Beauty Nearly Apricot Rare Beauty: Best Blush Picks, Buying Guide
Nearly Apricot is one of the most beloved shades in Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush lineup: a soft, warm apricot that gives cheeks the kind of fresh, sun-kissed flush that looks healthy in every light. Part of Selena Gomez's beauty brand, the Soft Pinch formula became a phenomenon for its weightless feel, intense pigment, and remarkable longevity, and Nearly Apricot emerged as a standout shade because apricot flatters an enormous range of skin tones. It sits in the sweet spot between pink and orange, warm enough to look alive, soft enough for everyday, and universally associated with vitality and warmth.
Our top pick is the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush itself, sold through the shade-inclusive parent listing that covers Nearly Apricot along with the full range, so you can choose the exact apricot shade from verified stock. Because liquid blush preferences vary, we also verified two excellent alternatives in the same weightless-blush family. The runner-up is the Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Cool Berry, a sheer, buildable cream that gives a fresh berry flush with Rihanna's famously inclusive shade thinking. Our third pick is the Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam, a sheer gel-cream blush in a soft peach that pioneered the modern barely-there cheek tint. All three are verified Amazon listings, and together they cover the apricot-blush spectrum from true apricot to peachy and berry interpretations.
Below you will find our ranked liquid and cream blush picks, a buying guide on applying highly pigmented liquid blush and choosing apricot tones for your skin, plus answers to common questions about the Soft Pinch formula. The head-to-head comparison breaks down Rare Beauty against Fenty's cream blush, and the background guide explores why apricot became the blush shade of the moment. Whether you are hunting Nearly Apricot specifically or exploring the apricot family, this guide has you covered.
Key Takeaways
- Our top pick balances performance, gentleness, and value for most people.
- Match the formula to your specific needs using the buying criteria below.
- Read real verified reviews before buying, since marketing claims often overpromise.
Quick Answer: Top 3 Picks
- Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Weightless liquid blush with intense pigment.
- Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush, Cool Berry Cream blush that melts in with fingertips.
- Glossier Cloud Paint Seamless Cheek Color, Beam Sheer gel-cream blush, foolproof application.
Full reviews and comparisons below.
On This Page
Our Top Picks
Best for: Apricot seekers wanting the iconic Nearly Apricot shade
#1 Best OverallRare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
- Weightless liquid blush with intense pigment
- Shade-inclusive listing covering Nearly Apricot
- Long-wearing stain-like finish
- Natural second-skin flush effect
Pros
- Legendary pigment, a dot does a whole cheek
- All-day wear that survives heat
- Enormous shade range for every skin tone
Cons
- Needs fast blending technique
- Easy to over-apply for beginners
Best for: Beginners wanting forgiving fresh-faced cream color
Runner-UpFenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush, Cool Berry
- Cream blush that melts in with fingertips
- Cool Berry gives a fresh berry flush
- Sheer to buildable, very forgiving formula
- Juicy skin-like finish
Pros
- Easy finger application, no tools needed
- Fresh youthful flush, great for cool undertones
- Sheer formula hard to overdo
Cons
- Shorter wear than liquid formulas
- Can disturb powder underneath if overworked
Best for: Natural-look lovers wanting the sheerest peach flush
Best ValueGlossier Cloud Paint Seamless Cheek Color, Beam
- Sheer gel-cream blush, foolproof application
- Beam is a soft peachy nude-pink
- Buildable wash of color, never heavy
- Lightweight breathable feel
Pros
- Most forgiving liquid blush texture
- Beautiful soft peach for everyday
- Layers well over any base
Cons
- Sheerest pigment of the three picks
- May need reapplication on long days
How to apply intensely pigmented liquid blush
The Soft Pinch formula's legendary pigment is also its learning curve: a single dot delivers serious color, and beginners routinely apply three times too much. The professional method starts with the dot-and-diffuse technique. Dot one tiny dot on the back of your hand, not directly on your cheek, then pick up the product with a fingertip, damp sponge, or stippling brush and press it into the apples of the cheeks. Work quickly but gently, since liquid blush sets fast. If you over-apply, do not panic and do not wipe, which disturbs foundation; instead, bounce a damp sponge or a clean fingertip over the area to sheer it out, or tap a bit of foundation over the excess. For the Fenty cream blush, fingers work beautifully since the cream melts with body heat. For the Glossier Cloud Paint, the gel-cream formula is the most forgiving of the three, sheering out easily for a wash of peach. The universal rule for all liquid and cream blushes: start with half a dot. You can always add more, but removing excess is the hard part.
Choosing apricot tones for your skin
Apricot's magic is its position between pink and orange, which lets it flatter both warm and cool undertones, but the exact apricot matters. True apricots like Nearly Apricot, with balanced peachy-orange warmth, suit the widest range: they read as a natural warm flush on fair through deep skin. Fair skin should apply apricot sheerly, since warmth shows readily on lighter skin, while medium and olive skin tones are apricot's natural home, where the shade looks like innate warmth. Deep skin tones glow in apricot built to medium intensity, where the warmth creates beautiful dimension. If your undertones run cool, lean toward the pinker side of apricot, like the Fenty Cool Berry pick, which brings berry freshness that flatters pink undertones. If your undertones are warm, true apricots and the peachy Glossier Beam are your sweet spot. Also consider the season: apricot shines in spring and summer when its sun-kissed warmth feels most natural, though devotees wear it year-round for a perpetual healthy glow.
Liquid versus cream versus gel-cream blush
Our three picks represent the three modern blush textures, and each behaves differently. Liquid blushes like the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch are the most pigmented and longest-wearing, with a fluid formula that sets to a skin-like finish. They demand the most technique but reward with all-day color that survives heat and activity. Cream blushes like Fenty Cheeks Out are the most forgiving, with a balmy texture that melts into skin and sheers out easily; they give a fresh, juicy flush but wear shorter and can disturb powder underneath if overworked. Gel-creams like Glossier Cloud Paint sit in between: sheer, buildable, and foolproof, with a lightweight feel that layers beautifully but the sheerest color payoff of the three. For the Nearly Apricot look specifically, the liquid gives the truest, longest-wearing apricot, while the cream and gel-cream offer easier, more casual interpretations. Your choice depends on your blending confidence and how long you need the color to last.
How to Choose Within Your Budget
Budget options work well for everyday needs. Mid-range products often deliver better ingredients and performance. Premium options suit those wanting the best formulas. Price does not always equal quality: several of our top picks are affordable. Set your budget first, then choose the best performer within it.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right nearly apricot rare beauty product comes down to matching formulas to your specific needs and routine, not chasing viral trends. Start with our top pick for the safest bet, or use the buying criteria above to narrow down based on your needs and budget. Consistency matters more than perfection: even the best product needs regular use for great results.
How We Test and Rank Products
We start with search data to find the products real shoppers actually buy. Then we analyze thousands of verified Amazon reviews, looking for patterns in praise and complaints. We check ingredient lists against expert guidance and compare specifications side by side. Products earn their ranking through consistent real-world performance, not marketing budgets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nearly Apricot is a soft, warm apricot shade in the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush range. It sits between pink and orange, giving cheeks a fresh, sun-kissed flush that flatters a wide range of skin tones with its balanced warmth.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is sold through listings covering the full shade range, including Nearly Apricot, so you can select the exact shade from verified stock. Availability of individual shades can vary, which is why we also recommend verified alternatives in the same blush family.
The formula combines intense pigment with a weightless feel and exceptional longevity, a rare trio. A tiny amount delivers all-day color that looks like skin rather than makeup, and the extensive shade range means most people find their perfect match.
Apply over a fresh, unset base rather than fully powdered skin, use minimal product transferred via the back of your hand, and blend quickly with bouncing motions instead of dragging. Patchiness usually comes from too much product or blending over dry powder, so sheer layers are the fix.
For the apricot family, the Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam gives a soft peach interpretation with a foolproof gel-cream formula. For a berry-leaning alternative in the same weightless category, the Fenty Cheeks Out in Cool Berry offers fresh color with easy blending.
Yes, liquid blush is excellent for mature skin because it does not settle into fine lines the way powders can, and its skin-like finish looks natural. Apply sheerly with fingertips, keep shimmer away from pronounced texture, and choose hydrating formulas for the most flattering result.