If you love makeup as much as I do, then you know that learning to apply blush is an essential skill. If you practice, the process of applying blush should be pretty simple. However, there is a right way to apply blush to compliment your face shape to get you a more femme-looking result.
Let’s unpack the variety of techniques as well as the different tips and tricks depending on whether your face is round, square, oval, or heart-shaped. It used to be hard to lock down the perfect method. In this guide, I’ll be breaking down the right way to apply blush for every face shape and help you can find the best solution. However, first, we need to talk about how to determine your face shape.
How To Determine Your Face Shape For Blush Application
The first thing we need to know is what face shape you have. This is vital otherwise, you won’t know how to apply blush in a way that flatters your features. You want your blush to make your face look more femme, not less. The way to find out your shape is not too complicated. We just need to take a few measurements. Here is exactly what to do.
1: Gather Your Supplies
Get out your measuring tape, a pen, and a notebook.
2: Measure The Width Of Your Face
Take your measuring tape and measure horizontally across your forehead, jaw, and cheeks at their widest points. Write down each of these measurements.
3: Measure The Length Of Your Face
Once you have measured the width of your face, measure the length of your face from your forehead to chin, straight down the center. Note down this measurement in your notebook as well.
Now that you have taken down all the measurements, it’s time to easily figure out what face shape you have.
- Square: If the width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are all nearly the same, you have a square-shaped face.
- Round: If all your measurements are equal, like those of a square-shaped face, but your face has gently rounded corners, you have a round-shaped face.
- Oval: If your forehead is larger than your jawline, and your face length is larger than the width of your cheekbones. Also, the angle of your jaw is rounded you have an oval-shaped face.
- Long: If your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similar in size, but your face length is longer you have a long or oblong-shaped face.
- Heart: If your forehead is the widest part of your face. Your chin will also be pointed, and you may have a widow’s peak at your hairline you have a heart-shaped face.
- Diamond: If, you have a pointed chin and high cheekbones, with a narrower hairline than that of a heart-shaped face you have a diamond-shaped face.
How To Apply Blush If You Have A Square Face
If you have a square face shape, you should stick to the basics. By this, I mean going for a classic blush application and putting some color on the apples of your cheeks.
This will help to soften angular face shapes. Focus on applying blush to the apples of your cheeks and then blend outward for a soft look. Be careful that you don’t blend the product too far out horizontally because this may cause the opposite effect and give the illusion of a wider-looking face.
How To Apply Blush If You Have A Round Face
When you have a round face, your goal should be to make your cheekbones pop. This means not applying blush in circles to the apples of your cheeks, as it can make your face look even rounder.
What I suggest instead is to make your face look more angular by applying blush slightly lower down and toward the outside of your cheeks. In other words, apply blush almost but not quite under your cheekbones. Avoid blending your blush toward your nose since that can make your face look rounder than it is.
Here is an extra tip for girls who have round faces. It will be better to avoid shimmer-packed blush formulas as the reflective quality will make your cheeks look rounder. You will get better results by using a matte blush.
How To Apply Blush If You Have An Oval Face
If you are a lucky girl who has an oval face, you can pretty much get away with anything when it comes to applying blush.
However, the one thing you should avoid is applying blush under your cheekbones. That is where you should contour instead. When you apply blush under your cheekbones on an oval face, you can end up looking like you have windburn instead of a rosy glow to your cheeks.
How To Apply Blush If You Have A Long Face
Girls who have long faces have more room for applying blush.
Start under the pupils and blend toward the middle of your cheeks. Apply the blush in a slight semicircle or a straight line to make your face appear a bit shorter.
How To Apply Blush If You Have A Heart Face
Because heart-shaped faces can appear somewhat pointy, you want to use your blush application to soften those pointy features.
You do this by applying blush in ‘C’ shapes from the top of your cheeks to above the end of your eyebrows. You can also try adding a bit of blush to the center of your forehead to create some balance between your chin and forehead.
How To Apply Blush If You Have A Diamond Face
When you Apply blush, the correct way, to a diamond-shaped face it will help draw attention to the lower portion of your face.
What you need to do is apply blush to the tops of your cheekbones and blend outward toward the bottoms of your ears.
Which Blush Should You Use
So now that you have learned how to measure your face shape and how to apply blush for your specific face shape, I’m sure that you’ll want to actually start practicing. Here are a couple of my favorite blushes to have in your makeup bag.
L’Oréal Paris True Match Blush (available on Amazon): This blush comes in 12 different shades with options that have cool, neutral, and warm tones.
L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Blush Shaping Sticks (available on Amazon): These are really long-lasting cream blushes that are buildable for achieving your perfect level of intensity.
How To Apply Different Types Of Blush
Remember that your application technique will also differ depending on which formula you chose from the above options. The way you apply blush to your face will be different depending on whether you’re using a powder or cream blush. The True Match blush is a powder, while the Infallible blush is a cream.
Here’s how to apply each of these types of blush to your face. However, you still want to use your face shape as a guide for where to apply blush and how to blend it, in order to make sure your blush application is flattering.
How To Apply Cream Blush
Cream blush is known to give your skin a radiant glow with a slightly dewy finish. This is part of the reason cream blushes are popular. This formula of blush offers excellent coverage and can easily upgrade your makeup look.
One wrong move with cream blush can ruin your makeup. So, here are a few tips on how to apply cream blush.
1: Prepare Your Skin
Complete your normal, daily skincare routine before applying makeup. Always use products that will hydrate your skin such as a moisturizer or face oil. Once you have taken care of your skin, you can begin with your foundation. Cream blush tends to dissolve powder foundation, which can you’re your look. So, when it comes to cream blush, it’s a much better idea to wear a liquid foundation underneath. Liquid products always tend to work well together.
2: Blush It Up
Are you ready to add some color? If your cream blush is in a stick format, swipe it directly onto your cheeks. If your blush is in a small container, use clean fingers to dab it onto your cheeks. Once you have done that, use a makeup blender to blend out any harsh lines.
3: Make Sure Your Application Is Even
Look at your face to make sure that you have applied the color evenly on both sides. If you have used too much product, you can tamper down the color by going over it with a clean blush brush or makeup blender.
If you’ve under-applied blush, then apply another dab of the cream blush to your cheek and blend out until even.
4: Set Your Makeup
After finishing your makeup by applying your bronzer and highlighter, it’s time to set your face. Use an oil-free setting spray to ensure you have a long-lasting makeup look that doesn’t fade.
How To Apply Powder Blush
You are likely more familiar with powder blushes as they are a basic makeup necessity that every girl must have in her makeup bag. They are great for staying in place throughout the day. Powder blushes give a polished finish and can be built up gradually to your desired color intensity.
However, keep in mind that when you apply too much product it can leave your skin with a cakey look. Here are the tips you need to apply powder blush like a pro.
1: Prepare Your Skin
Just as with any face makeup look, you should always important to prepare your skin with your usual skincare routine.
2: Apply Your Blush
Choose a blush that complements your skin tone and texture. To learn more about how to identify your skin tone and what shades work with each skin tone, here is the article on Pink Femme that explains it in detail.
Dip a fluffy brush in the pan and sweep the blush onto the spots you learned will be most flattering for your specific face shape.
3: Do A Product Check
Now it’s time to check out your work. Look over your face to make sure that the blush is laid evenly. Check that the left side of your face matches the right side.
If you over-applied, use some translucent powder and sweep it over your skin to make your blush a touch more subtle. If you applied too little blush, you can always go back and add more.
I always start with what I think is too little blush and add more. That is far easier than toning down blush with translucent powder.
4: Set And Go
You are almost done. Finish up with a bronzer and highlighter. Once all your makeup is perfectly blended, use a setting spray to lock your makeup in place for an all-day picture-perfect finish.
Additional Blush Application Tips
In addition to applying blush based on your face shape, here are some extra tips and tricks every girl can use to ensure their blush looks its best.
TIP 1: Use The Right Applicator To Apply Blush
There are certain makeup products that you can apply with your fingers. However, generally blush isn’t one that I recommend putting on with your hands. This is especially true if you are using powders.
Use a fluffy brush to sweep powder blush onto your face. The best way to apply cream blush is using a makeup sponge so that you can apply the product and blend out any harsh lines at the same time.
TIP 2: Smile To Apply Blush
Are you a girl who has trouble pinpointing exactly where to apply blush? Fake a big smile.
The smile makes the apples of your cheeks more pronounced, showing you exactly where to apply blush.
TIP 3: Consider Your Skin Type And Tone
Before shopping for blush you need to learn your skin tone and undertones. In order for you to have the best blush application ever, you need to determine your skin type and tone in addition to your face shape.
In terms of skin tone, you should look for blushes that mimic your skin’s undertones. Warm-toned blushes work on skin with a warm undertone. Likewise, if you have a cool undertone, choose a cool-toned blush.
Additionally, if you have skin redness or maybe some sunburn, you will always want to pick out a cool-toned blush to avoid drawing attention to your already-rosy face.
TIP 4: Don’t Forget To Set Your Makeup
You are not the kind of girl that fades during the day or evening, so neither should your makeup. To make sure your makeup lasts as long as you, you’ll want to lock your blush in place. After all, you don’t want it to fade away and have a complexion less lively than you.
In order to set your blush as well as the rest of your makeup, mist your face with the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray (available on Amazon).
TIP 5: Coordinate Your Lip Color For A Better Overall Look
Even though your blush doesn’t need to match your lip color exactly, they should coordinate. Pick out a lipstick or lip gloss that is in the same color family as your blush so that they don’t clash.
Why not expand your knowledge even further by reading another makeup/beauty article here on Pink Femme. You can find them either via the menu at the top of the page or by clicking this link that will take you to the list of all the beauty articles.
When it comes to my choices for makeup and beauty products, I only use L’Oréal Paris (Available on Amazon). I have really sensitive skin and never once have I had any negative reaction to any L’Oréal product.