Beauty 101: How to Find and Apply the Perfect Shade of Blush

The right blush can make you look years younger instantly. With all of the different powder and cream formulas on the market to sift through, the key is knowing what the best blush is for you and how to apply it like a pro. It's time to get glowing!

Decide Which Formula You Need

There are two types of blush, powder and cream.  Powder blush is traditional because it's more subtle and easier to diffuse over skin and is faster and easier to apply for a beginner because you can always continue to blend and feather the product into place.

But if you find your blush is enhancing uneven skin texture issues or exaggerating the size of your pores, you may want to consider a cream formula. They sink into skin instead of sitting right on top like a powder. Cream and gel blushes are usually more pigmented, so there's a little bit more of a learning curve, but can give dryer skin a bit of luster and radiance.

Choose Your Most Flattering Shade

The array of colors of blush can have some women feeling like a kid in the candy store while leaving others a bit confused. But finding a shade that works best on your skin tone shouldn't be hard. A good rule of thumb is the deeper your skin tone, the deeper the pigment which means lighter baby pinks look great on fair, cool skin tones; warm, peachy shades flatter medium and olive skin tones; and richer rosy or red hues look like a natural flush on deeper skin tones. But how do you know if you have warm or cool undertones? If you have blue or green eyes, your undertones probably skew toward the cooler side and brown or hazel eyes usually means you have a warmer complexion.

Brush on a Powder

After you've put on your base makeup, blush should be the very next thing you do. It balances your face instantly, so you can assess what other makeup you might need afterwards to look fresh and awake. You should apply a powder blush with a brush (toss the one that comes in the compact. They are not designed to properly distribute the pigment). Instead, look for a blush brush with synthetic bristles that are very fine and compact in a dome shape. A quality brush will transform a drugstore powder into a luxury product. Swirl the brush on the powder, tap off any excess, and dust it onto the fattest part of your cheeks, sweeping it up your cheekbones, creating the shape of a teardrop. Never use your hands, the oils on your fingers can change the shade of the powder.

Get Hands-On with a Cream

When you should use your fingers is when applying cream blush. Dab a dot onto the apples of your cheeks, then buff in circular motions in the same shape as you would powder. Just make sure you're completely happy with one cheek before moving on to the other because creams set very fast, so there's less time to perfect the finish before it becomes completely budge-proof. And the golden rule with both formulas is always start with a little, and build up the color.

I hope you found this week’s installment of Beauty 101: How to Find and Apply the Perfect Shade of Blush helpful and informative. Next week’s installment of Beauty 101 will be on finding and applying highlighters and until next time, stay happy, healthy and beautiful!