Blushing: How to Get Glowing Again
As we get older, skin often becomes more sallow. But no one has to know. Properly selected and applied, blusher can help mature skin recapture the rosiness of youth.

Most flattering formulation: Blushers come in cream, powder, and cream powder formulations. Cream formulations, such as Revlon Colorstay Cheekcolor (which comes with a sponge rather than a brush), or creampowder blushers are most flattering to dry or mature skin. "Powder blushers accentuate lines and wrinkles," says Milek. For sheer, "barely there" color, try a gel, such as Origins Pinch Your Cheeks (available in some department stores).

Can't go wrong colors: Warm shades of blush that contain more yellow than red are more forgiving of mature skin. "Virtually any woman looks beautiful in warm shades of peach and pink," Milek says.

If you have gray hair, use shades of pink, rose, plum, or mauve. "They complement gray hair beautifully, no matter what your skin tone," says Geller.

Perfect application: If you need to minimize lines and wrinkles, apply blusher to the apples of your cheeks only, says Geller. (To find this point, smile broadly, then find the swell with your fingers.)

To apply cream blusher, place a dime size dot on each cheek with a finger or a cosmetic sponge, says Geller. Then blend, wiping off excess color with a piece of tissue or a cotton square. To apply cream powder blusher, touch the bristles of the brush to the product, tap off the excess color, and apply lightly. Blend until you can't see where the color begins or ends.

Tips and tricks:While powder blushers are beautiful, many contain intense pigment and end up looking too dark, says Milek. To tone down the color of your favorite powder blush, dip your blusher brush into a little loose powder (baby powder is fine), then apply the blusher itself.