Boyfriend blush is TikTok's coolest makeup trend

It seems 2024 is the year our cheeks finally get the consideration they deserve. Blush placement is the new lip combo and ‘boyfriend blush’ has just stolen TikTok's attention.

Unsurprisingly, the '90s has had an influence in yet another major beauty moment blowing up, since the look channels the relaxed, grungy, androgynous feel of the era. It was first flagged to us by makeup artist, Mallory Rosses, who admitted it's a cyclical trend making a confident return. “The term boyfriend blush is not ‘new’… I didn't just make this up... I heard about this trend years ago…It's all over high-fashion, runway, editorial types of looks, but I've never really heard about people talk about it like this.”

What is boyfriend blush?

The aesthetic plays into a much more natural, flushed look, concentrating on where flashes of pink would naturally occur. It replicates the outdoorsy effect of ruddy cheeks after a game of rugby or polo, which is how its picked up its name.

“If you think about ‘boyfriend blush,' think about [a young Prince William and Harry]. Do you see how Harry and William, they both have that flush here [in the centre of cheeks] and it goes down [toward the jaw]. It just looks youthful, sporty. It looks like boyfriend blush,” says Mallory.

Where to wear boyfriend blush?

Rather than using blush to sculpt, this is much less precise and blooms further across cheeks, in an almost-triangle shape, starting from the centre of the face and spreading up and out toward the top of the ear, as well as out and down toward the perimeter of the jaw.

What face shape does boyfriend blush work on?

Boyfriend blush can work on all face shapes, but you can tweak it to your own bone structure and features to make the best out of the trend. Mallory pointed out that most of the model shots she'd seen were on shorter or rounded faces, but one viewer shared in the comments: “as someone with a longer face, I think blush lower on the face makes my face look shorter and more proportioned.”

Mallory also noted: “if you have a heart-shape face, boyfriend blush might be for you. I think that ['90s model] Devon Aoki is the epitome of boyfriend blush, she wears it so well, and I believe she has a heart-shape face…She wears it so that it covers the whole side of her cheek.”

Ways to wear boyfriend blush?

For more from GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

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