How To Choose The Perfect Blush For Your Skin Tone

Blush is such a gorgeous product. It breathes new life into your face and adds a little color to stop you from looking washed out.

image of Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach

Choosing the right blush can feel a bit overwhelming though, so let's look at the rules of blush, and how to choose the right blush for your skin tone.

The Rules

Blush should never be confused with contour. Contour products are made up of black and grey and are designed to absorb light and create the subtle illusion of a shadow falling under the cheekbone, making the cheekbone look higher and the cheek look thinner.

Blush and bronzer are not interchangeable! Bronzer's job is to make you look like you've been out in the sun, giving you a sun-kissed glow.

Don't choose a blush that is deeper than the color you would naturally flush to. It will make your complexion look muddy and heavy. Blush is supposed to give you a little lift!

Color

The most important criteria when choosing a blush color is knowing your skin's undertone. 

Are you a cool tone - ivory/beige/pink or are you a warm tone - olive/ bronze/ebony? 

Jessica Chastain is a cool toned girl

If you are a cool tone then cooler, more blue based blushes will look best on you. If you are a warm toned girl then you need a warm based blush.

Jennifer Lopez is a warm toned girl

That nutmeg spice colored blush that looks stunning on an olive girl can look like a heavy brown smudge on a cool toned girl. If you have a cool skin tone but want to wear a more neutral blush a softer, pinky-red based buff or gentle beige-brown color can look beautiful.

The slightly blue based pink that is charming on a cool toned girl can sit up on top of an olive skin and look all wrong. If you have a warm skin tone but want a pink blush, choose a coral based pink instead of a blue based pink.

Tips

If you are using a blush with a shimmer or a sheen choose one with a gold based shimmer. 

Cream blushes help to keep your skin glowing.

Look for products that give sheer, buildable color.

Blushes I love:

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach 

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Cream Blush
No - it's not green blush! It adapts to your personal pH and gives you your perfect cheek.

Nars Orgasm. It's been around for ages, no doubt because it's so fabulous.

Beauty Tip of The Week #9 ~ How To Choose The Perfect Blush

Choosing the right blush for your skin can be challenging. Just standing in front of a giant display of amazing blush shades can be totally overwhelming, especially when they all look so beautiful!
It's not only about which color is perfect for you, but also which texture is ideal for your specific skin type.
If you find shopping for blush a little confusing, or if you have a makeup drawer full of blushes you don't wear, then this one's for you!

HowTo Choose The Perfect Blush

image of Katie Bunn by Eric Cassee, hair by Will Zecco, makeup by Corinna Cooke

1. Know your undertone

The first step to choosing the perfect shade of blush is to know the undertone of your skin. Not a color theory expert? No problem: if you wear foundation that falls into the porcelain/ivory/beige grouping then chances are you have a cool undertone to your skin. If your foundation is a bronze,olive or ebony shade you are probably a warm tone. (Ebony skin can wear cool tones too).

2. Know the undertone of your blush.

If you have a cool toned skin then you want a cool toned blush (or a neutral). If you have a warm complexion then you will look best in a warm blush. If the cool/warm thing is confusing to you, think of your blue based pinks as being cool colors and your orange/nutmeg/copper/bronze based shades as being warm.

Apricot looks lovely and refreshing on everyone, and there are some blushes that look good on most skins, but understanding warm and cool colors is key.

3. Don't fall off the deep end.

Once you have the undertone down its time to figure out how deep of a color to choose. My rule is don't go darker than the shade you naturally flush to. If you go deeper your cheeks will look heavy and muddy. Our goal with blush is to lighten and brighten the complexion, not weigh it down.

4. Choose your texture.

I love cream blushes. On normal to dry skins they are just glorious.

But if you get shiny through the T zone, tend to be a little oily, or just live somewhere super humid a cream blush can make you look super shiny. 

If you are a powder blush girl, opt for one that has a fine texture and lays smoothly on the skin.

5. Finish it up.

Once you have your shade and texture sorted out don't forget to check out the finish of your blush.

I avoid anything with big, sparkly particles as they can make the face look horribly glittery. A blush that is too matte can make your complexion look flat, dull and lifeless.

I like blushes that have a soft sheen to them so that light can pop off the cheek, lifting and brightening the face.

Here are my 4 favorite blushes from my pro makeup kit

My favorite blushes

Clockwise from the left: 

Nars Multiple in Portofino

Inglot AMC Liquid Blush in 85

Nars Blush in Orgasm

MAC blush in Melba