TikTok's "L-Shaped" Blush Hack Will Instantly Lift Your Face—Here's How to Do It

Blush is one of my favorite products to use as a makeup artist—on clients and myself. A nice pop of color on the cheeks can instantly enhance a complexion. While there are countless techniques for applying blush, a new method is taking social media, specifically TikTok, by storm: "L-shaped" blush. Touted as the technique that will give you the perfect blush application every time for any face shape, fans say "L-shaped" blush will take your face to the next level. And spoiler alert: We're among them. Scroll on for our full tutorial for this face-lifting hack.

Prep Your Canvas

You'll want to start by applying all of your makeup except blush. This means prepping your skin with the proper skincare, foundation, eye makeup, etc. I always love looking radiant and hydrated, so I prepped my skin with Dr. Jart's Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution Face Mask ($7) and the Novara Revitalizing Essence ($85).

I then applied my basics: foundation, concealer, mascara, brow gel, a light eyeshadow, and subtle lip color. You can add bronzer to the face before or after your blush to warm up your complexion a bit, depending on the look you want. Since I want the blush to be the prominent feature, I'm skipping the bronzer for now.

The L Shape

This is where the fun comes in. Place your fingers in the shape of an L against your face, with the thumb at the bottom of the nose and the pointer finger pointing upward toward the eyebrow. The part of the cheek within the L shape is where you'll apply your blush.

The idea behind this technique is that the placement visually lifts the face. Since everyone's face shape is different and unique, you can test the L-shape at a few different angles until you feel you've found the one for you. While this is the best way to enhance my cheekbones, someone else might need to place their fingers slightly lower or angled back more than you see here.

Apply Your Blush

You can use any blush formula for this technique—cream, powder, or both. I love cream blush, so I started forming my L-shape with the Sisley Paris Phyto-Blush Twist in Passion ($80) within the parameters of where my fingers were. I started in the center of the cheeks, then brought the blush out and up.

For a more intense color payoff, apply a few swipes of cream blush before blending. You can continue placing your fingers in the L-shape on your face while applying your blush to ensure you're working in the right area.

Blend, Blend, Blend

After you've applied the blush, blend it as much as possible until it looks seamless on the skin. I used Anisa Beauty's Tapered Highlight Brush ($30), which is fluffy enough to spread the color where it needs to go.

Swirl the brush in a circular motion starting at the center of the cheek, working your way upward. You can also tap the brush quickly up and down the cheek to help blend the color in. The heat generated from quickly tapping the brush on the skin will help the product melt and spread without streaking. The more motion you produce with the brush, the more the blush starts to blend down and look natural.

You can apply more layers of cream blush with your brush or clean fingers to the skin to intensify the color. Continue to blend until you're happy with the result.

Flushed Cheeks

This is how it looks after applying and blending a few layers of cream blush. You can start to see the lifted effect and how natural it is. How much blush you should use will depend on how much color you want; after all, no one knows your face the way you do. For more color, keep applying and blending.

Layer Products

Since I love wearing blush and am a big fan of layering products, I added a touch of powder blush on top of the cream formula to slightly intensify the color. Using the same brush, I applied a few taps of Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Glow Blush in Euphoric ($38). You can layer cream on cream, powder on powder, or stick to one formula. It's totally up to you.

After your blush is just how you want it, you can apply a highlighter on top and add any finishing touches to your makeup that you'd like.

The Results

Love the results? So do we. When it comes to the L-shaped blush hack, the hype is definitely real. It's now a permanent staple in my makeup routine. My face looks lifted, and my skin is healthy and flushed with just the right amount of color. What's not to love?

Read the original article on Byrdie.