The Blush Trick That Makes You Look More Awake, Instantly originally appeared on Parade.
Any kind of blush can help you fake a good night’s sleep by adding color and vitality to your cheeks—but if you really want to camouflage a rough night and look lively and youthful, try this trending blush technique: watercolor blush.
The idea is to create an effect similar to watercolor on paper, but you don’t need to be an artist or beauty influencer to try it, and you don’t need to buy any new products either. In fact, the blushes that you regularly use that you know suit your skin tone are the best place to start. You’re just blending them together in a new way that you haven’t tried before.
Related: The One Thing Dermatologists Want You to Know About Toner—Especially After 50
What is Watercolor Blush?
Think of the finish as just a wash of color on the cheeks that feels ethereal without any defined lines. “Think of the finish as the difference between oil paint (opaque) and watercolors (diffused and buildable). You can’t see where the application of watercolor blush starts or ends, because it melts into the skin with no detectable edges,” celebrity makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez told Vogue.
After prepping the skin and applying concealer and foundation, “get out all of the blushes that you use regularly,” says professional makeup artist Laura Eldridge. “It is a bit like painting.”
Feel free to use a mixture of matte blushes alongside those with a little glimmer, Eldridge says. Here are her tips:
Start with a light transition color and work it all around the cheekbones.
Feel free to gently move any of the colors on to the brow bone to blur the edges.
Build up slowly with lighter colors and then move on to a more pigmented color.
Have a sponge or cotton round nearby to remove and blend color in case you get too heavy-handed.
Have several brushes so you’re not using the same brush for each color.
Have fun! It’s about playing with color and appreciating your beauty.
Professional makeup artist Jeannie Giannone recommends mixing the cheek shades on your hands first, so you don’t end up with too much pigment on your face.
Related: 5 Habits of French Women Over 50 Who Look Ageless
Colour Wash, $48
Of course, there’s also watercolor blush products if you find you really get into the trend, like this blush water tint from Victoria Beckham.
Related: The Best Makeup Trick for Hooded Eyelids, According to Celebrity Makeup Artist Mally Roncal
Up Next:
Related: This Blush Color Works on Everyone, According to a Celebrity Makeup Artist
The Blush Trick That Makes You Look More Awake, Instantly first appeared on Parade on Aug 9, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
