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First Blush Stop pinching those cheeks--there's an easier way to get this season's staple By Sarah Mueller Spring is here and the colors of the season are cropping up on the faces decorating magazines and store windows. Fresh is choice--the virginal look is the desired result (even if few can actually "claim"). The best fix for a rosy glow, of course, is a dose of vigorous exercise, but makeup is a more probable solution for the modern woman. BeneFit offers a rosy solution in a bottle, but it's no Chianti. Benetint is a concentrated, "kiss-proof" formula for lips and cheeks. A couple of drops on my cheeks, quickly blended with a sponge or my fingertips, yielded a robust, sexy flush. Then, after I brushed some tint on my lips, my mouth appeared wine-stained. BeneFit also produces a powder blush called Color Wash, which leaves a sheer wash on the cheeks and eyes. It comes with its own fan-tailed brush for easy application, in an array of colors. Make Me is an innocent, sugary pink, while Shame on You offers a more womanly, deeper shade. When stroked down the décolletage, it deepens the flush of your cleavage in a soft, healthy way. Fuschia pink--the trendiest color since turquoise--reaches perfection with Clinique Gel Blush in Blossom, and it gives cheeks the sweetest tint. I've long been a fan of the same gel blush in Honeyed Red, but Blossom's lighter tone is more appropriate for tiptoeing through this season's tulips. The ever-conscious Body Shop sells cream blush in a wide range of colors, but the reddest and best is Strawberry. The rouge shade brightens even the sallowest skin. Its rich, creamy texture makes it more fun to apply than a highly concentrated liquid or gel, though unfortunately it doesn't last as long as some of the other formulas. The Snow White look is healthier for your skin than tanning, and it makes you look active, sexy and innocent, all in one application. One of these products over a healthy dose of sunscreen should keep you looking pure and unadulterated for years to come . [ San Francisco | MetroActive Central | Archives ]