Ambika’s Top 10 Blushes

If there’s one person I turn to for makeup advice its Ambika Muttoo. In a world full of beauty wannabes Ambika is the real deal. She knows every niche brand there is, plus the budget options, plus the ultra luxurious loot, and more.

So when someone asked me on Instagram to do a post on blush ons, I thought of her immediately. Here’s her list:

Words by Ambika:

1.

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush in BittersweetIn the pan, this blush looks like a bright purple, but don’t be fooled. It translates into a gorgeous, pigmented orchid once applied, so go ahead and sweep it onto the apples of your cheeks.

2.

Maybelline Cheeky Glow in Peachy Sweetie
This colour makes you look prettily flushed, stays put and won’t break your bank balance. No wonder it’s always sold out.

3.

Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta — Golden Fuchsia
This is like the best blush-illuminator hybrid you’ll ever find. These products capture light in a way that’ll make you look like a movie star from the golden years of Hollywood.

4.

Kevyn Aucoin, The Creamy Glow in Euphoria
It’s a cream-to-powder formula, and you need to use just a tiny amount to achieve an even, diffused finish. This colour is a lovely, daytime apricot-rose.

5.

Jouer Tint Lip & Cheek Colour in Orchid
It blends beautifully and looks just as nice on your cheeks as it will on your lips. Orchid’s a petal pink, but if you want to vamp things up, reach for Dahlia which is a rich, but sheer plum.

6.

YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush in Rouge Effronte
I adore lip-to-cheek products. The colours are buildable so use a tiny amount for a stain effect or a couple of coats for a block of colour. Rouge Effronte, is the perfect bright pink in the bottle, but applies as a wash of pink on the cheeks.

7.

NARS Multiple in Copacabana
Another multi-purpose product, but I use Copacabana just for my cheeks (it’s too light for my lips). It’s a cult shade; a pale pink, glistening with silver pearls. It functions as a highlighter of sorts and makes you look like you’ve been frolicking on the beach all day.

8.

Shu Umuera Tint in Gelato Lip and Cheek Colour in CR02, Momo Sweet
Sleek packaging and a mousse-like, lightweight texture, this product will have your cheeks looking dewy, soft and radiant. I’m a big fan of the brand and have starting hoarding these. Remember, while they look really pigmented in the tube, the colours can be customised according to how heavy a hand you use.

9.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop   Plum Pop translates into a sexy raspberry, but I also have my eye on Fig Pop — a deep orange-coral with subtle gold microshimmer.

10.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush AND Cheek Stain
Both excellent products and I really can’t decide which one I like better. Dot and blend the cheek stains for dewy, sheer colour (I like Natural Beauty — sheer rosy red). They also have acai and goji berry extracts so they’re very moisturising. The Amazonian clay in the other range make them extremely soft on the skin and anti-oxidising. I especially love Charisma, a warm golden apricot that almost doubles as a light bronzer.