Gen Z’s latest obsession on TikTok is makeup blindness. On the platform, users post self-deprecating images of looks they once thought were perfect but now look unhinged, set to the song Crazy.
It all started with ‘brow blindness’ (136.2 million posts on TikTok), which featured huge, square, black caterpillars.
Now “blush blindness” is gaining ground: 41.3 million women have been seen with throbbing, neon-painted faces.
As we age, our face becomes more rounded, meaning the apples of our cheeks become more sunken. To create a youthful effect, the main part of the blush should be angled upwards along the cheekbone.
For decades, blush has been a secondary option, behind contour and bronzer. However, now it’s taking center stage. And at 53, I’m quick to overuse blush like the best of them.
If there’s one makeup trend I’m obsessed with, it’s rosy cheeks. Before I discovered the magic, I was constantly asked if I had tuberculosis, since I’m so pale.
When I finally fell under the spell of blush in the mid-’90s, I went all in. Friends, boyfriends, even model Elle Macpherson told me I was overdoing it, but too much was never enough. As one friend said, “Too much blush is your signature. You wouldn’t be you without it.”
The result is that today, young women constantly high-five me as they admire my rosy cheeks. “I thought you must be a few years older than me,” one confused teenager shouted at a recent wedding.
Look, I’ve finally cracked the secret to turning 21 again.
Still, I’m not going to pretend that blush can’t be complicated.
First up: where to place the color. If you’re using the “smile and then apply it to the apples of your cheeks” method, it’s time to rethink the situation. As we age, our faces become more slouch, meaning the apples of our cheeks sink in more.
To create a youthful effect, the main part of the blush should be angled upwards, along the cheekbone. Don’t worry, this won’t look awfully ’80s – if done right, you get a smudged look rather than a heavily pigmented line.
I recommend a powder blush as a base – apply it using an angled sculpting brush like the ELF Angled Blush Brush (£6, elfcosmetics.co.uk).
My all-time favourite cheek cosmetic is the Neo Limelight highlighter by Kevyn Aucoin in Ibiza. Naturally, this means it has been discontinued. After buying up all the stock on Amazon, I moved on to eBay.
I’m also replicating it through Cosmetics à La Carte’s Bespoke Blusher service (£70, cosmeticsalacarte.com).
Kevyn Aucoin also offers The Neo-Blush (£34, spacenk.com) in two warm and two cool shades, following the same gradient colour scheme of satin, matte and pearlescent powders.
Clinique’s Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Iced Lotus (£30, boots.com) has a similar lavender quality for cooler, bluer undertones, or try the shade Innocent Peach (£30) if you have a warmer complexion.
For decades, blush has been an afterthought, behind contour and bronzer.
Otherwise, MAC’s new Glow Play Cushiony Blush in pastel pink Totally Synced (£28, maccosmetics.co.uk), or Cheer Up in apricot (£28) – the former cool, the latter warm – offer soft colour, while blurring the appearance of pores and fine lines.
Once this layer of powder has been set, add a touch of a deeper shade of cream blush to the centre of the apples of your cheeks. The key is Bobbi Brown’s revolutionary Jones Road Blush Brush (£34, jonesroad beauty.com), which precisely distributes and blends just the right amount of product.
I love Jones Road Lipstick and Cheek Stick in Royal Plum (£34), a gorgeous bitten berry shade with intense pigmentation that stays put on the cheeks and mouth. I’m also a sucker for Chanel’s No 1 Lip and Cheek Balm (£40, chanel.com), while Superdrug’s Studio London Flaunt Flawless Cream Blush (£6, super drug.com) is a budget option.
As for the under-the-face blush trend, which involves painting most of your face fuchsia and then applying foundation on top? Leave that to the teenage girls.
My icon of the week
Lupita Nyong’o, who appeared in A Quiet Place: Day One and Black Panther, tends to wear makeup only at events.
Lupita Nyong’o
The actress, 41, loves avocado oil to moisturise and cleanse, and dabs garlic on blemishes. She avoids make-up, except at events, and opts for Lancôme’s Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation (now £27.65), plus its Hypnôse Custom-Wear mascara (£28.56, sephora.co.uk). She’s a fan of Vernon Francois’ Scalp Nourishment Braids and Locs spray ($17.99, sallybeauty.com).
Desire for cosmetics
I rarely recommend a full range, as it’s often better to pick and mix. However, L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss Glossing Routine for Dull Hair (£57.96, now £28.98, boots.com) is the exception.
My hair was flat, frizzy, dry, straggly and dull. One application of glycolic acid revived it; with more, it is now flourishing. Glycolic acid is a skin exfoliating ingredient that is leveraged for its small molecular size, which can penetrate the hair to smooth it and give it movement.
If I had to choose, I’d go for the Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination Rinse-Out Treatment for Dull Hair (now £7.99, boots.com). But seriously, everything is great.
Five body bombings
The Heel Deal Foot File by Soap & Glory (£10, boots.com)
A fan-favorite and budget-friendly, with three hard-working exfoliating heads.
Hydréa London Bamboo Charcoal Exfoliating Shower Gloves (£6.49, sephora.co.uk)
Bamboo is antibacterial, making it resistant to odors and mold. Plus, it’s eco-friendly.
Monu Walnut & Shea Butter Body Scrub (£35.95, monushop.co.uk)
Crushed walnut shells exfoliate powerfully, while papaya enzymes balance and brighten skin tone.
Dove Anti-stress Advanced Care Body Wash (£3, waitrose.com)
Cleanses and moisturizes with a soothing infusion of chamomile and oat milk.
Athletia Gentle Body Milk in Feel At Ease (£30, athletia-beauty.co.uk)
Its calming, herbal and woody aroma ensures that you feel hydrated.
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