I Tried TikTok’s Sunset Blush Trend So You Don’t Have To, Here’s My Verdict
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
Blush is definitely (one of) my Desert Island makeup must-have(s).
Not that I’d need it, of course, unless Captain Jack Sparrow was on said island. A girl’s gotta look her best, obviously.
Having fair skin, blush is essential for bringing warmth to my face so I look more, well, alive.
Even on no-makeup days, I’ll rarely leave the house without at least a swipe across my cheeks, nose and lids. And lips, in the case of Benetint.
So imagine my delight when, one unassuming night, I was scrolling TikTok in bed (shocker) when I stumbled across what I’m calling *the* blush trend of the year by a creator I follow (obsess over*), Alissa Janay.
I give you, ‘Sunset Blush’:
@alissajanay1 If only i was at the beach rn 🥲
♬ original sound - Alissajanay
In love? Same.
Sunset Blush is beauty’s cure for winter blues and the perfect look for a hot-girl summer under the European sun. (I wish.)
Naturally, I had to try it.
Here’s how everything went down.
What Is Sunset Blush?
As the name suggests, Sunset Blush is all about creating a vibrant, warm-toned flush on the cheeks that mimics the colours of a sunset sky.
It features a blended gradient of pink, orange and red hues for a sun-kissed, glowy effect.
For this look, it’s best to use liquid or cream formulas for a harmonious, skin-like finish. A dense brush or beauty sponge is also ideal to help you blend all the shades seamlessly.
You could add a touch of bronzer or contour below the blush to further sculpt and define the cheeks for a more sculpted look.
Otherwise, you’ll just need a pink blush, an orange/red blush (depending on your skin tone/style) and a highlighter.
How To Recreate The Sunset Blush Trend.
In her viral video, Alissa Janay starts by applying two pea-sized dots of the pink shade onto the highest points of her cheeks. She then applies two dots of the orange/red shade directly below the pink.
Next, Alissa Janay applies a swipe of highlighter above the blush and uses a brush to blend all three shades together for a radiant, seamless finish. Almost like the colours fade into each other.
For my take on Sunset Blush, I’m using the Huda Beauty Lip Blush Creamy Lip & Cheek Stain in the shades Apricot Kiss and Rosy Kiss.
My highlighter is the Dr Hauschka Illuminating Fluid 30ml.
Now, let’s get into it.
My Sunset Blush Verdict.
I’m moving this TikTok makeup from trend to mainstay from here on out.
Sunset Blush is such a fun and easy way to enhance your blush and add dimension to your makeup.
Did it cure my winter blues? Not quite (that’s a hard feat), but it certainly made me feel pretty and my skin brighter.
Sadly, I found the Huda Lip & Cheek Stain wasn’t the ideal choice for this look. While they both are lovely shades and have decent pigment, they dry rather fast so you have to move quickly to blend in the dots.
Alternatively, you could apply them onto the back of your hand first and use a blush brush to warm it up before applying it onto the skin.
Sunset Blush aside, the Huda Lip & Cheek Stain would be a great addition to your travel beauty bag for pigment that stays put throughout the day.
In their place, I used the Huda Beauty Cheeky Tint Blush Stick in the shades Coral Cutie and Rebel Red, which proved to be the perfect match.
Follow along to see me put together my Sunset Blush look in real-time.
Any of these cream blushes could potentially work too:
While the Huda sticks have a larger surface area than the stain, their creamy formula blends easily into the skin with buildable pigment so you can tailor the look to your taste – I for one am a big blush girl (if that wasn’t already obvious), so I like a healthy flush.
I also swiped the leftover product on the brush across my nose and lids to really lean into the sun-kissed vibe.
I then followed with the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Concealer in the inner corners of my eyes and diagonally along the top blush line to illuminate my under-eyes.
To round out my look, I couldn't help but add some faux freckles across my nose with my brow pencil NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil.
Followed by a swipe of a brand-new mascara I can't wait to tell you guys about... all in due time.
And there you have it, my take on Sunset Blush.
Now, time to go catch an actual sunset...
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