24 September 2025 |
It’s time to embrace the power of change—for your skin, body, hair, even your lifespan. Here, we present the facialists (and follicle spas!) to book, the makeup to master, and the biohacks to believe in. Plus, inspirational perfume creators and their must-spray scents.
from left: and Valentino FW25; the 10 shades of Glossier’s new Cloud Paint Plush Blush
The most versatile (and flattering) item in your makeup bag is finally reclaiming its rightful place.
Contouring? It nearly killed blush. For a time, blush took a backseat to sculptors, bronzers, and highlighters—but now, not only is it back, it’s resuming its role as the most important product in your makeup bag. After all, nothing can mimic vitality quite like a touch of rouge. Look at the Gen Z idol Addison Rae and her potent coquettish blush look in that addictive Diet Pepsi music video. Or Hailey Bieber’s (billion- dollar) flush, courtesy of her Rhode Pocket Blush, which she taps on the high apples of her cheeks and bridge of her nose with her perfectly manicured fingers.
The FW25 runways have taken note too. Just glance at the Burberry, Gucci, and Valentino shows—the last of which featured blush so bold, pigmented, and high on the cheekbones that you might feel an Eighties flashback coming on, especially when you hear the celebrity makeup artist Benjamin Puckey’s preferred application technique. “Blush is now being applied higher on the face, closer to the under eyes, and up toward the temples,” he says. But his inspo is far more modern, subdued, and international: “I love how Korean youth are wearing blush. They layer lighter and deeper tones to create depth and dimension. The trend is shifting from bright pops of color to more muted, skin-like shades that feel softer and more considered.”
Although methods and materials have changed, blush is a makeup-kit OG. Ancient Egyptians used ground ocher, while Tang dynasty ladies preferred the toxic but hypnotically bold cinnabar. In the Victorian era, modesty regulations required those seeking a flattering flush to take matters into their own hands: Either you gave your cheeks a hard pinch or surreptitiously painted on a homemade concoction gathered from Mother Nature (beets and berries worked wonders).
The innovative makeup artist and brand founder Isamaya Ffrench is leaning towards a sun-kissed, three-weeks-in-the- south-of-France flush. That translates to hues that are closer to your natural blush color and applied all over the face, from the cheeks to the eyelids and the bridge of the nose for a “really healthy, more modern take,” Ffrench says.
Don’t know where to start? A flurry of launches will leave you spoiled for choice. Just as Glossier’s Cloud Paint dominated the mid-2010s, the brand is hoping its new Cloud Paint Plush Blush could become the star of every vanity in this decade. The whisper-light, buildable color is still there, but instead of the paint-inspired packaging, Plush Blush comes in a sleek palette and an of-the-moment pillowy, velvety powder texture. And while powders are making a (rightful) comeback too, cream or liquid textures possess a je ne sais quoi quality that cannot be denied.
“I’ve been really into balmy, gel-based textures that melt into the skin,” says the celebrity makeup artist Nina Park, whose client list is a who’s who of glowing It girls. “It’s easy to tap on with your fingers and build with this kind of formula. It just becomes part of your complexion.”
To try this, consider Dior’s new take on a luminous-yet- matte liquid blush with Forever Blush Soft Filter. The blurred flush has a whipped, airy texture and comes with a doe-foot applicator, which makes painting on one of the 10 shades easier (and more fun) than ever.
However you want to play it, just know that “blush can shift the whole mood of a face,” Park says. “Sometimes it’s romantic and soft, sometimes it’s bold and sculptural. I like using blush to tell a subtle story by layering it under skin tint for that lit- from-within feeling or sweeping it along the cheekbone almost like contour but with more warmth and life.” See? Almost like contour. But better.
Taken from 10 Magazine USA Issue 05 – TRANSFORMATION, BIRTHDAY, EVOLVE – on newsstands September 18. Order your copy here.
Text KRISTIN LIMOGES
