By Trisha Chawla
Blush has been a century-old tradition in beauty. The Egyptians rubbed ground ochre on their cheeks, the Greeks applied the juice of crushed mulberries while in Britain, women were known to pinch their cheeks before meeting suitors. Having a rosy flush was always cool until it was side-lined by lipsticks and kohl-rimmed eyes. Come 2022, the century-old tradition is back in the spotlight–just look to your social media feeds or runway trend reports for proof.
Unlike the powder (or food-based) formulas of the yesteryears, this time it’s all about creamy, buildable formulas that mimic the effects of a long run without highlighting dry patches. This is because cream formulas are laden with moisturising oils or butters that melt into your skin.
They can’t be easier to apply either. Instead of a brush, you can simply apply them straight from the pot or applicator stick and blend with your fingers. For more precision, a beauty blender or stippling brush will be your best bet. If you think you’ve gone overboard, cream blushes are super easy to fix too! All you need to do is go over them with your foundation brush or a beauty blender to diffuse the colour.
You can wear blush on the apples of your cheeks for a traditional flush, but you can also try placing it a la Gen Z to achieve different results. Apply it on the high points of your cheekbones for a sculpted, lifted look or below your foundation for a pink-from-within glow. You can even wear it on your nose or below your under-eye concealer for a bright, sun-kissed look.
Whether you pick rosy pinks or apricot or mauve, our edit of cream blushes will help you get the look.