3 Blush Tips From Our Makeup Artist That Will Help You Look Younger

We tend to wear makeup to get a youthful glow because, as we all know, our skin loses some luster as we age. Thankfully, adding a bit of dark mascara to our lashes and a bright pop of color to our cheeks can instantly shave years off of our faces. However, many may not know that some common makeup mistakes actually leave you looking older. As a makeup artist with over 15 years of experience, I've learned which techniques can help you appear younger, and I've found that the correct blush application is one of the most important.

The key to using blush for a fresh-faced finish is all about skipping certain blush colors, especially if you have an older face. In general, you should gravitate toward light pinks and peaches if you have fair skin and berry shades if you have a deeper skin tone. Aside from choosing the right colors, how you apply blush is also super important, and depending on your face shape, the placement is everything.

As we age, gravity naturally pulls our features down, but we can combat the appearance of any drooping by carefully placing our blush for a snatched effect. Many people's go-to blush placement is on the apples of their cheeks, which isn't necessarily wrong, but if you want to look lifted, skip that area. Instead, you'll want to concentrate the color on the outer half of your cheeks and follow the peak of your cheekbones.

If you don't know where to begin, place two fingers along the side of your nose as a guide and start the blush from the outer finger — that's your ideal starting point. Then, using a medium-sized fluffy brush, apply the color along your cheeks, focusing on bringing the blush toward your temples. Don't be afraid to go higher than normal, as this will create the illusion of chiseled cheekbones, which will, in turn, make your face appear more taut. Be sure to blend the blush along your hairline so that it doesn't stop abruptly. You'll want the finish to be smooth and seamless.

Adding fullness to our faces is another trick for looking younger, and if you feel like your cheeks are too hollow, you should try applying blush more toward the center. When learning how to apply blush, we were all taught to smile and place the color on the apples of the cheeks. While this is a good technique to get a feel for blush's general placement, smiling lifts your features temporarily, and when you relax your face, the blush can end up too low.

A helpful trick I've learned is to look straight ahead into the mirror, smile, and apply the blush only on the top half of the apples of your cheeks using a circular motion. Then, blend the color up toward your under-eye area, making sure that there are no visible edges. To add even more volume, lightly dust a shimmery highlighter on top of the blush for a radiant finish.

There's no rule that says we have to use only one shade of blush, and if you want to add dimension to your face, two are needed to do the trick. When you layer your blush, you get a gorgeous 3-D effect that will have you looking younger in just a snap, and it's easier than you think. In order to achieve this, you'll need your regular shade and then another one that's two or three shades darker. They don't have to match completely, but make sure they're in the same color family. For example, you won't want to mix coral with burgundy, as one is warm while the other is cool.

After applying your foundation, you'll want to apply the slightly darker blush right under your cheekbones. Concentrate the color only on the very outer area, avoiding the hollows of your cheeks. While the usual practice is to bring the contour all the way down, doing so will only drag your features lower. For a youthful look, you just want a very subtle shadow that will create a sculpted effect. 

For the next step, apply the lighter blush above the apples of your cheeks and brush the shade up toward your hairline, slightly overlapping the contour. Don't blend the two colors completely, or you'll end up with a muddy finish. Finally, place a bit of shimmer on the very peak of your cheekbone, but use a light hand because believe it or not, it really is possible to use too much highlighter. Once you nail these tips, those around you will think you're aging in reverse.