I don't know about you, but one of the earliest makeup tips I ever learned was to smile when you're putting on blush so you can apply it to the elusive apples of your cheeks. I never questioned it (even though I was never entirely sure where that apple was supposed to be), and it has followed me through more than three decades of wearing makeup. But makeup artist Kiki G. just made me realise that I should stop doing that at once — especially now that I'm noticing the inevitable effects of gravity on my face.
Kiki, who has an Instagram and TikTok makeup-tip series called, “But Why Tho?” recently shared advice that has instantaneously and forever changed the way I apply blush.
She starts the video sternly pointing to the camera and saying, “Don't smile…” and then softens up to qualify the command with, “when you put on blush.”
Kiki places their finger squarely on their cheek. “I'm gonna smile. It goes up. And I'm gonna relax. It goes back down,” they demonstrate. It's not rocket surgery. But it makes what she says next a game-changing epiphany: “This means your blush placement's actually going to be lower than it was while you were applying it.”
And guess that that means: “Lower blush placement moves people's eyes in a downward direction when they look at you, which causes a drooping effect — I'm guessing not what you were going for,” Kiki says. “Also, as we age, we get wrinkles. Nothing wrong with them, but I'm guessing you don't want to mark them into place with your blush, which is what happens when you smile, cause wrinkles, apply your blush, relax your face, and then you have spacing in-between.”
What should you do instead? Use your fingers where your cheekbone protrudes. “Then, with your face as cold and stony as your soul, just apply right to that highest point and then softly blend out the edges,” Kiki says, using their own Salt New York Lip + Cheek Crème Tint Pro in Rose, a cream formula, but they tell Allure the tip rings true whether you're using powder, liquid, etc. “This works so well because you're using your own bone structure, which means it's always going to be a perfect placement for your face."
Watch Kiki explain to have your mind blown — and your blush be uplifting.
@kikiandthejets Explaining why smiling when you put on blush is at best pointless and as worst detrimental in today’s mini ep of 🧐 BUT WHY THO? What should I break down next? #makeuphack #blush #beautytok #butwhytho ♬ original sound - Kiki G.
Originally published on Allure.
