Powder gets a bad reputation on mature skin, but a fine, baked or pressed powder with some light in it behaves very differently from a flat matte. Laura Geller Blush and Brighten in Sunlit Rose is a baked, marbleized blush with gold and cool pink, made for pale skin tones, and the brand says it will not cake or settle into fine lines. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush is a champagne rose with handmade powders, a soft glimmer rather than glitter. Kosas Blush is Life in Euphoria is a cool pinky mauve baked with squalane and hyaluronic acid. ILIA Soft Focus Blurring Blush in Glimpse is a mauve rose that is talc free and made to blur the look of pores. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush in Hope is a nude mauve with a radiant finish. Armani Beauty Luminous Silk in Amore is a dusty rose that visibly smooths skin texture. CHANEL Joues Contraste in Rose Petale comes from a line launched in 1980 with seven shades, and Sisley Paris L'Orchidee Glow Blush completes the set.

Pairing tip: tap the brush on the back of your hand before it touches your face. One light sweep, then add a second.

What I would skip: a heavy matte powder in a very dark or very pigmented shade. On dry skin it sits in every line.

Liquids are the most forgiving formula I know for skin that has changed, because you place the color where you want it and blend it thin. Laura Geller Serum Blush in Refreshing Rose is a cooling, hyaluronic dusty rose that glides on with a sponge tip. Saie Dew Blush in Sweetie is a neutral pink with plant glycerin and a chunky doe foot for easy placement. YSL Make Me Blush in Nude Lavalliere is a dusty nude pink that starts creamy and dries like a powder, with up to 12 hours of wear. Armani Beauty Cheek Tint in Delicate Mauve is a dusty rose with a natural finish that is meant to blend without looking patchy. Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush in Vision is a true rose that is serum like, with hyaluronic acid. Glow Recipe Dewy Flush in Watermelon Flush is a sheer soft pink tinted serum with niacinamide. Estee Lauder Futurist Blushmaker is a dewy cheek tint. Victoria Beckham Beauty water tint blush in Vintage Rose is a sheer wash of color that is described as never streaking and never caking.

How to wear it: one dot on the apple of the cheek, then blend up toward the temple with clean fingers.

What I would skip: applying liquid blush over a dusty layer of powder. Put it on before powder, then press any powder on lightly.

Choosing comes down to texture and undertone. If your skin runs dry, start with the balms and creams in the first row. If you like a soft finish, try one of the baked powders with a little light in it. If you want the most control, choose a liquid and build one dot at a time. For undertone, mauve and dusty rose flatter most people, while warm rose and peach pink brighten a paler or warmer complexion. Place the color slightly higher and further back than feels natural, then blend until you cannot find the edge. That small lift is what makes the best blush for mature skin look like a flush rather than a stripe.