We Tried Kosas’s New Skincare-Infused Powder Blush

If you had told me 10 years ago that I would feel naked without a heavy application of blush, I would have laughed in your face. What I once considered a useless, stuffy product—probably because my mom was always telling me to “put a little color in my cheeks”—is now a crucial part of my makeup routine. A pop of pink softly shapes my face, makes me look more awake, and, most importantly, makes me feel adorable.

I’m not alone. Blush has experienced an explosion in popularity over the past few years, mostly driven by TikTok, as a reaction to the heavily-contoured look of the late 2010s. Sheena Zadeh, the founder of Kosas, also has a soft spot for the product, which inspired her brand’s latest launch—and first-ever powder blush—the Blush is Life Baked Dimensional + Brightening Blush ($29).

“To me, blush is the unsung hero of makeup—it’s the fastest way to look alive and healthy,” Zadeh tells Byrdie. “But if it doesn’t blend well, or if it ends up being powdery or anything like that, it can be really intimidating, and then people don’t use it. I feel like there’s like a lot of people that miss out on blush because it seems scary. I wanted to make a formula that was super smooth, seamless, and wearable and had the perfect amount of pigment for my everyday pop of color.”

Ahead, Zadeh gives us all the details on Blush Is Life. Plus, team Byrdie puts it to the test.

The Product

Kosas previously had a (now discontinued) cream blush in its lineup, but Blush Is Life marks the brand’s first powder blush. “The baked format allowed me to infuse each shade with the perfect balance of color and dimension for a skin-like finish,” says Zadeh. “Also, the baked formula is super silky and gives a beautiful glow with the ease of use of a powder—Cloud Set is similar because it sweeps away shine not glow, which is the unique benefit of a baked powder formula.”

Like all of Kosas’s products, Blush Is Life also contains skincare ingredients, in this case, squalane and hyaluronic acid. “I love these two ingredients, they help balance skin’s ideal oil and moisture levels,” says Zadeh.

Besides its silky, easy-to-blend formula, the shade range was also important to Zadeh. “I wanted Blush is Life to be easy to wear, but for the color to have a dimensionality that shines through in the uniqueness of the shades,” she says. “Each shade is baked and swirled with two different tones to create the perfect, balanced flush of color that brings an instant swipe of life to your face.” The result was eight pretty shades, ranging from beige pinks to terracotta orange and bright fuchsia.

The Reviews

Holly Rhue, editorial director

“I love a dewy look, so there’s usually anywhere between 3-5 dewy, slightly sticky products on my face. For that reason, I typically avoid powder blushes, which tend to pull a little patchy over my base products. Fortunately, that’s not the case with this Kosas launch (I’m wearing the shade Blissed). This powder is smooth, ultra-fine, and light as air for perfectly pinched, airbrushed cheeks.”

Olivia Hancock, editor

“I believe my makeup look isn’t complete without a touch of blush, so I was eager to try Blush Is Life. I decided to give the shade Dreamland (a rosy bronze) a try, and I immediately fell in love with the color. It adds a beautiful, natural wash of color to my cheeks and I love that the formula is easy to blend. One layer deposits the perfect amount of color for me, but this blush is totally buildable if you desire a bolder look.”

Bella Cacciatore, news editor

“I’m a total blush fiend, so picking a shade from this new collection was really tough—they were all so bright and beautiful. Ultimately, I broke away from my typical bright pink and went with Thrill, a warm blood orange shade that gives me a pretty sunburnt effect. I’m normally a cream girl, but I really liked the Blush Is Life formula—it’s not caky or dry and has a luminous effect thanks to the baked formula and swirls of subtle shimmer. I’ll definitely be adding more shades to my makeup bag.”

Jasmine Phillips, social media editor

“Lately, I’ve been on a cream blush kick, but wow, Kosas really made me wonder why I ever put powder blush on the back burner. I really love how the shade Adrenaline looks on my skin. The fuchsia pigment melts seamlessly into my cheeks, and the added highlight provides a radiant finish. The formula is buildable and works well with deep skin.”

Ali Webb, associate editor

“This new Kosas blush came to me at the perfect time, as I’ve been gravitating towards powder formulas while my skin has been acting up as of late. Not only does this blush play well with my skin, but it blends seamlessly and provides a buildable, wearable everyday flush. I’ve been loving shade Swoon, a pinky brown mauve that has worked beautifully alongside the moody neutral lip looks I’ve been wearing this spring. It’s equally primed to transition into summer for a subtly sun-kissed look.”

Kosas Blush Is Life is available now for $29 at kosas.com and sephora.com.