HOW TO APPLY CREAM BLUSH WITHOUT LOOKING SUNBURNT

For anyone who’s ever bought blush in a pot or a stick because it seemed like a good idea at the time…

Only to realise they have zero clue how to apply it without looking permanently sunburnt, here’s the instruction manual and FAQs that should have come with your product.

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How do I apply cream blush?

Where most beginners go wrong is applying product straight onto the face before melting it down so its pliable and easy to blend. L’Oreal Paris Makeup Director for Australia Tobi Henney says she likes to use the warmth of her fingertips to melt the product down before applying it.

In a circular dabbing motion, push the blush into the apples of your cheeks and blend along the cheekbone and towards the hairline. Henney also suggests leaving blush until last: “I always finish with blush as you can gage the entire look and know how much of a flush will work best.”

What if my face is naturally red?

If you’ve been worried about using blush because your skin is quite red and patchy as it is, the solution is to make sure you have a good base in place, says Tobi. This means using colour correctors with a green tone to neutralise redness (we love: Napoleon Perdis Conceal & Correct Palette and Marc Jacobs Cover(t) Stick Colour Corrector in Covert Affairs) and then applying tinted coverage (we love: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF50+) before adding blush.

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Is this the right shade for my skin?

Naturally, there will be shades that look better on your skin type than others. These are just some general rules for colour matching your blush to your skin type, according to Henney:

“Fair skin suit cool pinks; olive skin look great with peachy, warmer blush shades. Medium skin tones tend to be able to wear most blush shades and darker-skinned beauties look best with bold tones like fuschias and reds.”

Is my cream blush right for my skin type?

There’s this whole thing in beauty about cream products on dry skin and powder products on oily skin, but the truth is that cream blush can work on any skin type because you’re only applying it in small portions and going nowhere near the T-Zone.

Having said that, an emollient formula is obviously better suited for dry to normal skin types. Combination skin types can also use cream blush and “if your skin tends to get oil, powder blush on top always to set it works a treat,” adds Henney.