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How To Find the Best Blush Color for Your Skin Tone

How To Choose a Blush Color for Your Skin Tone

05 Apr 2024

Whether you prefer a subtle flush or favor fuschia cheeks, your blush color can have a huge impact on your overall makeup look. Warm coral shades are great for faking a summery glow, while petal pinks and dusty roses can lend your look a soft, romantic vibe. And while it’s a good idea to choose a blush based on your desired look, it’s also important to select a shade that complements your skin tone (and undertone). Here, we’ll explain why and offer advice on how to find the best blush for your skin tone. Keep reading to learn how to pick a blush color like a pro.

What Is Blush?

Blush, as you may know, is a type of makeup product primarily used on the cheeks to mimic the natural flush that your skin gets when you blush (hence the name). While blush colors typically fall somewhere on the pinkish spectrum, this isn’t always the case—shades can range from sandy taupe to deep purple or brown. When choosing a blush color, you’ll want to opt for a shade that flatters both your skin tone and undertone. A blush that’s too dark may make your complexion look splotchy or muddy, while one that’s too light may wash you out (or simply not show up at all).

What Color Blush Is Best For Your Skin Tone?

While you can wear any blush you like, you’ll find that some shades flatter your skin better than others. Ahead, we’re breaking down some of our favorite blush colors for different skin tones.

Best Blush for Fair Skin Tones

If you’re on the fairer side, you’ll want to take caution to avoid blushes that are too dark, as deeper tones will look unnatural against your light skin. Instead, look for soft, light shades, such as carnation pink or pale mauve.

Best Blush for Olive Skin Tones

Olive skin tones can be fair or dark, but tend to be greener in tone rather than pink or brown. Generally speaking, pinks and reds with golden undertones are ideal for this skin tone. Look for warm corals or even bronzy rose shades to help bring out your skin’s natural golden tones.

Best Blush for Medium Skin Tones

Medium skin tones are neither obviously fair nor dark, but fall right in the middle (often, they look perpetually tanned). To ensure your blush pops against your skin tone, we suggest seeking out brighter, more pigmented pinks and softer reds, such as salmon or raspberry.

Best Blush for Dark Skin Tones

The darker your skin, the more saturated you’ll want your blush to be. Vibrant crimson blush makes a bold statement against darker skin tones, while deeper shades like plum and maroon offer a more natural blushed effect.

What Blush Color Is Best For Your Undertone?

It’s also important to consider your skin’s undertone (or underlying “tint”) when choosing a blush color. While there are a few methods you can use to determine your skin’s undertone, we find the vein test to be a fairly reliable method. Position yourself in natural lighting, then take a close look at the veins on the underside of your wrist. If they appear primarily blue or purple, it’s likely you have cool undertones, while veins that appear green usually indicate a warm undertone. Those with neutral skin often see a mix of blue and green shades—this just means your skin is neither entirely warm nor entirely cool. Ahead, learn how to choose the right blush color for your undertones.

Best Blush Colors for Cool Undertones

Those with cool undertones often have a pinkish cast to their skin, and tend to look best in shades that emphasize that coolness (such as dusty rose, bubblegum, and purplish pinks). So if you have cool-toned fair skin, carnation blush would probably be a great pick for you. Those with cool-toned dark skin, meanwhile, should look for vivid purple-pinks, such as fuschia or magenta.

Best Blush Colors for Warm Undertones

Those with warmer undertones tend to look best in equally warm-toned blushes. Corals, salmons, and orange-reds are all great options—they’ll help bring out the natural warmth in your skin.

Best Blush Colors for Neutral Undertones

Neutral skin is neither warm nor cool, and as such, can pull off a wide range of shades. When searching for a blush for neutral undertones, we recommend making your decision based on your skin tone (rather than undertone), as well as your desired look. A brighter, more vivid blush will have a more dramatic effect, while softer, subtler tones tend to provide a more natural-looking flush.

How To Choose the Right Buttermelt Blush Shade

Our Buttermelt Blush is available in 12 vibrant shades (in both matte and glowy finishes) that offer up to 12 hours of fade- and transfer-resistant wear. Keep reading for a rundown on the best Buttermelt Blush shades for different skin tones.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades for Fair Skin Tones

As we mentioned earlier, pale pink shades tend to be a great pick for those with fairer skin. Try Butta Together—it’s a soft, rosy shade with neutral undertones that flatters cool and warm skin alike.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades for Olive Skin Tones

Complement your olive skin’s natural warmth with a gold-flecked rose, like Feeling Butta—it has a bit of shimmer for an extra-glowy finish. If you prefer a matte look, we suggest U Know Butta, a bright coral shade with a soft matte finish.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades for Medium Skin Tones

Give medium skin a natural-looking flush with For the Butta. This soft mauve hue isn’t overly light, nor too dark—just the perfect natural-looking pink for your skin.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades for Dark Skin Tones

Our Buttermelt Blush comes in several vibrant shades ideal for deeper skin tones. Try the brick-red Back and Butta for a bold blush look, or opt for Butta Than Before for a flush of pink color that’ll pop against your skin.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades Color for Cool Undertones

If you have cool skin, you’ll want an equally cool-toned blush for a natural-looking finish. We love For the Butta for a more subtle effect, and the vibrant My Butta Half for a pop of bubblegum pink that can’t be missed.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades Color for Neutral Undertones

Those with neutral undertones look great in nearly any hue. Embrace the viral strawberry girl makeup trend with the softly-shimmery Getting Butta shade, or take All The Butta out for a spin—this electric violet is bold, bright, and made to stand out.

Best Buttermelt Blush Shades Color for Warm Undertones

Show off your skin’s natural sun-kissed warmth with an equally golden-toned blush hue. We love Sooner the Butta for those with warm-toned fair skin, while Had Butta is an electric coral shade that stuns on deeper skin tones.

How Get a Sun-Kissed Look With Buttermelt Blush

Once you’ve found the best blush color for your skin, you can get to the fun part: applying it. Here are five steps to follow for a summery, sun-kissed look.

Step 1: Lay Down Your Base

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: Makeup primer is the key to a lasting makeup look. We recommend priming your face with BlurScreen SPF 30 Primer, as it offers SPF 30 protection against the sun’s rays and helps makeup grip for up to 18 hours of wear.

Step 2: Add Foundation (If Desired)

Next, apply your favorite foundation to help even out your skin tone. You can use any products you like, but we’re especially fond of how Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation pairs with the aforementioned primer. Apply it with the Blur Tint Foundation Brush, or buff it into your skin with your fingers for a sheerer finish.

Step 3: Apply Blush to the Apples of Your Cheeks

Once your base is set, you can go ahead and apply your blush. Lightly sweep a fluffy brush over your blush of choice to pick up product, then begin dusting the blush onto your cheeks. For a sun-kissed look, we recommend hitting the tops of your cheekbones and blending the blush out toward your temples. You can also dust a little bit onto your nose to amplify the beachy effect—just take it slow so as not to overdo it.

If you need more tips on where to apply blush, we recommend heading on over to our article How To Apply Blush and Flatter Your Face Shape.

Step 4: Add Warmth With Bronzer

As far as we’re concerned, no beachy makeup look is complete without a bit of bronzer. Thankfully, we’ve got that covered. Just snag your favorite Buttermelt Bronzer hue and use the Buttermelt Bronzer Brush to apply the soft matte formula anywhere you’d like some extra warmth, such as the bridge of your nose or top of your forehead.

Step 5: Set Your Look

As soon as you’re satisfied with your look, you can set your makeup. Mist your completed look with the Marshmellow Setting Spray for a lasting matte finish.

Next: Blush Contouring: All About This Viral Makeup Trend.

Share a snap of your look on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics.

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