The days of peachy warm-toned blushes are over. While celebrities like Selena Gomez and J-Lo have long favored coral blushes for red carpet events, things are changing in 2024. TikTokers have begun experimenting with purple blush, rendering cool-toned blushes a hot-ticket item both on TikTok and in stores. From Dior’s iconic Rosy Glow Blush to viral K-beauty-inspired pale pink blushes, cool-toned blushes have become a must in every makeup lover’s collection. And once you track down the best cool-toned blush for you, it’s sure to become the most-loved item in your makeup rotation—until you have to run out and buy a new one.
Cool-toned blushes have blueish undertones, while warm-toned blushes have reddish undertones. Makeup experts have historically claimed that people with warm-toned skin should wear cool-toned blush, and people with cool-toned skin should wear warm-toned blush. But cool-toned blushes have become so popular that everyone is wearing them, no matter their undertone.
While cool-toned blushes look different on everyone, they tend to flatter every skin tone. They also pop far more than warm-toned blushes do. Where a coral blush may blend into your skin and act like a bronzer, a cool-toned blush is more likely to bring color to your cheeks. (While I was once a peach blush stan, I’ve been have converted and will never pick up a blush that isn’t cool again.)
While countless TikTok tutorials have led to a higher demand for cool blush shades, there is still a clear gap between the number cool-toned and warm-toned blushes on offer. A lot of brands miss out on answering to us cool girlies when it comes time to release a new blush.
Wanting a bit of variety in blush shades doesn’t seem like asking for too much. While we know cool pink and purple blushes will never replace classic corals, why exclude cool shades entirely? To brands like Dior and Glossier that are paving the way for cool-toned blushes, we cool-toned-lovers thank you.
With so many people advocating for cool-toned blushes, brands are sure to give us more options soon enough. But while you’re patiently waiting for your favorite brand to make a cool-toned blush, just know that there are already so many great ones that you don’t have to wait to try. No matter if you love powder or liquid blush (or both like me), there is a cool-toned blush out there for you.
