Cream Blush

When I was in seventh grade and just entering the world of makeup, I thought that all makeup was pretty straightforward. You had your foundation, powder, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, and blush. How little I knew. Really makeup is a whole world full of an infinite number of shades, types, and qualities all in a muddle of hundreds of cosmetics companies. How to know which to choose?

Unfortunately there is no quick answer to that question—the best advice I can give for that is to just dive right in. Helpful, right? I can be decidedly more helpful if I can get more specific. Take blush, for example. You have countless numbers of shades from which to choose, and then you have choices with what kind of blush you want—powdered, compact, or cream. Let's focus on the cream blushes; powdered and compact blushes are more straightforward, whereas cream blushes are a little more difficult to figure out.

First of all, how do you know if cream blush is right for you? Cream blush works best if you're a little older and your skin not as vibrant as it once was. As you grow older, your skin ages as well, needing more protection from outside influences. Cream blush can help with that, because the powdered or compact blushes don't always provide the coverage your skin needs as it ages. Cream blush also works well on dry skin, giving your skin added moisture. (Another great tip is to combine cream and powder—it might give you the look you want!)

To apply the cream blush, first wash your face. No makeup will stay on like you want it to if you don't first start with a clean face. Once you have washed your face, apply your foundation (whether that be a liquid foundation or foundation powder), and then once you have your foundation evenly applied, you can start on the blush. Just put a dab of cream blush on your middle finger and then start evenly applying the cream to your face. Use your ring finger to help apply the blush so that the clean finger can pick up any excess blush that comes off your middle finger. If you don't want to use your finger, you can also experiment with a makeup sponge.

The big thing to remember with cream blush is that you need to apply in small amounts and you need to make sure that you blend the makeup; it's easy to go wrong with liberal amounts of cream blush and no blending—talk about clown. After you're finished applying the cream blush, take a sheer powder and apply that all over your cheeks and face; that will give your complexion a sophisticated, finished look.

With all the cosmetic choices available to you, you're bound to make a wrong turn here and there. With cream blush, however, if you follow these simple guidelines, you should be able to try cream blush the right way, being better able to decide if cream blush is the way you want to go.