I’m a Beauty Writer Who Loathes Makeup, But I Can’t Stop Using These New Flush Balms From Merit
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It’s a new year, which means a new blush. At least for Merit Beauty, it does! The Hollywood-loved minimalistic beauty brand is kicking 2025 off right with a brand new range of Flush Balms. Yes, those Flush Balms — the ultra-creamy, tinted formula that adds the right amount of color and shine just got a makeover with five new shades added to the family (and one making an exceptional return).
It’s been about a year since Merit introduced its last new shade, Rouge, to the Flush Balm tribe. That one was a classic sheer red that works so well on every skin tone. However, this time, they’ve expanded into 13 shades with the help of five new ones and a remarkable return of the limited-edition hue, Terracotta, that’s now permanently here to stay. These five new additions stretch across poppy peaches, neutral browns, and classic pinks, so there is truly something for everyone. And for the sake of investigative beauty journalism, I set out to try them all so you wouldn’t have to. Below, find my review of the five new shades and shop my favorite ones to add to your cosmetic bag.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Flush Balm in Le BonBon
Surprisingly enough, LeBonBon is one of my top three favorite shades. It’s a soft yet bright, peachy pink that really pops on the skin with just one swipe. Because it is so bright, I didn’t anticipate reaching for it much, but it compliments deep and darker skin tones well.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Flush Balm in Lusitano
Of the new bold colors — Lusitano and LeBonBon — Lusitano is my favorite. It’s a true soft peach that adds just the right amount of pop to your complexion without feeling like you’re wearing an explosion of color. It’s the perfect bold hue to wear every day, no matter your skin tone.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Flush Balm in Post Modern
Hands down, Post Modern is my favorite flush balm shade yet. This beauty writer is a sucker for anything chocolaty brown, and this blush has a beautiful pinkish deep brown hue that looks stunning on every skin tone, but especially someone with a deeper hue. It’s a sweet cherry hue perfect for a special date or a night out on the town, but it also works well for every day. 10/10 recommend.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Flush Balm in Bespoke
I found Bespoke to be a slightly turned-down version of Post Modern. Both are beautiful neutral shades, but this one is just a little bit lighter and can come across as more pinkish than brown.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Flush Balm in Archival
Last but certainly not least is Archival. It’s a classic shade of pink with a cool mauve undertone that shows up sonicely on the skin. Frankly, this is an everyday pink anyone can wear and feel absolutely stunning in. Since it’s not as pink as LeBonBon, I think it works even better as a multi-purpose product. Swiping this on the lips or eyelids adds just the right amount of oomph to your makeup look.
NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM 2025
Les Bonbons Set (The Vault Version)
And if you know, you’ll love them all, like everything from the beauty brand, why not get the Les BonBons Set? Merit dropped a limited-edition vault of the entire Flum Balm collection that features all 12 shades, including the five new ones above.
Before you go, check out our slideshow below: