Without a pop of color from your trusty blush, your makeup can look bland and your facial features can lack definition. But blush doesn’t have to be taken too seriously, and the recent TikTok “boyfriend blush” trend is a great reminder of that.
Meant to give the impression that you’ve just gone for a healthy morning run, the “boyfriend blush” trend has become popular, with celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Rita Ora sporting the look. Read on to learn about “boyfriend blush” and how to achieve it!
What is “Boyfriend Blush”?
“Boyfriend blush” is all about quick and easy blush application. Instead of spending half an hour in front of the bathroom mirror trying to apply blush, “boyfriend blush” is supposed to look natural.
It’s a little flustered and ruddy: think of how your boyfriend’s face will get a bit flushed after an exercise session and use that as inspiration. Or, the next time you sweat it out at the gym, check where your skin naturally flushes. That’s where you want to apply blush! It’s not supposed to look too perfect.
1. Start with a pink or raspberry shade.
While it’s always a must to match your blush to your skin tone, the best colors to achieve a “boyfriend blush” include cool pink and raspberry tones. The blush should be in a cream formulation so it will melt into the skin and look natural.
- Try Tower28 Beauty’s BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush, in their “Dream Hour” shade. This is a Barbie-pink color that blends into the skin well.
- Another great product to try is Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in “Rose.” By wearing the same color on your lips, you’ll create a natural and dewy look.
When choosing blush, try to stick to a matte product. Although you might love wearing shimmery, glittery blush products, especially during summer, you want to avoid them when attempting “boyfriend blush.” It can look over the top, which you want to avoid. This is all about natural, sun-kissed skin.
2. Start with concealer to even out your skin tone.
Before applying blush, you want to dab some concealer to areas of your skin that are discolored, such as dark under-eye patches or red blotches on your cheeks. This will even out your skin tone, giving it a seamless appearance. It also provides a smooth foundation on which your blush can take center stage.
3. Apply the blush lower on your face.
Although you’ve always been told to apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, “boyfriend blush” gets applied underneath your cheekbones.
When applying the blush, blend it down from underneath your cheeks to the corners of your mouth. You can also pull the blush towards the top of your ears for a bit of definition. This technique is said to give you the ruddiness you’re after in a flattering way, channeling Princess Diana’s early years or Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice.
While you can blend the cream blush with your fingertips, your best bet is to use a blush brush to avoid blotchiness.
4. Tweak the color to your skin tone.
You want to avoid looking too flushed (read: clownish), so if you have a darker skin tone, apply a blush color that matches your skin, such as a deep peach or ripe plum shade, over the layer of pink or rosy blush. This will still give you the sun-kissed look you’re after, without looking out of place.
