Summer Cheek Challenge 2025: A Song & A Slay

[danielledanielle]

Sun's out, whether you're outside with easy breezy beach vibes, camp vibes, OOO vibes, staycation status..... Or all of the above, we're going to blush, bronze and highlight through it allllllllll.  So whether you're shopping your stash, tipping your temples into draping, or justifying your 10000000th blush, please join in. 

 

This time, I want YOUR SWATCH SONG. 
THAT'S right.  I want your songs of summer and your blush look.  And, I know you're gonna slay it.

But, danielledanielle that doesn't make any sense.  These are two separate things, like whyyyyy?  

Well, I'm at this point, you haven't figured out that I'm open for all interpretation, but okay okayyyy

For each challenge, I want a song that just gives you that summer vibe.  Bonus if you can give me a playlist and post to either BIC Playlist and/or 🎶✨Song of the Day and Music Thread!✨🎶 
Red and Ready\RED-dy (June 16-22): Juneteenth Week
(Read up on Juneteenth and why this is typically it's more of an independence day than independence day 😑)
But, embrace that red blush trend and give me a song that gets you RED-dy for the summer.  It can be a muted red as well, I.e., something with green tint/tone to it.

Staycation Radiostation (June 23-29): the vibe is, I'm home, and home is the best club.  What are we wearing, what are we listening to?

Highlight on the Horizon Hotlist (Jun 30-Jul 5): What is the song you'd connect with sunset blush?  Give me your tunes and your favorite blush + highlight combo. 

Bronzed Up Beats (July 6-12) Sun and fun, what's your favorite uptempo song and what's your current bronzer situation? Powder, creme, liquid...all the above?  Bonus if we're also using bronzer for contour.  (I'm not saying these are interchangeable.  But, yes, you can contour with bronzer, and for some undertones/overtones it works out much better 🙋🏽‍♀️💚🩶)

Camp Crescendo (July 13-19): Bonfire and a bop... What's the look for a day of glamping/camping? If you don't camp/glamp and glam, feel free to drop the skincare/SPF routine.

Top Tier Top 5 (July 20-26)
What are your favorites for cheek combos?  USE THEM this week.  This is my "use your pretty things" year and this is the week I'm doing it.  You trying to pan? GO.  You have a drawer of blushing spilling out? Go wild!  Give me your top five songs and top five cheek products.

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BONUS WEEK!

Jul 28-Aug 3: Take it back, waaaaaaaaaaay back...back into time

If you're catching up, or just loving on something, give me your favorite from this Cheek Challenge and your favorite throwback tune of the summer

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Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti...... Let's goooooo

[itsfi]

Bronzed Up Beats 

Song: Pon de Replay by Rihanna 🎵🎶

"It goes one by one, even two by two

Everybody in the club gon' be rockin' when I'm through
Let the bass from the speakers run through ya sneakers
Move both ya feet and run to the beat"

Pon de Replay, I believe, was Rihanna's first single. It's one of those songs that just makes me feel "summer beats" and is still a fave after all these years. 

Two bronzed up beats this week. 

Photo credits:

The Theme: BeatsbyDre

The Beat: Vevo

All Others: Me / @itsfi

For a lighter, bronzed look, I went the underpainting route with the Armani Luminous Silk Glow Liquid Bronzer 100 for some  bronze and glow, and the MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer® Light Medium  for a bit of subtle contour

For the deeper, bronzed up beat, I used the underpainting method again with the Armani Luminous Silk Glow Liquid Bronzer for a warmer, bronzy lit-from-within glow, then applied some foundation in strategic places to even tone. Used a mix of the bottom right shade from the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Face Essentials Long-Lasting Full Face Cream Palette Palette 1: Light to Me...  and the Makeup by Mario for contour, and HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Color Fuse Longwear Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick Glassy Clov... # as blush + bronzer (blonzer) for a sunburned blush look.

[Cissy63]

@itsfi  Beautiful bronze look!

[makeitup305]

great shades and song choice @itsfi 

[sister13]

Lovely and still a great song! @itsfi 

[itsfi]

She's got so many great songs to choose from @sister13!

[PDXXXX]

This looks like such a beautiful combination of products @itsfi! I need to unsee the Armani bronzer, though lmao. I don't need more bronzer, so imagining how good it is is too much of a no-no for me now! Living vicariously through you for now 🙂

[itsfi]

If / when it comes time to adding another bronzer to your colection @PDXXXX, the Armani is worth checking out - it can be worn alone or used as a bronzing drop to deepen foundation or a skin tint.

[lmaster]

Fabulous choices all around @itsfi 

[itsfi]

@lmaster, thank you; I was happy with how they worked together.

[danielledanielle]

I did not know that there is (was) a liquid Armani bronzer 😮 @itsfi 

I do love that photo and your on the nose inspo + underpainting.  You can really see the bronzed up beat, too!

[itsfi]

@danielledanielle, these were exclusive to Nordstrom when it came out - I want to say in 2023. I thought they'd make their way to Sephora at some point, but nope, it was exclusive period, not for just a limited time. It's now only available on the Armani site, I think.

These run warm, with more of a yellow undertone. There's a third shade that is deeper and leans more neutral. Yeah, that's a disappointing thing - that there's only 3 shades. 3?!! 😐 It's really liquidy, serum-like, easy to blend. It can be built up, but I think this is the only time I've ever needed to do that (with the lightest shade, of course). 

Ah, thanks. I've been playing with my photo taking and trying to get color to show up and, I think with having more color to my complexion, I'm more comfortable layering on and building up the bronzer. 

[danielledanielle]

Bronzed Up Beats 

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed - Matte Color for Cheek & Lip Creme B... + Colorfix Stick 

The stick is on my eye face and lip.  It behaves really differently than my swatches, much more subtle.  Blend out to a really soft highlight on my cheek and sheen finish when tapped into gloss.

The Beats

 

[danielledanielle]

TY @Cissy63 @makeitup305 , @lmaster  & @sister13 

[Cissy63]

@danielledanielle  Definitely a great bronze look!

[makeitup305]

you look fantastic @danielledanielle 

[sister13]

Gorgeous!!! @danielledanielle 

[PDXXXX]

OK, of course the makeup is on point, but really, can we talk about what a gorgeous color that suit is on you?! You've got me browsing "Insecure" playlists now - that show had so many good musical moments - why did it have to end again? Thanks for giving me not one but two musical leads today and a possible rewatch binge.

[danielledanielle]

Yessss....an insecure rewatch is so badly needed @PDXXXX & TY

[itsfi]

Wow, the DM stick does look different than the swatches @danielledanielle. Which of the sticks are you wearing here? Can't wait for mine to get here. 

[danielledanielle]

I think it's duo 2 , Orion Nebula/Twilight @itsfi 

I knoooow, me too 

[lmaster]

Beautiful in every way!! 😍 @danielledanielle