These creators aren’t looking to recreate a natural flush with blush so much as they are looking to play around with color and placement. Wearing unconventional colors isn’t as hard or as intimidating as it looks; a decent knowledge of color theory will take you a long way. 

Makeup artist Marie Bruce tells Allure she likes to reach for complimentary colors when applying blush. “I take into consideration my client’s hair color, skin tone, and what we’ve already done on the eyes,” she shares. “The latter because I love nothing more than blending the eye shadow into the blush and connecting them in a way that makes my heart sing.” For example, orange, red, and yellow are complementary colors to one another, as are blue, purple, and pink. 

Makeup artist Danessa Myricks, on the other hand, recommends playing around with contrasting colors. “Try using an opposite shade of what you’re wearing or something contrasting your skin tone or hair color. For example, if you have a cool skin tone, try a warm bright blush,” she shares.