Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour in Blaze Review: The Coral Cream Blush I Loved at 55

A day without blush is a day without sunshine. Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour in Blaze gave my brown skin sheer, buildable coral color with a radiant finish — and at 55, that dewy glow was exactly what I wanted from my makeup.

The Quick Take

Product: Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour
Shade: Blaze
Formula: Cream-to-powder cheek color
Finish: Soft, radiant and velvety
Best For: Golden to brown complexions, mature skin, cream blush lovers
Beauty Closet Status: Archive Blush Crush
Would I Repurchase? Yes — if it were still readily available
Rating: ★★★★★

Archive Note: Blaze is not currently readily available through major retailers. This review has been refreshed from my original 2012 testing experience.

First Impressions

I firmly believe that “A day without blush is a day without sunshine.” I’ll forgo plenty of makeup on my minimal-makeup days, but cheek color? Not a chance.

When I originally reviewed Blaze, I had just turned 55. I already knew that I preferred a dewy, radiant finish to a heavily powdered, matte complexion, which made cream blushes a natural favorite.

That’s why I developed an immediate Orange Crush on Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour in Blaze.

Why I Love It

Blaze delivered exactly what I wanted from a cream blush: color that was light yet apparent, a finish that looked alive on the skin and a formula that was easy to control.

I’m always interested in how blush actually pays off on brown skin. Blaze worked. On my complexion, the shade read as a hot coral, almost orange — a particularly flattering color family for golden-to-brown complexions.

And although the color was visible, the formula never overwhelmed my skin. It remained sheer enough to look natural while giving me the option to build more intensity.

Application & Blendability

One of the reasons I loved Blaze was its simplicity. I didn’t need a special brush to make it work. My fingers — my God-given applicators — blended it beautifully.

Start with a small amount, tap it onto the cheeks and blend upward. Add another thin layer if you want more color. The formula gave me enough play time to work with it before it settled into place.

Tracey’s Beauty Tip

For mature skin, use cream blush strategically rather than covering a large area of the cheek. Tap the color onto the upper cheek and blend the edges upward toward the temple. The placement adds color and creates a more lifted look without piling on product.

Wear Test

Cream blushes can sometimes melt, migrate, disappear or simply sit on top of the skin. I didn’t have those problems with Blaze.

The color stayed beautifully in place for hours. I could wear less on days when I wanted just a hint of warmth or build it when I wanted my blush to make more of a statement.

How Blaze Looks on Brown Skin

Blaze is exactly the kind of shade that reminds me why orange and coral blushes can be so gorgeous on brown skin. Rather than looking stark, the warmth complements golden and brown complexions and brings life back to the face.

Why I Loved Cream Blush at 55

This is one part of my original review that feels even more relevant today.

At 55, I was already moving away from an overly powdered, matte face and toward makeup that gave my complexion radiance. Cream blush helped me put color back into my cheeks while maintaining that fresher-looking finish.

That doesn’t mean mature skin can’t wear powder blush. It means texture and finish matter. I want blush to enhance the skin, not make it look drier or heavier.

Bonus: I Wore It on My Lips

I also dabbed Blaze onto my lips and topped it with a little gloss. The coordinating coral color made it an easy way to tie the makeup look together.

Who Should Skip It?

If you prefer a completely matte cheek or intensely opaque pigment in a single swipe, this wasn’t that kind of formula. Blaze was about translucent, buildable color and a natural-looking finish.

And because the product is no longer readily available, I wouldn’t recommend paying an inflated resale price to hunt it down. This is an archive favorite, not a product I want you chasing across the internet.

Worth the Splurge?

When it was available, yes. My original review gave Blaze 5 Blings overall for its pigment, longevity, buildability and flattering finish.

More than a decade later, the qualities I loved about it — cream texture, buildable color, warmth and radiance — are still exactly what I look for in a great blush.

Beauty Closet Status

ARCHIVE BLUSH CRUSH.

Blaze earned its place because it delivered visible color on brown skin without sacrificing a natural-looking, radiant finish.

Would I Repurchase?

Yes — if it were still readily available.

My original answer was yes, and I’m keeping it. Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Colour in Blaze understood something I still believe today: blush should bring life to the complexion.