I have to admit this—when I came across a picture of Fenty Beauty’s Drama Cla$$ blush (a true lavender-purple hue), I wondered to myself, “Can anyone actually pull this off?” But then, in the very next minute, a glamour-oozing picture of Rihanna popped up on my feed, leaving me almost speechless. She was flaunting pretty-in-purple cheeks, making me believe that purple blush can be a thing for everyone, for every skin tone.
It has been one of the most rapidly escalating trends in recent times, all thanks to TikTok’s beauty squad, where it stemmed from. Did you know that #PurpleBlush has successfully garnered a whopping 22 million views on TikTok (as of March 2022) and counting, while the hashtag boasts over a thousand posts on Instagram? When I think about the driving forces behind the product’s mega cult, it boils down to the versatility and eccentricity, ticking the boxes of both—minimalists and e-girls respectively.
A blush, formerly known as ‘rouge,’ is one of the most primordial make-up products—it’s the OG. And yet, newer, smarter and more innovative editions and adaptations are thrown at consumers from time to time. From using floral extracts (the ancient classic way) to powders, creams, sticks and now distinctive colour variants, there’s a lot to help you ace your blush game. As an avid make-up consumer, I am forced to ruminate on the USPs of a purple blush in a world full of pinks, reds, corals and berries. “The best part about a purple blush is that it has the same effect, the same look on all skin tones,” says Florian Hurel, celebrity make-up artist.
“THE BEST PART ABOUT A PURPLE BLUSH IS THAT IT HAS THE SAME EFFECT, THE SAME LOOK ON ALL SKIN TONES”Florian Hurel
Prasanthy Gurugubelli, founder of homegrown make-up brand Daughter Earth, who recently launched the much-coveted product, also shares the same claim, “We have tested it on various skin tones, from fair to deep, and unlike any other shade of pink or brown, purple complements all skin tones.” She also highlights the vantage point for Indian skin tones, “This is because purple offsets the sallow and dull-looking yellow (undertone) in our skin tones. This is more so with Indian skin tones, making it the perfect shade for us.” Explaining how and why, she says, “There’s a whole lot of science behind it. Purple enhances the contrasts (in your complexion) without having to add any lights. This is why yellow lights on display panels are offered by adding purple wavelengths to them. The same logic applies to the face too, giving a nice contrast, especially to deeper skin tones. With purple, the challenge to sculpt and contour deeper skin tones is also alleviated. Additionally, it gives a visible, flushed-from-within look. While some pinks look not-so-natural on deeper skin tones, purple gives that just-after-a-run kind of look.”
When every second beauty video on TikTok and Instagram featured Nudestix’s Moodie Blu blush, I knew this was leading to something bigger. Content creators from across ethnicities, flaunting diverse skin tones, quickly jumped on the bandwagon, approving the product and corroborating the hype. “The purple blush trend came into the limelight when beauty creators raved about it on multiple social media platforms. Unlike pink and coral blushes that add a sunkissed look to your face, purple blush will make your features appear more snatched and sculpted,” states Hurel.
Today, just like other colour (and sub-colour) families, there’s a purple for everyone. While lighter lilacs and lavenders complement fairer complexions, richer (aubergine-like) purples will work best with deeper skin tones. “It took quite a few iterations to nail the perfect purple. We started with deeper purples to magentas and figured that this particular shade of purple gives the most natural look,” shares Gurugubelli. Soon after purple blush became the ‘it’ thing, the market was chock-full of them in different formulations. Clinique’s powder-based Cheek Pop Blush in Pansy Pop and Danessa Myricks’ liquid-based Vision Flush Blush in Grape are two other standouts in addition to the aforementioned ones.
Despite all the fanfare that purple blushes have earned, I have to confess that I’m not completely sold; after all, it wears like a more natural flush (of pink) than a stark purple. But then, I (and the experts too) agree that that’s exactly what makes it unique—striking in the pan, but healthy and natural on the skin. So I’m happy to contradict what I said at the start and join the fan club because it’s always a good idea to own one such make-up product that’s universally flattering, right?
Hurel has some application tips to share. “It's all about the placement,” he says. “Rather than just applying it to your cheeks, sweep it onto the high points of the cheekbones and add a light touch onto the nose to tie the look together, resulting in a naturally sun-kissed effect.” Gurugubelli adds, “By applying in the hollows of your cheeks as well, you can define the look and give a contour.” Hurel doesn’t recommend applying a powder (purple) blush on tacky skin and emphasises on blending it out well.