While naturally blushing at inappropriate times might be embarrassing, there is a bright side. Your body chemistry is giving you what many people pay good money for at cosmetic counters to achieve: rosy red cheeks and a glowing face. Okay, I get that with natural blush the entire face reddens. What if you want the perky pink highlight that blushing provides, but only on your cheeks? Then applying blush the cosmetic way is the best way to go.
Blush, or rouge, is a type of makeup that is applied to the cheek area of the face with a makeup brush or applicator, in order to even out your skin tone and add more color to your face. Depending on how you apply the blush, the colorful cosmetic can also be used to make the face appear wider or longer, and to accentuate your cheekbones.
High cheekbones! High fashion! High glamour!
The most common tones for blushes are various shades of reds, pinks, oranges and browns. Depending on your skin tone and complexion, certain colors will show up more boldly than others.
For fair skin, most any shade of blush will be visible, with lighter shades looking more natural and darker tones sometimes appearing overdone. If you have pale skin yet love the look of a deep blush, applying a lighter coat will keep the darker colors looking more natural on your skin. For porcelain skin, pale pinks work wonders.
Medium skin tones look stunning when the blush or rouge is a bit darker, applied heavily enough to draw out your complexion’s natural glow and pretty color. Oranges, bronzes and reds look fabulous on medium skin tones. Lovely, luscious cheeks.
Dark skinned gals look beautiful in dark pinks, oranges and golds. For a fantastic face that looks colorful yet not overdone, dark complexions stand out when accented with gold lipstick, orange cheeks and brown eye shadow. The warm colors with the dark skin radiate heat and fire! Fierce!
Blush is most commonly found in powdered form, but the cool cosmetic can also be purchased in cream and liquid forms. Powder blush is best applied with a makeup brush, where cream blushes tend to go on easier with a makeup sponge or blended with your fingertips.
Blush Fun Fact: Blush was considered immoral to wear during the Victorian era. Women who did want to bring a touch of color to their cheeks would often pinch the skin of their cheekbones. Ouch!
How to Apply Blush to Create Various Effects:
- Add Color: Take a coated brush and sweep in a line motion, beginning at the base of the cheekbone up toward your lower eyelid (follow the path of the cheekbone).
- Make Your Face Appear Wider: Apply a dark shade from the middle of the eye to the lower temple. A lighter color can be swept over the top of the cheekbone.
- Narrower Face: Brush a dark shade near the hairline and outer edge of the face, stopping at the eye level. Place a lighter tone above and below the darker color.
- Application Tip: Make sure to blush both of your cheeks and that the patterns and colors that you use match. However, it’s your face, so wear your makeup to your preference. You certainly don’t want to look like a clown, but hey, maybe you do. Then by all means, go for it! As long as you aren’t hurting anyone else, life is too short to care what someone else thinks if you are doing what you love.
Fashion: Unique, Individual, You!
Blush Fun Fact: In its earliest form, blush was made out of foods like mulberries, strawberries and beet juice. For a long lasting blush, you may want to try grape juice. Have you ever tried to get a grape juice stain out of a white clothing garment?
Blush Application Tip: Powder blush lightly dusted on the forehead, nose and/or chin will add a rosy shine and glow to your face. A great way to ensure that your blush stays on for the entire day? Apply a bronzer underneath the blush and a light translucent face powder over the blush. Your rosy cheeks will remain rosy until the sun doesn’t shine.
A bit of color wakes up your skin, perks up your face and shows you have great makeup taste.
Brush your cheeks beautiful with blush!
Blush Tip: Blend two colors of blush together to give you a unique, signature shade all your own.
Beautiful blush for the perfect summer glow!
Pinks, reds, oranges, browns. Paint your cheeks; paint the town.
Nancy Mangano is an American fashion journalist, screenwriter and author of the Natalie North murder mystery book series. Visit Nancy on her global online fashion/style/beauty magazine Nancy Marie Mangano Style at https://nancymariemangano.com, her Facebook page Nancy Mangano at https://www.facebook.com/nancymmangano/ Twitter @https://twitter.com/nancymangano and her author website http://nancymangano.com
