If you’ve ever been told you look like a clown because you applied too much blush, then you’ll want to read on! Many women avoid wearing blush because they fear they’ll look unnatural, but blush can be your best friend! It can light up your face and highlight your best features if applied correctly.
Before you implement these helpful tips, you’ll need the following items on hand: blush, a professional blush brush, and a mirror.
1. First choose a color that matches your cheeks when they’re flushed after exercise or being out in the cold. A quick slap on the cheek can simulate the same result. Alternately, matching your lip color can lead to a natural blush complement. Generally speaking, fair skin looks great in light pink, olive skin in peach and dark skin looks good in apricot or even red.
2. After choosing the color, choose the right formula for your skin type. Powder is typically best for oily & combo skin. Cream is great for dry skin. Liquids and gels are great for oily skin. For even better results, combine cream and powder together for a longer lasting and radiant effect.
3. Apply foundation, eye color and lipstick. While blush is usually your second-to-last makeup step (before powder), you should experiment with what works best for you. Some makeup artists like to apply blush BEFORE foundation for a more ‘natural’ look.
4. Most products come with a small brush, but you’ll need a professional full blush brush like our Angled Cheek Brush, so throw out the freebie brush that comes with the blush. Don’t use the same brush you use for your powder.
5. Put the blush on your brush, tapping off any excess or put a dab of gel on your fingers.
6. Look into the mirror and smile. This helps you figure out where the ‘apple’ of your cheek is. The contours of your face are many, and Michael Todd’s Angled Cheek Brush is the perfect tool for accentuating cheekbones. Use the angled side of this natural brush to apply Michael Todd’s Powder Blushes or Bronzing Blush, then shade under your cheekbone and blend evenly.
7. Since you want a healthy flush, it’s best to apply blush only to apples of your cheeks. Keep color light & blended. If you’re using gel or cream, dab some on with your middle finger, then blend with your ring and middle fingers. The clean finger will pick up any excess blush.
8. If you’ve gone a bit too heavy on the powder blush, tone it down with a bit of translucent powder over it. For cream blush, blot the color off with a tissue. Since gel and liquid blush ’stain’ the cheeks, the only way to lighten them is it wash your face, moisturize and reapply your makeup, this time more sparingly.
9. Finish your look with a sweep of translucent powder.
10. Extra tip: For a year-round sun-kissed look, dab bronzer powder on your forehead, chin and nose BEFORE you apply the blush. To make sure it doesn’t look like a stripe, apply lightly with Michael Todd’s Bronzer Brush. Feel how the luxurious soft, natural bristles provide smoother, more even application of bronzer with its rounded head as it evenly distributes color along your cheekbones, giving you a natural and healthy bronzed summer glow.
11. Experiment with different ways of shading, such as C-shape shading. To do this, apply a sheer highlighting powder in a c-shape from your temples to your cheekbones. It should go from the center of your brow bone to the center of your cheek, like the shape of the letter C.
Extra Tips:
1. Clean your brushes with wet wipes. If you don’t keep your brushes clean, they’ll gather bacteria and transfer it to your skin.
2. For a sexy look, dab a little shimmery blush on the highest point of your cheekbone nearest your eye.
3. Using powder blush? Always sweep it in one direction. Going over and over or around and around causes streaks and can hurt your brush.
4. Cream blush is great for mature skin. It blends easily, thus looks very natural. For gel or cream blush, dab a dot on the apple of the cheek and two smaller dots up the cheekbone. Blend the dots together up to the hairline.
5. Dusky pink blush will warm up any tired-looking skin.