Over the last few years, the beauty industry has taken on a more sensorial approach to marketing. From descriptive names likened to delicious-sounding foods (see: blueberry-milk nails) to products that have an unusual texture (hello, Danessa Myricks' Yummy Skin Blushes), makeup products, in particular, have become as much about the feelings that they invoke as they have about the performance. The latest brand to join in on the fun is Milk Cosmetics with the launch of its Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stains ($24).
Releasing with what felt like instant TikTok virality, the blush stick comes in four shades and, as the name suggests, has a soft, gelatinous texture. The product looks so much like the popular jelly fruit cups of the early 2000s that people on TikTok are giving into intrusive thoughts by cutting, poking, and even biting the blushes. As an avid blush lover, I had to see what the hype was for myself. Read ahead for my review.
Though the tube is rather small, the blush packs a punch in the pigment department. The shades are universal but the lighter hues like Spritz need to be built up to appear on my dark skin while the dark berry shade, Splash, looks prominent with just one swipe.
While the jelly texture doesn't necessarily do anything in terms of the longevity of the color, it does add to the user experience and makes for a hydrating finish. The blush is just really fun to use. It feels incredibly cool on the skin, likely thanks to the aloe in the formulation, and whether I'm swiping or tapping it on, I love the sheer wash of color it leaves behind.
The brand suggests to swipe or swirl the product onto your desired area, but I prefer to do a combination of the two. While I don't swipe it onto my face in a long pass as I would with a traditional cream blush stick, I use short strokes to deposit the color instead. I felt like this method left behind a better saturation of color on to my cheeks without disrupting the makeup underneath it.
Depending on your skin tone and what color of blush you buy, you may find yourself needing to layer the stains in order to get your desired finish. Though they all work beautifully, I recommend people with deep skin tones to try the berry and red shades as they instantly show up. It's also worth noting that this is a stain, meaning it will leave behind some color long after you wash it off.
The Milk Makeup Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain is available at Sephora.com and MilkMakeup.com.
Rating: ★★★★★