The Jelly Donut Blush Trend Is Taking Over

No makeup product has had a better year than blush. Case in point: If you search for it on TikTok, you’ll find thousands of reviews on liquid and powder formulas that have gone viral, plus new application styles, like blonzing, dramatic draping, and even ones inspired by nature like sunsets. Closing out its 2024 main character moment is the jelly donut blush trend. Yes, the latest way to add a soft flush to your cheeks takes notes from your favorite pastry.

A more glistening version of wearing red blush, this look takes a bright cherry hue and offsets the shade with a reflective shine. It’s basically an elevated way to incorporate shimmer into your makeup. Want to know how to recreate it on your own? TZR has tapped celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray to give you the full breakdown, including product recommendations and personalized tips.

It’s so easy that you might consider incorporating the style into your everyday makeup routine. Read on for all the details on this sweet TikTok beauty trend.

What Is TikTok’s Jelly Donut Blush Trend?

For those who are makeup novices, jelly donut blush is quite possibly one of TikTok’s easiest makeup fads. You’ll find that the steps to achieve the radiant rosy flush are super straightforward. However, because of its simplicity and the existing popularity of statement blush, you might be wondering, why is this style having a moment right now?

Gray credits the trend to the fact that it’s not only cute, but simple to replicate and perfect for a dewy shine. She also adds that it’s “frosty” and “flushed” which makes it ideal for capturing the wintery vibe.

How Do You Achieve The Jelly Donut Blush Look?

The first step in taking this trend for a spin is grabbing your tools. For the blush, Gray says that the original look uses a combination of Benefit’s Benetint, a red cheek and lip stain, and their High Beam highlighter, a bright liquid highlighter. Not only do the colors pair well together, but she also notes that the applicators play a huge role in recreating the exact style.

“These makeup products have a built-in doe foot that can be directly applied to the cheek,” says Gray. This makes for a user-friendly application that’s great for those who aren’t artistically inclined. To start the process, use the highlighter to draw a circular donut shape on the cheek followed by a dot of the red tint in the middle as the jelly filling.

“Blend using a beauty sponge or a dense makeup brush,” says Gray. “Then voilà, a beautiful frosted, flushed cheek.”

While this pairing works well on fair skin tones, Gray says that you'd have to make adjustments for medium to deep complexions. "Highlights that are light and bright tend to only look ideal on those with lighter skin tones,” she says. "You do not want your skin looking ashy.”

To prevent this, she suggests using a more champagne or gold-toned highlight. “I love the Danessa Myricks Illuminators, especially in the shades Goddess and Radiance,” she says. These create that same frosty vibe, but they actually work on more melanated skin. As an alternative, she says, you can also opt for a skin-like highlighter that leaves a glass finish. “You could use the Catrice Soft Glam Filter fluid, which comes in an array of colors from light to deep,” says Gray.

As for the blush shade, Gray affirms that a true red looks great on everyone, but you have to make sure that it has a clear base and not a white one. This would contribute to the problem of ashiness. On the price point side, if Bene-tint seems too steep, Gray recommends Catrice’s Blush Affair in Ready Red Go or Plum Tastic as a deep berry shade.

“There is a version of this technique for everyone,” says Gray.

Product For Achieving The Jelly Donut Blush Look