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When it comes to makeup must-haves, blusher is your best friend. The merest hint of a tint will suffice to breathe life and light into your skin – better at fending off pallor and pastiness than snatching forty winks, in my opinion. Keep in mind, however, that we’re not talking “kontouring” of the kind favoured by the Kardashians and Jenners – instead, all you need is the subtlest of shading on the cheekbones or apples of your cheeks.
A nude is also never just a nude – subtle gradations in shade and saturation complement complexions just half a hue apart. Bewitched, bothered and bewildered? Check out the gallery slides above – complete with shopping suggestions for your perusal and purchasing consideration – for a beauty beginner’s guide to all things blusher.
Pinkish powders play off the blue undertones of pale skin, so if you’re a porcelain princess, I suggest selecting sheer salmon shades. Oh, and matte has its merits when you’re gunning for the “natural” look – glistening grains in your blush are best reserved for boozy boogie-time on the dancefloor, as glittery can come off as garish in the harsh light of day, especially if you’re on the greasy side.
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!
This fast-fashion favourite is voluptuously velvety and provocatively pigmented in the pan – but don’t be spooked by the saturation. I’m pleased to report that the featherweight formula is beautifully blendable and very wearable when worn as a sheer wash.
Essentially, this does what a first-rate blusher should do, which is to say it gave long-lasting colour along with a flattering, soft-focus glow. I wore this for a full work day under a setting of translucent powder, and didn’t notice any fading for a good nine hours. And at this price point? Skön, as the Swedes are wont to say!
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!
You’ll find a happy medium, so to speak, in shades that skew towards the plummy end of the spectrum. If your skin has blotchy bits, tawny terracotta taupes can help to counteract the greenish cast of warmer skin without ramping up unflattering ruddiness in your complexion.
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!
This beguiling Burberry bauble is the perfect powdery poultice for skin snobs, especially for ladies leery of looking like a disco ball. The finely milled pigments leave zero sparkly streaks, at least on my combination skin, and my “kwali” complexion was also comfortably satiny after an afternoon’s worth of cavorting on a yacht. Make room for this makeup must-have in your Burberry Buckle Bag!
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!
Creamy corals make for an incredibly pleasing pop against dark skin. (Or go really deep with a honey toffee if you’re looking for a nude-nude.) Shimmery shades are also superb for maximum impact on bronzed babes – the iridescence will imbue your mien with a lovely, lit-from-within luminescence.
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!
OMG, officially obsessed. The exquisite embossing is beyond beautiful, right? Aesthetics aside, the faceted formula is also fantastically forgiving when used separately or blended together with a brush.
Pro Tip: Try misting your makeup brush before application for maximum “mul-gwang” mileage. (The wetter, the better in this age of K-Beauty dewiness, as a wry makeup sage once quipped.) Swirl up and outwards along the highest plane of your cheekbones for an is-she-or-isn’t-she shimmer.
Right, then. Makes sense, yes? Hope this was a practical primer on perfecting the flush on your face. Good luck getting your blush game on!
Want more? Finish your face with these makeup tricks to pulling off bold eyeliner like the badass boss that you are!