How to Apply Blush

A beautiful Asian woman with fair skin wearing a monochromatic makeup look with blush

How to Apply Blush

Brush up on your blush technique!

Blush has been a makeup staple for centuries, but not everyone feels confident in their ability to swipe a cheek brush across a palette and onto their cheeks to get the rosy glow they crave. So whether you have a round face and want to enhance your cheeks’ fullness or want to fake model-esque cheekbones for a day, makeup artist Keiko Takagi’s expert tips on how to choose your shade and where to apply blush are sure to help you up your makeup game with a healthy-looking flush!

Four Mary Kay cheek products in a Mary Kay Perfect Palette with the Mary Kay cheek brush leaning against the palette

Cheek Products 101

There are a lot of cheek products out there, and all of them can be used to accentuate your natural features or give your cheeks a new yet natural look. The key is knowing which effects each product can create so you can give your cheeks the love they deserve.
• Blush: Also known as blusher, this product comes in many forms and is used to give the cheeks a rosy glow. It usually comes in shades of pink, coral, bronze and berry.
• Contour: This matte product is used to create the illusion of greater depth or definition. It can be applied under the cheekbones, along the jawline, on the sides of the nose and more!
• Highlighter: If you want to add luminosity, this is the product for you! Highlighters are typically applied to the high points of the face like the tops of the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose and the Cupid's bow for a gorgeous glow.

A geometric pattern of Mary Kay Chromafusion Blush, Highlighter and Contour in a variety of shades

How to Choose Your Blush Shade

One way to choose a blush shade that flatters your complexion is to pick one based on your undertone. To determine your undertone, just take this quick quiz and see what the perfect shade is for you!

1. Jewelry made of _______ really makes my skin amazing!
A) Yellow gold
B) Silver, platinum or rose gold
C) Any kind of metal

2. If I look at the veins on my arms and wrists, they usually look ______
A) Greenish.
B) Blueish or purplish.
C) Somewhere in the middle or the same colour as my skin.

3. My ideal white T-shirt is _________
A) Off white or creamy.
B) Stark white.
C) Any shade of white!

MOSTLY As: WARM UNDERTONE
Opt for shades with traces of gold or copper to enhance your skin’s natural warmth. We suggest Mary Kay Chromafusion® Blush shades like Rosy Nude, Hot Coral, Shy Blush or Golden Copper.

MOSTLY Bs: COOL UNDERTONE
Blushes that are more true pinks or berries compliment your cool complexion. Try shades like Hint of Pink, Darling Pink, Desert Rose or Wineberry next time you want rosy cheeks.

MOSTLY Cs: NEUTRAL UNDERTONE
People with neutral undertones can play with a wide range of shades because warm and cool hues flatter your complexion without washing you out. But our favourite blushes for neutral undertones are Shy Blush, Rogue Rose and Juicy Peach.

Cheek-y Tip!

If you want to round out your cheek wardrobe by adding a highlighter and contouring powder to your cheek kit, the Mary Kay Chromafusion® products were formulated by skin tone instead of undertone. If you have ivory to beige skin, try Glazed highlighter and Latte contour. Beige to bronze beauties should give Honey Glow highlighter and Cocoa contour a try to add definition!

The Mary Kay cheek brush lying in a pile of artfully crushed pink blush

Get the Right Tools

When it comes to applying blush, using the right tools can help you achieve a natural-looking effect. Here are a few of our go-to blush application tools and add-ons!
• Preparation: The key to a polished makeup look is prepping the canvas with skin care. Wash your face and moisturize using products that are tailored to your skin type so that your skin is clean, hydrated and ready for your favourite makeup.
• Application: We recommend using the multifaceted Mary Kay^® Cheek Brush to apply powder or cream blushes. The angled bristles are a 3-in-1 shape designed to help you enhance (middle bristles), sculpt (short bristles) and highlight (long bristles) your cheekbones. Just start with a little blush, and apply it in light layers to build to the desired effect and avoid a heavy-handed look.
• Blending: You can use your cheek brush or a clean, fluffy brush like the Mary Kay^® All-Over Powder Brush. Just use a light, circular motion to diffuse your blush and get a nice, seamless look.

Customizing Your Look: Want to give a powder blush a creamier look? Lightly tap over your blush with the same makeup sponge that you used to apply or blend your concealer or foundation to get a dewier look. You can also rub a couple of drops of Mary Kay^® Naturally Nourishing Oil into your palms and gently press it over your blush for an even more radiant effect.

A collage of images of a fair skinned Asian model showing various places to apply blush

Apply Blush Like a Makeup Artist!

If you've been a part of the beauty community on TikTok or YouTube for any length of time, you probably know that blush can do so much more than give your cheeks a touch of colour. It’s also an amazing tool for transforming your face shape based on your mood or a specific look you’re trying to achieve. It all comes down to what part of the face you apply blush to! The four techniques outlined below can help you enhance or transform your face shape for the day.

FOR A FULLER LOOK
Apply blush to the apples of the cheeks to bring out fullness whether you want to embrace having a round face or add fullness to a more slender face shape.

FOR A SLIMMER LOOK
Blend blush onto the tops of the cheekbones to accentuate your oval face shape or to de-emphasize fullness if you have a rounder face shape.

FOR A LIFTED LOOK
Apply blush to the tops of the apples of your cheeks if you want to give your face a more lifted look as opposed to just defining your natural face shape.

FOR A DEFINED LOOK
If you want to help your cheeks look more sculpted by bringing out your bone structure, apply blush just under the cheekbones.

Tip!
If you’re going for the defined and slimmer looks, use deeper blush shades like Rosy Nude, Golden Copper or Desert Rose to create added depth and drama. Applying contouring powder under the cheekbones with the shortest bristles of the Mary Kay^® Cheek Brush can also help you achieve a more sculpted look.

A mature Asian model applying blush to her cheeks with the Mary Kay Cheek Brush

Start Practicing!

Are you ready to explore the beautiful world of blush? Start by trying a few shades virtually using the Mary Kay MirrorMe™ app, or give them a whirl in real life with your Independent Beauty Consultant! She can help you find your favourite blush shades, enhance your application technique and connect with your favourite girlfriends without leaving the comfort of your home! Just connect with her today to get the beauty party started.

Build Your Cheek Collection

Quick View

Cheek Brush

$17.⁰⁰

Quick View

All-Over Powder Brush

$20.⁰⁰

Quick View

Blending Sponge

$15.⁰⁰

Quick View

Mary Kay Naturally^® Nourishing Oil

$56.⁰⁰

As a native of Japan, makeup artist Keiko Takagi developed a deep appreciation for the colours, textures and endless variety she found in nature. She studied ballet as a child and became a backup dancer for popular singers in Japan. But Keiko’s true passion for makeup blossomed as she experimented with colour at the makeup table backstage. Since then, designers, photographers and celebrity clients around the world have come to depend on her expertise and creativity as a makeup artist.

The writer Kristen Reed-Belveal, Manager of Corporate Creative Content at Mary Kay, loves puns, spending time with her husband Noah and two sons, and studying the Bible. Her go-to Mary Kay Chromafusion^® cheek products are Golden Copper blush and Honey Glow highlighter.