Pressed powder is what lives in my bag, because a compact does not spill. HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Pressed in Pink Velvet Cookie is the pressed version of the loose favorite, matte, talc free and made for up to 12 hours of shine control. NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder in Crystal goes the other way with a radiant finish and a photochromic formula that aims to look good on camera. Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur Pressed in Translucent is talc free with hyaluronic acid for a matte finish that still feels comfortable. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores is a talc free matte with silk in it. The 12HR Setting and Mattifying Pressed Powder in Universal is for oily and combination skin. Westman Atelier Vital Pressed in Pink Bubble is a very sheer veil with vitamin C and a probiotic. Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Pressed Powder in Yellow is a soft warm yellow with vitamin B5 for a natural finish. Rare Beauty True to Myself in Linen is a tinted, talc free pressed powder with light buildable coverage.

How to use it: press, do not swipe. Tap the puff into the compact, fold it in half to work the powder in, then press it onto the T-zone and leave the cheeks alone.

What I would skip: a matte compact over dry, flaky cheeks in the morning. Use a radiant one like NARS Crystal or a sheer veil like Westman Atelier there, and keep the matte one for midday shine.

A good powder can look bad with the wrong tool. The Saie All-Over Powder Brush is big and fluffy with three types of vegan fibers and a slim aluminum handle, made for sweeping loose powder over the whole face. The Saie Fluffy Brush for Targeted Powders is palm sized and tapered, which the brand calls good for first time powder users. The Hourglass Veil Powder Brush is double ended, with a small tapered side for under the eyes and a large round side for the rest of the face. MAKEUP BY MARIO F2 is a dual ended fluffy brush with minimal fallout, and the F3 is the smaller one, made for blush and highlighter. Beautyblender Power Pocket Puff has a plush pink side to set and bake and a suede side to re-blend. The HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Marshmallow Puff and Sponge and the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Marshmallow Puff with Case both pair a soft sponge with a case, so a touch up lives in your bag.

Pairing tip: use a puff to press loose powder under the eyes and a big fluffy brush to dust whatever is left over the rest of the face.

What I would skip: a giant brush for baking under the eyes. It drops powder everywhere and you end up brushing it off your cheeks. Reach for a puff or the small end of the Hourglass brush instead.

Choose by skin and by the job. Oily skin tends to like a matte loose powder like Laura Mercier or ONE/SIZE. Dry skin does better with a hyaluronic acid formula or a sheer veil, used lightly. If you want a lit from within finish, go radiant and skip the matte entirely. Pick a translucent powder if you do not want to add color, and a tinted one like Rare Beauty Linen if you do. Use a puff where you want staying power and a brush where you want a soft edge. Start with less than you think, since you can always add more and cannot take it away. Then check yourself in daylight near a window, because that is where an overdone powder shows.