Oh my God! She's blushing!

When someone is said to blush, there's a rush of blood to the face and this happens when the person is in a height of emotions (shyness, excitement, anger etc). To blush means to become red-faced through shyness, excitement or embarrassment.

Natural blushing is can be very well seen in white people because the lack skin pigment. The blood rush to the face and the cheeks, nose and sometimes forehead and chin turn red. This is when you can say someone has a flushed look.

Over time, make up artist thought this looked trendy and soon enough that pale look on the face disappeared. Using makeup blushes on the cheeks is not just to colour the cheeks, but to create that healthy look blushing gives and to give the face contouring and definition.

Everybody on the face of the earth blushes. Imagine how hot your face feels when you're so angry. Truth is, you are actually blushing! If you're dark-skinned, like me, no one will ever see the rush of blood to your face so it is presumed that Africans don't blush. We actually do but it's not seen because we have pigmented skin.

In Nigeria, blushes were like a total no-no in everyday makeup. But recently and all of a sudden too, ladies everywhere and now seen coloring their cheeks. This is quite an improvement to makeup. But truth be told: many of us are actually overdoing it.

How to: To apply blush, sweep your blush brush over the blush powder and hit the cheekbones. With a quick, upward motion, sweep the brush from the cheek bones up to the ear area.(To get the cheekbones: you either suck in your lips or smile hard and full. Never, never apply blush with your fingers. You will definitely put on too much).

Blushing is actually done to highlight your cheeks. Therefore, it should glow through and not necessarily stand out. Once your cheeks look overly red or pink, you have already applied too much.

The model here is wearing pink, rosy cheeks and this is purely for photography. This look is definitely not an everyday look. Sadly enough, I've many ladies apply so much blush and they end up looking all painted and "cartoony". Worse still, I've seen some wear this wrong look going shopping, to work or to a party feeling all classy and sophisticated.

Any makeup that is quite too dressy and over-the-top should be reserved for the runway. Better, still keep it simple.

Let the real and beautiful you shine through. Don't force it by wearing too much makeup on. You're beautiful. Much love girls!!!