Our four Top Blushes

What you need to know about buying and wearing blush, plus Allison Emery’s top blush picks.

Blush is an essential part of a balanced make-up. In fact, the more make-up you wear, the more important it becomes, though blush also completes the colour story of even the simplest looks. It can be neutral, natural or glamorous. It gives life and health to any complexion, making us look well-rested and ready for the day ahead.

Blush comes in two forms: cream and powder. Most of us will find the most luck with powder blush because it’s easy and convenient. Creams are wonderful for dryer skin, giving life to a lacklustre or dehydrated complexion, but cream blush is more difficult to obtain because very few brands provide it. A powder blush with a hint of shimmer can achieve a similar result.

The best blushes are colourful yet sheer enough that even the fairest skin tones can pull them off without looking garish.

My Top Picks

Best Quality: It’s a tie between Nars and Smashbox. Both are priced at about $30.
Both companies offer bright, beautiful colours which amazingly work on virtually any complexion. The colours are rich yet sheer and buildable, giving the absolute best application you can get.
Nars blush is available at Holt Renfrew, Sephora and The Bay Vancouver Downtown, Oakridge, Metrotown locations.
Smashbox Blush Rush is available at Sephora and many Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

Best For Less: Revlon Powder Blush, about $14
Revlon provides several colour options, more than any other mass brand, and the saturation of colour is good.
Revlon Powder Blush is available at London Drugs, Pharmasave, Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart and Superstore.

Best For The Budget: Annabelle Mono Blush, about $8
Annabelle is a Canadian company with many great (and well-priced) products. The colour quality is astonishingly good so their value is tremendous. They may not have as many colour options, but the shades are well-selected so there is a colour for everyone.
Annabelle Mono Blush is available at London Drugs, Pharmasave, Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart and Superstore.

Frugalbits Tip: To find your perfect shade, squeeze your fingertip for a few seconds and watch it flush. Your body flushes your ideal colour. Using a blush brush that facilitates the application—those little brushes that come inside the compacts can sometimes give a streaky finish.

Want The Secret To The Perfect Blush Application?

As for the secret to the perfect application, seek me out for personal advice (I’m serious, email me at aemery@frugalbits.com). During my make-up diploma program, my claim-to-fame was my tasteful and perfectly positioned blush applications. Drawing has never been one of my strengths, so I didn’t achieve my good marks via super precise liquid eyeliner creations or airbrushed masterpieces but rather for my thoughtful colour choices and smooth applications. I still give blush advice to my best friends and pretty much every client I serve.