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What do Rita Ora, Cate Blanchett, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have in common? Mega-high cheekbones and perma-glowy skin. "I'm not really doing blush at the moment," says makeup pro Mary Greenwell, who works her beauty magic on Rita, Cate, and Rosie on the reg. "I'd rather use highlight powders and tinted powders for the cheeks." Following Mary's lead, ELLE.com editors are swapping out blush for bronzers and illuminators to get our most relaxed, well-rested, photogenic skin ever. Here, a look at our current rotation.
Smashbox Bronze Lights in Deep Matte
"Every day I try to subtly sculpt my face to make my cheekbones, well, exist. This bronzer is part of my daily, four-product routine. I also dust it on my eyelids to make them darker in that '90s-I-didn't-get-any-sleep way, so it does double duty." — Justine Carreron, Associate Market Editor
Smashbox Bronze Lights in Deep Matte, $29.91; amazon.com
Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Ibiza
"In short, because Charlotte Tilbury is a goddess. I'm not a cosmetic ninja by any means and find blending with my fingers works better than using a brush. Hence, powder bronzers run the risk of looking streaky. This looks too dark for my fair skin, but skinny stripes alongside the side of my face blend easily for a sunkissed glow." — Leah Melby Clinton, Director of Branded Content
Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Ibiza, $45; sephora.com
M.A.C. Powder Blush in Gingerly
"I don't use bronzer anymore. Instead, I use a blush with bronze undertones. I always get compliments when I use this product, and even better, you can use it as an eyeshadow to create a natural, warm look. Bonus: I've even been told this is a favorite of Kim K." — Alysha Webb, Social Video Producer
M.A.C. Powder Blush in Gingerly, $23; ulta.com
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
"This pearly-y cream lives somewhere between highlighter and bronzer. The pale pink-gold shimmer is perfect alone or on top of blush. Because of the consistency, I apply it with my fingertips, which means I never forget to blend in my bronzer—we’ve all been there. To top it off, the formula is infused with soothing chamomile and raspberry, and sweet almond seed extract to keep your skin smooth and firm." — Mariel Tyler, Photo Editor
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl, $30; sephora.com
W3ll People Bio Brightener Stick
"Because I still can't master any of the many iterations of contouring I love the look of strobing, but always worried trying it out on my oily skin would just look plain greasy. I found a solution in this foolproof, creamy highlighter stick. The pearly sheen fakes a glow so well I've been convinced to add it in my daily makeup routine." —Kristina Rodulfo, Senior Beauty Editor
W3ll People Brightener Stick, $24; anthropologie.com
Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Sunkissed Glow
"This powder is a bronze color with just the right amount of shimmer. It adds a hint of color to your cheeks and a sunkissed glow. I literally just quoted the product name. There's some good subliminal messaging for ya."— Mia Feitel
Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Sunkissed Glow, $48; sephora.com
Kjaer Weis Bronzer in Dazzling
"Light, creamy, blendable, impossible-to-f–k-up color that makes my cheekbones look Joan Smalls high. All that and it's organic. Bonus points for chic packaging." —Nikki Ogunnaike, Fashion Features Director
Kjaer Weis Bronzer in Dazzling, $56; barneys.com
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer
"This was the first Milk Makeup product I tried when the collection dropped. It was love at first swipe. I can easily apply the stick bronzer under my cheekbones and across my collar bone for instant contour. In the summer, I use it all over my body for a sunkissed shine." — Chloe Hall, Beauty Producer
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer, $24; sephora.com
RMS Living Luminizer
"This is the secret to the dewy-cheeked happiness of your inner dreams and desires. It's all-natural and imparts the subtlest of glows, and I'm so scared that it'll get discontinued that I keep ordering it in bulk. Is there a Costco for luminizers? Let a girl know." —Mattie Kahn, News Editor
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