Merit Beverly Hills Flush Balm Cream Blush Review & Swatches

Beverly Hills

Merit Beverly Hills Flush Balm Cream Blush Merit Beverly Hills Flush Balm Cream Blush ($28.00 for 0.31 oz.) is a soft, pinky-coral with subtle, warm undertones and a glossy finish. It had a very emollient consistency that was thin (not in a bad way) and had a lot of slip, though it applied quite well to bare skin and layered over foundation. I expected that it would “eat” through my foundation a bit, but it did not lift up or create patchiness despite being emollient and not drying down.

It had sheer coverage that could be built up to semi-sheer to medium coverage if desired, which was as described. The finish was high-sheen, and while it had a good wear down–it didn’t slide noticeably and just seemed to disappear over time–it was shorter-wearing at six hours.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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Tom Ford Beauty Winter 2018 (Blush) (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Fenty Beauty Petal Poppin' (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
ColourPop Interstellar (LE, $8.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Salt New York Peach (P, $16.00) is darker (90% similar).
Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon (LE, $70.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Cat's Eye (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Clinique Peach Pop (02) (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Rare Beauty Nearly Neutral (P, $21.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Becca Winter Berry (LE, $32.00) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Benefit GALifornia (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$28.00/0.31 oz. - $90.32 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to give a "transparent veil of color" with a "light, balmy finish" that is "long-lasting." It's one of the more emollient consistencies I've come across in cream blushes these days! It looks like a solid, dome-shaped balm, but as soon as I touched it, the texture had high slip and felt almost oily as a result. They delivered on the "transparent veil of color" with sheer to semi-sheer coverage that blended out to a more watercolored-effect on skin.

I was surprised--but in a good way--to find that it applied well over foundation and didn't seem prone to lifting up my base products as often, very emollient textures can interact more noticeably when layered over other things in my experience. It worked well over bare skin, too, and didn't "sink" into pores like some cream blushes have for me.

It didn't dry down and remained movable hours later, so the shorter-wear time (six to seven hours) wasn't a surprise. The product didn't feel tacky, just emollient throughout; I have more "normal" skin on my actual cheek area where I tested this formula (I'm drier near my nose and on my nose).

Browse all of our Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Poly (C6-14 Olefin), Polyethylene, Silica, Diisostearyl Malate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Synthetic Wax, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax, Cire Microcristalline), Tocopherol, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Methicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, BHT, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77492/77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake).

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.