How to find the best shade of blush for your skin tone

Whether you prefer it as a cream, powder, or tint, blush is one mighty powerful makeup product. Choose the right shade and it has the ability to awaken a dull complexion, add dimension to the face and freshen an entire look, all while looking like it’s your own natural God-given glow.
Gone are the days when rouge and hot pinks were the only option, now we’ve got a plethora of plum and peachy tones, lavender-based blushes and tangerine creams to choose from.
So how can you make sure you’re using the right blush shade for your skin tone? Makeup artist Sarah Tammer gives us her top cheeky tips below…
RELATED: 10 of the best CC creams for a radiant glow
RELATED: Bronzers that will transform you into a golden goddess
Blush for pale and lighter skin tones
For lighter skin tones, a pigment-packed blush isn’t always a good thing. Lighter, buildable textures are best, and if you’re trying to achieve a natural flush, Sarah suggests going for a soft pink or coral blush.
“This is generally because lighter coloured skin tones naturally have pink undertones, so pinks and corals are best suited,” she says.
“A fabulous friend of mine also taught me a very simple technique: If you’re more attracted to silver jewellery, then you’ll more than likely suit cooler tones ie: cool pinks. If you prefer gold then reach for warmer tones ie: oranges and bronzes.”
“I would recommend avoiding intense red pigments as it will bring out the pinkness in the skin and tends to give you the appearance of being overheated or sunburnt. I’d also suggest avoiding shades like terracotta as this tends to look ‘muddy’ on the cheeks.”
Lighter skin tones need not be afraid of pink, it’s just about finding the right tone of pink.
Sarah’s top product picks:
- LUMA’s Just a Touch Cheek Tint in ‘Muse’ ($29.95, www.lumabeauty.com) - “A fantastic colour for lighter skin tones.”
- Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in ‘Ecstasy’ ($60, https://www.charlottetilbury.com/au) - “A beautiful peachy-pink.”
- Nars Blush in ‘Orgasm’ ($46, mecca.com.au) - “Also very flattering on light skin tones.”
bh recommends:
- COVERGIRL TruBlend Blush in 'Light' or 'Medium Rose'
Blush for olive and tanned skin tones
For olive skin, it’s all about finding the right undertone.
Chrissy Teigen once revealed she prefers a blush with a lavender undertone, though Sarah says “red and brown undertones are best suited to olive skin.”
“You really want to avoid pale and cool-toned blushes if you have olive skin as they will wash you out,” she explains.
“A peachy blush with red undertones will look beautiful on olive skin tones and terracottas also look lovely.”
Sarah’s top product picks:
- LUMA’s Just A Touch Cheek Tint in ‘Lady Luck’ ($29.95, www.lumabeauty.com) - “I love to use this for a natural flush.”
- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blush in ‘Tigerlily’ ($51, sephora.com.au) - “An orange-gold blush like this can look beautiful on olive skin tones as the warm tone with gold shimmers will give you a natural, luminous glow.”
bh recommends:
Blush for dark and deeper skin tones
Having darker skin doesn’t automatically mean you’ll suit the darkest blush shade in a range,. It’s still all about tone.
“It’s important to stay warm when you’re working with dark skin because if you go too cool it’s going to look ashy and wash you out,” says Sarah.
“Auburn tones and hints of gold look beautiful on darker skin tones. As do deep red pigments and deep terracotta tones. A raspberry shade will also look flattering on dark skin and will give the cheekbones a plum-coloured flush.”
With plenty of options, it’s really just trial and error. “Don’t be scared to try deep raisin and brown shades, as dark skin can really hold up to pigment,” says Sarah.
“If you choose colours that are too light, you run the risk of the shade not even showing up, so be bold!”
Sarah’s top product pick:
- Milani Cosmetics Baked Blush in ‘09 Red Vino’ ($12 excl. tax, milani.com) - “The perfect raspberry shade for dark skin.”
bh recommends:
- Bourjois Little Round Blush Pot in ‘92 Santal’
- Revlon PhotoReady Crème Blush in ‘Charmed’
- E.l.f Cosmetics Powder Blush Palette in ‘Dark’ ($16, https://www.elfcosmetics.com.au/)
*This article has been updated since its original publication date
What's your favourite blush to use? Do you consider your skin tone when shopping for makeup?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
217 Member Comments
Blush is the step I'm most likely to skip if I'm in a rush. I like pale, buildable pinks. I like Max Factor Créme Puff Blush.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I wish articles acknowledged pale skin with more yellow undertones! The vast majority of the time they just assume pale skin=pink undertones, & the colours suggested for that kind of undertone don't work for me a lot of the time (& I'm just a more yellow-undertoned pale white Aussie, so going on Asian beauty sites/forums that focus more on yellow undertones does help, but sometimes I then have the opposite problem because I don't have enough of a yellow undertone for those recommendations to be super accurate either)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Sometimes I use my liptsick if it's red enough or pink enough to look decent as a blush on the cheeks as a blush!! It's crazy but it works sometimes if I'm in a rush and can't find anything else. But these tips definitely helped with understanding what tones might suit me slightly
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I have a strong distaste for products with titles that have a sexual connotation, so I never tried Nars Blush in ‘Orgasm’. I finally relented recently when I saw it in a mini version in a pack and I bought it. Now I can see why it's so popular!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Yep I've been told corals for me being light too..
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I have fair skin and have seen so many people rave on about Nars orgasm, I finally brought one online last week can’t wait to try it ☺️
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Apricot peachy pink for me all the way.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
My only blush is something from a Clinique GWP I received years ago, really need a new one.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Straight from the beautiful and pale Cate to quite dark toned Chrissy - really... nothing in between?
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Yes, pinks and corals all the way for me! Love a good blush and will always pick blush over bronzer.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I have pale skin and tend to use a peachy blush. Not a huge fan of pinky blushes.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
My taste in blush colour changes with my mood. I have a lilac one I really like and then the next day I want something more subtle.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I consider myself as having rather fair to medium skin but I have found like Chrissy Teigen that blushes and highlighters with lavender undertones are very flattering on my skin. I also love light coral/peach coloured blushes. Incidentally, I own a lot of Luma products - I can't fault anything by that brand that I have tried so far. I also own a lot of Becca highlighters.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Ethelinde, if you haven't already tried it, I like Clinique Colour Pop Blush in Pansy Pop for a lovely lavender-toned blush.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Never tried it but thanks for the recommendation! I was eyeing the Cool Down Palette as well. Hmmmm.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Me too! I have light-medium olive skin which pinky blushes with a slight lavender tone suit wonderfully. Finding this kind of colour without any white pigments (which is what makes this colour ashy on me) is hard, so I often find myself gravitating towards something coral or peach.
I love the Guerlain Météorites Highlighter Duo Holographic Powder (not holographic lol) for the perfect mix of pink and lavender highlight for my skin tone.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Pretty_please, I recommended the Clinique Colour Pop Blush in Pansy Pop (see my comment above) for a blush with a lavender undertone. You also might like it.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Thanks Petal, I’ve been wanting to try the formula of the Clinique Colour Pop blushes for a while but could never decide on a colour. David Jones has this shade in the Cool Down palette for $51.80 atm, so I may just pick this up :-)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
The palette is great value. I was thinking about getting it from Adore Beauty but it sold out while I was deliberating over it (I wasn't sure if I'd get enough use out of the other shades).
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I have to be careful with blush since I'm both pale & cool-toned. I'm not a fan of baby pink blushes as I reckon I'd look childish with them on, so I lean more towards dusty pinks & occasionally a rose blush that is cool enough for me to use. I only use a small amount since my blushes are pigmented & I know if I overdo it I can look clown-ish. I'd like to get a couple more blushes in my stash, but I know they take forever to finish.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I like using a powder blush and only a small amount, I find it easier to blend.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Love a shimmery blush.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Really great tips...
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Blush is not for me - too red anyway
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Having rosacea i have enough redness to contend with so I only use blush very lightly and more in a coral tone. Most often i use my blush shades as eye colour instead :D
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0