Erin Lukas
In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas is testing the buzzy KJH.Brand Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek Stick.
After years of playing a supporting role to cut-crease eyeshadow and over-lined lips, blush is finally a main character in trending makeup looks. Over the course of the past year, hyper-flushed cheeks have captured the hearts of celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter and Ayo Edebiri, influencers, top makeup artists, and of course, the general public eating up all of the pretty flushed looks their social media algorithms are serving up. I’ve even found myself influenced. While I’ve always worn cream blush because I like its natural finish, I’ve been layering it on for a more vibrant look as of late. So when I caught wind that Katie Jane Hughes, celebrity makeup artist and one of my favorite beauty content creators, was coming out with her own take on the product, I had to try it. The KJH.Brand’s Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek Stick is a multitasking formula that can be used as a blush, lip tint, or both.
While cream blush is my go-to route to achieving flushed cheeks, I’m willing to acknowledge its weaknesses. Some don’t go on evenly so your blush can look patchy, while others blend like a dream but fade away by noon. With a client list that includes Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa, Hughes knows firsthand the importance of a product looking incredible on camera but also holding up IRL, whether you’re a pop star performing a dance-heavy set, or like me, you’re dashing through the city from one meeting to the next on foot and via subway. So to sum it up: My expectations were high.
Keep reading for my experience taking KJH.Brand’s Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek Stick for a spin. Spoiler: I anticipate it’s going to become a mainstay in my makeup bag.
Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek Stick
KJH.Brand
This multitasking stick has a creamy, blendable formula that adds a soft wash of color to the cheeks or a lived-in stain on the lips.
Fast Facts
Price: $24 Size: 0.3 oz/8.5 gClean/Cruelty-Free: YesBest For: Soft flushed cheeks; a subtle monochromatic makeup lookIngredient Highlights: vitamin E, salicornia plant extractWhat We Like: Blends easily; buildable colorWhat We Don’t Like: Nothing so far!Rating: 5/5How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish
The Formula
In true makeup artist fashion, this lip and cheek stick was made with ease of application in mind. The cream formula is designed to blend seamlessly onto skin whether you use a brush or your fingertips to apply it, but sets like a powder for a long-wear velvety matte finish. The end result is a soft, flushed cheeks or a tint on the lips that doesn’t smear, fade, or flake with wear.
Soft Smudge gets its unique texture from its hero ingredients: nourishing vitamin E and moisturizing salicornia plant extract. As for shade ranges, there are five shades that encompass every trending blush hue at the present moment: Soft Tomato, Soft Berry, Soft Coral, Soft Raisin, and Soft Pink.
The multitasking stick was also made to be used with the brand’s Hyper Shine Serum. For an extra dewy wash of color, swatch the stick on the back of your hand and mix it with the serum, then apply it with a brush.
Courtesy of KJH.Brand
My Typical Makeup Routine
Generally speaking, my daily makeup routine is focused on subtly enhancing my features. I want my base to look as natural as possible, so I usually skip foundation and use Westman Atelier’s Vital Skincare Concealer to brighten my under-eyes and mask any dark spots and/or blemishes on my jawline. The rest of my products are cream-based, which I apply using Saie’s The Big Buffing Bronzer Brush. Excluding blush, they include Chanel Les Beiges for a subtle contour and MERIT Day Glow Highlighting Balm for extra-dewy cheekbones. A few swipes of a volumizing mascara like Rabanne’s Famous Mascara is non-negotiable and I’ll always fill in my brows with a cool-toned brunette pencil, Gucci’s Crayon Définition Sourcils Eyebrow Pencil is my current go-to. Finally, a swipe of a glossy tinted balm rounds out my low-key look. I’ve recently been reaching for Violette_FR’s Jelly Bisou Balm in Rose Latte.
My Experience & Results
This stick is super pigmented, so it only took a small swipe on the cheeks to get adequate coverage for a more subtle finish. I diffused it with my fingertips and it blended out like a dream as expected. I added another layer to build it up for a bolder finish, which also went on seamlessly over top the base I had created. To finish things off, I tapped a bit on my lips with my fingertip for a matte stain. The result was a pretty monochromatic look that reads as though I put in way more effort on my makeup than I actually did.
As someone who typically wears rose or berry blush, I tried the shades Soft Pink and Soft Berry. I’ll admit, Soft Tomato caught my eye, but I’m still intimidated by red blush — even though the trending hue has been touted as universal by makeup artists. So for now, I applied it to my lips and it resulted in a cool, lived-in red lip that isn’t too bold for an in-office work day.
Wearing Soft Berry. | Courtesy of Erin LukasWearing Soft Pink. | Courtesy of Erin Lukas
Is KJH.Brand’s Soft Smudge Lip & Cheek Stick Worth It?
As someone who has tried virtually every cream blush that has launched within the past few years, I can confidentially say Soft Smudge is a standout. It’s super pigmented with a subtle matte finish that is truly customizable depending on the look you wish to achieve. Not to mention, the shade range is gorgeous, and includes options for everyone. Above all else, it stays put, which is key if you’re like me and hate doing any makeup touch-ups during the day beyond a swipe of lipstick.