Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Are You Making This Surprisingly Common Blush Mistake? What To Do Instead

Jamie Schneider
Author:
April 22, 2021
Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
Jamie Schneider is the Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
(Last Used: 2/8/21) Woman with smooth skin and pink blush
Image by Nicola Harger / Stocksy
April 22, 2021
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Imagine: You're peering into the mirror, blush in hand, ready to sweep on the pigment for that oft-mentioned healthy glow. You smile so the pigment hits the points where you naturally flush, and you tap it onto those supple circles. You relax—and you move on with your makeup routine, with your day, with your life. 

But wait! According to makeup artist Alexandra Compton, product development manager at clean beauty retailer Credo, you shouldn't actually smile while applying blush. Oh.

If you can't remember the last time you've opened up a blusher without grinning into the compact, you're not alone. Below, she explains this common blush blunder and what to do instead for the perfect hit of rouge.

Why you shouldn't smile while applying blush.

While blush placement differs for everyone, the smile can be a bit misleading. See, smiling lifts the apples of your cheeks and helps them form into plump, perky rounds—which is helpful for knowing where you naturally turn rosy, sure, but those apples sink back to their resting place as soon as you relax. 

As a result, "Your blush placement will actually be lower with a straight face," Compton notes, which can create the illusion of sagging. Rather, when you apply your blush with a relaxed face, you'll know exactly where to plant it to achieve that lifted, lit-from-within glow, sans grin. 

Plus, Compton adds, applying blush on a relaxed face can keep the formula from settling into any creases. Again, because smiling lifts the cheeks, the pigment on the edge of your apples can nestle into fine lines once they lower back down. 

So, how should you apply blush without beaming at the mirror, you ask? Simple: Tap your blusher du jour (like this creamy dream from Alima Pure) on your cheekbones and either blend inward to create a soft fullness or outward toward the temples for more lift and definition. Both techniques work beautifully, and you can tweak it according to your face shape.

The takeaway.

Ultimately, there are no rules to blush—if a soft smile helps you land that perfect application, we're not going to tell you to upend your entire routine! But if you step away from the mirror and feel like your look is just a bit off, try keeping your cheeks relaxed as you sweep on the pigment. It may be the subtle tweak you need.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Lifestyle
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.