Blush is officially the hottest makeup product of 2024. New launches with unique textures, ingredients, and packaging seem to drop every day. Vogue Business reports that Rare Beauty sells a liquid blush every 9 seconds, generating a whopping $2 billion for the brand in 2023 alone. TikTok, with its 350 million #blush posts, confirms that consumers are clamoring for this product both online and in stores.
If you were a teenager after 2015, like me, you might be surprised to hear this. Back in my day, blush was relegated to grandma’s makeup bag. Matte bronzer reigned supreme, and contouring was all about the stone-cold look. But like everything in life, trends are cyclical, and the Y2K aesthetic revival has brought blush back with a vengeance. This time, however, it’s infused with skincare-worthy ingredients and a dewy finish that blends seamlessly.
Who embodied this trend better than the iconic Victoria’s Secret models? And who knows them better than Rose-Marie Swift, the legendary makeup artist who graced those iconic runway shows and founded RMS Beauty? With over 44 years of experience in beauty and editorial, Rose-Marie launched her brand in 2009, driven by a desire for clean, organic ingredients after facing health struggles. But her vision of true beauty has always remained the same: it should look natural.
Rose-Marie shares some of her best-kept secrets from the Victoria’s Secret era on TikTok, revealing how to achieve that coveted bronzed look sported by Miranda Kerr, Gisele Bündchen, and Alessandra Ambrosio. And no, it’s not the pink blush you might think.
“What people don’t know is that when I did Victoria’s Secret for years, they had to look very natural,” she explains in a TikTok video, divulging her blush trick. “People always think it was pink, but it was actually red. Because what red does is it gives depth and it looks more natural, like the tone your cheeks had when you were a little girl.” The goal is to mimic that sun-kissed flush on the high points of the face.
Rose-Marie’s favorite shade for achieving this look is Beloved from her Lip2Cheek collection, a multi-purpose product for all skin types that delivers color to both lips and cheeks with a hydrating finish. This vibrant hue is achieved with ultra-pigmented minerals and leaves that “glow-from-within” finish that few brands have successfully mastered.
According to Rose-Marie, the best way to apply this product is with your fingers. Warm the cream product between your fingertips and gently deposit it onto your cheeks, using upward strokes to build color as if someone just gave you a light pinch. The trick is to avoid applying it too close to your nose for a lifting effect.
Rose-Marie believes that this vibrant shade is far more seductive than pink, which she finds tends to look a bit washed out. Red, on the other hand, adds life to the face and instantly gives you that Victoria’s Secret model glow we all crave. So there you have it, the legendary makeup artist’s best-kept secret for achieving a sexy, angelic look.
