Starting Off: Blush
This post may contain affiliate links where I may make a commission on purchases made through those links. For full details please see disclosure page.
This weeks topic for the Starting Off Project is blusher.
Firstly I will say, I am not a big fan of “rules” with makeup, and especially not blusher. I do agree that some shades will suit some skin tones better than others, but on the whole I feel it is just a personal choice so you should choose which ever shade you like the look of on your skin!
You can apply it however you feel it suits your face, but I will give some examples of different ways you can try it out and see what you like. You could apply it just to the apples of your cheeks, in a slight diagonal line across your cheek, along the upper part of your cheekbone, or in a diagonal line along the top of your contour colour, widening out a little as you get further back (this is how I do it more often than not).
There really is no dead set way of how to apply it, the best option is to try different looks with different shades and application techniques.
The only time I use my fingers to apply blush is if it is a cream blush, other than that I always use a brush, and this is my favourite one I have found so far, as it picks up a good amount of colour, but doesn’t pick up too much and due to the tapered feathering around the sides o the brush you don’t get a harsh line up your face.
I have included a cream blush in this to point something out…. sometimes vream/gel blushes can look so bright and scary, but when applied can have a lovely colour to them, nothing like as bright as they seem! For example this one I like from e.l.f:
(There is a picture of swatches of all the blushes I am talking about in this post at the bottom if you want to see what they look like on the skin)
This is the e.l.f studio cream blush in the shade Flirt – and from the packaging it looks really bright and scary! But honestly when applied to the skin it gives a beautiful finish and just a lovely hint of pink. This blush is actually great for on the go I find, as you don’t need to take a brush with you, and it’s an instant pop of colour for the cheeks.
Next I want to talk about the loose blushes, as this one I will show you by Bella Pierre is such a gorgeous colour, and blends into the skin so easily – you do however have to be careful not to apply too much as it builds very easily and you can get very bright cheeks very quickly!
The shade I have this in is Desert Rose.
So next we have two other choices, both of which are the more standard pressed powder blushes. These are the “easiest” as you can build them as much or as little as you like, and they generally blend in very easily so you don’t have to be massively accurate where you place them (within reason of course).
My favourite two pressed blushes at the moment are Mocha by MAC and FratBoy by The Balm.
My other “all time” favourite blush is Coralista by Benefit, but unfortunately I have finished my one and not gotten around to getting another yet.
Here is a picture of all of the 4 blushes liested above when swatched onto (very pale) skin. You can obviously build the colour as much as you like, this was just to give an indication.
I hope this helps!
Let me know your favourite blush in the comments! Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts on them?
57 Comments
Cynicalsuzy
That Fratboy blusher is a beautiful shade! I’ve never heard of the Balm before!
I’ve seen quite a few people mention Elf blushes, I definitely need to try them 🙂
Suzy xx
Kammitted
I got that blush in a beauty subscription box actually, as I hadn’t heard of them before either! Really love that blush now though! 🙂 xx
Hayley
Lovely post I have been dying to try a theBalm blush for ages, but still not got my hands on one.
Hayley – Teapartybeauty.blogspot.co.uk
x
Kammitted
It’s a really gorgeous blush! I got mine from one of the beauty subscription boxes actually, but would most definitely buy more! 🙂 x
Betzy Carmona
The balm & mac blushes are my favorite 🙂
Kammitted
Mac blushes are amazing aren’t they! I have about 5, but Mocha is my favourite at the moment! 🙂 x
katie
I use that brush for my blusher!
I really wanna try mac blushers
Great post got a nice collection 🙂
x
Kammitted
Thanks! I actually have a lot of blushers, these are just my top choices! I have farrrr too much makeup haha. I think a lot of people use that brush, with good reason! 😀 x
Lily Grace
I like the look of the Bella Pierre one! Really nice post 🙂
Lily xx
Kammitted
Thank you! It’s a really lovely muted coral/peachy colour which is lovely if you are more wanting warmth to the skin as opposed to just pinky colour! 🙂 x
Hayfa
Oh the Fratboy is absolutely gorgeous ! 🙂
Hayfa
londonloafers.blogspot.com
Kammitted
It’s beautiful and so highly pigmented! Really lovely shade! 🙂 x
Ruby Duchess
I just love the look of that MAC blush. Looks like it might suit my skintone for winter 🙂
Kammitted
You should give it a go! I really love the MAC blushes! 😀 x
Sophie
Fratboy is gorgeous and really suits your skin! great post 🙂 xx
Sophie
http://eskaybeauty.blogspot.co.uk/
Kammitted
Thank you! Yeah it really is a lovely colour 🙂 just a lovely warm blush shade and was my go-to for the longest time! Never seems to have gone down much either lol xx
megan
that fatboy blush looks lovely, never heard of the brand though! just wanted to let you know that ive nominated you for the Liebster Award, have a wee look at my post on it, ill link it below xo
http://missmadaboutnails.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/liebster-award.html
Kammitted
I hadn’t either until I got that blush in a monthly subscription box! It’s actually amazing though!! Aww thank you! 🙂 xx
Darryll
I’m exactly like you said, too scared to try a crème blush! But they look so refreshing and they do such lovely colours! I love the Real Techniques blush brush too!!
Lovely post 🙂
darryll ox
Kammitted
You should try one! The e.l.f ones are lovely and really come out very subtle if you only put a little on! 🙂 The RT Blush Brush is amazing isn’t it! 😀
Thanks so much 🙂
xx
Golden and Sheen
Hiya Kammi!! Totally agree with the ‘No rules’ part! As long you like a shade/colour then one can make it work 🙂
Really like the look of Bella Pierre and Fratboy- gorgeous tones!
Sheen
http://goldenandsheen.blogspot.co.uk
Kammitted
I am not a big fan of makeup rules! There are so many things out there, why would you limit yourself due to someone else telling you you can’t havr a certain colour?! Seems silly! 😛
They are really beautiful shades! 🙂
xx
Nikki
I’ve been dying to try that real techniques brush. Great post! xx
Kammitted
Thank you! That brush is ah-may-zing! Was only about £10 too! Great value!! 😀 x
Ashlie
I really want to try thebalms Frat Boy blush so hopefully that will be next of list to buy. At the moment though I’m loving Sleek blushes and I’ve bought about 5 in a mini haul so hopefully will review these on my new blog soon!
I’m a big fan of Coralista by Benefit too, love all their box blushes really! 🙂 x
Kammitted
Oh I have never tried the sleek blushes! Will have to give them a go if your review is good! I will keep an eye out for that going up! 😀
x
Poppy
I love the MAC Mocha blush, looks lovely against your skin tone!
The ELF blushes sounds great too.. May have to put an order in! 🙂
Lovely post x
Kammitted
Mocha is my favourite blush by MAC at the moment, it’s so buildable but can be suble enough for really pale skin too! I will definitely be getting more of the ELF blushes the next time I order! 🙂 Thanks! x
Precious olubiyi
I love the Mac blush 🙂
Kammitted
Thanks for the comment! Its a beautiful colour isn’t it! X
LouLovesbeauty
I love the look of Mac Mocha, it’s stunning!
Great post
Xxx
Kammitted
Thanks! It is a beautiful shade on most skin tones! As I am very pale and cool undertones and it suits me, yet the colour itself is really quite warm! 🙂 x
Charlotte Mudge
I love the real techniques blush brush 🙂 xx
Kammitted
Its amazing isn’t it! And such a good price too!
Liz
Also wear ‘Mocha’ by Mac! I find the real techniques brush applies it too lightly so I use quite a hard blush brush.
Liz xx
www.theotherdress.co.uk
Kammitted
It’s a great colour isn’t it! Oh that’s interesting about the brush! It’s maybe as I have such pale skin I don’t need much product so maybe that’s why it works for me!
x
Ebony Jay
I am not really a blush person but really great post! (:
Kammitted
Thank you lovely! 🙂 I have to be, I am so pale I would look scary without it haha 😛
Andrea
Great post! The Frat Boy blush looks gorgeous *O* between this and the coralista which would you prefer?
Kammitted
Oh that’s a tough one! I love them both! I would have to choose my Coralista though I think, as I literally have nothing left of mine anymore lol – but both are favourites 🙂
Renny
Hey! Great post! Love it. Thanks for sharing.
Oh and I really want to try the real techniques brush and also The balm blush. I think the balm is a pretty good brand.
Kammitted
I love that brush, it’s one of my favourite blush brushes by far! The balm wasn’t a brand I had really heard much about before this, but I really love that blush! 🙂
Christerline
The Desert Rose blusher is so gorgeous. I have been looking for a blush of this tone since quit some time now
xx
Kammitted
Well I would definitely recommend it! I wear it all the time, and it seems to be ;asting forever, as a little bit goes such a long way! 🙂 x
Nicola.Cosmeticsmilex
I love blusher! Great little post 🙂 I deffintley need to get my hands on more real technique brushes!! x
Kammitted
They are fab! I am thinking of maybe including a real techniques brush or two in my next giveaway which will be around Xmas time as so many people are interested in them! 🙂
Zoe Dubs
Fab post- love the swatch Kammi!
Love Zoe x
Face Value Beauty Blog
Kammitted
Thanks! I had tried to do it on my hand but it all looked a bit squished, so just went up my arm instead! 🙂 x
Chantelle Jones
I use the same real techniques brush, aren’t they just amazing? also have wanted to try the frat boy for so long but not sure whether it would suit me, I use the mary lou manizer from that range it’s amazing have you tried it? if not you must 🙂 x
Kammitted
No I haven’t tried it actually! I will look into it! 😀
Yeah I love my Real Techniques brushes! 😀
I don’t know what skin tone you have, but I really like it and do honestly think it would suit most tones! 😀
Let me know if you do try it!
x
Neya V
I love applying my blush to the apples of my cheeks. I’m not sure why, but I get the best results there. I’ve only tried one cream blush before and as you said they’re nice. I was terrified of the the color (it’s pretty orangey) but once blended in it looked great!
Kammitted
Yeah that’s what I mean, everyone has their own way of how they like it and so I don’t like it if people tell others how they ‘should’ be applying it 🙂 cream blushes can be lovely! X
Nicoleta Alexandra
I like the look of the Bella Pierre one! <3
Kammitted
It’s a really beautiful warm shade isn’t it 🙂 so pigmented and goes on so smoothly too 🙂
Simply Beautify ME
Love this post 🙂 I really want to try the frat boy blush it looks amazing! Xx
Kammitted
It seems to be that a lot of people want to try it! 🙂 It’s a really lovely colour! x
Pingback: