lunchtime beauty q&a

Lunchtime Beauty Q&A: Where Do I Apply Blush on My Cheekbones?

Q: How do I find the apple of my cheek for proper blush application?

A: There are two schools of thought in figuring out where exactly to apply blush. The make-a-fish-face method involves applying blush in the hollows of your cheeks after you’ve sucked them in, resulting in an Eighties Cindy Crawford look. The make-a-smile method requires grinning and applying blush to the rounded area just beyond the smile lines, which can make you appear too doll-like. Forget those methods and simply try looking for bone structure. Located about an inch under the center of your iris, your cheekbones are probably a lot closer to your nose than you think.

“If you sucked in your cheeks, then that’s where you’ll place a contour shade,” advises Salon Eliut Rivera’s resident makeup artist, Robin Narvaez, who specializes in makeup application lessons. “Then when you smile, the blush will start at the apple and be placed slightly above the contour line.” Using a downward motion, the brush should then be used to blend the color out to the ear and around into the temples for a natural flush, otherwise the finished look will appear too stripey. We have a special affinity for liquid blushes, but her favorite pinky-toned powder blush is Nars’ Angelika, which is always applied with a powder brush for a softer effect.

Beauty Q&A: Where Are My Cheekbones?