Boyfriend Blush Is the Perfect Match for Any Summer Makeup Look

TikTok’s favorite makeup look for the summer might remind you of Y2K-era Prince Harry, Devon Aoiki in the late ’90s, or even the guy you’ve been dating. Boyfriend blush is taking over cheeks with a naturally flushed look akin to the redness that appears on guys’ faces after shooting hoops with the boys or taking a jog around the neighborhood. 

Unlike blush trends of summers past, the placement of boyfriend blush is much lower down on the cheeks than usual and looks better with a blush that isn’t super sheer. But don’t let that scare you—this TikTok trend looks incredible on everyone. 

Ahead, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry Sara Wren shares why boyfriend blush universally slays, how exactly to achieve the look, and which blush formulas and colors are the best for mimicking your man’s natural flush. Your summer makeup look is about to meet its perfect match! 

What is boyfriend blush?

Imagine a post-rugby-match skin: The rosiness of the cheeks moves toward the jawline and fills in the hollows of your cheeks versus the typical high, lifted blush look that remains above the apples, Sara explains. (Should we start calling the latter girlfriend blush?) “This trend is flattering on almost everyone because it replicates a natural flushing of the skin,” she adds. 

Plus, we love pairing boyfriend blush with bare skin primed with Cloud Glow to really amplify the dewy, low-maintenance complexion vibes. 

How do you achieve the boyfriend blush look? 

Shop Cloud Glow Primer

Shop Lip + Cheek

1. Pick Your Blush

First and foremost, you’ll need a cream blush, like Lip + Cheek, for your this moment. Sara loves how the hydrating, mango butter-spiked formula has a skin-like effect and its pigments mimic how skin naturally flushes. (As much as we adore our Bionic Blush and Cooling Water Jelly Tint, they may appear too watercolor-y for this aesthetic.) 

Shade-wise, pick a red or pink closest to the hue your cheeks naturally turn post-workout, -snow day, or -makeout. “Let’s leave orange and purple blushes out,” she adds. If you have fair skin, try Dash, a light petal pink. For those with medium skin tones, you’ll love Lip + Cheek’s Werk, a dusty rose hue. Muse will help those with deeper skin tones achieve the perfect boyfriend blush look with its burgundy hue. 

Also, a brush is key to the most seamless-looking boyfriend blush application, so grab a fluffy one from your stash. 

2. Coat Your Brush With Blush Instead of swiping Lip + Cheek directly onto your skin, Sara suggests evenly coating the bristles of your fluffy brush in pigment by running it over the surface of the cream blush stick. This technique is called “priming,” she notes. If you think you’ve added too much blush to your brush, sweep it onto the back of your hand to remove the excess pigment. This can also help you check to see if your brush has picked up enough product. 3. Blend the Brush onto Your Cheeks Sara recommends placing the brush onto the apple of your cheek and blending downwards towards your jawline and ear. Be sure to taper out the color, so it stops near the outer corner of your lips. Do the same on the other side. Then, soften the edges for the most seamless look, Sara adds. Looking “too boyfriend blushed,” no worries—you can easily fix the amount of color and its shape, Sara says. Take a clean brush or sponge, spray it withHydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray, and stipple it over your cheeks to help soften the color and correct any mistakes.  From there, you can hard launch your boyfriend blush look with whatever eye and lip makeup your heart desires. The same Lip + Cheek color can be dabbed onto your lips or you can go for a more high-shine effect withOdyssey Lip Oil Gloss. Feel free to skip mascara or add a quick coat ofKUSH High Roll Tubing Mascara. Your blush may have boyfriend vibes, but the rest of your makeup doesn’t have to!