Rachel Weingarten is working on a needlepoint in her Brooklyn home. It’s a portrait of a woman shrouded in sunglasses. The New York skyline sparkles in the lenses as a reminder of the before: meetings and dinners and flirting with cute strangers. “She represents something I’m going through,” says the culture writer. “I made the hair a maze of texture to reflect the swirl of thoughts I have during the pandemic.”

But something feels off … “I keep looking at her face and thinking, ‘She needs blush.’”

Don’t we all. It turns out being cooped up for more than a year — death lurking beyond the door, angst simmering on inside — isn’t the best for anyone’s visage. We’re exhausted and we look it. Maybe it’s no coincidence blush seems to be everywhere lately, from the Regency rosiness of Daphne Bridgerton to the scarlet flushes of social media stars.

The first time Nikki DeRoest did Addison Rae’s makeup, the queen of TikTok appraised the finished product, then asked: “Can you put some blush on my nose?” “It’d never even dawned on me to do that,” says the makeup artist.

And that’s coming from someone who spotlights her go-to blushes in an Instagram series called “Cheek of the Week.” Even she is surprised by the resurgence of rouge. “I’ve always been a cheek girl,” says DeRoest. “But it kind of wasn’t a thing for a while.”

In recent years, as contour conquered our complexions, blush took a bit of back seat. When Fenty Beauty came into the world in 2017, it featured an assortment of highlighters and sculpting sticks — but no blush. In fact, Cheeks Out, Fenty’s first-ever blush, only made its debut in 2020.

Nowadays, a buzzy blush can spark as much excitement as a sneaker drop. Saie’s Dew Blush has sold out five times since its March release. After taking lipstick to luxe new heights, Hermès just unveiled its hotly anticipated followup: a blush turned objet d’art that retails for $103. Then there’s Pat McGrath, known in the industry as “Mother Makeup,” who this month will be releasing her “most requested launch ever.” You guessed, it: a blush.

“I think our quest for beautiful flushed skin is a gentle backlash to all the fakeness we see on so-called ‘reality’ TV,” posits Weingarten. “The aggressive contour, the perfect lighting — we don’t want that anymore. I think there’s an authenticity we’re looking for now.”

Indeed, the pandemic has compelled many of us to take stock. Who do we want to be when this is over? Often, the answer hints at a return to the simpler things: more time with loved ones, more time in nature. Chiselled cheeks seem out of place in that bucolic future. A flush feels right.

For starters, it’s incredibly flattering; “the quickest way to look fresh and awake,” says DeRoest. Then there’s the symbolism: blood rushing to the surface of skin after you’ve been outside or had a good laugh or made love. Even the application seems poetic: smile then swirl.

“Rosy cheeks have long been a sign of health and wellness,” says beauty historian Gabriela Hernandez. The ancient Egyptians rubbed red ochre, the aristocrats of the Middle Ages dabbed a stain made of strawberries. When cosmetics were frowned upon in Victorian times, women resorted to pinching their cheeks. Now, in 2021, it’s all about a band of blush bridging the cheeks and nose à la Addison Rae. So high on the face, it even peers over your mask.

“A flush has always been desirable,” says Hernandez. But if you’re petrified of getting sick, there’s extra incentive to look healthy. “Most of the time, history seems to work that way,” she says. During the bubonic plague, for instance, people avoided venturing outside for fear of falling ill. Their skin turned ghostly, so they used makeup to perk themselves up. Sound familiar?

“I think it’s a quest to come back to the land of the living,” says Weingarten. Pink cheeks feel like the antidote to the pallor — both of our skin and spirit. It’s like that needlepoint portrait she’s working on, her “thread and floss alter-ego,” she calls it. “She’s mirrored me during the past few months and we definitely both need blush.”

THE PROS SHARE HOW TO GET CHEEKY

Placement: “Right now, we’re seeing a lot of people wearing their blush a lot higher, almost where you’d normally put highlighter,” says DeRoest. That’s a great option if you’ve got a rounder face or simply want to give yourself a little lift, as it trains the eye upward and creates a youthful look. But don’t be afraid to play around and figure out what works best for you, says the makeup artist. “I have more of a narrow face, so I tend to wear my blush a little lower because I want to fill out the centre of my face.”

Texture: Creams are definitely having a moment. Hernandez attributes their success to our current desire to look natural and radiant. “If you’re doing a dewy look, you don’t want to use powder to deaden the sheen,” she explains. Many people also find cream easier to apply, but if that’s not your case, there are plenty of innovative powders that manage to serve up a second-skin finish. Pat McGrath’s new blush, for example, is infused with conditioning ingredients to make it light and silky. Another option is to layer a bit of powder blush over a cream one for a long-lasting look.

Colour: How do you pick a flattering blush shade? The easiest way, Hernandez says, is to follow the lead of Victorian women and pinch your cheeks to see what colour they turn. “That’s the colour that’ll look most natural on you,” she says. But why limit yourself to just one shade? “I always say that everyone needs a blush wardrobe,” says DeRoest. It should include at least three options, she explains: that aforementioned neutral hue for every day, a pink shade with some blue or purple in it for when you’re doing a cool-toned makeup look, and a peach or coral for days when you’re rocking warmer makeup.

Application: Creams can easily be buffed in with your finger, but a flat, dense brush can also work. For powders, look for a brush that’s fluffier. And here’s a great trick for anyone who’s got stuff they’d like to cover on their cheeks, like dark spots or pimples: Apply your blush after your foundation but before your concealer to avoid moving it around. “If you conceal your entire face and then you put on a cream blush, you’ll be like, ‘I just wasted my time,’” says DeRoest. Instead, go in with some concealer on a tiny eyeliner brush after you’ve put on your blush to diffuse anything you want to make disappear. Finish by grabbing the brush you had your blush on and lightly tapping it over top.

SHOP THE TREND

Hermès Rose Hermès Silky Blush Powder in Rose Pommette, $103, hermes.com

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Hermès Rose Hermès Silky Blush Powder in Rose Pommette, $103, hermes.com

This cheery pink is designed to evoke “the rosy-cheeked glow of emotion.” Perfection!

Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush in Dreamy, $29, sephora.ca

Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush in Dreamy, $29, sephora.ca

The blush that keeps selling out. Hurry! This cool berry shade is still available on sephora.ca.

Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush in Nearly Rose $27, sephora.ca

Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush in Nearly Rose $27, sephora.ca

It melts into skin in seconds, imparting a pretty wash of soft-focus colour.

Merit Beauty Flush Balm in Raspberry Beret, $36, meritbeauty.com

Merit Beauty Flush Balm in Raspberry Beret, $36, meritbeauty.com

“It makes you look so fresh,” Miranda Kerr has said of Merit Beauty’s Flush Balm. Her go-to shade “Cheeky” is currently sold out at Sephora, but you can still get your hands on it through Merit’s website.

Hourglass Vanish Blush Stick in Revel, $58, hourglasscosmetics.com

Hourglass Vanish Blush Stick in Revel, $58, hourglasscosmetics.com

It blends like a dream and stays put throughout the day.

Tower 28 BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Happy Hour, $26, sephora.ca

Tower 28 BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Happy Hour, $26, sephora.ca

More like a balm than a cream, it looks stunning on both cheeks and lips.

Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush in Cherish, $46, available soon on sephora.ca

Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush in Cherish, $46, available soon on sephora.ca

The one we’ve all been waiting for. Pat McGrath made sure the entire range was universal. “You don’t need to worry about picking the right shade,” she tells The Kit. “Just have fun. Makeup is about play!”

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Katherine Lalancette is the beauty director of The Kit, based in Toronto. She writes about beauty and trends. Reach her on email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter: @kik_tweets

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