The best blush sticks for an instant glow on-the-go

Cream blushes are the makeup artist-approved secret for a year-round, healthy, radiant glow. Just ask celebrity MUA Caroline Barnes, who tells us she uses the pink stuff to bring an "instant pop of radiance" to famous faces including pop princesses Kylie Minogue, Kelly Rowland and Pixie Lott.

They are more hygienic than a standard cream blush – no double-dipping fingers or dirty makeup brushes. Applied straight from the bullet, stick blushes are the easiest way to achieve a no-fuss flush. Unlike powder formulas, they tend to contain oils or have added skincare ingredients so you can make the most of moisturising and other skin benefits. "Creams add life to your skin rather than deadening it," notes Barnes. "The skincare benefits mean they don't irritate dry spots or highlight textured areas of the skin." These are our tried-and-tested favourites.

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Great for: A luminous finish.

If you like your blusher with flecks of gold and a ‘catch the light’ quality, these sunkissed sticks will be just your vibe. Available in four Ibiza influenced shades (Charlotte grew up on the island), they look instantly pretty, never clowny and are extremely easy to blend- there’s no hard edges or obvious blobs. They set off a (fake) tan brilliantly, and while you may need to top up the colour to restore the initial flush, it won’t migrate or settle into fine lines. If you’re heading off into the sunset, or just the office, a Beach Stick will wake your face up nicely. Dab onto lips too to get your money’s worth.

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Great for: Subtle, sheer colour.

This award-winning clean formula isn't new but it's hard to make a blush hit list without including it – it's a makeup bag staple for beauty editors and MUAs alike. Why so many fans? The buttery texture blends into skin with minimal blending giving cheeks (and lips!) a pretty, pop of colour. Available in eight shades it's also a pretty great makeup skincare hybrid thanks to a host of moisturising ingredients such as avocado oil, organic shea butter and orange peel wax.

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Great for: Colour for every skintone and type

Whether you opt for world-famous Orgasm, a limited edition shade or any peachy, pinky, mauvey hue of this lightweight, foolproof multitasker, there's a blusher here to suit you, and the finish will be seamless. Some shades contain more sparkle than others, but the velvety formula glides on, melts in and will stick around all day. It's also fragrance-free, can be layered for more of a 'pop' and doesn't feel remotely greasy.

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Great for: A waterproof fresh-faced flush

Blush at the beach? If Victoria Beckham says it's a thing then it's a thing. OK, so you may not actually do that but the inspiration behind these five pretty pink blush sticks was "the effortlessly gorgeous woman who’s spent the day at the beach,” the designer-turned-beauty-mogul said in a statement. Gel-cream in texture, the sticks glide on easily and while not mega dewy they leave skin with a very natural veil of colour over the apple of your cheeks.

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Great for: a low key everyday flush.

No makeup-makeup is the Jones Road brand MO, and if that's on your agenda then these Lip and Cheek sticks will do the trick. The sticks are so soft that you can build them up without it ever looking too obvious and they deliver a lovely dewy effect that makes cheeks look supple. Although the eight shades range from punchy pinks to muddy mauves the colour payoff isn't the greatest, fine if super subtle is your thing but if you're looking for a bit more vibrancy then founder, Bobbi Brown recommends dotting on top of powder blush.

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Great for: Warming up dull skin (and drier skins!)

A veil of radiant colour over the apple of your cheeks can make skin look smoother and your entire face that bit brighter, and that's what this chunky blusher stick does. The pearly cream blusher dots on and blends out evenly to warm up even the most sallow of complexions. This probably isn't the one for oily skin (slightly too much shimmer going on), but otherwise, it's a quick-simple glow giver. Loaded with moisturising ingredients such as jojoba oil and grape extract it's super easy to blend and is a good option for drier skins, plus it doesn't slip away by lunchtime. Undeniably an investment, but it gives you rich girl vibes and you won't have to buy another for a long long time.

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Great for: busy people - AKA all of us.

This two-in-one stick doubles up as a sheer blush and hydrating lip tint but it also works brilliantly swiped over eyelids for a glossy lick of colour. With mango butter and avocado oil, it's ultra-moisturising so delivers dewy cheeks, but if it's high impact colour you're after this isn't for you. If you're a shimmer-phobe you'll be happy to hear that there's not a speck of glitter in sight, just a natural glow on the go. The classic size has got a devoted following but this mini size is brilliant for slimming down your makeup bag and applying on the hoof.

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Great for: a smooth canvas with a cream-to-powder finish

When Hourglass expanded the iconic Vanish makeup range to include a blush it sold out almost instantly. Why? The clever blush is more matte than glowy so it doesn't emphasise pores or textured skin, instead, it works like the original Hourglass Vanish foundation to smooth over any bits you'd rather not highlight. It's more like a cream-to-powder finish than other blushes on this list. The shade range may be a little limited but the formula is fab for all skin types.

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Great for: all over peachy shimmer

If you like your blush to sparkle then this one is for you. There's a whole load of metallic pigments going on in this ultra buildable blush – it's basically a highlighter and blush in one. Matte this is not but if you want to add some sheen and shine to your cheeks, eyes, lips and even nose or cupids bow you can't go wrong with this little shimmer stick.

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