Toni Bravo isn’t just a beauty content creator - she’s the kind of voice that makes the online beauty space feel warmer. Known for her love of colour (blush is practically her signature), so much so she has been labelled the 'Blush Queen' by her loyal following. Toni blends vintage nostalgia with modern beauty, always keeping things playful but intentional. From raiding her mum’s beauty stash as a child with her twin sister, to creating glow-driven tutorials for an organic community that hangs onto her every word, her story is as much about joy and experimentation as it is about growth and self-reflection.
© @bonitravoWe sat down with Toni to chat about her ever evolving journey with beauty, why blush is such a powerful product for her, and how she manages to keep her signature glow intact.
When did you first fall in love with beauty?
I’ve always been a beauty girl. My mum was a huge beauty lover, she was really into lipsticks and perfumes. Growing up with a fraternal twin sister, we’d go through her closet, try on clothes and play around with her beauty products. I'm very similar to my sister, but we’re also very different. She’s actually a med student, so we live very different lives. But growing up, we would definitely explore beauty together but I think it stuck with me more than it did with her.
So, it started when I was really young in a very innocent way, and then as I got older, the rise of beauty creators on YouTube in 2015 and 2016 sparked my obsession with beauty. I’d go to the drugstore, buy whatever I could, and experiment with full glam looks - sometimes even for no reason other than fun! Then I took a little break when I got fatigued, but about two years ago, I found myself falling in love with beauty again. It’s been an on-and-off, but ultimately beautiful, relationship.
How has it felt to watch your profile and community grow so quickly?
It’s been really fast, but it’s also been very organic. I feel like I didn’t go into content creation with the intention of being a full-time creator. It kind of just happened and I think that’s what’s made it feel so exciting. I think because of that, it hasn’t felt overwhelming, it was just an organic, natural progression. I’m just really excited to see how my community grows. I'm so grateful for my online family.
For me, beauty has been an on-and-off, but ultimately beautiful, relationship.
How has your journey with beauty evolved over the years?
In my Substack, I've written a lot a lot about how working in beauty forces you to think a lot about your own perception of beauty because you're constantly seeing yourself as you're in front of the camera trying products. Ultimately, I do think I've always grown up with, thankfully, just being around a lot of women in my family that look like me, so my perception and idea of beauty has always been rooted in something that felt very stable and constant which I think is a really great foundation for it all. But I do think without that, it wouldn't be as stable. It's become more about making sure that my life feels as good as it looks to the world.
When you're work in beauty, it's very easy to become maybe borderline obsessed with the way that you look and the way you come across. Therefore, it's also easier to have these unhealthy or unsustainable ways of thinking about beauty and setting beauty standards for yourself. As much as I'm sharing external videos trying on products and saying I feel beautiful, I'm always trying to make sure that that feeling doesn't just start and end with the videos that I share.
Blush is such a big part of your look so much so you're called 'The Blush Queen' and has led to a Tower 28 collaboration. Why does this product mean so much to you?
I think blush used to scare me the most. Out of all the colour products, it was the one that I felt intimidated by. I started to work with it more because I wanted to get more comfortable with it. And then over time, I just found myself really loving it. Over time, I realised how many stories blush can tell through colour. Depending on the shade, the tone, how much you use, you can create a different look every single time. I've noticed that short form content has been so beautiful for that because blush and colour is something that can be so quick and so powerful. You see the difference immediately. So I think that’s why I fell in love with it.
How do you choose your blush shade each day?
It’s definitely mood based. I think about blush the way I think about fashion. Like what I’m wearing, how I’m feeling, what I want to highlight. And so I think it’s just become this thing where I have so many blushes, I need to pick one every day.
© Tower 28Do you apply blush anywhere beyond the cheeks?
Definitely. I love it over bronzer, on my eyelids, and even sometimes on my forehead for a monochromatic vibe. Some people use it on the lips too. There really are no rules with blush and I like to experiment.
When do you feel the most beautiful?
I feel most beautiful, honestly, in a few moments. One is when I’m really still when I’m at home and I’m not in front of the camera and I’m just in reflection mode. I think that’s when I feel most beautiful. And then the second is when I’m creating. When I look back at a video that I’ve made or a post that I’ve made, I think that’s when I feel most beautiful too, because I think it’s a reflection of my mind and my process.
Over time, I've realised how many stories blush can tell through colour. Depending on the shade, the tone and how much you use, you can create a different look every single time
What’s your everyday makeup look and how do you take it from day to night?
For me, daytime is very much about soft glam. I think I’ve learned over time that layering is so important. It looks more natural and it’s easier to build on. For night, I’ll usually add a little bit more powder. So, I’ll use a pressed powder under my eyes. I’ll add some more blush, maybe a cream blush or a powder blush. I’ll definitely do a little bit more mascara. Sometimes, I’ll even add a little bit of eyeliner, but I’ll do it in a very soft way and smudge it out. Then focus on the lips with a lip liner and maybe like a gloss - this is the perfect way to just take me from day to night.
Speaking of lips - what’s your go-to lip combo?
© @bonitravoI love a lip stain. I think it’s so beautiful because it’s so long-lasting. Right now, I’ve been loving the Huda Beauty Lip Stain. Then I also love the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb. I think the combination of the two is so beautiful because you get the colour payoff, but you also get the shine. Finally, I usually top it off with something hydrating. I love the Rhode lip products and the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. I think all together it’s just a really nice combination.
Your glow is also signature to your look. What are your tips for achieving it?
I think glow starts with skincare - hydration and recovery are key. The glow won’t happen if the base isn’t cared for. Toners are also really important in my routine, I use them all the time. With makeup, it's about balance and finding your ratio of creams, liquids, and powders. Too much cream can slide off and too much powder can look flat. I think when you find that right ratio, you just naturally get a glow.
And then I think with makeup, it’s really about balance. It’s about finding the right ratio of creams, liquids and powders. I think when you find that right ratio, you just naturally get a glow. I used to go really heavy with glowy primers. And then I realised sometimes it can be too much. So, now I’ll use a more soft matte primer, and then I’ll add glow through creams.
Which skincare products are you loving right now?
Right now, I’m really loving the Rhode Barrier Restore Cream. I think it’s so beautiful. I also love anything from the LAMD. I think their recovery line is amazing. And then I love The Ordinary. I think they just have really good affordable products. Toners are also so important for me. I use them all the time.
If your beauty bag could talk, what would it say about you?
I think it would also say that I love colour - there’s always going to be a lot of blush in my makeup bag.I also think it would say that I’m very dynamic and I’m not afraid to change.
Toni Bravo's Tower28 GetSet Matte Powder Blush shades are out now.
