A classic beauty product if there ever was one, blush can also be one of the most intimidating to master. Do you choose powder or cream? Apply to the apples of the cheeks or the cheekbones? And don’t even get us started on the endless carousel of blush application trends online.

Blush babies, take a beat. Blush truly isn’t about following rules, chasing trends, or even finding that one holy grail style for your face shape. It’s about understanding the product you’re working with, discovering what you like, and using that knowledge to add more dimension to your look.

So, let’s see how to apply blush and have fun with it.

Types of Blush and How to Choose

Different blush types create different finishes, levels of intensity, and use experiences. Knowing how and why to choose one formula over another can make the application process way easier.

Powder Blush

Powder blush is a classic. Most powders today are pressed, making them easy to control and apply with a fluffy brush.

We recommend powders for:

• More pigmented color
• Structured, sculpted looks
• Full-face makeup

Gel Blush

For that freshest, juiciest finish, reach for gel blush. These have a hydrating texture and a sheer, sheeny finish, and can be applied and built up in a cinch using fingers or a brush.

We recommend gel blushes for:

• Dewy looks
• Effortless application
• No-makeup makeup
• Water sports (or any hot, humid weather)

Cheek Stain

If cheek stains had a tagline, it’d be “Go long, or go home.” The longwear icons of the blush world, they come in liquid or gel formulas that tint the skin for a just-flushed look all day long.

We recommend cheek stains for:

• Fresh, lightweight, natural-looking finish
• Sheer, skin-centered looks
• Busy schedules, hot summer days, and anyone who doesn’t want to deal with touch-ups

Liquid Blush

Weightless, lighter-than-air liquid blushes deliver a soft-focus, natural-matte finish that blends easily into the skin for a flattering kiss of color.

We recommend liquid blush for:

• All-day wear
• Blendable, buildable color
• An airbrushed yet approachable finish

Blush Placement 101: 4 Ways to Wear Blush

From Japan’s Igari technique to the boyfriend look, social media is crushing on blush. With so many ways to wear it, it’s easy to feel like there’s a right and a wrong way to pull it off.

The truth is, neither your face shape nor your coloring dictates whether or not you can “pull off” your look of choice. If you’re willing to play with it, any technique is fair game.

#1 Snatched and Sculpted

This blush style is basically contouring without the extra products. It helps lift and define the face for a subtly snatched feel.

 Here’s how to apply it:

1. For best results, start with a matte-finish powder blush, like Blossy.
2. Begin above the hollows of your cheeks, placing color at the outer cheekbone, slightly higher than where you’d apply contour.
3. Sweep blush up and toward your temples, avoiding the apples of your cheeks.
4. Using a dense face brush, blend to soften any harsh lines.
5. Dot a soft highlight on the highest points of your cheekbones to add glow and dimension.

#2 Sunkissed Glaze

Want to look like you just got back from a beach vacay without forking over plane fare? Sunkissed blush is glowy, carefree, and universally flattering.

Here’s how to apply it using Benefit’s [NEW JUICE STICK]:

1. Smile to find the apples of your cheeks. Twist open Juice Stick and dot at the juiciest point of your cheeks, tapping outward and upward toward your temples.
2. Sweep a fluffy brush over the Juice Stick and dust across the bridge of your nose for subtle color, mimicking the path of sunshine across your face.
3. For a more intense blush look, diffuse the color over your cheeks and nose. For a subtler glow, use a fluffy brush to blend out the color.
4. Dial up the look even further by dusting a powder bronzer, like Hoola, at the high points of your forehead, nose, and chin for a just-baked, sun-kissed complexion.

#3 Soft and Sweet

This delicate, romantic blush style concentrates a subtle pop of color on the apples of the cheeks. It’s fresh and youthful, and depending on how you apply it, can range from doll-like to the more grown-up Igari makeup (which translates to “hungover” in Japanese).

1. Using your favorite shade of Benetint, dab a small amount of stain onto the apples of your cheeks. Less is more to start—Benetint is infinitely buildable.
2. Working quickly, blend the stain using your fingers or a sponge in circular, outward motions.
3. As you layer on more, keep the pigment focused on the center of the cheek, blending outward to diffuse any edges.
4. Continue layering until you’ve reached your desired level of flush.

#4 Boyfriend Blush

Boyfriend blush is the boyfriend jean of the beautysphere. It gives that just-got-back-from-playing-rugby energy: confident, undone, and timeless.

Here’s how to apply it:

1. Grab an airy liquid blush like [PLAY DAZE] in a natural-to-your-skin hue.
2. Look straight ahead into a mirror, and smile to find the apples of your cheeks. Trace an imaginary line from the centers of your pupils down your face.
3. Drop a small amount of blush onto a clean finger. Instead of applying your blush on the apples, you’ll place it just below them.
4. Working quickly, blend the blush using your fingertip into an upside-down triangle, drawing the color down and toward the outer edges of your face. This style is about subtly building color, not precise application.
5. Finish by blending any edges with a sponge or brush for a seamless finish.

Beauty Expert-Approved Tips for Perfect Application, by Benefit

At the end of the day, learning how to apply blush isn’t about chasing perfection or “doing it right.” It’s about experimentation, getting to know your face a little better, and having fun!

As you set off on your journey, we have a few last pro-approved blush tips to keep in mind:

• Match your base and blush formula – If you’re layering blush over face makeup, keep them in the same formula family. You’ll have a much easier time applying and correcting if you pair creams with creams, powders with powders, and so on.
• Less is more to start – Blush, more than any other makeup product, is there to fake what comes naturally. Choosing products designed to be buildable and forgiving lend themselves to both an unfussy application process and an enviably effortless look.
• Natural light is your friend – Whenever possible, always check your results and your edges in natural lighting (because bathroom lighting lies). Thank us later!

Whether you’re after a sculpted finish or a barely-there flush, browse formats, try new colors, and find a blush to fall in love with at Benefit.

Sources:

 Maas, L. A History of Blush. Into The Gloss. https://intothegloss.com/2015/01/history-of-makeup-blush.

Cristino, V. (2024, December 20). This blush hack used in Japanese makeup instantly gives the face a youthful look. Vogue India. https://www.vogue.in/content/this-blush-hack-used-in-japanese-makeup-instantly-gives-the-face-a-youthful-look