Coming Up Rosy: Blushes to liven up even the dullest winter skin

by Heather Bouzan, 01-08-2008

You'll be listening to your friends' "oohs" and "ahhs" from the moment you pull Guerlain's Divinora Bubble Blush ($38) from your makeup case - and that's before they realize how smashing it looks on your skin. With a texture like a foamy mousse, the rouge smoothes on easily for a light, velvety finish. And it only takes a touch to achieve the glow you're going for. Pick up one in every shade at Saks Fifth Avenue (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.8500).

Since the mid-winter fake bake can be all too obvious (c'mon, you're not fooling anyone with your "weekend in the tropics" story), we suggest achieving that rosy, slightly sun-kissed look with Blush Patrol ($50) from Napoleon Perdis, available at Sephora (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200). Part of the brand's Patrol Range capsule collection (it's all about the military-inspired packaging), the double-duty blush and bronzer comprises three complementary, swirled-together shades that can be applied wet or dry. A subtle shimmer enhances the highlighting effect, and Vitamin E nourishes dried-out skin.

Space in our everyday bag is prime real estate - we just don't have the square footage to house both our daytime and nighttime cosmetics. Luckily, Vincent Longo has included two coordinating cheek colors in his easy-to-tote Day Play Duo Compact Powder Blush ($35). "Day," a subtler shade, enhances your natural flush, while "play" can be applied pre-party to contour and add drama. With a formula that's creamy, not cakey, the shades blend and layer nicely. The compact also contains a mini mirror for easy application. Get it at www.vincentlongo.com.

When it comes to beauty, the veteran lines are often the most reliable. We've long trusted Lancôme to keep us looking lovely, and the brand's Color Design Blush ($26) is no exception. The cream blush is über-blendable, thanks to tiny smoothing beads, and it stands up to long wear. Available in shimmery highlighters like "Model Mocha" and "Freeze Frame," as well as richer shades such as "Retro Rouge," the product is a professional makeup artist favorite. And call us easily amused, but we love the futuristic slide-up top, too. Find the line locally at Macy's (450 Washington Street, Boston, 617.357.3000).

We're big fans of smoothing on makeup with our fingers. Brushes can be pricy, and the heat from our skin helps with better blending. But we could do without the rosy stains that seem to linger far longer on our fingertips than on our face. Makeup artist Laura Geller must've been reading our mind when she developed her Cheek Sweeps ($29), now on shelves at Sephora. Designed to fit in the palm of the hand, the creamy orbs - sold as a duo of "Primrose Pop" (a berry-brown) and "Peach Pop" (a peachy sheer) - glide across cheekbones sans any sort of applicator, lending skin a healthy flush.

Very rarely is our cheek color as simple as a single shade. We find that rosy hues are made for layering, and Bronzerush ($35) by DuWop is the ideal tool. Available at www.shop.duwop.com, the sleek gold palette contains a powdery bronzer paired with a gel-based blush, both versatile shades that work well on most skin tones. Meant to suggest that the wearer has sunbathed under more than just the fluorescent lights of her workplace, the former infuses pallid skin with a bit of bronze, while the latter adds a cheery pop of color to cheekbones. @