While I wish I could wake up with perfectly dewy cheeks, complete with the prettiest hint of flush, that isn't always the case. But if I want to get the look in one easy step, cream or liquid blush will always be that girl. And as someone who's tried their fair share of both, I keep coming back to Glossier's Cloud Paint, which I first tried as a sorority girl way back in 2018.
Cut to 2025: My life looks very different than it did during my college days, but Cloud Paint is still my go-to cream blush. Any time I'm putting any form of makeup on my face—whether it's subtle, five-minute "no-makeup makeup" look to wander around New York City on a sunny day or an evening look for my best friend's wedding, I will indeed be using Cloud Paint. And I'm not alone—it's beloved by a bevy of fellow Cosmo editors.
Beauty editor Beth Gillette raved about the beginner-friendly formula, saying, "Sorry, but Cloud Paint is still the GOAT of all cream blushes," she shares. "Yup, I said it!!! It blends better than any other formula I've used, especially with my fingers, making it practically the simplest blush to apply, ever."
The beauty (heh) of Cloud Paint is that it's truly one of the most foolproof beauty products I've ever used. Once you learn that a little of this pigmented blush goes a long way, you're golden (or should I say rosy?). Just dab a small dot on your cheeks, nose, or anywhere else you'd like a rosy glow and blend away with the tool of your choice. Like Beth, I use my fingers to apply Cloud Paint—a seamless process that makes this the perfect product to stow in your bag for on-the-go touch-ups without having to carry a brush or makeup sponge with you.
Oh, and the shade range is immaculate. There are currently 11 shades available, and Beth calls them "timeless and trendy," adding that she'll "never get tired of them."
My go-to is Puff, a pretty light pink that complements my pale winter skin just as well as it does when I have a bit of a sun-kissed situation going on in the summer. Other options include warm fuchsias, cool lilacs, poppy reds, and bold oranges. If I ever decide to deviate from my beloved Puff, I think I might try Spark to add a touch of drama to my look. But honestly, I'm not-so-secretly coveting every single hue in this line.
Madison McGee is a commerce editor at Hearst Magazines. For the past year, she has contributed shopping content, gift guides, product testing, and deals coverage across Hearst’s portfolio, which includes Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Men's Health, House Beautiful, Elle, Town and Country, Esquire, Country Living, Oprah Daily, and more. Prior to joining Hearst, she was a staff writer at BuzzFeed and worked in book publishing. Madison is a graduate of the University of Mississippi’s journalism program, and holds a Masters in Publishing from New York University. When she’s not scouting out the best deals, she can be found reading, cheering on the Baltimore Ravens, or exploring New York City’s indie bookstores.
