After the excess of viral TikTok blush comes a new obsession: the illusion of perpetual summer. Warm skins sculpted with all variations of terracotta: toasted bread, milky coffee, beige, caramel, natural clay, hazelnut, toffee, cinnamon or sand. The trend is recreated with tanned cheeks, earth-toned eyelids and brown or copper lips. The data confirms the phenomenon. According to Spate, the online trend analysis platform, searches for tanning makeup on TikTok have increased by more than 1,000% compared to last year. On Google and TikTok, facial tanners average 20.4 million monthly views and searches, while product popularity increases 18.2% year over year. The British Beauty Website Trends Report Beauty cake indicates that he is looking for the blush of the sunset have increased this year by 422%, those of “scalded makeup” by 405% and those of “blonzer” by 174%. For his part, Trade in cosmetics notes that sales of tanning products grew 15% in the UK and 8% in Europe in the first half of 2025, according to data from Circana. Furthermore, Market Analysis Report estimates the global tanning market at 20.5 billion dollars, with a forecast of annual growth of 10.3% until 2030.
The trend follows in the wake of the dosmilero revival with nods to it seems terracotta of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears or the Olsen sisters… but with differences. “It’s funny to see how everything has changed. In the late 90s and early 2000s, huge brushes were used to line under the cheekbone and achieve a deep tan. Now the color is placed higher: around the temples, under the tail of the eyebrow and on the cheekbone. To complete the makeup I apply cream blush (like a shadow) on the upper eyelid, seal with a touch of bronzer and I finish with a light brush on the jaw line,” explains Mary Phillips in her post How the placement of bronzer has changed over the years. Makeup artist for Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner and responsible for their recent bronzed looks at the Academy Museum Gala in Hollywood, Phillips has become a global phenomenon thanks to her technique undercoating which consists of illuminating and shaping before applying foundation. With more than two million followers on Instagram, the artist reveals in an interview with the magazine Charm who learned this way of working thanks to masters such as Christina Smith, Liza Minnelli’s makeup artist, and Kevyn Aucoin, who already included this method in his manuals of the nineties. The art of makeup AND Making faces. Phillips ensures that the undercoating It is present in all his works, including his own look without makeupbecause contour and highlighter before base act as an invisible scaffold on which the entire face is built.
Has Generation Z erased the blush?
After an era dominated by the use (and abuse) of rosy tints on the cheeks, publications are emerging that teach how to obtain a smooth, tanned and sculpted face. Influencer Charine Cheung’s video, titled Is blush-free makeup back?has accumulated more than a million views and revives the spirit of contouring popularized by Kylie Jenner in 2015, just when she launched her cosmetics brand. The comments reflect the division of opinions: “Lately I stopped using blush and I really like it”, “I hate blush, I only use bronzer”, “I’m sorry, but I’m very pale and without blush I look dead” or “Wait, I learned to use blush last year!” At the end of the tutorial, Cheung says, “We’re definitely not going to eliminate blush in 2025, but I’m a proponent of the blush-free makeup movement.”
MAC Cosmetics National Artist reigned as the flagship product.”
The version of tanned, luminous and relaxed skin is gaining followers. “It’s a soft makeup that looks natural because the earth tones are much more similar to the colors that are already in our hair, eyes and skin. That’s why they tend to flatter almost everyone and are comfortable to wear. They integrate easily and give that effect of “I’m not wearing anything, but I look good”. The idea is not to create big contrasts, but to find those brown tones that are closest to our intensity (light or dark) and shade (warm or cold). So the result is elegant, soft and natural. flattering, he states Fashion S Corners of the sea Makeup artist manager by Saigu Cosmetics. The use of tanning lotion is also aligned with a change in mentality that consolidates over time. “These tones, along with the idea of sun-kissed skin, are usually linked to a healthy appearance. And nothing could be further from the truth. Tanned skin has become a status symbol and synonymous with sun holidays, but if we stick to the science, tanned skin is not healthy skin. Thanks to tanners we can get that tanned skin without damaging it,” says Xabier Rodrigues.
Y2K revisited
What is the difference between the bronze of the late 90s and the current one? Miquel Bling, director of You Glow Salon and ambassador of L’Oréal Professionnel, speaks clearly: “The 2000s were synonymous with saturation: matte tones, orange tones and thick textures that gave the skin a very marked effect. Today bronze is ethereal, warm, natural and has shades that adapt to every undertone of the skin. It’s about modulating the color, integrating it into the complexion and not applying it to brushstrokes.” Makeup artist Mar Esquinas from Saigu agrees: “In the 90s only sunscreen powders were used, but today we have products with multiple finishes and effects. Now we know better how different skin types work and how they react to each color and texture.” The formulas add hold, blend better and include treatments with ingredients such as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid. «They are multifunctional products, which can be used on the cheekbones, forehead, eyelids, lips or décolleté, they are easily applied with a brush or hands, they hydrate, provide freshness and blend with the skin in a realistic way, without creating marked contrasts», explains Rodrigues.
If in the 2010s foundation, contouring, blush on the cheeks and highlighter were applied, “today, after the foundation, bronzer is applied in the shape of a 3 on the sides of the face (forehead, cheekbones and jaw) for a warm and homogeneous colour. This way you can do without blush or use it in a very discreet way”, explains Miquel Bling. For make-up artist Mar Esquinas, “the key is to blend it very well and apply it on the upper areas of the face. You also need to find the ideal shade, this is the make-up. The classic terracotta usually stands out on brown or dark hair, with warm skin and brown or green eyes. For cold skin or blond hair, neutral browns or with a light reddish undertone are better, as they give a healthy effect without clashing with the natural undertone. If we don’t adapt it to our complexion, the result may seem false; the most common mistake is to treat it as a single color, when it has a thousand shades”. Xabier Rodrigues emphasizes that “the ideal is to start from less to more and apply the product in the upper parts of the face such as the hairline, the nasal bridge, the high areas of the cheekbones and, as an extra, on the eyelids”. Makeup artist Miquel Bling concludes with a recommendation: “The trick is to work with the minimum amount, with light layers and cream textures. The most common mistake is to use too much product or choose a very dark tone. And remember: brown can be your worst enemy if you apply it in bulk, without movement or light..”
The most desired tanners of the moment
- SoftSculpt modeling stick, by Makeup By Mario
Double-ended stick that defines the face with buildable coverage and a matte finish. Its formula blends easily and adapts to all skin types without orange undertones. Includes a built-in angled brush for easy application.
- – Terracotta bronzing powder, by Guerlain
These silky powders recreate a natural and luminous tan. Enriched with argan oil and scented with solar notes, they are a timeless classic for radiant makeup all year round.
- Match Stix Matte Skinstick, by Fenty Beauty
Lightweight tanning stick, easy to apply and with great fixative power. Blends instantly for a velvety, adjustable finish. It is available in 20 shades.
- Soleil Stick Chocolate Crémeux, by Too Faced
Creamy, easy-to-blend bronzer stick, ideal for sculpting the face and adding warmth with a natural satin finish. Enriched with vitamin E, squalene and a delicious chocolate orange flavour.
- Skinfinish Sunstruck radiant bronzing powder, by MAC Cosmetics
Tanning powders with a luminous and warm finish designed to naturally enhance the upper parts of the face.
6- Cream bronzer, by Saigu
Bronzing powder in semi-matte cream that perfectly recreates the tone that the skin takes on when it gets a little sun. Made with the perfect balance between cool and warm undertones to give a translucent effect.
