Summer is not made for crisp cat-eye flicks or a contoured cheek with tidy edges. So rather than fight the makeup melt, why not lean into it with the viral blurred makeup trend? Beauty founders and icons Victoria Beckham and Hailey Bieber are both already in on the act, proving it's a look that's here to stay.
As the name implies, blurred makeup is an effect that draws on blurry, balmy textures. Rather than aiming for precision, pigments are dabbed on with fingers and appear gently lived in. "Think of a watercolour painting that blurs all the colours together," says makeup artist Caroline Barnes. It's makeup in its soft-girl era and, despite being so low-maintenance, it looks incredibly pretty on all skin tones and ages.
"Sun that's high in the sky can cause harsh shadows on our faces, especially at midday," Barnes notes. "It can also create bright, harsh highlights. Blurred makeup, with its tinted and stain-y finishes, is so much more flattering as it softens those hard edges. And, unlike high-shine powders, the pigments won’t break up in the heat and look patchy."
© InstagramAs if proving the point, Victoria Beckham posted a flushed skin tutorial on Instagram, using her new blush stick to scribble a heart on her cheeks before using her fingers to blend it in. While Hailey Bieber simply swipes her Rhode Pocket Bronzer over the bridge of her nose and high points of her face before buffing it in with a brush.
Tempted to try it? We show you how to recreate the blurred makeup trend and still be on the right side of shiny.
A buttery base
Dipping into the trend, I've swapped out my heavy layers of base for a veil of tinted SPF. Ilia Sun Serum Mineral Sunscreen SPF50, £40, and the La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAIR Serum Sunscreen SPF50+, £27, both feel weightless and lay down a sheer layer of pigment that feels more like tinted moisturiser than SPF. If you're still wedded to foundation, try Refy's Skin Base, £30, a lightweight formula with a dewy, buildable finish that doesn't cake in the heat.
You could equally skip base altogether and simply use a few dots of concealer to correct where necessary. Laura Mercier has relaunched the cult Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector, £29, which is not only waterproof but also features three shades – neutral, warm and cool – that can be mixed as desired.
If you prefer a liquid, I've been road-testing the new Clarins Skin Illusion All-in-One Concealer, £29, which is expert at covering redness, pigmentation and dark circles depending on how much coverage you need.
Finally, rather than automatically reach for powder, try using blotting paper on your T-zone to mop up excess oil.
Next-to-natural bronzed skin
There's a certain Goldilocks approach to bronzer: too creamy, and it performs a vanishing act after a few hours; too powdery and it looks less like authentically tanned skin.
Thankfully, today's cream bronzers have come a long way in terms of texture and staying power, with Rhode Pocket Bronze, £25, leading the charge for swift, fuss-free application on the go without any greasy residue.
© InstagramSummer Fridays' Bronzer Butter Balm, £30, feels so buttery you could glide a knife through it. Use the velvety balm all over, or as a summer contour in the hollows of the cheeks and around the hairline.
According to makeup artist Gucci Westman, when it comes to bronzer that mimics the sun, "you need to use multiple tones to make it feel real." Her Westman Atelier Sun Tone Bronzing Crème, £69, is a bronzing duo comprising two shades. In a YouTube video demonstrating the application, she takes the cooler tone and blends it along the cheekbones, patting the colour under the eyes, too, "so it doesn't feel too makeup-y," she says. Westman then layers the warmer, more golden shade over the top, applying it to the apples of the cheeks, across the bridge of the nose and temples to add dimension. Watch the video below...
Sun-flushed cheeks
Rather than graphic '80s draping to carve out cheekbones, the modern way to wear blush is as a barely detectable flush that mimics a rush of blood to the face.
One option is to lean on cream blush. In much the same way as a bronzer, Barnes recommends mixing a couple of colours together, concentrating the lighter shades on the tops of the cheeks "to create shape".
There's no shortage of excellent textures to achieve the look. The Victoria Beckham Beauty Blush Stylus, £38, could be mistaken for a crayon, which is no accident. It's designed for drawing on your cheeks (and even on your eyes), adding a line across the bridge of your nose and buffing the sheer colour in with a brush for a hazy finish.
For an ethereal watercolour blush effect, look no further than Lisa Eldridge's best-selling Velatura Balm Dewy Lip and Cheek Stick, £27, or for a more natural, outdoorsy flush, place Sculpted by Aimee's Cream Luxe Blush, £18, lower on the cheeks.
If your skin is especially oily, Eldridge recommends "mixing cream blush with concealer. Alternatively, make sure you have a bit of foundation on your brush when applying cream blush" as it gives it something to cling to.
Alternatively, use a long-wear liquid lipstick on your cheeks, says Barnes, who recommends Stila's Stay All-Day Liquid Lipstick, £21. Or apply a cheek stain. "I like Sacheu's Cheek Stay-N, £18. Tap it on with a damp sponge and you can always add a cream blush over the top."
A diffused lip
Made famous by celebrity makeup artist Nina Park, 'blurred lips', also known as 'cloud lips', are the equivalent of a plump, smudged-out, just-snogged pout.
Creating the look involves a little prep. "Apply a primer such as Trinny London Miracle Blur Diffuser, £28, over the lips to create a smooth surface," advises Barnes. If you're using your regular lipstick, "apply one layer, blot to remove the excess, and take a soft fluffy brush and buff, buff, buff. To prevent feathering, don't spread it too far to the edge of the lip with the first application. Instead, reapply and, using a cotton bud, push the pigment to the edge of the lip so it has a bit of graduation, but it doesn't look too dispersed or like you've just eaten a punnet of strawberries."
© AFP via Getty ImagesThere are also lip products that already have that blurred texture so you can simply use your fingers to work the formula from the centre of your lips to the outer edges for a diffused finish.
Soft matte washes are, by their very nature, blurry and won’t leave any hard edges. Good formulas include the Merit Beauty Signature Lip Blush, £25, and Violette_Fr Bisou Balm, £31. Or, for a product that feels more like the lovechild of lipstick and lip balm, try Hourglass Phantom Blur Balm, £36.
Here's wishing you a relaxed, blurred summer.
