Cheek Challenge Winter 2026: I'm Ready For My Glow Up, Mr. DeMille.

[danielledanielle]

 

Are you ready for your close up glow up?I want Main. Character. Energy. (Definition in the spoiler....Not to be confused with Main Character Syndrome).

Definition: Main Character 👇🏽

Spoiler

 from psychplus.com

This is allowing yourself to shine, and while you don't need anything tangible to get there, I find a joy in coming up with looks, personas, costumes, playlists and routines/practices. If "fake it to you make it" is a motto you resonate with, you're not alone. Sometimes a really good look/beat is a big help. If you've come across any of my foolery, you might have caught me saying "I'm Beyoncé in my head, ALWAYS" as sort of a nod to this.

The weeks ahead, I want you to select icons from a variety of themes to blush your best. I want you to blush boldly, whatever that means to you, whether it's placement or pigment or even just practice by selecting products as described. If you attribute any of these to a persona, created or in existence, feel free to share.

Instafluence Ingenue (Jan 5-11): is there someone you follow on social media or even here in BIC that you want to pay homage to?  Or choose a blush/cheek product you were influenced into buying.  Character: Faithful Fan

May the Face Card never decline(Jan 12-18): Let's face map!  That's right, contouuuuurrrrr and highlight time!!!  Also, another Beyonce reference that lives in my head rent free. Character: Supermodel.

Heroically Highlighted (Jan 19-25): Give me the glow of your favorite hero.  This can be your favorite product, still/scene from a movie or all of the above. Character: Hero/Role Model 

Scene Stealing Sidekick (Jan 26-Feb 1) - Do you have a blush that just attracts too much attention, AKA steals the scene?  Tap into that scene stealing energy by finding ways to tamp it down or try different placements with it.  You can also align this with your favorite sidekick/secondary character from film/tv/media. Character: Scene Stealer or Breakout Star.

Am I .. The Antihero? (Feb 2-8): Pick a non-blush or hybrid item and blush boldly with it.  Character: the "bad" good guy.

Silver Screen Starlet (Feb 9-15): that's right, give me a look from the GOLDEN ERA of Hollywood.  The character is the title.

Big Screen Baddie (Feb 16-Feb 22): We had the bad good guy, now give me the good bad guy.  That's right..."Very Villainous , not at all demure...". This is a nod to the Evil Queen from Disney (she's so good) as well as our own @Cissy63  for her Evil Queen from last year's Winter Challenge.   Character : obvs, Evil Queen Energy!!

Just Call Me(Feb 23-Mar1)... [Insert alter ego] (Yes. Two Beyonce references.)  Beyonce used to refer to her stage presence as "Sasha Fierce."  If you had to do this with a look, how would it look?  Let me see those alter egos with your boldest blushes. Character: Alter Ego.

[haleyvvvv]

Am I .. The Antihero?

@danielledanielle I tried. I really did. I generally believe any coloured powder or cream can go anywhere. So at first I was like I'll just use something that's technically a highlighter but could be more a blush on my skin tone. But then that felt like cheating (it's not but just in my weird mind). So then I picked an usual colour (Fenty Killawatt Foil Palette, the dark blue), and well...

I look like I'm going to a festival. But it's the middle of winter and I'm so over festivals at my age. I tried an all over blush with this and that definitely didn't work, so kinda played with a more K/J beauty blush placement. Don't think that worked well either. PPlus I don't think a highlighter was the right idea, maybe if I laid down some blue eyeshadow instead and then highlighted on top. But this went everywhere. 

So I ended up with this look

Where you can see I couldn't get the blue highlighter fully off and put a different one on top (Kevyn Aucoin Neo Highlighter in Ibiza). And I kinda hate it. I think this was user error and I'll try to come back and find an interesting color to use as blush, but I think this was a combination of wrong colour wrong formula wrong usage. Oh well, we're having fun using our stuff and playing with makeup. 

[lmaster]

@haleyvvvv I agree!! Absolute art!

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you so much, @lmaster !! 

[danielledanielle]

@haleyvvvv I love them.  It's avant garde.  It's stunning!  Blue is one of my favorite colors, so I'm all in.  I'm fact, I saw just the pics the other day and couldn't sign in a few times and made a mental note to come back to comment.  I would wear the bottom look to work TBH.  I'm in a mindset that "No dress code shall prosper against me 🤣"

I do get the I feel like this isn't for me now... Like I look at all my gbody glitter and have pause.  There's something about doing a look that's is something you'd prefer for an occasion vs daily wear.  

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you, thank you, @danielledanielle !! I've come around a little on these. But they definitely didn't work for a before noon trip to the farmers' market for me (I mean, I do feel that any makeup can be worn anywhere at any time, and I did wear blue lipstick to out, so maybe blue blush isn't too off lol).

[BrushWithFate]

So pretty!! All of these are so good!!! 

[danielledanielle]

TY! 😊 @BrushWithFate 

[danielledanielle]

Am I... The Antihero?

PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Divine Powder Bronzer Bronze Divinity with PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo in Gold with touches of PAT McGRATH LABS Divine Cream Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm Alluring Nude 

It's probably the most dewy I'm willing to do

[PDXXXX]

@danielledanielle ooh, I am loving this blush placement on you so much. Stunning as always!

[lmaster]

@danielledanielle stunning beauty!

[danielledanielle]

🫶🏽 @lmaster 

[haleyvvvv]

This is such a stunning look, @danielledanielle !! 🤩 The placement is perfect!! 

[danielledanielle]

TY @haleyvvvv and @Titian06 !

[Titian06]

I love this dewy look on you, @danielledanielle ! 🤩  I also love your hair!

[Titian06]

I didn't wear a Scene Stealing Sidekick, but I did "try different placements with" my blush thanks to @PDXXXX .  I tried the lifted contour she talked about in her last post.  I used PDXXXX's comments and watched a couple of Erica Taylor's posts.  I used MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt® Transforming Skin Perfector Medium as my contour.  Using Erica's placement method, I held my index finger from my ear angling to the top of my upper lip.  I applied the Skin Perfector with the product on my finger in a straight line above my finger using it as a guide.  I then used a brush to blend it out and up, not down.  Above that on my cheekbone, I applied Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick in Mimi, blending out, mostly up, a little into the contour so there was no distinct line, and also onto my temple with a brush.  For my highlighter, I used Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Multipurpose Illuminator Starglow dotting above the blush and on my temple, blending out with a brush above and into the blush and onto the temple.

It looked very pretty.  I've never worn my blush that high before.  I'm definitely going to try again.  In fact I may get an actual, easier to use contour.  If anyone has a suggestion, feel free to recommend. 

With this blush look, I felt like a hero (last week's theme) because I tried something new!  Thanks, PDXXXX! 😘

[lmaster]

@Titian06 soooo very proud of you!! 

[Titian06]

Thanks, @lmaster ! 💕  I've worn my blush this way a few times now and continue to like the way it looks. 🙂

[danielledanielle]

AHHHHHHH!!!!!  @Titian06 , I'm ecstatic and I love the detail... Do you mind if I add it to the 🏫🎓BIC University 🎓🏫 thread? 

Also, I'm loving HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm Contour Stick and I'm interested in ISAMAYA Sculpting Stick- Precision Cream Contour Stick with Ceramides Willow , ignore the shade, but I'm waiting on feedback

[Titian06]

@danielledanielle - Feel free to add to BIC University.

I looked at both of the contour sticks you mentioned.  Thanks!

[PDXXXX]

Those shades all look so pretty and I'm glad you liked the "lift" @Titian06 🙂 I am such a big Erica Taylor fan as well! If you like the Westman Atelier cream blush you might like the Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick as well. I have it in the shade Biscuit and the color balance is great. It comes in a mini too so even better!