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Image / Beauty

Natural flush: How to make the most of high-colour cheeks


By Aisling Keenan
13th Mar 2020
Natural flush: How to make the most of high-colour cheeks

My own natural flush steered me away from blush for years, but then I discovered the best way to build on what I have going on naturally…


Blush was never something I thought I could wear. My cheeks, unfortunately for me, always look flushed – but not in the soft, organised way that someone with an even complexion wearing blusher looks. My cheeks? Ruddy. I look permanently embarrassed, with uneven dots of colour springing up all over my face like an updating heat map.

The colour is unreliable, sometimes puce, sometimes pink, sometimes even orange. I covered it up and avoided blush so as not to add to the situation. But I’ve had a glorious, blush-wearing last few years since I learned the tricks. Depending on the day, I’ll choose to either conceal my natural colour or embrace and work with it – both are fine.

CONCEAL

If you’re not in the humour of working with your colour…

  • Hydrate your skin really well first
  • Use a green colour corrector targeted on the areas you get most colour
  • Blend that well and follow with a warm-toned foundation (the green colour can sometimes wash out your normal skin)
  • If needed, concealer on the area can provide extra coverage
  • Lastly, I’d recommend using powder and then powder blush on top of all of that – you’ll have created a great base and can place the colour wherever you want it

EMBRACE

If you want to work with your natural colour…

  • Start with great hydration again – if you like, use a green-tinted moisturiser like this one from It Cosmetics
  • Next use a medium coverage foundation to even out your skin
  • Don’t powder just yet!
  • If you can wait a few minutes to let your foundation settle in to see your natural colour coming through, do
  • Then, use cream blush: I find that it melts in to your skin more easily and therefore looks more natural
  • Less is more here – start with a small amount and look at yourself from all angles to see what the colour you’ve added looks like with the rest of your skin

The cream blushes I go back to time and again are:

natural flush

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Calypso Coral

€28 from brownthomas.com

natural flush

Fenty Beauty Matchstix in Yacht Life

€28 from fentybeauty.com

natural flush

Nars Liquid Blush in Luster

€28 from spacenk.com


Read more: The expert guide to AW19’s easiest beauty trend, healthy flush blush

Read more: Five sheer and dewy cream blushers for healthy, flushed skin

Read more: 5 Beautiful Blushers For Your Beauty Bag

Photo from Unsplash