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.

[lmaster]

Beautiful! @Titian06 

[Titian06]

Thanks, @lmaster ! ❣️

[danielledanielle]

Nice!  @Titian06 , did you feel like a heroine? Because you're probably glowing like one

[Titian06]

@danielledanielle - I don't know about a heroine, but these products put a smile on my face. 🙂

[Titian06]

The spoiler contains pics of last week's highlighter and blush combos.

Spoiler

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Collection Mood Exposure (right, bottom)

Hourglass Opal Strobe Light (left, upper right)

DIOR Rosy Glow Powder Blush 012 Rosewood 

Hourglass Ambient® Strobe Lighting Powder Incandescent 

- Chanel 798 Beige Rosé et Mauve (right)

- Hourglass Opal Strobe Light (left, upper right)

Yves Saint Laurent All Hours 24H Hyper Sunkissed Glow Bronzer 1 

GUERLAIN Terracotta Luminizer Highlighter Powder 00 IVORY 

- Meow Cosmetics Sweet Nothings Snuggle Bunny (bottom)

- Ciaté Roger, Darling! (Top)

[PDXXXX]

FACE CARD: LIFTED EDITION

I'm 45 (for a few more months, lol). So my goal has become contouring to lift my...fallen heart shaped face?.. more than anything else.

So, contour in my hollows: not so much anymore. But contouring above them? I love this picture to show the difference and essential proportions of it all:

Today my skin was pretty dry so I stuck to creamier products. It was a great excuse to play more with my Makeup Forever Palette in particular:

MILK MAKEUP Sculpt Cream Contour Stick Smolder , DIOR Forever Skin Perfect 24H Multi-Use Foundation Stick 0 N Neutral , Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Face and Under-Eye Concealer 2 , MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil Longwear Eyeliner 500 Boundless Bisque , MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil Long-Lasting Lip Liner 506 Endless Cacao , #Make Up Forever Skin Essentials Palette, ILIA Lip Sketch Hydrating Lipstick + Lip Liner Crayon Kiln and HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Blurring Loose Baking & Setting Powder Cupcake (not pictured).

I was happy with the result and especially the MUFE blush shades but feel like I still need to embrace the contour more:

My dog, however, LOVED, it (this is why I can never wear makeup - he is a total face-licker) lol:

[Titian06]

The pic with your dog--besides being too cute--shows off your gorgeous cheeks and pefectly placed blush! 💕  The look you created with these products is lovely.  I love the idea of the lifted contour.  I may give that a try. 🤔

[PDXXXX]

Aw shucks @Titian06 ! That's very sweet of you. Yes! Doing the lifted contour feels strange at first as you're working so high and out putting your products pretty much all at and above your check bone and the outer half of the eye but once I saw influencers like Erika Taylor showing the difference I've become hooked (at least for my face shape). Hope you're having a good day!

[lmaster]

Love that placement @PDXXXX 

[PDXXXX]

Thank you @lmaster! 

[danielledanielle]

I can see that lift and love all the MOOF (Make Up For Ever) brought to the party.  Totally get why puppers is a fan, too @PDXXXX 

[PDXXXX]

Thank you, lady. I do love their pencils and it was a good chance to revisit the palette as I'd kind of written it off @danielledanielle (though now I'm eyeing some of their other palettes on their website which is not so good, lol). Yep, Finn would eat a crayon. Anytime I do skin care and decide to sleep with him it's like, "and there it goes..."(lick, lick, lick).

[haleyvvvv]

Fabulous look, @PDXXXX !! That palette is a stunner and the blush looks lovely on you!! 

[PDXXXX]

Thank you so much @haleyvvvv ! I will definitely be hitting that palette and playing with the blushes more!

[danielledanielle]

More Face Cards

I went for the sculpt via color with a smoky eye and peachy blush

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Virtue 

DIOR Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 013 Gold 

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder 

Inspo

Spoiler

 

 

  Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Virtue mixed with DIOR Forever Glow Star Filter Multi-Use Complexion Enhancing Booster 

DIOR Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 012 Pearly and DIOR Forever Glow Maximizer Longwear Liquid Highlighter 016 Bronze and of course 

HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm Contour Stick Silhouette 

Inspo

Spoiler

I don't have TT's cheekbones (who did?!?!  MY GAWD, my face card would be lethal if I did), but I think I was about to mimic it well enough with my face shape.

[Titian06]

You nailed both of these, @danielledanielle !  Beautiful! 🥰

[lmaster]

@danielledanielle you stole the show!! All you girl 

[haleyvvvv]

Yessss to both of these looks, @danielledanielle !! The peachy blush is everything 

[danielledanielle]

TY @haleyvvvv  @lmaster @Titian06 

[lmaster]

Instafluence Ingenue x @SportyGirly125 

 

Using GUERLAIN Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer 03 and HUDA BEAUTY Blush Filter Blurring Blushlighters Palette Toasty Peach 

[Titian06]

You look great, @lmaster ! 😍  Love your sweatshirt too!