Why Is Purple Blush Trending, And How Do You Wear It?

You read that right, purple blush is having a major moment. We’re currently in love with the cool-toned hue, no thanks to, well, TikTok. While pinks, peaches and corals are the most common (read: basic) shades to create a natural flush on your cheeks, the most popular beauty content creators on the social media platform are touting purple blush, which is shown to be surprisingly flattering with blended into the skin.

While the colour might sound intimidating at first, bright mauve and plum tones look especially lovely on medium and darker skin tones, giving off a natural, brightening effect. The final look is often romantic, but just different enough to catch the eye.

Just look at how Rachel Rigler raves about Nudestix’s cream blush, or how Darcei pulls off an atypical shade of Fenty Beauty’s Cheeks Out blush:

@rachelrigler

thoughts on purple blush?? 💜🤔 #blush #makeup #beauty #purpleblush

♬ original sound – Rachel Rigler

@missdarcei

Reply to @big_bewbz A purple blush?? @Fenty Beauty Drama Cla$$ #makeup #makeupreview #blush #viral

♬ original sound – Darcei

Now that you’re interested — and fully invested — in trying out the trend for yourself, here are some tips to get you going, including how to pick the right shade of purple to flatter your skin tone.

choosing THE RIGHT PURPLE FOR YOUR SKIN TONE

The great thing about purple is that everyone can rock the hue — though there are specific tones that flatter certain skin tones more. Generally, purple is ultra-flattering on warm-hued medium and dark skin tones, as purple is a cool shade that corrects warm undertones such as yellows and reds. If you’re used to colour-correcting concealers and primers, you’ll also notice that purple tends to brighten up dull skin tones as well.

Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle in Drama Cla$$.

Here’s a general guideline to start, depending on your skin tone:

Light to fair skin: Go for pale purple and pastel tones, especially those with hints of pink or lavender for a pop of welcome colour on the cheeks. Try: Clinique Cheek Pop in Pansy Pop.
Medium to tan skin: To enhance your natural skin tone, reach for mauve or violet shades that best flatter yellow undertones. Try: Glossier Cloud Paint in Haze; Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Blush in Drama Cla$$.
Dark skin: Don’t be afraid to go bold with plum or berry purples, which work best for people with medium and deeper skin tones. Try: Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Color Blush & Bronze in Moodie Blu; Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith.

Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Color Blush & Bronze in Moodie Blu.

how to wear purple blush

We love a tone-on-tone makeup look, similar to the one that the Nudestix model has going on, so that would absolutely be our top recommendation. To achieve a similar style, apply purple blush on your eyelids, top of the cheekbones, and lips; a buildable product is preferred here to really make your cheekbones pop. Nail this, and you’ll get a retro vibe as well as sculpted cheeks, thanks to the higher placement of your blush.

Then, there’s the trusty method of applying it right onto the apples of your cheeks, which works especially well if you’re gotten your hue-to-skin tone ratio right. Blend it out, and you’ll be looking at a soft, romantic flushed look, a classic really.

If you still feel a little intimidated by the bold colour though, you may always start with a small amount of blush and continue to build on it, a method that best works with a powder blush and fluffy brush to buff the product out. That said, cream or liquid blushes, especially when applied with just your fingers, do create a most natural look with subtle glow.

Here’s our recommended list of purple blushes: