Cheeky Pop

When it comes to blushes, I rely on just two or three brands. They are L'oreal, MAC and NARS. I know, I may be missing out on a lot of good things out there (I heard Smashbox O-glow is fantastic!) but so far, these three are my favorites when it comes to staying power and colors that suit my morena skin tone. I think choosing the right blush shade is pretty tricky, trickier than choosing eyeshadow colors even. I think it's just same level as choosing the right foundation.

For this entry, I'll feature two NARS blushes that I have. They are NARS Orgasm and NARS Mata Hari. I'm sure you've heard of the super famous Orgasm already but I included it here just for comparison.

Left to Right: NARS Orgasm and NARS Matahari

For morenas, I think blushes that come in coral, deep orange, terracotta, rose and warmer shades of peach work best. I go by one rule only really: Avoid candy, bubble gum pink at all cost. I understand the need to look yummy, but wearing cottoncandy pink doesn't look yummy; it just looks scary. Also, just choose shades that will make you look naturally rosy, not naturally muddy. One tip in choosing the right shade for you is to bend your body, touch your toes, and stay there for a minute or so. When you come up, look at your cheeks. The blush that most resembles the color of your cheeks then is the right shade for you. Still, don't be afraid to experiment. Some colors look too peeenk in the pot, but when you apply it, it actually looks quite nice.

Be careful not to put too much color too. I use a nice stippling brush ( the MAC 187 is an example). Then, I run it over the blush pot, tap it, smile and dust it all over the fleshy part of my cheek. I start from my ears all the way to the apples of my cheeks. Some prefer brushing from cheeks to hairline or ears. I prefer to do the opposite. Again, don't forget to tap the brush. Stippling brushes pick up a lot of pigment already so if you just blush directly onto your face, you might get more color than you want. When that happens, I just get another brush and powder my face evenly to tone down the color.

NARS Orgasm NARS Mata Hari

I know, I should've taken a pic of the whole face. But I wanted to show how it looks on the side, so we'll have a better idea. I used the same procedure for both cheeks but Mata Hari looks so much pinker and darker than Orgasm. Orgasm looks more natural. I think the Mata Hari is too pink so if ever, the pic of me wearing the NARS Mata Hari is an example of the WRONG blush or how NOT to apply a blush.

I promise I will get a model!!!! Hopefully I'll be able to bribe one of my prettier morena friends, haha so it won't be my mole-y face that's plastered on this blog. I'm really uber shy, but I figured it won't make so much sense to talk about blushes when you can't really see them in person. So, in the meantime, bear with me!!! Also, if you have tips or you want to suggest your favorite blushes, post away!

Another NARS color that I like that I think will suit the morena skin tone very well is the NARS Gilda. Makeup artist extraordinaire Toto Bagamasmad used this on me when I was attending a wedding once and it looked really nice. Of course I asked what shade it was and he promptly referred me to that shade. I'm itching to check out NARS Lovejoy, NARS Sin, NARS Torrid as well as NARS Cactus Flower. Heck, I'm itching to check out the whole NARS counter once again! I shall write about it once I get my paws on them. For MAC, I trust my MAC Sheertone Shimmerblush in Peachykeen. Other shades I just want to see would be MAC Peaches, Pinch O'Peach and Melba. I think it would be good for me to broaden my horizons a bit, so I'll go check out that Avon Rosy Cheeks Blush as well. I'm a recent AVON convert and I hope their blushes are just as good as their lipsticks.