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. L'Oréal's Voluminous Primer Mascara gives your lashes just the lift they need so your mascara can lend them the most dramatic boost they've seen yet.
2. Glossier Cloud Paint touts itself as the "most user-friendly blush under the sun," and you know what? I'm not about to argue against it. The sheer formula is made to be layered so you can build pigment to your desired level. Plus, all you have to do is dab it on with your finger — no makeup sponges or brushes necessary.
3. Alleyoop's Pen Pal is ‼️ four ‼️ products in one and it's all packed into a super nostalgic applicator that resembles a Bic ballpoint. The tiny but mighty gadget has everything you need to touch up your eyes, lips, brows, and high points so you can carry just a quarter of what you'd normally need to get the job done.
4. TruSkin Vitamin C Serum wards off wrinkles, evens out dark spots, and helps brighten your overall complexion with a 🍃 plant-based 🍃 blend of ingredients including hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, witch hazel, and jojoba oil. And don't let the tiny bottle fool you — it'll be around for the long haul.
5. Essence's Lash Princess Mascara gives you a falsies-level look for less than 5 bucks. It seems questionable, I know, but for confirmation you need only to look at the 143,000+ 5-star reviews!!
BuzzFeed editor Kayla Boyd tried this out and raves:
"As someone who isn't a big fan of false lashes (the glue irritates my eyes and I'm terrible at applying them) this budget-friendly holy grail does the trick for both lengthening and volumizing my lashes. After you've given it a minute to dry, it lasts all day long and doesn't smudge or fade. It seriously gives the effect of false lashes without the discomfort."
Promising review: "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 workday right to the gym and sweat like wild...and this stuff doesn’t budge! I love it!!" —Carrie E Miller
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
For more info and review pics, check out Kayla's full Essence Lash Princess Mascara review! You can also check out her review of the mascara on TikTok!
6. Glossier's Futuredew moisturizes skin and leaves you radiant with or without makeup. Just swipe on two pumps of the hybrid serum/oil after applying your regular moisturizer, serums, and sunscreen.
7. Saie Glowy Super Gel will have your skin radiant whether added to your foundation or used alone as a primer. Heck, you can even slap some on your arms and legs if you're looking for all-over dewiness.
8. Bolden's Brightening Glycolic Acid Toner combines glycolic acid and antioxidants to target dark spots, uneven texture, and fine lines. The brand says it's ideal for oily skin, blemish-prone skin, and those dealing with hyperpigmentation.
Bolden is a Black- and woman-owned small beauty brand that creates products that work well for and empower women of color. They also offer a handful of other skincare solutions from moisturizers and cleansers to night serums and spot treatments.
Promising review: "This is my second time purchasing the toner. I love the way it has my face glowing. I have noticed that my skin has a brighter tone or complexion. I highly recommend it." —Latonia J.
9. Nooni's Marshmallow Whip Maker takes any ol' cleanser and suds it up into a marshmallow-like foam so you can make yourself look like the lead lady in a rom-com when she lowers herself into the *most* perfect bubble bath imaginable.
10. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is like Sudafed, just for your skin. The highly concentrated solution eliminates congestion and flushes out oil and sebum — aka the waxy buildup that plugs your pores — with vitamin B3 and zinc.
11. Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint delivers a long-lasting matte look without any cracking, flaking, or — I cringe just writing this — uncomfortable dryness.
12. Elizabeth Mott's Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Base ensures your lewk stands the test of time and doesn't crease, smudge, or fall victim to oiliness just minutes after you're done applying it.
Promising review: "So let me start by saying I have used nearly every eyeshadow primer available. From high end to low...they don't hold a candle to Thank Me Later. I have very oily skin. Using this primer, shadow lasts a full eight hours or more. I could get maybe five or six out of the other brands if I was lucky. I got this as a sample in my Ipsy bag, and I had to buy the full-size product straight away! I couldn't be happier with my purchase. Thank you, Elizabeth Mott, for finally making a primer that lasts! I love this stuff!" —Melissa Mae
Get it from Amazon for $13.48.
13. Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser gently melts off makeup so your pores don't suffocate overnight. The pH-balanced formula is also easy on sensitive skin since its main ingredient is poloxamer — a mild cleansing agent — instead of traditional soap.
14. Keys Soulcare's water-activated Be Luminous Exfoliator buffs away dry and dead skin with a mix of gentle, antioxidant-rich ingredients including green tea, hojicha powder, mung beans, oats, and lactic acid. Based solely on Alicia Keys's complexion, I'd say that's a winning combination!
15. Mighty Patch Hydrocolloid Spot Treatments speedily pull the pus out of your most worrisome whiteheads. (Sorry that was a gross sentence, but it is what it is. 🤷♀️) Before you head to bed, just slap the dots right on any zits and they'll work their magic overnight.
16. Laneige's Glowy Makeup Serum not only gives you an incredible glow when applied before your foundation, but it also keeps oil in check so you don't look like you rolled around in Vaseline 15 minutes after you leave the house.
17. Garnier's SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water works as a cleanser and makeup remover. Use it in the a.m. and p.m. to hit refresh on your face before applying your regular moisturizer and serum.
18. Isle of Paradise's Self-Tanning Drops lend your complexion a natural glow. If the bottom half of your face is a different shade from months of mask wearing, mix a couple drops in with your moisturizer to even things out.
19. Soft Pinch Liquid Blush — from Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty — delivers long-lasting, buildable pigment in your choice of dewy or matte finish. So if your face hasn't seen the sun for, ohhhhhh, say a year or so now, it can lend you a healthy lil' flush.
Promising review: "This blush is amazing! First time trying liquid blush, but it's definitely worth it. This formula is so smooth and moisturizing as well as creamy. This was way more pigmented than I thought (in a good way). A little goes a very long way so I can tell this will last me a long time. The color is very similar to the photo online, but I was so surprised at how well it worked. Very blendable and flawless. Very beautiful packaging and applicator, too. Left a nice dewy finish and lasted all day long! I'm sure if I didn't remove it at night it would have lasted longer. :) Selena really hit this off! I'm now very interested in purchasing her highlighter and concealer, too!" —Sofiarosa
Get it from Sephora or Rare Beauty for $20 (available in eight shades).
20. L’Oréal Paris Volume-Building Mascara makes eyes pop whether you pick it up in cobalt blue, burgundy, or deep green. If the majority of your face will still be hidden behind a mask this fall, might as well go big or go home with your eye look, right?
21. Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray uses just three workhorse ingredients — good ol' H2O, sodium chloride, and hypochlorous acid — to put redness and dullness in its place. 🥊 Used faithfully a.m. and p.m., it'll leave your complexion even and glowing.
Tower 28 is an LA-based small clean beauty brand specializing in nontoxic, nonirritating vegan and cruelty-free makeup and skincare. Amy Liu, the founder and CEO, worked for 15+ years as a beauty exec before leaving to create products that would suit her sensitive eczema-prone skin.
Full disclosure: Many reviewers say the SOS spray's scent isn't super pleasant (think: chlorinated pool water) BUT it has helped them with hormonal breakouts and rosacea.
Promising review: "This is a holy grail product. I swear I have glass skin now thanks to this spray. My texture, pores, skin tone, hydration, everything seems better. I love how it looks, how it smells, and especially how happy it makes my skin. I’ll be buying this for the rest of my life. I’ve already repurchased it twice. Worth the hype." —CBTarker
Get it from Sephora or Tower 28 for $12+ (available in three sizes).
22. Nudies Matte Blush and Bronze Stick multitasks like no other with a brush on one side and a colorful balm on the other. Swipe it on your eyes, cheeks, and/or lips for a bit of pigmented glow.
23. Neutrogena's Alcohol-Free Toner purifies and refreshes skin without drying it out. If your face is sick of feeling like SpongeBob in that one (super-uncomfy) ep where he refuses to ask Sandy for water, get this stuff ASAP — and don't use too much! A few drops is all you need.
24. Honest Beauty's Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer leaves you looking like you applied falsies thanks to its 2-in-1 formula that emphasizes length and volume. Needless to say, reviews of Jessica Alba's award-winning clean mascara concur that it's ~honestly~ worth it.
Promising review: "Product works wonderfully for being a clean beauty brand. I feel like other clean ones I've tried don't last all day and flaked easily, but not this one! I usually don't like silicone wands but this one works with the help of the normal wand on the primer side. I love this. Best clean mascara I've tried!" —Mal
Get it from Target or Ulta Beauty for $17.
25. Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r matte foundation is so long lasting, reviewers say it holds up even after eight hours under a mask! Plus, they say it doesn't even transfer a drop!! Thank youuuuuu, RiRi (the one and only billionaire I'm OK with).
Promising review: "I'm not the type of person to wear makeup every day, especially if it's cakey, because I have really oily and sensitive skin. I love natural-looking makeup. I put this foundation on and it's literally like my skin. You will not feel it and it looks soooo natural. I have also NEVER been able to find a foundation that is my skin tone — it literally matches my skin perfectly. I think the foundation is the best thing in the line. I never do reviews but I have to give props where it's due." —stacyrenee24
Get it from Sephora or Fenty Beauty for $36 (available in 50 shades).
26. Touch in Sol's No Poreblem Primer smoothes out pores and uneven textures so your foundation goes on without a hitch. With green tea extract, the formula also energizes your skin while it's at it. 🍵
27. Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer erases dark circles, redness, and acne. If a full face of makeup isn't for you, but you would like a lil' bit of convenient, easy-to-use coverage, check it out.
28. Haus Laboratories Eye-dentify Gel Pencil delivers a vibrant, highly saturated look in your choice of shimmer, matte, or metallic finish. The creamy formula — from Lady Gaga herself — is waterproof, transfer-proof, and meant to last for up to 12 full hours of wear.
Promising review: "I’ve bought seven different shades now and they’re all SO GOOD. I tend to gravitate more toward the shimmers and metallics because they are incredibly pigmented and don’t require much building to make them pop, but I have three of the mattes and really enjoy them, too. They work great for my waterline and even after a 12-hour shift in food service." —Alex E.
Get it from Haus Laboratories or Amazon for $18 (available in 20 shades).
29. Glossier's customizable Balm Dotcom trio is guaranteed to lock in moisture with castor oil, beeswax, and lanolin. Best of all, a little goes a loooooong way.
30. Ilia's Multi-Stick was made for on-the-go use so you can swipe on a bit of lip and cheek color whether you're in an Uber, on the subway, or walking to brunch. While you can use a dense brush for application, your finger works just as well so you don't need to carry any extras if you're traveling light.
31. Youthforia's BYO Blush Oil provides a unique glow with every application as the color-changing formula reacts to your skin’s natural pH level. Since it's blendable and buildable, you can swipe on as little or as much as you like.
32. Kylie Cosmetics' Matte Lip Kits guarantee eight hours of highly pigmented wear — bible! Plus, reviewers say the new-and-improved vegan formula is ultra creamy and transfer-proof.
My fellow BuzzFeed shopping editor Heather Braga LOVES this particular kit — hear her out:
"I personally have Mary Jo and can attest to the fact it's a PERFECT red lip with an everlasting formula you won't need to reapply all day. The newest iteration is vegan and cruelty free 🥰. Honestly, I have an embarrassing number of Kylie Lip Kits — convincing everyone they need to try it *at least once* is the hill I will forever die on. I've just been so impressed with the product since day one! I wore a Kylie Lip Kit on my wedding day and it did not budge. Heck, I've worn one to every wedding or major event I've ever attended! It is THE most reliable lip product I (and you) will ever own."
Promising review: "I love love love the lip kit — it's my absolute favorite! Stays on all day and doesn't dry out your lips; it does the opposite, makes your lips look smooth and hydrated! Also makes your lips look full, as if you had fillers!" —Jaxs
Get the liquid lipstick and liner duo from Kylie Cosmetics for $29 (available in 33 shades).
33. Lovoir's Flick Stick was made for those who LOVE the look of winged liner, but can't help but shake like a leaf when attempting to paint them on. Now you can stamp 'em on and call it a day.
34. Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel sets and defines your eyebrows for all-day wear whether you're hitting the park or window shopping. With a chamomile and hyaluronic acid formula, it also hydrates and conditions your hairs so they look on point even when you go au naturel.
35. Peripera's Ink Velvet Lip Tint is just the ticket for days when you want to put in as little effort as possible. Swipe on the long-lasting emollient formula and go about your day as usual — no sipping through a straw or eating your salad like a Kardashian — because it's that dang durable.
36. BareMinerals' Loose Powder Foundation not only gives wearers lightweight and luminous coverage, but also SPF15 to protect your skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays. So, if you're constantly "forgetting" to apply sunscreen before you leave the house, this will help.
37. Glossier's Skincare Edit gives your skin a taste of all the brand's most beloved goodies and, best of all, your wallet won't be left suffering.
38. Aztec Secret's Indian Healing Clay mask deeply (and we mean *deeply*) penetrates your pores and vacuums out impurities so well that it's racked up more than 20,000+ 5-star ratings.
39. Thayers' Witch Hazel Facial Toner tightens up pores, reduces redness, and keeps oil production in check with rose petal water, witch hazel extract, and aloe vera. As far as curb appeal goes (or counter, if you will), we also love that the bottle looks like it came from an old-timey apothecary.
40. La Roche-Posay's Hydrating Gentle Cleanser was made for sensitive faces as its milky formula preserves your skin's natural protective barrier and pH level.
41. And Lanolips deeeeeeeply hydrates dry and chapped skin without any petroleum, parabens, or artificial fragrances. Slap the all-natural formula on your lips, cuticles, dry patches, and even weenus (I can't help myself) for a lasting blast of moisture.
When you thought you'd *finally* scroll a list without buying anything but then you saw a contraption that foams up your cleanser:
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
