Rouge and Illusion

How to apply Rouge -where and why?

I must say I agree with Mrs Colby, rouge, or blusher as we so unglamourously call it nowadays, is underrated.

A lot of ladies shy away from it because they probably had some mini disaster when they were teenagers and ended up going to the school disco looking like a clown instead of a glamorous lady. So now they fear they will look like a cartoon character or an over made-up doll if they so much as pick up a blusher brush.

But the right blusher in the right place does wonders for your complexion. It freshens the face, gives healthy glow, enhances your features and just overall brightens your look. I can go out without eye make up (almost never happens) without lipstick (rare occasion also) but I never leave the house without blusher.

Which Rouge is right for you?

There are three types of rouges, cream, fluid and dry (that's powder to you and me). Mrs Colby prefers the cream version and I agree, it gives a lovely dewy and natural look. Fluid can be quite difficult and messy to apply and there aren't many around. Powders are by far the easiest to use, so good if you are only discovering the joys of blusher.

So be brave and go shopping. Nars does a fantastic cream blusher, YSL powders are delicious and MAC's cream blusher is fabulous once you learn how to use it.
I find that pinks and reds suit most people, browns can easily make the face look dirty and dull and are best left for contouring the face.

How to apply?

For cream and fluid use your fingers and apply after foundation, before powdering your face. Dot the area indicates for your face type (see below) and blend in the shape you are following, working upward and outward gently until you have a natural effect.

Powder blusher requires a layer of powder on top of the foundation as if applied on foundation it will end up looking blotchy and will be impossible to blend. Use a large flat(tish) brush. Take some colour with the brush, run it over the back of your hand to remove any excess and apply on face in light circular movements.

In an emergency if there's no rouge available, you can substitute with lipstick used like a cream blusher.

Whichever type you use, always start with a tiny amount and build the colour up from there as it is really hard to remove without ruining the rest of your make up.

Now that you know how to put it on, pull out your face chart from yesterday and follow the instructions for your face shape. (These instructions are exactly as per Mrs Colby)

Oval
Rouge from centre of cheek toward temples, lightly up under the eye.

Round
Put your rouge on the outer portion of cheek, blending it up toward temple and down to darker foundation on jaw.

Pear
Rouge in flattened triangle, down from temple, under outer edge of eye, down to darkened jaw.

Square
Place your rouge in circle under eye, blend it up toward temple, down toward darkened jaw.

Oblong
Blend area in centre of cheeks in a softened circle.

Heart
Put rouge on highest point of cheekbone, shading out to temple and down very lightly.

Diamond
Use a broadened circle on wide cheekbone, not low on cheek.

Marquis
Use a full circle that blends back toward ear, shades down toward jaw.

Whilst we are talking about camouflaging our flaws and enhancing the good bits, here' s more top Hollywood tricks from 1952.

Nose:

-thin line of light foundations along bridge of nose elongates, straightens it into a more classic effect

-smuding some dark foundation under the tip shortens it, lightening the bridge and darkening the sides makes a wide flat nose seem higher and narrower

Chin:
-light brings it forward

-dark on the tip of a long chin cuts it down

-dark under double chin, straight along jaw to earlobe cuts it down

Eyes:

-light under eyes and in the inner corners, hides dark shadows

-light under brow corrects eyes that are too close together

-light in the corner from tear duct to brow brings out sunken eyes

-light in the deep crevice of bottom of eye bag or dark puffy bag itself diminishes this menace


Study and work on your own face right now, perhaps just a dab of light or dark foundation, skillfully blended in will make a great deal of difference in your illusion of beauty. don't let lack of experience rob you of added loveliness