Blush is an important part of make-up. With the help of an accurately applied blush you can refresh your face, make it looking much better and healthier. Blusher adds color and depth to the skin and can give our cheeks, forehead and nose a healthy, dazzling look.

Types of Blusher

There are several types of blusher available in the market. Thus pick the brand you like the best keeping your skin type - oily, normal or dry - in mind.

Powder Blush:
Powder blush is perfect for any skin type. Powder blusher is best applied after your face powder. It will lie on top of the skin, adding a translucent glow. Because it's sheer, it's easy to layer using two or more colors. Many women use beige or cocoa-brown tone to accent cheekbones and temples and slim the sides of the nose, then overlay it with a cheeky color for extra glow. For a contour, use a deeper shade in the hollow of the cheek.

Cream Blush:
Cream blush is best suited for normal to dry skin. Cream offers more intense Colour than powder, so use sparingly and blend well. They are especially nice for evening makeup. Since cream formulas usually have the most moisturizers and/or oils, they cling better and tend to last longer on the skin. Apply it over foundation, but before powder. Start at the apples of the cheek and blend upward.

Liquid or Gel:
These blushers last longer and since many are oil-free hence those who have oily skin can opt for them. Some are water-resistant, too. Apply over foundation or to bare skin for a soft, fresh-scrubbed look. Start with a tiny amount on your fingertips or a sponge and build-up color gradually for best results.

Cheek Pencils:
These are best for beginners because you have lots of control. Those who have oily kin should not use them because pencils are often formulated with extra moisturizers and emollients to keep them soft and blendable. Look for oil-free formulas. Stroke on and use your fingers to blend to a sheer veil of color.

Bronzers:
Bronzers give a beautiful sun-kissed look. Bronzers are ideal for faking or enhancing the tanned look of the skin. Bronzer is especially flattering to medium and deep-toned complexions. Fair-skinned types should pick only the lightest shades, even if you have a tan, then blend to the sheerest hint of color. Especially great for darker skins as it gives a natural-looking blush. Bronzer comes either in light, medium or dark tones.

Choosing a Colour

This is the difficult part of this section. Choosing the right colour for your skin tone is essential. The right colour will give you a healthy glow. The wrong colour will leave you looking drained or overdone. Contrary to popular belief, whatever your skin tone, fair, medium, or deep, you can blush in almost any colour - but it's the intensity of colour that can make or break the look. If the colour is too deep or intense, it can look loud on light skins. If it's too faint, the colour can disappear on medium to deep-toned skin. Use the following guide to picking the perfect shade for your skin tone.

Fair skin: Pale pinkish red or a light bronze
Medium skin: Warm pink, brownish toned pink
Olive or yellow tinged skin: Brown-based shades of red, plum or soft berry
Dark skin: Brick red, cocoa or a deep bronze

How to Apply Blush

For a sculpted, sophisticated look:
First, find your cheekbones by sucking in the cheeks. Feel along the edge of the cheekbone. This is where you'll place cheek colour to make cheekbones more prominent and enhance your other features. Never apply colour above the cheekbone area since that will make your eyes look puffy.

For a soft, diffused glow:
Smile to reveal the "apples" of your cheeks. Then, dip your blush brush into the powder, shake off the excess, and brush it lightly over the apple of your cheek, moving upwards toward the ear, with short, up-and-down vertical movements. As always, keep blush at least one and one-half inches away from the nose and never brush colour near the eyes.

To emphasize bone structure:
Apply your blusher underneath the cheekbone. For an even stronger look apply some to the temple as well.

To make your skin look clearer:
Smile and apply blusher to the apples of your cheek. Blend it back but don't go any further than the corner of your eye. By keeping the colour on the front of your cheeks you give the illusion of clearer skin which will also emphasize your eyes.

For a long, narrow face:
If you have a long, narrow face and you need to create width, apply the colour no higher than the lower edge of cheekbone and keep the angle horizontal. Apply colour only on the outer third of the cheeks (cheek colour in the middle of the face will emphasize length).

For a Round, Wide, or Square Face:
For more length, apply colour in the middle of the face (without getting too close to the nose. Cheek colour on the outer third of your cheeks will only emphasize roundness).