Best cream blushes for a fresh, healthy flush – tried & tested

For me, this cream blush stick has that deliciously rare quality whereby you feel as though a product could have been created in the lab with you in mind. Cased in sleek, luxurious packing is creamy pigment that glides on the skin like a dream. The finish is more velvety than dewy, and I am pleased to report that the shade 'Playground', a chic terracotta, looks as good on lips as it does cheeks, especially with a gentle tan.

Milk Lip + Cheek, oh how I adore thee. Creamy, flattering and it blends like a total dream – 'Werk', an easy-breezy dusty rose, is the shade I am constantly gifting to friends. The formula is extremely forgiving, to the extent where you can't really go wrong in terms of application. This is my go-to complexion perker-upper if I'm nipping out for a paper and otherwise barefaced. My only annoyance is that it used to come in an immensely gratifying Pritt Stick-esque 28g format, whereas now you get less bang for your buck.

Industry outlier 3INA's (pronounced mee-nah) approach feels really interesting and youthful. Shades are dictated by numbers that are reflected across its product range (for instance, you can get an eyeshadow and a lipstick in the exact same hue). Its No-Rules Stick is brilliant for the price point – balmy, but not remotely sticky. The shade '244' is a forgiving sheer red, slightly ambery, so it looks amazing with a bronzy complexion.

Westman Atelier's Baby Cheeks Blush Stick is exquisite. The smart grey packaging and super satisfying magnetic closure house a beautifully formulated, weightless-when-applied, stick of pigment. It has a subtle shimmer, and I adore 'Minette', a pearlescent peach that catches the light in all the right places. It would make for a lovely, luxurious gift to the beauty junkie in your life.

Stila's Convertible Colour is a cream blush classic, and for excellent reason. The balmy texture allows for a pretty, dewy finish and it blends with other cream formulas seamlessly. Plus, the slim, compact format means it takes up next to no space in your makeup bag. New products come and go, but this product is still one of the very best within the cream blush category. 'Peony', a flattering rose with brown undertones, is my personal favourite.

Truly sublime – the liquid blush to end all liquid blushes. Another win for Terry de Gunzburg's signature clicky pen format, this product has genuinely had me in a chokehold all summer. The brush applicator is great for precision, but the gorgeous, healthy radiance delivered by the warm copper 'Sunny Glow' shade is by far the best element. If I ever happen to misplace mine, you'll catch me hotfooting it to the By Terry counter, stat.

Chantecaille's gel-cream formula gives cheeks a lovely freshness, both in look and feel. It has a sheen to it, but it is so subtle, to the point where I reckon even those who actively avoid glimmer would get on with this like a house on fire. It layers seamlessly over tinted moisturiser and is excellent on dehydrated skin. I wear 'Happy', a pale pearly pink, but as we speak, I'm currently eyeing up 'Lively', a playful, juicy peach.

This skincare-makeup hybrid by cult-adored Drunk Elephant blurs the boundaries, meaning that it is extremely versatile. A couple of drops mixed in with a light base makes for the perfect casual weekend skin tint, or alternatively, you can dab a little onto the apples of your cheeks for an instant dose of radiance. Derived from sappanwood bark, the rose gold pigment is simply divine, even where slapdash application is concerned.

High street label & Other Stories' offering makes for an excellent mid-price option. The product comes out quite opaque, but don't let that alarm you. When applied, the effect is sheer and healthy, and the formula is easily buildable, should you prefer a more intense flush. The shade 'Intense Rose', a natural-looking pink with an underlying vibrancy, is utterly lovely.