This year seems to have been the year of the best cream blushers. From blusher sticks to liquid blush (and maybe a small case of blush blindness, thanks TikTok) it seems we're currently all obsessed with achieving a healthy, dewy flush to our cheeks.
I've tried a lot of cream blushers, from Rare Beauty to Rhode and Jones Road to Merit. But, one I was yet to try was Westman Atelier's famed Baby Cheeks Blush Stick. The very mention of it in make my colleagues in the Who What Wear UK office light up with excitement, so it was high time I tested it for myself. At £44, these blush sticks are an investment purchase, so I've put them to the test to find out if they're truly worth it and live up to the hype.
Scroll ahead for my full review of the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick Review
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
Pros: Creamy formula, luxe packaging, easy to blend with fingers, highly pigmented, a little goes a long way, portable for on-the-go touch-ups
Cons: Expensive, could be more shades catering to deep complexions
Shades: 9
Size: Full size 6g, travel size 2g
Customer Review: "I love how easy this blush applies. It is creamy and blends well for it being in a stick format. For a cream formula the blush also has some lasting power. I put this on in the morning and it still shows well into evening. I will have to get more shades!"
The Formula
Ingredients: Biomimicry pigment technology, organic jojoba oil, grape extract, kaolin clay, vitamins C and E, berryflux vita extract. The formula is also cruelty-free, and most shades are vegan with the exception of Chouchette and Bichette, which contain carmine.
Free From: PEGS, synthetics, parabens, phthalates, talc, silicones
What makes these blush sticks special is that they have a number of skincare ingredients, such as vitamins C and E and grape extracts, which act as antioxidants to shield the skin. The addition of kaolin clay helps absorb excess oil, and the biomimicry pigment technology cleverly mimics ceramides in the skin, helping to nourish and enhance the colour payoff.
The Application
The creamy formula glides onto the skin, making it easy to effortlessly blend with your fingertips or a makeup brush. I personally favoured my fingers to help melt the product into the skin.
The creamy formula 'sets' on the skin (while still giving you ample time to blend) into a radiant finish that's neither dewy or matte. Instead, it has a subtly radiant finish that is dry to the touch on the skin. This makes it ideal if you find dewy blushers slide around or disappear into thin air halfway through the day, but you don't want the matte finish of a powder blush. These sit in a great middle-ground that doesn't compromise on longevity or glow.
I find just a dot is plenty to deliver a high-pigment payoff. So I'd recommend starting out with less and blending to achieve your desired result, otherwise it's easy to go overboard.
As for the packaging, these are the most luxuriously designed sticks I've tried. The matte grey casing houses a twist-up stick with gunmetal and gold chrome accents on the side. The magnetic lid also snaps into place with a satisfying click and has 'Westman Atelier embossed on the inside cap as well as down the side to the blush case. It feels like every detail has been considered and beautifully designed.
The Shades
1. Petal
I've heard that Petal is the brand's bestseller, and I'm not surprised. This dusty neutral rose is the kind of shade I'd usually choose for my skin tone. According to Westman Atelier's website, this shade would also suit tanned and medium skin tones beautifully.
The bestselling Petal shade comes in a 2g 'Petite' mini size, which is ideal for travelling and on-the-go touch ups, or trying before committing to a full-sized 6g stick.
2. Coquette
Coquette is a peachy pink which is a great hue if you're looking for a bright pop of colour for your cheeks. It has a very subtle radiance thanks to the tiny flecks of gold in the formula.
3. Dou Dou
Dou Dou is a warm, deeper rose with a blue undertone, which best suits those with olive and medium skin tones.
4. Chouchette
The final shade I tried was Chouchette, a neutral pinky peach that's deeper than Coquette, and flatters fairer skin tones.
Shop More Shades
5. Bichette
Bichette is a true berry red that is best suited to those with deeper complexions and lends a pretty rouge to the cheeks.
6. Garçonne
Garçonne straddles between a violet and muted pink, and the purple undertones make it very flattering on those with medium-deep skin tones.
7. Minette
You'll find that all of Westman Atelier's Baby Cheeks Blush Sticks are free from shimmer, except Minette. The coral-peach tones contains a golden shimmer that looks particularly pretty on bronzed skin tones.
8. Poppet
As you can see, Poppet is the brightest pink amongst the shades which gives a cheerful pop fuchsia to deeper skin tones.
9. Mimi
Lastly, we have Mimi, which is exclusive to Westman Atelier's website and has beige undertone to give a tawny flush to the skin.
The Verdict
While expensive, I can't fault these blush sticks—I'm not sure how I got by without one in my makeup bag. I do think it would be great to see a couple of additional deeper shades for darker skin tones in the mix, and they are more expensive than your typical blusher. But, if price isn't a concern, you won't regret trying these beautiful cream blushers. They apply and blend like a dream and last well throughout the day, so you likely won't need a top-up. But, if you do, then you'll no doubt love pulling out this chic blush stick from your makeup bag. The portable design makes them foolproof for on-the-go application and they can easily double up as a lip colour for a monochromatic look.
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