NZ Fashion Week 2023: How To Create Bantu’s Spring-Ready Draped Blush

Is there anything more fresh than a dusting of poppy pink blush?

It’s the makeup trend that’s prevailed since the 1970s, but if this year’s runways were anything to go by, draped blush is set to be huge in 2023.

The trend, whereby blush is swirled onto temples and cheeks in bright, bold flushes of pink and red, was the order of the day at Aliétte, Christian Cowan and Etro earlier this year, and most recently, Bantu’s Wednesday show at New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria.

Here, the look was keyed in by Basalaj Beauty’s director of makeup Lisa Matson and her team of expert artists using a handful of products to build a striking velvet matte blush which swept dramatically upwards starting at models’ cheekbones.

Its high placement promises an excellent uplift in mood — pulling us out of winter and helping usher in the new spring season.

Whether treated like a contour, curled into a C-shape tracing from cheeks to temples to brow bone, or dusted across the apples of the cheeks and over the nose to ‘sunburned’ effect, the beauty trend is one that’s simple to master.

All you need is a fluffy blush brush to buff blush into skin and your preferred shade of blush. Feeling brave? Go bold and play with shades of hot pink and fiery red, otherwise consider universally flattering shades of coral or soft pink which can be diffused slightly to lend a subtle wash of colour instead.

Step 1: Lisa began by using a sheer foundation base to create a lightweight, dewy finish on models’ skin.

Step 2: Next, she used a fluffy blush brush to layer on colour at the top of the cheekbones, through the arch of the eyebrow, and at the uppermost part of the brow bone using a yet-to-be-released matte blush by in the punchiest shade of pink by Basalaj Beauty.

Step 3: To lend a healthy sheen to skin, Lisa used a small powder brush to apply a light wash of Basalaj Beauty’s iridescent powder highlighter Zippy over eyelids and along the tops of models’ cheekbones.

Step 4: The final touch? A swipe of Basalaj Beauty’s matte lipstick in the shade Iconic, an acid bright pink, layered with a smattering of Zippy pressed with fingertips into the centre of models’ lips.

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While you wait for Basalaj’s newest blush to drop, here’s other highly pigmented blushes you could try in the interim.

Mecca Max Cheek Crush Powder Blush in the shade Guava Blossom, $28.

M.A.C Glow Play Blush in the shade Heat Index, $66.

Dior Rosy Glow Blush in the shade 001 Pink, $83.