Can You Get On Board With The Anti-Blush Trend?

In an era of blush blindness and blushmaxxing, forgoing a vibrant pop of pink, coral, or rouge on the apples feels like a radical move. Yet the anti-blush trend – an understated approach to cheek colour – is progressively gaining traction, and according to Spate data, has seen interest increase by 274.9 per cent.

Contrary to what the name suggests, the anti-blush movement is not about shunning blush altogether. “It’s about using a neutral, low-saturation blush that mimics your natural skin pigments, giving you a barely-there wash of colour that melts into your complexion and makes it look naturally healthy,” explains Sofia Tilbury, global artistry director at Charlotte Tilbury Beauty.

It’s a philosophy that has divided the British Vogue office. Shopping producer Mia Portet considers blush her desert-island product, often going bare-faced save for a slick of Rhode’s Pocket Blush in Tan Line or Refy’s Cream Blush in Rose – and often layered together, with Rose on the apples of the cheeks and Tan Line used to sculpt the bridge of the nose and temples to replicate a fresh-from-holiday warmth. Yet she understands the appeal of anti-blush, which aligns with the natural, skin-first flush feel that she favours. Beauty director Funmi Fetto, however, believes that punchier pigment is required to “look alive,” insisting that blush on the high points of the cheekbones is essential.

The beauty of the trend is that you don’t have to pledge allegiance to either camp. You can be fluid. That is certainly Tilbury’s approach: “Some days I want blush to be the focus of the make-up; on others, I want people to notice how beautiful the skin looks without immediately spotting the blush. That’s the fun of it!”

To get on board with the anti-blush trend and achieve a more understated, naturally-flushed finish, she recommends reaching for softer hues that give a barely-there feel. “It’s a softer alternative to the bright, expressive pops of colour we’ve been seeing on cheeks this spring and summer. My favourite shades of Airbrush Flawless Blush Blur for this are Naughty Talk for a subtle rose-beige flush, or I’ll reach for the deeper burnt rose of Pillow Talk Dreams when I want that understated effect on a deeper complexion.”

Placement, too, can make all the difference, transforming both the intensity and the look. Applied to the apple of the cheeks and blended outwards, blush “brings colour to the centre of the face and enhances the natural fullness of the cheeks, creating a fresh, healthy and softly radiant “juicy cheek” effect,” says Kristina McLeod, national lead artist at Vieve. Sweep the same shade higher along the upper cheekbones and towards the temples; the effect is more lifted. Diffuse across the cheeks and along the bridge of the nose and, you are mimicking where the sun warms the face, “creating a soft, sun-kissed and effortless flush.”

The key to anti-blush, therefore, is about finding the right shade, buildable formula and placement to give you an understated approach to cheek colour. Scroll on for Vogue’s top blushes to master the anti-blush trend and create a softer, natural flush.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Blush Blur

Ilia Soft Focus Blurring Blush

Poco Beauty Universal Cream Cheek & Lip Stick

Rhode Pocket Blush

Refy Cream Blush

Vieve Sunset Blush Balm

Kiko Plush Blush