Blush 101

Eight Essential blush dos and don'ts

You’ve got the basics of blush down, but there is still soooo much that can go wrong! BJ Gillian, celebrity makeup artist and Cover Girl expert, gives us his eight essential blush dos and don’ts.

• DO wear blush! It brings a natural flush of colour to your face and can help balance out the look you’ve chosen for your eyes and lips.

• DON’T overload your face. Choose a focus and stick with it. If you want to make rosy cheeks your statement, keep eyes muted and lips natural and glossy. Too much makeup is icky and can make you look more like a drag queen than a beauty queen.

• DO experiment with formulations. Though powder blush is the most popular and typically the best wearing, there are also other formulas out there including creams and gels. Be warned though: colour may not be as intense with these two, and they may leave your face feeling oily or tacky depending on your skin type.

• DO play with sheer and matte blushes. The current fashion trend dictates beautiful matte cheeks, but for spring and summer shimmer always looks fresh and clean.

• DON’T hold on to your makeup forever! Since powder blushes are anhydrous (they don’t contain water), they can last up to three years. But with gel or cream products (which can be multi-purpose, used on eyes, cheeks and lips), toss after three months as they can spread germs from one area to another!

• DO build a blush wardrobe. Have a few different shades of your tonal range in stock so you can easily switch up your look from soft and sweet one day, to more intense and glamorama the next.

• DON’T go for shades in unnatural blush tones. If you go for purple, bright orange or fire engine red, you’ll definitely look like you’re ready for a night on the theatre stage!

• DO experiment and have fun with your blush! You’ve got the know-how, now it’s time to put your new makeup skills into action.

By Alison McGill

Photos Josh Cornell.

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