Sure lipstick is an instant pick-me-up and leaving the house mascara-less sounds like a bad dare, but nothing perks up a complexion quite like the right blush. Naturally, we won’t accept anything less than the best for our cheeks, so we went straight to the pros. We reached out to a handful of makeup artists and they came back evenly split–half thought creams were the cream of crop and the other half picked powders as their bests. Here are the six that topped the list.

The Creams

The Pick: Yves Saint Laurent Crème de Blush

The Pro: Dell Ashley

The Praise: “I prefer crème blushes because of the soft finish they provide the skin.” Ashley finds the soft rose color of #2 is flattering on almost everyone. He even uses it on the eyes above the crease for an added pop of color.

 

The Pick: Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric

The Pro: Melissa Walsh

The Praise: “The colors are intense so you only need a small amount, and when blended they look like a very pretty flush.”

 

The Pick: Kjaer Weis Cream Blush

The Pro: Katey Denno

The Praise: “They go on rich and creamy, are hydrating and long lasting, and they come in beautiful packages that can be refilled.”

 

The Powders

The Pick: Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color

The Pro: Colleen Runne

The Praise: “The finish and the colors leave a glow to the skin.” Petal is one of Runne’s favorite shades. She also notes that High Beam White and Soft Beam Gold are great luminizers that create a halo of light around the upper cheek.

 

The Pick: Lancôme Blush Subtil

The Pro: Ricardo Costales

The Praise: “Blush Subtil is easy to love because it glides on beautifully, stays on, does not change color throughout the day and it can be versatile with all skin types.” Costales, who also noted his love of the pigments, uses the blush as shadow, highlighter and contour.

 

The Pick: NARS Blush

The Pro: Ashley Rebecca

The Praise: We would be remiss if we didn’t mention NARS Blush in Orgasm. Its golden peachy glow is considered a “Staple” by more than one of our pros. Ashley Rebecca calls it “The most beautiful highlighting blush that looks good on everyone.”

Cream or powder? What’s your favorite blush? Sound off below.

Photos: Shiseido, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Kjaer Weis, NARS