The Blush Color You're Missing from Your Makeup Bag
From the Tang Dynasty in China to the Rococo period in France, rosy cheeks have always been a cosmetic beacon of light. Blush is how women can brighten their faces and draw attention to their beauty, and feminine vitality. Luckily, Western society has moved away from the toxic chemicals that permeated cosmetics during the 1500s through the 1700s. In more recent times, we see blush being used by not only women but men and non-gender-conforming individuals.
The original pigments of blush have always ranged from red tones to pink hues; the Ancient Egyptians used ground red ochre, the Romans used red vermillion, the Greeks used crushed mulberries and the Chinese used cinnabar and pomegranate.
We are amid a saturated beauty market of peaches and roses for cheeks that was initially, designed with only pale skin in mind, but what if there was a cooler alternative to the predictable pink? Actually, there is a cooler alternative and it’s purple blush. Violets and plums for cheeks are the extraordinary tones that you’re missing from your makeup routine.
Purple Blush
Purple blush can seem too bold or blunt compared to the subtle delicacy of blush that is on the pink spectrum. Recently trending videos on TikTok, have been defying the cold shoulder that purple blush often receives. Purple blush, when applied correctly, is far from looking too blunt. Rather, it brightens dullness and corrects sallow undertones where pink blush cannot. Just as pale pink blushes are known to enhance light skin tones, purple blushes enhance darker skin tones.
Here are the variety of purple blushes on the market:
Nudestix: Nudies Blush in Moodi Blu, $34
Source: Nudestix
This cream, matte blush is in stick-form and dual-ended, with the color on one end and a detachable blending brush on the other for the wearer’s convenience. Nudestix’s Nudies Blushchecks checks off a plethora of other benefits for the wearer; it’s vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and fragrance-free, as well as formulated without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
Fenty Beauty: Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Drama Cla$$, $20
Source: Fenty Beauty
The striking soft violet product from Rihanna’s best-selling cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty comes in a small white compact that fills 3 grams of product. The cream blush is vegan and cruelty-free with a sheer, non-greasy finish. This product is perfect for a bolder look and can be used as a purple eyeshadow.
Source: Rare Beauty
This deep berry blush from Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty comes in a bottle with a matte finish. Ingredient highlights from the liquid blush include lotus, gardenia, and white water lily—all of which aim to help soothe, calm, and nourish the skin. It is cruelty-free, paraben-free, vegan, and dermatologist-tested.
Source: Glossier
The 10-millimeter gel-cream blush from Glossier is top-rated, with the deep mulberry shade having a soft finish from its special blurring pigments that do not accentuate harsh texture or pores. It is cruelty-free, formulated without fragrance, and dermatologist-tested. This cream blush is perfect for blending and can be used as a lip tint.
NARS: Blush in Sin, $30
Source: NARS
The award-winning blush from NARS boasts a captivating shade of cool berry with a golden sheen and silky finish from its micronized powder pigments. It is paraben-free but not cruelty-free. This plum-colored blush is great for paler skin tones and elevating cheekbones.
Purple blush is the way to go for this fall and winter. Will you be adding purple blush to your makeup bag? Leave a comment below!