If you’re dreading blush application for your big day, don’t fret! We have all your concerns covered, with expert advice from BJ Gillian who works with CoverGirl and a host of celebrity clients from Lindsay Lohan to Jennifer Aniston. If you want to be a blushing bride on your wedding day, follow Gillian’s four essential tips:
1. Skin Tone. “Everyone has a natural blush tone, and the trick is to determine yours,” Gillian says. He has a simple but super-savvy way to find it. Take an ice cube and hold it up to your cheek for about 20 seconds. Move into daylight and check out what you see in the mirror. Does your skin look rosy, pink, peach or bronze? What you see is your skin’s blush tone! “You should always stay within the zone of your natural tone,” Gillian says. “By this I mean you can intensify things by using a shade one or two brighter, or amp things down by using a blush that’s one or two shades softer. Don’t deviate from this rule, or your blush will not look natural!”
2. Skin Prep. If you want your blush to look great, and to last, you need to prepare your skin like the pros do. “You have to create an oil-absorbing canvas between skin and your powder blush, so colour wears well and also doesn’t shift,” Gillian reports. Doing this is as easy as applying a pressed oil control powder to clean skin, paying special attention to your cheeks and T-zone area (that’s your forehead, nose and chin). “This will create a natural base and help your blush stay put and stay true to colour.”
3. Tools. NEVER use the little plastic brush that comes with your blush to apply product—it’s in the package to use on the go, for touch-ups only! You need a quality blush brush made from natural hair (those ones in the package are synthetic). “I like a medium-size brush with a domed top,” Gillian advises. “If you choose a brush that’s too small, your blush can look stripy; if you use one that’s too big, your blush may look like a rash!” Investing in the right brush is essential to a great application for the big day, and Gillian says that though it doesn’t have to break the bank, you do have to take proper care of it to ensure peak performance. “Clean your brush every two weeks using your favourite shampoo,” Gillian says. “Wet the brush, lather up, then rinse and allow to dry thoroughly before using again.”
4. Placement & Application. This one’s a biggie. To begin, smile to find the apple—that’s the round, most prominent part—of your cheek. Pass your brush over blush once or twice, then blow on the tip of the brush to remove excess product. Using small, circular motions, apply blush to the apple of your cheek. Start no closer to your nose than the middle of your eye, moving on an angle up toward your ear. Blow on the brush again, then repeat this motion; this will nicely blend blush into your skin. For a natural, glowing finish, pass the brush along the tip of your nose and your chin to give a light dust of colour—these are the areas of your face typically affected by sun or cold.
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