Choosing the Perfect Blush for Your Skin Tone

A little rouge goes a long way. At least that’s what our grandmother tells us and we haven’t been able to prove her wrong yet. When we brush a dreamy pink hue across the apples of our cheeks our confidence rises. We experience the type of excitement usually reserved for when we wear colored eyeliner. Because mastering a bright, flushed cheek means we can play the bashful card when our current crush says hi or simply get that ‘touched by sun’ look any day of the week.

The trick to pulling off blush the right way? Finding the right blush color for your skin tone. When you apply the wrong rouge your makeup instantly enters the clown zone. But the right color to accent your skin tone will make your Friday night makeup and just about everything else in life, that much better. So take grandma’s words to heart, and my tips below, and you’ll be well on your way to always picking the right blush!

Fair Skin Tone

Fair skinned beauties, don’t get carried away; a soft pink, peach or light coral will enhance your porcelain skin just right. The key is light application. Too much product or the use of saturated hues, will create a harsh finish reminiscent of Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Avoid a stage makeup faux pas when you select the right formula of blush for a natural, flushed cheek finish.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Stunning or Sweet

Medium Skin Tone

Similar to your fair skinned friends, pinks and peaches are your best bet. You’ll want to take these colors a step further by applying a deeper shade of each. A rich pink, and even certain shades of mauve, will leave you with a dramatic edge–especially when you apply blush on all the right spots. Bonus tip, stray away from blush colors that have a bluish undertone–if your skin tone isn’t right on point, you’ll be left with what looks like slightly bruised cheeks.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Sweet or Seductive


Dark Skin Tone

Deep shades of red, orange and brown are the ideal blush colors for those with dark skin. These colors, unlike light powder pinks, will leave you looking radiant instead of washed out. Try a fuchsia if your skin tone tends to be warmer; a bold tangerine if it is cooler. By targeting the apples of your cheeks with a vibrant swipe of one of these shades you’ll be left with a daring effect even your granny can get behind.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Sophisticated  or Scandalous

Everything You Need to Know About Blush

One of the biggest beauty blunders made is blush gone wrong. It's meant to be a natural and subtle looking makeup. Too much and we're looking like Bozo the Clown; too little and you'll just look dull. Lucky for us, there's a few SIMPLE tips to nail the perfect look.

The Right Shade: SO simple! When picking a cheek color, you want to use a color as close as possible to that of your lips or your natural blush color.

The Right Tool: Make sure to have a high-quality blush brush on hand. The angled bristles makes it easy to contour the face or to sculpt the cheekbones with great precision and little effort and also the bristles are firm enough to pick up the right amount of product, but also soft enough to feel comfortable on the skin. (Younique's brushes are amazing! They have an inner high-quality copper ferrule so they'll never rust, are made to last a lifetime, and are cruelty-free.)

Application: Place a small amount of blush onto the brush and tap off any excess. For the most natural look, begin your blush application at the top of the apple of your cheek. The idea is to deposit most of the pigment where rosiness would first appear naturally, if you were simply flushing. If you can’t see where that spot is, smile to push the apples up. Then, placing the color on the part that lies directly below your pupil, blend outward, toward the ear.