Is Setting Your Lipstick With Blush the Answer to Long-Lasting Color? One Editor Puts the Hack to the Test

Another day means the rise of another TikTok trend that has completely captured our attention, making us wonder why we hadn’t thought of it before. This time around, people are turning to powder blush as a means to set their lipstick. It’s supposed to boost the wear time of your lipstick while bringing your entire makeup look together, and although it's a little atypical, the thinking behind it is sort of genius. 

You rely on setting powder to keep your foundation and concealer in place so it doesn’t seem like a stretch to apply that logic to your lipstick. Especially, when you think of how often you have to reapply it throughout the day. The results on TikTok were pretty remarkable, so, I decided to  give this viral hack a go to see if it truly lives up to the hype. Read on as I share all of my musings on this viral TikTok blush hack.

What is the TikTok Blush Setting Lipstick Hack?

This viral TikTok hack uses powder blush to set your lipstick for a long-lasting finish. The trend is making the rounds on social media once again, thanks to TikTok user, Lex (@makeupbylexh). While setting your lipstick with blush is not a novel phenomenon, its loyal fanbase — old and new — swears by its results. 

To do the trend, start by lining your lips with a matte lip liner and fill in the empty space with a similar shade of satin or matte lipstick. If you like a glossy lip, this hack probably isn’t for you because gloss or lip balm won’t work well with the texture of powder blush — the formula of the blush is at the center of the hack’s efficacy. 

Once you’ve applied your lipstick, choose a powder blush that matches your lipstick and apply it to your lips with your fingers, a brush or a powder puff. The goal is to saturate your lips with powder blush to act as a setting powder, locking your lipstick in place. 

Does Setting Your Lipstick Work for Long Wear?

If I’ve learned anything from viral TikTok hacks and trending products, it’s that going viral doesn’t automatically mean something is effective or worthwhile. With that said, this hack piqued my interest because it upgrades your makeup routine without a lengthy process or gimmick. I can definitely get on board with that.

For my lips, I started out by lining them with the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lip Liner in Eternal Mauve and then, I filled them with the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in Saucy Mauve. When it came to blush, I tried applying it to my lips with both my fingers and a brush — the latter is a much better choice and coats the lips with an even layer of product. I opted for the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Radiant Satin Blush with Camellia Oil in Rosewood. 

Immediately after applying the blush to my lips, I noticed that while the two shades were similar, they were different enough that the blush changed the color of my lipstick. It made my lips paler which was not the look I was going for, so, I want to note that if you’re planning to attempt this hack, do so with identical shades of lipstick and blush to give it a fair chance. 

While my lips matched my blush and created an unintentional, monochrome makeup look, my lips looked textured. I think this was partially due to the fact that I chose a cream-to-powder satin blush, so, I would be very curious to see how it would play out with matte blush. Having said that, the blush felt very drying on my lips but not any more drying than a matte lipstick. 

After about an hour of wear, it became pretty clear that the blush was very effective at locking lipstick in place — my lip color did not budge. My lipstick lasted throughout an entire meal and it wore off very evenly, looking like a faded version of my lipstick around five hours later. I was very happy with the wear time but when I attempted to reapply my lipstick, my lips were very textured and the application was not smooth.

While I didn’t hate this hack, I didn’t like the way the blush felt on my lips and I didn’t like the way it made my lipstick appear darker and textured. Ultimately, it doesn’t take much effort, but it doesn’t feel worth it to me. As evidenced by the tape contouring and eyebrow pencil as lip liner TikTok hacks, sometimes it’s better to just stick to the basics.

If I was to attempt this hack again, I would find a shade of lipstick and powder blush that are a perfect match so I don’t have to worry about my blush affecting the color of my lipstick. I would also opt for a matte blush without any shimmer, which I think would help to downplay the texture. I think this hack can work for certain occasions, but when it comes to everyday wear, nothing can beat the comfort and ease of a tinted lip balm in my book.

Next: How to Find the Best Blush Color for Your Skin Tone 

Written by: Reece Andavolgyi, Photo credit: Reece Andavolgyi, Design credit: Sarah Duviver