This summer, blush was all the rage. In fact, blush has been one of the biggest makeup trends of the year, and many of us have been adopting the “more is more” approach. As a keen blush enthusiast and ever-curious beauty editor, I was intrigued to see whether we’d be reaching for the blusher this winter, too. So I reached out to Bernicia Boateng, leading makeup artist and Estée Lauder partner, for her expert opinion.
“I think blush has become such an essential part of everyone’s makeup routine that it’s no longer just a seasonal trend,” Boateng tells me. “We’ve moved away from blush being something that simply adds a little colour to the cheeks. It’s now a way to bring dimension, warmth and personality to the entire face.”
Summer was all about vibrant shades, but Boateng says winter will look a little different. “I think we’ll see people gravitating towards richer, more romantic tones. Think deep berries, plums, warm terracottas and beautiful rosy browns.” Below, Boateng shared the biggest blush trends to try this winter, and after researching them all, I think I’ve found a new favourite…
6 Biggest Winter Blush Trends for 2026
1. Blush Draping
First up: what Boateng calls ‘blush draping’. “I’m a big fan of using blush to sculpt the face,” she tells me. “Rather than concentrating the colour solely on the apples of the cheeks, we’ll see more blush swept upwards towards the temples, almost replacing traditional contour. It’s such a beautiful way to lift the face while keeping everything soft.”
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2. Berry-Stained Cheeks
“I think we’re going to see a lot of deep berry, wine and plum tones this winter,” says Boateng. “There’s something so beautiful about that naturally flushed, just-stepped-out-into-the-cold look. These shades are particularly gorgeous on deeper skin tones.”
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3. Blurred Blush
One of my favourite winter trends is ‘blurred blush’. “While I love a dewy complexion, I think we’re going to see a return to beautifully diffused, velvety blush finishes,” Boateng explains. “Nothing too harsh or overly pigmented, just a soft wash of colour that looks almost airbrushed. It’s timeless and incredibly flattering.”
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4. Monochromatic Makeup
“I absolutely love a cohesive makeup look,” says Boateng. “Using similar tones across the cheeks, lips and eyes creates such an expensive, polished finish. For winter, I’m thinking beautiful mauves, warm browns and muted rose shades.”
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5. The Winter Flush
You know when you’ve been out in the cold, and you finally come inside and your cheeks have that natural-looking flush? Well, that’s what this trend is all about. “[It’s] that soft, slightly rosy complexion that makes you look like you’ve just come in from a winter walk,” Boateng adds. “I think we’ll see a lot of blush applied across the cheeks and subtly over the bridge of the nose to create that fresh, youthful finish.”
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6. Blonzing
It might not be summer anymore, but blonzing is here to stay. “The combination of blush and bronzer is something I think we’ll continue seeing more of,” Boateng tells me. “It’s perfect for anyone who wants to maintain that warmth and glow throughout the colder months. I particularly love warm terracotta and reddish-brown shades for this.”
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