The smart blusher placement trick Cindy Crawford uses for glow and 'lift'

Cindy Crawford has shared her go-to blush and how to apply it for perfectly rosy, sculpted cheeks - naturally, it's a nod to the '90s...

Cindy Crawford is pictured wearing blush and a black dress whilst attending the Clooney Foundation For Justice Inaugural Albie Awards at New York Public Library on September 29, 2022 in New York City/ in a pink watercolour paint-style template
(Image credit: Getty Images/Dimitrios Kambouris)

Offering some much-appreciated makeup pointers, Cindy Crawford's blush and choice of placement are almost as iconic as the model herself...

While the best cream blushers have been stealing the spotlight of late - beloved for their ease and dewy finish - we're firm believers that matte and powder formulas still have their place in our makeup bags. This is a sentiment clearly shared by Cindy Crawford, who, as it turns out, is a fan of one very famous pressed formula. Sharing her go-to routine for achieving modern '90s makeup, the model also let slip her preferred blush placement and naturally, it's as classic as her choice of product.

So, if you require some blush-related tutelage, here's exactly how Crawford achieves her everyday, sunkissed radiance as well as a smart tip for a 'lifted' look.

The classic blush and placement Cindy Crawford uses for subtly rosy cheeks

If you're familiar with '90s makeup, you'll know that the preferred formula was matte, matte and more matte. And while we've seen a shift towards dewier alternatives in recent years - like that of the best serum foundations and cream bronzers - there's still a time and place for satiny powders and soft-focus finishes. This is especially true for those with oiler skin types wanting to avoid excess shine.

If you find yourself in the market for one such powder product, Cindy Crawford's makeup routine is a good source of inspiration, as she revealed to Allure that she uses Charlotte Tilbury's Cheek to Chic blush in the shade Pillow Talk, to achieve a '90s-esque blush look.

Cheek to Chic is a powder blush that features a ring of matte colour with a shimmer shade at its centre to create a radiant, sunkissed finish. In the video, however, Crawford avoids the pearlescent core as she says this will make her '90s-inspired makeup, "too modern." Instead, she takes the outer blush shade and applies it with her foundation brush.

As for where she puts it, Crawford said that she learned to apply blush by the classic method of smiling and buffing it into the accentuated apples of her cheeks.

"I kind of like it right on the apples," she quipped but added that you can also blend your blush along your cheekbones for more of a "lift". Another easy trick worth noting is that she blows on her brush before patting it into her cheeks, to remove any excess powder. Simple, but effective.

Naomi Jamieson
Digital Beauty Writer

Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer from woman&home, where she covers everything from skincare to fragrance but specialises, particularly, in makeup and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi gets to share her trend expertise and share her own shopping recommendations and product reviews. Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products. 

Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing. Now, when she isn’t reporting on the best perfumes and latest beauty releases, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping...