A not so lifetime ago I was a fashion publicist, in fact, I would like to call myself THE fashion publicist to the indie set. If you don't believe you are the best than no one else will. PR is hard. One of the hardest parts was photo shoots. I am easily bored if I don't have constant stimulation and let me tell you a photo shoot is not that fun (especially when you are sitting next to a size negative zero amazon that is entirely too good looking to be alive and happens to be smart and witty and getting paid more than you make in six months, I digress...).
I found myself often poking around the makeup area and harassing the artists hoping they had the secret to supermodel-dom in a bottle. I am going to share the one 'secret' that will take you from Blah to WOW in 2 secs--creme/sheer blush. Okay, that's not the only secret, the blush MUST look nuclear reactive in the pot/container. The thing that NO ONE tells you is that the brighter the color of the creme blush the more NATURAL it looks on your face. WTH? The blushes are invariably formulated much more sheer than they appear. When you take your fingers (YES FINGERS) and swipe some color and add to your cheeks you will be amazed that you have a fresh faced natural glow. I stay away from most powdered blushes BUT I have found that the mineral blushes are the only powdered blushes that will get near that same effect (I think it's because the pigment doesn't sit on top of the skin) BUT the color must look like a carnival is coming to town. Stay away from the neutrals-anything beige, brown, taupe, mauve, etc. Those leave a flat I AM WEARING BLUSH look (or I am auditioning for the Rocky Horror Picture Show look). You don't want that, you want to look impossibly fresh faced, this is the GLOW factor. I know I expound on the glory of mascara but really if I am going to the grocery store, to walk the girls, a matinee with the Fancy (you get the picture) I am throwing on some tinted moisturizer, my creme blush (Tarte and Korres above are my FAVES) and I am out the door. I ALWAYS get complimented on how young I look for my age (I am as old as you can get for a young person) and I KNOW it's the blush because it tricks people into believing that I am a sweet faced, young thing. It works. I have no idea why this info isn't readily available? Why are cosmetic companies still making powdered, flat blushes and not concentrating on products that actually make you look like you have a natural blush? Have you ever seen a person blush taupe? I rest my case. I am a pretty much a hard core Tarte sheer blush fanatic they have an all natural version as well and Korres lip and cheek butter is all natural and pretty dynamite (only $9, it will last you months!). I am not a fan of the liquid sheer blushes. They are dangerous in the hands of a woman that can't pay attention also, I have sun spots on my cheeks (think freckles but not as charming) and the pigment seems to highlight the spots and is NOT the look I am going for, same goes for gel blushes they sort of sit on my hyper pigmentation and they dry faster than I can blend--not attractive. I promise you this little secret will change your life. I am serious, it's basically goof proof and you will have people complimenting you on how fresh you look, how natural (even when you are wearing a ton of foundation, concealer, primer and powder!). Your face will look alive, awake, glowing, just perfect in 2 secs...
A side note, in a pinch you can use a tinted lip balm on your cheeks. This is only if you are stranded on a desert island because it is glossier than the formuated creme/sheer blush and it won't last as long (you may get your hair stuck in it as well) but it works if you don't have your blush on you and you need a 'lift'.
