How to: Apply Blush

Anna Sui Spring 2012

I saved the best for the last, after bronzer and highlighter, because I think blush is my favourite cosmetic product ever and I wanted to do it justice. To me, it looks good on everyone and makes everyone look better; more alert, healthier. Isn't that what makeup is in theory supposed to do anyway  make us look like a better version of ourselves?

So blush is best applied to the cheeks (duh) but the placement depends on your facial shape. Play around with different positions for your blush, anywhere from the apples to the cheek bones themselves. If you have a more predominant bone structure it is nice to place more of the emphasis on the apples to soften the features like Rachel here:

Rachael Bilson

If you are like me and are blessed with genetic cherub cheeks, you can place the blush further up on the cheek bones to bring more emphasis to them and look less cute. This also as the added advantage of making the face seem lifted for those of us who might no longer be friends with gravity. See Minka (Minka? really?  I have never heard of this person but she has good blush) here:

Minka Kelly

Big no nos include:

-Terrible 80’s style (most likely plum) contouring blush. No one blushes under their cheek bones; it just looks like purple stripes. It is time to update!

- Brown “natural” blush. Please the 90’s called. Brown really looks dated now plus it just was a bad idea to begin with. I know a lot of women seem to have it in their heads that pink is somehow to girly and unnatural. Well, when was the last time you saw a cute little girl blush brown?

The best safe bet for a blush is a fairly bright, neutral pink. For a more natural look, just use less. Lighter shades just have you piling it on and can mask the lovely natural glow you already have going on and again, we are trying to enhance the natural awesomeness, not mess with it. Work with your skin tone obviously. Cooler tones should try blue-based pinks, berry tone and roses; warmer tones try yellow-based pinks, corals, and oranges. Go with your gut of what you are naturally attracted to, you will probably be right. And ask! If you haven’t updated your makeup in a while, go to a beauty counter you like and have them help you. That’s what we are there for! Try stuff on, that’s really only the way to know what you feel good in.

I like a matte powder, because I am oily and I don’t want to make my pores look larger than they already are. I am not a fan of the super sparkly blushes like NARS because I like to have control. I put the highlight, higher on my cheeks and my blush on a wider area. My two favourites for blush are the ones from Studio Makeup which is amazing (but hard to come by, I think only London Drugs carries it in Canada still), high pigment and totally matte but I also like good old Revlon, it’s easy to get and they have a shade for everyone. Even their non-matte shades are not overly shimmery seeming to me.

Studio Makeup Soft Blend Blush in Poppy

Revlon Powder Blush

Cream blush is great for people with really dry skin. It doesn't have the staying power of a powder; none of them do. But it looks a lot nicer on skin that is trying desperately to stay hydrated, and doesn't draw attention to dry patches. A favourite for a cream blush is this one from Elizabeth Arden. It has the added benefit of ceramides for a bit of plumping that works great on skin that may be ageing a bit.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Cream Blush

So do you wear blush?

Or are you still under the assumption that brown is better?

Do you get help at makeup counters?

PLEASE “LIKE” FANTASTIC CATS BEAUTY ON FACEBOOK