Overview
If you or someone you know has been experiencing a case of blush “blindness”, keep reading. While I firmly believe there are days when, if blush blindness is wrong, I don’t want to be right, there are also plenty of times when I want a softer, more natural-looking flush — or realize the blush shade I reached for is a little too bright, bold, or deep for the look I’m going for.
Enter: blush tailoring. As the name suggests, the technique — popularized by makeup educator and Rose and Ben Beauty founder Rose Siard — involves customizing a liquid blush to make it more subtle, without having to buy an entirely different shade. (A win for your wallet? We think so.)
Ahead, Siard breaks down exactly how to master the method, plus the products that work best.
@roseandben Color Theory Witch here 🧙🏻🪄🎨 have you ever tried blush tailoring?? It adds a little of your skin tone and undertone into your fav blush 🎨 wear it alone or transition your blush ✅ @Rose and Ben Beauty D1 complexion brush @Armani beauty liquid blush – 62S #makeuptips #colortheory ♬ original sound – Rose Siard
What is blush tailoring?
“Blush tailoring is when you take a blush formula you already love — preferably one with a bit more pigment — and mix it with a small amount of your foundation or concealer,” explains Siard. The idea is simple: By blending a product that mimics your own skin tone or undertone into the blush, you’re creating a shade that feels more customized to your complexion. “It’s such a fun way to make a blush look like it belongs on your face instead of just sitting on top of it,” she says.
I’m always a fan of finding new ways to use products I already own (especially with my most pigmented liquid blushes, like Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and Hourglass’ Unreal Blush), so if this technique saves me from buying multiple shades of the same blush, I’m all for it. This is also a foolproof way to ensure that you never apply more than you want to.
How do I incorporate blush tailoring in my makeup routine?
Blush tailoring works best with liquid blushes since you’re mixing one liquid formula (your foundation) into another. While Siard says concealer can work in a pinch, foundation creates a more seamless result because it has less pigment. (Writer’s note: I also tried this with a cream blush, and it wasn’t nearly as successful; I ended up wasting more product than I actually used.)
To test the technique, I dispensed a few drops of liquid blush onto the back of my hand. One that I’m currently reaching for nonstop is DIBS Beauty’s Cool Blush Cheek Stain in Moody Girl, a rich terracotta shade that looks especially flattering on my olive skin. (It’s very similar to my favorite shade of Rhode’s Pocket Blush, Toasted Teddy.) I usually wear it straight from the tube, but for summer, I’m craving something a little softer. Blush tailoring to the rescue!
My first attempt wasn’t exactly a success. I mixed nearly equal parts blush and foundation onto the back of my hand, which resulted in a muddy, greige-looking blob. The trick is to start with far less foundation than you think you need. You can always add another tiny drop, but it’s much harder to revive an over-diluted blush. (Not to mention, you’ll end up with way too much product for a single application.) Another tip: Reach for a sheer, skin-like foundation or skin tint instead of a matte, full-coverage formula, which can change the texture and finish of your blush. I used Versed’s Multi-Serum Skin Tint as my mixing medium, and it worked beautifully.
Details
Like magic (okay, fine — color theory), the vampy terracotta transformed into the prettiest muted brick shade while maintaining the same warm undertones that complement my complexion. (I used two tiny pinpricks of skin tint into a pea-sized dollop of blush) I dotted it onto my cheekbones and across the bridge of my nose before blending it out with a clean brush. (Using a brush is optional, but I find it creates a softer, more diffused finish.) “This technique is more about making the blush unique to you,” says Siard. She adds, “Once the color feels more connected to your complexion, you can wear it wherever you normally love blush — higher on the cheek, across the nose, draped toward the temples, whatever makes your makeup heart happy.”
How does blush tailoring differ from other popular techniques, like draping or transition blush?
In her original video, Siard also uses her custom blush as a transition shade (aka, a softer, lighter blush shade that “connects” a bolder shade of blush to give a gradient effect); you can build up the color (as Siard does) by dotting more of the blush by itself, essentially dialing up the color payoff in a very controlled way. Personally, that felt like one extra step too many for my quick, everyday routine — but if your look centers around blush, by all means, go right ahead.
As for how it differs from other popular blush trends? While techniques like draping (applying blush in sweeping motions towards the temples) and transition blush are both about where you put the blush and how it shapes the face, blush tailoring is about the color itself, Siard explains. “You’re adjusting the shade by incorporating your skin tone or undertone into the blush, so it feels more personal.”
This could very well be a placebo effect, but I also felt like my custom blush mixture lasted longer throughout the day than with blush alone. My theory? Since many complexion products (like skin tints and foundations) are designed to resist fading (namely, film-forming polymers derived from castor oil and dilinoleic acid), mixing a small amount into the blush may help it cling to the skin a bit better, too. Also, just like Siard mentioned, adding a product that’s similar to my skin tone into the blush shade made it truly look like I wasn’t wearing makeup; just a pretty, natural flush.
Final Thoughts
From “boyfriend blush” to “sunburn blush,” blush microtrends are popping up faster than you can double tap, but something about blush tailoring made me stop scrolling and want to try it for myself right away. “I think people are having fun with blush in the same way we were all playing with eyeshadow ten years ago,” says Siard. “Products have seasons, trends shift, and that’s part of what makes this industry so fun. Right now, blush is having its playground moment.”
Blush tailoring taps into that same spirit. Rather than convincing you to buy yet another shade, it encourages you to get more creative with the products already sitting in your makeup bag. And in an era when beauty trends can feel exhaustingly pay-for-play, this is refreshingly practical — and delightful.
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Source
Originally published at www.refinery29.com.