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As June rolls around and beach days abound, TikTok’s new favorite trend conveys effortless romance perfect for the season. This season’s makeup is still natural (don’t want it melting off!) à la “clean girl makeup” but with a new twist: a rosy glow across your cheeks and nose.
This glow says you’ve spent all day in the sun. This glow says your only care in the world is how good the waves are today, or laying out in your backyard with a paperback greased from sunscreen. This glow says to put on the frothiest, lightest dress you own – ideally over a swimsuit – and end up at a barbecue under string lights. It’s the whole summer aesthetic.
The best part? To achieve this look, you don’t actually have to risk sun damage. (Although be sure to cover up with our go-to sunscreens before heading outdoors). Simply apply a healthy amount of blush to your face, extending past your cheeks to your nose and forehead, and voila!
With liquid, powder, and cream blushes ranging from matte to glossy — and with color-matching better than ever — these makeup options will give you your *perfect* sun-kissed pink.
The On-The-Go Blush.
Cheekslime by Freck Beauty, $22.
The Hook: Freck Beauty has a chokehold over its Gen Z audience, who first discovered the brand thanks to its faux-freckle pencil. Freck’s branding and packaging look good on any countertop, with products that are playful and effective.
The Look: Whether you shudder at the name or embrace its tongue-in-cheek irreverence, Cheekslime is a highly pigmented, universally complimentary wash of color you can use on both your lips and cheeks.
The Lowdown: Cheekslime utilizes liquid plant collagen in its formula, which allows it to “melt” into your skin to elegant, subdued effect. It’s a great multi-use item, flattering across features.
The Made-For-Everyone Blush.
GLASSY Blush from EspressOh, $26
The Hook: EspressOh’s named for its caffeinated makeup products and strong Italian roots. Just like espresso, the brand’s products are quick, powerful, and essential.
The Look: Matching blushes can be tough. The GLASSY blush removes the guesswork so you don’t have to overthink what shade you’re putting on your skin. When you dab this on, it’ll be translucent. As you blend it, the reactant formula will mesh with your skin’s pH, informing its pigment. Although it looks different on each person, espressoH is constantly selling out because it’s guaranteed to align with your natural blush.
The Lowdown: Better yet, the dose contains caffeine, ensuring your skin looks energized and hydrated throughout the day (which gets to the heart of the summer glow we’re chasing with this look).
The Blush That Gives Back.
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Soft Pinch Liquid Blush from Rare Beauty, $20.
The Hook: Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty line puts its money where its mouth is; through its Rare Impact Fund, it donates one percent of sales to mental health organizations, with a commitment of raising $100 million for the cause over the next ten years. This vegan, cruelty-free brand aims to be a welcoming space in an industry with often unattainable standards.
The Look: This intensely pigmented liquid blush is available in both matte and dewy finishes, layering well over other makeup products. Rare Beauty offers a quick pro tip: if you apply under your foundation, you’ll get an ultra-natural underlying glow.
The Lowdown: Since its launch in early 2021, Rare Beauty has consistently gone viral on TikTok with both entry-level makeup users and expert artists. It truly meets people where they are. Between the intense pigment, velvety texture, and feel-good goals, both this blush and this brand are worth supporting. (On that note, shop now: shades sell out fast.)
The Dewy Blush.
Dew Blush from Saie, $24.
The Hook: First featured in our clean beauty edit, Saie emphasizes beauty as skincare first. Its no-fuss formula keeps it aligned with the minimalist makeup lover. Blush or a sunburn? The world will never know.
The Look: I’m admittedly not a fan of the dewy look, but Saie’s changed my mind. The glow from this water-based gel looks refreshed rather than sweaty, with a texture and subtle flush of color that makes you look like you’ve spent the afternoon playing in the ocean or perhaps on a hike. Mermaid vibes, anyone?
The Lowdown: Saie’s simple, chic branding is appealing and accessible. The blush itself is runny, like ink, but easy to use and build upon. While it adds a bit of shine to skin, it never veers into greasy, which is the main concern with glossy finishes. Overall, it’s an impressive addition to any blush repertoire.
The Easiest Blush.
The Balmie Crayon from Axiology, $14
The Hook: This Latina-founded brand embraces multiuse and sustainability with the first vegan zero-waste crayon. These Balmies can be used on cheeks, lips, and eyes. I rarely switch up my makeup, so I appreciate the utility – and love that it’s plastic-free. As we noted in our review, the crayons themselves are tiny, but that’s because they’re not beefed up with extra packaging; you’re still getting an appropriate amount of product for the price.
The Look: The blush effect from this product is really soft and lovely. Crème blushes tend to have a super organic looking finish. As someone who often messes up highly pigmented blush, I appreciate that if I overdo it, the product will just look like I fell asleep in a beach chair.
The Lowdown: The crème Balmie blush is an excellent starter. If the sunburnt blush trend ends up not being for you, it’s an easy switch to use it instead as a lip color. It’s also long-wearing and buildable, so you don’t have to think twice about getting it right.
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