Although blush and bronzer are both used to add color to the face, there are several differences between the two products. Bronzer is typically used to make the face look tan, while blush is meant to add a flush of color to the apples of the cheeks. Blush and bronzer also come in very different shades, with bronzer coming in browns and blush in shades of pink, orange, or plum. Blush and bronzer can also be used to contour the face, although blush can only be used to bring out the cheekbones, while bronzer can be used in other areas.
The main purpose of bronzer is to add an overall glow to the face. Blush and bronzer are both applied to the cheeks, but bronzer can also be applied to the bridge of the nose, chin, and upper part of the forehead to mimic the look of a natural tan from where the sun would hit. Blush is typically only meant for the apples of the cheeks, the areas that stick out when a person smiles, and across the cheekbones, stopping at the temple. When blush is applied on the chin or forehead, like bronzer, it tends to look unnatural.
One of the main differences between blush and bronzer is the colors in which they come. Unlike bronzer, which comes in varying shades of brown ranging from light to very dark, blush can come in colors from orange to plum, although a variety of pink shades are the most common. Both products, however, can be in shimmery or matte formulas.
A matte or satin bronzer can be used to contour the face, bringing out a person’s natural angles and often providing a slimming effect. When bronzer is applied to the hollows of the cheeks, it can make the cheekbones appear more prominent. A light application of bronzer down either side of the nose can make this area appear slimmer, while a soft dusting across the tip can make the end of the nose appear smaller. Applying bronzer around the perimeter of the face can make wider faces look leaner, and can also draw attention to the center of the face.
Blush has very limited contouring effects when compared to bronzer, as bronzer is typically only a darker shade of a person’s natural skin tone. Since blush is a different color, it can be used to sculpt the cheeks themselves when two different colors are used. A bright blush on the apples followed by a darker blush in the same color family across the cheekbones can slightly alter the shape of this area. Blush cannot typically be used down the sides of the nose, in the hollows of the cheeks, or around the face as bronzer can.