Barely-there blushed cheeks – my fave products & method

Hi friends!

It’s Friday so that means we’re back to my January series on the gorgeousness that is fresh, barely-there makeup! All throughout the month I’m talking about my go-to products and techniques that help me achieve natural-looking makeup and skin. If you’d like to know more about this series, make sure to check out the intro post here. I shared my favorite no-eyeshadow eyeshadows in last week’s installment, but today I’m going to talk about blush. More specifically, barely-there blushed cheeks. You know, when you just want a hint of color and definition, but nothing that will put you in clown territory.

DISCLAIMER: this post contains some gifted items, but all opinions are honest and 100% my own.

MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS FOR BARELY-THERE BLUSHED CHEEKS

Again, I don’t think anyone is surprised that I picked cream blush products for this, are they?? They are really all I ever use, with a few exceptions of course. Now, if you prefer powder blushes because you like the finish better or they suit your skin type better I totally get it. You can just apply a light layer of your favorite powder blush and call it a day, if you want a barely-there kinda look. I’ve heard the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes are great for layering, although I have not used any of them myself.

When I just want to use one single product that will give me that light, fresh look on my cheeks I usually reach for the Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in Amp’d Up Apple, a warm rosy pink. It has a beautiful balmy texture that glides across the skin seamlessly. I did a whole deep-dive on this product in an earlier post, so make sure to check that out if you want more detailed info. But more importantly it has great buildable pigment, so when I apply just one layer it gives such a lovely lightly-defined look. Very natural, very fresh.

 

But I love a bit of mixing and creating my own textures and colors. So recently I’ve been reaching a lot for The Organic Skin Co’s Cheeky Lips in the shade Velvet – a bright plummy cream blush that’s emollient and easy to apply. But the color can be a bit too punchy for me at times, especially when I’m in this barely-there kinda mood. So I started combining it with a cream highlighter and the effect is beautiful! Let me tell you a little more about it.

MY FAVORITE METHOD FOR BARELY-THERE BLUSHED CHEEKS

The highlighter in question is another product from The Organic Skin Co – the In the Spotlight Luminizer in the shade Lunar. (The brand gifted me one of their 4-pan palettes last year that I customized to my liking. You can read more about that here.) I LOVE THIS HIGHLIGHTER – sorry, but I had to use the cap lock there! It’s just so up my alley; a subtle pearl with a creamy, shiny texture that’s not sticky or greasy in the slightest.

I use my fingers for this method. I take about equal parts of both the blush and the highlighter, and combine them on the back of my hand. The color becomes muted and soft and the finish becomes light and dewy. Totally beautiful! I then lightly dab the concoction onto my cheeks and stipple to blend. Voila! Easy and a great way to dull down a blush that you feel is too bright for your liking.

 

 

 

What’s your favorite products or techniques to use when you want barely-there blushed cheeks? I’d love to know!

xo, Erica

 

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