Thursday, May 19, 2016

The Great Blush Debate: Cream, Powder, or Stain?

blush

Picture John William Waterhouse’s My Sweet Rose or Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s After the Bath, both paintings depicting women surrounded by the blooms of high spring, their cheeks radiating as vibrantly as the lush flora that surrounds them. “There’s nothing more ravishing than a healthy flush on the cheeks,” says editorial makeup artist Hannah Murray, who insists that blush, not self-tanner, is the quickest way to bring color and life to the face. But with so many formulas to choose from—cream, powder, and stain—which type will create your ideal faux flush?

A good place to start is at your base—cream formulas work best layered on top of cream foundations and concealers, while powders will naturally play nice with other powders. But, Murray assures, keeping your base lightly applied will allow any variety of blush to “work effortlessly.” From there, you can seek out more nuanced effects. For example, for an instant upgrade with on-the-go appeal, Murray reaches for the “lightweight and buildable” quality of creamy formulas like Topshop’s vibrant options, which hold the promise of infallible application thanks to their ability to essentially melt into the skin when blended.

For the sophisticated polish of a black-tie party, a powder blush will wear a little longer—assuring late night confidence—and is Murray’s preferred product category for “when you want to feel a bit more done.” The most flattering option? NARS Orgasm is always at her disposal for “the right amount of glow.”

But the closest-to-natural effect comes at the hands of stains, which “give the illusion of a flush that comes from within,” Murray notes, especially when provided by Benefit’s Benetint. The classic formula gets honorable mention from Murray for what she calls its “gorgeous” and “sexy” effect that replicates the look of blood naturally rushing to the surface from within. We’re blushing already.

 

The post The Great Blush Debate: Cream, Powder, or Stain? appeared first on Vogue.

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