The best makeup products have always been a tool for self-expression. Some days, a good concealer and a swipe of highlighter can make you feel ready for the day, even if you’re not feeling your best. For others, an eyeshadow palette in foreign shades can provide an escape from real responsibilities. Although cosmetics sales fell during the pandemic, sales are finally increasing. Take the triumphant return of blush, which boosted sales by 39% in 2021 and flooded TikTok’s feeds with dreamy washes of pink and peach.
But it’s not just the blush we’re looking at. While fading makeup creeps into the top of our makeup bags, there’s a whole selection of flashy makeup to take your look to the next level. What makes a foundation, bronzer or gloss worth the extra investment? From laborious formulas to vanity-worthy packaging, these products go beyond that. Plus, they add a little extra magic to your day.
Among this year’s winners of this year’s Glamor Beauty Award, there’s sure to be something that appeals to you: a soft powder that never causes slack or an eyebrow gel that looks lighter than air (and looks like a work of art.). So, without further ado, here’s our guide to the best makeup products of the year that are guaranteed to spice up your routine.
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- Item Form: Cream
- Color: 360 Bisque N
- Skin Type: All
- Package Information: Bottle
- Brand: Jane iredale
- Item Form: Liquid
- Unit Count: 1.7 Fl Oz
- Use for: Whole Body
- CC+ CREAM
- INSTANT COMPLEXION PERFECTION
- MULTITASKING MUST HAVE
- SKIN-LOVING INGREDIENTS
1. Best Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation
About this item
- CC+ CREAM – Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Illumination works beautifully as your full-coverage foundation, hydrating serum and SPF 50+ physical sunscreen—plus, it features micronized light-reflecting pigments for glowing skin!
- INSTANT COMPLEXION PERFECTION – This color corrector cream reduces the appearance of acne scarring, wrinkles, redness, dark circles under eyes & large pores—all while giving you a radiant, supple, flawless-looking complexion.
- MULTITASKING MUST HAVE – Our all-in-one makeup provides clinically tested hydration while diffusing the look of skin imperfections for flawless-looking coverage that won’t crease or crack.
After years of adult acne, I wouldn’t use the word beautiful to describe my skin. So when Charlotte Tilbury’s latest foundation promised to deliver gorgeous skin in a tube, I was skeptical. I would never have doubted Tilbury; after using this formula for weeks I am obsessed. It’s the perfect blend of moisturizing and medium coverage ingredients for a radiant finish. It lasts all day, easily covers my pimples and doesn’t stick to dry patches or flakes. Bella Cacciatore, beauty writer
2. Best Tinted Moisturizer: YSL Beauty NU Bare Look Tint
About this item
| Brand | jane iredale |
| Item Form | Liquid |
| Unit Count | 1.7 Fl Oz |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Use for | Whole Body |
Foundation has always been my product on a desert island. (Yes, even on a desert island, I want flawless skin.) It’s been hard to find a formula that looks natural yet does all the things you want to do with foundation. I loved that this YSL shade didn’t push my face into oblivion, but it still smoothed out my skin nicely and gave it the kind of bright glow I usually get with just a touch of highlighter. -Perrie Samotin, digital director
3. Best Concealer: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer
About this item
| Item Form | Cream |
| Color | 360 Bisque N |
| Skin Type | All |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Concealing |
| Package Information | Bottle |
The concealer is my hero product, but not all concealers are created equal. The great thing about Lancôme is that it provides long-lasting full coverage with a lightweight formula that never clumps. It is also very moisturizing, essential for my eye area. And if that wasn’t enough to make you a believer, it’s also available in 20 different shades, which is always appreciated. -Jessica Radloff, West Coast Editor
4. Best Primer: Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Lite Primer
About this item
- Quickly minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin.
- Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup.
- The translucent formula contains a vitamin E derivative known to protect skin.
- Compliments All Skin Tones.
I thought the primer did nothing but add an extra step to my routine, but this update from Benefit’s beloved Porefessional changed my mind. As the name suggests, it does not feel on my skin at all which is ideal for everyday use. The composition is lightly moisturizing thanks to glycerin and certainly prolongs the life of the make-up. The best part is how it evens out the texture and pores, making me look airbrushed even before applying foundation. Consider me a convert. – B.C.
5. Best Powder: Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Soft Radiance Setting Powder
About this item
| Brand | Rare Beauty |
| Item Form | Loose |
| Color | Light |
| Finish Type | Natural, Sheer |
| Coverage | Sheer |
I usually spend about 10 minutes wearing makeup with the goal of looking like I’m not wearing any makeup. I like to brighten up the eye area with a bit of concealer and was looking for a powder that is just as good off-camera as it would on a typical Zoom day. This is light and subtle, but still brightens and keeps makeup in place all day. -Desiree Verdejo, founder of Hyper Skin.
6. Best Blush: Valentino Beauty Eye2Cheek Eye Shadow and Blush
About this item
I got my obsession with blushing from my mom who always insisted I look dead without color on my cheeks. It is available in hyper bright shades like poppy red, coral red and rich raspberry. With colors this bright, you’d think it would be difficult to apply, but it blends so beautifully into the skin. A little goes a long way, which is great news for those prone to the bold trend taking over social media. What else? You can also use it on the eyes – we are a multipurpose product! -Ariana Yaptangco, Senior Beauty Editor
7. Best Highlighter: Dior Forever Couture Luminizer Highlighter Powder
About this item
I have a soft spot for highlighters and Dior’s shimmer powder fulfills all my needs. The weightless formula won’t cling to moisturizer or SPF, but leaves you with a glow from within that can be built and applied effortlessly. – Talia Abbas, commercial publisher
8. Best Bronzer: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
Getting that sun-kissed glow has never been easier. This sunscreen is like a vacation in a jar: it warms my face without weighing it down and fades like a dream. The formula is very buildable, so if I want to use it for contouring, I just put a little more. I grab the makeup brush, twist it, and pat it into the hollows of my cheeks, chin, and forehead. -Butter.
9. Best Setting Spray: Mented Cosmetics Better Setter Setting Spray
About this item
| Brand | Milani |
| Item Form | Liquid |
| Skin Type | All |
| Product Benefits | Hydrating |
| Item Volume | 60 Milliliters |
I’m telling you, a good setting spray is hard to find, but Mented Cosmetics has it covered. The mist is very fine and does not shower on the face. After six consistent sprays, it didn’t dissolve or smudge my makeup like some formulas do. After it dried I set it with my favorite powder and my makeup looked stuck. After a full day all over my face, I experienced some transition and even used the mist as an afternoon hydration booster thanks to its soothing ingredients like coconut water and vitamins C and E. -A.A.
10. Best Brow Pencil: Byredo All-in-One Refillable Brow Pencil
About this item
| Brand | Maybelline New York |
| Item Form | Cream,Gel,Liquid,Pencil |
| Color | SOFT BROWN |
| Finish Type | Natural |
| Special Feature | Waterproof |
I have long loved Byredo for its heavenly scents and candles with sleek and minimalistic packaging. What a joy that this Stockholm brand now also makes makeup! This all-in-one refillable eyebrow pencil is a beauty. I like the drop tip which allows me to fill in sparse brows with a flat edge and use the tip to shape. The packaging is in keeping with Byredo’s beautiful minimalism and my favorite part is that the tip of the pen is refillable (extra refill included). My shade, Sand, is perfect for blondes. -Tamara Lazic, MD, dermatologist
11. Best Brow Gel: Kosas Air Brow Lifting Treatment Gel
About this item
| Brand | Osmosis Skincare |
| Item Form | Pencil |
| Color | Brown |
| Finish Type | Natural |
| Special Feature | Water-resistant and smudge-proof gel fills, shapes, and colors brows to achieve a natural look. |
I can finally stop looking – I found it: the eyebrow gel of my dreams. It’s perfectly pigmented, plumps perfectly and has a mousse-like texture that keeps my brows from looking or feeling crunchy. Plus, it’s made with nourishing ingredients like castor oil and provitamin B5 to keep your brows healthy and soft. – P.S
12. Best Eyeliner: Sisley Paris Phyto-Khol Star Matte Waterproof Eyeliners
About this item
| Color | No.8 Mystic Green |
| Brand | sisley paris |
| Item Form | Cream |
| Finish Type | Luminous,Glitter,Natural |
| Special Feature | Not-Applicable |
These eyeliners will make you feel like an instant makeup artist, even if you’ve never managed to pull off a cat eye in your life. They glide on like pure velvety goodness and do just that. No. grant. My favorite shades are Sparkling Black, which gives an everyday look, and Mystic Plum, which gives a smoky moment. – Shanna Shipin, Managing Editor, Trade
13. Best Liquid Eyeliner: Deck of Scarlet Dual Drama Liquid Eyeliner
About this item
| Color | Black |
| Brand | Eyeko |
| Item Form | Liquid |
| Finish Type | Black |
| Special Feature | Unique long-lasting formula for a gratifying, color-intense smudge-proof finish; paraben-free formula. |
If there is life in another galaxy, I’m pretty sure this is the eyeliner they use because it’s really out of this world. One end features a classic inky black liner, while the other features what it calls a “galactic chrome duo that moves in the shadows.” At first I had no idea what it meant until I used it and now I’m obsessed with it. Imagine the most beautiful watercolor shade that changes subtly from every angle. I’m in love. – JR
14. Best Eye Shadow: Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Eye Shadow Palette: Huetopian Dream
About this item
| Brand | MODELCO |
| Finish Type | Metallic,Matte,Satin |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Coverage | Buildable |
| Skin Type | Normal |
Yes, it’s a shame, but Pat McGrath’s palette is more than just a palette. It’s a fantasy, a license to play and an alternate universe where everything is incredibly beautiful and wearing holographic purple eyeshadows is just as normal as nude lipstick. But when you need to get back into the real world, you’ll be happy to know that both gloss and matte are buttery, buildable, and surprisingly wearable. – B.C.
15. Best Mascara: Ami Colé Lash-Amplifying Mascara
About this item
| Color | VERY BLACK |
| Special Feature | Not-Applicable |
| Brand | COVERGIRL |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Item Volume | 10 Milliliters |
I was tired of every mascara in my stash when this formula showed up on my door and was instantly obsessed with it. The cone-shaped brush provides the perfect combination of length, volume and separation, making my small lashes look luscious and long, but not clumpy. It really sticks to every lash and the inky formula gives me enough drama to skip the eyeliner. – B.C.
16. Best Lipstick: Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Drama Ink Liquid Lipstick
About this item
| Brand | LANCOME PARIS |
| Item Form | Liquid |
| Item Volume | 6 Milliliters |
| Scent | Fresh |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
This lipstick is amazing. It doesn’t take much: I apply a layer and the color is clear. The formula is comfortable to wear so I don’t need a lot of product to get that wonderful saturation. -Kim Kimble, celebrity hairdresser
17. Best Lip Gloss: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper
About this item
| Brand | FENTY BEAUTY |
| Skin Type | Combination |
| Item Form | Cream |
| Finish Type | Glossy |
| Product Benefits | Shine |
First of all, the packaging of Fenty Beauty is super cool. It has a nice thick brush to apply which I love as I have plump lips. Not only does it smell great, but it’s not too thick or sticky, so you just get loads of shine. – KK
18. Best Lip Liner: Makeup by Mario Lip Liner Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil
About this item
- Minimizes lipstick smudging and bleeding
- Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner is a soft-textured, fine-tipped lip liner that gives full volume color definition to the lips. Lips defined and colour protected
- Eastend Snob is a dusty pink shade
My lips have always been one of my biggest insecurities, so lip liner is a product that I have a close relationship with. I am looking for a pencil that is not too creamy but not too waxy. It should prevent the lipstick from bleeding and should be easy to apply. These check all the requirements on the list and have a tonal range to die for. -Madison Werner, collaborator
19.Best Lip Balm: Ilia Beauty Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Tint
I love a lip product that moisturizes like a balm but also has beautiful shades and great resistance. As a dermatologist and cosmetic formulator, I tried countless versions before opting for this soft Ilia lip color. The nourishing formula contains shea butter and other naturally derived ingredients that melt into the lips and provide buildable color. -TL
About this item
- New look, same great formula; packaging may vary
- 2020 InStyle Best Beauty Buys Award
- Nourishes and moisturizes
- Swipe on for a hint of lush color that’s buildable
- Vegan plus Cruelty free
- 100% tree-free paper carton
- MADE WITH: Avocado Oil: nourish plus smooth lip, Pomegranate plus Acai Extracts: antioxidant-rich
- MADE WITHOUT: Petrolatum, Paraffins, Parabens, Synthetic Fragrances, Silicones, Mineral Oil
20. Best Nail Polish: Gucci Vernis à Ongles
About this item
| Item Form | Liquid |
| Color | Bubble Bath |
| Finish Type | Sheer |
| Special Feature | Chip Resistant, Long Wearing |
Packaged in a vintage-inspired bottle worthy of vanity, this nail polish is all about luxury. The custom brush and serrated cap make it easy to grip and apply for smooth, even strokes. The beautiful range of shades of these vegetable paints requires only one to two coats for full coverage. It is a great magnificence and an immediate victory. —Lara Eurdolian, founder of Pretty Connected.
