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Neil Scibelli, Celebrity Makeup Artist
Neil Scibelli is a NYC-based makeup artist and the host of the Face It podcast. He’s regularly seen as an expert on Good Morning America, TODAY Show with Hoda & Jenna, Access Hollywood, and has contributed Instyle, Allure, Teen Vogue, and more.
Lila Childs, Makeup Artist
Lila Childs is a freelance makeup artist and content creator based in New York City. Her work focuses primarily on celebrity and influencer red carpet and event makeup.
What’s the best blush for my skin type?
Deciding which blush is best for you—liquid, cream, or powder—comes down to personal preference and skin type. If you’re someone who wants to add as much dewiness to your skin as possible, a cream or liquid blush will be your best bet; if you want a blush that blurs your pores and mattifies your skin, you’ll likely prefer the look of a powder blush.
To find your perfect blush, try experimenting both with different textures of blush and how you apply them. Playing with your application method—like using your fingers one day and a brush the next—can help you hone in on what works best for you, your skin, and how you like your blush to look.
What tools should I use to apply blush?
With such a wide variety of blushes available on the market, choosing the “right” tool to apply each texture can feel like a puzzle in itself. The short answer, though? Use what you like. If you prefer the control if using your fingers to blend out your cream blush, you can stick to using them. If you do like to use brushes, though, some bristles are more optimal for certain textures of blush than others.
“I exclusively use brushes [to apply blush], as I feel I can achieve the most precision and control. My favorites are the Morphe 204 brush or the Patrick Ta dual-ended blush brush,” says Childs. She recommends applying your preferred blush onto the back of your hand (rather than swiping it directly onto the cheeks,) then picking it up with a brush and applying it to the skin. Not only will it help you avoid accidentally using too much product—it’ll help you maximize the amount of control you have with the product, too.
Where should I apply blush?
Where you decide to apply your blush depends on your face shape and the effect you’re hoping for it to achieve. Blush placement can help to sculpt your face, make it look like you just got back from a day at the beach, or give your face a youthful, full effect (remember the boyfriend blush trend?).
“I typically decide based on both factors: their facial shape, as well as what their overall goal of the makeup look is,” says Scibelli. “When it comes to the facial shape, I do factor in whether it’s going to be a more sculpted cheek, a lifted cheek, or maybe just an accented cheek color.”
For a lifted look
If you’re on the makeup side of TikTok, you’ve likely seen makeup artists and influencers applying blush in a “lifted” placement to maximize its face-sculpting abilities. “For a lifted effect, I typically apply blush midway into the apples of the cheek and then upward toward the temple,” says Scibelli. “You can easily find this placement by starting your blush about two fingers away from your nose. The upwards blending of the blush will also complete this lifted effect.”
For a sun-kissed look
If you want the look of a sunburn—minus the sun damage, obviously—sun-kissed blush placement is for you. “For a sun-kissed effect, I’ll typically warm up the skin and apply blush where the sun would naturally shine on your skin: across the cheekbones and over the bridge of the nose, then across to the other side other cheek bones,” says Scibelli. “If it’s a cream blush, I’ll also add a bit in the crease of the eyes and on the lips for an overall sun-kissed glow. You can also add a bit of bronzer in there as well, for a bronzey-blush effect.”
For this blush placement, opt for a warm red or orange-y blush shade to mimic the color the sun would naturally give your skin. To add to the look’s authenticity, try popping a few faux freckles across the bridge of your nose as a finishing touch.
For a youthful look
If you want your blush to give you a youthful, fresh-faced look, Scibelli recommends focusing the color around the apples of your cheek. “For a youthful and full effect, I recommend placing the blush on the apples of the cheeks and blending outward toward the center of the ears.”
To find the apples of your cheek, Scibelli recommends smiling in the mirror. “The apples of the cheeks can be found by just smiling! Then you can pop your color right on,” he says.
How do I make my blush last longer?
If you feel that your blush disappears almost immediately after you apply it, you aren’t alone—blush has a reputation for being the makeup product to fade on the face. While you can try adding a little extra with the knowledge it’ll be toned down within a couple of hours of wear—blush blindness? Never heard of her—there are also makeup-artist approved application hacks that can help make it last.
“If I know blush needs to stay on for a while, sometimes I’ll layer with a cream blush first and then a bit of a powder blush over it to really set it,” Scibelli says. “But even if you just go with one, you can also set it for longevity with a long-hold setting spray as well.”