One of the many perks of being a beauty editor is that there's always an endless stream of products showing up on my desk. I get to see every new celebrity makeup brand, every serum, and every hair tool before they even hit the market. Not gonna lie—it's pretty dope.
That said, it can be tough, even for editors, to weed through the copious amounts of product to identify the absolute best of the best. That's a skill that comes with time and lots of trial and error. But as a true beauty lover, I'm totally up to the challenge.
After all the swatching, testing, and reviewing I've done in my career (and in my life!), there are certain makeup products that stick out in my mind as true gems worth spending my hard-earned money on. Ahead, find the edit of 18 makeup buys from Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, and Amazon that rise above the rest.
From Sephora
I've yet to try this new formula of Fenty foundation, but I'm excited to add it to my routine to help combat dryness that always arrises in the fall.
My passion for lip gloss was recently re-ignited, so I'm reaching for this bubblegum pink option, also by Fenty.
I've been a Naked Palette stan since college, so I always pick up the new iteration when it drops.
Just because this glimmering shadow has the word summer in it doesn't mean I won't add it to my fall makeup wardrobe.
Yet another product I've had an affinity for since my college years, but a hormone roller coaster made my skin too oily to use it once I hit my mid-20s. Now that things have (mostly) settled back down, I'm excited to try this new formula.
Every beauty editor I know loves this liner. I'm snagging this brown one to help neutralize nude lipsticks that appear are ashy or chalky against my brown skin.
From Nordstrom
I'm hoping this palette will cut down on the amount of makeup I have to travel with.
This brand is a consistent winner for me, so I'm re-upping on this lovely BB cream a makeup artist friend turned me on to a few years ago.
This is my holy-grail concealer, so I'm picking up an extra one before my current supply runs out.
I've had some of the makeup brushes in my collection since high school (gross), so I'm well overdue for a refresh. These face brushes by Sigma will definitely inspire a complete overhaul.
From Ulta
Makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan gave me a sneak peek at this cream last month, and I'm totally sold. It's super soft and super pigmented—such a win.
I keep lip balms strewn about my entire life, so this one my Weleda will fit right into the rotation.
The gloss obsession rages on with this deep magenta beauty by Uoma.
From Amazon
Apparently I'm not being very gentle with my makeup because I've dropped about six bronzers and watched them break into a million pieces this year. I'm hoping I'll have better luck with this affordable option.
This creme contour kit has hundreds of rave reviews on Amazon, so I'm going to give it a try to see if it's a viable dupe for the more expensive ones I typically keep on hand.
I need to know how and why this thing has over 6000 reviews on Amazon. There are even a bunch of photo testimonials from people who absolutely swear by it. I'm going to give it a whirl and see what all the fuss is about. At just $10, it's a pretty low-stakes gamble.
I'm on the market for a new blush, and I think the shimmery cast of this one might just fill the hole in my current blush collection.
Epic is the perfect word to describe this liquid eyeliner. I usually buy two or even three at a time, so I can have one on hand for touch-ups at home, at work, and on the go.
Up next, the 16 most expensive smelling fragrances, broken down by cost per wear.
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