HOW TO CHOOSE A BLUSH COLOR FOR YOUR SKIN TONE

September 26, 2023

The base? Flawless. The highlighter? Poppin’. The blush? Well, that one can be a bit trickier to figure out. The right blush can add the perfect natural flush to the cheeks to amp up any makeup look in minutes. The only problem is, how do you choose the right blush color for your skin tone?

Don’t worry, babe, we’ve got your back. Whether your skin is fair, medium, deep, or anything in between, here’s some advice for learning how to choose a blush color for your skin tone.

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BEST BLUSH FOR FAIR SKIN

Our fair and ivory gals often stray away from blush in fear it will look unnatural. To that, we say: Just go for it, babe! Blush does not need to be intimidating — and there are a few basic guidelines for help choosing a blush color that looks totally natural on fair skin.

How to Choose a Blush for Fair Skin

For starters, opt for a shade similar to the color that your fair skin would naturally blush (spoiler alert: that’s probably baby pink). If you’re unsure of your natural blush shade, take a peek at the inside of your lips and use that color for reference.

If you’re looking for something a bit more bold, look to the natural undertones of your skin as a guide. Fair skin typically has a neutral or pink undertone, so gravitate towards blush colors that are light peach or soft berry shades.

Our top picks for the best blush for fair skin include:

 

BEST BLUSH FOR DEEP SKIN

When it comes to blush, the sky's the limit for babes with deep skin tones. Anything from vibrant mauve shades to spicy hot corals all shines on dark skin. Even better, tons of blush colors can also double as a contour shade to add depth and dimension to the hollows of the cheeks.

How to Choose a Blush for Deep Skin

Here are a few tips for choosing the best blush for deep skin: Work with the undertones of your skin. If you’re unsure of your undertones, head to your jewelry box — you likely have warm undertones if gold jewelry looks more flattering against your skin tone and cooler undertones if silver jewelry is more your thing.

Avoid overly-cool shades if you’re warm toned, like blue-based pink or berry blush colors, as they can lean ashy on deep skin. Warm red and orange-based blushes will add a natural flush of color best. If your skin has cool undertones, bright berry and mauve shades are the perfect pick for an effortless look.

No matter your unique undertones, the top blush picks for dark skin include:

 

BEST BLUSH FOR OLIVE SKIN

As the name might suggest, olive skin is often a combination of both green and yellow undertones. Since green undertones lean toward cool, opt for a color blush that can warm up the cheeks. Olive skin gals can dazzle with cozy peach shades and warm bronze hues that give the skin a natural flush.

How to Pick a Blush for Olive Skin

If peach isn’t really your thing, try out a rose-toned blush instead. Rose is a cool tone that can help complement the green tones in olive complexions without muddying your makeup look. Rose shades also make for the perfect monochromatic look on olive skin tones, so pair your rose blush with a rose lippie, like the Full-On™ Plumping Lip Matte in GNO.

When choosing the best blush for olive skin, a little bronze never hurt anybody either. Bronze-toned blushes complement both the green and yellow undertones in olive skin to make the cheekbones truly shine. If you have an olive skin color, add these blushes to cart ASAP:

 

BEST BLUSH FOR MEDIUM SKIN

Babes with medium skin tones often share a mix of warm and cool undertones — so play up your flush with spicy shades! Medium skin glows with a mix of fresh peach and apricot tones, so don’t be scared to experiment with super orange-toned hues.

How to Pick Blush For Medium Skin Tones

Like our gals with olive skin, medium skin tones are also balanced with soft, rosy pinks. These shades can be applied with a light hand for a subtle flush or used directly on the apples of the cheeks for a youthful pop of color.

If you’re looking to brighten up your complexion without adding too much color, try a bronzy blush instead. Unlike an actual bronzer, a bronze-toned blush still incorporates some peachy hues to warm up the skin without adding an obvious blush tone.

Our top picks for the best blush for medium skin include:

 

WHAT TYPE OF BLUSH IS SUITABLE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES?

There are tons of blush colors out there — orange blush, pink blush, berry blush, you name it. If you don’t want the hassle of perfectly matching your color blush to your specific skin tone (or makeup look), opt for a universally flattering shade: the Plump Shot™ Collagen Peptides Advanced Plumping Blush in CHEEKY DOLLY and the Wanderlust™ Primer-Infused Blush in DOLLY!

Practically every person under the sun will shine with this mauve blush. Warm without adding too much warmth and bright without overwhelming the cheeks, mauve blush is suitable for all skin types.

WANT MORE? DON’T MAKE US BLUSH

Now is the time to amplify your makeup look with a blush shade that complements your skin tone. Each color of the Plump Shot™ Collagen Peptides Advanced Plumping Blush and Wanderlust™ Primer-Infused Blushes has been perfectly crafted to add the perfect pop of color to any skin tone, whether you have fair, deep, olive, or medium skin. Find the color to make you shine today.

  • Wanderlust™ Primer-Infused Blush

    Blendable, Primer-infused powder blush.

  • Staycation Vibes™ Bronzer

    Two-toned, primer-infused bronzer.

  • High Spirits Straight Up™ Eye and Cheek Palette

    For eyes and cheeks, in three finishes.

  • High Spirits On The Rocks™ Eye and Cheek Palette

    For eyes and cheeks, in three finishes.

How to Apply Blush & Face Makeup

Looking for a quick tutorial on how to apply blush? Check out our makeup expert's blush application best practices, plus mascara and lip gloss additions that bring the whole sun-kissed look together.