I Tried TikTok’s Chrome Blush Trend

In the heyday of Instagram brows and overlined matte lips, the cherry on top of every makeup look was a blinding highlight. Emphasis on “blinding”: we were all on the hunt for a shimmery champagne glow that demanded attention in every selfie. Much to the dismay of the OG beauty bloggers, we eventually grew out of it, opting for a softer glass skin glow. But now that elements of 2014 makeup are trickling back onto our Instagram feeds, one must ask: When is major highlighter coming back?

Ask and you shall receive. The chrome blush trend is 2024’s take on blinding highlighter, and it’s all thanks to the TikTok-viral Shimmer Bomb spray from Rabanne Beauty. Ahead, read on to learn more about the metallic blush trend that’s taking over TikTok, plus my honest thoughts on the Rabanne Beauty Shimmer Bomb.

The Trend

At this point, we’re no strangers to chrome manis—as simple as they may seem, they never fail to make a statement. Kicked off by creator Alissa Janay (you may remember her as the creator of sunset blush), chrome blush isn’t too far from that vibe: the lovechild of dewy glass skin and metallic blush, the trend is all about having a seamlessly striking flush that’s both pearlescent and metallic. To get the look, many TikTokers are layering a metallic blush—like Rabanne Beauty’s shimmer bomb—over a dewy blush or highlight. The result? A multidimensional flush that makes your skin look hyperreal.

The Product

Available in three shades, the Rabanne Beauty Shimmer Bomb is a face and body aerosol spray with a glittery finish that lasts for up to 12 hours. With a buildable formula, the glitter spray can create a sheer pearlescent veil or a more bold metallic finish depending on how much is applied. Rose Doré, a rose gold shade, seems to be TikTok’s fave for achieving the chrome blush look.

The Review

The blinding highlight that we associate with 2016 just got a major upgrade. Though it took a minute for me to get used to the aerosol spray format, my skin glowed with an ethereal, shimmery radiance once I got the hang of it. And it has impressive range: whether I was in the mood for a subtle glimmering glow or a bold metallic moment, I found that this buildable spray covered all of my bases. For a chrome flush, I layered a cream blush underneath and a dewy liquid highlighter on top. 2016 is so back.