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Summer is almost here and the race is on to find the perfect blush. For those of us with pale skin though, this can be pretty difficult. There’s a very fine line between being sun-kissed and sunburned, and a good blusher can make or break it. With fair skin, you’ll want to go for blushes that are vivid, but still natural looking. So, to help you out here are some of my favourite options!
Side note: I’ve split this list into drugstore and high end brands, just to make it easier for you to find a blush that fits your price range.
Which blush shade works best on fair skin?
In general, most makeup artists suggest rosy pink or peachy shades for pale skin tones. If you have cool undertones you might find that pink blushes complement you best. Likewise, if you have warm undertones peachy blushes are going to look the most natural.
There’s a lot of room for play here though so I wouldn’t get too hung up on it! I would say I have cool undertones, yet I still love wearing a peach blusher every now and again. Plus, you can find loads of blushes that are the perfect pinky-peachy combination – just like some of the ones in the list below!
Drugstore blush options:
1. By Beauty Bay Powder Blusher in Blossom
If you’re looking for an affordable drugstore blush for the summer, this is it. The By Beauty Bay Powder Blusher is a great addition to any makeup kit and it looks so natural on pale skin tones. It’s described as a ‘soft pink with a golden sheen’, which I think encapsulates it perfectly. The gold glitter in it is so fine that, at times, it does look like more of a pinkish highlighter.
If you like your blushes to be shiny and luminous, this one’s calling your name!
2. BH Cosmetics Flower Power Blush Palette
The BH Cosmetics Flower Power Blush Palette is criminally underrated – it deserves way more hype! You get four shades in this set, although Chill Out and Kicked are definitely the most suited blushes for fair skin. Tbh, even if you were only using two of out of the four I still think it’s amazing value. For £10.50 you can’t go wrong.
Each colour is pretty pigmented so you don’t need to build too much. There is quite a bit of kickback, however, this doesn’t cause any issues with application – it actually brushes onto the skin quite well!
3. Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
If you like Nars Orgasm, you’re going to love the Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink. It’s not quite a dupe, but it’s pretty close to it. Both have a pinky-peachy base with specs of glitter running throughout. The main difference with the Milani blush is that the shimmer is silver rather than gold.
The colour payoff with this product is amazing so it’s best to apply it with a light hand. I find that a gentle swipe is enough to get a nice rosy glow.
4. Ofra Pressed Blush in Candy Apple
If you prefer matte blushes to ultra shimmery ones, Ofra’s Candy Apple is the way to go. It’s still got that glow factor, I would just say that it’s more muted and understated.
This product is extremely blendable and what’s really interesting is that Ofra claims you can apply this with a wet brush too. I’m yet to try this approach, but I’d be really intrigued to see if it makes any difference to the way the product sits on the skin.
High end blush options
1. Glossier Cloud Paint in Puff and Beam
Glossier Cloud Paints are so good I couldn’t pick just one shade. I’ve sampled quite a few and I can hands down say that the ones I liked best on my fair skin were Puff and Beam. Puff is a bright pink shade and Beam is on more of the soft peach side of the spectrum.
The colour can look quite intense when you first squeeze the product out of the tube. As you start to pat it into your cheeks though, you realise it’s actually quite easy to diffuse. The great thing about cream blushes is that they’re a lot more blendable than their powder counterparts.
2. Benefit GALifornia
GALifornia is the blush that I probably wear most often. The top layer is where all the shimmer lies, so expect the first few uses to be quite gold and glittery. But once you get past that the amount of glow is actually quite subtle.
The blusher itself is pinky-peach in colour which I think looks super natural on pale skin. It’s not intensely pigmented but can be easily built up. In fact, there have been times when I’ve overdone it and had to go back and blend it in! Luckily, it’s pretty easy to fix.
It also smells amazing – if you like scented products you’re going to love this. I don’t know why but the combination of vanilla and grapefruit gives me instant summer holiday vibes.
3. Nars Orgasm
Nars Orgasm has been one of my favourites for years. It’s the perfect pale pink shade that contains just the slightest hint of peach. I’d actually say it’s very similar to Benefit’s GALifornia blush, it’s just that the gold glitter in Orgasm is much more noticeable on the face.
This blush stays on for hours and the colour payoff is great. My only criticism is that it does break up quite a bit in the case, so I end up finding glitter everywhere!
4. Charlotte Tilbury Cheek To Chic in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury products are my weakness … seriously, I haven’t come across one that I haven’t liked! And the blush range is no exception, Pillow Talk is a definite winner. The finish of it is so natural and radiant. It really does look like your skin but better!
Of course, this product is on the pricier side. But it does last quite a while so I would say that it’s worth the money.
What are your favourite blushes for fair skin? Let me know in the comments.
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