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Blush blocking 101: This technique gives your face an instant lift
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You know how your skin looks like it’s glowing from within when you’re on vacation? When you’re sleeping well, hydrating and spending hours under the sun away from the stresses of everyday life? Turns out, the Koreans have a term for it—bloom skin. If glass skin was about looking luminous and lacquered, bloom skin is about looking alive. There is a soft flush on the cheeks, the skin is plump and bouncy and the glow is naturally radiant. Unlike glass skin, which was all about an almost mirror-like finish, bloom skin emphasises a softer, more lived-in effect.
If you’re curious about the summer-friendly trend but don’t know where to begin, we’ve got you. Here’s everything you need to know about the season’s freshest beauty obsession.
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This one will be your go-to if you want a brightening effect. Formulated with kaolin clay powder, rice water, rice amino acids and milk, the toner gently exfoliates the skin while moisturising and soothing it. The antioxidant properties help reverse any damage and improve skin texture. It’s hydrating for dry skin and controls sebum if you have oily skin—a win-win for all mature skin types.
If you’re dealing with combination skin or you feel like your face can’t decide what it wants, this one is a really smart choice. It hydrates without tipping into greasy territory, and it helps your skin look fresher and more even over time. It’s also great for layering because it doesn’t pill or feel sticky, so it works well whether you’re using a simple routine or a more active one. The glow you get from this feels natural and healthy rather than shiny, which makes it ideal if you want radiance but still want your skin to feel balanced.
Niacinamide—you’ve probably heard the name more times than you’ve checked your DMs. But does this serum live up to the buzz? For us, it absolutely did. This lightweight, fast-absorbing serum is a multitasker’s dream. Niacinamide targets issues like excess oil, large pores and uneven skin tone, while zinc swoops in to calm inflammation. From the first week of use, we noticed a striking difference in texture and shine control (goodbye, mid-day T-zone grease). Perfect for combination-to-oily skin types, this serum could be your go-to if blackheads and redness have overstayed their welcome. Pro tip? Use it sparingly if you’re layering it with other actives, like vitamin C, to avoid irritation.
Morning and/or night, after cleansing and before your heavier serums or moisturisers
This formula targets breakouts, oil and uneven tone with a simple but effective mix of niacinamide and zinc. It helps calm your skin over time and keeps things balanced. Straightforward, reliable and worth the hype.
“My skin has always been very dry, so a good, heavy-duty moisturiser is a non-negotiable in my routine. I’ve tried many promising formulas, but this multitasking d’you moisturiser beats almost all of them. It contains a bunch of different ceramides to fortify the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss. It feels instantly soothing and has also made my skin less prone to dryness and dehydration over time. The best part is that the texture feels super light to use and does not leave any greasy residue that’s sometimes common with richer moisturisers.”
This moisturiser is exactly what your skin needs to stay hydrated and protected. Infused with barrier-building ingredients, it helps replenish and lock in moisture while strengthening the skin’s natural defences. If you’re looking for a daily moisturiser that can tackle dryness and environmental stressors, this one’s for you.
This is one of those moisturisers that quietly becomes your most-used product. It’s fragrance-free, calming and packed with ceramides, peptides and niacinamide—basically a blanket for stressed, sensitive skin. It’s loved by the derms and your most skincare-obsessed friend.
Think of this as a comfort blanket for your skin. It’s packed with ceramides, niacinamide and calming botanicals that strengthen your skin barrier and keep it hydrated. Feels rich but never greasy—the perfect everyday moisturiser for colder months.
If your calendar is packed and your skin is doing overtime, this d’you moisturiser is the one to keep in rotation. The formula is straight to the point: a patented five-ceramide blend with 1% pure ceramides to reinforce and protect the barrier (because stressed skin needs structure). Acai berry steps in for deep, lasting hydration, while essential lipids and fatty acids mirror the skin’s natural barrier, helping everything stay balanced and resilient. With consistent use, the skin feels stronger and hydrated, even after long days outside and late nights in makeup. Consider this to be your thoughtful, intentional and high-performing plus-one—the kind that helps your skin bounce back, glow naturally and look well-rested—even when you’re not.
“First things first, don’t let anyone tell you that oily skin doesn’t need a moisturiser. Even though it can be slightly tricky to choose the ideal formulation for oily skin, ultimately all skin types do need hydration. Personally, I was looking for something that is nourishing but does not feel heavy or greasy. And this one just fit the bill perfectly. It’s supercharged with a cocktail of barrier-boosting ingredients like ceramides and peptides; and that keeps my sensitivity in check. So that’s great. I also love that it has a lightweight texture that absorbs almost instantly.”
This is the kind of blush that keeps up with packed plans. PIXI’s On-The-Glow Blush delivers an instant, fresh-looking flush with a soft dewy finish that lasts from the first plan to the last. The creamy stick blends effortlessly and is infused with ginseng to revitalise, aloe vera to soothe and ceramides to support the skin barrier. Swipe it on cheeks or lips, tap it in with your fingers and move on—no mirror, no maintenance, no slowing down.
Bloom skin doesn’t care about looking perfect. Instead, it’s almost like having a happiness filter on. There’s a natural-looking peachy-rose tint to the cheeks that resembles good blood flow rather than a cream blush. The skin has a gentle sheen, but the finish is not shiny or overly glossy. The petal-soft texture is smooth but doesn’t look blurred or filtered. In short: your skin still looks like skin, but better rested and more hydrated.
K-beauty has always played a long game with skincare. While western beauty, for decades, prioritised coverage and correction, the Korean approach has been fundamentally about cultivation, ie treating skin less like a surface to be painted on and more like a living thing to be tended. The 10-step K-beauty routine is a great example of how the Koreans have always prioritised consistent care over quick fixes.
Bloom skin is the natural evolution of that thinking. Instead of stripping the face and then overcompensating with heavy creams or makeup, the focus is on building a healthy moisture barrier, layering hydration and choosing formulas that help the skin look supple without overwhelming it. The goal is not to erase every pore or create a reflective surface, but to make the skin look healthy enough to glow on its own. The philosophy is simple: when the skin is well-watered and happy, you need much less coverage to make it look radiant.
The good news is, you don’t need an elaborate skincare routine to achieve bloom skin. You just need to redirect what you’ve already been doing. Here’s a short, step-by-step guide on how to get bloom skin.
A hydrating toner or essence pressed into damp skin is non-negotiable for a bloom skin routine. This is where you build the translucency that bloom skin requires. Layer a niacinamide serum underneath your moisturiser to even out the skin tone. Niacinamide also has the added benefit of a very subtle brightening effect that, with consistent use, gives the skin a lit-from-within quality.
Barrier care is everything. If your skin is reactive, congested or dull, bloom skin will remain aspirational until the barrier is repaired. Try using a ceramide-rich moisturiser and take a temporary break from any formula or technique that’s harsh on your skin. Remember, aggressive exfoliation and bloom skin are fundamentally incompatible.
In bloom skin, the rosy cheeks have more to do with skincare than makeup. To enhance the natural flush, you can lightly apply a peach or rose-toned cream blush with your fingers to the apples of your cheeks and blend upwards. A balm on the lips and over the high points of the face adds the final petal-soft sheen.
Bloom skin doesn’t care about looking perfect. Instead, it’s almost like having a happiness filter on. There’s a natural-looking peachy-rose tint to the cheeks that resembles good blood flow rather than a cream blush. The skin has a gentle sheen, but the finish is not shiny or overly glossy. The petal-soft texture is smooth but doesn’t look blurred or filtered. In short: your skin still looks like skin, but better rested and more hydrated.
K-beauty has always played a long game with skincare. While western beauty, for decades, prioritised coverage and correction, the Korean approach has been fundamentally about cultivation, ie treating skin less like a surface to be painted on and more like a living thing to be tended. The 10-step K-beauty routine is a great example of how the Koreans have always prioritised consistent care over quick fixes.
Bloom skin is the natural evolution of that thinking. Instead of stripping the face and then overcompensating with heavy creams or makeup, the focus is on building a healthy moisture barrier, layering hydration and choosing formulas that help the skin look supple without overwhelming it. The goal is not to erase every pore or create a reflective surface, but to make the skin look healthy enough to glow on its own. The philosophy is simple: when the skin is well-watered and happy, you need much less coverage to make it look radiant.
The good news is, you don’t need an elaborate skincare routine to achieve bloom skin. You just need to redirect what you’ve already been doing. Here’s a short, step-by-step guide on how to get bloom skin.
A hydrating toner or essence pressed into damp skin is non-negotiable for a bloom skin routine. This is where you build the translucency that bloom skin requires. Layer a niacinamide serum underneath your moisturiser to even out the skin tone. Niacinamide also has the added benefit of a very subtle brightening effect that, with consistent use, gives the skin a lit-from-within quality.
Barrier care is everything. If your skin is reactive, congested or dull, bloom skin will remain aspirational until the barrier is repaired. Try using a ceramide-rich moisturiser and take a temporary break from any formula or technique that’s harsh on your skin. Remember, aggressive exfoliation and bloom skin are fundamentally incompatible.
In bloom skin, the rosy cheeks have more to do with skincare than makeup. To enhance the natural flush, you can lightly apply a peach or rose-toned cream blush with your fingers to the apples of your cheeks and blend upwards. A balm on the lips and over the high points of the face adds the final petal-soft sheen.
Bloom skin doesn’t care about looking perfect. Instead, it’s almost like having a happiness filter on. There’s a natural-looking peachy-rose tint to the cheeks that resembles good blood flow rather than a cream blush. The skin has a gentle sheen, but the finish is not shiny or overly glossy. The petal-soft texture is smooth but doesn’t look blurred or filtered. In short: your skin still looks like skin, but better rested and more hydrated.
K-beauty has always played a long game with skincare. While western beauty, for decades, prioritised coverage and correction, the Korean approach has been fundamentally about cultivation, ie treating skin less like a surface to be painted on and more like a living thing to be tended. The 10-step K-beauty routine is a great example of how the Koreans have always prioritised consistent care over quick fixes.
Bloom skin is the natural evolution of that thinking. Instead of stripping the face and then overcompensating with heavy creams or makeup, the focus is on building a healthy moisture barrier, layering hydration and choosing formulas that help the skin look supple without overwhelming it. The goal is not to erase every pore or create a reflective surface, but to make the skin look healthy enough to glow on its own. The philosophy is simple: when the skin is well-watered and happy, you need much less coverage to make it look radiant.
The good news is, you don’t need an elaborate skincare routine to achieve bloom skin. You just need to redirect what you’ve already been doing. Here’s a short, step-by-step guide on how to get bloom skin.
A hydrating toner or essence pressed into damp skin is non-negotiable for a bloom skin routine. This is where you build the translucency that bloom skin requires. Layer a niacinamide serum underneath your moisturiser to even out the skin tone. Niacinamide also has the added benefit of a very subtle brightening effect that, with consistent use, gives the skin a lit-from-within quality.
Barrier care is everything. If your skin is reactive, congested or dull, bloom skin will remain aspirational until the barrier is repaired. Try using a ceramide-rich moisturiser and take a temporary break from any formula or technique that’s harsh on your skin. Remember, aggressive exfoliation and bloom skin are fundamentally incompatible.
In bloom skin, the rosy cheeks have more to do with skincare than makeup. To enhance the natural flush, you can lightly apply a peach or rose-toned cream blush with your fingers to the apples of your cheeks and blend upwards. A balm on the lips and over the high points of the face adds the final petal-soft sheen.
