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The popularity of rosy cheeks stems from the fact that it gives an ultra-natural effect — like you just got back from yoga — and it couldn't be simpler to do. "You can create a healthy, natural-looking glow by swirling a small dab of color onto the apples of the cheeks and buffing it out in circular motions," says New York City-based makeup artist Elisa Flowers, who adds that this ubiquitous technique both widens and brightens the face.
But that's just one way to apply blush. Like with lipstick and eyeliner, blush can be used to achieve different effects depending on how and where it's applied. As any makeup artist will tell you, application is everything.
If you want to create definition without contouring, blush is an excellent alternative that will still give you a chiseled effect. Or if you are looking to bring on the drama, the draping trend that's seen its fair share of runways over the past few years is a good place to start.
And as far as we're concerned, a just-back-from-a-beach-vacation makeup look is never a bad idea. Just because we know you'd never slack off on using sunscreen doesn't mean anyone else has to know your faux glow happens to be courtesy of well-placed blush.
Here, five fun, colorful ideas for making a beautiful statement from cheek to cheek.
1. High Shine: Glow with 3D Sparkles
A handful of gemstones can elevate your blush — and we mean that literally. Makeup artist Stevie Huynh used 3D appliqués from his local craft store, affixed with a dot of eyelash glue, for one very sparkling take on a rosy flush. (He glued them over Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Daiquiri Dip and Nars Powder Blush in Aroused, both below.) "Place the gemstones almost as freckles," Huynh says.
A helpful tip from Flowers: place your blush two fingers away from your nose and two fingers away from the bottom of your eye. "This keeps it from looking unbalanced," she explains. Her favorite color to use for this traditional approach? A fresh, rosy pink, like Benefit's Benetint, which she says melds beautifully with skin for the most seamless finish. Liquid blush formulas like these are perfect for drier skin types and layering to level up the pigment, according to makeup artist Delina Medhin.
2. Ombré/Double Down: Intense and Bright
Ombré isn't just for nails — a gradation of yellow and hot pink blush gives a sunset-at- the-beach vibe. To blend the two colors, "take a fluffy powder brush and start with the yellow in a C-shape
from your cheekbones down [and around to your temples] like a contour," says Huynh. "Then blend [pink] on the apples, back almost to the ears."
Huynh used a yellow eye shadow and a pink powder blush (Nars Douro and Aroused, respectively) and topped them with highlighter for extra gleam. We love the Benefit Wanderful World Silky-Soft Powder Blush and Smashbox x Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter.
For this method, New York City-based makeup artist Joseph Carrillo cannot emphasize enough how important blending is. He likes using two to three shades – a bold blush color with the other(s) being a softer hue typically within the same color family.
"The softer shade is to look like a wash of color on temples, hairline, [and] cheekbones," he says, while the bolder color is "buffed out around the temple and on the outer part of the eye and high points of the cheekbone."
3. Sparkles Fly: Strategic, Sculpted Shimmer
Spread your wings... and your blush. When you take an unexpected shade like iridescent blue, paint it over your cheekbones and then keep going north — around the inner corners of your eyes, over your lids, up to your brow bones — you get a dreamy butterfly effect.
"It's not what we traditionally think of as blush, but it's a playful way to [create] light and shadow," says Huynh. Here, a base of Kryolan TV Paint Stick in Blue 10 was topped with Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadow in Solstice.
Looking to sculpt your cheeks? To create definition without contouring, blush is an excellent alternative that will still give you a chiseled effect. According to Flowers, the best way to achieve this look is to buff your blush directly onto the cheekbones, and just above — almost where you would normally place highlighter. "Apply using small circular strokes, blending outward and upward," she explains.
Makeup artist Patrick Ta typically uses this technique to pat in powder blushes in an upward motion with his own Complexion Blush No 1 to lift the face. "I like to start mid on the cheekbone and work diagonally upward toward the outer corner of the eye," he shares. "I also love to diffuse blush under the eye to create a seamless look." But he makes sure to stop right before the hairline.
4. Dramatic: Draped On
Bright eye shadow with even brighter blush — this colorful two-tone look was inspired by Andy Warhol's screen-printed portraits of celebrities like Marilyn and Liz. To make sure the overall effect would be Pop art painterly, not garish, Huynh chose colors with similar undertones — a cool pinky- lilac (mixing Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Lucky and Kryolan Aquacolor in R22) and icy blue (About- Face Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Blue Monday).
5. Sunkissed: Allover Glow
No tropical vacation on your calendar? No problem. Layering blush and bronzer mimics a sun-kissed flush — without the UV exposure. The bronzer acts as a base layer that helps to diffuse the blush's pigment so it doesn't look too harsh against the skin. Stick to creamy formulas, so you can use your fingers to mix the pigments together right on your cheeks and across the bridge of your nose.
Huynh opted for Rituel De Fille Color Nectar Pigment Balm in Snapdragon and Tower 28 Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer in Sun Coast.
"The trick is to create the right amount of dewy glow and apply the slightest bit to the top of the nose on the bridge — think where your sunglasses would hit," explains makeup artist Carissa Ferreri. "And for more staying power, sweep a powder blush on top of the cream."
Another great tip is to add a touch of color to your eyelids, forehead, and chin. Makeup artist Ingeborg says that this helps to give the finished look a truly realistic, spent-the-day-in-the-sun effect, as these are the points of your face that the rays would naturally hit first. Shine one!
A version of this story originally appeared in the August 2022 issue of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here.
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