A peachy tint, pop of pink or all-out rouge, the shades and styles the IMAGE staffers lean towards are nothing if not varied. Here are some of our absolute favourites.
Megan Burns, Editor, IMAGE Interiors; Deputy Editor, IMAGE
Even when I don’t put on much make-up, I always use blush to give some life to my pale skin! I love the Easy Lip & Cheek Wand from Charlotte Tilbury for something you can quickly swipe on both cheeks and lips. I have it in Sun-kissed, and really like how it is a subtle colour that you can build as much as you want – it’s easy for blush to look too dark on me.
My sister also recently introduced me to the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush from Rare Beauty. Being a liquid, it’s really light on the skin, and it’s easy to just put a small amount on when you don’t want to look too “done”.
Holly O’Neill, Digital Editor, IMAGE.ie; Beauty Editor, IMAGE Magazine
After a long-term relationship with Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk, I’ve recently swapped to Charlotte Tilbury Lip and Cheek in Colour of Passion, after the lovely make-up artist Tilly Jones gave me a Tilly transformation into a girl so glowy I had to realign my whole routine to recreate it. Cloud Paint is flawless – foolproof, heavily pigmented, easily blended to look at one with the skin, financially friendly, plus I’ve been using the same tube daily for about six years and it’s still nowhere near finished – but Charlotte Tilbury’s Colour of Passion is just the perfect shade of deep and sexy sun blush, with an emollient-rich formula that leaves a glossy finish, glides on and becomes one with the skin with just a touch.
Sarah Gill, Features Editor
I was extremely late to the blush game, due in no small part to my easily embarrassed demeanour. My cheeks redden liberally at the drop of a hat, and given my true Irish cailín’s ruddy complexion, I spent years believing that applying blush would be counterintuitive.
It wasn’t until Glossier’s Cloud Paint entered my orbit that I gave it a whirl and fell in love with the vibrancy and dimension it added to my face. I oscillate between Dusk (a warm-toned, barely-there shade) and Beam (somewhere between peach and coral) depending, funnily enough, on the weather. I dab a little on with my fingers and rub the excess across the bridge of my nose. Minimal effort make-up forever!
Emily O’Neill, Marketing Account Executive
At the moment, I have two favourite blushes and both are from Kash Beauty! Their recent ‘Blush Duo’ launch had been a favourite of mine and I find myself alternating between both shades — Pink Soda and Coral Flush. The compact comes with a cream and matching powder blush and it is perfect for your handbag or travelling! They went straight into my suitcase for my trip to Spain.
Katie Brady, Marketing & Memberships Executive
Blush is one of those elements of my make-up routine that I still struggle with but would love to master — any and all advice is welcome! For that reason, I try to keep it simple with the Pixi On-the-Glow Blush (I wear the shade Juicy). Its Pritt Stick-esque applicator allows for little error. When that runs out, and I am feeling a bit more confident, I’m dying to try a Lukey Lukey Beauty blush. From their colour range to their ethos of vegan and cruelty-free, the brand is adorable. I am obsessed.
Meghan Killalea, Marketing Account Executive
I am a firm believer that blush just makes any make-up look pop, and personally I am a huge fan of cream blushes. I’m naturally quite pale and in the middle of winter or when I’m not wearing fake tan, I adore the Sculpted by Aimee Cream Luxe Blush in Pink Supreme for that little touch of colour. In the summer, I use nothing but the Dior Forever Glow Maximiser in Rosy. This is almost like a blush and bronzer all in one, and it lasts a lifetime. I bought one in the airport heading on holidays last year and still have the majority of it left — a little goes a long way! I am, however, dying to try the Kash Beauty Blush Duo in Pink Soda as I’ve heard nothing but amazing things.
Susan Vickers, Account Manager
I never feel complete without a blush, it just pulls everything together! I have two favourites: one is a warm red tone blush, the Kash Beauty Skin Glaze in Lumi Rouge, and the other is more bright pink-toned, the Flormar Mood Booster in Rosewood. I adore cream blushes, as they blend so beautifully into the skin but I also love to finish off with a little powder blush on top, and for that, the Lancome Blush Subtil Powder is my absolute favourite!
Dearbhla Lovett, IMAGE First Activations Freelancer
It’s hard to believe that throughout my teens, I was completely sworn off blush, when now it is one of my ‘can’t live without’ beauty products. I layer and wear up to four different blushes at the one time! I often wonder if in time, I will look back and be like wow, I definitely had so-called ‘blush blindness’, but for the moment, I like to say I’m freshly sun-kissed!
If you’re new to blush, I cannot rave enough about the Kash Beauty skin glazes, Doll and Peach Paradise are my go-to. They’re so creamy and blend out like a dream. For the bolder blush users, this MAC Heat Index Glow Play Blush is my hero blush. It’s a dark, almost neon-pink shade, but it gives the cheeks the healthiest looking rosy flush.
For non-make-up days when you just want to look a little bit more alive, blush will save your life. I recently purchased this Rhode pocket blush in shade Toasted Teddy, which not only comes in the cutest, handbag-friendly packaging, but is an almost brown/grape colour that blends with your fingers into the most gorgeous natural blush.
Amber O’Shea, Social Media Manager
It took me years to wear blush, I had absolutely no colour in my face and if I was going out, I would stick with bronzer and nothing else. Over the last five years, I’ve been introducing blush and my god, it has changed the game dramatically. I love going for a peachy tone rather than a harsh pink. I’ve been playing around with powder and liquid blushes but I suffer with psoriasis and often have patches around my cheeks, so my favourite one to use is this Sculpted by Aimee Peachy Pop cream blush. Every time I have this on, I get compliments and it gives me a nice, healthy glow. I really enjoy the creamy texture.
Doireann Murray, Chief Revenue Officer
My favourite blush is Sculpted by Aimee Pink Swoon Powder Blusher from the ‘In Bloom’ full face palette. It’s the perfect colour, not too bright but nice enough to give a subtle lift. I love the fact that it’s an Irish brand and more importantly, that it’s vegan and cruelty-free!
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