I used to be scared of blush. I loved when makeup artists used it on me, but whenever I tried to use it on myself I would freak myself out. There definitely is such a thing as too much blush, and when you see it, it’s undeniable. Growing up around Aunty (name redacted) laid the foundation for my fear. She wore her blush in two thick stripes like war paint. It took a little bravery and a lot of trial and error to figure out how to use blush and bronzer, but once I did there was no looking back. Now my look feels incomplete if I’m not wearing a beautiful blush on my cheeks and bronzer in a 3 formation like Sam Fine taught us all.
I love a peachy pinky gold blush on myself most of all, and I’m learning to work with bolder blushes and deeper bronzers. For an ultimate guide to which blushes would best compliment brown skin and dark skin tones, I reached out to my MAC insider and go-to Los Angeles makeup artist Nicole Evans (@NicoleEvansMUA). She did such a great job with the 25 Best MAC Lipsticks for Women of Color, I had to ask for her top picks for blushes for her kit, and for every woman of color who wants beautiful blush on the apples of her cheeks. These are her best blush selections for dark skin tones, from brands like MAC and NARS. Take it away, Nicole!
Petal Power another mineralize blush that is a coral pink with golden shimmer running through it. This shade gives the skin such a beautiful flush and the golden shimmer really highlights the skin, giving it a natural radiance. 5 MAC blushes for medium skin swatches top to bottom: Petal Power, Warm Soul, Breath of Plum, Gingerly, Melba.
For deep skin tones, try Powder Blush in Fever for an everyday reddish-burgundy flush. For deep-to-medium skin tones, Powder Blush in Peaches is your ultimate go-to for natural-looking colour. For medium-to-light skin tones, you’ll reach for the soft coral-peach of Powder Blush in Melba again and again.
I love blushes! They bring so much expression to any makeup look. The following is a shortlist of blushes/cheek colors that I highly recommend for dark skin. But trust me, there are many more that I love! In no particular order:
MAC Motif(eyeshadow, doubles as a beautiful blush)
MAC Pink Bronze Pigment
Suitable for medium-dark skin tone. Breath of Plum – Popular MAC Blushes You Should Totally Try MAC Breath of Plum. This is a light plum mauvy shade that is will look good on any occasion. It has a sheer finish, so you can build more if required. Best suited for medium skin tone. MAC Warm Soul Blush – Popular MAC Blushes You Should Totally Try.
10 is such a hard number to stop at…here are a few more that I couldn’t not let you know about:
MAC Hot Paprika(longwear eyeshadow doubles as a gorgeous dimensional blush!)
Don’t forget the PRO colors!
Mac Blush For Medium Dark Skin
Best Mac Blush For Dark Skin
Then there’s NARS Exhibit A
…I’ll stop there, but I know I could list more. Enjoy!
Best Mac Blush For Dark Skin
Thanks for your recommendations Nicole Evans!! You can follow her on Twitter @NicoleEvansMUA. See any of your favorite blushes, or blush that’s been on your radar?