MAC Blushes!

This is my current collection of MAC Cosmetics blushes. The one square blush is NYX. Here are the shades going from left to right: First Row- Pink Swoon, NYX Pinky, Peaches. Second Row- Well Dressed, Fleur Power, and Springsheen.

In this collection, the best vintage-esque shades are Pink Swoon and Well Dressed. Both are very sheer and the color can be built up without looking heavy or powdery. Another great vintage pink is Pinky. It has a little more pigmentation, but it applies well and can be put on more sheer, especially if you use a fibre brush like MAC's 188. These pink-toned blushes go well with true red lipsticks like MAC's Russian Red or Nars' Red Lizard. They also go well with pink-based lipsticks like Make up For Ever #205, Revlon's Cherries in the Snow, and Julie Hewett's shade in Femme Noir.

Fleur Power, Peaches, and Springsheen are all in the coral/peach group. I have found that these shades go well with orange-based, coral-based, tomato-based, and warm red lipsticks. The lipsticks that come to mind are MAC's Lady Danger, Julie Hewett's Belle Noir, Nars' Jungle Red, and Nars' Heat Wave.

Here is a quick blush tutorial:

You will need:

A blush of your choice
A blush brush like MAC's 129 or 116
A fibre brush like MAC's 188 or 130
A makeup setting spray like MAC Fix+ or a spray bottle filled with fresh water

It is best to apply blush after foundation and before applying setting powder. After selecting the blush you want to wear, gently tap your blush brush onto the blush surface. Pick up a small amount of blush and smile big. Notice the contour of your cheeks. See how they 'puff up' from your face. Swirl on blush on the high parts of the cheeks and swirl color going from cheek towards the temples. The purpose of blush is to enhance the natural pinkness/hue of your skin. Blush adds dimension to your face and gives it a 'pop' of color.

Once blush has been applied and you are satisfied with how it looks (depth of color, evenness, etc), apply loose powder with a big fluff brush like MAC's 150, and you are done. Now, if you have applied too much product and/or it looks too powdery, you can tone it down.

Either using a makeup setting spray or plain water, hold your brush about 8 inches away from the nozzle. Spray the head of the brush with a light mist and then wave in the air for about a second. Moving from the sides of the nose towards the temples, *gently" swirl the tops of cheeks and blend. Now, you can set with loose powder.

Here is me, last Wednesday. I am wearing MAC's blush in Pink Swoon and lipstick in Make Up For Ever #205.

Blush can be tricky at first if you are not accustomed to wearing it. But, with practice and some experimentation with color, you will get the hang of it for sure!