Blusher plays an important of your makeup regime. If applied correctly, it can reduce the appearance of features you'd like to disguise, while emphasising your best points.
Blusher is the only substance that should be used to add colour to your cheeks. Applied correctly, It will add warmth and colour to the face giving it a natural glow. Too much ages an older face and is too harsh on a younger one; when using blusher less is best.
Blushers are available in cream / liquid, powder or gel, in a wide variety of tones. Cream / liquid blushers should be applied before powder. They work well with normal to dry skin and should be avoided by individuals with oily skin or large pours. Generally most women prefer to use a powder blush as it is much easier to apply, suits all skin types and can if desired be used on bare skin. Gel blushers are long lasting, waterproof and are light enough to be blended into bare skin.
How to Apply Blusher
- Smile and find the apples of your cheek. This is the area where you blush and where blusher should be applied in order to look the most natural.
- From your cheeks brush towards your ear, with short, up-and-down vertical movements; this will enable you to avoid having heavy "blobs" of colour on your cheeks. Never blush into your hair-line.
- Blend your blusher in with a soft horizontal stroke on top of the vertical strokes, then blot a tissue on top to remove the excess, or cover lightly with powder.
Using Blusher to Change the Shape of Your Face
- Blusher is applied slightly differently, in accordance with the shape of your face. If you have a:-
- - heart shaped face: emphasize your cheek bones by sweeping upwards
- from below your cheekbones to the top of your ear. A tapered chin can be
- made to appear wider by applying blusher at the tip and some highlighter at
- each site.
- - narrow shaped face: to appear wider, begin nearer to your nose (while
- remaining in the apples) and sweep outwards across the face. Only a soft
- application of blusher is required to accentuate the cheek bones.
- - round face: to appear slimmer shade the jaw line. This procedure can be
- made more effective by also highlighting the tip and sides of the nose,
- thereby creating a narrowing effect.
- - square face: to soften the appearance of a square face, blusher should be
- applied very subtly, to avoid further emphasising your strong features.
Using Blusher that Suits Your Skin Type
- According to your skin colour apply blusher in:-
- - light: use pink or a hint of beige to create warmth
- - medium: use pink/brown colours
- - olive/yellow: use deep brown based colours e.g. plumb
- - dark: use rich brown based colours e.g. bronze
Blusher Tips
- To avoid overdoing your blusher, tap excess blush off your brush before applying.
- Apply blusher after powder for a smooth, even look with no streaking. To soften / tone down blusher apply a dusting of powder over your blusher, or dab it off to avoid a caked look. For evening out, your blusher can be applied a little more heavily than during the day.
- When applying blush use a darker shade to contour your face and "lift" your cheekbones.
- Use your blush to apply blusher with small half-moon shaped strokes moving up from your cheek bones to near your hairline, keeping it on the cheek bones.
- If you have sallow skin, pick a foundation that disappears on your face; to counteract your skin tone choose a pink or rosy blush.
- For a very natural look, apply blusher on the cheekbones and eyelids matching the colour of the lipstick.
- Once you are done with your entire makeup stand back, look in the mirror. Check to see if your face is ‘balanced’. You should have on just enough blusher to make you look as though you are blushing. If you have on any more than that you need to tone it down.