Confirmed by MUAs: Hollywood's Best-Kept Beauty Secret Involves *This* Unconventional Blush Placement
Our take
The beauty landscape is perpetually evolving, a fascinating dance between heritage and innovation. While some trends burn bright and fade quickly, others represent a subtle recalibration of established techniques, a refinement that speaks to a deeper understanding of form and effect. The recent buzz surrounding unconventional blush placement—specifically, the strategic application higher on the cheekbones and temples, championed by the likes of Zendaya, Alix Earle, and Ciara Miller—falls firmly into the latter category. It’s not a radical departure, but rather a considered adjustment to a classic technique, reflecting a broader shift towards a more sculpted, lifted, and ultimately, modern aesthetic. This movement echoes similar shifts we’ve observed in other areas of beauty, like the renewed interest in minimalist lip looks – exemplified by the current obsession with “Let your lips do the talking,” as demonstrated in Hailey, Sadie and Kaia All Agree That This Is the Coolest Way to Wear Your Lipstick Right Now – and the sophisticated resurgence of the French manicure, proving that elegance is always in style 6 French Manicure Trends That Will Be on the Most Elegant of Hands This Autumn.
The historical context is also worth noting. Blush, a cosmetic staple dating back to Ancient Egypt, has seen countless iterations throughout history, each reflecting the prevailing beauty ideals of the era. The current trend moves away from the more traditionally applied blush, often concentrated on the apples of the cheeks, which can sometimes appear youthful or even slightly cartoonish. Instead, this higher placement creates a subtle, almost imperceptible lift, mimicking the effect of contouring without the harshness. It’s a technique that prioritizes sculpting and definition, emphasizing bone structure and creating a more elongated, refined face shape. The influence of makeup artists like Ernesto Casillas, who has skillfully employed this technique for Zendaya on numerous red carpet appearances, has undoubtedly accelerated its mainstream adoption. The key is subtlety – a light hand and a seamless blend are paramount to achieving the desired effect, avoiding any appearance of over-application or artificiality.
Beyond the specific placement, this trend highlights a larger cultural shift within the beauty industry: a move away from overtly maximalist looks towards a more nuanced and sophisticated approach. Consumers, particularly those influenced by the understated elegance of European style, are increasingly seeking techniques that enhance natural features rather than masking them. This aligns with a broader desire for authenticity and a rejection of fleeting, highly-produced trends. The emphasis is on enhancing, not transforming; on creating a polished and effortless look that feels both timeless and modern. The recent focus on denim trends within the fashion world, and the way New York’s ‘It’ Girls are embracing them It Girls In New York Are Wearing These 3 Jeans Trends Right Now demonstrates this broader cultural shift toward understated chic. The beauty industry, ever responsive to these evolving preferences, is adapting accordingly.
Ultimately, the unconventional blush placement represents a clever evolution of a classic technique, reflecting a desire for a more sculpted, refined, and effortless beauty aesthetic. It’s a subtle shift, yet one with significant implications for how we approach makeup application and perceive beauty itself. The question now is, will this nuanced technique become a permanent fixture in our beauty routines, or is it simply the latest iteration in the ever-shifting landscape of cosmetic trends? It’s a development worth watching closely, as it could signal a lasting move towards a more sophisticated and intentional approach to beauty.
Beauty products that have existed since Ancient Egypt don't get frequent revamps. But when I caught wind that famed makeup artist Ernesto Casillas—responsible for Zendaya's striking red carpet glam at the premieres of Euphoria season 3, Spider-Man: Brand-New Day, and The Odyssey—may have been using blush below the neck on the actress's generational press run, I knew the category had been changed for good.
"Body blushing" is when subtle kisses of color are blended onto the high points of the body—think the shoulders or décolletage—to add dimension where bright camera flashes may blow out natural contours. "[It] brings additional depth and warmth to the body," celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard explains, while also creating harmony with the makeup look. Because why should your look stop at the jaw? "With blush on the chest and décolletage, it mimics a natural flush and lends a more romantic feel to a makeup look," he adds.
The look in question was Zendaya's angelic, glowy look from the New York City premiere of The Odyssey, where the star wore a statuesque gown by avant-garde fashion house Matières Fécales, complete with feathered wings for a fittingly godlike touch. Her skin, expertly enhanced with a bevy of Prada Beauty skincare and makeup products, was just one facet of this look that captured our attention. But once Casillas revealed that Prada's Touch Blushes in the shades Caffee (a burnished terra-cotta) and Cherry (a poppy red) were the culprits behind the Euphoria star's cherubic flush in an Instagram tutorial, I could only assume these were the same hues draped across her shoulders and chest, too.
Body blush was on my mind in the days following what instantly became one of the best red carpet looks of the year, but my fascination only grew when celebrity makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez recommended the same technique to a roomful of beauty editors and influencers at a master class in Montauk, New York. I sat in a plush chair applying Armani Beauty's new Dolci Blushes to my cheeks and temples—like a beauty amateur—when the arbiter of Sabrina Carpenter's most iconic blush looks told us she likes to apply the shade Cinnamon across her décolletage (and even her bosom, when she's feeling flirty). It was then that I knew we had a full-on beauty movement on our hands, and I was determined to spread the word.
"Body blushing gives a touch of life to the skin," says Gonzalez when I press her for more. "I think it’s the last step to achieving the perfect sun-kissed look—it really ties everything together." She indulges my inquisition about sneaky red carpet skin enhancements that the untrained eye might miss and confirms my theory: Almost everyone is wearing it. "I recently added a touch of body blush to Ellie Goulding for her newest music video, 'Ravers.' I’ve also recently added body blush to Alix Earle, AnnaSophia Robb, and Lux Pascal," she adds. Spickard strengthens this claim too when he tells me he's been applying cream blush below the neck on longtime client Ciara Miller for everything from the 2026 Oscars to her Love Island appearances. I could go on, but I'll get into the stuff you really want to read—like how can we layfolk re-create it without looking like we dozed off on the beach?
How to Apply Body Blush
The first thing to understand about body blushing is that placement is intentional—and that there is a fine line between achieving a goddess-level glow and the look of SPF-neglected bikini lines. "Whether it’s on your collarbones, chest, or maybe a little on your shoulders, it’s literally wherever the sun is going to touch you," says Gonzalez. "It makes you look like you’ve been on a beach vacation, giving you that beautiful summer glow." Her go-to spots are the "forehead, chin, collarbones, chest, bosom, and shoulders" for a cohesive makeup look.
Spickard goes for subtlety when he blends blush onto the body, and placement is key. "I place [it] right on the sternum, radiating outward. I’ll also sometimes hit the top of the shoulder," he explains. "Paired with a body glow, it just creates cohesion across the entire look."
Both makeup artists agree that cream blush is their medium of choice for this technique—which aligns with Casillas's Prada picks. Gonzalez personally recommends Armani Beauty's Dolci Blushes, a cream-to-powder matte formula that glides on as a balm. "My favorite shades to use for body blushing are 3 (Apricot), 4 (Cinnamon), and 5 (Mauve)," she shares. The makeup artist prefers to apply with either a foam beauty sponge or a full, fluffy blush brush to achieve "that natural, sun-kissed effect."
Spickard's body blush of choice is a budget-friendly pick from Maybelline (Cloudtopia in Toasted Sky, to be exact), which doubles as "blonzer," he tells me. (Bronzy blush, for the uninitiated.) However, he also oscillates between Milk Makeup's Lip & Cheek Stick in Werk (a shimmery, dusty rose) abd Perk (a glowy coral). Though the Makeup by Mario Blush Veil also gets play time in his kit. Spickard recommends using a "dense foundation brush" to achieve the most seamless blend across the body—making everyone wonder why your skin looks so good.
Shop Body Blush Products
The terra-cotta blush shade that Casillas used for Zendaya's glowy premiere glam.
The exact brush Spickard recommends for a seamless body blush blend.
The cream-to-powder formula that Gonzalez swears by.
A shimmery, hyaluronic acid–packed blush that Spickard trusts for a hydrated bodily glow.
A berry hue from Makeup by Mario that offers a juicy, jammy flush.
A fluffy brush that makes it easy to diffuse pigment across the skin.
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