Healthy Skin

The ultimate guide to choosing a blusher for midlife skin

Blusher is a go-to in Liz’s makeup bag, essential for adding a healthy flush of colour at a moment’s notice. But with so many options, textures and tones, how can we find one that’s just right for us?

Here, makeup artist, Naomi Lake, shares her advice for choosing the perfect blusher in midlife.

How to choose a blusher

Finding the right texture

Powder, cream, liquid or gel… how much does it really matter?

Each blusher has its own potency depending on the amount of pigment. Choosing a consistency, however, all comes down to your skin type.

Gel, liquid and even cream products can be great for dry skin. With emollient bases, they provide a hydrated, cushiony finish that can minimise the look of fine lines. Cream products will give great re-workable blend-ability, too.

If you’re looking for a little more control, opt for a powder product. Oily skin types might prefer a powder blush too, with its innate oil-blotting powers.

It’s important to note that any texture goes really, so long as you fix your colour with a setting powder.

How do I apply blusher?

With a multitude of products in our makeup bag, it can be tricky to know what to apply and when. Fortunately, it’s not daunting as it seems.

If you love the shade of a cream or liquid blusher, pop this over liquid foundation and set it with a powder. Add a swish of powder bronzer to finish. Go from wet to dry, and everything will blend seamlessly.

If your foundation is powder, it’s best to keep everything in your makeup bag powder too for a more seamless ride.

Thinking about tools, powder blushers need a brush for a seamless blend. Brushes are also great for creams and liquids, but you can apply them well with your hands, specifically the heel of your palm.

With gels, pop a swipe of product over the fullest part of the apple or cheekbone and blend in an upward motion for a streak-free look.

Selecting your shade – what’s my undertone?

Getting to know your skin’s undertone is key to any makeup purchase.

Simply put, your undertone is the skin’s hue, its own inherent shade that will endure no matter how long it’s been since your last holiday. You can tell quickly looking at the inside of your wrist. If your veins are mostly green-toned, you have a warm skin tone. If they are predominantly blue, you’re cool.

Fair cool skin tones

For fair skin tones, opt for softer shades that won’t subdue subtle features. Those with cool skin tones often have a pinkish look when makeup-free. Look for cool pink and soft mauve shades to enhance your natural flush.

Collection, Soft Glow Blusher, ‘Rose’, £2.49

A highly pigmented, lightweight blusher. Its blendable formula allows you to build colour intensity that lasts all day.

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Medium to deep cool skin tones

With these skin tones, a rosy or reddish cheek says you’re likely cool-toned too. For a natural look, lean towards rich pink tones and medium mauve to purplish berry hues, remembering that softer and less-pigmented shades won’t be as impactful for deeper skin tones.

Delilah, Colour Blush, ‘Dusk’, £30

A richly pigmented, silky powder blush that adds an instant flush of natural colour to the cheeks. Save 20% with the code LIZLOVES.

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Fair warm skin tones

If you’re fair but, when makeup-free, lean towards a yellow or golden complexion, you’re likely a warm skin tone. You might find that gold jewellery looks better on you, too. The best shades to enhance this are soft peachy pinks and warm corals.

Lumene, Liquid Blush, ‘Bright Bloom’, £27.50

Illuminates and adds a natural flush of color to skin for a radiant glow.

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Medium to deep warm skin tones

To complement deeper golden tones, orange-tinted shades of coral and tangerine or reddish browns will accentuate an innate flush. For a fresh burst of colour, stronger pink and berry tones, and even deep purple tones, are playful but fitting.

Studio 10, Wake Up & Glow Lip & Cheek Tint Lipstick & Blusher, ‘Empowered Poppy’, £25

This three-in-one fusion treatment, lipstick and cheek tint instantly boosts the complexion and lips with a flush of buildable colour. Save 15% with the code LIZLOVES.

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Olive and neutral

While often considered neutral, olive skin tones have a mix of green, yellow or grey hues. This creates a distinct difference from warm or cool undertones, although they can lean towards either.

A muted olive might hold greyish undertones, suiting softer colour choices. A bright olive will have a more greenish hue to the skin, better suiting more intense tones. Mauves, rosy pinks and orange-leaning peach shades will be the best fit.

Ere Perez, Rice Powder Blush, ‘Bondi’, £38