Brow mapping, draping, lip blushing… It feels as though a buzzy new beauty term is coined every five minutes, and while I take most of them with a pinch of salt, a select few have eventually become de rigueur in my daily routine.
This July, I can’t get enough of “blonzing”, and unlike most fleeting beauty trends, this one is sticking around for summer. How do I know that? It’s earned the seal of approval from makeup artist and fashion week fixture, Fara Homidi.
What is blonzing?
The portmanteau is a blend of blushing and bronzing, which Homidi says mimics the look of an after-sun flush. But this isn’t the sunburned blush look that recently had TikTok’s makeup lovers in a chokehold; sun damage is never cute. Instead, think of blonzing as how your skin looks after catching the sun on vacation (responsibly, of course), then loading up on blush — concentrated across the nose and cheeks — before heading out to dinner. Neither the technique nor the term is especially new, but with a wave of hybrid products landing this summer, blonzing is having another moment.
You could simply double up on your bronzer and blush, but to take the guesswork out of nailing the right color combination for your skin tone, a handful of brands are unveiling dedicated “blonzers” — products that combine the toasty tones you’d typically associate with bronzer alongside the pink, red, and purple pigments you’d usually find in blush compacts.
What are the benefits of blonzing over bronzing?
Blonzing, without getting actual sun, is the new luxury, says Homidi. “Blonzing gives you that effortless look of having the luxury of spending endless days outside — perhaps on a beach somewhere tropical or riding a bike with your partner,” she tells me. “It’s the look of ‘nature-made’ makeup.”
Homidi says she never feels or looks as good as when she’s a little sun-kissed (“wearing sunblock, of course!”). And, considering sun safety is important, she sees blonzing as a risk-free way to fake it. Even if you’re a self-tan advocate, because we wash our faces more frequently, the color tends to fade quicker, so blonzing is an easy fix. Blonzing also lends makeup more dimension, rather than the flat, two-dimensional effect you can sometimes get with bronzer alone.
How do you blonze?
There are two ways to blonze. First, using the blush and bronzer you already have. Second, investing in a dedicated blonzer, like Homidi’s Essential Blonzer Compact.
“The best way to make your blush and bronzer look natural is to apply the bronzer first, in the areas the sun naturally hits, such as your forehead, outer parameters of the face, and chin,” says Homidi. Anything goes, whether it’s a cream or powder product — whatever your personal preference. The blush placement requires a slightly different approach: “Apply the blush on the inner parts of the face, high on your cheeks and nose, and connect them to the bronzer so you can’t see where one begins and the other ends,” she adds.
Homidi’s number one makeup artist tip for a truly seamless, believable result is priming the brush — a technique you might have heard celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes praise on Instagram. “Priming the brush involves swirling the brush into the powder or cream and then buffing it into the palm of your hand to evenly disperse the product through the bristles before applying,” says Homidi. This makes application more controlled and intentional. She adds: “Then all you do is slowly build the intensity in layers on the face for a soft-focus finish,” rather than a blocky or streaky look.
The Essential Blonzer Compact makes light work of blonzing, and while it’s technically a pressed powder, it’s so lightweight it applies and blends as easily as a liquid or cream blush. I like to plunge a large brush, namely Charlotte Tilbury’s Bronzer & Blusher Brush, into the compact, tap off the excess, and dab it onto my cheeks, nose, chin, temples, and forehead until I’ve reached my desired saturation — which is a lot. What can I say, I have blush blindness.
Since blonzing, rather than applying either blush or bronzer, I’ve never received so many compliments on my makeup. People ask me if I’ve been away to the Mediterranean (I wish), and at a recent event, a beauty brand founder pulled me aside to ask if I’d had work done recently, which I’m sure is a testament to blonzing’s sculpting abilities.
What are the best makeup products for blonzing?
Homidi says that blonzed looks can be created with both cream and powder formulas. “My Essential Bronzer and Blonzer formulas are hybrid powder-to-creams, which melt into your skin but have the staying power of a powder — key in the summer heat,” she says. An expert in color theory, Homidi developed three real-to-life shades of both products to suit a wide range of complexions.
Besides Homidi’s Blonzer Compact, I’ve combined Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Matte Bronzer with the Beauty Highlighter Wand in deeper pink tones for sculpting and definition. If you’d rather not think about layering, I also love the Kosas Impressionist Multistick Cream Blush, which combines the earthy shades you’d typically associate with bronzer and the pink or red tones used in blush for a more uniform, sun-dappled look.
Lastly, a spritz of setting spray keeps everything under lock and key, whether you’re using cream or powder products. Try Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix 24HR Hydrating Setting Spray, which further boosts the radiance of a sun-warmed look.
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