Blush 101: Everything You Need to Know About Applying the Perfect Blush

A few weeks before I started seventh grade (after many months of begging), my mom took me to my local mall’s MAC counter to get my very first makeup products. After 45 minutes of getting shade matched, I left the store with a bottle of MAC Face & Body, a concealer, and a blush in the shade Melba in tow. I put the coral-peach on my cheeks every day for years after that. (I vividly remember digging my blush brush into the corners of the near-empty pan to make sure I used every last speck of product before I shelled out any babysitting money to get a new one.)

This was a simpler time, before creams and liquids and trends like “boyfriend blush” had entered the conversation. Now, what once seemed completely uncomplicated comes with dozens of questions. Should I be using powder or cream blush? Which color should I be using? Where should I be placing it?TikToks showing how blush can be used to change your face shape and videos of where you “should never” (ever!) place blush have left a giant question mark hovering over the entire makeup category.

To put the confusion to rest, we tapped makeup artists to answer the internet’s most burning blush questions. From which formula is best for your skin type to where you should really be placing your blush—spoiler alert: there’s no wrong way to apply it—keep scrolling for the ultimate blush 101.

What’s the Best Blush for My Skin Type?

Deciding which blush is best for you—liquid, cream, powder—ultimately comes down to both personal preference and skin type. If you’re someone who wants to add as much dewiness to your skin as possible, a cream or liquid blush will be your best bet; if you want a blush that blurs your pores and mattifies your skin, you’ll likely prefer the look of a powder blush.

To find your perfect blush, try experimenting both with different formulas of blush and how you apply them. Playing with your application method—like using your fingers one day and a brush the next—can help you hone in on what works best for you, your skin, and how you like your blush to look

Which Tools Should I Use to Apply Blush?

With such a wide variety of blushes available on the market, choosing the “right” tool to apply each texture can feel like a puzzle in itself. The short answer? Use what you like. If you prefer the control if using your fingers to blend out your cream blush, you can stick to using them. If you do like to use brushes, though, some bristles are more optimal for certain textures of blush than others.

“I exclusively use brushes [to apply blush], as I feel I can achieve the most precision and control. My favorites are the Morphe 204 Brush or the Patrick Ta Dual-Ended Blush Brush,” New York makeup artist and influencer Lila Childssays. She recommends applying your preferred blush onto the back of your hand (rather than swiping it directly onto the cheeks), then picking it up with a brush and applying it to the skin. Not only will the method help you avoid initially using too much product, it’ll help you maximize the amount of control you have with the product, too.

Where Should I Apply Blush?

Where you decide to apply your blush depends on your face shape and the effect you’re hoping to achieve. Blush placement can help to sculpt your face, make it look like you just got back from a day at the beach, or even give your face a youthful, full effect, explains New York makeup artist Neil Scibelli.

“I typically decide [blush placement] based on both factors: the facial shape, as well as what the overall goal of the makeup look is,” Scibelli says. “When it comes to the facial shape, I do factor in whether it’s going to be a more sculpted cheek, a lifted cheek, or maybe just an accented cheek color.”

If you’re on the makeup side of TikTok, you’ve likely seen makeup artists and influencers applying blush in a “lifted” placement to maximize its face-sculpting abilities. “For a lifted effect, I typically apply blush on the apples of the cheek and then blend upward toward the temple,” says Scibelli. “You can easily find this placement by starting your blush about two fingers away from your nose. The upwards blending of the blush will also complete the lifted effect.”

For a sun-kissed look

If you love the glow a day at the beach gives you—minus the actual sun damage, obviously—it’s time to give sun-kissed blush placement a shot. “For a sun-kissed effect, I’ll typically warm up the skin and apply blush where the sun would naturally shine on your skin: across the cheekbones and over the bridge of the nose,” says Scibelli. “If it’s a cream blush, I’ll also add a bit in the crease of the eyes and on the lips for an overall sun-kissed glow. For a bronzey-blush effect, you can also add a bit of bronzer in there as well.”

For this blush placement, opt for a warm red or orange-y blush shade to mimic the color the sun would naturally give your skin. To add to the look’s authenticity, you can also try popping a few faux freckles across the bridge of your nose as a finishing touch.

For a youthful look

If you want your blush to give you a youthful, fresh-faced look, Scibelli recommends focusing the color around the apples of your cheek. “For a youthful and full effect, I recommend placing the blush on the apples of the cheeks and blending outward toward the center of the ears.”

To find the apples of your cheek, Scibelli recommends smiling in the mirror. “The apples of the cheeks can be found by just smiling! Then, you can pop your color right on.”

How Can I Make My Blush Last Longer?

If you feel that your blush disappears almost immediately after you apply it, you aren’t alone—blush has a reputation for being the first makeup product to fade on the face. While you can try adding a little extra with the knowledge it’ll be toned down within a couple of hours of wear—blush blindness? Never heard of her—there are hacks that’ll help to make it last.

“If I know blush needs to stay on for a while, sometimes I’ll layer with a cream blush first and then a bit of a powder blush over it to really set it,” Scibelli says. “But even if you just go with one, you can set it for longevity with a long-hold setting spray as well.”