Bloomingdale's is where I go for options across textures in one cart. The M·A·C Glow Play Cushiony Blush at $23.80 is the easiest start, a cream you press in with a finger that never streaks. For something dewier, Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk Blush Balm Sheer Lip Tint at $32 doubles as lip color and gives that just bitten look in one swipe. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Blush at $27.20 is worth it if your hands run warm and creams slip on you, since the stick holds its shape better.

Saks is the better stop once you want a liquid or cream stick and will pay for staying power. NARS Afterglow Liquid Blush at $34 is the one I keep repurchasing, a few drops blended with a damp sponge give the most natural gradient I have found. Dior's Backstage Rosy Glow Blush Stick at $44 is nearly foolproof, the pigment adjusts to your skin so it never looks drawn on. Trish McEvoy's Light & Lift Blush at $26 is the sleeper pick, a powder that somehow still photographs soft and never chalky.

The mistake with soft makeup is buying a beautiful blush and applying it with a brush that is too small, so it lands as a circle instead of a wash of color. Use your fingers or a big fluffy brush and blend up toward the temple. Skip the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Blush & Glow Palette if you already own a similar warm trio, it is pretty but redundant. The liquid and cream formulas from both stores earn their price, the powders earn it only if your skin is already balanced. If you take one thing away, buy the cream or liquid first and add a powder later only if you truly need to set it.