The 'Boy Blush' Trend Is Back, And It's The Most Flattering Make-Up Look For Round Faces

Blush placement is all the rage on TikTok, from sunburnt flushes à laHailey Bieber to temple-grazing colour designed to lift and contour the cheeks. If you're tuned into beauty trends, you may remember the original 'boy blush' buzz, which first gained traction in 2023 for its sporty, Bend It Like Beckham-coded positioning. The realistic placement garnered a significant fanbase for its ability to bring life and warmth to rounder face shapes, and now it's making a bold return forLondon Fashion WeekAW26.

Advertisment

'The boy blush trend is all about creating a fresh, post-activity flush on the cheeks,' says Jen Lyons, Nars national education and events manager. 'Think more placement and seamless blending, rather than heavy contour or sculpting. Focus on a soft wash of pigment on the low apples of the cheeks and slightly across the nose for a natural, skin-like finish.'

The look first appeared at London Fashion Week's highly anticipated Simone Rocha show, where key make-up artist Thomas De Kluyver partnered with Byredo to create the ultimate modern take on the trend.

'We wanted to create something that felt raw and real,' he told ELLE UK backstage. 'Often, when you think of Simone Rocha, it feels very feminine and very light, but today we wanted to create a stronger, darker character. We’ve used this incredible red blush, created with the Byredo Stromboli Lipstick. We’ve also added pierced eyebrows and beautiful 1930s-inspired brows, which we achieved using the charcoal eyebrow pencil.'

Advertisment

Since then, Missoni has debuted a similarly wind-flushed look at its AW26 show in Milan, bringing the cheekbone-dusting placement of blush back to a more natural position on the apples. And need we even mention the resurgence of realistic rosy cheeks sparked by Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights? Since the film arrived on screens this month, we've been marvelling at the romantic, cold-weather skin colour sported by Margot Robbie throughout its press tour. Costume dressing meets beauty, done right.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by pati dubroff (@patidubroff)

If you're looking to achieve the look yourself, there are a few ways to do so. A watercolour blush like Victoria Beckham's Colour Wash is perfect for creating a sheer, natural flush on bare skin, while a classic lip-to-cheek formula like N°1 De Chanel Balm flatters those who prefer a heavier make-up application. If you want to achieve that Fashion Week-ready finish seamlessly, take cues from De Kluyver's technique, smudging a bold lipstick over the cheeks and lips with your finger for a painterly, androgynous flush.

Read Original Article HERE