Makeup is an enjoyable way to enhance natural beauty and boost confidence. Knowing how to correctly apply blush and highlighter is key to achieving a polished, bright-eyed look. This guide will explore blush and highlighter placement tips tailored for different age groups and skin tones.

Generally, it is best to apply blush before highlighter. Blush is meant to mimic the natural flush of color in your cheeks. Applying it first allows you to gauge exactly where to put your highlighter for a seamless blend. Highlight is used to catch the light and enhance areas like cheekbones that you want to draw attention to.

The apple of your cheeks is a good starting point for most blush applications. Using a blush brush, sweep color back towards your hairline and temples in a “V” shape. Make sure to blend well for a diffused, natural look. Those with rounder face shapes can concentrate color higher up towards the top of the cheekbone area to visually elongate.

As with blush, selecting the right highlighter color is important for your skin tone. In general, lighter shades work well for fair complexions while medium to dark skins can pull off gold, peachy, or rose tones.