How to Wear Burgundy Blush: Two Looks with KASH x Charleen

Burgundy blush looks intimidating on the shelf. Then you blend it out, and it's the most flattering flush you'll wear all season.

 

The star of today's blog post is the KASH Beauty x Charleen Skin Glaze in the shade ‘Heated’. It's a rich oxblood liquid that works as both a bronzer and a blush, so one tube gives you a cool-girl cheek and a sculpted one. KASH Beauty was founded in 2019 by beauty influencer Keilidh Cashell, and this shade comes from the latest Charleen Murphy collab. It's also vegan and cruelty-free… check, check & double check.

Before You Start: Meet Heated

The dark colour in a pot can fool you. Heated is a liquid glaze, so it melts into the skin

rather than sitting on top. The formula is lightweight, buildable and blendable, which means you control the intensity. Start with a pea-sized amount and add more until you love it. 

Your fingers or a sculpting sponge are your best tools, and the sponge gives the softest edges.

You can wear it over bare skin or over foundation.

Deeper skin tones will see a rich, wine-stained pigment straight away. Fair and light skin tones will get a sheer berry wash, so build slowly.

 

Look 1: The Bitten-Cheek Flush

This is your everyday look, the one you reach for when you want to look like yourself on a really good skin day. Think rosy cheeks after a brisk walk, it gives your face some life without the obvious "makeup" effect.

It's also the easiest way to get comfortable with a deep shade like Heated. A little goes a long way, so you can play with how much colour you want before trying anything bolder. It works across skin tones too. On deeper complexions, the oxblood shows up as a rich, velvety stain, and on fair or light skin it softens into a sheer berry flush.

Start with skin prep you like, or a light base if you prefer coverage.

Dot a very small amount of Heated on the high points of your cheeks. The formula is designed to be applied to the high points of the cheeks and blended with a sculpting sponge or fingers, using soft tapping motions. 

Tap outwards and upwards, staying away from the centre of your face. A little on the bridge of the nose gives a windswept effect.

Stop when it looks like your skin is blushing from within. Resist the urge to keep going.

Finish with a nude lip and a swipe of mascara. It's a five-minute face that suits basically any occasion, from the school run to Sunday brunch.

Look 2: The Sculpted Evening Glow

Same product, more drama. Because Heated doubles as a bronzer, you can use it to add shape as well as colour. When the lights go down and the plans go up, this is the version that gives your cheekbones a little extra definition and a warm, lit-from-within finish.

The technique is the same soft tapping you used in Look 1. This time you place the colour a bit lower and build it up in layers. Because the glaze stays glossy and blendable, the depth looks like real dimension on the skin.

Blend a slightly bigger amount from the top of your ear towards the hollow of your cheek. Keep it soft and diffused so it looks like a shadow, not a stripe.

Then add a smaller tap of colour on the apples of your cheeks so the two areas melt together. A touch at the temples pulls everything into one warm frame.

Build it in thin layers. Each pass deepens the colour, so you can dial it from subtle to full evening glam without switching products.

Pair it with a glossy or smoky eye, and you're set for dinner or a night out with the girls.

 

Quick Tips for Burgundy Blush Beginners

Warm the product on the back of your hand first if you want a smoother, sheerer application.

Fix mistakes quickly. A clean sponge or fingertip will blend out anything that landed too strong.

Match your lip to your mood. Berry tones give a monochrome effect, while nudes keep the focus on your cheeks.

Try it in daylight before a big night out, so you know how much you like to apply.

 

Ready to Give It a Go?

If you fancy a flush that goes from soft to sultry in a few taps, you can pick up the KASH Beauty x Charleen Skin Glaze in Heated now at Cloud 10 Beauty. Want to see more from the KASH Beauty x Charleen collab? Browse the full KASH Beauty range here and find your next makeup favourite.