We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. The Flick Stick winged eyeliner stamp gives you the ~perfect~ cat-eye look in seconds. No need to carve out 15 minutes of your getting-ready routine to create identical, perfectly symmetrical winged liner on your own. This stamp is pretty much a one-and-done type of situation (and I'm here for it).
The Flick Stick comes from New Zealand-based brand and small biz Lovior Beauty.
Promising review: "I am obsessed with these liners!! My first application took under three minutes and was perfect. These liners are foolproof. I even put it to the ultimate test and applied on my bare, unprimed eyelids. I have oily eyelids and I’m telling you this liner is long wearing and smudge proof! So far I’ve used the 8mm and 10mm sizes and I have zero complaints. I’ve gotten so many compliments and flick stick liners are now a staple in my makeup collection. My beauty routine is now much quicker and more streamlined. Do yourself a favor and buy this!" —Angel McDaniel
Get it from Amazon for $14.97 (available in three sizes).
2. Glossier's Boy Brow is the top-rated, cult-favorite, brow-changing product that gives you fuller-looking brows that'll be hard to ignore, but super simple to do. With just a few easy and quick flicks, you'll have brows without the crusty residue like some other products.
Glossier is a woman-owned business that was founded in 2012. They took the world by storm by making the barely-there "no makeup, makeup look" trendy again with their beauty products meant to enhance, not cover up.
Promising review: "This brow gel applies just the right amount of product to add fullness and definition while staying natural. The waxy texture once dried holds brows in place perfectly. I'm a brow gel snob and am obsessed!" —Roni
Check out BuzzFeed's full review of Glossier's Boy Brow for more deets!
Get it from Glossier for $17 (available in five shades).
3. The famous Alleyoop Pen Pal works as a multicolor, multifunctional four-in-one makeup pen that'll definitely help shrink your makeup bag (and the time you spend going through it). With one click you'll have eyeliner, lip liner, highlighter, AND an eyebrow pencil in the palm of your hand. Genius!
It's vegan, cruelty- and paraben-free, and the packaging is recyclable!
Alleyoop is a woman-owned small biz that takes "beauty efficiency" to a new level. Most of their products are compact and have multiple functions!
Promising review: "This 4-in-1 touchup pen has been such a lifesaver! It is super compact and convenient for on-the-go. I always make sure to have it in my purse before I head out the door. The colors are pigmented, creamy, and glide on the skin easily. Each color is perfect for what I need. I'm obsessed!" —ana
Get it from Alleyoop for $25 (available in three shades).
4. Maybelline Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush is a super "low maintenance" beauty product according to reviewers, and can be used on your cheeks, lips, and even as an eyeshadow. Each shade is a soft, buildable color with a dewy finish. They're also oil-free (yay!) and lightweight so you'll have no problem wearing it all day long.
Promising review: "I’m a huge fan of low maintenance makeup. I love this because I can use it on my cheeks and lips. Similar to a stain, it spreads very evenly before it dries. I feel like it gives me an instant rosy glow. Perfect for mature skin! On a day when I don’t feel like makeup I will use this and some mascara and it makes a difference! I will be keeping this in my makeup routine. For the low price it’s an excellent product!" —OldPortland
Get it from Amazon for $5.98 (available in six shades).
5. Eyeshadow patches are a genius beauty hack that catches any eyeshadow that falls down while you're applying it. It'll also make eyeliner and shadow lines crisp as heck. Yay for *not* ruining foundation in the process of getting glammed up!
These babies have adhesive on back so nothing moves around in the process.
Promising review: "My prayers were finally answered. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time. It keeps eye shadow from getting on the cheeks which tends to happen every time I apply eye shadow. These strips catch all the falling eye makeup. I’m glad I found them. Highly recommend." —Frequent shopper
Get a 120-pack from Amazon for $6.99.
6. A set of makeup blending sponges will make it ridiculously easy and efficient to blend makeup and get full coverage. Reviewers say they're the ~perfect~ dupe for the OG Beautyblender, and that they work great for foundation, BB cream, powder, *and* concealer — wet or dry!
Promising review: "I am VERY picky when it comes to my makeup sponges. For years I would only use a Beautyblender because, to be honest, nothing else compared or gave the same foundation finish. These are truly a game changer! They are not 100% identical to the name brand blender in texture, HOWEVER they DO give the same flawless foundation finish. I would even go as far as to say they soak up less foundation which means you aren't wasting as much product. And can we talk about this price point?!?! Save your hard earned money and PURCHASE THESE! You won't be disappointed." —Lindsey
Get a set of five from Amazon for $7.99 (available in four color combos).
7. BestLand's high-performance matte lipsticks ditch the usual chapped and cracked lips and bring on ALL the bold red and pink color. Each shade in this six-piece (!!) set is long-lasting and effective — they'll literally last through a bunch of meetings, lunch, and more meetings after that. Tons of reviewers say they have officially ditched high-end brands for this set!
Promising review: "What can I say, I saw a TikTok about this lipstick and for $10 had to try it! The reviews are right, for some reason this lipstick is better than even $20 name brand ones bought from Ulta. Not only does it smell great, but dries in under a minute and survived eating a cupcake, a Starbucks drink, and an entire evening out, no smudging and had to be removed with a makeup wipe. Fantastic product!!" —Claire
Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $11.99.
8. Glosshood's Holyyy gloss/balm hybrid keeps lips moisturized and hydrated without the sticky mess we all hate. The ingredients are clean and simple, including things like beeswax (a hydrator), coconut oil (a collagen booster), vitamin E oil (a protecting moisturizer), peppermint oil, and a few others in the same arena.
Glosshood and the Holyyy Gloss Balm Hybrid were created by Sienna Brown. This Black-owned small biz is slowly but surely growing a devoted following for their gloss formula that's changing the game.
Get it from Glosshood or Thirteen Lune for $22.22.
9. Maybelline Dark Circles Treatment Concealer is a miracle-working product that'll make those dark circles disappear almost instantly (keyword being "instant").
Promising review: "I can not stop raving about this product. I AM IN LOVE. This product is affordable and definitely a MUST HAVE in everyone's collection when it comes to makeup. Hides my dark circles and gives my eyes some life. I'm obsessed. ALSO IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY, in case my review wasn't clear enough." —Nada
Get it from Amazon for $7.98 (available in 18 shades).
10. NYX Epic Ink Liner goes on smooth, lasts all day, and is totally smudge-proof. Basically, it's the waterproof eyeliner of your dreams. I can already see all the sharp cat-eyes in your future!
Promising review: "I don't usually write reviews, but I had to rave about this eyeliner because it's amazing. My go-to eyeliner used to be the Kat Von D tattoo liner, but this is my new favorite. I think the quality is even better overall, plus it's at least $10 cheaper. It basically fits all of the requirements I would want in my perfect eyeliner. It's affordable, extremely black, opaque, easy to use, waterproof, stays on for a long time, and the tip is quite thin so you can get wings as sharp as a sword. I also usually have to use makeup remover and concealer to clean up my lines, but I barely need to do any maintenance with this. My cat-eyes have been turning out so clean and beautiful. A lot of reviewers were also complaining about how this eyeliner bled everywhere, but I just wanted to say that their packaging might have been faulty because I had no problem with mine. In fact, mine bleeds less than most eyeliners I've ever used." —Caiti
Get it from Amazon for $7.92 (available in black and brown).
11. OR the awesome non-liquid Kulfi Kajal Eyeliner! It's a creamy, blendable liner that doesn't smudge (!!) and lasts all day long. It even has aloe vera and vitamin E as main ingredients to help moisturize and act as antioxidants. The range of colors make it perfect for everyday wear as well as your go-to for something eye-catchingly bold✨
Kulfi Beauty is a South Asian woman-owned small biz that was created to empower the South Asian community through representation that was lacking in beauty industry. And BTW, "kulfi" is a type of South Asian ice cream!
Promising review: "I love this eyeliner! Finally, one that does not end up all over my under-eyes by the end of the day. Beautiful colors and easy application. It even does well applied to the waterline! I appreciate that the stick is so slim, too. This stuff is MAGIC!" —Erika N.
Get it from Kulfi Beauty for $20 (available in five shades).
12. Essence Lash Princess mascara gives dramatically long lashes without the price of extensions or false strips. This best seller has over 158,000 five-star reviews!
Promising reviews: "I have tried every single expensive mascara and this one tops them all. Sometimes I use a different wand with the formula but I will still buy this over anything else. I saw it in a BuzzFeed article and bought it based on all the positive reviews. I love it, my roommates use it all the time, crowd fave for sure, and it even stays on when you need it to, doesn't flake, and with a makeup wipe isn't impossible to get off." —schyler
"After using Lights, Camera, Lashes by Tarte for the past year, I got tired of breaking the bank over mascara. My sister suggested Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect and I IMMEDIATELY fell in love. It provides dramatic length and great volume. I can honestly say I can’t stop looking at my eyelashes in the mirror every single day because of how awesome they look. Also, it is very long wearing. I go from an eight hour work day right to the gym and sweat like crazy...and this stuff doesn’t budge! I love it!!" —Carrie E Weikert
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
13. Nyx Professional Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick comes in bold brights AND shimmering neutrals, making adding a little flair to your everyday makeup a fun and simple task. Just glide, blend, and go! It can be used as eyeshadow, eyeliner for a bold cat-eye, or a primer for powder shadow. In less than 10 seconds and with little effort at all, you've got yourself a chic, vibrant shimmer.
Promising reviews: "I see the hype. When I applied this I was honestly shocked at how easy the product went on. It’s like an 11/10 for how smooth it is. I love this product so much already. Probably gonna buy more." —London Johnson
"I work in a downtown office with very busy foot traffic and I hate carrying a big bag on my commute. This little do-dad fit perfectly in my purse for easy touch-ups and lasts all day even when I have sweat off all other makeup! I am officially obsessed and will be buying in more colors! Extremely beautiful and pigmented, I received so many compliments too which is always a plus!" —Jackson
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in 17 shades).
14. Coty Airspun Face Powder is a velvety, oil-absorbing matte setting powder that hides blemishes and lines without looking cakey or cracked. It's also earned over 70,000 (!!) 5-star reviews, so *clearly* it's something missing from your makeup bag.
Promising review: "I am now OBSESSED with this stuff. I feel like I've been officially converted. As someone who's used compact foundation for over a decade, this has been a huge change in routine, but I really love the way this stuff feels. Now it's not as full coverage as a compact foundation, but if used with some concealer and a setting spray--this still really can do wonders! It's super lightweight and comfortable to wear, and I've gotten a lot of compliments on how great my makeup and skin have looked." —A-Mo
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in five shades and in multi-packs).
15. EmaxDesign's 12-piece Bamboo Makeup Brush Set comes complete with all essential makeup brushes, each with comfy-to-hold bamboo handles and a carrying case for it all. In other words: you're all set.
Tip: Wash the brushes before first use!
The set contains: Foundation Brush, Big Eyeshadow Brush, Highlight Brush, Eye Smudge Brush, Concealer Brush, Eyebrow Brush, Small Eyeshadow Brush, Blusher Brush, Eyelash Brush, Multifunction Foundation Brush, Multifunction Blush Brush, Mini Kabuki Brush, a portable bag, and an instruction manual.
Promising reviews: "These brushes definitely exceeded my expectations! I've purchased single brushes from name brands for the same price (or even more) as the price of this 12-piece set and I have to say the quality of these brushes is better than some of those name brands! There's not a single thing that I could complain about. The brushes were packaged nicely and luckily for me they didn't have any strong chemical smell. I did still wash them of course, and didn't have any bristles fall out or anything. The bristles are perfectly soft but still a bit firm. Overall they feel really well made and I haven't had any shedding whatsoever. I would absolutely recommend this set and I honestly might buy another just because LOL. The price is amazing and the quality is so impressive!" —auuu
"I love these brushes. I've had them for months and use them just about everyday. They are soft and hairs are not shedding all over the place, not even when I wash them. No problems with application of foundation, eyeshadow, highlighter, or whatever I'm using them for. Very nice brushes for the price. Makes me mad that I've paid $30 for one MAC brush when I could have bought two sets of equally good brushes for the same price. They come in a little pouch and each is individually wrapped. Classy. I highly recommend." —Shannon W.
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+.
16. Peripera Ink Velvet Lip Tint gives you long-lasting color that can (basically) stand the test of time. The reviews are filled with people who say its stays gorgeous from morning to evening. And the best part? Even when it fades, it leaves a pretty, natural-looking stain!
Promising reviews: "I'm absolutely obsessed with this lip color! The formula goes on very smoothly. It's highly pigmented, so it provides great saturation. It also stays in place rather well. Would highly recommend." —Karen Scarborough
Get it from Amazon for $9.90 (available in 22 shades).
17. Mented Cosmetics eyeshadow palette provides nine *very* pigmented nude and neutral shades (shimmer and matte), so you can start with the forever-complimentary basics. They also happen to be vegan, paraben-free, nontoxic, and cruelty free!
Mented Cosmetics is a small business beauty brand founded by two awesome Black women, KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson. The idea for the brand began after a conversation helped them realize there was no perfect nude lipstick for their skin tones. Shortly after, Mented Cosmetics was born!
Promising review: "The colors are SUPER pigmented, stay in place & doesn’t wear off. Queen Sugar is my absolute fave color, the shade is so pretty & it pops the crease on my hooded lids! Use it everyday I go to the office/date nights & girls nite out…LOVE THIS PALETTE!!" —Jillian B.
Get it from Mented Cosmetics for $21 (originally $28).
18. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer has been a makeup bag essential for many for years! The creamy, buildable formula along with the long-lasting wear (16 hours to be exact) makes this the award-winning cult-favorite what it is.
Promising reviews: "I’m obsessed with this concealer. It provides outstanding, long lasting coverage and can be buildable as needed. If I could only choose one makeup item to wear out, it’s this concealer." —Kayles0404
"This concealer is my all-time favorite for so many reasons. For one, I have fine lines under my eyes and this concealer is the only one that does not crease on me. It also blends so easily and looks really good when I do a natural makeup look with no foundation. Whenever I’m in a rush, I always gravitate towards this concealer over other ones because it covers everything I need it to and it blends so seamlessly. I always know I’m gonna have a good makeup day when I use this....I am absolutely OBSESSED with this and will repurchase!!" —hqueen22
Get it from Sephora for $14+ (available in two sizes and in 30 shades).
19. Clinique Black Honey lipstick is TikTok-viral and has been a cult-fave literally since the '90s for looking good on any and every skin tone. It's got a silky smooth balm texture and sheer, buildable color.
Check it out on TikTok here!
BuzzFeed writer Bianca Guzzo tried it out and loves it just as much the rest of the world:
“I’ve been seeing this lipstick trending everywhere and as I’m more of a tint and balm girl these days, I knew I had to give it a try. The color payoff with a shade this deep is subtle but it’s definitely buildable. I like that it gives me a pinch of color on my lips that perfectly compliments my no-makeup-makeup days. I like to layer a clear balm on top for a glossy look.”
Get it from Sephora for $15 (originally $22).
20. Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter illuminates your skin in the best possible way. And because it's buildable, you can go from a natural glow to a shimmering goddess like *that*.
Promising reviews: "Wow, this is a vibrant highlight. The rose color looks beautiful on my skin but I have to use a VERY light hand when applying. It almost looks like a large pan of eyeshadow and can easily look like a stripe of eyeshadow across your cheeks. If you enjoy a bold highlight then this is for you. The quality is up there with high end. If you're fair I'd definitely get the rose gold over the other colors." —C. Wallace
"Obsessed with this highlighter! It is blinding and looks beautiful on bronzed skin. I was a little nervous the color would be to gold for me but when I applied it, it blended out to the perfect glow. Will be my go to this summer!" —Riley Hurlbert
Get it from Amazon for $8.98 (available in four shades).
21. Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint combines makeup and skincare into one, and that'll definitely make getting ready easier. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide work together to even tone, while the SPF 40 tint (yes, it's sunscreen too!) provides a weightless, dewy finish.
This is silicone-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, noncomedogenic, and safe for sensitive skin. To use, dispense a quarter of a dropper into your hand and apply like a serum. Note that on application, the shade may appear lighter but after 30–60 seconds, it'll adjust to its true color. Because it's silicone-free, natural separation may occur. This is normal and it'll be fixed when applied to skin. Plus, you can recycle the bottle! Learn how to here.
Promising reviews: "I love this foundation... It gives good coverage for being a serum foundation, but not too full to the point where my face feels heavy. It leaves a gorgeous dewy finish on my skin, which I love because my skin is typically very dry — which makes it difficult to accomplish a dewy look. If I feel like my skin looks a little too shiny, I just add a little bit of powder over the shiny areas with a beauty blender and that solves the problem. I’m obsessed. I would definitely recommend if you have dry skin!" —ekmanmorgan, Sephora customer
"Obsessed is an understatement. I am IN LOVE with this product! It is truly like a second (better) skin! It feels so nourishing for my skin as soon as I put it on. As someone who does not wear makeup hardly ever, this stuff makes me want to wear makeup every day! I have noticed it lasts better throughout the day when paired with the Ilia primer... I have combination skin that is more on the dry side and this is a perfect buffer to hydrate my skin without it looking overly oily. Highly recommend!" —srydaa, Sephora customer
Get it from Sephora for $48 (available in 30 shades) or Amazon $48 (available in 28 shades).
22. Broadway's long-lasting clear lip gloss set includes three glosses, each with a different main ingredient that takes a plain ole gloss to the next level. The rosehip oil gloss is designed to reduce fine lines on your lips, the mint oil gloss creates a cooling sensation, and the coconut oil gloss is for lips that need extra hydration. Each provide the ~perfect~ glossy finish.
Promising review: "I️ saw these in a BuzzFeed article and I always need chapstick/lip moisturizer with me so I️ thought I️ would give these a try! And safe to say, these are perfect, exactly what I️ was looking for! I️ have had the mint one on for 30 minutes and I’m obsessed! It was a little sticky like any lip gloss at first but as time goes but it’s very cooling and moisturizing. I’ll definitely be ordering more to have on hand!" —Stephanie
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $4.49.
23. Revlon Volcanic Face Roller absorbs shine in seconds *without* messing up your makeup — how awesome is that? Simply roll it over any oily or greasy areas of your face and watch it work its magic.
The face roller is reusable! Just twist the ring to pop out the stone, then wash it with a mild soap/cleanser and let it air dry after every use.
Promising reviews: "This rolling device is like pure magic. You simply roll it around your oily areas and BOOM the oil magically vanishes into the ball never to be seen again! This is an item that #tiktokmademebuyit for sure! I saw a video on TikTok and immediately went on the hunt only to be disappointed that this item was sold out everywhere! I eventually got added to a waiting list here on Amazon and once they had it in stock again, they charged my card and sent it my way! If you have the chance to purchase this and you have oily skin, get yourself on the waiting list if you need to and just kick it until it shows up. You will be pleased. Thank me later." —Veronica Cooper
"I am obsessed with this roller! I normally have to use oil blotting sheets three times a day and this roller makes me feel so much more environmentally conscious. This roller seriously just takes the oil right off of your face. It's super easy to clean and reuse. I have one by my bathroom sink, one in my gym bag, and one in my purse and I've been reusing them all for months!" —K
Get it from Amazon for $13.40.
24. Il Makiage No Filter Smoothing Primer is a silky bestseller that blurs pores and fine lines like no other. Seriously, it's got over 45,000 5-star reviews with people gushing about smooth and weightless it is! It works as silky base to ensure your makeup stays on all day and night with a prolonged filter effect.
Promising reviews: "This primer goes on smooth and sets well. It leaves a matte finish after the application of foundation and holds the foundation and eyeshadow all day. This is a must have product and I highly recommend it. Especially for combination skin." —Katrina
"I have extremely sensitive and acne-prone skin. I love this primer!! It covers everything and looks so smooth on me without looking like too much. Love all of their products!!" —Kena M.
Get it from Il Makiage for $49.
25. Youthforia's BYO Blush Oil takes "finding the perfect color" off of your to-do list. It's a genius color-changing blush that's designed to react to the pH of your skin to transform into the perfect blush tone for *you*. This bestselling lightweight formula is seriously changing the beauty game.
Youthforia is an Asian woman–owned small business established in 2020 that specializes in environmentally friendly, cruelty-free makeup made with at least 90% renewable ingredients.
Fun fact: All of Youthforia's makeup is designed with ingredients that make it A-OK for your skin to sleep with it on!
Promising review: "OBSESSED. This is the best blush I’ve ever used. Love how natural it looks and how it blends into your skin." —Zehra H., Youthforia customer
26. And when the day is done and you're ready for it all to come off — a super-soft Makeup Eraser wipes off your makeup using *only* water! (Yes, you read that right.) The gentle fabric also has a microfiber blend specifically designed to clear gunk from your pores. If that's not magic, I don't know what is.
It's got two sides — one that can wipe off all your makeup with water and a light scrubbing, and another that exfoliates your skin. Plus, all you have to do when you're done using it is wet it and hang it up to dry! No more wasting money on icky washcloths that hurt your skin!!! I can hear your pores singing from here.
Promising review: "I am amazed by this product. I would even say that this is life-altering! I have not had to buy makeup remover in three months and don't believe I will ever have to again! When I used makeup remover, I felt like I could never get all of my makeup off and I had to rub my eyes quite a bit to get it off. Even after a lot of rubbing when using makeup remover I still would wake up the next morning with makeup residue from the previous day and I never felt I could completely get my makeup off. With makeup eraser, there is not one bit of makeup left!! It is like magic!! Make sure you follow directions, you have to use warm water and use the correct side!" —Sprklbuz
Check out BuzzFeed's review of the Makeup Eraser for more deets!
Get it from Amazon for $20 (available in 14 colors).
Remember, practice makes perfect!
