Finally—A Makeup Artist Just Let Me In on the Beauty Hack French Women Actually Swear By
If you haven’t heard about the soft blur makeup trend, you’ve most probably seen it—I definitely had. At the SS25 shows, makeup artist Romy Soleimani sent models down the Ulla Johnson runway with blurred out lips and soft focus radiant bases, while some of my favourite influencers, particularly those who lean into an enviably laid-back French-girl beauty aesthetic, have long favoured soft blur beauty looks.
In fact, it turns out this newly coined “soft blur” term is pretty much the approach that French women have always taken with their makeup. So, what actually is the soft blur makeup look? To find out all the details, I spoke to makeup artist and founder of BAER, Scarlett Burton, and she gave me the low down on everything you should know…
What Is Soft Blur Makeup?
“Soft blur makeup is a flawlessly blended, soft-focus matte look,” Burton told me. “It enhances your skin, eyes and lips by making them appear smoother and more defined in colour—without any harsh lines or edge.”
What Products Are Required for Soft Blur Makeup?
"The key to this look is to use cream products that have matte finishes rather than dewy,” said Scarlett, “My favourite product for the soft blur trend is Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm, it's a matte cream which turns to a powder finish on the skin and really blurs pores, imperfections and gives an airbrushed finish to complexion.”
How To Achieve the Soft Blur Makeup Look
“For the skin, I would use matte cream foundations and really buff these into the skin with a larger fluffy complexion brush,” said Burton. “Then, I’d shape with a cream bronzer or contour product, applied with the same fluffy brush, rather than from the applicator." I'm also a big fan of a cream blusher to help achieve the soft blur look.
"For the eyes, I would lean to matte cream or liquid eyeshadows or even blushers if you fancy that pinky/bronze tone, and really buff these out with a small fluffy brush. Lastly, for the lips, I would use a matte lip tint or lipstick and use a very small fluffy brush to apply this. That way you will achieve a diffused colour immediately without having to blend.”
So, now you’re armed with the expert advice, you’re probably wondering how you can recreate the soft blur makeup trend yourself. To help, I’ve pulled together my favourite influencer looks to serve as inspiration, as well as my favourite products for creating the look. Think of this as your new soft blur beauty routine…
