We Wear-Tested the New Rhode Pocket Blush for Two Weeks—Here's Our Honest Review

When Rhode says the formula is lightweight and buildable, they mean it. Believe it or not, I'm wearing three layers of Freck in this photo. After I'd applied what felt like the perfect amount, I looked in the mirror a few hours later and thought "I need more," so I reapplied. As someone who's used to using hyper-pigmented cheek products like Haus Labs' Color Fuse Powder Blush and Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, I simply wasn't applying enough product. But once I got the right amount, I loved how it looked.

Of the six shades, Freck looked the most natural on my light olive skin. The neutral peach hue has a nice balance of orange, pink, and tan tones that adapt well to different eyeshadows and lip colors. I also loved it as a base layer for brighter shades like Spicy Marg and Juice Box.

"I love a cream blush for a quick and easy no-makeup-makeup moment. I opted for the coral shade Spicy Marg because I love a peachy glow in the summertime. It felt soft and satiny on my cheeks, as described, and I liked the semi-matte finish because it gave me the glow-from-within look that I was going for," says Heath Owens, senior commerce editor.

While the product is first and foremost a cheek color, it's safe to use on your lips for a super easy monochrome makeup look. I wouldn't recommend swiping it on like a normal lip product, but instead, rubbing your fingertip on the stick and dabbing a tiny bit in the center of your lips. When I did so with Spicy Marg, it created a warm, sunkissed look that felt just right for summer.

"The brown undertone of Toasted Teddy is pretty, but I definitely need to use a few layers for it to show up on my skin tone," says Nashia Baker, commerce editor. "Since the shade has a faint appearance on my complexion once it's fully blended, I think it's best for layering with other products like bronzer for a more noticeable makeup look."

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that the new Rhode blush isn't inclusive, the lightweight texture and softer color payoff mean that darker skin tones will need to use a lot more product than someone whose complexion is similar to Hailey's. Shade-wise, Toasted Teddy was the clear winner for deep skin tones. The rich terracotta color had enough oomph to create a nice, natural-looking flush, unlike Freckle and Sleepy Girl, which became almost invisible when blended in.

Regardless of the shade, testers agreed that applying the product with your fingers or a brush was more effective than swiping the stick directly onto your cheek. Though direct application yielded a more intense color payoff, it was harder to control just how much product was applied and how it blended out.

I blend-tested the soft mauve shade Sleepy Girl using a variety of different face makeup brushes and found that shorter, stiffer bristles yielded smoother results than large, fluffy ones. The domed triangular shape of my beloved Anisa Beauty Pinnacle Foundation Brush worked wonders compared to my fingertips.

"I've patiently awaited my turn to try Rhode's cream blush since Mrs. Bieber began teasing it on Instagram... and I'm excited to say that I was way more impressed than I anticipated based on other reviews," says Beth Gillette, beauty editor. "The formula is so creamy that I could swipe it on and then blend it out with my finger (as I did when I applied it in the photo above). But, it has just enough body and grip to really stick to my cheeks and stay put for hours. I blended Piggy on my cheeks around noon, and it was still at peak opacity when I came home at 6 p.m."

The hot pink shade Juice Box was a surprise favorite for many Team Cosmo testers, and my spidey senses tell me it's going to be one of #BeautyTok's top picks, too. I'll admit I was a little scared of just how hot pink it was in the tube, but it looked waaay less intense once on the skin.

As associate shopping editor Daisy Maldonado's selfie proves, Juice Box looks great on its own, but I found it pops even more if you begin with a base layer of the light pink Piggy shade. First, I blended a layer of Piggy all along my cheekbones and up my temples using this $5 liquid blush brush from Elf. Then, I dabbed Juice Box on the apples of my cheeks for added dimension. A touch of highlighter on the high points, et voila!