Where to apply blush and highlighter for your face shape
Where blush goes on round, long or square faces, how to choose its colour, and where powder and liquid highlighter go for a natural glow.
Blush brings life to the face and highlighter adds glow to your features. The secret isn't the amount but the placement, which changes a little with your face shape.
Where blush goes for your face shape
- Round face: on the top of the cheekbone, blended diagonally towards the temple to lengthen the face.
- Long face: on the apples of the cheeks, blended horizontally towards the ear to add width.
- Square face: in a circular shape on the apples to soften the jawline.
- Oval face: on the apples with a light upward blend; most techniques suit this shape.
- Heart-shaped face: slightly below the cheekbone, away from the wider forehead.
To find the apples of your cheeks, smile: the rounded part that lifts is where they are.
Choosing a blush colour
- Fair skin: soft pink looks most natural.
- Medium and olive skin: peach and warm pink.
- Deep skin: richer, deeper peach and pink shades.
Start light for daytime and build up for evenings.
Where highlighter goes
- The top of the cheekbones.
- Down the bridge and on the tip of the nose.
- Above the cupid's bow.
- Under the end of the brow.
- The inner corner of the eye.
Only highlight where light naturally hits your face, and avoid visible pores.
Powder or liquid highlighter?
Powder highlighter goes on after powder with a small brush, and you control the glow by the amount. Liquid highlighter goes on before powder, blended with fingers or a sponge, or mix a drop into foundation for a glow that looks like it comes from within.
The right order
Foundation → concealer → powder → blush → highlighter → setting spray. Liquid highlighter goes before powder.
From Ahla
AHLA Soft Blush comes in 7 blendable pink and peach shades. For glow there is AHLA Radiant Glow Highlighter in 6 shades, the AHLA Shimmer Highlighter and the lightweight AHLA Liquid Highlighter, with the 12-piece AHLA Makeup Brush Set to place each one precisely.
