By Kiekie Stanners

Bronzer was the hero of the 2000s, the one beauty product that you had to have, sweeping that pressed powder over cheeks, foreheads, nose, décolletage and anywhere else you needed a hit of bronzer to match with your nude lips and smokey eyes of the era.

Now we are thankfully seeing a resurgence of blush. What once was considered dated or had you recalling in horror of an over-application once in your early years, we are now rejoicing in the applied flush. According to Women’s Wear Daily, blush is a $59million business on Amazon and climbing.

Blush is designed to give a pop of colour where you would naturally see a flush, perhaps from an energetic pilates class or a brisk walk around the block. Tones of pink, peach or burnt orange are the usual suspects. And ideally give the 'flushed from within’ effect - a little special glow that looks healthy, radiant and luxe. Creams, powders, sticks, gels - all formulas are currently in rotation and used for varying effects.

Blush trends come and go. Do we apply on the apples? Under cheekbones? Down low for the ‘I’ve just been for a run’ flush? Or across the high planes of the cheeks for that Dua Lipa sun-kissed trend?

See below for 8 online blush trends to add to your beauty repertoire:

There’s no denying stick blushers are the blush of the moment. You may have been living under a rock if you have missed the Hailey Beiber pocket blush movement or the amount of stick-to-cheek online content but not without good reason. A stick blush makes in-the-car makeup a breeze, no fussing with brushes you don’t know how to use and as it usually comes in a creme format, an instant GLOW.

Apply the stick straight to the cheeks, or using fingertips directly onto the stick, blend onto the skin from there. If you are a little confused as to the placement, a stick blush is ideal placed on the apples of the cheeks, and blended in a circular motion so as to look flushed from within.

We saw the ‘glazed donut’ trend for nails popping off on social, now we have glazed blush cheeks. Gone are the days of powder blush, now we are seriously embracing a cheek tint that resembles a lip oil. The rise of Sabrina Carpenter and her glossy glam is partly responsible. The sheer stain of colour on the cheeks, teamed with a slightly sticky tactility is what makes this trend.

Think of using one of your favourite cream blushers mixed in with a lip balm to create a glossy tint, then press it into your cheeks with your fingertips. A little lip balm pressed into the temples as a glossy highlight finishes this look.

The TikTok trend that sees a sunset colour gradient blended on the cheeks, topped off with a highlighter. Think tones of red, pink, orange and peach that sit high on the cheekbones and make quite a statement. This blush trend is perhaps not your everyday-pop-into-the-supermarket look, but rather apply on yourself, ready for your social media selfie.

For everyday wear, perhaps blend a mix of peach blush onto the apples of the cheeks, blending into a deeper pink up on the temples and a shimmer highlight on top. Even if just for wearing around the house, it can instantly transport you to daydreaming about a Pacific island sunset without leaving the house.

While there’s a multitude of blush placement trends and tips and tricks on where to apply, the L-shape blush trend couldn’t be easier.

Using your thumb and index finger, create a letter L and place it on your cheek with your index finger pointing up and your thumb pointing towards the nose. This area of the cheek that is exposed is where you are placing your blush. You create a small little L of colour - flushing the apples of the cheeks and sweeping up along the tail end of the eyebrow.

Cream, Powder, Gel - any formulation of blush works but stick blush makes this trend very easy. Then blend, blend, blend the colour in. The idea behind this technique is that the placement visually lifts the face. I can confirm - it isn’t as crazy as it sounds once your blush is blended in!

In the midst of New Zealand winter, in a particularly tough 2024, embracing some ‘island girl’ makeup feels very, very nice. For those of us who can’t book a trip to the islands for some mid-winter sunshine, applying your blush in a manner that gives an applied sun-kissed effect is the next best thing.

A sweep of a pink-toned blush over the tops of the cheeks and bridge of the nose, complimented with a sweep of bronzer will have you feeling like an island girl in no time. Pair this with lightweight concealer and a glowy base.

The viral trend of blush-touring is all about using pink-toned blush in the areas that you would naturally contour with a skin-tone shade. While this isn’t a new concept - old school makeup artists know all about placing blush as a contour, reminiscint of the way Cher or Janet Jackson had their makeup artists do for them for stage performances. It adds colour, sometimes so subtly that you can’t tell it’s there but it’s naturally warming up the face.

Drape your blush underneath the cheekbones, across the outer temples of the forehead and softly over the bridge of the nose. If using a powder, use an angled brush to hug the contours of the face and disperse the product smoothly. Don’t think 80s electric pink stripes either - this is all about a soft baby pink or coral blush tone.

The blush trend that gives a post-workout glow, just like where your boyfriend gets flushed after a sweaty workout - slightly lower on the cheeks. This doesn’t give cutesy, or sexy but rather ‘I have just been to the gym and this is where I naturally flush with colour’.

Think ruddy pink in colouring. Another concept for this trend is ‘Princess Diana in her early years’, if you prefer that idea instead of channelling your boyfriend post-workout.

Blush blindness is when you’re so used to a specific blush colour or colour amount, that you no longer see it ie. an extra crazy application of blush but you’re so used to it that your application just keeps getting more and more intense.

Blush has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute we're delicately placing an invisible veil of blush like it’s our first time, the next we’re loading up cheek colour in the car revision mirror like our life depended on it (guilty!). There’s something of an amour about blusher. By adding more colour to the cheeks, somehow we turn into Wonder Woman, our eye bags have disappeared and we're strong enough to concur with whatever is thrown at us. Whatever works in this day and age, so I’m all for a bit of Blush Blindness.