This week, I asked experts for their take on the “blush blindness” trend emerging on TikTok and what that means for the category, which has been on a hot streak since 2020. Additionally, new brand acquisitions and a warning from the U.S. surgeon general.
When Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty brand debuted in September 2020, there was a clear winner from the line: the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. The hyper-pigmented formula not only made Rare Beauty a standout in the celebrity beauty sphere, but it also trained consumers to seek out bolder blushes — to the point that some are now asking if they’ve gone too far.
After nearly four years of cheeks getting more colorful and companies launching a non-stop stream of blushes, some beauty consumers are questioning if they may be suffering from “blush blindness,” or growing accustomed to wearing bold blush to the point of accidentally applying too much. (A similar trend has emerged with “eyebrow blindness.”) On TikTok, many users are concerned that they may be unknowingly overdoing it on blush in an attempt to stand out on camera, while others are proudly owning their “blush blindness.” Some have joked that “Espresso” singer Sabrina Carpenter or “Love Island USA” stars may also have a case of “blush blindness.”
“There’s a whole new generation that is educated on blush,” said Hind Sebti, founder of skin-care brand Whind and co-founder of beauty incubator Waldencast. Sebti attributed blush’s explosion to the ample room for innovation in the category, with new formulas and colors outside of conventional pink powder blushes reigniting a staid product.
Even in an increasingly rapid-fire beauty trend cycle, the blush category has had rare staying power. Rare Beauty has continued to expand the shade range for its signature liquid blush, and new products, like Milk Makeup’s viral Cooling Water Jelly Lip & Cheek Tint released earlier this year, have only furthered the blush phenomenon. According to data from Launchmetrics, the term “boyfriend blush” has earned $3.95 million in media impact value, the firm’s proprietary metric measuring media placements, since it emerged as a TikTok trend in April. The technique refers to applying blush lower on the cheeks for a more casual or naturally flushed look.
But the blush obsession won’t last forever.
“Whenever something becomes a trend, we tend to overdo it,” said beauty YouTuber Alexandra Anele. Anele’s June 2020 video, “Dude, blush placement changes your whole face,” showcased viewers’ fascination with blush’s transformative capabilities even in a pre-Rare Beauty world. The upload garnered 4.7 million views. “I do feel that we’re reaching that point where people are probably getting a little bit sick of it,” she said.
According to Addison Cain, marketing and insights lead at consumer trends agency Spate, there has been a recent decrease in online searches for blush, but data is not yet definitive. “We’re too early on in this slowdown to say we have peaked for sure, but there’s a definite slowdown,” said Cain. She added that Hailey Bieber’s Rhode blush launched this month hasn’t reached the popularity the brand saw for its phone case earlier this year, with the caveat that the blush is still in its launch cycle.
But even if blush as a whole isn’t quite on the way out, certain styles of blush placement may already be dated.
“In the same way that there’s a conversation between millennials and Gen Z about the socks [below the ankle], I think where you put your blush is going to be very much the same,” said Lisa Payne, head of beauty at trend forecaster Stylus. She noted that Gen Zers have moved on to wearing blush across their cheeks, while millennials are still using blush to sculpt.
And new blush launches are still flowing in, with Haus Labs and Huda Beauty launching stick and liquid blushes this month, respectively. Sebti believes there is room for other brands to catch blush while it’s still hot, but they need to be strategic. She cited that Milk Makeup, which was acquired by her company Waldencast in 2021, was able to build on the credibility of its cream blush sticks when launching its jelly blushes this year. “It needs to be a logical next step for your brand,” she said.
As for whether anything could supplant blush altogether, the answer comes down to just how creative brands can get when invigorating a stagnant category. “It depends on the innovation of the particular products,” said Payne.
According to Anele, the bronzer category is ripe for new formulas and innovations, particularly in terms of shade ranges.
But, she said, even if blush does reach its saturation point, no one needs to be worried about suffering from “blush blindness.”
“I don’t think anyone out there is doing [blush] wrong, as long as they’re doing it with confidence,” she said.
News to know:
- L Catterton acquired Naomi Watts’s beauty brand Stripes for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2022, Watts’s menopause-care brand was previously sold for $500,000 to Sakana LLC after its co-founder, Amyris, filed for bankruptcy.
- Augustinus Bader, the skin-care brand known for its $300 moisturizer, is on track to see annual revenue growth of up to 40%, equaling as much as $140 million, this year.
- Rihanna has been named the face of Dior’s J’Adore fragrance, succeeding longtime ambassador Charlize Theron.
- Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic’s Makeup by Mario is working with investment bank J.P. Morgan as it explores a deal. The brand launched in 2020 and received a $40 million investment from Provenance and Silas Capital in 2023.
- Global beauty platform PCA Companies has acquired the U.S. wholesale division of beauty retailer Space NK for an undisclosed amount. The company plans to change the Space NK name while retaining its brand matrix and points of sale, with an eye on expanding fragrance.
- Fendi’s debut fragrance line arrived in stores with seven scents inspired by the Fendi family. Created by leading perfumers Quentin Bisch, Anne Flipo and Fanny Bal, the scents retail for $330 each and are available exclusively at Fendi’s stores and website.
- The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, calls for social media platforms to include health warnings for younger users.
Stat of the week:
PR firm Karla Otto’s 2024 report on beauty and the business of community shows that IRL experiences are increasingly important to beauty consumers. 2023 findings from The Business of Fashion and McKinsey indicated that global beauty retail sales are expected to grow by 6% annually through 2027. According to a 2024 NIQ report, Gen Alphas are contributing to 49% of this category’s growth, with teens and tweens increasingly flocking to beauty retailers like Sephora as community hubs.
In the headlines:
Katie Fang is influencing your preteen. Anti-trend and effortless: How Merit Beauty reached $100 million in sales. Beauty brands tread lightly with “tradwives.” How does one become a perfumer? As Goop as it gets.
On the Glossy Beauty Podcast:
On this week’s episode of the Glossy Beauty Podcast, DC attorney Katlin McKelvie discusses the development of MoCRA and what regulations beauty brands need to know now.
Need a Glossy recap?
TikTok dermfluencer Dr. Muneeb Shah on the hair-care item he’s been buying for over a decade. Nutrafol’s amped-up marketing includes a heat wave-focused campaign. Deuxmoi taps Violet Grey to carry her first fragrance. With brands like Dyson, Walmart is giving its beauty assortment the luxury treatment.
