I Tried 3 Viral Blush Hacks To See If They Actually Work, And Ended Up With A Favorite Method (2025)

Truthfully, I was never much of a blush girly until the blush renaissance of the TikTok age. Suddenly, I was aware of blush-forward trends like the "Strawberry Girl Makeup," the "Crying Girl Makeup," and the "Blonzer" effect, and honestly, I wasn't mad about it. I've come to learn that when blush is done right, it adds dimension to the face and a warm, natural-looking glow (if natural is the look you're going for.) But the one thing that plagued me was how to apply it. There are just so many options! However, one of the great upsides of all the information we're inundated with these days is that there are opportunities to discover a new technique or style that really works for you. So, when I came across these three blush trends — the "Jelly Donut Blush," the "V" method, and the "Big V" method — I was excited to explore new blush possibilities and see if they would become a welcome addition to my beauty routine. They piqued my interest because of how the application process and results seemed accessible and attainable. They looked, to me, like a possible routine for even the most beginner beauty enthusiasts, and didn't require a million and one products. After all, the key to a good hack lies in its simplicity, no? Thus, as someone whose makeup routine has stalled over the years but loves a good beauty tip and is ready to up her blush game, I appointed myself to test these three viral blush trends to see if they deliver. Here we go! I first started with the "Jelly Donut Blush" trend. From the TikTok video above and dozens of other videos I've seen, it looks to promise a glowing, flushed look, which I love! As a dry-skin girly, I am a moth to the flame when it comes to beauty promises of: Shine! Dewy! Glowing! Here's what I used: A liquid highlighter, a liquid blush, and a dense, domed brush. I then used a beauty blender to pat everything down — but, I've also seen videos where people just used the tips of their fingers to blend and it looked great! I made a small circle on the apples of my cheeks with the liquid highlighter, then, in the middle, I added the "jelly" part — a dot of liquid blush. Then using the brush, I started to pat and blend down the liquid blush and highlighter. I followed it up with the beauty blender afterwards. The results: Next, I tested the "V" trend that helps with placement when applying blush. It helps to achieve two distinct beauty looks — a youthful or defined one. Here's what I used: A powder blush and two brushes — one soft and domed, and the other flat-topped and dense. I went for the youthful look first. I made a "V" shape with my index and middle finger and angled it to the apples of my cheeks. I applied the blush in the center of the "V," like so: Afterward, with the flat-topped brush, I blended the blush out. Otherwise, that section ends up too pigmented, resulting in an unfortunate...clownish effect. The results: Next, I tested the defined look. Again, I made a "V" shape with my index and middle finger, but this time angled it towards my cheekbones. I applied the blush along the tops of my cheekbones, like so: Blend, blend, blend. The results: Lastly, I tested the "Big V" method. I don't know what to call it, so this is what I'll name it for testing purposes. Using my index finger and thumb, I made a "Big V" (or a "checkmark" shape) and angled it to the apples of my cheeks and up my cheekbones. I applied the blush along my index finger, like so: Blend, blend, blend. The results: Conclusion: This trial was a lot of fun in experimenting with new techniques I never really gave myself the time to do. At the end of it, I'm glad I was able to take away new tips and application methods. I'm sure the "Big V" method will be how I'll angle my blush from now on, and when the occasion strikes, I'll be utilizing the "Jelly Donut Blush" method. As for the youthful "V" look, maybe it's time to let that one go. Overall, I appreciate blush a lot more now! Any other blush trends you've been coming across lately? Any blush advice to share? Drop them in the comments below! References