6 days ago
How French women over 50 wear blusher
Every May, the red carpet appearances at Cannes Film Festival get starrier and starrier: from Tom Cruise's controversially swishy hair to Andie MacDowell's tailored-to-perfection suit, there are often bolder choices for dressing on le rouge carpet in the French Riviera than at the Golden Globes or Oscars.
Then there are the appearances from public figures such as France's former first lady Carla Bruni, who never fails to look impeccably well put together and glamorous, much like the Emily in Paris actor Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (her colour-blocking Saint Laurent dress for the premiere of Nouvelle Vague was a lesson in elegant, show-stopping style).
But much besides the eye-catching outfits and accessories, there's something about how French women wear make-up that really stands out. 'It's style before statement with French women,' the 69-year-old make-up artist Terry de Gunzburg, who holidays with the likes of French actor Isabelle Huppert, tells me. (If there's one woman who knows about the enduring appeal and the certain je ne sais quoi of French beauty, it's de Gunzburg – her beauty range By Terry is sold at Space NK.)
Much of this comes down to how they wear blusher. 'French women do wear blush a little differently,' she explains. 'At the heart of the French look is an intimate relationship with skin – the complexion tends to look skin-like, healthy, radiant, and a little 'undone'.' French women, she tells me, 'wear blush not just to add colour, but to revive life in the complexion, as if they've just been on a bracing walk along the Seine'.
From Bruni's raspberry blush to Leroy-Beaulieu's soft coral, there are some shades that are flattering on all skin tones. The trick to mastering 'French' blush is to pick a colour that has a touch of pink in it, says de Gunzburg. 'I always think that pinks add dimension and light into the skin,' she explains. 'In my formulas, even when I'm making the perfect beige eyeshadow, I'll ensure there's a touch of pink in there because it just brings more life into the colour.'
Don't know which shade to pick? 'Pinch your cheek and see what colour it brings out, because that will be the colour that suits you most accurately,' she says. Failing that, there is a fancier way to check, according to the make-up artist. 'A glass of Champagne can also bring out a flush that's naturally very you.' I expect this is how they check at Cannes.
Then there's the texture; while the past five years have seen a big trend for creamy, liquid or glossy blushers, powder blushers are back on the agenda. 'With the right powder formula, you can achieve the classic Parisian look with even less effort,' says de Gunzburg. Rather than looking cakey or flat on the skin like the powder blushers you may have used in the 1980s or 1990s, powder formulas nowadays are much finer and smoother.
Ditch the brush, too. 'You might find that applying blush with a brush is giving too much of a precise shape – I don't like to be able to see where the blush starts and finishes,' says de Gunzburg. The French look, apparently, isn't as sculpted as that. Instead, using your fingers to tap the powder into the apples of the cheeks and gently across the bridge of the nose looks more 'alive'.
Finally, don't skip setting spray; it may seem like an unnecessary step for a make-up look that's designed to appear effortless, but, says de Gunzburg, 'for French women, this is less about keeping things in place, and more about fusing everything together and softening the edges. Just a few quick spritzes really add to the fresh, flushed radiance of the French woman.'
Three favourites...
Make Me Blush Bold Blurring Blush in Peachy Nude by YSL Beauty, £39, John Lewis
This is the best launch from YSL Beauty in years; soft and blurring on skin, it lasts all day. Peachy Nude is a flattering coral that's beautiful on medium tones.
Tea To Tan Blush Powder in Rosy Romance by By Terry, £45, Space NK
This gives a very fine, natural finish. The formula contains cranberry oil and shea butter to smooth skin, and the rosy tone is the most universal pink around.
Color Fuse Powder Blush in French Rosette by Haus Labs, £28, Sephora
If you're unfamiliar with Haus Labs, it's Lady Gaga's impressive make-up range. Made talc-free, this gives the finish of a cream with the lasting power of a powder. A little goes a long way, too.
