But chances are, blush isn’t one of your staples. In a recent Prevention poll asking readers about their favorite cosmetics, blush came in dead last. “Many women over 40 are concerned about getting a heavy, streaky look, which is definitely aging,” says Michelle Radow, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. Not to worry. We’ve broken down the steps to getting all of blush’s anti-aging benefits (without a hint of clownishness). MORE: 4 Makeup Tricks To Give Droopy Lids A Lift Step 1: Lightly tap your brush onto your cream or powder blush, then suck in your cheeks a bit, so you can see their hollows. Your blush should be applied right above that area. “That’s your cheekbone, where you would naturally flush if you went for a jog or spent a day at the beach,” Radow explains. Step 2: With light, quick strokes, brush the blush along your cheekbone, starting at the apple and blending it back toward your ear (the pigment should fade as you go, so it’s not a stripe). MORE: 10 Makeup Mistakes Even Celebs Make Step 3: Take a damp makeup sponge with a bit of cream or liquid foundation on it, tapping and blending the product over your blush. “This will make your blush look natural, like the flush is coming from beneath your skin, and will soften shades that are super pigmented,” Radow says.
