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Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is the pigmented, one-dot-does-it liquid blush that took over everyone’s cheeks, and it is $23 at Sephora. So the question we get most often is simple: what is the best Rare Beauty Soft Pinch liquid blush dupe, and is the original worth the money? The Soft Pinch does a few things well: a highly pigmented, lightweight liquid that blends in seconds, a dewy or matte finish depending on the shade, and a doe-foot wand that dispenses a controlled amount. None of that is proprietary. Here are the six drugstore-priced picks we would buy instead, and who each one is for. (Shopping for cheek and lip color together? See our Dior Lip Maximizer dupes and Clarins Lip Comfort Oil dupes.)
The closest dupe: NYX Fat Cheeks Liquid Blush
If you want the Soft Pinch experience in a different bottle, start here. Fat Cheeks is a dewy, buildable liquid blush with a doe-foot applicator and a long-wear formula that sets down to a soft, skin-like flush rather than a dry matte. The color is pigmented enough that a dot or two per cheek goes a long way, and it blends with fingers in seconds. It is for anyone who loves the dewy, melted-in finish of Soft Pinch and wants the nearest thing at a drugstore-priced tag. See NYX Fat Cheeks on Amazon.
The drugstore classic: Maybelline Sunkisser Liquid Blush
Sunkisser is the multi-use liquid blush that made drugstore cheek color cool again. It is blendable, longwearing and glowy, and the same tube doubles as a bronzer depending on the shade. The wand lays down a soft wash that builds without going patchy. It is for people who want a reliable, widely loved liquid blush they can replace easily, and it is one of the cheapest picks here. View Sunkisser on Amazon.
For a barely-there flush: e.l.f. Sheer For It Blush Tint
Soft Pinch is famous for how little you need, and this tint takes that idea further. It is a lightweight blush tint that gives a sheer, natural-looking wash of color you can layer up gradually, and it sits well over skin tint or bare skin. It is for anyone who is nervous about liquid blush going too strong, or who likes a fresh, no-makeup cheek. It is among the cheapest in the edit. Check out Sheer For It on Amazon.
For no-mess application: e.l.f. Soft Glam Cream Blush Stick
Liquid blush can be messy in a bag. This cream stick gives a similar soft, buildable flush in a twist-up format you can swipe on and tap in with your fingers or a sponge. Pink On It is a classic cool-leaning pink, while Melon-Drama is warmer. It is for travel bags, gym bags and anyone who wants the cream-blush finish without a wand. It is drugstore-priced. See the Soft Glam Blush Stick on Amazon.
The cheapest pick: SHEGLAM Color Bloom Liquid Blush
Color Bloom is the budget liquid blush that goes viral every few months for a reason. The formula is a soft matte liquid with a creamy slip that blends out quickly, and Pink Slip is a flattering rosy shade for most skin tones. Work quickly because it sets, and keep the first application light. It is for anyone who wants to test the liquid-blush trend for the price of a coffee. See Color Bloom on Amazon.
For lips and cheeks: wet n wild Mega Glo Lip & Cheek Color
The Soft Pinch family is built around matching cheeks and lips, and this is the budget way to do it. Mega Glo is a buildable multi-use lip and cheek color with a soft matte finish, in a vegan, cruelty-free formula. Creamy Berry gives a berry-pink stain that works on both. It is for minimalists who want one tube to do the whole face, and it is one of the cheapest items here. Find Mega Glo on Amazon.
So is Rare Beauty Soft Pinch ever worth it?
Our take: Soft Pinch is a lovely product and its reputation is earned. The pigment is high, the shade range is wide and the wand gives you control, so if a liquid blush is the one product you reach for every day, the upgrade makes sense. But the soft, blendable, dewy flush it delivers is not exclusive to Rare Beauty. NYX Fat Cheeks gets closest to the finish, Maybelline Sunkisser is the easy replacement, and e.l.f. gives you a sheer tint and a stick version for less. Our advice: try a drugstore liquid blush first. If you find yourself finishing the tube in a few weeks, treat yourself to the Soft Pinch. If not, keep the difference.
Want to try a few and keep your favorite? Add the whole edit to your Amazon cart in one click. You can remove anything you don’t want before checkout.
For more makeup picks, see our guide to skin-first mineral makeup and the Dior Lip Glow Oil dupes.
Update, October 2026: want the glow without the full base? See our Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter dupes, six drugstore glow filters and skin tints we would buy instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Rare Beauty Soft Pinch liquid blush dupe?
NYX Fat Cheeks Liquid Blush is the closest all-round dupe: a dewy, buildable liquid with a doe-foot applicator, at a drugstore price.
Is there a cheap alternative to Soft Pinch liquid blush?
Yes. Maybelline Sunkisser, e.l.f. Sheer For It Blush Tint and SHEGLAM Color Bloom are all liquid or tint blushes that cost far less than the $23 Soft Pinch.
Is Rare Beauty Soft Pinch worth $23?
It is worth it if you wear liquid blush daily and value the pigment, shade range and wand. For a soft, blendable flush alone, drugstore liquid blushes perform very similarly.
How do you apply liquid blush so it does not look patchy?
Start with one small dot per cheek, blend quickly with fingers or a damp sponge while the formula is still workable, and build slowly. Apply it before powder.
Can you use liquid blush on your lips?
Many can, including wet n wild Mega Glo, which is made as a lip and cheek color. Check the packaging of any other blush before using it near the mouth.