Blushing Beauties

Women of color generally do not need to use much if any blush. However, if you are one of the few who are lacking that extra pizzazz you are looking for there are blushes and bronzers that will deliver.
When using blush on ethnic skin, consider the whole face. Determine if you have a yellow undertone or a blue undertone -- yellow being warm and blue being cool. This will help in determining what color blush to get. General rule of thumb for blush in women of color is to stick with deep blush colors and avoid pastels.

Many women of color have a bronze undertone, and as seasons change, so does your skin tone. It is wise to purchase blush according to your tone of the season.

When choosing a blush color, keep it within your same skin tone and just slightly darker then your natural skin color. A light shimmer powdered blush within the same skin color gives the perfect blush effect most women of color are seeking. Use a darker shade of your natural color in a matte finish to achieve contour with a shimmer in your natural color to set off the contour and add highlight.

When choosing the right blush for your skin tone, try shades with a golden shimmer if you have warm under tones. Play around with corals, golden bronze, dark pinks, and berry/plum tones. When you are unsure of which to use, go with a bronzer designed for women of color. Iman makes a 3 toned bronzer/blush compact that is sure to give you a little of everything.

Make sure to blend your blush well. Start with a clean brush and after applying blush/bronzer to the brush, tap off any excess so you don’t end up with excessive amounts on one side or another. Start with a light touch as you can always build a darker shade as you go. The idea is to create the illusion of a shadow without being excessive. This will give you definition without resulting in a clown look. After you have achieved your desired look, lightly do an over all sweep of a loose powder either in translucent or a loose powder that compliments natural skin color to set the finished look.