigmented, I think the best application method is to tap into the product lightly with a cheek brush that has somewhat loose fibers (I use the Tapered Powder Brush from Profusion Cosmetics), rather than a densely-packed brush. A duo fiber brush would also work well since they don’t pick up as much product as standard makeup brushes. If you don’t have either of those types of brushes, just make sure you tap off the excess blush before applying to your cheeks.

Texture

I only have personal experience with the matte version of these blushes. I can tell you that they are very smooth and creamy (as much as a powder can be). That texture aids in the easy blending. My only gripe with the texture is that it can look a bit powdery/cakey if you apply too much. Again though, since this blush is so pigmented, you don’t need very much. It can also look more powdery after being worn all day, but that can be remedied with a spritz of a facial mist like Pacifica Coconut Essence Hydro Mist. 

As for the shimmer shades, I’ve read reviews on e.l.f.’s website and watched a review on YouTube, and it seems like the shimmer shades add more of a glow to the skin rather than containing actual shimmer or glitter. I think that type of finish is very flattering on a lot of people. Aside from the different finish, I assume the texture of the shimmer shades is the same or very similar to that of the original matte shades.

Staying power

This section is probably a little bit redundant since I dropped a spoiler in the intro about the longevity of this blush. I’ll get a little bit more specific for you, though. Many, maybe even most, blushes fade over several hours of wear on my combination skin. Not this one! In fact, it seems to be the opposite; the color may actually intensify throughout the day as my natural oils come through. I did a wear test yesterday and I thought the color looked a little more intense at the end of the day compared to when my makeup was freshly applied.

This blush absolutely does not ever budge or fade!

Price

The e.l.f. Primer Infused Blushes are only $6.00! That’s a steal for almost any blush, but this one has superior performance. I don’t have experience with many high-end blushes, but I think these e.l.f. blushes perform just as well or better than the more expensive blushes that I have tried. Oh, and did I mention that the pan is generously sized? I’ve been using this blush pretty often for months now and I’ve barely made a dent in it! It’s definitely going to last me a really long time. $6.00 well spent!! 🙂

I might be slightly biased at this point since I’ve discovered so many great e.l.f. products over the last couple of years, but the e.l.f. Primer Infused Blushes really are excellent quality. They are beautiful and so affordable!

I would recommend these blushes to anyone that enjoys wearing makeup. Like I said before, I think there is a shade for everyone, whether you prefer a matte or shimmer finish. E.l.f. has been doing a great job of giving its customers what they want! 🙂

Have you ever tried this or any other primer infused blushes? I think it’s a brilliant concept!

Lauren