You’re probably familiar with using blush to contour your face, but this new makeup trend does the exact opposite: “Boyfriend blush” is a more natural-looking way to apply blush, adding a rosy glow to your cheeks like you’ve just finished a good workout.
The best part is, it’s really easy: We asked two beauty experts to give us step-by-step instructions for anyone looking to shake up their makeup routine for summer.
What is Boyfriend Blush?
“This trend is an extension of the natural girl aesthetic,” says Beau Nelson, celebrity makeup artist and director of Lashify Pro, “mimicking the way boys flush after playing sports or being out in the sun.”
Jamie Greenberg, founder and CEO of Jamie Makeup, agrees, saying the rosy blush look is supposed to resemble “your boyfriend’s cheeks after a rugby game” (like Prince William and Prince Harry in the late 2000s).
Though the style may be trending right now with some high-profile names, Greenberg is adamant that it’s not actually new. “It’s a classic, and I love it,” she says. “It’s been around for decades.”
How to improve your appearance
To get started, Nelson recommends using a cream blush. While you can achieve this look with a powder blush, she explains that the texture of a cream blush is “super easy to apply and gives the skin a little glow.”
When it comes to color, Nelson says to go for red, berry, or deep pink shades. He recommends the shade Violette FR Bisou Blush in AÏSSA for darker skin tones, INÈS looks great on lighter skin tones, and he also recommends trying Lashify Flush, which is “PH-active for a custom color just for you.”
Greenberg says she created her own blush color, called “The Cherry One,” which is based on the fresh, flushed look you get right after doing 50 jumping jacks. Her blush replicates a “natural cheek response,” and when combined with highlighter, it creates a radiant finish.
To apply your favorite blush, use a fluffy brush to apply blush to your cheekbones, paying attention to how you move the brush along your skin. “Instead of applying blush toward your ears, think of it as a gentle inverted triangle, applying a little to your nose and then applying the rest of the blush to your hairline to create a subtle uniformity to your face,” says Nelson.
