The Cos View - how to apply blush

We are delighted to have Natasha from TheCosView beauty blog as our guest blogger on TalkPerfection. Over the next few weeks, she's going to be taking you through her step-by-step makeup tutorial for achieving a flawless face.

This article was written by Natasha Kohli and was originally published on TheCosView.com.

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When first getting acquainted with cosmetics (umpteen years ago) one of the products I struggled with after I got everything else down pat was blush.  For some reason I would apply it too high or too low, too much or unevenly, ended too soon or too late, so for the ladies looking to perfect the way they apply blush, this tutorial is for you.

As a teen, when I used to work at a cosmetics counter I saw all sorts of methods to apply blush.  There was this woman that worked at the Elizabeth Arden counter that used to just pack it on until her cheeks looked like the pan the blusher came out of, then would apply her foundation over it to soften the color and lock it in.  There were other women that would swirl their fingers in the pans when they thought nobody was looking and would use their fingers to apply the product on.  And yet others that would use cotton balls as their applicator, some triangular sponges, you name it.  My preference is a good quality blush brush or two. 

Professionally I use about 5 or 6 just for different types of blush brushes and applications but personally I keep three on hand-  an angled brush semi-full head brush for my cream based blushes, a regular sized blush brush for the general cheek area (good for bronzers and/or face powders if you don't have a bronzer brush or powder brush so long as you clean in between uses), and a small version of the blush brush for highlighting, contouring, and for when I'm feeling a little creative and want to mix in a bit of a second color in.

So now that we have our tools ready, let's begin.  As with most cosmetic products, we want to start with less and build as necessary so swoop your brush across the powder blush and tap off any excess on the counter top or with your opposite hand.  Doing so will allow us to avoid over application.  Just like when applying bronzer, give yourself a nice smile in the mirror to find the apples of your cheeks and start with a small circle right on the apple of your first cheek.  Another swoop with your brush in the product, tap off excess, and repeat on the other side.  We don't want to add any more color to our faces, so flip the brush over to the clean side and start blending outwards and on a slight upward angle toward your temples.  The clean side of the brush will remove any excess product and will keep the look natural and subdued.

For a little drama, apply a dab of highlighter like the NARS Multiple in Copacabana to the top of your cheekbone.  Doing so will bring more light and therefore attention to that area.  For even more drama, you can contour your cheeks with a bronzer or contouring powder (but I recommend doing this before applying blush and highlighter).  With applying blush or anything else, never be afraid to experiment - that's how I find my favorite techniques!

To read more of Natasha's tipsand tutorials and beauty product reviews, visit TheCosView.com.