Kareena Kapoor's Make-Up Breakdown

Face

• M.A.C Prep + Prime Skin
  
• M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid
  
• M.A.C Studio Finish SPF 35
• M.A.C Pressed Powder
• M.A.C Blush in Peaches (Soft peach)
  

Eyes

• M.A.C Prep + Prime Eye
• M.A.C Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch (Minimal pink with shimmer) on inner eye lids
• M.A.C Eyeshadow in Samoa Silk (Peachy beige) on outter lids
  
• M.A.C Fluidline in Blacktrack (Intense black) on waterline
  
• M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara on top and lower lashes
  

Lips

• M.A.C Prep + Prime Lip
• M.A.C Viva Glam 6 (Soft plum-pink with pearl)
  

Holiday Make-Up Trend: Shimmery Décolleté

Nothing says glitz like a little extra shimmer. If you're wearing a strapless or thin-strapped top, draw extra attention to the shoulders and decollété by following these simple steps. Moisturize the area with lotion, then dust on shimmery powder. Blot off excess to prevent it from falling on your clothing.

Rec: M.A.C Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze

Make-up Trend: Fake Eyelashes

1. Curl natural lashes and apply all eye makeup but mascara. Hold scissors at an angle to trim fakes one by one to desired length before applying.
   
   
2. Squeeze a bit of glue onto a piece of the lashes' plastic packaging. Use tweezers to gently pick up a cluster; dip the base into the glue. Wait 20 seconds for glue to get tacky before applying.
   
   
3. Place the cluster near the outer corner of one eye, between lashes and hold the base against skin. Repeat with another cluster, working your way inward. Do the same thing on the other eye. Four clusters per eye is plenty.
   
   
4. Let lashes set for about 30 seconds before touching them; most glues will dry clear. Brush on mascara.

If You Want a Subtle Effect
Wear short lashes, which you can buy or customize by trimming a standard pair, or opt for a small cluster (three hairs) and apply it only to the outside corner or center of the eye. Human hair looks the most natural, (Ardell Lashes)

If You Want a Bit of Drama
Try a medium-length strip made of synthetic material. It will keep its shape and last longer.

Kareena Kapoor's Make-Up Breakdown by: Make-Up Artist Prabir De

Step 1
After cleansing your face, apply a foundation (M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid) that is the same color as your skin. Apply it smoothly over the face and neck, ensuring there are no splotches. Dab a little light powder (M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish Natural) over the skin.

Step 2
Bring out your eyes, keeping in the mind that the look should be on the lighter side to go with the mood of the day. Firstly, use an eyeshadow primer (M.A.C Prep + Prime Eye) to make the colors crease-free and budge-proof. Use yellow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Chrome Yellow), green (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Wondergrass) and finally aqua (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Electric Eel) eye shadow over the upper eyelid to really bring out the brightness of an aqua eye.
Splash just a dash of light brown eye shadow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Cork) around the lower lid. Mark the corners of the eyes with a bronze pencil (M.A.C Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Bountiful Brown) to give a gold and copper sheen to give your tantalizing eyes. Apply lots of mascara (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara) and watch your eyes come alive.

Step 3
When applying lip color of any sort, always match the shade to your complexion, in this case apply a nude-pink lipstick (M.A.C Viva Glam V).

Step 4
Apply a light blush (M.A.C Powder Blush in Buff) to give that extra glow to your cheeks. However, make sure the color is very subtle and you have an almost no-blush-applied look.

A Sneek Peek into 2008 With Make-up Artist Cory Walia

Make-up expert Cory Walia says looking naturally fresh will be big this year. The loud glossy look is dead. “If you must wear foundation, ensure it blends with your skin tone and leaves a glow (M.A.C Mineralize Satinfinish). So keep it lightweight and creamy matte. Don’t try to look fairer,” he advises.


In keeping with the natural, nude look, tint the cheeks with cream and gel blushes (M.A.C Blushcreme) instead of heavy powder ones. Natural colors, leaning towards peaches and roses (M.A.C Blushcremes in Posey, Pleasureful, Ladyblush, Lilicent, Sweet William, Fancy Ray), will infuse a rusty, tangerine glow to Pakistani/Indian wheatish skin.


Mascara (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara) will be vital, as will the metallic look created by kajal pencils in burgundy (M.A.C Technakohl in Purple Dash), purple (M.A.C Technakohl in Foxtail), green (M.A.C Technakohl in Jade Way), grey (M.A.C Technakohl in Greyprint) and brown (M.A.C Technakohl in Brownborder). The most drastic change we’ll see this year in make-up? The glossy lip will be passé and matte (M.A.C Mattene Lipsticks) lipstick will make a come-back.


But, some things never go out of style — hold on to that red lipstick (M.A.C Lipstick in Dubonnet).

Some of Kareena's Favorite Things

This post is not completely make-up related, the scans are from Hi! Blitz Magazine.

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

Kareena Kapoor's World:

• Most Glamourous Person: Charlize Theron (I totally agree the woman's gorgeous)
  
• Her Favorite Holiday: Paris, with now ex-boyfriend Shahid K
• Her Favorite Cosmetic: Chanel Le Crayon Khol in Noir (On my 'to-purchase' list♥)
• Her Fear: Loneliness
  
• Her Favorite Designer: Giorgio Armani
  
• Her Favorite Actress: Karisma Kapoor (I agree, I ♥ her)
• Favorite Style Icon: Victoria Beckham (I love her style as well, she's classy as all hell)
  
  
• Her Beauty Tip: She washes her face six to seven times a day with cold water
• Worst Smell: Smell of prawns/shrimp
• Favorite Restaurant: Basilico, she loves the tomato soup there
• Her scent: Ralph Lauren Glamorous
  
• Her best buddy: Manish Malhotra
• Her favorite shoes: Prada, heels/flats, she loves them all
  
• Her sunshine: She can't go through the day without her morning work-out
• Her comfort food: Pav Bhaji (consists of the bhaji, a potato based curry and the pav, bread garnished with coriander and chopped onions)
• Her favorite actor: Shahrukh Khan (I agree, I agree, I agree, he is the sexiest man alive)
  

November Vogue India Beauty Scans Part 2

My Beautiful Life : Kareena Kapoor

Her Beauty Favorites:

• Lakmé Kajal in Black
• Ralph Lauren Romance Eau de Parfum Spray
• Sisley Hydra-Global Intense Anti-Aging Hydration Moisturizer
  

Kareena Kapoor's Life

This dewy damsel from Bollywood believes in putting her freshest face forward, both on and off screen

What do you see in the mirror?
“Ever since I was a child, I’ve always seen myself as a self-made, confident and determined person.”

Any beauty insecurities?
“I am too fair-skinned. I really envy women who have dusky skin. I have never been able to get a beautiful tanned look. I have always been too ‘white’ and despite it being an ‘asset’ in this country, to me it’s really not a compliment.”

Have you deviated from the industry’s beauty norms or followed them?“Bollywood is known for its heavy pancake make-up, yet I’ve always maintained that the minimalist look works best. Thankfully, in some of my films like Yuva and Omkara, the bare, clean-scrubbed look was accepted by my fans and the industry. That’s the kind of look I sport off screen.”

To read the rest of the interview, click on the image

Make-up Trend: Smudge-Proof Bold Red Lips

A bold lip is not for the shy at heart. And if you have a pout like Kareena Kapoor's, you take a bright shade to a new level. For perfectly applied lips that last, prep your pout with balm. Line your mouth with a lip-tone pencil, then coat a lip brush with creamy lipstick and apply to the mouth. Pat with a tissue to remove oils (creating your own long-wear formula).

Using a cosmetic sponge, dab face powder on the perimeter of lips to prevent bleeding.

Rec:
Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
M.A.C Viva Glam I

Kareena Kapoor's Make-Up Breakdown by Make-Up Artist Aniruddha Chakladar

Skin: Actress Kareena Kapoor is fair and has creamy, flawless skin. Aniruddha uses M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid in NW15.

Eyes: In keeping with the colorful green outfit that Kareena is set to wear, Aniruddha decides on a dramatic look for the make-up. This should give Kareena’s face a whole new dimension. Aniruddha highlights the center of her lids and tones down the brow bones. M.A.C Soba, a bronze gold eyeshadow is used on the lids. On the brow bone, it is an olive and mint shimmery green eyeshadow, M.A.C Juxt. The lower lid was lined with M.A.C Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Jealous and smudged for a smokey effect. For the upper lid, a line of M.A.C Blacktrack Fluidline was applied close to the lashes. The final touch: M.A.C Pigment in Golden Olive is used as a wash on the lids and a heavy coat of M.A.C Plushlash is applied to the upper and lower lashes.

Lips: The focus is on the eyes. So the lips have simply been touched up with M.A.C Tinted Lipglass in Viva Glam V, and topped with M.A.C Pigment in Golden Lemon for a metallic effect.

Cheeks: On the cheek bones, Aniruddha uses M.A.C Powder Blush in Springsheen for a peachy glow. And finally M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish in New Vegas.

Outfit: This gorgeous green-gold lehnga from Manish Malhotra is all about subdued glamour. Shades of green fused with karhai application and gold embroidery look festive. Metallic stilettos and rings as the only accessories, provide a simple yet chic effect.

Weddings: The Bride's Make-up Trends

With the winter wedding season coming up around the corner, here are some make-up trends that make sure you look great if you're the bride, and want to look different, yet traditional and gorgeous.

Engagement

The first to kickstart a series of dramatic events, this is the right time for the bride to present the perfect image. This could well be the first time she meets most of the groom’s family and friends and hence the need to make a striking first impression.

A delicate lehnga is what designer Jyoti Khaitan recommends for this occasion, “though it needn’t be extremely traditional and ornate”. Leaving the zardosi for the later functions, it is best to play around with crystal and interesting embellishments.

The color story on this day, should be casual-chic, and may be non-bridal as well. Choose from lavenders, powder blues or pretty yellows. Drape the dupatta stylishly. “Since it is not compulsory to cover the head, you can be innovative with the draping, showcasing the embellishments to greatest effect.

The jewelery also need not be over the top at the engagement and the make-up is best kept subtle. “Keep the foundation light and highlight your eyes with hues that complement your outfit,” advises make-up expert Aniruddha Chakladar. (Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat)

The hair, he says, should either be straightened or curled lightly with a curling iron. “Basically, the look is extremely soft and casual,” adds Aniruddha.

Sangeet

Whatever community the couple might belong to, the sangeet soiree has become a must in almost all weddings today. A function less and a rocking party more, the bash sometimes carries on all night long. A good idea is to give the lehngas a break and opt for a sari instead. “This is the day when the bride can go unconventional with her looks. The creation she opts for should lend a festive and vibrant feel to complement the liveliness of the evening,” feels Jyoti.

Non-traditional, happy hues make an exciting color palette for this evening. “Introduce brooches and pendants in the drape of the sari itself to make for eye-catching details,” says Jyoti.

The make-up for this function also takes a dramatic turn. Keep the base light since lots of dancing and long hours under the camera flash can make it run, but attract attention by shifting focus to your eyes. (M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid)“Add color to your face by playing up your eyes. You can also try the smokey look and introduce some shimmer to it,” explains Aniruddha. (M.A.C Smokey Eye Palette). A glossy mouth (M.A.C 3D Glass in Backlit) and accentuated cheekbones (M.A.C Powder Blush in Harmony) complete the pretty picture.

According to Aniruddha, hair set in rollers and tied partially looks great. “You can also tie a colourful paranda in your hair.”

Wedding

“The look for this day is nothing but classic and traditional,” says Jyoti, who feels that short-lived trends and fads are best kept out of the D-day attire. “The bridal outfit should spell timeless appeal that never goes out of fashion. And the colours should be essentially the Pakistani/Indian bridal hues? Shades of red and orange,” adds Jyoti.

The embellishments are very intricate and ethnic, be it a wide jaal of zardosi or semi-precious rubies and sapphires crafted into the silver and gold work of the ensemble.

“Since there is already so much color on the lehnga and jewellery, it is best to give the face a balanced look,” feels Aniruddha. His advice is to highlight the features with the help of golden or bronze shades only (M.A.C Eyeshadows in: Goldmine, Gorgeous Gold, Woodwinded, Soba, Patina, Bronze, Omega, Nylon; M.A.C Powder Blush in Trace Gold; M.A.C Pro Longwear Lipcolor in Lasting Lust and Commitment)

“Neutral make-up looks best on this day, but make it bright because a dull-looking face will ruin the entire effect of the day.”

The hair on the day of the marriage should always be tied up.

“A low jooda is the best bet because it facilitates the fall of the dupatta,” adds the make-up artist.

Make-up Trend Forecasts

Make-up too saw a wide variety of colors this year. In fact, even the quintessentially deep black smoky look saw some colors being added to it.

“Instead of smudging some plain black shadow, people this year lightened their eyes with some shimmery colored powder on the upper as well as the lower lids,” says make-up artist Ambika Pillai.

Clean and scrubbed faces and an almost nude no make-up look dominated the regular scene.

In fact, this simple, non-made-up look made for quite a statement in itself. “Many celebrities stepped out with beige eye-shadow and neutral lipstick." says Aniruddha.

The light lips look quickly became the rage everywhere.

“A pale, glossy mouth does really look hot, both when worn to downplay heavy kohl eyes or by itself,” says Ambika.

“Shimmer and shine of the 70s came back with a bang,” declares make-up artist Aniruddha Chakladar.

The twist in the tale, though, was the addition of a metallic touch to all the shimmer. “Along with regular gloss and shine, there was a definite inclusion of metallic hues like bronze and gold that crept into the palette,” adds Aniruddha.

Ambika Pillai's Make-Up Tips

According to Bollywood make-up artist Ambika Pillai, it’s important to “just do your own thing and go wild”. The make-up moves she recommends:

Soft, smokey eyes accentuated by pale, glossy lips. “Besides the essential charcoal-gray, one can also use shades of midnight-blue, mehndi (henna)-green and even fuchsia to smoke out the eyes,” says Ambika.


• Pile on the glitter. Use eye-shadows in black, grey, blue or aquamarine and top with some sparkle.


Use a shimmery blush in any warm shade like amber or soft pink.


If you’re going strong on the eyes, ease up on the lips, using any soft skin tone shade, finished with generous dabs of gloss. Alternatively, play up the lips in rich burgundy or raisin if you’re going light on the eyes. She also adds, "Don’t follow these rainbow trends blindly. See what works for you and not the airbrushed model pouting from the magazine cover."


The fall-winter shows saw a lot of plum on the mouth with biggies John Galliano and Gucci followed by Rajesh Pratap Singh and Raghavendra Rathore coloring the mouths on the ramp. “The lips go brighter with orange, pink and red,” says Ambika.

For make-up expert Ambika Pillai, winter is the season when nice is out and naughty is in.“You can go really overboard with the tanned look this season to perfectly complement those earth-coloured outfits, which seem to be so much in vogue this season,” says Ambika. For the day look, you can use a cream-based foundation or a translucent powder with light blush over it. For the evening, go for a glossy foundation, add to it a bit of bronze shimmer and you’ll be all set to rock. Also apply a little blush to bring out your cheekbones, suggests Ambika.


For a day look, Ambika suggests a mild version where you can line your eyes with black, brown or blue kohl and apply light-colored eye-shadow. “The real experimentation should be for the evenings. Curl your lashes and apply heavy mascara on them. Use a dark eye-shadow and smoke out the kohl. Apply a little bit of shimmer on your eyelids, just above the eyeballs so that your eyes look nice when you move them,” explains Ambika.


“Winter sees lots of black in our wardrobes and red lips go very well with any black outfit,” says Ambika.

Five Favorite Bollywood Make-up Artists

Aniruddha Chakladar
His signature look
Kohl eyes and nude lips. Aniruddha always exaggerates the eyes with a whole lot of kohl, not just with sweeps of eye shadow.

Abhijit Chanda
His signature look
The mantra being “less is more”, his signature look is also very understated and subtle. “I am not one for a cakey look. Just kajal with mascara and a hint of blush with some lip gloss.”


Anita Sadhukhan
Her signature look
She sticks to a very natural base, an almost nude skin tone. “For a studio shoot I like pale lips but a bridal get-up always calls for brighter lips.”


Moushmi Chatterjee
Her signature look
Is very flexible. “Though I am all for a natural look, sometimes a designer’s shoot requires me to go with the chosen theme. At times like these, the natural look just doesn’t work.”


Nabin Das
His signature look
Bright eyes with a dash of glitter. He also specializes in “contouring to pronounce the jaw line”. He also believes that very pale lips look too dull and so favors a slight pink or peach glossy mouth.

October 2007 Vogue India Beauty Scans

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank Nidhi for scanning these pages from October's Vogue India Issue. I have tried to look for this issue everywhere (including EBAY), and finally I found someone who scanned the pages out for me. Please check out Nidhi's wonderful blog, she truly is a gifted photographer. To see her skills, check out The Fashion Rookies' Jar

Now onto to the gorgeous scans, I know you can't read them in my blog, but if you click on them, they are readable. The scans include: Bipasha Basu's, Priyanka Chopra's and Preity Zinta's Make-Up and Style Favorites, Current Beauty Trend 'Hypnotic Cat Eyes', and my favorite Bollywood make-up artist Mickey Contractor's Make-Up Secrets.

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Bipasha Basu's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: Dior Airflash Spray Foundation and Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl Pencil.

Priyanka Chopra's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: M.A.C Studio Fix, Yves Saint Laurent Mascara, The Body Shop Born Lippy Lip Balm.

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Preity Zinta's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: Clarins Sunscreen Cream High Protection SPF30, Diorshow Unlimited Mascara, and Lip Balm (Try M.A.C Tendertone Lip Balm SPF12)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Current hot beauty trend is Hypnotic Eyes
These are showing up everywhere from runways to Bollywood movies. M.A.C recently released their Alexander McQueen Collection that has everything necessary for a gorgeous Cleopatra like Cat Eye. Vogue also lists their favorite products to get the look which include: M.A.C Eyeshadow in Electric Eel, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Chrome Yellow, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Bitter, M.A.C Pigment in Teal, Chambor Lapiz Shimmer, Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow in Chronic, Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl, and M.A.C Lash in No. 7

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Bollywood's Make-Up Guru to the stars Mickey Contractor's Secrets
I strongly suggest you read Mickey's wonderful interview. His make-up essentials include: M.A.C Blacktrack Fluidline, M.A.C Hyacinth Eye Kohl, and M.A.C Minted Eye Kohl. Mickey's A-List Resume includes work on faces like: Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Tabu, Rani Mukherji, and Linda Evangelista.

Runway's Hottest Make-Up Trends

Fresh and Dewy Skin
Charlotte Tilbury created a sporty and playful the look at Matthew Williamson which was achieved through clever highlighting with MAC’s Silver Dust loose powder - a fine crystallized silver diamond powder buffed onto the skin to give a healthy halo effect. “Apply on the top of the cheekbones, the inner corner of the eye, down the nose and the tip of the cupids bow. All they the areas that light is drawn to, to illuminate the face.” says Lynsey. “The key is buffing and polishing with good brushes. Use a flat topped blending brush to refine the powder into almost nothing on the skin. The aim is to work it into the skin so you don’t see individual speckles, just a healthy sheen.”


Smoky Eye
This enduring eye trend was given a modern taupe makeover at Matthew Williamson using MAC’s cream Paint Pots in Quite Natural and Architecture – a concrete-colored flat muddy brown. “It’s not a messy splish-splosh-splash smoky eye, it’s about a dynamic approach, using smaller tools to create more detailed work.” explains Lynsey, “Start with an intense color in the middle of the lash line where you want the most color and then blend outwards using a very soft, long-haired blending brush for that dappled watercolor look. Keep buffing and polishing the color away so that it fades into the edges of the skin. Use the same technique for the lower lid.”


Peachy Nude Lips
For the rock‘n’roll faded-out lips sported on numerous runways, forget liners, brushes and lipstick and use your fingers. It’s important to keep the lips hydrated and nourished without giving too much shine, so use a matte conditioning lip primer rather than a balm. The primer stops the lipstick feathering and blurring and keeps it on much longer. “The thing with nude color is, unless you put concealer on first, your natural lip color comes through and distorts the color of the nude lipstick so you’ve got to knock out the red first. We did this with a soon-to-launch new MAC pro product called Lip Erase, but another easy way is to mix a smudge of concealer with lip balm and dab onto your lips using your fingers to literally remove the feature. Follow by dabbing a peach rather than a pink nude lip color on top.” Lip Erase is set for release in December and will be available at MAC freestanding stores only.


Sixties-Inspired Eyes
At Smith Spence the make-up created by Andrew Gallimore was Sixties-inspired baby doll with lots of lash but an edgy new palette. According to Lynsey, the look was achieved by contouring around the eye in a rich chocolate chestnut brown before adding a dash of neon blue color on the lid. “The technique was classic Sixties, using a brush to build a brown socket round the eye, then going over it with an aqua lid. We didn’t curl the lashes for this particular look, just built up layer upon layer of black mascara.”


Flawless Matte Skin
Dusty matte monochromatic make-up was de rigeur at Erdem giving a sophisticated and grown up look. “Achieving the perfect matte look is all about layering,” explains Lynsey, “You put all your creams and foundation on first, and then you build up and polish over the skin with an airbrushing powder like MAC’s Invisible Powder on the eyes round the face on the lip to kind of flatten everything without it looking like there’s powder on the skin. You’re trying to make the skin look velvet not take the life out of it.”


Cleopatra Eyes
Winged eyeliner is resolutely refusing to flap its wings and fly away just yet. A dramatic thick black wing sported by the girls on the runway, the feline look is here to stay. You need a steady hand, or a flat surface to rest your elbow on and a good quality liquid liner with a felt-tip-style applicator rather than a brush. Start at the inner corner of the eye as close to the lash line as possible sweeping up at an approximate 40 degree angle just before reaching the outer corner.

Make-up Trend: Green Eyeshadow

• Green is a universally flattering shadow color. Keep the face subtle so the green is the focus. A soft blush and a peach/pink or golden lip compliment the green beautifully.
  
  
• When wearing green for the first time, keep it simple. For greens, smudge them around the eyes to create subtle smokiness or apply it just on the upper lids.
  
  
• Green shades are seasonally versatile and transition well from summer into fall. It looks beautiful with a tan, and can be pumped up in fall with green or black eyeliner applied to the inside of the eye for a dramatic evening look.

• Green is a universally flattering color that works on all skin tones from light to dark. Leave the browbone clean and accent the corner of the inner eye with a little shimmer powder to make it pop even more
  
  
• When selecting a shade that best compliments your skin tone, keep the following in mind: pastel greens work best with fair skin; emerald green for medium skin; blue green for olive skin; and forest green with gold for dark skin. Of course experimenting with shades is the best way to go.
  
  
• Green is a color that makes a statement, as opposed to a neutral everyday shade. Rec: Urban Decay Deluxe Eye Shadow in Graffiti.
  
  
• Look for metallic-flecked shades like this one from Too Faced. Shimmer adds a bit of a modern kick.

• Shades of green have replaced the typical browns and charcoals as fall's hottest shadow hue. Keep the rest of the makeup minimal. Let green dominate and draw attention to your eyes.
  
  
• Experiment with more drastic colors and placement for nighttime. Smoke it up! Rim the inside of the eye with a shade of green, or wet your shadow brush before dipping in the pigment to give extra intensity. It gives an exotic, confident look.
  
  
• Use emerald shadow with flecks of gold in it. Layer green over a brown base to give a look more dimension. With your finger, press the emerald tone on the center of the eyelid and roll your finger back and forth to achieve a 3-D effect.
  
  

Make-up Trend: Glowy Cheeks

• This season, luminous cheeks compliment. A great blush applied with the right brush ensures you’ll never end up looking washed out while wearing a smokier eye or brighter lip. Use a brush with splayed hairs to ensure dispersion of color. Rec: M.A.C 116 Blush Brush
  
  
• Cheeks should not be your dominant feature. Make sure they are a step or two behind your eyes and lips in vividness. Otherwise you'll look like a clown.
  
  
• Blending is important to give a natural radiance. Whether you use a powder or cream blush, blend the edges well. Also, avoid applying blush with your fingers because it can look streaky.

• Blush looks most realistic on the apples of the cheeks. Smile at yourself, and apply blush to the apple in round strokes with a fluffy blush brush.
  
  
• A cream blush gives a dewy finish to normal and dry skin. For oilier skin-types, use a combo of matte blush to deposit color and then a shimmery version of the same shade on top to catch the light.
  
  
• The shimmer in blush amps up the glow factor. If your favorite blush doesn't have shimmer, simply put a loose shimmer powder over your blush. But don't overdo it with the shimmer. Shake excess off the brush before applying it. The result will be subtle, and light will hit the cheeks perfectly.

• If you get a little overboard with your blush, apply a small amount of face powder over the blush to tone it down. The goal is a subtle amount.
  
  
• Warmer, peach and orange colors make the skin look more healthy and alive. Rec: NARS Blush in Orgasm.
  
  
• Steer clear of mauves, reds and browns. Opt for something more natural like Chanel Irreelle Blush in Incognito.
  
  
• To find the shade that matches your natural flush, pinch your cheeks to see what color shows up and try to find a replica.