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How to find the blush shade that'll be stunning on your skin tone

Colour matching, rouge style

By Delaney Loane

Digital Beauty Editor / July 01 2020

Let’s get something straight in the rouge department, shall we? Blush is a category, not a colour (despite its common association with a stagnant rosy pink hue).

So, seeing as even the prettiest pink cheek colour in all the land can’t pop equally against every complexion, here’s a little reminder: blush is all about brightening and freshening up the face by using whatever shade is best equipped to do so.

To bring luminous life to your skin, you need to first consider which colour family will flatter your complexion instead of just swiping on a blush colour billed as one-size-fits-all – trust us the results will reward you.

Here’s our guide to getting your hands on your ideal hue.

The best blush for: fair skin

Adding colour to the face can certainly seem counterintuitive if your tone is of the paler variety; you’ve probably just spent several minutes trying to rid your skin of redness, right? But fear not; placing a peach shade (ideally with flecks of gold to warm up your cooler-toned complexion) solely on the apples of the cheeks will make it crystal clear that you’re blushing, not flushing.

Try: Ambient Lighting Blush in MECCA Glow

The best blush for: light skin

A pop of pink (a blue-based Barbie shade over peachy pink to be precise) will work wonders for livening up lighter skin tones. This colour happens to look lovely on all undertones of the light variety, too, so don’t stress too much about the warm vs. cool situation. Our advice? Focus on the brightness factor instead; a little neon fuchsia action will freshen the face like nobody’s business.

Try: MECCA MAX Chic Cheek Blush Powder in Pink Pop

The best blush for: medium skin

Picture the tone of a deep pink rose and you've got the exact colour destined to suit your skin. Sounds pretty, huh? The majority of medium complexions often show green or yellow undertones that can start to look a little sallow if paired with an equally warm peach or coral shade, so a romantic rose hue with a cool-but-not-too-cool base is ideal.

Try: Pretty Vulgar Make Them Blush in Mirror Mirror

The best blush for: deep skin

Brick tones are a deep skin tone’s best friend in the blush department – your depth of colour tends to run a little cooler undertone wise, and so anything with a contrastingly warmer vibe will be downright divine on you. Anything too cool could leave skin looking ashy rather than illuminated, so opt for red-orange colours that pack some serious punch.

Try: NARS Blush in Taos

The best blush for: dark skin

You know how red lipstick looks out-of-this-world stunning on deep skin tones? The same goes for cherry-hued blush colours. The richness of such a gorgeous complexion allows those blessed with it to pull off anything from bright candy apple to cooler-toned crimson, so feel free to dab on whichever red you gravitate towards.

Try: Dior Diorskin Rouge Blush in 999

Main image credit:@lllauryne

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