The sequence of flare / level / collective check is very much type dependent, and also has a lot to do with the CG position relative to the mast. A forward CG will allow use of the collective check to level the helicopter, as the CG and thrust vector (small as it is ) want to align.
For teetering rotor machines, trying to level with the cyclic is not as effective as it is in fully articulated types, as the small change in tilt of the thrust vector produces very little effect. For that reason, using collective to assist in leveling is most effective in those machine. But a Bell 206 or R-44 will normally have much more effect in leveling using collective than an R-22 because the CG is further from the mast. A 206 loaded with an aft CG (lots of stuff in the baggage compartment and a single pilot, for example) may not level using collective only, so Beware!
The only other things I'd like to add to this discussion is that the purpose of the flare is to stop the rate of descent - anything else that happens is a beneficial side effect.