The bold cheek is a slippery slope: one minute you’re high fashion, the next you’re being branded a walking don’t while references to Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love are heard echoing throughout the office. But worry not, it’s possible to avoid the nearly inevitable 80s comparisons with a few simple steps that will keep you looking modern (and not dated): here’s how to boast bold cheeks.
Step 1: Shade
The secret behind every pivotal makeup trend is to align your natural skin tone with the rest of your colour palette. Why? Because most skin tones aren’t interchangeable when it comes to blush, foundation or powder “ they won’t work with every shade no matter how in one colour may seem. Thus, if you’re hoping to embark upon the bold cheek trend, play around with tones to make sure that you’re selecting one that works perfectly with your natural skin tone. True, fuchsia blush is far from natural, but paired with a porcelain complexion, your face will stand out in a positive way.
Step 2: Type
We’ve come a long way from the days of blush being confined to a single square that requires the use of a mini-brush, and while that option still exists, 2011 fortunately offers alternatives. If you’re more comfortable with blush-in-powder-form, opt for a brand that contains a hint of glimmer “ that way, you can maintain a dewy complexion that works perfectly for both spring and summer. However, blush cré¨mes are quickly rising in ranks of popularity, and unlike powder that requires a middle-man (read: brush), cré¨me needs only your fingers to blend in the way that you want. Fortunately, each come in a variety of colours, so you’ve got your pick of oranges, pinks and reds.
Step 3: Blend
An art when it comes to makeup application, blending is crucial in showcasing a bold cheek “ especially since it’s the lack of streaks that differentiate the 1980s from the 2010s. If you’re using a brush, sweep downward from the middle of your ear to the tip of your nose, and smile afterwards to make sure your cheekbones are highlighted the way that you want. If you’re using a cré¨me, make sure to blend with a capital B. Luckily, the consistency of product should make blending easy, but regardless of temptation, stick to highlighting your cheekbones “ that way, it doesn’t look like you’ve been overexposed to sun.
Step 4: Balance
Like any makeup trend, it’s important to balance the rest of your look with the colour you’ve chosen “ especially since bold cheeks require something else to anchor them. Red lips can highlight pinks if you’ve opted for a fuchsia shade, while a nude lip works perfectly alongside a peachy or an orangey tone. As for the eyes? Luckily, you’re free to have fun: because a bold cheek can go either way (dramatic or the opposite), a smoky eye will dress up your look, while a brown or neutral-based shadow will further propel the English rose vibe.
