Most people think they look better with a little bit of colour, but the problem is where in the world to put it... other than on your face! Once you figure out where you are going to put the blasted thing, you need to decide whether to use cream, powder, bronzer, stick, gel, or even a loose powder blusher. Fingertips or a brush? How about a sponge? Are there tricks for positioning and application, products and tools? Of course there are, and for a modest fee I'll share them with you!
A huge deciding factor on where your blusher is going to go well is the shape of your face. Next will be the effect you want to achieve. Natural and slightly flushed, or sculpted to within an inch of your life? Are you interested in following the latest trend or do you just want to look the best you possibly can? Trends are all very well and good, but if the trend happens to be to apply blusher in the apple of the cheek and your face happens to be as chubby as a little chipmunk's, this is going to be a bad plan from the word go! Likewise, if you are supposed to be sculpting and contouring and you already have a thin face, you will only end up looking as if you need to be fed a good meal.
What is the current trend?
There seem to be two trends at the moment. One is quite fresh and pretty and the other is more classic. The fresher of the two is achieved by washing colour onto the point of your cheekbone. That is the area you find if you visually drop your brush from the outer corner of the eye/brow area to the front of the cheekbone. Small circles, figures of eight, or xs can be used as a motion to apply the colour if you are using a brush. The more classic approach is applying the blusher to the entire cheekbone, right on the bone, from the hairline to as far forward as the outer corner of the eye. I like the former if you tend to tuck your hair behind your ears, or if your hair is off your face. It is very pretty and slightly windswept. The other application is a bit more 'grown up' and looks fantastic in the evening. You can start the day with the first application and add the second, more glamorous version in the evening.
And for the amount? There is quite a lot of blusher being worn at the moment and the colours are fairly pretty and girly. Remember though, trends change… the basic face shape applications will not.
Square face shape
It's usually best to take the emphasis off the square jaw and hairline. To do this, apply your blusher toward the front of your cheek, either from the corner of your cheek, under the edge of the eye and brow, or on the apple of the cheek. Once you have finished, use the residue of the blusher that is still on the brush and soften the edge of your jawline at the back (by the hinge of the jaw itself) and maybe even the corners of your hairline at the outer and upper corners of your forehead. Think of cutting the corners off a square piece of paper…
Heart face shape
An easy face shape to apply blusher to because you can do anything you please. This face shape looks very pretty with the new blush trend as well as a classic application on the cheekbone. Don't try the old trick of applying to your chin, though. It will make it recede and can end up looking as though your chin has disappeared.
Round face shape
If you use the apple or the trend application under the corner of the eye, you could end up looking more jolly than you would like. This face shape seems to look best when you apply blusher on the cheekbone to give some shape and definition to your face. The difference for you may be that you want to come even slightly further forward with your blusher until it stops just under the pupil of the eye. The blusher would then wrap from the hairline, down the cheekbone to the front of the face, ending on the apple of the cheek.
Oval face shape
This is another shape that can wear blusher in most ways, provided the oval is not too narrow. With the more classic application on this face, make sure the blusher that is applied to the cheekbone comes down at a slight angle, otherwise it will cut the face in half.
Diamond face shape
This shape can wear blusher both ways. Be aware, though, that if the cheekbone is very sharp it may be better to apply the blusher in a more classic application. Keep the blusher directly on the bone or it will leave you looking pinched and drawn. If the shape of the diamond is more gentle, using blusher at the front of the cheek, as in the trend section, will be very pretty.
Wide face shape
This face shape needs to be shaded slightly at the side to make it appear more narrow. Apply your blusher as you would normally do, but then, using the residual colour on the brush, apply a longish stroke down the length of the sides of the face. Go all the way from hairline to jawline; just try to keep the colour as close to imperceptible as you possibly can. You may even be better to do this with a darker face powder, rather than a proper blusher.
Narrow face shape
Avoid the face looking too thin by not cutting it in sections. Apply very little blusher and usually at the front of the face rather than on the bone. If you apply a lot of colour too far back near the hairline, it will make the face appear even narrower still. As with a wider face, perhaps apply a residual amount of colour across the top of the forehead, along the hairline and down on the jawline to shorten the face. And again, you may find this more cunning if you use a darker face powder instead of blusher.
Blusher Q&A
Should I wear blusher if I have ruddy cheeks?
Yes. If you leave it off completely, it looks as if something is missing. Only apply your blusher from the hairline to the place where the redness begins, and right on the cheekbone. This way, if you flush up, you will not have two layers of colour in your problem areas.
What type of blusher is best?
Blusher comes in a great many formats now, from powders, to creams, sticks, gels and even liquid stains. You need to find the one that you get the best effect from and that will be an entirely personal preference. If you are applying a face powder to set your make-up, you may find it easier to blend on a powdered blusher. If you leave the powder off, a creamy blush of some sort may be easiest. It used to be that the creamy blushers were much more sheer and natural, but that is not the case any more. I myself have come to quite like some of the sticks and creams, but I still am prone to using a brush to apply them! I tap the product with my regular brush, soften it on the back of my hand, and then apply as normal. I find I have a lot more control that way and can get the sheer effect in a way I am used to.
The other option with creams or sticks would be to apply them direct to the face in a line (if you are doing a classic blusher application), or a blob (technical term!) if you are doing a more trend-led blush at the front of the cheekbone. You can also apply them to your fingertips first, blend the tips of both hands together, and then touch them where you want colour and blend. With gels you haven't got the option; apply to your fingertips, blend, and apply. Liquids (such as Benefit's BENEtint) and Philosophy's the supernatural lip & cheek tint gel) can either be painted carefully and immediately blended onto unpowdered skin, or applied with a sponge to unpowdered skin. These are slightly tricky to use, but give a lovely effect once you get the hang of it.
What tools should I use?
Use what works! With a powder blusher you will need a good brush. Some of the ones that come with your product are actually very good, so don't automatically throw them away. But if you want to invest in a good brush, the best shape will be either an oval- or round-headed brush. If you choose a round one, don't opt for a flat, blunt end. You want the end to also be gently rounded so the colour doesn't stick immediately on contact with the skin and become virtually impossible to blend.
For your creams, gels, and sticks, apply them straight onto the skin and fingertip blend, or blend them onto your fingers before applying them to your face. Or you can try my trick of using a brush the same way that you would a powder blusher.
What about contouring and highlighting?
There are many tricks of the trade on this subject but, suffice to say, if you are not good at this and don't have the time to practise, you can (and probably will) make yourself look absolutely ridiculous. If you are going to attempt it, read through that feature and remember that you need to overlap the layers. Apply the blush first and then apply the highlight or contour second, layering halfway over the blusher. If you don't do this, you will end up looking like neapolitan ice cream, with lovely stripes!
