In case you haven’t noticed, pH blushes, like our Cooling Water Jelly Tint in shade pHreeze, are taking over. So what is pH blush, and what makes them so special?
In a nutshell, these color-changing blushes (which also work as lip tints ) are designed to react with your skin’s pH level, delivering a custom color that’s totally unique for a natural-looking pop of color. Whether you're all about a touch of tint for a fresh-faced, dewy glow or want bold, bright color, pH Jelly Tint takes the guesswork out of finding your perfect shade of pink. No swatching, no stressing—just swipe and blend with a blush brush, wait two minutes for the shade to fully develop, and you’re all set.
Bonus: Our pH blush stick formula, like all of our Cooling Water Jelly Tints, is non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, and infused with skincare ingredients, so you're not just adding color—you're giving your cheeks a little extra TLC with its hydrating formula and soothing feel, too. To help you level up your routine with a pH-reactive blush that works with you, we’ve got the full scoop on why pHreeze is about to be your new makeup bag essential.
Table of contents
What is a pH blush?
A pH blush is a type of lip and cheek tint that uses pH-reactive pigments to shift in color once it hits your skin. Its color-transforming formula, in combination with your skin tone and undertones, results in a unique shade that can’t be replicated. Plus, pH-based blushes are buildable, and usually have a sheer, watercolor-like wash of color—but you can always intensify its shade with another layer or two (just be careful not to over-apply).
How does pH blush work?
It's basic beauty chemistry. Your skin naturally has an acidic pH, typically ranging from 4.7 to 5.75. pH-reactive tinted blushes are formulated to be neutral on the pH scale, so they respond when they come into contact with a different pH. This interaction triggers a color change, transforming the tint into a spectrum of pink shades, depending on your unique pH.
While most pH blushes are in a blush oil format, Cooling Water pH Jelly Tint’s pH technology is encapsulated in bubbles. This creates a more even application for a colorful flush that mimics your skin’s natural glow.
Benefits of using a pH-activated blush
pH blushes like Cooling Water Jelly Tint in pHreeze take a more personal approach to color. Their overall appearance is impacted by your natural pH, skin tone, and undertone for color payoff that’s uniquely yours. These tints also happen to have long-lasting, no-budge formulas paired with lightweight, breathable textures. Cooling Water Jelly Tint in pHreeze—like all our other Jelly Tint shades—is also infused with moisturizing ingredients like vegan collagen, aloe vera, and seawater to help your skin stay hydrated, dewy, and naturally radiant.
What’s the difference between pH blush and traditional blush?
Unlike traditional powder blush, cream blush, or liquid blush, pH formulas adapt to your skin to create a custom pink—and it may even shift throughout the day (fun, right?). And rather than testing a bunch of different shades, pH Jelly Tint’s pink shade adapts to your skin’s natural pH and undertones, it looks good on just about anyone. In addition to their custom color, pH blushes are also known for their impressive staying power that most blushes can’t live up to—well, without a setting spray, at least.
Is pH blush suitable for all skin types and tones?
Good news: Not only will Cooling Water pH Jelly Tint enhance your natural flush, but it won’t mess with your skin, either. It’s 100% non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic, plus the 90% natural formula’s ingredient list contains soothing aloe to provide soothing relief to skin. And, like all Milk Makeup products, pH Jelly Tint has a clean, cruelty-free, and vegan formula. Still, we recommend patch testing on your wrist before applying on your face, as everyone’s skin is different.
Our pH Jelly Tint’s sheer pink was created for all skin tones in mind. The beauty of its sheer, buildable color is that it adapts to your undertones to reveal a unique shade of pink for you, ranging anywhere from bubblegum to peachy pink.
What makes pH blush so bright when you apply it?
Here’s the thing: Our pH Jelly Tint’s pigment takes up to two minutes to fully develop into its shade, and it can get brighter throughout the day, especially if you’re doing things that can shift your skin’s natural pH, like eating spicy food or working out. So, over-applying can happen, but here’s how to prevent it.
How to apply pH blush
1. Whip out your blush brush
If you’re wearing Jelly Tint in pHreeze as a blush, we recommend using a brush for a sheerer finish. (You can dab it on directly and use your fingers if you’re on the go, but a brush gives you more control.) “This will achieve a flawless finish without staining your fingers,” says Mimi Sanchez, Northeast Regional Sales & Education Manager at Milk Makeup. Don’t have a blush brush? Grab our Blending Brush, which effortlessly blends out any of our cream, liquid, and jelly formulas. If you’re applying onto the lips, you can apply directly from the tube—and feel free to top off with lip balm or lip gloss.
2. Buff + blend
Sanchez suggests swiping your brush once to the tip of pH Jelly Tint and blending onto cheeks with a tapping motion. “However, if you prefer to use a sponge applicator, bounce it on the top your pH blush and onto cheeks,” she adds. “Note that a sponge naturally soaks up product so this will apply a sheer coverage of pHreeze”
3. Wait it out
This is the key step to ensuring your look has a natural-looking finish. Once you apply your first layer,wait two minutes for the color to fully develop from sheer to a shade of pink that’s totally unique to you. Repeat this process to reach your desired color intensity.
Or, try underpainting
The underpainting method is another way to apply pH blush. To do this, Sanchez suggests prepping your skin with a primer (like Hydro Grip Hydrating Primer for all-around glowing skin or Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer for an overall matte finish) to provide a smooth base. “Then, apply your Sculpt Stick where you want to create shadow and Matte Bronzer where you want to build warmth,” Sanchez says. After contouring and bronzing, apply Cooling Water Jelly Tint onto your cheeks, then a swipe of our cream Highlighter stick on the high points of your cheeks. Follow with Hydro Grip Gel Tint to the areas that need coverage and over pH blush to tone down its color intensity.
How do I fix pH blush if I apply too much?
So, you swiped on more than you’d like. Don’t fret—and put down the cleanser or makeup remover. Instead, Sanchez recommends spraying your brush (or desired tool) with Hydro Grip Set + Refresh to blend out the color. “This will add slip and hydration for blending out the edges of your pH blush,” she says. Or, if you haven't set your face with powder yet, Sanchez says you can go over your pH blush with Hydro Grip Gel Tint to diffuse the pigment.
Ready to see your custom pink in action? Check out Cooling Water Jelly Tint in pHreeze here .
