A little bit of blush can go a long way. One quick stroke and you can have rosy cheeks and a healthy flush to your skin. However, one stroke too many and you can have bright red cheeks like a clown (and let’s be honest, no one wants that!).
Applying blush doesn’t have to be rocket science. Once you determine the best blush for your skin tone and skin type, you just need to prep your skin and apply it according to your face shape. Read on to find out how to apply blush flawlessly!
What Are the Benefits of Blush?
It’s easy to forget about blush. It doesn’t cover up blemishes like foundation, and it doesn’t make your eyes pop like mascara. However, there are many reasons to use blush. If you’re not already using it, here are some reasons to incorporate it into your makeup routine.
Blush can brighten up your face when your skin is tired. We all have nights when we didn’t get enough sleep and our skin pays for it the next day. A few swipes of blush can freshen your face and make you look more like your cute and perky self (don’t skip the coffee though!).
When you’re trapped inside during the winter months, blush can also give you a rosy glow. It’s not quite the same as being poolside, but a little color to your cheeks can go a long way. Especially if you add bronzer and highlighter, you can create a look that looks like you just returned from a beachside getaway!
What Blush Works Best for You?
Like any beauty product, it can be overwhelming to pick the best blush out of the thousands of available products. There are two important things to keep in mind when picking a blush: your skin tone and your skin type. As long as you keep these in mind, you’ll find the perfect color and perfect formula for your face.
Pick by Skin Tone
We want to do everything we can to avoid the dreaded clown cheek. Pale skin with bright red cheeks? Not cute! It’s important to know your skin tone and pick a blush shade that flatters that tone.
For a fool-proof way to pick the right blush for your skin tone, go look in the mirror and lightly pinch your cheeks. The color that appears on your cheeks is your natural flush color and you’ll want to pick a blush close to that tone. Cool trick, right?
Now that you know your skin tone, check out below to find a blush shade that will flatter you:
- Pale, fair skin: Pale pink shades will add color to your skin without looking too garish or dark.
- Light/medium skin: Peach or coral shades will look the best on you.
- Golden/olive skin: A bright pink will look great on you!
- Dark skin: Pick a deep berry, neon pink, or dark coral.
You also might want different colors for different days or events. Stick to the same general color scheme to make sure it fits with your skin. Maybe pick a deeper coral rather than a pale coral, or a shimmery pink rather than matte.
Pick by Skin Type
Everyone has a different skin type, whether it’s dry, oily, or a combination of the two. If you’re confused about which type of skin you have, there are a few ways to determine your skin type.
Pay attention to your skin at the end of the day. Notice which areas of your skin seem dry and flaky, and which areas seem oily and shiny. You can also gently wash your face and see how it feels 30 minutes after washing.
It’s important to know your skin type for more than just blush. If you have oily skin, you’ll want to avoid certain makeup or skin products that might produce extra oil on your skin.
Likewise, if your skin is dry, certain cleansers or serums can be too harsh for your skin and could dry it out even more. Make note of your skin type and keep it in mind the next time you shop for skin products!
Determine your skin type and then pick the best blush formula based on your skin as shown below.
- Dry skin: Pick a powder blush for dry skin to reduce the appearance of cracks. Powder blushes are very common and come in a huge variety of colors. Our Play Bento works great for dry skin!
- Oily skin: A cheek stain will be long-lasting on your skin, even if your skin gets sweaty or oily. Cheek stains, like Kaja Beauty’s Cheeky Stamp, will give you a rich color, without needing to put much product on your skin that could cause excessive oil.
- Normal/Combination skin: Look for a cream formula to create a natural, long-lasting look. You might want to avoid putting blush on the more oily parts of your skin to ensure it looks consistent. Try our Cutie Bento for normal/combination skin!
How Do I Prep My Skin?
You know the benefits of using blush, but do you know you have to prep your skin first to get all those benefits? For your blush to apply easily and last all day, your skin needs to be ready. Prepped skin is cute skin!
This might sound obvious, but make sure your face is clean before you start your makeup routine. Use a gentle cleanser and add in an exfoliator a few times a week as well. Removing the dry skin from your face will help all makeup go on smoother.
You probably already know the importance of hydrating your skin, but it’s especially important when it comes to blush. Apply moisturizer before your makeup, and you can even add another coat after your foundation if your skin is extra dry. Wet, moisturized skin will allow for the best application of blush without cracks.
Before you apply any makeup, use a makeup primer as the base layer. Primer will give your makeup something to stick to and will help it stay on all day. You want rosy cheeks by the end of the day too, right?
We’re almost ready to apply the blush, but make sure you have the rest of your face makeup done first. You want to apply blush on top of foundation, powder, and concealer in order to show the color. If you put the blush on first, you won’t be able to see any of the colors by the time everything else is done, so definitely don’t make that mistake!
Do You Know Your Face Shape?
One of the things that makes blush such a unique beauty product is that application instructions differ for everyone. The shape of your face and your bone structure will change the way you apply blush, unlike lipstick or mascara application which remains the same for everyone.
You might be lucky enough to already know your face shape, and congrats to you if so! For the rest of us, there are a few easy ways to determine your face shape. Get a mirror and a measuring tape ready and follow these steps:
- Make note of the width of the following areas of your face: forehead, cheekbone, and jawline.
- Also, measure your face length from your hairline to the tip of your chin.
- Determine which angles of your face are soft or rounded, such as your chin, jawline, and hairline.
This doesn’t need to be totally scientific so feel free to eyeball your measurements if you don’t want to pull out a ruler. The important thing is to know how parts of your face compare to each other.
Round
A round face shape will have a rounded hairline and jawline. The length and width of your face will look pretty similar, and your cheeks are probably the fullest part of your face.
With a round face, blush (like our Mochi Pop) will help make your cheekbones pop! Apply blush from your ear down your cheekbone, avoiding the apples of your cheeks as they will make your face look even rounder. You can also apply a hint of blush to your chin to help elongate your face.
Heart
If your forehead and cheeks are wider than your chin, you might have a heart-shaped face. You probably have prominent cheekbones and a narrow chin.
Blush can help soften the appearance of your chin and the angles of your heart-shaped face. You’ll want to apply blush from your temple down to your cheekbone. Make sure to blend your blush well, since it’s covering more of your face.
Oval
If your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, and your face is longer than it is wide, you might have an oval face shape. You can also look for a narrow forehead and narrow chin. If you have an oval face, you have the same face shape as Beyonce, so good for you, girl!
Since you already have prominent cheekbones, let’s really make them pop! Start by placing your blush just above the most striking part of your cheekbone. Lightly blend up towards your temple, staying above the cheekbone to help emphasize it more.
Square
If your hairline follows a straight line, rather than rounded, you might have a square face shape. Your face length and width will also be close to the same, and your jawline will be less rounded and more of a straight line.
Because your cheekbones are about the same width as your chin, the goal with blush is to bring the cheekbones out more. To do this, apply the blush right below your cheekbones. Include the whole cheekbone from your temple to your nose, but be careful not to overapply.
How Do I Make Sure My Blush Stays On?
You did it! You’ve officially mastered blush application and have used your makeup to emphasize different facial features. We’re almost done, but there’s one final step.
Before you finalize your look, make sure your blush looks exactly as you want it to. Get a brush or sponge and blend then blend some more! You want your blush to look natural and like it blends with the rest of your makeup.
If your blush looks too dark, don’t redo your whole face. Use a tissue to gently blot the blush. You can also apply some sheer foundation or powder over the blush to mute the color.
There’s no point in going through the trouble of applying a full face of makeup without making sure it stays on all day. Setting spray is key to making sure your makeup stays on through all the expected and unexpected things that might happen each day.
Pick a setting spray or face mist that will help emphasize the look you want. Either a matte finish or a dewy finish is up to you. Either one will look great and make sure your makeup is long-lasting!
Gently shake the bottle and then spray your face in an X-shape. This will make sure you cover all corners of your face. Follow that up with a quick spray in a T-shape to set that tricky T-zone, which tends to be the oiliest part of our faces.
Two quick sprays and that’s it! Now you have a cute face of makeup that will last all day!
Wrapping It Up
By now, you’re probably committed to adding blush as part of your regular makeup routine. You know your skin tone and skin type and know how to pick the best blush based on these factors. You also know your face shape and know where to apply blush on your face depending on this shape.
Girl, you’re a pro! Go get some new blush today and test some new looks. You’ll be amazed at how great you look!
Sources:
Face Shape Guide | Cosmopolitan