I feel unexpectedly pretty after a slight accidental sunburn across the bridge of my nose and on the apples of my cheeks. Now, for the sake of my skin, I try to avoid that. So instead, I invest in blush. More specifically, a blush that's buildable, neutral, and redder rather than peach or orange. For me, the perfect shade is Nars' Dolce Vita for that flushed look. And because it's sheer, it's practically foolproof.

To apply it, my absolute favorite blush brush is Stila's #24 Double-Sided Illuminating Powder Brush. Its bristles are perfectly trimmed to a half rounded shape for a delicate transfer. Lightly swipe it over the powder and give it a gentle flick of the wrist to dispose of any extra product. Place the brush on the apple of your cheeks and, in gentle motions, brush downward near and away from your nose, almost connecting your cheek to your nose—think of the spots where you're most likely to get sunburned. Concentrate color on the meaty apple of your cheeks. And before you put your brush down, swipe any leftover color across the bridge of your nose. You should have a rose glow on the top of your cheeks with a little bridge across your nose connecting your cheeks.

And then you can say: Who me? Oh, I just ran a marathon. No, actually I'm in love. Or maybe I was in the spa all day. OK, it's just my blush. A pretty damn good one.

—Stacey Nishimoto

Photos courtesy of the author. For more from Stacey and her iPhone, click here.