Alicia Keys,  Angela Bassett,  Beauty,  Beauty Advice,  Cargo,  Fresh,  Gabrielle Union,  Guerlain,  How to choose a blush,  How to Choose Blush,  How-to,  Laura Geller,  Make Up For Ever,  NARS,  YSL

Makeup 101 — How to Choose a Blush

You have seen her. She is really cute and sassy, and she is probably your grandmother or great grandmother. And she has got those rouged up cheeks.  I mean you can see those pink cheeks coming from a mile away.  She has just gotten carried away with the blush.  Let’s just blame her eyesight on her over application.  Now granny isn’t the only one I see making blush blunders.  Oh nooooo.  Ladies who should know better are applying enough blush to  look  like kewpie dolls.  Or they look like they are stuck in the disco days.  So let’s review what blush to wear for your skin tone, type and where to place it.

Let’s start with powder blush today.   Pick brands that have a higher saturation of color for longer wearability.  Powder blushes with a hint of shimmer are beautiful because the shimmer acts as a light reflector, making the skin look luminous.  Women over40 definitely need to use blush with a hint of shimmer.  NARS knew this long ago when he created the best selling blush of all time, Orgasm.  Be sure to use a fluffy brush to apply your powder blush. 

Laura Geller Baked Blush Golden Apricot
Laura Geller Baked Blush Golden Apricot

Powder blush works well for all skin types.

Fair skins do best with rosy or pink tones.  Try Fresh FreshFace Blush Powder in Petal Pink. $28 I love the flush this gives the cheeks and often use it on my fairest brides.  Don’t be deceived by the pale pink color, this blush is loaded with pigment. 

 Tanned skin , olive skin  and light golden deep tones look beautiful whth coral blushes  or neutral blushes flecked with shimmer. Just look how Alicia Keys glows with her blushing cheeks.   Two blushes that are hands down gorgeous on this skin are NARS Orgasm and Laura Geller Baked Blush in Golden Apricot.  $29.50

Alicia Keys BET Awards June 28, 2009
Alicia Keys BET Awards June 28, 2009

 

Medium brown tone skins like Angela Bassett radiate wtih brozey shades with golden undertones.  Bronzers also provide a beautiful blush for medium tone brown girls.  Check out the original bronzer, Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer 2, a warm summer glow. $46  For a pop of color try a bright blush over bronzer right on the cheek and blended in.  I love CARGO blushes — they come in big tins that allow your brush to evenly pick up the color.  Medium skin ladies glow with CARGO blush in Rome.  $24

angela-bassett
Angela Bassett

 Deeper toned skins like Gabrielle Union do well with blushes in cool tones like berry that brightens the skin.  I love Make Up For Ever Sculpting Blush in Raspberry Brown for deeper brown skin. $24  I am also a huge fan of YSL Variation Blush.  The Coriander is blush perfection on deeper toned skins. 

Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union
Sephora Professional Fan Brush $30
Sephora Professional Fan Brush $30

Your number one tool for proper blush application is a brush.  I prefer a fuller head powder brush so that I can sweep the color across the cheeks and up into the temples.  If you are using a highlighly pigmented brush, you may want to try a fan brush which picks up less color and lightly “fans” it out across your skin.  Fan brushes are also ideal if you are using a blush that has a high shimmer content. 

 There you have it, Makeup 101, how to choose a blush.  Next segment will be on how to choose a cream or gel blush.  Check back!

Digg!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

5 Comments

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.