Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Yummy411: Powder Blush and Blush Brushes

(photo credit)


During the last posted conversation of blending brushes between Nikkia and I, a commenter MACa6325xi requested (powder) blush as a topic. I've discussed blushes and brushes before (with great recommendations from readers in the comments), but the makeup junkies that we are didn't find that a problem at all. How to present all of the joy, thoughts, ramblings, etc. was something else!


We came to a consensus first on our favorite brushes by skill level:
(We are referring to the brushes by MAC style and numbers. Among most of us, that seems universal. You don't have to buy MAC, choose a similar styled brush.)

If you are a newbie to blush: try #187 (stippling/skunk brush)
This brush applies ample color and blends well. It provides a light hand with blush, if you don't have one or don't know yet.

Any skill level with brushes or blush: try #168 angled brush
The generic blush brush that will sweep blush onto the cheeks and frankly, gets the job done.

For moderate to advanced users with blush: try #109 small contour brush, #138 tapered face brush
This brush is hot (#109)! Careful use is required for blush application with this dense and soft brush, but great in the arsenal because it's multi-purpose (buffs and applies foundation beautifully also!)
Awesome pointed brush (#138) deceives with its fluffy softness, but careful application is required because of it's size. Using the gentle tip skillfully is an art to master! It's also used for contouring, a moderate to advanced skill.



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Next we chose our favorite powder blushes by skin tone and skill level.




Darker skin tones (Recommendations by Nikkia)-

Newbie- Gingerly (soft golden peach, barely there)

Moderate- Slave to Love (sweet rose for darker skin tones), Sweet as cocoa (chocolate brown with gold pearl)

Advanced- Ambering Rose (Not advanced? Use the #187 duo fibre stippling brush!), Blunt to contour (muted golden brown)






Light to Medium skin tones (Recommendations by me!)-

Newbie- Trace of Gold (fairy light gold with shimmer) you can't go wrong or too heavy. Nice as a highlight



Newbie to Moderate- Sunbasque (gilded peach with pearl), Sincere (light, medium muted beige coral)

Advanced- Harmony (matte muted rose beige brown), Dollymix (pure candy pink with shimmer) Remember, the #187 is key!

[ETA]
Thanks to Seymone chiming in, she shared her recommendations for Deep Dark Skin tones...

Deep Dark skin tones (nw45-nw60)

Newbie- Springsheen

Newbie to Moderate - Serenly(beauty powder blush), Raizin

Advanced- Devil(Pro), Frankly Scarlett
Like Dollymix, but looks ashy on you? Salsarose(pro) or Azelea(pro) is better.

(Thanks Sey Sey! ;))

We could go on forever about blush, but we wanted to fulfill the specific request. I hope this helped! Now go out there and flirt with the new Beauty Powder blushes! Hopefully, in the near future, I'll supplement this post with pics!

Related post: Blush

21 comments:

Amina said...

thank you for the post. very helpful! I love ambering rose. it is so pretty and when worn with ornamental lipgloss the combo is just pretty!!

Seymone said...

I could live with the blush recommendation for the darker skintones.. LOL

You should have made a section for deep dark, for women like myself.. LOL. But we could pretty much wear anything that is not a cool tone.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I'm sorry, you posted this in the post about your Heatherette review, but could you pleasseee do a switch on your lips of Petit Four Lipglass? I'd be sooo appreciative, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Yea, so I definately meant swAtch. lol

Anonymous said...

Hey Yummy! Awww man, for some reason I'm blush CRAZY lately! Lately my go to is MAC cream coolor base in Fabulush layered with MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Joyous.....Coral Splender! I love it! Man, I'm going to go blush shopping this weekend!

(g)ezebel said...

i have three 187 brushes, and i rarely use them now, unless i'm using liquid foundation. i use my smaller 187 version for highlighting my cheekbones.

i loooove Harmony blush! it's my go-to everyday blush when i'm in a hurry and don't have time to think about it.

yummy411 said...

@ nywele: thank you! i'm glad it was helpful!

@ seymone: i was hoping that those recs for darker skintones would have covered deep dark... does dollymix work? I love it on all skintones! what are your favs?

@ nordia: i just did a post for you!

@ coffee: fabulush is one of my favorites! blush is so much fun and adds dimension to a look!

@ (g): doesn't harmony rock! harmony introduced me to the world of matte blush!

Karen said...

LOVE IT! What a wonderful, helpful post, Kia! And I see that my beloved Dollymix is in the advanced category, wow. Scary blush colors 4-eva!

Seymone said...

Hey Yums: Nikkia has a medium skin tone to me. Not trying to cause problems. I was just joking really.

Here are my faves for NW45-NW60:
Newbie- Springsheen

Newbie to Moderate - Serenly(beauty powder blush), Raizin

Advanced- Devil(Pro), Frankly Scarlett

Let me know if you need a description of the colors.

P.S. Dollymix could be ashy on us but I thnk Salsarose(pro) or Azelea(pro)is better.

yummy411 said...

@ karen: thanks karen! glad you liked it! yes scary blushes rule... esp with a #187!

@ seymone: no no no prob seymone! you are only teaching us! these are great suggestions... and for better archival purposes, do you mind if i add this to the post? raizin is an old faithful! so these are your favorite blushes?

yummy411 said...

ok i see that you said they were your faves. thanks so much sey sey!

nilla cookie said...

Hey Kia!

A super helpful post and love the color recos too. Glad to see that I've got a 187 dupe for my newbie self.

I hope it's time for me to graduate soon - I've got the 169 brush that I'm starting to play with and trying not to make myself look like a clown ;)

Unknown said...

Great post!!!! Harmony used to be my favorite all time blush. I think it's now Blushbaby.

MakeupByRenRen said...

oh great post! i've been working on figuring out which blushes to go with different skintones...i'm copying this info!

yummy411 said...

@ nilla cookie: i'm glad! people at all familiarities with blush and brushes love the stippling brush. which is the 169?

@ maca6325xi: it was done just for you! okay, since harmony is my fav, i'll def have to try blushbaby!

@ makeupbyrenren: hey ren! i'm glad this could help!

nilla cookie said...

Hey Kia,

the 169 is the new angled brush that came out with the Beauty Powders collection. It's fluffy but still very sturdy - practice practice for me! :)

yummy411 said...

hey nills, it's so pretty! i need to stop buying brushes =p this isn't helping lol

Seymone said...

Hey Yums.. Sure you can use my faves. They are really pretty colors, I could give different recommendations because alot of the colors I stated were PRO.

So the 169 is good huh? I need to stop spending my vacation money but when I come back it is on..

Is the 169 better than the 168?

Mischo Beauty said...

Kia- another great post! Ok, I've gotta go shopping for blush!!!

Nikkia Chanel said...

Loving the post!

yummy411 said...

@ mischo beauty: thank you! what are you favorite blushes? i know you love improper copper on the cheeks.. anything new?


@ slvrlips: thanks for your help!