Milk Jelly Tint Lip and Cheek Blush Review With Photos

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In recent years, the beauty industry has taken on a more sensorial approach to marketing. From descriptive names likened to delicious-sounding foods (see: blueberry-milk nails) to products that have an unusual texture (hello, Danessa Myricks’ Yummy Skin Serum), makeup products, in particular, have become as much about the feelings that they invoke as they have about the performance. Milk Makeup is a brand that’s well mastered this marketing tactic, especially with its Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain ($26).

Releasing with what felt like instant TikTok virality, the blush originally released with four shades, having now graduated to seven since it’s become so popular. As the name suggests, the cosmetic stick has a soft, gelatinous texture, similar to the nostalgic jelly fruit cups of the early 2000s that people on TikTok are giving into intrusive thoughts by cutting, poking, and even biting the blushes. As someone who’s only used powder blush, I had to finally give in to the hype. Read ahead for my review and why it’s become my new favorite blush.

About the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

What to Know About the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

Though the tube is rather small, the blush packs a punch in the pigment department. The shades are universal but the lighter hues like Spritz need to be built up to appear on my dark skin while the poppy pink shade, Burst, looks prominent with just one swipe (seriously, my jaw dropped when I saw the amount of pigment it has). With my powder or cream blushes, I usually have to tap my face a few times to get the sufficient color I want. With Milk’s jelly tint, I was satisfied with the results after the first swipe, though I kept doing smaller dabs because the jello-like texture is just so satisfying to use.

Review: “While the jelly texture doesn’t necessarily do anything in terms of the longevity of the color, it does add to the user experience and makes for a hydrating finish. The blush is just really fun to use. It feels incredibly cool on the skin, likely thanks to the aloe in the formulation, and whether I’m swiping or tapping it on, I love the sheer wash of color it leaves behind.” — Ariel Baker, former associate beauty editor

How to Use the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

The brand suggests to swipe or swirl the product onto your desired area, but I prefer to do a combination of the two, especially since it leaves a good amount of color. I find that using short strokes to deposit the color allows me to have more control over the product so that it blends to my liking with the makeup I already have on, without going overboard and venturing into clown territory. It can also be used on the lips if you’re looking for a more hydrating alternative to your average matte lipstick.

What to Consider About the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

Depending on your skin tone and what color of blush you purchase, you may need to layer the stains in order to get your desired finish. Though they all work beautifully, I recommend people with deeper skin tones to try the dark pink and berry shades as they instantly show up (I used burst). It’s also worth noting that this is a stain, meaning it will leave behind some color long after you wash it off.

Where to Buy the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

The Milk Makeup Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain is available on the brand’s website and Sephora.

Rating: ★★★★★

Naomi Parris is the assistant shopping editor at Popsugar, based in New York. With over eight years of experience and previous roles held on the brand’s Beauty and Operations teams, she enjoys telling stories that merge fashion, beauty, and Black culture. Naomi has also lent her skillful pen to Essence Girls United, Elle, Bustle, and Elite Daily. When she’s not crafting shopping roundups, high-profile features, beauty op-eds, or trend guides, you can find Naomi behind her blog “Eli-Nay,” where she inspires readers through style guides, cultural pieces, and innovative content on her Instagram.

Ariel Baker is a former associate editor for PS Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.