Applying blusher is a technique that can easily go wrong. Get it right and it adds a beautiful glow and enhances your complexion. Get it wrong and you could ruin your entire look immediately. There are certain things to look out for when it comes to applying blush, so we thought we would round up our top tips on how to apply blush so you can nail your look every time. But first, we want to discuss some of the most common errors so you can decide if you are making any of these mistakes with your blush application.
What are some of the most common blush application errors?
Applying too much blush
This has to be the most common blush mistakes. Blush is not to be mistaken as a bronzer and is not supposed to be applied in generous amounts. Blush is used to add a light tint of color to your face. If blush is ‘caked’ on, it makes the skin and the pores look clogged and unnatural. Wearing too much color on your cheeks can make you look older or hot due to the appearance of a red face.
Using the wrong shade
Not all shades are appropriate for everyone, and from our experience, bright red blusher isn’t a great shade for anyone! Avoid using a shade that is lots lighter or brighter than your complexion. You do not want your blush to stand out too much, you want it to complement your makeup.
Wrong placement of blusher on your face
Blush should never be applied like bronzer. You should also avoid dragging your blush up above your eyebrows onto the sides of your forehead. Doing this can easily mean you end up looking either too red or pink in the face.
Now we’ve identified some of the most common blush mistakes, we’ll move onto what you can do to ensure your blush application is perfect, every time…
How to apply blush
Less is more
This is the number one rule when it comes to applying blush. When using a pressed powder blush, gently twirl your brush on the powder so there’s a light covering clinging to the bristles. Then give it a tap a few times on the back of your wrist to get rid of any excess product. You can then use the small amount on the brush to apply to your skin (more about where to apply later). If you’re applying a cream blush with your fingers, squeeze the tiniest amount on your finger (around a quarter of a pea in size), and dab onto the skin. If it’s not quite enough, you can always add more cream blush, but it’s less fun to remove if you overdo it, and can ruin your foundation base. Blush should last you a long time since a tiny bit is used at a time.
Where should I apply blush?
There are a couple of places you can add your blush: either lightly on the apples of your cheeks, or across the cheekbone, but not as high as you would take your bronzer. These two placement options provide 2 different looks too – on the apples of your cheeks gives a more cheeky, cutesy, girly look, whereas on the cheekbone is more sophisticated look. Applying blush should be one of the last things you do in your makeup routine, it works by adding a light bit of color to your face to liven up your look.
How to choose the right shade of blusher
Choosing the right shade for your skin tone can make the world of difference to your look. Getting it right and you’ll look fabulous, get it wrong and it can easily effect the makeup look you’re going for. It will stand out if it’s not quite right, where it should be complementing the rest of your makeup as previously mentioned.
If you have a darker skin tone you should look for a brighter shade of pink or lean towards the redder shades. If you have a lighter skin tone go for a peach or light pink to complement your skin perfectly. If your skin has cooler undertones, berry and mauve-like shades are lovely, or if your skin has a warmer tone, orange-based blush colors are ideal. Some trial and error is necessary for this process but there is a perfect shade for everyone, you just need to keep looking and trying out some shades for the perfect one. You can test out some different colors through our makeup transformation kits, or head to your local beauty store and pick up a couple of shades.
If you thought this article was helpful please, let us know by emailing us at [email protected]. If you’re in need of some general makeup, you can find everything from blush and eyeshadow to contouring kits and loads more in our online makeup section.