The most common place for blush is on the apples, which is the most fleshy part of your cheeks and is the area that’s prone to flushing naturally. But, the fun thing about makeup is that you don’t really have to follow any rules. Of course, there are ways to accentuate certain features– placing blush high up on your cheekbones will help lift the entire face– but if there’s a certain placement that you prefer for your blush, then we say go for it.
Recently, the trend of underpainting, or applying blush, bronzer, concealer, etc, before foundation has been having a moment. Some makeup artists use this technique in order to create a more subtle lit-from-within glow. But, if you want your bold blush to really pop, it’s smart to put it on over your foundation.
Why choose? Blush and bronzer are a perfect pair, each benefiting the face in a different way. Dusting bronzer on the forehead, under the cheekbones, along the jawline and on the nose gives a chiseled, sunkissed effect, but adding some blush on the cheeks will help to brighten the entire face.
Luckily, choosing a blush shade is much easier than shade matching for foundation, but the same basic principles will apply. If you’re fair, you’ll go for more of a peach or pink pastel hue depending on your undertone. If you’re fair with cool undertones, then a nice bubblegum pink is for you, but warmer or neutral tones will look best with something that has a little more heat to it like a punchy coral. The deeper your skin tone, the more intense you can get with your blush color. Olive and medium toned skin can handle an even warmer coral or poppier pink while darker skin will benefit from more pigmented shades such as a rich berry or brick red. But, if there’s a blush shade you really like, there’s no reason not to wear it regardless of your skin tone.
As the name implies, this trend is all about using blush to give the appearance of a day spent in the sun. Think back to beach trips where you forgot to reapply SPF– where did you burn most? Typically, the sun will hit the high points of your face like your cheekbones and your nose, so the easiest way to mimic that look is by creating the letter “W,” with your blush. Start at the top of one cheek bone, brush down to the apple and then up and across the bridge of your nose. Finish the “W” on the other side by going up from the apple to the hairline. This area is a good spot to draw on some faux freckles, too. If you’re going to rock a burn, this is the way to do it– sun damage not included.
