How To Apply Powder Blush

Before you apply powder blush – or any other makeup for that matter – it’s important to prep your skin with a supercharged skincare routine and a smoothing-effect primer. By applying hydrating skincare products, you can create a supple canvas that allows you to get the smoothest application from makeup products like powder blush.

First, apply a high-performance gel or cream moisturiser that leaves the face feeling smoother and more hydrated, then apply a face primer to create a hydrating veil between your skin and your makeup. I created my magical moisturisers to wear beautifully underneath makeup; for a classic, plumper-looking canvas that appears lit from within, choose Charlotte’s Magic Cream, and for an ultra-lightweight, dewy-looking glow, choose Charlotte’s Magic Water Cream. Then, apply Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer to prime the face for makeup while providing essential SPF50 sun protection.

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Discover the differences between gel vs cream moisturiser

Powder blush is best applied after liquid and cream products like foundation, concealer and cream bronzer. I suggest applying your base makeup onto prepped skin to perfect the look of your complexion as this will create a gorgeous canvas for your powder blush to sweep onto. Choose your favourite foundation and concealer to give your complexion your desired amount of coverage, then reach for cream, liquid or powder contour, highlighter and bronzers to enhance the look of your facial framework before applying powder blush.

Tilbury Tip: Always apply your cream products first, darlings, as this will give you the most seamless finish when layering cream and powder makeup.

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Learn more about bronzer vs contour

I recommend applying your eye makeup and lipstick before powder blush as this will help you to visualise how much blush to apply. Makeup is artistry, darlings; the shapes and colours that you create should enhance the look of your face and flow from one product to the next. Whether you’re creating a smokey eye and a sultry nude lip or keeping things simple with barely there eyeshadow and a slick of lip gloss, as your look comes together, it becomes clear which blush tone will complement your makeup look and how light or not-so-light-handed you may want to be when applying blush.

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Did you know that you can layer your cream, liquid and powder blushes to create a custom blush look? Blush is a beautiful, buildable aspect of your makeup, darlings; backstage, I like to mix and match blush formulas to build my own ethereal blushscape on the cheeks. When applying blush, I recommend applying little by little and blending as you go to create a rosy gradient. Start with cream blush like Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick to add dewy luminosity; add a dot or two of liquid blush to build up a more pigmented look; then move on to powder blush to add a final pearlescent pop of colour.

Discover the differences between cream vs liquid vs powder blush

When applying powder blush, I suggest using a domed, fluffy brush that perfectly kisses the apples of the cheeks. The delicate, domed shape of a brush like this mirrors the natural roundness of the cheeks, helping it to apply blush evenly. Choosing a brush with fluffier bristles allows you to be more light-handed with your application which is useful when applying powder blushes which can be easy to over-apply. I love to apply powder blush with my AIRbrush Flawless Easy Soft Blur Bronzer & Blusher Blush – it’s the perfect makeup brush for nestling blush into the apples of the cheeks. Use the fanned side to sweep and diffuse, and use the dense side to build up pigment.

Discover the best makeup brushes for applying blush

Choosing a satin or matte powder blush is a gorgeous way to lift the look of your complexion. Matte options like my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Pillow Talk Medium or Naughty Talk are silky-smooth on the skin and help to blur the look of texture while providing impactful blush pigment that buffs and blends like a dream. Or, choose a satin powder blush like Pillow Talk or Ecstasy; they look flattering on every skin type and combine the blur of AIRbrush collection with the softness and luminescence of a fine satin finish.

Need help darling? Discover the best blush shades for your skin tone

Once you have chosen which powder blush to apply, take my AIRbrush Flawless Easy Soft Blur Bronzer & Blusher Brush and tap into the pan using a swirling SWISH motion. When applying your powder blush, it’s essential that you manage how much product is on your brush as this will help to prevent over-applying; use a light pressure when swirling into your blush to avoid picking up too much product, then tap your brush onto the back of your hand to remove any excess.

Apply your powder blush onto the roundest part of your cheeks using gentle, swirling strokes. Your blush shouldn’t be applied too close to the nose or the eyes, so be careful to keep your blush application centred on the cheeks and cheekbones. I recommend being light handed with your blush, adding a little at a time with light, SWISH strokes that slowly build up pigmentation – remember, darlings, you can always add more!

Use my AIRbrush Flawless Easy Soft Blur Bronzer and Blusher Brush to apply your blush, darlings. The fan side will give you a diffused wash of colour that veils your entire cheek with a sunset effect, and the angled side can be used to precisely build your blush look.

Tilbury Tip: Different face shapes suit different blush placements. Discover your most flattering blush technique in my guide to blush for your face shape.

To blend your powder blush, swirl your blusher brush in light circles to diffuse pigment and create a beautiful blend – the aim is to make your shade of blush blend naturally into your contour, bronzer and highlighter to create a gorgeous gradient. I like to start at the apples of the cheeks and travel upwards along the cheekbone with my brush towards the ears to create a flattering lift effect that helps the face to appear more sculpted.

Tilbury Tip: To get a seamless blend, reach for a small, fluffy brush like the Eye Blender Brush and blend in small circles around the edges of your blush to fuse your blush with your foundation or highlighter.

When blending out your powder blush, its pigmentation will fade and become more subtle; if you love a subtle flush of rosy blush then there’s no need to add more product, but for blush lovers, you can go back in with your favourite powder blush to create a bolder, poppier blush look. Tap back into your powder blush and repeat steps 8 and 9 until your cheeks are beautifully blushed!

Tilbury Tip: The more pigmented a powder blush is, the less product you will need to apply. A bright shade like Sunset Siren might need less building up than a neitral like Naughty Talk.

Blush topper is the sparkling star of your blush look, darlings! To give your look a radiant, rosy glow, apply a shimmering blush formula that instantly illuminates the look of your cheeks. Blush toppers layer effortlessly over the top of cream, liquid and powder blushes, giving the cheeks one last pop of pearlescent colour to complete your look.

Tilbury Tip: I love to use satin shades like AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur in Pillow Talk or Ecstasy as beautifying blush toppers for a dreamy love glow, as well as pink-toned shades of my Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighters like Pillow Talk Glow and Rose Gold Glow for a magical, molten glow!

Discover the best highlighter for your skin tone

The world is obsessed with my smoothing and blurring effect AIRbrush Flawless Finish powder, and for the first time, blush has been AIRbrushed! Introducing my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur, a hyper-blurring powder blush infused with skincare to deliver a blushed-from-within filter effect. This powder blush is pigmented, easy to blend and super-longwearing, making you look blushed and airbrushed all day! It also hydrates with ceramides and vitamin E - it never looks cakey or patchy darlings... Bounce it onto your cheeks and watch it blush and blur your complexion, then you'll understand why I call it the AIRbrush effect!

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Not all powder blushes are super mattifying, darlings... 2 of my AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur shades have a gorgeous Swish + Pop satin finish that gives your cheekbones a pretty, soft-focus glow. Discover my powder blushes with the same blurring, beautifying formula as my Matte Blur shades with the addition of radiant, light-diffusing shimmer. Pillow Talk is a soft nude blush that's perfect for gently blushing your cheeks for a fallen-in-love glow and Ecstasy is a light peach blush that gives you that dreamy, youthful, bright-eyed glow. If you want your complexion to look fresh and enlivened with sweet, love-blushed shimmer, these shades are for you, darling.

Shop my Swish + Pop shades of AIRbrush Flawless Blush Blur