Ladies, gone are the days of the 80s makeup trends of bright blue eyeshadow and strong coloured blush almost striped across the cheeks. But why does it seem that so many women are afraid of using blush today? In an era where women are getting brows tattooed, fillers in their lips (blah! future post to come on this) and contouring is all the rage, a soft flush of colour on the cheek almost seems obsolete. Instead I see women with a tonne of bronzer on their cheeks and what seems like even more highlighter… that’s it… Why I ask? (Please see my previous post, Please make this makeup craze stop).
As a makeup artist I often have to assure clients when I pick up a pink or coral blush that it is going to settle, it is going to look pretty and most importantly it’s going to look natural – not like brown dirt on their face! Women are so afraid of blush it seems, yet I’m telling you it’s so important to give your face balance and dimension when having photos on your wedding day or a night out and a soft flush of pink can actually look very natural.
Think about it, when you get flushed when you exercise or blush when you bump into that cute guy, what colour do your cheeks go? Certainly not brown! And don’t we want to look like we haven’t spent hours in front of the bathroom mirror, that we actually woke up looking like this? (Thanks Queen Bey)
When I worked for Bobbi Brown one of our most used colours was Pale Pink. This used to scare clients every time I would pull it out to use, but it actually works on everyone. This was in fact the blush that Kate Middleton, wore on her wedding day. It is one of the brightest pinks to look at but goes on so soft if applied correctly.
Orgasm, from Nars, is considered the best selling blush worldwide. It is more coral and has a soft shimmer yet is also considered to work on most skin tones. Who doesn’t want a little Orgasm in their lives??
And if you are still afraid of colour and adamant about using bronzer on your cheeks, try adding a touch of colour on the apple of the cheek, over the top of your bronzer. This will lift and brighten the face and give you that subtle hint of colour.
For me blush is so important and I want to give you a guide to my favourite blushes out there. Whether they be pink toned, coral or even neutral, there are some great products that trust me, you should not be afraid to use. Make sure you have a good blush brush, something made of natural hair, and it will make your job of applying colour much, much easier.
So here they are Adelaides, some of my favourite blush colours for you to experiment with!
PINKS
Bobbi Brown
Pale pink powder blush
Nude pink powder blush
Nectar powder blush
Nars
Dolce Vita powder blush
PEACHES
Bobbi Brown
Apricot powder blush
Clementine powder blush
Nude peach powder blush
Pretty coral powder blush
Nars
Orgasm powder blush
Taj Majal powder blush (looks SUPER bright but apply VERY light handed and it looks amazing on the right skin tone)
Gina powder blush
Mac
Springsheen powder blush
Peaches powder blush
Chantecaille
Cheer powder blush
NEUTRALS
Bobbi Brown
Tawny powder blush
Nars
Lustre powder blush
Madly powder blush
Mac
Sincere powder blush
Sweet as cocoa powder blush
Margin powder blush
Don’t be afraid to blush!
Stacey x