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. E.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer, which blurs your pores and creates a smooth, velvety texture for makeup to glide over and also grip onto. Infused with squalane for hydration, Poreless Putty Primer has a mattifying effect that doesn't look dry — plus, it's small enough to take on the go in case you need touch-ups.
Promising review: "This is smooth, blends well with foundation and feels good on the skin. Sets well with powder. I sometimes wear it alone for a little smoother look, since it's colorless it doesn't look like foundation. The price is great and I've yet to see it in a store. I like that I can control how much to apply and a little goes a long way. It appears to wash off well. Will be buying it again." —Y. C.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
2. Lip Bar Tinted Skin Conditioner if you prefer using a skin tint over foundation as your base for a super natural, dewy look that doesn't feel heavy. They call it a "conditioner" because it's just so hydrating and skin-friendly (thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid, rosewater, cucumber extract, and Irish sea moss), and it even has SPF 11 for extra protection.
Note: The ADA recommends choosing a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher (like one of our faves, Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen), so this wouldn't be sufficient *on its own* for daily coverage! (And check out more sunscreen myths and facts, according to derms we talked to!)
The Lip Bar is a Black-owned, woman-owned business and all of its products are vegan and cruelty free (no unnecessary chemicals!!).
Promising review: "I was looking for a foundation that had a natural, buildable finish and did not leave me looking like my makeup was caked on. This is it. It's lightweight, feels like nothing on the skin, and looks beautiful. This is the perfect everyday coverage. And I love that it's good for my skin and hydrating without looking too shiny. IMO this beats out more expensive brands any day. I got the shade Almond and it melted into my skin. I'm basically obsessed. The Lip Bar is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands. You guys killed it with this one!" —stephaniewilkins
Get it from The Lip Bar for $17 (available in 12 shades).
3. Or for a matte finish and full coverage: The viral L'Oreal Paris Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation, beloved for its lightweight feel and satiny finish that's *not* cakey, creating a gorgeous velvety base that covers spots and blurs pores. People with oily skin in particular swear by it!
Promising review: "I am in my late 60s with normal to dry skin and let me tell you, I'm already in love with this powder foundation! A lot of the reviews I've read have come from younger folks with oiler skin who rave about how awesome it is for oily, textured skin. Well, I'm here to tell you that my skin is mature, on the drier side, with dark spots, texture and wrinkles, and this stuff is magic IF you take the time to BUFF IT IN!! That's the big key here. I just received my package and couldn't wait to try it out, so without prepping my skin like I usually do before applying foundation, I took a full, dense, soft powder foundation brush and started working that baby into my skin. OMG the formula was so creamy. I just kept blending and blending, and my pores started to disappear, my dark spots began to be less noticeable, and my skin had a smooth, creamy, natural appearance like no other powder foundation I've ever tried (that includes my high-end products). Imagine with prepped skin how this could be! The hype is very real with this, I had to check it out for myself because I have dry, older skin, and sometimes powder foundations can make my skin look drier and too matte. Not this stuff." —Flanamom
Get it from Amazon for $11.96+ (available in 18 shades).
4. A rainbow-inspired eyeshadow palette with 40 matte, shimmer, and metallic shades so you can play with pretty much any color to paint the ~canvas~ that is your lovely face. Loved by amateurs and professional makeup artists alike, this is a great all-in-one palette for anyone who's not afraid to dabble with bright colors.
Also, if you follow beauty influencers, you miiiight notice this is a dupe for the James Charles x Morphe palette, which cost almost $40. 👀
Promising review: "Best palette I've owned and you can't beat this price! I'm a chalk pastel portrait artist so the plan was if these weren't great pigments for makeup, I was going to use it for chalk drawings! As it turns out, this palette is way better than expected. The colors are beautiful and vibrant. They are also extremely pigmented, especially the shimmery colors, and they all seem to blend well. I'm happy to have every color I could ever want in an eyeshadow in the palm of my hands and I've been experimenting with colors I've never worn before!!" —Mary Diamond
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
5. And a pack of eyeshadow shields to catch excess makeup while applying it and leave your under-eye area looking clean afterward.
Promising review: "I've been a certified makeup artist for 12 years. Used for my cousin's wedding makeup, and they worked really well as far as catching fallout and shaping goes, but taking them off, they really stick so just be gentle. Still great." —Andrea
Get a box of 120 pieces from Amazon for $7.99.
6. Plus! An eyeshadow color removal sponge that'll let you experiment with colorful eye looks without the pain of cleaning or switching between brushes for every color. Just rub your brush in this pan for a few seconds, and it'll be good to go for your next shade!
I picked up this color removal sponge from Amazon after hearing about this hack on TikTok and can testify that it actually works SO well. I'm *so* bad about cleaning my brushes (I know...shameful) and this makes it super easy to clean a brush in a matter of seconds. So even if I'm trying to do a *slightly* more elaborate eyeshadow look for the day, this makes the process of switching colors as quick and painless as possible. Also, it's *super* lightweight, and I've already tossed it in my bag and brought it on vacation with me multiple times. This is one of those products I won't be traveling without in the future if I plan on doing eyeshadow at any point — and it means you only need to pack one or two eyeshadow brushes!
Promising review: "Easy to use, super cool to play with. They actually get your brushes clean! Comes in handy when using the same brush for various eye shadows without having to worry about color bleeding." —Beachgal
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
7. Vibrant Nyx liquid liner so you can wield your liner like an artist with their paintbrush and draw the cat-eye — as Taylor Swift might say — sharp enough to kill a man...or add dots, create squiggles, and experiment with any shapes you like. The thin liquid liner brush makes drawing with precision a breeze, and it's both waterproof and smudgeproof so you can head out all day without worry.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Amanda Davis says, "I'm wearing the blue liner there on the left, and the reviews are 100% right. This liner LASTS. I love to throw it on top of my usual black liner when I want an extra pop on a night out or am just feeling a little 'adventurous.' The liner's super thin tip glides nicely and makes it easy to be precise, too!"
Promising review: "Guys, I have hella hooded eyes, and any time I tried those expensive Sephora or Ulta eyeliners, they would smudge or fade INSTANTLY. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!!! The color pops, it's easy to use, and it NEVER SMUDGES, NEVER FLAKES, DOES NOT MOVE IN WATER!!! I fell asleep with it on, and it looked like I had just applied it when I woke up. ... Best eyeliner out there, take it from a girl who has tried ALL of those expensive eyeliners. I will never switch to anything else." —Jakjak
Get it from Amazon for $8.90+ (available in 14 shades, including matte or metallic).
8. And also from Nyx: A jumbo eye pencil that works as a liner, primer, and all-over shadow. Reviewers particularly adore shade Milk for a pigmented, no-smudge, long-lasting white eyeliner and highlighter — and for creating a bright base to make your eyeshadow really pop. But it comes in over a dozen shades ranging from neutral to bright colors, making it a versatile tool for crafting your perfect lewk.
Promising reviews: "This is the perfect white eyeliner! I tried so many and they never came out this pigmented. Others would blend in with my eyeshadow and turn out muddy. But this one stayed put and maintains its pigment. Super white and affordable." —Olivia Gwyan
"I've always wanted this one (in shade Milk); if you're in the makeup world then you know this is like gold. I love how it makes my eyes more noticeable and it helps make my colors show up better on my waterline if I wanna add some shadow to my lid. This is definitely a must-have in your makeup kit." —Itschante_mua
Get it from Amazon for $4.99+ (available in 17 shades).
9. Long-lasting Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray so your carefully crafted makeup look can survive up to 16 hours of wear, through humidity, sweat, rain, and snow, without any smudging or melting. I mean, there's a reason people consider this the holy grail of setting sprays.
BuzzFeed Shopping writer Jordan Grigsby says, "This is personally my absolute favorite setting spray. My skin is soooo so oily somedays it looks like I rubbed Popeyes chicken on my face. This spray keeps me matte and keeps my makeup in place ALL 👏 DAY 👏. Like, even after brunch in DC (if you're from DC you know brunch is an all day event) my makeup looks absolutely perfect. You know when you come home from a full day out and you kinda cringe because your makeup has moved all around? Yeah, never happens with this spray. I get home, look in the mirror, and I'm still a baddie!! Nothing has ever worked this well for me, like, this spray really works harder than Kris Jenner, I kid you not. 10/10 recommend."
Get it from Amazon or Sephora for $16+ (available in two sizes).
10. Essence Glimmer Glow Lipstick that uses pH color-changing technology to create the perfect rosy tint *for you*. While the gorgeous tube is super glittery, don't worry: It'll add only a sheer, subtle hint of sparkle to your lips along with the rosy tone.
Check out a TikTok of the Glimmer Glow lipstick in action.
Promising reviews: "This is such a pretty pH color lipstick, viral for a reason — it's very pretty to look at, it's not sticky at all, and the more you layer it, the darker the pink shows up. The only thing I don't like is the scent in it, I can almost taste it a bit. It's nice to have in my purse if I need a quick color while I'm out in case of sudden dinner plans or a meeting, because you can control the color saturation to how light or bold it is." —Kristina Bumbelow
"This product is beautiful. Being a darker skinned woman, I am hesitant to purchase lip colors online because I am unsure how they will look on me. This product is truly tone-matching and the added sparkle is a nice touch." —lookitsanonymous
Get it from Amazon for $3.99.
11. And another *genius* Essence product: Their bestselling Lash Princess mascara, beloved for its ability to give you bold, dramatic lashes while also separating them to prevent clumping — and, most of all, for its $5 price tag!
2023: The year we stop spending over $10 on mascara.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Emma Lord says, "Hello, that is my face above, because I bought into the hype of all the 5-star reviews and now I will never look back!! Putting it on is like giving my eyelashes butterfly wings. It doesn't get clumpy, it stays put ALL the livelong day no matter how much you sweat, and you can apply it on very lightly if you don't want it to look so dramatic, or continue applying for longer lashes each time."
Promising review: "Saw this product on TikTok and thought it would be expensive looking at the results they got. I am beyond amazed with how my lashes look after about two coats. For around $5 you couldn’t ask for a better mascara! I will be buying this same one when I run out. I was not expecting to like it as much as I do! No complaints." —Kd
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
12. Plus: An eyelash separator comb because when you've spent so much time crafting the perfect eye look, the *last* thing you want is clumpy, sticky lashes (and to risk messing up your makeup while fixing). With a slightly bent handle that makes it easier to hold, this stainless steel comb will gently separate your lashes and remove any clumps, leaving them perfectly ~wispy~.
It also comes with a cap to cover the comb end for travel and storage.
Promising review: "The handiest tool you didn't know you needed! This inexpensive little tool is perfect for creating natural-looking eyelashes! Even expensive mascaras can look cheap if they clump up on your lashes. This tool acts like a comb to gently separate your lashes and keep them from sticking together. It has been so quick and easy to incorporate into my makeup routine, and the results are much nicer than a cotton swab." —Saved1
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in three colors).
13. A shiny tube of Rimmel Stay Glossy lip gloss designed to stay put for six hours. Wear it alone or ~experiment~ with layering on top of your favorite lipsticks and liners for a unique color boost (not to mention extra hydration). It comes in a clear gloss and dozens of shades!
The reviewer on the right above is wearing the clear gloss, Seduce Me, on their lips *and* their eyelids!
Promising review: "Most lasting lip color is very drying, and I have dry skin and lips that are constantly chapped and dry, so I stay away from several of my lip colors during the winter — but Rimmel is very moisturizing. Another plus is that this is a gloss that stays on for six hours. Usually, only mattes really stay on that long, but this does. While I'm starting to buy bolder colors, I love to layer colors creating my own unique blends, and Cake for Breakfast looks great over a plum lip. It brightens it up and creates a beautiful color you can't get with one lip color. And it's affordable enough I can play with blending many different shades to come up with new looks all the time." —CynthiaB
Get it from Amazon for $3.97 (available in 25 shades and in two-packs).
14. An internet-beloved set of makeup sponges — reviewers sing their praises as a budget-friendly swap for Beauty Blender, since you get five of these for less than $10! Plus, when it comes to blending foundation, concealer, powder, and BB creams, there's no better tool for a ~flawless~ finish.
Promising review: "Don't hesitate, just buy these. I was using the Real Technique sponges for years and bought these on a whim after seeing several TikToks praising these. I love these sponges and the price. I apply liquid foundation with a damp sponge and these work better than Real Techniques. They are dense but soft and 'bouncy.' I wash mine between each use and these hold up very well and much better than the RT. Very happy with my purchase and the price. Will definitely continue to buy." —chris
Get a set of five from Amazon for $7.64+ (available in nine colored sets).
15. And a bottle of Ecotools Makeup Brush Cleansing Shampoo, because chances are, your sponges and brushes are overdue for a good cleaning. Made with gentle, plant-based ingredients, this cleanser will remove all the built-up makeup, oil, and impurities from your tools — and watching all the gunk be washed down the sink is *so* satisfying.
I've used Ecotools brush cleaning shampoo for years, and it makes cleaning my brushes so much easier. I just add a bit of the shampoo to my brush and gently rub it against a silicone mat under running water, and it makes quick work of removing all the makeup that's built up on my brush for, frankly, way too long. You'll see the water start running brown immediately, which is always super gross but also really satisfying, and once you see your brush return to its original color, you know you're done. And the bristles are always left as soft as before too!
Promising review: "I hate washing my brushes; I've always done it by hand, and it's always caused the big fluffy powder brushes to feel rougher or become matted no matter how hard I try to reshape them. I got this solution, and I couldn't BELIEVE how amazing my brushes were afterward! I also have insanely sensitive skin, and most any soap I put on a brush will cause me to break out when I use it later, no matter how well I typically rinse it. But I really think that this cleaner worked great, and I haven't had any sensitive bumps on my skin since using it." —Chelsea
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
16. A waterproof, smudge-proof liquid eyeliner stamp that addresses the bane of every makeup wearer's existence: creating the perfect, symmetrical cat-eye. Now you don't have to spend an hour redoing your wings — this easy-to-use stamp creates the same wing on each side, and no one will even know the difference. 🤫
The Flick Stick comes from New Zealand-based brand and small biz Lovoir Beauty.
Promising review: "Amazon makes all things possible, even the perfect winged liner. I’m speechless. I’ve never been able to do winged liner in the 30 years I’ve walked the Earth. This product is amazing, it’s seamless. Literally, it’s foolproof. Not to mention it has great staying power, it’s very dark, and hasn’t smudged all day. I seriously wasn’t expecting to like it this much, you’ve got a customer for life!" —Taylor
Get it from Amazon for $14.97+ (available in three styles and a combo pack).
17. A Haus Laboratories liquid eyeshadow in shimmer or metallic shades, because if anyone knows how to make a statement, it's Gaga. Designed to be both ultra-pigmented and easily blendable, this liquid shadow is also super affordable (especially for a celeb brand), so you'll probably be tempted to grab it in multiple shades.
Promising review: "Gaga and Haus Labs know what they are doing. It's as if they are speaking right to me with their Glam Attacks. They are one of my favorite makeup products ever. They're so unique because they go on wet but they dry so beautifully. You can tap over the product with your finger and out comes all this sparkle. It's gorgeous. My mom and I both love and wear this shade and many others and we always get compliments on how pretty it is. I have loved Haus Labs products so much, many of my friends have received their makeup as gifts and loved it with more coming this Christmas. If you want to stand out, sparkle and show stop, this brand is for you! It's definitely my favorite of all time." —Erika
Get it from Amazon for $3.67+ (available in 17 shades, including metallic and shimmer options).
18. BestLand's high-performance matte lipsticks, which might be cheap (less than $2 each!) but bear results that feel ~expensive~ — especially since so many reviewers swear they're even *better* than those pricey name brand liquid lipsticks! This set is honestly a must-have if you love red and pink lip shades, since it contains six long-lasting staples that'll have you look fierce all day long.
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 $9.98 (available in three shades).
19. A Juvia's Place lip liner that'll help you define your lip shape and hold your lipstick in place — or use it to fill in your lips for all-over color!
Juvia's Place is a Black-owned beauty brand inspired by the vibrant beauty of the African diaspora.
Promising reviews: "I know this is a lip liner, but sometimes I like using lip liner all over. I filled my lips with Lush and lined it with Kola and Oh-Em-Gee! Love the texture, the colors, everything. I'm naturally pretty tan, and these colors complemented my skin tone so well that I just immediately fell in love and will make it a regular in the rotation. 😍" —JessBaby
"This is, by far, the best lip liner on the market. I have just about every brand, from store brands to very high end, and I'm sticking with this from here on out. It glides on smooth, full color, doesn't budge into lip lines. If they come out with more colors and stick to this formula, I'm buying them all! I've also used this to fill in my entire lips and added a touch of gloss. 10 hours later, the liner was just as I applied. Amazing! For reference, I'm light skinned, neutral to yellow undertones, and 55 years old." —RedT
Get it from Ulta or Amazon for $10 (available in six shades).
20. An eyebrow soap kit to help you sculpt your brows so they have the exact shape, volume, and texture you're going for — and keep them looking defined and fluffy throughout the day. When it comes to precision and hold, this stuff is *chef's kiss*.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this and am amazed at how much fuller my brows look! Application is also super easy and quick! I took three pictures — the top picture is before I applied it, the middle picture is after application, and the third picture is after I've drawn a line under my brow to clean up the look and filled in some sparse areas." —P.A.
Get it from Amazon for $4.99+ (available in a one- or two-piece set, and with a brow gel).
21. Or! E.l.f. Brow Wow for making your brows presentable in a matter of seconds when you don't have time to be messing around with a full kit. This buildable wax-gel sculpts your hairs into place while also depositing hair-like fibers that make them look fuller. Reviewers say it's a great swap for pricier brands like Glossier and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
Check it out in a quick makeup look from TikTok beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira, who succinctly describes Wow Brow as "the tinted brow gel that does the job."
Promising review: "This $4 product has replaced ALL of my high-end brow products. This is the most amazing brow stuff I’ve ever used. I don’t even have to fill in my brows because this has such great coverage. It’s a game changer!!" —Isabella
Get it from Amazon, Target, or Ulta for $5 (available in four shades).
22. A tube of Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eyeshadow Base because if you're applying eyeshadow without primer, you're not getting its full effect. Not only will it make your eyeshadow look bolder and extra pigmented, but it'll also combat oil and creasing so your smoky eye looks flawless all night long.
Promising review: "I feel so stupid...I'm 65 years old and have always been annoyed by the fact that by mid-afternoon, my upper lids would be oily, shiny, and sporting a stripe from my eyeliner. I didn't think there was a cure. Then stumbled upon the idea of using a primer/foundation designed for the eyelids. What? How BRILLIANT!! Who would have thought? I dipped my toe into the water and purchased one tube of the Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer. I don't use eye shadow on my lids, but I do use it as a liner on my lower lashes. (I add water to compressed eye shadow and put it on my skin with a sponge-end pencil thing). This stuff ROCKS!! At the end of a hot Texas day, my lids are still as fresh and dry as they were at 6 a.m. And it only takes a pinhead-sized drop to cover one entire lid from lashes to eyebrow, with enough left to cover the lower lid area as well. It's creamy, but dries very quickly. Awesome! The only thing that keeps this product from being 100% perfect is that it has a chemical smell when you first put it on...BUT...after a few minutes, the smell is gone and my eye makeup looks impeccable for 12+ hours. Obviously, I highly recommend this product. They've found a lifetime customer with me." —ShortieTX
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
23. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer, a cult-favorite you can wield as part of your multi-step daily routine *or* for quick touch-ups (without cakiness!) on days when you're not feeling a full face of makeup. Dark, puffy under-eye circles and redness are no match for it.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Emma Lord says, "I am mad that I wasted time with other concealers for so long. I am a deeply impatient person who likes to look good and does not like to put in effort in any way, shape, or form, and Maybelline created this so that people like me could gracelessly slap it on in the morning and be like 'OK, REFLECTION, YOU GOT THIS' before being on their merry way. It never cakes, I look way more awake than I have any right to, and I never struggle to blend it the way I do with other concealers. 11/10 subscribe."
Promising review: "This concealer is everything. I’m a lover of beauty and beautiful cosmetics and I keep 90% of my products in their boxes, and my vanity is gorgeous and well-organized with all the pretty packaging. But my go-to holy grail is always this concealer, in different shades: one for contour, one for brightening, one for concealing. There's no need for expensive makeup when there are products like this concealer out there. I definitely love to try as many products as I can, because playing with makeup is fun! But the only products that I will buy again and again are this concealer (and other Maybelline items)." —Katie
Get it from Amazon for $8.80 (available in 18 shades).
And check out our Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer review for more deets!
24. Or Mented's new Full-Time Brightening Concealer for hydrating, brightening, and smoothing out your undereye area, especially if you're looking for a way to address your dark circles — reviewers say it doesn't dry out the skin or make the area look cake-y! You can also use it to conceal blemishes *and* to contour your face.
Mented Cosmetics is a small 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!
The Full-Time Brightening Concealer is their first launch of 2023 — you can read more about the new product, its shades, and how to use it here. To brighten the under-eye area and conceal dark circles, it's recommended to use a shade that's about two shades brighter than your true shade under the eye.
Promising review: "I’ve been sampling different concealers lately as the one I bought from Nars was way too thick and dried out my undereyes. Even though I only used a little bit, this concealer stayed in place all day, did not cake up and did not dry out my undereye area. I am sold!" —Bre
Get it from Mented for $18 (available in eight shades).
25. A long-lasting Peripera Ink Velvet Lip Tint that'll give your pout a smooth, ultra-pigmented stain with a silky finish. It also has a lightweight feel that's not sticky or clumpy!
Promising review: "Pleasantly surprised. I own a lot of lip tints from various brands and price ranges. Including the always popular BeneTints from Benefit. I ordered this and proceeded to apply a nice generous layer. I kept it on for five minutes. I then wiped it off with a paper towel and voilà. This formula is thick enough, which makes it stay in place and it does not bleed, plus the applicator has a nice shape that provides a nice application and outline without the need of a liner. My only complaint, I didn’t get more colors." —Katya
Get it from Amazon for $9.90 (available in 24 shades).
26. Lilac St. Original Lashes — they're meant to be worn for up to five (!) days, so you can skip doing mascara every single day (or getting pricey professional extensions), giving you more time to play around with other makeup since your lashes are already covered ✅. These vegan, cruelty-free silk lash fibers have an ultra-thin band, adhere well, and look *super* wispy and natural.
Check out why these are a fave on TikTok.
Promising review: "I love every style I’ve tried from Lilac St. I have subscribed to their monthly program now and will continue using these beautiful lashes for forever. I’ve tried almost every false lash system on the market and none are as beautiful, wispy, light, and affordable as Lilac St. Waking up looking like my eye makeup is done every morning is awesome!!! These save so much time and I don’t have to use mascara anymore! I love Lilac St." —heather
Get them from Amazon for $9 (available in three styles).
27. Broadway's long-lasting clear lip gloss set, which aren't just your average cheap lip glosses you'd snag at the drugstore, oh no. These pretty little tubes each contain a different main ingredient: mint oil that creates a refreshing cooling sensation (perfect for soothing a cracked lip), rosehip oil for reducing fine lines, and coconut oil for deeply hydrating and locking in moisture. All three, however, will leave your pout plump and glossy, whether worn on their own or over lipstick.
Promising review: "I️ saw these in a BuzzFeed article and I always need lip balm/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 $6.99.
28. Or Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly if you can't stand a sticky gloss but want your lips to look shiny and ~juicy~ at the same time. That's not an impossible ask thanks to this bb, which uses apricot kernel, raspberry seed, and rosehip oils to soothe, protect, and nurture your lips — without your hair getting stuck to them approximately every five seconds.
Tower 28 is a Asian woman-owned small clean beauty brand that makes skincare, plus makeup that acts like skincare. Their products are nontoxic, non-irritating, vegan, and cruelty-free, so sensitive skin can breathe a little easier.
Promising review: "Okay I’m SO OBSESSED with this gloss. I’ve been having chapped lips from the winter weather and this gloss is ultra moisturizing, feels weightless on my lips, and is so glowy. Cashew is such a pretty color." —Dani1113
Get it from Sephora or direct from Tower 28, both for $16 (available in 13 shades and finishes).
29. A reusable makeup spatula because turns out, there's a *lot* more product left in that bottle of foundation you were planning to throw out. Now you'll be able to use every cent of product you paid for — and that adds up when you buy a lot of makeup!
Promising review: "I bought this a while ago because I felt like there was often too much product I couldn’t reach using the built in applicator. Each bottle is 1 ounce, and I had five 'empties' to test this spatula on. I got so much product out of these old bottles that I had to stop before finishing every bottle. My two ounce container is practically over flowing! Thanks to this little spatula, I now have two full bottles worth of foundation potted to use. The spatula is pointed and I think for these bottles a square-shaped spatula would have been more efficient, but nevertheless the deed is done! So impressed! (And, considering the cost of each bottle, I saved about $70 worth of foundation that I love and is no longer being sold!)" —Krystal
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
30. A set of L.A. Girl Pro blemish and under-eye correctors that'll be your go-to color-correction trio: orange to help cancel out dark under-eye circles, green to neutralize redness, and yellow for addressing purple/blue tones and all-over mild redness.
Promising review: "I have hereditary dark circles. I could hibernate all winter and wake up my first day of spring, and you'd still think I was tired. Nothing ever seems to help. In fact most of the expensive makeup that everyone raves about I find illuminates my dark circles if anything. It's a battle I realized long ago I'd probably never win. I heard good things about this concealer and being the price point is very attractive, I figured I'd give it a go, but I didn't expect much. I was very impressed. This is the best thing I've found yet honestly. It will now be a staple in my makeup bag always!" —DawnMarr
Get the pack of three from Amazon for $9.95.
31. Luminous Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter guaranteed to make you feel like a ~goddess~ when you brush its melted metallic finish across your cheekbones, with pearl pigments creating a gorgeous reflective effect (no chunky glitter here!). Reviewers say a little goes a long way, and it's buildable, so you can go as bold or subtle as you like.
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 $7.97+ (available in five shades).
32. And if you really can't get enough of the shimmer: A KimChi Chic highlighter palette that'll give you six gorgeous shades to play with and add a little ~drama~ to your look — they call it the "Drama Queen" palette for a reason! Of course, you could use these vibrant, blendable shades on your eyes too — she's ✨ versatile. ✨
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly says, "I have this palette in my arsenal and when I tried it for the first time I thought 'Hmm, I'll use the pink on my cheekbones for just a slight little pink hue.' Well dear readers, that pink delivered. It was VIBRANT. Not really the look I was going for, but I was super pleased with this color payoff (I wouldn't want anything less from a drag star's makeup line). A lot of times I stick to the champagne or whiter hue for highlighting my cheekbones and play around with the rest for my eyes. If you own this, you likely need no other highlighters at your disposal!"
Get them from KimChi Chic for $19.
33. A Neutrogena makeup eraser stick for when that fierce eyeliner wing ends up a little more lopsided than you planned for, or you accidentally dot a bit of it on your cheek. Instead of using one of those disposable wipes, you'll be able to target the area more precisely with this, wiping away the mistake without messing up the rest of your makeup. Plus, it's travel friendly!
Promising reviews: "I use this mainly to clean up mascara dots below my eye. It does the trick instantly and easily without disrupting too much the makeup I have under my eye. A small brush smooths the makeup back to the way it was easy as can be. Love this." —Amazon Customer
"Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? For years, I’ve been using cotton swabs dipped in makeup remover to remove little goofs or mistakes. This is so much better and portable! Erases waterproof mascara marks around my eyes easily. Must-buy product!!" —Katherine
Get it from Amazon for $7.57.
34. Subtl Beauty Lip and Cheek Tint, which comes infused with hydrating jojoba seed oil, giving it a creamy texture that blends and builds like a dream. Pop it on your lips, cheeks, and eyes to give yourself a rosy all-over glow in a matter of seconds — no one will guess one product did it all.
Subtl Beauty is a small business creating travel-friendly makeup essentials. Everything they create can be snapped together in a super-cool customizable stack.
Promising review: "Love. Love. Love. I'm obsessed with this cream for both my lips and cheeks. I've never thought I could use cream blush, but this stuff is gorgeous and long lasting even on my oily skin. It's beautiful on my lips and lasts a surprisingly long time." —Katy Shaw
Get it from Subtl Beauty for $14 (available in five colors).
35. E.l.f. Glossy Lip Stain if you'd reeeally rather not keep reapplying lipstick every time you put on a mask, have a drink, or eat some food. It goes on as a gloss, and if you blot away the excess, you'll be left with a long-lasting stain that's both beautiful and transfer-resistant.
Check out the Cinnamon Dreamz shade on TikTok.
Promising review: "This is the first E.l.f. lip product I've tried. I was so impressed that I immediately returned to get other colors. Cinnamon Dreamz is a perfect brown. I appreciate how easy it is to apply a light coat for a lighter shade or use a heavier hand to deepen the shade. It also wears down to leave a hint of color on my lips. A huge plus is that there's no fragrance or funky taste. Killer product!!!" —AutumnM
"The color stayed all day! I was so impressed with how well the stain worked, through several cups of coffee and wearing a mask all day. I will continue to repurchase this over and over!" —Stephm516
Get it from Target for $6 or direct from E.l.f. for $6 (available in eight shades).
36. A set of ultra-pigmented and reflective body glitter so your face, neck, and anywhere else that strikes your fancy can shine as bright as you do on the inside. It's a staple for special occasions like concerts, costume parties, and other nights out, but we support you in sporting this on a regular Tuesday if you're feeling it.
Beauty Bakerie is a cruelty-free cosmetics company founded by Cashmere Nicole. They provide tons of vibrant, high quality cosmetics, including everything from lashes and eyeshadow palettes to lip scrubs and primer — all adorably packaged to fit the baking theme, and all highly rated.
Promising review: "The sparkles ✨ are everything. Containers are small, but there’s enough for multiple uses!" —LaTasha M.
Get the set from Beauty Bakerie for $12 (originally $18).
37. Finally, a soft but dense flat-top foundation brush if your go-to foundation applicator is in sore need of replacing, or you're just not happy with your current tool. It's expertly designed to apply and blend out powder *or* liquid concealers, blushes, and foundations, with an ergonomic diamond-shaped handle that's easy to grip.
Check out a demo of this makeup brush on TikTok!
Promising reviews: "I saw this on TikTok. I. LOVE. IT! It gives a flawless finish with little product. I have a compact foundation that comes with its own applicator sponge. I almost threw it out because I didn’t like the coverage. I tried this brush with it, and it’s perfect! It also comes in a plastic case, which is great because I travel a lot with my work and my other brushes get damaged sometimes." —Thayel M. Caison
"I bought this brush after NikkieTutorials raved about it, and she was right. This brush applies foundation beautifully! Other foundation brushes I have used are streaky, but this one provides a flawless finish. For $8, this brush is just genius! I’m sure it will be a bit of a nightmare to wash, but it’s super dense so what can we expect? I think I still prefer sponges just because they are so versatile in being able to apply concealer, contour and highlighter, but this brush will be my go-to foundation brush from now on. Really great product!" —dragonmermaid
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in 10 colors).
When someone interrupts you in the middle of crafting an ~elaborate~ makeup look:
