The Best Blushes According to Your Skin’s Undertones

Blush is tricky. But before you can even contemplate applying it, finding a shade that actually compliments your skin tone is the first step. Unfortunately, the spectrum of blush colors is practically never-ending, making it pretty difficult to find just one on the first try. What most of us tend to forget is that knowing your undertone is the key to avoiding a lot of trial and error. As we’ve discussed before, our skin has two layers: the one we usually describing ourselves as having, and a less visible one underneath the skin’s surface.

MORE: How to Figure Out if You Have Cool or Warm Undertones

The latter-typically categorized as warm, cool or neutral (a combo of the first two)- is what determines which colors look most natural on our face.  There are a number of ways to determine which of the three you fall under, like checking the color of your veins and eyes. But when all else fails, go straight to an expert. Renny Vasquez, a pro makeup artist with A-list clientele, makes a careful assessment of undertones before grabbing his makeup brushes.

MORE: The 9 Best Drugstore Blushes Under $11 

“I assess the skin tone (cool, medium or warm) and based on the undertones that create a cool, medium or warm skin tone, I knows the hue of blush they need,” he says. “For example, warm tones have peachy, yellow and golden undertones, so you’ll need blushes that bring out those colors. Cool skin has more pink undertones, so you apply the same philosophy.”

With that being said, check out his top blush picks according to the most common undertone combinations.