Highlighter makes sense only once something is underneath it, and Dior has a quiet, practical set of choices to put around the glow.

Dior's Rosy Glow Powder Blush is the one I would pick if you like a flush that looks like your own. Brush it onto the apples of the cheeks and blend upward. The Rosy Glow Blush Stick is the same mood in a stick, easy to dab with fingers and handy when you are getting ready in a rush.

Dior's Forever Skin Contour Sculpting Stick is the shaping step. I use a light touch under the cheekbone, then blend with a damp sponge so the edge disappears. If you contour first, the highlighter has a clearer place to sit above it.

For the base, there are two. Dior's Backstage Face & Body Foundation is the one named for working beyond the face, and it makes sense if you want your neck, chest and shoulders to match. Dior's Forever Skin Glow Liquid Foundation is the more radiant-looking base, which is the one to wear when you want everything to look lit from within.

A simple order, the way I do it: base, then contour, then blush, then highlighter last. Use less than you think you need. You can always add another pass, and the glow sits better when the layers underneath are thin.

Now the comparison. Highlighter is one of those categories where a modest history helps: the Strobe Cream from 2000 is widely credited as the first mass-market highlighter in the U.S., and the category has been busy ever since. So there is plenty to try next to a Dior highlighter.

Saie's Glowy Super Gel Illuminator is a gel, so it spreads thin and looks wet, a good pick for bare skin. Rare Beauty's Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight is a liquid with a soft glow that suits a light day. Fenty Beauty's Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter is the powder with a stronger payoff, built for people who want the glow to be seen. Anastasia Beverly Hills' Glow Seeker Powder Highlighter in Champagne Gold is the warm, golden powder of the group. Benefit Cosmetics' Cookie and Tickle Powder Highlighters are two soft shades for a gentle, pearly finish. ILIA's Multi-Stick Cream Blush + Highlighter is a stick that does both jobs when you want to carry a single thing.

What I would skip: stacking powder highlighter over a dry, flaky patch. It will show every edge. Use a cream or a gel on dry spots, and keep powder for the high points of the cheek, the brow bone and the bridge of the nose. Skip applying near the center of your forehead too, where shine tends to show up on its own.

Try them in daylight at a window, because the right highlighter looks like skin, not like a sparkle.

Here is how I would finish a glow look. Apply highlighter last, only on the places light would naturally land: the top of the cheek, the brow bone, the bow of the lip.

Step back from the mirror. If you can see the product more than the skin, take a clean finger and tap the edge until it softens.

Then carry one stick or one liquid with you, and touch up in daylight.

I also stop for a second and think about the occasion. A long dinner can take a richer shade, while a morning errand wants a sheer wash of light. Keep a clean brush for powder and your fingers for creams, and wipe away any glitter that strays onto the lashes. The best glow is the one that still looks like you after a few hours. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Dior Blush and Choosing a Dior Foundation.