I love the way my face looks after my morning workout -- flushed and healthy. If only that would last all day. But my beauty team recently clued me in to a way to extend the glow: I’ve started using a cheek stain instead of cream or powder blush. It’s very sheer, which I like, and the pigments are in a water base, not a creamy one, which helps it stick to my skin. It stays put for hours, plus it looks very natural.

At first I was skeptical about using a stain, after all, it stains you, which I don’t think of as a good thing! But moisturizing first prevents a color overdose: Make a big, cheesy smile in the mirror and rub a pea-sized drop of moisturizer onto the apples of your cheeks. Still grinning, dab a bit of stain on your pointer finger, then onto the moisturized zone. Rub it around to blend. (Work quickly—stain dries fast.)

To really wake up your face, your blush should contrast with your skin, not fade into it, so skip the brownish neutrals. If you’re fair, try corals, peaches and pinks. (I like peach.) If your skin is olive or dark, go with plum and berry shades. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Want more from Lucy?
Subscribe to Self Magazine today and get two years for the price of one.

No time? No problem!
SELF Magazine's 15 Minutes to Your Best Self is packed with 573 easy, time-saving tips and tricks that you can do in under 15 minutes! Buy it now.