“How TikTok’s ‘Jelly Doughnut’ Blush Trend Transformed My Date Look!” Makeup trends are constantly evolving, making it challenging to stay on top of the latest micro trends, especially those that involve buying new products.

Makeup trends have a rapid turnover these days, making it challenging to stay aware of all the mini trends, particularly those that necessitate the acquisition of entirely new products. However, one recent trend effortlessly captured my attention: the “jelly doughnut blush” trend. For one, I adore blush hacks. Additionally, this trend requires just two products (which I already possessed), and it appeared to be remarkably straightforward. Finally, with my recent foray back into dating to move on from my ex, I found myself with more chances to wear makeup. (True, I’ve only been on two dates so far, but still.)

The original trend features the Benefit Benetint ($26), a red cheek and lip tint, alongside the Benefit High Beam Highlighter ($26), a pearlescent liquid highlighter. While these products complement each other well, you can also utilize any liquid blush or stain followed by a liquid highlighter you may have available.

Benefit Benetint

From

$26

$26 at Sephora

Benefit High Beam Highlighter

From

$26

$26 at Sephora

I decided to try out this new trend just before a first date, which admittedly felt a bit risky. Thankfully, everything turned out well. I began by performing my complete skincare routine (which consists of many steps, if you can believe it), before moving on to makeup. I went for a full face with eyeshadow, foundation, mascara, contour—the whole nine yards—before adding the jelly doughnut blush. I was uncertain how it would look, and with the clock ticking before meeting my potential match (spoiler: it didn’t work out), I felt a bit pressured.

To create the look, I utilized the doe-foot applicator on the Benefit High Beam Highlighter to make a circle on the top of my cheeks. Next, I took the Benefit Benetint and placed a dot directly in the center of that circle, forming a mini jelly doughnut. Then, I grabbed a fluffy brush to blend everything together, achieving a beautiful highlighted-blush effect; it wasn’t overwhelming, which suited me, as I preferred not to go overboard for my date.

I favor a natural look, thus the subtlety of Benefit’s highlighter suited me perfectly. Nevertheless, if you like a more pronounced shine or have a deeper complexion, I would suggest opting for a highlighter with more pigmentation, such as the Iconic London Rollaway Glow Highlighter ($29) in shades like Champagne Chic.

Iconic London Rollaway Glow Highlighter

From

$29

$29 at Sephora

The beauty of this hack is you can experiment with similar products you already own. I plan to recreate this look in the future without any base makeup, as I think it would look fabulous on fresh skin. I also intend to try blending it with a beauty sponge instead of a brush next time to see if it makes a difference. I am genuinely in love with how simple it was to achieve this stunning look using just two products.

Renee Rodriguez (she/her) is a staff writer and social producer for PS, covering a broad spectrum of topics, with a particular focus on fashion and beauty, especially product reviews and editor experiments. She also creates content for the PS TikTok and Instagram platforms.