Glossier Cloud Paint Review

I like to think of blush as the sunshine of makeup. Just like the sun’s rays, blush brightens everything up. One blush that gets a lot of praise—and has for several years now—is Cloud Paint, a gel-cream formula from the Internet-beloved beauty brand Glossier. With so many cream and liquid blushes out there now, I wanted to see if this ever-popular option lives up to the hype.

$20 at Glossier

What is Glossier Cloud Paint?

Glossier Cloud Paint is a self-proclaimed "gel-cream blush" that claims to provide cheeks with a dewy wash of color "that’s never streaky or chalky." It also purports to offer a sheer amount of coverage that’s easy to apply. The blush comes in eight shades, ranging from “Beam” (soft peach) to "Storm" (warm rose). As of publication, Glossier added two new limited-edition shades to the lineup as well: "Wisp” (soft lilac) and "Soar" (bright, warm pink). Each blush retails for $20. The brand sent me "Beam" and "Wisp" to test.

How I tested Glossier Cloud Paint

After putting on foundation, concealer, bronzer, contour, and highlighter, I applied three horizontal lines of Cloud Paint toward the tops of my cheekbones with the pads of my fingers. I blended it all in with the bigger half of my go-to blush brush: the Makeup by Mario F1 Makeup Brush. To ensure the color barely wavered throughout the day, I repeated this process two more times, making for a total of three layers of blush.

What I like about Glossier Cloud Paint

It’s buildable

When trying blush, there’s no better discovery than finding one that’s buildable rather than one that’s highly pigmented. I never worried that one dot of blush would result in too much color. The formula is sheer enough to layer on as little or as much color as you wish. In my case, three layers created a bright, yet subdued wash of color on my cheeks.

It’s easy to blend

Glossier says that Cloud Paint should never leave a "streaky or chalky" finish in its tracks, and I can confirm that is true. Even as I layered on blush, I never had to begrudgingly blend it into my skin. The cream melted into my skin and made it look as if my cheeks were naturally endowed with a touch of color.

It lasts long

A blush’s longevity is always a make-it-or-break-it attribute for me. I typically apply one layer of liquid blush, followed by one layer of powder blush to set the liquid. But to test how Cloud Paint holds on its own, I didn’t set these cheek colors with a powder formula. Over the course of eight hours, I noticed that it barely faded—the color looked just like it did in the morning.

Diverse shade range

Cloud Paint is available in eight shades, including bubblegum pink, cherry red, and warm bronze. With this shade portfolio, nearly everyone can find a blush they’d like to wear that works with their skin tone.

What I don’t like about Glossier Cloud Paint

Nothing!

When finding the perfect blush, Cloud Paint checks all the boxes. It’s sheer and buildable, which means you can never go wrong with how much blush you apply. As a bonus, it lasts for several hours, so there’s no need to worry about your blush disappearing post-application. Last but certainly not least, you have your pick at a wide selection of colors.

Is Glossier Cloud Paint worth it?

Yes, though there is a more affordable alternative.

Even though I can sing Cloud Paint’s praises all day long, there is a drugstore gel-based alternative that offers similar buildable coverage and bold color payoff, and is long-lasting. The Maybelline Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush is a dead-ringer for Cloud Paint and only costs $6. It also boasts a lineup of six shades, which is not far from Cloud Paint’s range of eight.

$20 at Glossier