How we tested:
As is the case across all of our Korean beauty guides, we’ve taken the testing of the Korean blushes you see below very seriously. First, we spoke to the experts and K-beauty founders listed at the bottom of this page to get a steer on the products they rate and adore.
We called them into the Glamour office, alongside other new-launches or TikTok-viral sensations. Our team of K-beauty experts – from Sarah Y. Wu who regularly spends time in Seoul to product test for Glamour, to Denise Primbet – then shared the products between them and tested across a variety of wear-cases over a period of a fortnight. We scored each Korean blusher based on a few main criteria, notably: efficacy, packaging, value for money, longevity and innovation.
Why you can trust Glamour:
For team Glamour, it’s of the greatest importance that we share independent, honest and trustworthy reviews with our readers. As such, we are committed to recommending not only the best products and retailers within the category you’re buying into – but the best for your personal needs, too. You’ll see in this guide that we don’t ever shy away from sharing the things we don’t like about the products we’re reviewing, and we test and re-test again every time our features are refreshed.
To a similar note, you can trust the testers featured in this guide, too. Take Denise Primbet, for example. She has tested Korean beauty and Western beauty for Vogue Arabia, Marie Claire UK, Cosmopolitan UK, Who What Wear and British GQ throughout her almost decade-long career as a journalist – so she knows more about what makes a good Korean blush than your average beauty slueth.
1. Best Korean Blush Overall: House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher
Original video from Denise Primbet testing House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher
Why we love it: House of Hur is beloved by experts and editors alike. With a focus on skin care in their makeup, you not only get great colour payoff, but skin care benefits as well. (And their wallet-friendly costs are a welcome added bonus).
“I’d recommend this formula to anyone who doesn’t usually wear a lot of makeup (especially if you love a good skin tint), since it offers that minimal yet impactful coverage and glow that looks as though you’ve just had a hydrating facial,” tester Denise said. “It feels like a nourishing serum that can easily be blended in using just your fingers. Although the pigment isn’t as dramatic, it still delivers an effortlessly chic look that’s great for everyday wear,” says Primbet.
“What I love about this product is that it has a pump,” Parkes added. “I always apply blush to the back of my hand, then melt it into my skin and pick it up with the brush.” Her personal favourite shade is Cherry Blossom; you can wear it all year round and it layers well with other products, she says.
“This is — by far — the blush I reach for most in my extensive collection,” agrees Glamour beauty contributor Sarah Y. Wu. “I love the ampoule texture, which feels like if a serum, gel cream, and liquid blush had a baby. The finish is deliciously dewy, and the shades are flattering for a wide range of skin tones. Personally, I love layering Lavender Flush under Cherry Blossom for a pretty, cool-toned pink. It’s a combo that Sunny and Chris, House of Hur’s cofounders, suggested when I met them in Seoul last year, and they did not steer me wrong.”
2. Best Korean Cushion Blush: Fwee Blurring Pudding Pots
Original video from Jenifer Calle testing Fwee Blurring Pudding Pots