Testing TikTok’s Viral Face Oil and Blush Primer Hack

TikTok, TikTok, TikTok. Sometimes, I’m not quite sure what to make of you. Yes, you’re one of my favorite places to visit when I’m searching for fun new recipes, interesting skin-care products, and nifty hair hacks, but you’re also a place where I find myself watching some of the weirdest things I’ve ever witnessed, especially when it comes to beauty. Over the last few weeks, a new “primer” hack has been going viral on the app. I put primer in quotes because the items being used aren’t your typical face mists and gripping products — it’s liquid blush and face oil.

User Rachel Carlisle is responsible for the new hack, which she has been showcasing on TikTok since January. “I have figured out the secret to your makeup looking absolutely flawless and lasting all day,” Carlisle says in one video. Since then, Carlisle has done a lot of videos using her technique, some of which have almost 10 million views.

How to Do the Face Oil and Blush Priming Routine

After your skin-care routine, Carlisle suggests priming your skin with a facial oil. She likes the Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil ($22) because it helps with her super-dry skin. Then, Carlisle says the second step is to “blush the hell out of your face.”

Using a liquid blush, she applies it all over her forehead, underneath her eyes, on her temples, and around her cheekbones. Essentially, it looks like she’s making a mask out of liquid blush. Next, she says to add a “little bit” of brightening concealer underneath the eyes and to blend it into the blush. She then goes in with a tiny bit of foundation (when I say tiny, I seriously mean the most minuscule dots of foundation you’ve ever seen in your life), and blends using a fluffy brush.

After, she follows up with contour and blends everything with a brush instead of a beauty sponge. From there, she bakes, and simultaneously applies her bronzer while that’s setting. Lastly, she does her eye makeup, highlight, and applies a swipe of the same liquid blush she used to primer her face to her cheeks.

My Face Oil and Blush Priming Routine Results

I won’t lie, Carlisle’s makeup actually looks pretty good each time she uses face oil and blush as the base of her makeup but I had no idea if it would work for me. And if I’m really being honest, I thought the whole thing was going to be a total waste of makeup the first time I tested it. Of course, I like the over-blushed look, but I don’t like looking like a tomato and that’s what I thought the result of this hack would look like. Surprisingly, it wasn’t. I followed Carlisle’s steps to the T, except I just used what I had on hand rather than the exact products she used in her video. I’ve been having a lot of issues with acne lately, so while I did love how glowy The Feelist Most Wanted Facial Oil ($78) made my skin, I was a little worried that continued use would make me breakout more.

I also went with a liquid blush that wasn’t too bright, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($23), and I was able to blend it into my skin fairly easily. Overall, while I did like the way my makeup looked for the night, I do think you can get a similar look using your typical makeup routine.

Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for POPSUGAR’s TikTok and Instagram accounts.