Here's a confession: I have blush blindness, aka, an innocent term used to describe someone who doesn't know when to put the blush down. I can't help but love a rosy cheek, so can you blame me for accidentally overdoing it?

If you asked me what makeup product I couldn't live without, blush would be the first. Blush is what turns my complexion from dull to flushed, and my makeup from matte to glowing. There is no other product like it.

As a result, I've tried hundreds of blushes throughout my makeup lifetime. In that experience, I've learned that not all blushes are alike, and only a few have reigned superior. Glow Recipe's recently launched Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush is one of the newest members on my list.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush

Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush

What we like

Skin care-meets-makeup hybrid
Buildable color
Natural 'flush'

Something to note

Best alone or on top of creams

Shades: Berry Flush and Watermelon Flush | Key ingredients: 3% niacinamide, centella asiatica, watermelon and jojoba oil-coated pigments

Glow Recipe describes the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush as a tinted cheek serum that works as a skin care-meets-makeup hybrid. The color (available in two shades: Berry Flush and Watermelon Flush) is deposited on the cheeks with jojoba oil-coated pigments, leaving a soft, natural glow.

Niacinamide is also core to its formula and name, which, according to the brand, should help the product plump, smooth, brighten and hydrate the skin as you wear.

About niacinamide

We previously spoke with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Robyn Gmyrek, who revealed that niacinamide also helps with skin barrier support.

“When the skin barrier function is intact and healthy, it is more protected against environmental toxins and infectious agents, holds moisture and is much less likely to get irritated or inflamed,” he said. This tells me that the blush should be moisturizing, not drying, on the skin.

Berry Flush (left) and Watermelon Flush (right)Courtesy Madison San Miguel

About my skin

When I say my skin is dry, I really do mean it. My skin can easily feel tight and uncomfortable with the slightest amount of mattifying products. I heavily rely on hydrating cream- and liquid-based formulas — similar to this one — to avoid that.

How I tried the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush

Even though the product is skin care-based, I applied the formula just as I would any other blush, by focusing on the apples and highest points of my cheeks, and distributing any remaining amount of product on the bridge of my nose.

How to apply

I prefer using a dense brush for applying cream and liquid blushes. This product says you can use your desired tool, but your fingers are a great method, too. A brush absorbed less product for me than a beauty sponge, so the tool you use is dependent on the amount of product you want.

What I like

The shades are easily buildable

If I could formulate my ideal blush shade, it would be Berry Flush. Berry Flush is considered a warm berry plum by the brand, and Watermelon Flush is a soft peachy-pink. When blended, Berry Flush stayed true to its shade, but Watermelon Flush turned into a pretty baby pink on me.

The perks of this formula is that it is incredibly lightweight, so no matter the amount you layer, the formula doesn't spread or feel heavy. Another surprise is that Glow Recipe says these are sheer tints, hence why they call it a flush, not a blush. But in my opinion, the blushes were more pigmented than expected. However, you can easily build them up to your desired amount if you prefer a less noticeable finish (unlike me).

The applicator helps pick up the right amount

For the sake of this review, I tried to tame the amount of blush I applied, but it is in my nature. Fortunately enough, the blush's doe-foot applicator picks up the perfect amount of product to use. Just a single dab on each cheek goes a long way.

No setting is needed

I typically apply a powdered blush over my cream blushes to help them stay put, but I set aside my usual method to truly put the product to the test. Since the formula melts into your skin, I found the staying power pretty effective on its own.

Skin care is at the forefront

What I love most about this product is that it doesn't feel like you have anything on. I contribute that to the 100% skin care-first formula.

From dark spots to smoothing pores, the brand says the blush targets it all. In fact, all skin types can revel in its benefits, since gentle niacinamide, centella asiatica and watermelon equally treat some of the most common concerns.

The pigments themselves are skin care-based, too. They're coated with jojoba oil to equally help spread the product and naturally hydrate the skin. Plus, the pigments are non-comedogenic, meaning it shouldn't clog pores.

The difference between Glow Recipe's Niacinamide Dew Drops and their Dewy Flush blush

I previously tested Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops in Sun Glow. It also was named the "best bronzing drops" in our Beauty Awards. The Dew Drops and the Dewy Flush both center their formulas around niacinamide. Although the brand doesn't specify the percentage of the ingredient that's in the Dew Drops, the Dewy Flush has an impressive 3%. (Note: It's always best to smart with small percentages of niacinmade, especially if you have sensitive skin, according to our previous chat with dermatologist Dr. Shari Sperling.)

The Dew Drops are a great base for both your makeup and skin care, helping to enhance your glow with tons of good-for-you ingredients. The tinted version acts similarly to bronzing drops to help even your skin tone. The Dewy Flush works just like blush.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops

Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum

Winner: Best bronzing drops

What we like

Packed with skin care
Non-streaky or patchy tint

Something to note

Tint isn't universal

Product Specs:

Shades: Sun Glow and Rosy Glow | Key ingredients: Niacinamide, centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid and watermelon

All in all, if you love the finish of the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops, then you will love the results you'll get with the Dewy Flush blush.

What to consider

Since the blush is skin care-based, it is best worn on its own or with products of similar formulations, such as creams and liquids.
The product can 'separate' when layered on top of a powder. When applied underneath powder, such as a powdered blush or setting powder, I did not have this results.
Both shades are buildable, but Berry Flush was more easier to work with, for me, than Watermelon Blush.
Although it smells slightly of watermelon (a favorite scent of mine from the brand), Glow Recipe says the blush is only formulated with less than 0.5% of fragrance.

Who is the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush best for?

Skin care-meets-makeup products have become the new standard in beauty, but the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush is just one of few products on the market that does it very well. You get a flush that not only looks good, but is truly good for you, too.

I imagine the blush will quickly sell out, and maybe even sell out multiple times. I might even say the blush is one of the best launches of the year so far. You'll want to get your hands on a shade (or both) before its gone.

Meet the experts

Dr. Robyn Gmyrek, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Union Derm in New York City.
Dr. Shari Sperling, MD, is New Jersey-based dermatologist.

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