Beauty Beginner Series: What is Blusher?

First off, let me please apologise for missing last week's post of this series. Things have been a bit hectic at uni, so I didn't have time to write up a detailed post.

Secondly, I thought this week, to continue on from the previous two posts in this series, as they were both about face products, I would try to answer the question 'What is Blusher?' So, let's get into it.

For a lot of people, blush is one of those love or hate products. When used correctly, it can give your face a healthy, natural colour and glow, but when used wrongly, the phrase 'clown face' comes to mind!

Like, foundation and concealer, blusher comes in many forms. Powder blush are probably the most well known and most used type of blush, but there are many more.

• Powder Blush is good any type of skin, but is slightly better for oily and combination skin, as it helps to absorb some of the oil.
• Cream Blush gives more intense colour than powder, so only a little is needed. It also needs to be blended thoroughly, to avoid any harsh, obvious lines. Fingers are the best way to apply cream blushers, working from the apples of the cheeks outwards. As cream blush contains more moisturising ingredients, it is usually considered best for dry skin.
• Gel or Liquid (or Tint) Blush is good for adding a slight glow to the cheeks. They are not usually as pigmented as powder and cream blushers. They can work well for anyone who has oily to normal skin, as they last long, and tend to be oil-free. These are very fast-drying though, so you have to really blend them quickly. 

Whichever type of blush you choose, make sure you choose one that matches your natural skin tone and colour. You can tell what colour blush you should get when your cheeks have their natural rosy glow to them, after you have been out in the cold, or have just been doing exercise. The easiest way of choosing your perfect shade, is to give yourselves a good smack on the cheeks (sounds cruel, but it's true!). Don't go smacking yourselves so hard that your cheeks will just go red though! That won't work. Lightly pinch your cheeks, and this should give you the colour blush that you should be buying. It may be best to do this bit at home, though, just avoid any strange looks off other shoppers!

Blush should be applied after foundation and concealer, and then blended out with a brush and a little of the powder you have used to set your face with. If you can, it would be better if you apply blush with a proper brush, rather than the poxy thing that comes with it, but if you can't, then just use the brush that came with it. (E.L.F. do some reasonable quality blush brushes for £1.50 that you beginners can't go wrong with, plus Christmas is coming up!)

To apply blush:

• Dap your brush into the blush, and tap off any excess; it's always best to start lightly, then build it up if needed
• Look in the mirror and SMILE! This will help you to determine where the apples of your cheeks are
• Apply the blush onto the apples of your cheeks, blending well.
• If you've put too much on, then go over it with a bit of translucent powder, and this should sort it out
• This video will show what I mean more.

I hope this helped you, and if you have any questions, please let me know, and I will try my best to answer them!