Welcome to Deep Reviews—your one-stop destination to discover the absolute best products and brands the beauty industry has to offer. The Who What Wear staffers you already know and trust will research, test, and review the market’s most sought-after and buzzed-about products to see which formulas (of the hundreds up for consideration) are worth your hard-earned money and attention. You can expect honest, uncensored feedback and no-BS recommendations our hard-to-please testers endorse without reservations.
The majority of our Deep Reviews will feature our editors’ honest, ultra-hot takes on entire product categories or multiple products from a particular beauty brand, but every so often, we’ll sprinkle in a special single-product format called Honestly, I Love It. As the name suggests, these reviews focus on one standout beauty formula our editors can’t shut up about. This time around, I’m highlighting the Hourglass Cosmetics Unreal Liquid Blush ($36).
Blush trends are hot this summer. Boyfriend blush, sunset blush, peachy girl makeup—this season is undoubtedly marked by blooming cheeks. And I’m not mad about it! Blush is, hands down, my ride-or-die makeup product, as it adds so much life to my overall complexion that I often don’t go a day without a kiss of color on my cheekbones.
With all the summer blush love, though, comes a slew of summer blush launches. I’ve tested so many new products over the past few months that, if I wanted to, I could use a different blush every single day of the week. (I have, as a matter of fact, but that’s a story for another day.) So when I find myself gravitating towards one standout product, I know it’s a very good one indeed.
Enter Unreal Liquid Blush from Hourglass Cosmetics. I’ve been testing the new launch over the past month ahead of its July 11 debut, and it’s become my number-one blush pick since I brought it home. It’s been difficult to keep it on the down-low, especially when people ask how I look so sun-kissed and all I want to do is spill every single detail, but it’s finally here—and I don’t plan on shutting up about it anytime soon.
Hourglass
Unreal Liquid Blush
As the name implies, this is a serum-like liquid blush that instantly melts into my skin. The best blushes, IMHO, deliver a soft, natural flush of color that looks like you went out dancing or for a brisk jog. This Hourglass number ticks that box! In the photo above, I used the shade Moment, which is a warm, peachy hue perfect for summer. I’m always game for “peachy girl makeup,” so I was immediately drawn to the soft, orangey shade. I also tapped a small amount of Imagine (a rich terra-cotta) on the tops of my cheekbones and temples to add more dimension to the overall look.
The packaging is adorably tiny, with a soft button on the bottom to dispense the perfect amount of product on the back of your hand. The process kind of reminds me of using eye drops. (Of course, don’t actually use it in your eyes. That would be very bad.) That said, the formula is highly pigmented—you really only need one drop—which means the small bottle lasts a long while.
I didn’t think one drop of pigment would be enough for both cheeks at first, but again, it’s such a highly pigmented formula that I typically don’t even need the full amount. I’ll use the excess on the back of my hand to dab onto my eyelids and lips for a monochromatic moment.
Unreal Liquid Blush comes in seven stunning shades, and while I typically resort to warmer tones, I decided to step out of my comfort zone with Whim, a bright, bubblegum pink. Cooler-toned pinks tend to look a bit wonky on me, but I actually love the way this one turned out! I suspect because the formula itself is so serum-y, it fuses to my skin tone and helps the pigment look bright yet somehow so natural.
I typically don’t spend too much time talking about skincare actives in makeup, but I must call out the formula’s hyaluronic acid and lupin-seed extract. Both players can plump and hydrate the skin, and I can see that effect after literally one application here. Immediately, my skin texture appears smoother, my cheeks bouncier, and my overall appearance looks way more youthful. (Blushing cheeks look youthful in general, I’ll admit, but these actives certainly add to the equation.) My cheeks also run a little sensitive, and I’m happy to report that this blush doesn’t aggravate the easily irritated skin.
My favorite perk, however, is the incredible long-wear. Cream and liquid blushes just love to melt off my face midday (especially during summer), but this formula clings to my skin all day long. Even at 3:00 p.m. (when I notice my skin looking dull yet sweaty, a truly frustrating combo), my Hourglass blush has been loyal, offering a sun-kissed glow that has more than a few strangers noting, “Your skin looks so glowy!”
(Image credit: Hourglass Cosmetics)
What inspired Hourglass to create a liquid blush?
Our Founder and President Carisa Janes wanted to create a liquid blush formula that provides a buildable, natural-looking color that lasts all day. We intentionally developed this formula alongside our No. 15 Blush Brush to have effortless blendability for a seamless flush of color. We always want to create products that appeal to all consumers. We took our time developing this formula to make sure our product was innovative, bringing unique benefits to our customers that haven’t been seen before.
What sets it apart from other liquid blushes on the market?
Unreal Liquid Blush is formulated with our Unreal Lifting Complex, which is a blend of hyaluronic acid and upcycled white lupin-seed oil. This blend helps to lift and plump the skin and has a 12-hour long wear. It really feels like a serum and just blends beautifully. The packaging is also unique and allows the perfect amount to be dispensed for each application.
What makes the blush so long-lasting?
This liquid blush was expertly formulated with the perfect balance of pigments that melt into the skin for all-day wear.
How do you recommend applying the blush? Can you walk me through a quick tutorial?
The best way to apply Unreal Liquid Blush is, first, to shake the bottle really well with the cap in place. Then you press the soft button on the bottom and add one small drop to the back of the hand. Using the No. 15 Blush Brush (which was created especially for Unreal Liquid Blush), stipple the brush onto the hand picking up half the amount of product. Apply to the apple of the cheek blending upwards and repeat using the remainder of the product on the other side. Any product left on the brush can be draped across the bridge of the nose for a natural flush.
What are your favorite shades to mix and/or layer?
My favorite combo is to apply the shade Whim on the apple of the cheek and then blend Future onto the high points of the cheekbone. This creates an ombré “sunset blush” effect, which is perfect for summer!
More Hourglass Products I Love
Hourglass
Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation
This skin tint is beloved among celebs, makeup artists, and insiders, including this here beauty editor! Shade 3 gives me the prettiest, my-skin-but-better finish.
Hourglass
Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm
This lip balm toes the line between satin-like and shiny. Perfect for days you want some sheer, glossy color but don’t want to wear lip oil.
Hourglass
Vanish Airbrush Concealer
Hourglass’s creamy concealer is a must.
Hourglass
Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil
Most brow pencils make my sensitive arches red and tender, but this option comes infused with creamy waxes that provide a soft, powdery effect.
Hourglass
Mini Veil Translucent Setting Powder – Talc Free
Trust me—this is a setting powder that somehow makes you more glowy (in all the right places, that is).
Hourglass
Unlocked Instant Extensions Lengthening Mascara
The tapered wand allows you to grab every last lash for a full, fluttery set.
