Triona McCarthy: It’s easy to recreate the doll-like, rosy pink cheeks that are trending this summer. Try these five blushing beauties...
Our cheeky expert is all over the magic of blush and its amazing ability to instantly adorn our faces with youth and freshness
![thumbnail: Tyla wore a deep blush at the 2024 Met Gala. Photo: Marleen Moise/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/focus.independent.ie/thumbor/kCiaLgHqRNc_rWD0Y79Lq1Fmil4=/0x0:3238x2158/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/204dde2d-7d6e-4f0f-a9f5-e58fb416a1fc/2a68238c-05ee-4be3-95e3-026f640922d6/204dde2d-7d6e-4f0f-a9f5-e58fb416a1fc.jpg)
![thumbnail: Fenty Beauty Hot Cheeks Baked Blush, €27, brownthomas.com](https://cdn.statically.io/img/focus.independent.ie/thumbor/XnL7BdP9w_7gEqOjlxhbu5LPvf4=/0x345:2365x1921/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/ed20b8a6-5df8-463c-a8e5-2278be3ff551/e2a6a99e-3bea-4e79-8d1a-a6a75d04625a/ed20b8a6-5df8-463c-a8e5-2278be3ff551.jpg)
![thumbnail: Use dry shampoo — on your feet!](https://cdn.statically.io/img/focus.independent.ie/thumbor/6z1dGH4smHQxUsoFa-cDX3M6OPI=/0x447:2159x1886/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/1ae01f3d-eac0-4708-8264-d19e14af7bb8/8c03c3c5-6ab3-40ef-972d-142075032cf7/1ae01f3d-eac0-4708-8264-d19e14af7bb8.jpg)
![thumbnail: Swiss Oxygen Treatment, The Spa at The Shelbourne From €220, theshelbourne.com](https://cdn.statically.io/img/focus.independent.ie/thumbor/HufwIa76fH7WU6r3F9hDcaAmCfI=/0x0:3238x2158/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/6de2f8d9-fc8a-4b72-9627-cb4a7fc679d6/30e915cd-9376-435d-bb2a-1d564935b2f4/6de2f8d9-fc8a-4b72-9627-cb4a7fc679d6.jpg)
![thumbnail: La Mer The Deep Purifying Mask, €180, arnotts.ie](https://cdn.statically.io/img/focus.independent.ie/thumbor/QDvI7KF_RsjvRyGzsjATdR4d0Mw=/0x29:1120x775/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/3018d36c-85bd-4ee1-98d3-e86b585968a6/c5f959e7-47b9-4605-abca-180b45744614/3018d36c-85bd-4ee1-98d3-e86b585968a6.jpg)
We all know I’m a right cheeky monkey! So let’s talk about what makes me blush. Heads outta the gutter, guys, we’re keeping it PG on here. I absolutely adore blusher; I’d go so far as to say it’s my desert-island product. As I’ve got older, I’ve noticed how it also adds a bit of youth.
Now, can we talk about the rosy cheeks that were all over the 2024 Met Gala this year because the theme was ‘The Garden of Time’. As a nod to the roses blooming everywhere, guests like Gigi Hadid and Tyla went heavy on the blush.
The good news is it’s easy to recreate the doll-like, rosy-pink cheeks trending this summer as there are lots of lovely new products on the market.
For a really good glow, I love MAC Glow Play Cushiony Blush in Totally Synced (€34, boots.ie), which comes in 13 shades and provides a buildable pop of colour. It has a host of skin-loving ingredients (jojoba, grape-seed oil, vitamin E) so it’s great for your skin as well.
Fenty Beauty Hot Cheeks Baked Blush, €27, brownthomas.com
Fenty Beauty, now available in Brown Thomas, has a great new blusher, the Fenty Beauty Hot Cheeks Baked Blush (€27, brownthomas.com), which has a creamy, velvety texture and is infused with hyaluronic acid. It’s a blush and highlighter that comes in three peachy pink shades with golden shimmer that works for all skin tones.
Another multi-use product that I love is the Gen See Clean Sheen Cheek + Lip Color in Plum (€25, genseebeauty.com), which gives you a natural, glowing flush that is perfect for summer vibes. It’s a buildable, blendable colour for cheeks and lips, and it can be used to create everything from a sheer wash to a dramatic pop of colour — great for packing on holidays.
Another exciting new launch this month is the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Liquid Highlighting Blush (€29.95, lookfantastic.ie). There are five shades and they come in a blendable gel-cream formula that blurs fine lines and imperfections, and leaves your skin supple and glowing.
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And finally, Pippa O’Connor has nailed it again with Poco Beauty Cheek Haze (€23, pocobeauty.com), which gives a soft-focus effect and a three-dimensional matte finish. Available in five shades, it features ultra-pure pigments to deliver a blush that can be built up from a sheer haze to a burst of colour. It contains marshmallow root, rice bran and liquorice root to brighten your skin and reduce hyperpigmentation, too.
So go forth and embrace blusher — I guarantee everyone will be peachy keen on you.
Use dry shampoo — on your feet!
TRICK
Use dry shampoo — on your feet! I love something that doubles up as something else, especially when travelling. So you know the way dry shampoo absorbs sweat and grease from your gruaig? Keep your feet sweet and use it on them to prevent them from slipping, especially when wearing heels in the heat! And don’t forget to wash it off once you get home.
La Mer The Deep Purifying Mask, €180, arnotts.ie
TREAT
La Mer The Deep Purifying Mask, €180, arnotts.ie La Mer is so luxe (that’s a foreword for expensive!) but this mask cleanses deep down to remove impurities, minimising the pores’ appearance, while infusing the skin with soothing nutrients. It leaves your skin soft and glowing, and comes with a brush for precise application, together with a sponge to remove any residue.
Swiss Oxygen Treatment, The Spa at The Shelbourne From €220, theshelbourne.com
TREATMENT
Swiss Oxygen Treatment, The Spa at The Shelbourne From €220, theshelbourne.com Hot in the city? Why not try the 75-minute Swissline facial that stimulates, strengthens and purifies the skin, and is the ultimate antidote to a tired, lifeless-looking complexion. The treatment is designed to address the toll that an urban lifestyle takes on the skin, and wakes up your skin’s aerobic capacity to absorb nutrients.
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