Beauty Secrets from my mom: #2 Using lipstick as Blush
My mom doesn’t own a ton of makeup. Most of the beauty products she currently has, are things I’ve bought her or things I bought myself, didn’t like, and handed down to her. That hasn’t always been the case, she complains. Before she had kids, she also had expensive taste, and would buy all of the high-end beauty brands a woman could find. Somehow, having three little girls made her makeup start to mysteriously disappear one by one. And, when her little girls, became teenagers, her makeup bag was completely empty. So, one trick I’ve seen her do countless times is to use her lipstick as blush on her freshly moisturized face. It’s a great substitute for cream blush, and gives your cheeks a soft, dewy flush. This is something I never tried until recently when I was asked at the last minute to attend an event after work, and only had tinted moisturizer and two lipstick tubes in my bag. I applied the moisturizer and used my finger to apply a few dabs of lipstick stain onto the apples of my cheeks. The result was a natural, sun-kissed flush. Although I wouldn’t recommend this trick for everyday use, it’s a great option for those of you who don’t want to walk around with a bag full of cosmetics, or need to improvise when you are asked to go somewhere at the last-minute, as I was.
Here are the steps:
- Moisturize – The color will be easier to apply and blend on skin that is hydrated.
- Wash your hands – Make sure your hands are clean before swiping it over the lipstick.
- Use your finger to obtain the color – Do not apply the lipstick directly onto your face to prevent contamination.
- Dab a few spots onto the apples of your cheeks – You will have to use more or less depending on how rich the color is.
- Blend – Blend the color onto your cheeks and outward, the same way you would apply cream blush.
Makeup tip: Want to know if you’ve applied too much blush? Stand in front of the mirror and squint. If you can still see the color, then you’ve applied too much.
Get Chiseled Cheeks
Angelina Jolie has high cheekbones and a strong jawline.
Not all of us were lucky enough to be born with naturally defined cheekbones like Angelia Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel. You can however, “fake it” or give the illusion of a sculpted, slim face. To get the look, you will need a contour palette. Most contour palettes come with step-by-step guides and supply you with everything you need to achieve the look.
If you don’t have a contour palette, no problem! You can create the look of fabulous cheekbones with makeup products your probably already have:
1. Blush
2. Bronzer – Choose a bronzer that is matte, not shimmery. If you don’t have bronzer you can also use a blush that is about three shades darker than your natural skin tone.
3. Highlighter
But, much more importantly than the products you need to achieve the look, is the technique.
1. Suck in your cheeks or create a “fish face” so that you can clearly see where the hollows of your cheeks would be if your cheekbones were naturally high.
2. Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks (above the crease of your face) towards your ears.
3. While still maintaining your “fish face,” apply the bronzer below the apples of the cheeks along the hollow.
4. Release the fish face, and use a large brush to blend the colors so it looks natural.
5. Add a small dab of highlighter along the top of the cheekbone and blend. This will help your cheeks catch light. You can also add the highlighter down the center of the face.
6. You’re done! And if anyone asks, tell them you have great genetics…
