Blush according to face shape

 During my spring cleaning I became distracted with my old issues of Glamour magazine and I noticed a article that intrigued me.  There in Glamour's January 2009 issue was an article called "Blush: Tips for Doing It Right" which was about how you can apply brush according to your face shape as well as other tips that will help anyone properly apply blush. 

(According to Glamour Magazine)

Oval: "Sweep color up towards your temples, like a Nike swoosh."

Round:  "Add definition by applying blush at a 45 degree angle, basically, follow your cheekbones."

Square: "To soften your jaw line, put on blush in small circles, focusing on the apples of your cheeks."

Long: "Balance out length with the more horizontal strokes of blush. Keep wide to avoid the war- pain look."

Blush Tips

Blush Brush: According to the Glamour magazine article it said that your blush brush should be dome-shaped with bristles that ripple when blown on.  If a brush is too stiff it will be hard to distribute any color and if the blush brush is too soft too much blush will be distributed. The best blush brush will have a 2  1/2   inch circumference. Natural hair bristles are best even if their pricey because they are able to blend color very well.  And if the brush is of good quality and is well taken care of it could very well last forever.  Good quality brushes should be washed every day, while all blush brushes should be washed at least every month if not weekly.  As for the mini brush that comes with blushes that should be only used for emergencies because it distributes color very crudely. 

Color Choices: Color choice depends on skin color. Fair skin tones do well with pinks, medium  skin uses corals and cinnamon color choices, and dark skin does well with plum and merlot colors.  The type of blush and amount also depends on the rest of your makeup.  If you're wearing bold shadow or lipstick choices tone down the blush. However, if the rest of your makeup is shimmery use a blush that also contains the same texture.  And let's not forget that there are other choices besides just plain powder blush, it can be in a form of a cream or gel. Cream blush it can be a bit hard to get used to but the results are well worth it because it looks so natural and youthful.  When using a gel blush their is a certain technique. Begin by dabbing a bit on your cheek and blending with the middle finger slowly in small circles, edges outward. 

Fading: The oilier the skin is the faster blush will fade, cell phone and face touching also can contribute to fading. But this can be remedied with a translucent powder then blush application. If you really want to control fading a method of layering can be done which is done by applying sheer cream blush then a powder blush of the same color. 

Blush overload: It's important to remember to step back from the mirror to prevent blush overload.  If gone too far with a powder blush you can sweep off the excess with a clean brush or even a translucent powder. When overdosing on cream or gel blushes use a damp sponge or cotton pad. 

Broken Blush: No need to discard your favorite blush if dropped and cracked. All you have to do is dump it in an empty face cream or travel jar and crush it with a spoon and you have a loose powder version of it.  Or you can mix it with vaseline (which I don't recommend because of the chemicals) for a sheer cheek or lip gloss.