"My surprising secret weapon for looking youthful and well-rested."

Image: supplied.

Believe it or not, a super-bright, hot pink blush is a makeup must-have.

Don’t let the highlighter-pink shade frighten you. A light dusting of bright pink blush works as an instant pick-me-up for any complexion, and you can apply it in no time at all. It’s like coffee, but for your face.

When I’m tired, and my face shows it, I reach for pink blush to make myself look dazzling and energetic, instead. And, it works.

Related: The 3 best blushes for people who hate blush.

Something that people always tell me is that I look a decade younger than my years (I’m in my early 30s). Sure, you can think that it’s because I’m getting 10 hours of sleep every night and that I’m eating all the expensive, organic food out there. But in real life, I hate sleeping, I love chocolate, and neon pink blush is my secret weapon for looking youthful.

Allow me to introduce you to the not-at-all dark arts of girly pink blush.

What to look for when buying a pink blush

When it comes to purchasing blush, it’s best to err on the more luxury end of the spectrum. For me, this means Bourjois blushes; for you, it may mean NARS or Estee Lauder. I’ve just noticed that super-cheap blushes tend to look blotchy and chalky upon application, and the finish isn’t as smooth as you’d want it to be.

A great tip that I read in Australian makeup artist Rae Morris’ book, Makeup: The Ultimate Guide, is to always buy blushes that have a hint of shimmer. The shimmer works to gently highlight your cheekbones and the apples of your cheeks.

Related: How to do your makeup when you feel sick and revolting but have to leave the house. 

Where to wear it on your face

I like to dust pink blush on the apples of my cheeks. I aim for most of the colour to hit the tops of the apples, just under where my eye-bags end (I’m tired all the time, and I always have bags under my eyes, okay?).

By putting blush higher up on the cheek, it has the effect of “lifting” the whole face upwards, which can make you look happier and more youthful.

Think about it: have you ever seen a child with darkly contoured cheeks? No, kids have pink, chubby cheeks, from eating yummy food, running around and having fun. You want that.

Related: Kim Kardashian says North West is obsessed with makeup. And now the trolls are out.  

How to apply it

Again, it helps to buy the best makeup brushes you can afford. The cheaper brushes will shed hairs everywhere, plus, sometimes they have a weird smell to them. They do!

To create this look, I used a slightly flat and slightly domed David Jones blush brush. When using hot pink blush, it’s best to apply it with a smaller blush brush, so you can target the apples of your cheeks.

On top of my foundation and powder, I applied the blush using short, horizontal sweeps. Then, I grabbed a cleaner, larger brush, and used small, circular motions to blend out the edges of the colour, to create a sheer finish. If you are lazy, like I usually am, you can use your fingers to blend the colour out, instead.

And, voila. You're pink and prepped and ready to go.

Do you wear pink blush? What's your best skin pick-me-up secret?