Welp, We Definitely Didn’t See This TikTok Beauty Trend Coming

Blush is having a major moment in 2022 (and psst, we predicted it back in December). Whether we’re falling in love with specific shades like purple and orange or applying it beyond the cheeks (a la this undereye concealer hack), blush continues to be the MVP of our makeup bags these days. The latest blush trend to grace our TikTok feeds, however, surprised us—at least initially.

Enter: Black blush, which doesn’t actually leave a dark finish on your skin. Once applied, the color adapts to your skin’s pH, so you end up with a shade that fits your complexion. If you have fair skin, the blush will morph into a rosy pink flush. Whereas if you have medium to dark skin, you may see a deeper berry shade instead. Ah, we love science.

Back in 2017, black blush first took the beauty world by storm when Lipstick Queen, an Australian makeup brand, launched one of the very first black blushes on the market: Black Lace Rabbit Cream Blush.

Five years later, the color is making waves on the internet again, specifically on TikTok. In May, creator @youngcouture went viral for trying a dupe of the popular blush (aka the Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers Color Icon blush that's currently sold out everywhere) and surprised her followers with the results. She was hesitant at first, before seeing the color change before her eyes. “Wait a minute, this is actually so beautiful,” she said. “It turned into this beautiful mauve color. The black is gone. What do you guys think? I’m kind of digging this.”

Soon after, popular creators like @yannalinna and @seananthony were also taking a stab at the dark hue. The reviews were mixed. Others found the blush to be a bit greasy or too pigmented to add to their regular rotation “I feel like it’s just making my makeup look muddy…it looks muddy. [My skin] looks bruised or burnt,” assessed one creator.

If you’re ready to jump on the trend, treat black blush like any other shade. If it’s a cream or liquid formula, use your fingers for a smoother application. If it’s a powder, use a makeup brush to apply a light dusting. On that note: Use the striking pigment sparingly, because as creator @roseandben mentioned in her review, a little goes a long way.

Oh, and while you can certainly apply black blush to the usual spots (i.e. the apples of your cheeks), you can also try the shade-shifting shade in place of your usual contour or bronzer as well. And hey, let’s not forget the sunburnt tiktok trend either.

Now who’s ready to dabble in some color-changing makeup magic?