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
