Of all the makeup available on the market, blush arguably takes the least amount of time to stroke onto the face. Yet, so many of us forgo applying blush. Often, this is because women are not entirely sure how to apply blush or where to apply blush. As the expert in makeup for women of color, Mented is here to help you turn it around and take full advantage of this makeup-must. Our complete guide on how to put on blush will have you applying rouge in a way that brings color to your complexion and balances out your facial features.

But Before You Blush

Before applying blush, you should prep your face with the rest of your makeup. In fact, blush is usually the last step in your facial makeup application process, after foundation, concealer, bronzer, and powder. The reason for this order is that blush provides the final pop of color on your face. Layering makeup products on after blush will reduce your rouge’s vibrancy. What’s more, without the texture and moisture of a previously applied foundation, your blush will not adhere to the skin as well or stay on as long.

Generally, the order of operations when it comes to applying makeup is:

1. Facial primer
2. Foundation
3. Concealer
4. Contour
5. Powder
6. Bronzer 
7. Blush
8. Brows
9. Eyeshadow 
10. Eye liner
11. Mascara
12. Lipstick

Granted this is a comprehensive list, and most women won’t put on each of these products every day. However, all too often, blush is the first product that women overlook in their makeup routine. If you feel you fall into this category as well, consider why. Maybe it’s because you’re not sure when to use bronzer vs. blush. Maybe it’s because you are rushed in the mornings, or maybe you haven’t found a blush color you love. Whatever your reason for forgoing blush, we can’t reiterate it enough: grab the blush because it can help you look instantly refreshed!

Choosing a Blush Color

There are a couple of key considerations when choosing the right blush color for darker skin tones. We have a comprehensive guide on choosing the best blush for women of color, but the nuts-and-bolts of it is:

1. Choose richly pigmented blush colors that will show up on your lovely, unique skin tone and give your skin a healthy glow.
2. Make sure to choose a blush that will work with your undertone particularly for red or blue undertones on deeper complexions. 

There are about as many blush colors on the market as grains of sand in the Sahara. It can be overwhelming to choose a blush color that looks gorgeous on your skin and complements your overall makeup look. The good news is that Mented makes choosing a blush color easy with our four blush shades, specially crafted to bring out the radiance in the various skin tones across women of color. 

Identifying the Shape of Your Face

Okay, so your facial makeup is prepped, you have your blush color picked out and you’re ready to put it on. The big secret of how to apply blush like a pro is considering the shape of your face. If you’re unsure of your face shape, head over to a mirror. Take note of the position of your cheekbones and the size of your forehead and chin. The positioning of features are categorized into five face shapes:

• Oval face - you have prominent cheekbones and your forehead is slightly wider than the chin.
• Heart-shaped face - you have high cheekbones, a wide forehead and your jawline and chin are narrow.
• Square face - your cheekbones, forehead, and chin are all about the same width.
• Round face - your face and each of its features have about the same width and length.
• Oblong face - often confused with an oval face, an oblong face is longer, not as wide and has a narrow chin.

Applying Blush Based on Your Face Shape

When people look at you while you’re wearing blush, their eyes can’t help but go towards its pop of color. The idea behind applying blush is to use the eye-catching nature of rouge to your advantage. Blush should be applied in a way that harmonizes your facial features. 

Simply dab your brush into the palette and shake off any excess  - remember it’s highly pigmented so you don’t want too much. Where to apply the blush will be based on the shape of your face.

• Oval faces - the ideal location for blush application is along your cheekbones. Sweep the color along the cheekbone away from your face. You’ll want to keep the color along the cheek, rather than in the hollow of the check, to give an additional lift to the appearance of your bone structure.
• Heart-shaped faces - you can soften the appearance of your features by keeping blush near the outside of your face. The color should be applied near your ear at the outer corner of your cheekbone and continue to about mid-cheek.
• Square faces - add definition to your cheekbones, which may not be as prominent since they are about the same width as your chin. You can do this by applying rouge just below the cheekbone and towards the hairline.
• Round faces -  bring in more dimension to your face by applying blush along the entire cheekbone, from near the ear to the inner apple of your cheek. 
• Oblong faces - to make your facial features appear more condensed, sweep blush along the apple of your cheeks, being sure to sweep it up along the cheekbones beneath the outer corners of your eyes.

Voila! You Look Marvelous!

See? In the world of makeup application, blush is the easy button choice to give your skin a radiant glow once you know how to use it. Mented, a makeup line founded by and for women of color, was created with your shade in mind. Our blushes, other makeup products and makeup guides like this one are all designed to let that melanin shine through!

Ready to learn more? Check out our guide to Sunkissed Makeup Looks for Deeper Shades.