The Best Alternatives To Rare Beauty’s Liquid Blush

Celebrity beauty brands tend to be gimmicky, and often focus less on the quality of the product and more on the famous name behind it. But every once in a while, a brand like Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty comes along, and nails the formulations, packaging, and even the message behind it all (Rare Beauty donates 1% of all sales to the brand’s Rare Impact Fund, which supports mental health accessibility). That said, most Rare Beauty products do come with a pretty high price tag, and the brand’s cult-favorite Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is no exception (it’s also quick to sell out on the brand’s website). So if you’re looking for something similar, the best Rare Beauty liquid blush alternatives, rounded up below, offer similar results for a fraction of the price.

Like Rare Beauty’s liquid blush, these six alternatives come in both matte and dewy finishes to suit both preferences. You’ll also find a mix of true liquid formulas that apply with a wand (like Rare Beauty’s), as well as gel and cream options that perform similarly and can be applied with your fingertips or a brush.

One more thing to consider when looking for an alternative is the quality of the ingredients. Part of the reason for Rare Beauty’s higher cost comes from the fact that the blush is vegan and cruelty-free, and contains a blend of nourishing oils and plant extracts like sunflower seed oil, gardenia flower extract, lotus flower extract, and water lily extract. The alternatives on the list ahead include a variety of formulations, some of which are also vegan and/or cruelty-free, and all of them are infused with at least one moisturizing ingredient to keep your skin happy.

Shop The Best Rare Beauty Liquid Blush Alternatives

In a hurry? Here are the best Rare Beauty liquid blush alternatives:

1. The Fan Favorite: NYX Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint Cream Blush
2. Best Gel-Cream Alternative: Maybelline Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush
3. Best Matte Alternative: Purlisse Blush Glow BB Cheek Color
4. Best Dewy Alternative: Milani Cheek Kiss Liquid Blush
5. Best K-Beauty Alternative: I’m Meme Bare Cheek Liquid

1. The Fan Favorite

When it comes to Rare Beauty alternatives, this NYX Sweet Cheeks cream blush reigns supreme on TikTok and YouTube. The drugstore blush is Amazon-approved, too, with several reviewers comparing it to the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. The creamy formula comes with a doe-foot applicator similar to Rare Beauty’s, which allows you to tap the color directly onto your cheeks. Cruelty-free and vegan, the blush was designed to blend seamlessly into your skin for a natural finish, but it still contains shea butter, glycerin, and vitamin E to leave the skin feeling smooth.

Available Shades: 6 Beneficial Ingredients: Shea Butter, Glycerin, Vitamin E Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “This blush is a great [alternative to] the Rare Beauty liquid blush. It is a beautiful color with tons of pigment that blends like a dream. [...] This product will last forever, a little goes a long way. I will definitely be purchasing it in more colors!”

2. Best Gel-Cream Alternative

This gel-cream hybrid is another TikTok-approved alternative to the Rare Beauty liquid blush. Maybelline’s Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush is a water-based formula that adds a sheer tint to your cheeks but can be layered on for more a pigmented effect. It’s also a long-time favorite on Amazon, with more than 7,000 five-star ratings (and several reviews comparing it to Rare Beauty’s blush).

Available Shades: 6 Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Vitamin E Cruelty-Free: No

Relevant Review: “This is still [my go-to blush] for daily wear. I never thought any product would out perform rare beauty’s liquid blushes, but they’ve been out of stock of my favorite color forever so I grabbed one of these to try, and it really surprised me. [...] This blush didn’t disturb my base or lift it, it went on beautifully even, and it’s sheer enough that you can build it. [...] Don’t let the color out of the tube fool you, it looks super intense and a little intimidating, but it goes on with a subtle wash of color that you can build up. It dries down and stays put all day, even when I’m sweating my rear end off in 100 degree heat.”

3. Best Matte Alternative

Of Rare Beauty’s 13 liquid blush shades, four feature a matte finish. Purlisse’s Blush Glow BB Cheek Color has a similar matte finish (though the brand notes that you can mix the blush with your moisturizer for a dewy finish, too). In this formula, ingredients like glycerin, green tea leaf extract, and hyaluronic acid ensure that your skin still stays moisturized, and it’s cruelty-free and vegan, as well.

Available Shades: 6 Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Vitamin E, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “I was looking for a "liquid" blush that would go on smoothly and look natural - not heavy or cakey. Tried this purlisse after careful evaluation of several different types of blush that are not overly expensive. I am very happy with [it]. Easy to apply. Moisturizing. Natural looking with a light stroke. I will stay with this blush and explore other cosmetics under the Purlisse brand.”

4. Best Dewy Alternative

If you want a true dewy finish like the bulk of Rare Beauty’s liquid blush line, Milani’s Cheek Kiss Liquid Blush is a great alternative. Of the collection’s six shades, colors like Pink Flirt, Rose Romance, Wine Glow, and Berry Smooch are even similar in color to Rare Beauty’s shades like Happy, Encourage, Virtue, and Grace. The lightweight and buildable cheek tints are also formulated with pomegranate extract, watermelon extract, and rose water extract to give your skin a hit of hydration. This blush, too, is cruelty-free and vegan.

Available Shades: 6 Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Rose Flower Water, Watermelon Fruit Extract, Pomegranate Fruit Extract Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “The color is sheer enough for a natural, flush look but also very buildable. Easy to use. So far, I have applied with my fingers and with a brush. The formula works fine with either way. For makeup lovers, I would say that this is a great [alternative to the] Soft Pinch Liquid Blush from Rare Beauty for half the price!”

5. A K-Beauty Alternative

The K-beauty industry has the whole natural-looking-flush thing down to a science, so it’s no surprise that I’m Meme’s Bare Cheek Liquid made it onto this list. Like Rare Beauty’s blush, this one almost looks like a lip gloss in its packaging and has a doe-foot applicator for easy application. The formula itself is a serum-like liquid that contains moisturizing algae extract, sweet almond seed extract, and cranberry fruit extract. The blush bottle is also made from bio-based plastic and is completely recyclable.

Available Shades: 3 Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Algae Extract, Sweet Almond Seed Extract, Cranberry Fruit Extract Cruelty-Free: No

Relevant Review: “Lightweight and the formula isn’t too sticky. This blends really nicely to the skin. It also has a very light coverage which is perfect if you want a more natural look.”