IT'S BLUSH HOUR

You're just a tiny blush away from being gorgeous.
Take your cheeks to total chic in 4 easy steps the Peter Lamas way.

Today there are so many ways to blush; every woman should have at least two ways to glow, whatever her personal beauty style, her skin type, or the look she wants to achieve. - Peter Lamas

Step No. 1: Know Your Skin Tone

Then pick a shade that's 2-3 shades darker than your skin, making sure the blush formula blends well and easily to avoid a patchy, uneven look. Apply blush where the sun naturally hits it-the cheekbones, forehead and tip of the nose and chin.

Fair - Glow for sheer apricot, mango and peach tones. The sunny warmth of the shades energizes fair skin. If you like a pinks look, try a light to medium pink with a hint of gold frost. Avoid anything too dark or extreme.

Medium - Medium skin usually has some olive or yellow tones. This means you can rev up the brightness factor without fear. Warm pinks, plums and roses are great choices. Stay away from brown shades that can bring your skin's natural vibrancy down.

Dark - Think luscious, tropical tones. Warm, terra cotta shades, deep plums, and brown pinks or peaches all look fabulous on darker skins. Anything with a golden patina flatters. Stay away from light pinks or washed-out peaches which will simply look ashy or fade away on your skin.

Step No 2: What's Your Pleasure? Powder, Gel or Crème

Thanks to today's technology, you have more options and formulas to choose from than ever. Take full advantage and experiment with new ideas that come on the market - never get stuck in a rut.

Creams. If your skin is clear, without large pores or breakouts, creams and gels are perfect choices. Normal to dry skin and often, older skin showing a few lines, benefit from the extra moisture these products provide. Pick up a tiny bit from the tube or pan with your fingertips, rub your fingertips together to warm and soften the color for a second and then dot on the most prominent part of cheekbones. Blend with a sponge or your fingertips until the color is even and smooth. Always start with a sparing amount and add more as needed - a little cream goes a long way.

Powders. Most skin (unless it's very dry or lined) looks great with powder blush. Always apply it with your own extra-large brush rather than the little skimpy one that comes in the compact - that may be fine for touchups but when you really want to glow, you want to diffuse the color generously to achieve the most natural, flattering effects. A big brush will do it easily and prevent hard, unnatural demarcation lines. Gels. Practice makes perfect with gels. Because they are so fast-drying, there's not a lot of "play time." It's easy to put on too much color in one spot and not be able to blend it down. The tiniest dot of color is enough for both cheeks, so use very sparingly and blend rapidly. You can always opt to add more. Gels are great for long days and outdoor sports because they cling tenaciously to the skin.

Step 3: Sculpt as You Glow

A touch of blush can correct any number of flaws, depending on how you use it. The secret - as always, when you correct- is to blend, blend, blend.

For higher cheekbones - sweep blush under the cheekbones in the hollows. You can also use a brown-ier shade in the hollow, topped with a peach, plum or rose shade on the tops of the cheekbones.

Reduce the length of a long face by sweeping a sheer band of color horizontally along the hairline and balance it with a stroke of color on the chin.

Widen a thin, narrow face by positioning your color on the "apple" in the middle of the cheekbones, not underneath in the hollow part. To find the "apple" just smile - the most prominent area is the place where color should go.

Narrow a full, round face, by concentrating color under the cheekbones and towards the outer perimeters of the face, instead of right in the middle of the face. A touch of blush under the chin helps hide any excess skin.

Downplay lines. Use a cream blush as your base, then apply a matching powder blush over it if you wish. Powder alone tends to settle into lines and make them more obvious.

Step 4: Special Effects, Bronzers and Sport Tints

Use a gel blush at night and dab on a little silver or gold glitter at the top of the cheekbones.

Dare to go a little richer and darker with your blush shades at night than you would during the day. Candlelight and night-lights wash out paler colors.

Discover the world of tinted face powders for eveningwear to add pizzazz to your blush. Apply with a large puff or brush before you apply blush for an all over glow.

Transform your everyday blush color with pure silver; gold or bronze highlight color to take you from a day at the office to a candlelight dinner.

For weekends and exercise sessions, you can look radiant without much effort with a sheer, tinted sport tint. Look for one with moisture if you need it or opt for an oil-free version that just adds a hint of color. Don't be tempted to slather it on - a few drops will give you all the color you need.

Bronzing powders can turn you into a golden goddess but only if you know how to use them:

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