This Unexpected Blush Color Looks Good on Literally Everyone

There's a reason TikTok is obsessed.

Move over, Barbie pink blush! There’s a new It shade in town, and it’ll have you seeing red… on your cheeks.

After months and months of bubblegum domination, red blush is emerging as the surprising contender for the blush color of summer 2023 thanks to a few viral shades and the advice of a legendary makeup artist. Tomato girls, this trend is absolutely made for you. Ahead, everything you need to know about the red blush trend, and how to wear it.

The Trend

Red blush has always existed, but it’s been wrongfully overlooked in favor of baby pinks, warm berries and shimmery peach-pinks a la Nars Orgasm. However, cherry, strawberry and apple-colored blush started trending in late 2022 with products from fan faves like Rare Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury and e.l.f. Cosmetics. This summer, makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift of RMS Beauty helped give the blush a big boost with a pro backstage secret.

According to Swift, red blush was key to that sexy-yet-natural flushed look on the Victoria’s Secret runways and photoshoots. “What people don’t know is when I did Victoria's Secret for years, they had to look very natural and they had a beautiful flushed color. A lot of people think it was pink, but it wasn’t—it was red,” she explained in her video. “Red gives it that little bit of depth and it looks more natural, like the tone of your cheeks when you were a little kid, almost like the sun gave it a little hint of a burn.” The makeup artist said that when you think of lingerie, you usually think pink, but red feels more sophisticated. She recommends using her brand’s versatile cream Lip2Cheek ($36) for a similar look to what she created for the Angels of yore.

After Swift’s TikTok went viral, red blush entered the chat once more, and beauty enthusiasts and makeup artists picked up their brushes—#redblush has over 54.5 million views and counting. “Red blush is the easiest way to create a perfect natural flush on the skin. It mimics the body’s natural response to sun or heat,”makeup artist Kasey Spickard tells Byrdie. It works beautifully on a variety of skin tones and can easily be customized for your desired look, whether it’s just the teeniest hint of cherry color or a full-on bright red on your cheekbones.

How to Wear Red Blush

Don’t let the bright color in the pan or pot intimidate you; red blush is just as user-friendly as your old faithful corals and pinks. Just blend, blend and blend some more. “I apply directly to the apples of the cheeks and bridge of the nose and buff out with fingers or the large base of a Beautyblender,” Spickard says of his preferred technique. You can apply it on its own or pair it with bronzer for a sunny summer day glow.

When it comes to red blush shades, you have your pick of formulas. Most of the big beauty brands have a red shade on their roster. Spickard loves RMS Beauty’s aforementioned Lip2Cheek in Beloved, a bright poppy red that adds color and hydration to skin. He also likes using Tower28’s JuiceBalm Vegan Tinted Lip Balm ($16) in the coral-red Squeeze as a blush.

Rare Beauty’s mega-viral Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($23) in Grateful looks particularly stunning on darker skin tones, as does Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Cream Blush ($30) in Apple. Glossier’s beloved Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush ($20) in Spark is an easy way to tiptoe into the trend, as is Westman Atelier’s Baby Cheeks Blush Stick ($48) in Bichette, a pretty, easily blendable strawberry red, and e.l.f.’s budget-friendly Luminous Putty Blush ($7) in Isla del Sol.

If you prefer a powder formula, look no further than Nars, the blush authority. Try the vibrant matte red Exhibit A for a sunburned flush; just start small and work your way up to a desired shade. Dior added a few new shades to its fan favorite Rosy Glow Blush, including Cherry, a gorgeous soft red. In this case, red means GO!

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