Skip These Blush Colors If You Have An Older Face

Blush can do wonders to liven up our faces, and it’s especially key for those of us who want to look a little younger. As we age, we naturally lose pigment in our skin, and this is where blush becomes makeup’s most valuable player. Adding a pop of color instantly brightens us up and makes us look younger. However, the wrong color can do the opposite, and as a makeup artist with over 15 years of experience, I’m here to advise you on which colors to avoid.

Warm colors like coral and peach give fair skin a beautiful glow, but you should avoid any color that leans toward orange, as it will look too reddish. The same goes for brown. Bronzers are fine for giving definition to cheekbones, but I don’t recommend them as an overall blush. If you’re more of a cool-toned person, pinks and soft mauves are great blush options that will give you rosy, feminine, flirty cheeks. For those with darker skin, a beautiful terracotta shade with a hint of red is perfect, as it will really make the cheeks come alive. Darker shades like berries and wine are also great for darker skin tones. Don’t go for shades that are too red, though. They’ll look harsh against mature skin and highlight any discoloration you may have.

Aside from color, texture also plays a key role in keeping your face looking youthful, and you’ll want to reconsider using your tried-and-true powder blushes in the future.

Replace your powder blushes with cream formulas for more youthful results

Powder blushes are a staple in our makeup collection, but as we age, they can settle into fine lines and make our skin look dry. This is the time when we should ditch the powders and welcome liquid blush. It will give us a more satiny finish and add glow to our face, while also providing a silky, blurring effect. Liquid and cream blushes can take some getting used to, especially if we’re used to using a dry palette and a fluffy brush. However, they’re pretty easy to use, especially if they come with a doe-foot-shaped applicator like L’Oréal Paris’s True Match Lumi Le Liquid Blush. After applying foundation, simply place two or three dots on the high points of our cheeks and blend them out with a flat kabuki brush—a must-have in our makeup collection if we want perfectly blurred makeup that creates an overall younger look.

For cream blushes that come in a jar or compact, all you’ll need to do is sweep a little color onto a flat brush. Blend it over the apples of your cheeks and bring the shade up toward your cheekbones. You should never place the blush lower than the hollows of your cheeks or you’ll flatten your features. A formula with a hint of shimmer is also great for older faces, but avoid ones with too much shine. After all, you want a glossy finish, not a mirrorball look.