Cream blush is the natural next step if you like CoverGirl's easy attitude but want skin to look fresher and less powdered. Summer Fridays Blush Butter Balm in Berry Spritz is a neutral berry with ceramides, peptides and hyaluronic acid, and it can go on lips too. Laura Geller The Wonder Balm in Pinch-Me Pink is a classic neutral pink made for mature and dry skin, and it gives a sheer, dewy result. BASMA Cream Blush in Peach is warm and balm-like, and the brand says it builds without feeling heavy or sticky.

The Multiuse Cream Blush in a little cardboard jar is a small one to know. Crunchy Almond is a soft warm peach and Wild Peony is a cool rosy pink, and both turn from cream into powder as you blend. REFY Cream Blush in Rose is a fresh pink with neutral tones that is non-sticky and silicone free. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Cream Blush for Lips & Cheeks is the mirrored compact many people already own, and Skin by Ella Rose Blush Creme in Ladybug rounds out the grid.

Pairing tip: dot a cream on first, then tap a CoverGirl powder lightly over the top. The powder sets the cream and the color lasts longer.

What I would skip: layering a cream over a thick powder base. It drags and patches. Cream goes on skin or over liquid foundation, and powder comes after.

These are the powders for days when I want a little light in my cheeks. Gucci Glow Dewy Powder Blush in Fresh Coral is a radiant coral with hyaluronic acid and black rose oil, and the brand says to rub it with a dense brush to enjoy the silky texture. Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder Blush in Voile Corail is a four-color loose blush in coral and orange tones, made to be mixed together and stamped on with a puff. Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Blush in Desire is a raspberry with light-reflecting pigments that give a soft-focus glow.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Longwear Powder Blush in Spirited Sienna is a pale orange with gold shimmer. Saie SuperSuede Baked Powder Blush in Ma Donna is a cool mauve, talc free and non-comedogenic. Laura Geller Blush and Brighten in Summer Orchid is a marbleized baked blush in bright pink, raspberry and champagne, designed for mature skin. YSL Make Me Blush in Honeymoon is a caramel shimmer that is waterproof. Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Divine Blush in Desert Orchid is a bronze rose with golden pearl.

Pairing tip: use a CoverGirl satin powder as the base, then dust one of these on the cheekbone tops only.

What I would skip: a shimmery pearl like Honeymoon or Desert Orchid over texture in bright daylight. Save the glow for evening and keep a satin finish for the day.

Here is how I would pick. If you want simple and familiar, start with CoverGirl Classic Color in Rose Silk, since the brush is already in the compact. If you want more glow, reach for TruBlend in Please Please Pink or a radiant powder like Gucci Glow. If your skin is dry, a cream such as Laura Geller or Summer Fridays will look kinder.

Whatever you pick, place color at the top of the cheekbones and blend up toward the temples. Start with a light hand, because every one of these builds.

The best blush routine is the one you actually finish before you leave the house. That is the CoverGirl idea, and I still like it.