How to Wear Blush Without Looking Like a Clown Apply it like a pro. Shutterstock

This article was written by Amber Katz and repurposed with permission from Refinery29.

Bright blush is the simplest way to transition your makeup look to a spring- and summer-appropriate version of sultry in a flash. But because it’s easy to be too heavy-handed with it—or worse, look like a time-traveling Dynasty extra as a result of sweeping it all the way up to the ears—we scored the scoop from some of our favorite makeup artists on how to make it breezy-beautiful. 

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Follow these ravishing rouge tips, and no one will think you just emerged from a microscopic clown car.

“Use a synthetic brush for cream and a natural one for powder,” advises makeup artist and brand founder Sonia Kashuk. “The more dense the brush, the stronger the application: Denser bristles will deliver more color.” Pair a natural brush with a swipe of ColourPop in More Please ($8, colourpop.com) for a long-lasting effect.

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Everyone knows that Britney Spears is the pop princess of the modern age, but it’s indisputable that the pop-of-color princess is one Ms. Bobbi Brown. Her signature statement is bright cheeks, and Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Calypso Coral ($27, sephora.com) is a vivid take on the look.

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“I love cream blush when wearing bright shades,” says makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci. “You can achieve that major pop but still see the skin underneath, which makes it both modern and wearable.” A diaphanous formula to try: Flower Beauty Transforming Touch Powder-To-Creme Blush ($13, walmart.com).

Click HERE for even more makeup artist tips for using blush from Refinery29!