Applying Blush!! The Right Way

We've all heard many different types of ways of applying blush. The old "apply where you are flushed from a workout" is a popular method, as well as simply smiling and applying to the apples of your cheeks.

Um, I think you have too much blush on that brush sista!

The truth of the matter is, these methods don't necessarily work for all of us. Unless we all want to look the same, we must first identify our face shape and be able to apply blush to accentuate and work with our shape rather than simply putting blush where everyone else does.

Round Face


A round face has a face that is as wide as it is long. Kirsten Dunst is a perfect example of this.

When applying blush, you want to AVOID applying directly on the apples of your cheeks, since those of us who have round faces have more of this area on our face. Applying directly on this will accentuate this large area, making us look like we are all cheek.

The trick is to thin out this area by making our face look longer. Applying blush a half-inch or two below the apples your cheeks will draw the eye downward, making your face look longer and more thinned out. Take a look at the picture above, where you can see the blush starting outward and not too far into the face and sweeping up towards the temple.

Tip: When looking for blush shades, try to keep it in the same family as your lipstick to avoid looking like a clown!!

Heart Face


Heart shaped faces have a narrow jaw and wider cheek bones, as well as typically a wider forehead.

What Reese did (or her make up artist did!) here is wonderful. Because heart shaped faces are heavy on the apples without a real jawline, putting blush on the apples of the cheek is perfect. Instead of sweeping them upwards like with a round face, however, bringing them back towards the ears will avoid a heart shaped face from looking too contoured. They already have an elongated face, so there is no need for the dramatic sweep upwards.

Tip: Pinch your cheeks and pick a blush color that is similar to that color that appeared after the pinch; this is your most natural shade!!

Oval Face


Oval faces are the easiest to work with, since they have an equal distance from the eyes to the chin relative to the eyes to the forehead. Putting blush on an oval face won't produce any wrong turns, so applying to the apples of the cheeks and gently contouring will do wonders.

Jessica Alba can pull off this blush because of her face shape. Starting on the apples of the cheek and extending all the way down to her lip and back up to her temple. I am SO jealous of you ladies with oval shapes because you can pull this off!!

Tip: For blush application smiling does actually work and will give you the most natural results, but apply appropriately to your face shape!


Again, as mentioned in previous posts, blush is the first thing that comes off. Applying blush heavily before you go out will look weird at first, but eventually the color will balance out (and not disappear as long as you have a good primer!).

So double-apply, (hello NARS orgasm stick and powder) over-apply just enough before going out and SMILE so that the blush you applied will actually get you some attention! :)

XO Alicia