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How do you apply your blush?


How do you apply your blush? What tools/technique do you use?

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I use MAC’s 116 brush, and I lightly pat on the color from the apple of the cheek to the temple, and then I do a sweeping swoosh to blend.

Thanks to Cherie for today’s question!

52 Comments

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Hannah Avatar

I usually use a 129 for powder or a 188 for cream blushes.
If I am using a more pigmented blush, I will go over it with a 182 to blend.

CeeBee Avatar

I usually use a slanted blush brush – Benefit’s one or Smashbox #23 are my favourites – if I need to buff out I like to use a big, dense flat headeded brush, Smashbox #24 does the trick.
For precision application (if I’m using more than one colour or shade)I use a smaller oval Benefit powder brush and for luminizer I like to use a GWP Estee Lauder one I scored about 3 years ago.
I use the dab, dab, circle three times and swoosh technique!
For brighter or deeper blushes, I like to apply them a little further back from the apple of my cheek and then blend forward ever so slightly – dunno why but it looks better…

Kathy Avatar

I use ELF Studio Powder Brush, it’s seriously the best blush brush I have ever used, it’s completely fool proof, I love it! If you have trouble with your blush looking even on both sides, you should definitely try this brush.

Azaza Avatar

Depends on what blush I would either use a blush brush or an angled blush brush. If the blush is really pigmented I would use a dual fiber brush

Lo Avatar

I use my Jemma Kidd flat top brush (not the foundation one, the blush one that comes in a set) I use a light hand and start at the apples of my cheeks and use sweeping circular motions to buff the colour back as far as I want it to go. I love a flat top brush for blush, it just makes placement and blending so easy.

Sara Avatar

I apply blush like you Christine! I use MAC’s 116 from apple of the cheek to temples.
Sometimes, when I want a very soft and sheer effect, I use MAC’s 187 😉

livnzoe Avatar

with MAC’s 168 brush!.. but i really want MAC’s 131 brush.. but i don’t have the money at the moment.. because in switzerland it’s about 67.- swiss francs.. that means 70 USD!!!

Norma Avatar

My favorite is to use my sigma or mac 168 I’ve tried tons of brushes, but this one does for me. I just kind of stipple it on to the apples and back then blend it with the same brush.

muffingrl Avatar

i have very small cheek space to work with, so i opt for my 109, lightly tapping into product and dragging from apples to sideburns. if i overdo it a bit, i take a 187 and buff buff buff.

dolce aria Avatar

i have a off-brand brush-fluffy, with an angled edge. For powder blushes, I tap it from cheekbones to outer temple, and swoosh a bit for blending. For cream blushes, I start in the center of my cheeks, and blend in little bitty circles inward, then back over and outward towards temples. If I’m going to contour my cheeks, I add the darker color, and then use my finger to apply my cream highlight color, drawing a little triangle between my lower lashline and nose, and blending towards the temples. I use a biig bronzer brush with a touch of setting powder and draw little circles overtop, to soften it further(I’m pale enough that that most blushes NEED to be blended down!)

(Side note, I’m bummed. I just discovered that the older comments apparently have an old work email attached to them, and because of that, I missed something from you I needed to reply to! Ugh! Looks like the right email is here though).

aradhana Avatar

for powder i apply with the 109 or similar from the apples of cheeks to the temple, and kind of buff it in place.

for cream or liquid blush, i gently pat it in a ‘half-moon’ along the same line (cheek to temple) using my fingers to blend it out.

Cherie Avatar

🙂

I use cream blush first with a Quo (knock-off MAC 168) brush to blend. Then I’ve been using the 129 to tap on powder on apples up to the temple. I then do a final blend with a 109.

I need a better process… looking to cut down on my time spent on this process! lol

Kalex Avatar

I use a Smashbox fan brush then I blend with Bobbi’s face blender brush if needed. I tend to be heavyhanded with blush so a feather-lite applicator is necessary.

Katie Avatar

Blush is such a fetish for me… and I’m not even sure why. I’m glad I’ve learned from my mistakes though. In high school, I used to pack it on my cheeks so hard that it looked like I had rosacea. No good =(

Anyway, I use my 109 to contour (I LOVE NARS Laguna!!, it does us pasty gals some justice) and I use the 168 to apply blush. I feel like I ought to own a 116, but the 168 works very well for me! I’ll still probably get the 116 though… can’t have too many brushes or too much makeup, right? RIGHT?!!

tremorviolet Avatar

I usually use the 187 with a kabuki to blend. When I wear cream blushes, I use the 188. I’m really pale and it’s really easy to over apply blush so I need the light hand of the 187.

Jess Avatar

I apply with an Urban Decay blush brush and blend it out with an ecotools brush. It doesn’t have a name on it, but it’s about the same size as the blush brush and fluffy. It might actually be their blush brush.

LNU Avatar

I use my 129 to pat down the color from apples to temples, then I sweep, then I blend out in circular motions. I guess my 129 gets the job done, but I’m probably going to try other brushes sooner or later when I can afford them!

Tricia Avatar

For super-pigmented blushes, I use the 131 brush. It doesn’t take up my entire face (exaggeration) like the 187 does. For less pigmented blushes, I use the 168 because it picks up more color and is also the perfect size for my cheek. I’m still trying to perfect the application though. I can never seem to get it “just right” -_-

Dusty Avatar

Application is different for cremes than it is for powders (duh lol) but either way I almost always start at the cheekbone right under the eye) and move towards the apples of the cheeks, then back again towards the hairline, blending, blending, blending. I’m a bit of an 80’s blush nut – I almost never apply blush to the apples of the cheeks directly – I go for more of a contour/highlight kind of application usually 😉

Brushes I favor are the 109 and 116 for powders and the 130, 188 or 109 for cremes.

On myself I almost ALWAYS use a creme blush (this includes lipsticks) and my fingers to apply.

Hanna Avatar

I use Eco Tools blush brush and apply on the apple on my cheeks and then blend upward….
I like to blend it out with my Eco Tools kabuki brush so there is not a line between blush and bronzer.

Abril Avatar

I smile and apply the blush on the apple of my cheek taking it to the temple with the MAC 129! Then blend the contour and the blush with the 182!

Neeraj Avatar

I am a professional makeup artist and there are blush brushes that I swear by and none of them are from MAC, unfortunately.I use Shiseido Blush Brush which has got Blue Squirrel hair and is incredibly soft on touch.I also use the blush brush from the Estee Lauder’s new collection of brushes and Scott Barnes Contour and Cheek Brushes that I purchased from Strawberrynet.com

I just love the blush brushes I own and they do a lot for me…..

Lizz M. Avatar

I usually alternate between using a 168, sweeping the color from the edge of the apples to the back of the cheek, trying to focus most of the color in the contours, rather than on just my whole cheek – not sure why, but I love that look – And using something like a 150 to just sweep color on the entire cheek, for a more glowy and less precise look.

Sixx Avatar

Depends…For very pigmented blushes I like to use the 129, for less pigmented blushes I use an angle brush similar to 138 or the 116 brush.

G Avatar

I have a couple of blush brushes but I always end up using my Nars blush brush to apply my contour, blush, bronzer and highlight in whatever combination I am in the mood for on the day 🙂

knownever Avatar

I use an ecotools blush brush and only apply color on my cheekbones near my temples rather than on the apples of my cheeks. i already have redness near my nose and on the apples so I prefer to just put it high on my cheekbones. it’s very 80s and gives the illusion of contouring in a quick everyday way. bit weird but makeup is all about finding what works for you, no need to follow rules if you have a bit of an eye for asthetics

Rengirl Avatar

I use a duo-fiber brush to stipple on creme blush or stain (usually NYX cream blush in glow or Tarte cheek stain in Tipsy) and then I top that with the powder blush.

Jazmine Avatar

I use my EcoTools blush brush and start at the apples and blend upwards towards the temples. I have the MAC 129, but I much rather prefer my EcoTools one. The MAC 129 is much too rough on my skin. 🙁
The Ecotools one is softer and does the same job as the 129!

Sass Avatar

Brush onto the balls of my cheeks and then pull it back. I like most of the color on my cheeks fading back into my hair line. I don’t go up into my temple because I don’t think it’s necessary.

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