If I could wiggle my nose like Samantha on Bewitched, I would create the perfect blush palette I had envisioned. But since I am not a witch nor do I have the funds to start my own line; I chose colors from Ben Nye instead.
Why choose Ben Nye? For one it is a very dependable line meaning it won't discontinue a color or make some limited edition color just because. It is also a line which caters to the theatrical part of entertainment. This means colors have to be more saturated than the usual cosmetic brands. More saturation means great for ethnic skin.
These are the blush colors I chose from the Ben Nye line to correspond with the Fab Four Blush colors.
Amber blush, admittedly is not a very popular blush especially when it comes to the usual cosmetic counter brands. As for pro brands, there are variations. Either it will lean towards a peach base or a slightly golden brown base. Both of these are good.
From Ben Nye ($10 USD), I chose the blushes in Natural and Golden Amber. The Natural blush is a great blush for pale faces. I wouldn't call it a nude blush, nor is it a bronzer. It lies somewhere in between. Golden Amber is a bit more on the brown side and can be used as a light contour color.
For the peach blush, Nectar Peach which is pretty self explanatory. A perfect blush for that warm peach glow. For a glow of soft warmth with some flush (peach-pink), Vintage Rose is a good one. For pink, Pink Bliss is pink and soft.
For the darker complexions, the colors have to be more saturated to really work with the tones.
Variations of these blushes are in every line but like I said, Ben Nye has a good collection from the theatrical side which works great on darker skin tones because of the high concentration of color. There is less fading and oxidation.
For the brandy blush or what is somewhat a neutral warm blush for dark tones, Ben Nye Latte would work. The darker version of Natural. For version of the burnt orange and some good lasting color, Ben Nye Dark Tech brings a great warm glow to the darkest skin tones.
For a the mix of warm and rose shown in flamed rose, I would recommend Ben Nye Desert Coral. The warmth, depth, and a coral glow perfect for dark skin. For the wineberry blush, I suggest the deepness plum wine in Ben Nye Wild Orchid.
These are just a few of my suggestions from the Ben Nye line. Again, I chose this line because the colors will work and look true on the skin. For some of you, you may be used to buying blush just by "pan appeal" (how it looks when the department store lights shine so deviously pretty on it), and the Ben Nye blushes may not look right. Ignore your eyes for that second and just apply and see the results at the end of the day, you blush will still look as refreshed when you started your day.
Ben Nye can be found at theatrical and pro beauty sites. Another great point is the blush is very affordable at about $10 (USD) and they are housed in huge deep pans which will probably last you about 3 years!
Hope this helped some of you.
