Three lipstick and blush dream teams that work

I do have my makeup routines. I guess everyone has. The looks that always work, the fallback looks when you’re feeling crap or if you’ve got 10 minutes left. And then you break out of your routine, and start to wonder – does this new lipstick work with this look? How about this blush, does it work? How to pair lips and cheeks, dammit?

I still have that, although I’ve been doing my makeup for about, well, 20 years? But nevertheless, from time to time, we all struggle. Here’re my failsafe colour and product combos that always, always work. Trust me. The products I chose are just example for possible colour combos – feel free to exchange them with your own!

The statement look – Red lipstick with a nude/brown blush

MAC Audacious is one of my brightest reds. It practically glows neon red on my pale face, especially in winter. Even more important, then, to balance my face with a blush that gives dimension to my features, but not competing with the lipstick. Enter my nude blushes, in this case, Clinique’s Black Honey powder blusher. (Also nice: Chanel Accent, MAC Prim & Proper, MAC The Perfect Cheek, MAC Blushbaby, MAC Harmony.) A light bronzer would work as well with this look, and it’s especially nice in summer. Never ever go without blush, though – your face will look like a mask with red lips.

If you’re especially daring, though, try to go for a red blush that compliments the lipstick and dust (dust! Lightly!) it over your cheekbones. Go for something like Frankly Scarlet (MAC) or Rouge (Chanel). For all other days, though, go with a nude blush that works on your skintone and that balances your features. Nude + Red also works nicely because it’s totally easy to choose an eye look with that: Anything goes. Smokey, heavy, liner, nude… Whatever. I just wouldn’t choose bright colours that compete with the red lips. And honestly, that high fashion runway look (red lips, bare face) only works on models. And young girls. Who are models. Trust me.

The spring-y look – Purple lipstick with a peach blush

Yes, really. I especially like a purple look on the eyes, peach blush and a purple lipstick. But this works amazingly well no matter how intense the purple, how cool or warm or saturated the purple – whatever! The warmth of the peach also offsets the purple really nicely. I especially like that in spring and do it very, very often.

The lipstick I chose here it a ‘beginners’ purple, quite light and a bit berry (Guerlain’s Plum-Brella), the blush is MAC’s Lured to Love (sadly LE – love the mineralize formula!). Again, you can substitute both lipstick and blush – other blush options from my stash are, for example, Clinique peach pop or MAC Legendary.

The youthful look – Pink lipstick with a pink blush

This is the essential girly look, but no matter whether your 16 or 46 you can easily wear this, because it’s just that – easy. You can play around with it a lot – do you like your statement lip? Go with a matte magenta lip and a light, luminous pink blush (Hourglass Ethereal Glow, or Chanel Rose Initiale, Burberry Cameo). Is there a pink lipgloss always in your bag? Go and offset that glossy, girly lip with stronger, deeper blush (Nars Desire). Keep your eyes simple to keep the look easy and girly, and done!

For my example I chose MAC’s Good Kisser (matte and LE), a rather warm, deep pink, and one of my absolute favourite blushes from Burberry, the warm pink ‘Cameo’.

Easy, right? Three colour combinations that always, always work. Success!