Cheeky!

Cheek color gone wrong is enough to make anybody red-faced—so here’s how to get it done right!

 

Blush-not foundation- is for perking up your face, super-fast. But today, there’s a bigger choice than ever of textures as well as shades. Let’s start with the right color choice. Before you invest in colors that turn out to be not quite right once they’re on, follow this simple rule of thumb from makeup pro Fulvia Farolfi:

 

Ivory skin tones (which tend to be pale, and therefore need subtle, rather than intense colors) should stick to light beige tones for contouring and soft pinks for blush.

 

Pink skin tones also need pale beige for contouring, with a stroke of warm peach to highlight and play down the rosiness of the complexion. (This applies to woman with broken capillaries, too, who should opt for more peachy/apricot shades – otherwise the blush picks up that redness and emphasizes it.)

 

Yellow skin tones- perhaps a bit on the sallow side – do best with a honey-colored contour, with a peachy/coral blush..

 

Black skin tones should choose a fudge-colored blush for contouring, topped off with a brighter, but still dark, shade of auburn- or bronzer.

 

According to FACE Stockholm’s Gun Novak, "The only way you can tell if a blush shade suits you is by applying it to the cheeks, not the back of the hand. SO you should really test it on a ‘naked’ face, or over foundation only, or chances are it’ll be a wrong choice and end in your cupboard. Always test with a cotton pad – or a brush that you’ve actually seen them sterilize."

 

To avoid obvious "stripes" of blush, apply it mainly to the apples of the cheeks, rather than all along the cheek bone. Smile and the center of your cheek will puff out: this is where to apply blush, then blend outwards towards the hairline. According to John Gustafson – a British TV beauty pundit and independent skincare advisor who’s trained with all the major-league beauty houses: "If you can just see your blush from about feet away, the shade is bout right." If you overdo blush, don’t rub: apply some pressed powder over the top to tone down the color.

 

If you’re feeling tired, you can use blush to give your face an instant "lift": sweep it high on the outer part of the cheeks, near the eyes and up towards the temples.

 

According to our pros, woman with oily skin should use a blush that’s a shade lighter than the one they want to end up with. This compensates for the darkening effects of oil on the blush’s pigment.

 

Choosing a Blusher Texture

 

Gel blush is good for flawless skins that don’t really need base, as its best applied just over moisturizer: but it doesn’t work very well over powder or foundation. Be aware that there’s very little "playtime" because if you don’t blend it into the skin super-fast, you can be left with circles of pigment.

 

Cheek stains are for the experienced only- they’re even harder to blend in, but are incredibly long-lasting. (Good on casual weekend for that just-got-back-from-a-windswept-walk look- again, on already flawless skins.)

 

Cream blush is our top choice, especially the easy-glide formulations that can be dabbed onto the skin – either bare skin (with a bit of concealer if needed), or over foundation—then blended outwards with your middle finger. There’s much more "playtime" than with gel blush, although the creamy formulation does slowly "set" to a powdery finish. Barbra Daly has this tip for using cream blush: "Because these blend beautifully, you don’t have to worry so much about ‘placing’ the color. If you have the time, warm it on the back of your hand, then dab it onto the center of the cheek and blend. But because you’re heating the skin with the rubbing action, you may look pinker—so wait a minute before you add any more product."

 

Powder blush should be applied with a very light touch, always with a generously sized, domed blush brush. Sweep the brush across the color, then tap it firmly against a hard surface (to get rid of absolutely al the excess) before applying to your face: never, ever go straight from the compact to your cheeks—that’s what creates the "clown" effect.

 

Bronzing powder is applied in the same way as powder blush, but can be used to create a sun-kissed look elsewhere on the face. Follow the same guidelines as for powder blush – but when it comes to placement, John Gustafson advises: "For a natural effect, apply the bronzer to the places that would catch the sun. Sweep the color up over your nose, the tops of your cheekbones, the brow and the chin."

Total Beauty by Sarah Stacey & Josephine Fairley