Red Blush Is the Key to Winter 2026's Snow-Angel Skin Trend |Best Knockoff Luxury Clothing

Two women with glowy, flushed skin in winter settings

(Image credit: @amaka.hameljnck; @maggie_mccormack)

published 5 December 2025

I love seeing friends and family come in from the cold; they smile ear to ear at the welcome warmth, stamp the snow off their boots, and emanate a cheery flush from their windswept skin. That cold-weather color is distinct from the dewy, heat-bloomed one that happens in summer; it's vivid, velvety, and red-tinged—the stuff of holiday rom-coms and vintage advertisements. I lovingly refer to it as "snow-angel skin," and it can only result from being outside in brisk winter weather or applying the right shade of blush.

According to the internet, the *right* shade of blush is bright, crimson red. (Searches are up a whopping 83%.) It might look a little intimidating, but it looks shockingly natural on the skin, mimicking the lively, cold-weather flush you'd get from spending time in the snow (yes, really!). It's so natural-looking that makeup artists often use it to create a skin-like flush on their clients.

Rose-Marie Swift, the founder of RMS Beauty, is proof. She's a former Victoria's Secret makeup artist, and she sent the internet into a tailspin when she revealed she used red blush on the models before they walked in the iconic runway shows. In a since-trending TikTok audio clip, she says, "When I did makeup for Victoria’s Secret, the models always had to look very natural. They had a beautiful flush of color, and a lot of people think it’s pink, but it wasn’t—it was red."

Now, red blush is back. This time, though, it's not being used to achieve a Victoria's Secret inspired makeup look. It's being used to create pretty, snow-angel skin. Ahead, see the 10 best bright-red blushes for winter 2026.

Merit

Flush Balm Cream Blush - Rouge

Merit's Flush Balm Cream Blushes are marketed as "impossible to mess up," and I agree. They're sheer, buildable, and blendable. The color Rouge is the shade to choose if you want to achieve snow-angel skin.

Glossier

Cloud Paint Plush Blush - Puff

Who What Wear senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider loves Glossier's new Cloud Paint Plush Blush. "The innovative formula features a Memory Cloud technology that allows the wearer to literally mold the blush like clay. The pillowy-soft texture blooms across the skin with a mere press of a fingertip, making it easy to build soft layers," she says.

Glow Recipe

Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush - Brightening Serum Blush - Cherry Flush

If you prefer a dewy blush, I can't recommend Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Serum Blush enough. It gives my skin a smooth, plump, and light-reflective effect.

NARS

Blush - Exhibit A

Nars Powder Blush is iconic. The shade Exhibit A is the perfect choice for this trend.

RMS Beauty

Lip2cheek - Beloved

This is Rose-Marie Swift's take on the red blush trend. RMS Beauty's Lip2Cheeks are known for their creamy, ultra-blendable quality. As the name implies, you can use them on both the lips and cheeks for a monochromatic wash of color.

Basma

The Cream Blush - Chery Red

This warm-toned red blush is buttery soft and offers a subtly radiant finish.

Maybelline

Cloudtopia Cheek and Lip Mousse - Divine Crimson

For an affordable option, I like Maybelline's Cloudtopia Cheek and Lip Mousse. The whipped texture is a sensorial delight, and I like that it can double as lip color.

Patrick Ta Beauty

Major Headlines Double-Take Crème Powder Blush Duo - She Goes to the Gym

I swear by Patrick Ta's Major Headlines Double-Take Crème Powder Blush Duos. This crimson-red one, aptly called She Goes to the Gym (again, it's proof that red blush does indeed mimic a natural flush!), is next on my list. I like that I can mix and match the cream and powder formulas.

Rare Beauty

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush - Grateful

Selena Gomez's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in shade Grateful is a good liquid option.

Tower28

Beachplease Lip + Cheek Dewy Cream Blush - Finest Hour

Last but not least, I love Tower28's new shade of blush, called Finest Hour.

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Kaitlyn McLintock is a Beauty Editor atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing . She has 10 years of experience in the editorial industry, having previously written for other industry-leading publications, like Byrdie, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, and others. She covers all things beauty and wellness-related, but she has a special passion for creating skincare content (whether that's writing about an innovative in-office treatment, researching the benefits of a certain ingredient, or testing Wholesale Replica Bag and greatest at-home skin device). Having lived in Los Angeles, California, and Austin, Texas, she has since relocated back to her home state, Michigan. When she's not writing, researching, or testing beauty products, she's working through an ever-growing book collection or swimming in the Great Lakes.