The Best Blush Placement for Each Face Shape, According to a Makeup Artist

Blush is hands-down my favorite makeup product. When I don’t feel like putting on a full face of bronzer and contour, I’ll never skip blush—it brightens, lifts, and adds luminosity to any look. And the key to flushed cheeks isn’t about how much blush you use, it’s actually all about where you put it.

Blush has the power to enhance and accentuate your features in subtle ways. While you can wear it however you like, the most flattering, lifted effect often comes down to your unique bone structure and placement. So, no matter your face shape, there’s a blush technique out there to lift and let your rosy cheeks pop.

I even got exclusive insight from Sofia Tilbury, makeup artist and Global Artistry Director at Charlotte Tilbury (yes, member of that iconic beauty empire—she’s Charlotte Tilbury’s niece), who shared her blush application tips with me. “There are so many ways to use blush to enhance the look of your face shape,” she says. Find the best blush placement for your face shape, plus blush inspo, below.

“For oval-shaped faces, you want to add softness and romance through the cheeks,” explains Tilbury. “So, I like to apply blush onto the apples of the cheeks to accentuate them and balance out the length of the face.” You can also add a bit across the tip of the nose for a full sun-kissed look.

If you have a heart-shaped face, don’t be afraid to bring that blush above the cheeks. “Try applying blush onto the apples of the cheeks, starting slightly lower, then follow a curved, C-shaped motion along the cheekbones and up towards the temples,” Tilbury recommends.

“With a round face, I like to place blush slightly higher on the cheeks to help add definition to facial features,” Tilbury explains. “In line with the outer corners of the eyes, sweep your blush onto the tops of the cheekbones to create a soft lift effect that helps bring the appearance of structure to the face.” This will help elongate round face shapes and give you a more lifted look.

“For square-shaped faces, it’s best to focus your blush on the apples of the cheeks to make them appear rounder,” says Tilbury. “Apply in circular motions before lightly sweeping outwards towards the ears to get a seamless blend.”

While you can use whichever cream, liquid, or powder blush your heart desires, here are some of Cosmo’s favorites that are super easy to blend out and create a glamorous blush look.

• Sofia Schwarzkopf-Tilbury is the global artistry director and brand muse at Charlotte Tilbury. Aside from helping create award-winning products, she’s a makeup artist whose clients include Demi Moore, Gigi Hadid, and more.

Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about all the best makeup products and trends. As a blush-obsessed beauty editor, she wanted to find the best blush placement for each face shape, so she tapped MUA Sofia Tilbury and spent hours finding the best blush inspo.