I Swore This Blush Balm to Secrecy (Even When Everyone Asked) All Holiday Season—Finally, I Can Divulge
“Okay, your blush looks so good” is the main compliment I received night after night in the swanky New York City holiday-party scene this year. Even with the lights dimmed, friends, colleagues, and partygoers alike stopped to tell me how dewy and healthy my skin looked despite the brisk December cold. No, it wasn’t the result of a new serum or foundation (though I did give my winter beauty regimen a good overhaul this year). I desperately wanted to spread the word of this magical new product, but I had to bite my glossy lip to keep from divulging the secret to my glowy flush. Finally, I can unleash the beast.
Who What Wear associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia wearing the Makeup by Mario Jelly Jar in Cherry Pie
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of practically everything Makeup by Mario releases, from the brand’s winter-ready eye shadow palettes to its softly sculpting bronzers. Mario Dedivanovic’s line is beloved by experts and editors alike for a reason. The user-friendly yet high-quality products are a fast track to professional-looking glam every time, and the brand’s latest release has been the culprit behind my warm winter glow. If those words sound like they don’t belong in the same sentence, allow me to explain. The Jelly Jar, a two-in-one lip and cheek balm, is basically a lip color, gloss, blush, and serum wrapped up into one. But don’t delay: The Jelly Jar won’t be sticking around once it sells out.
Makeup by Mario
Jelly Jar Lip & Cheek Balm
This limited-edition jar houses a texturally enthralling, featherweight formula that wears like a watercolor wash. It has a bouncy texture that feels reminiscent of the cushiony K-beauty formulas taking over my FYP, but it feels surprisingly light on the skin, leaving none of the gloopy, thick, or sticky residue that accompanies most potted balms and blushes. It’s available in six versatile hues that go on sheer but are easy to build up on both the cheeks and lips with a few light layers. Plus, its diffused-skin finish is right on track for the glowy makeup trend creeping in ahead of 2026.
“I love using Jelly Jar as a finishing touch to add a juicy pop of color to the lips and cheeks,” Dedivanovic tells Who What Wear. “For lips, I’ll either press it on like a stain when I want something effortless, or I’ll pair it with my Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil to enhance the color and create more definition.”
Since the Jelly Jars are engineered for both your lips and cheeks, the formula is infused with a handful of skin-softening ingredients for real, juicy hydration. A nourishing blend of hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and castor oil makes this balm extra enriching for winter skin without utilizing pore-clogging ingredients, which makes this multitasker suitable for acne-prone types. (Really, I ran each shade through Acne Clinic NYC’s Pore-Clogging Ingredients Checker!)
Makeup by Mario Jelly Jars in Cherry Pie and Mauve Latte
“I wanted the shades to feel fun, wearable, and universally flattering,” Dedivanovic explains. “Each color was chosen to mimic a natural flush and help enhance natural features. They’re meant to work across skin tones, layer beautifully, and fit effortlessly into a makeup routine.”
To put these claims to the test, I wore different shades for the many outings I had lined up this December—from office days to glitzy holiday parties and hometown rendezvous. Keep scrolling to see how I styled my favorite hues.
Product Swatches
Each swipe offers a pigmented yet buildable wash of color. It’s easy to “edit” the potency, as Dedivanovic says, by working in thin layers to build up the color or blot some away for less of a punch. With six hues designed to suit a vast range of skin tones, the founder finds it hard to choose a favorite. “I love them all but have been gravitating toward shades Rose Crush and Berry Toasty,” he admits.
The formula is designed to layer smoothly over skincare for a barely-there kiss of color perfect for low-key days or streamlined routines on rushed mornings, but it also plays surprisingly well with a full face of makeup, laying atop lipsticks, lip liners, foundation, powder, and everything in between without picking up or eating away the product underneath. In the photos below, I applied Jelly Jar as the final step over a full face.
Brascia wearing the Makeup by Mario Jelly Jar in Cherry Pie (left) and Mauve Latte (right)
Application Techniques
There are different techniques you should use to achieve optimal results on the lips and cheeks. “Applying with your fingers will get you a sheer wash of color, whereas applying it with a brush will deliver more intensity,” Dedivanovic explains.
“For cheeks, I recommend [using] my F1 Brush, which is a versatile complexion brush ideal for cream and liquid formulas,” he adds. This technique, shown below, offers a buildable flush that can be deepened for more color and dimension.
“For lips, lining with my Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil first, then flipping to the built-in brush to apply Jelly Jar will add coverage and payoff while maintaining that glossy, jelly look,” Dedivanovic says.
While this two-in-one product has become my go-to for juicy makeup in the dead of winter, this multitasking jar is far from the last of Makeup by Mario’s skin-perfecting offerings. Keep scrolling for 10 more glow-giving options from this celeb- and expert-loved brand.
Shop More From Makeup by Mario
Makeup by Mario
Jelly Jar Lip & Cheek Balm
My favorite shade is this holiday-ready red.
Makeup by Mario
F1 Dual-Ended Contour and Blush Brush
Dedivanovic’s personal recommendation for blush application.
Makeup by Mario
Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil
IMO, the perfect liner for an elevated red lip is the shade above, Dark Chocolate.
Makeup by Mario
Mario’s Lip Lift Kit
Your best pout yet in a mini bundle.
Makeup by Mario
Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette: Nature
Though this warm, sparkly eye shadow palette feels all too fitting for the holiday season, it’s a year-round crowd-pleaser.
Makeup by Mario
Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil
A gorgeous cream-blush version of the Jelly Jar hue Dedivanovic loves.
Makeup by Mario
SurrealSkin Natural Finish Foundation
A pore-blurring foundation that elicits an ethereal glow.
Makeup by Mario
MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum
A moisturizing punch of color with a glassy finish.
Makeup by Mario
MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color
A highly pigmented lip gloss without the thick, goopy feel.
Makeup by Mario
SuperShine Lip Gloss
My favorite lip gloss for nonsticky, hydrating wear in a gorgeous array of wearable shades.
