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1. Fashion Fair's Crème to Powder Foundation held me down when the Queen Collection wasn't enough. Powders can be tricky (read: ghastly) when mismatched but this one goes on like butter and doesn't clock out early. Never fear a flash photograph again!
Promising review: "After reading and watching a few reviews, I decided to purchase this foundation. I grew up seeing the women in my life wear Fashion Fair and I wanted to give it a try now that they are back. Though I am partial to liquid foundations, this Créme to Powder foundation provides me everything I look for in a foundation. Its medium coverage but gives my skin a "my skin, but better" finish. It's perfect for my combination skin; it helps keep the oily areas at bay but provides enough moisture for my drier areas. After wearing it for nine hours, my skin looks just as good as it did when I first applied it." —barose
Get it from Sephora for $37 (available in 14 shades).
2. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner brings out the best of your eyes without smudging, even if you shed a tear or two. Oily skin nor workouts could compromise this reliably waterproof formula.
Promising review: "I literally just received this eye liner in the mail, tried it on, and had to write a review! Awesome product, buy it now. Very dark, very easy to put on (nice sharp point) and I'm a very happy customer. After a one hour long Body Combat class in the middle of summer in a crowded room with hardly any air-conditioning, I was VERY curious to see how this eyeliner would hold up. At the end of the class I checked it out and there was NO smudging or flaking. That is seriously impressive!" —Taylor Ross
Get it from Amazon for $23 (available in eight colors).
3. Arishine Magnetic Eyeliner and Lashes Kit kindly ushers you into the land of falsies with minimal skill required. Just use the liner (like you would any other liner) and then the lash will stick to it. Easy, right?
Promising review: "Tried these for the first time and they are awesome! I need a little practice with liquid eyeliner because I'm used to a pencil, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I let the liner dry first and the lashes went right on. Turned the fan on and they did not blow off my eyelids. They're so light, I can't even tell that I'm wearing them. I previously had lash extensions and did not like that I could not wash my eyes properly. I'm very impressed with these!" —Christine Frries
Get it from Amazon for $15.29+ (available in three sizes).
4. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer never fails to leave skin looking plump and uncreased. As of late, I've been using it to color correct around my mouth so I can wear less foundation and worry less about creasing. It doesn't fade throughout the day —even when applied in my oily T-zone.
Promising review: "I love it so much I no longer use foundation. I spot conceal and use under my eyes after that it is powder and setting spray. It has a creamy feel which is great because it is thick enough to hide discoloration, bags under the eyes, and redness. The perfect blend between covering and letting enough skin shine through to look natural. I have very oily skin and it holds up wonderfully throughout the day. Never looks cakey or powdery and doesn't crease significantly. My favorite part is how it literally matches my skin perfectly and they have a wide shade range. It is quite a splurge however it is very worth it and I will definitely repurchase." —GabbieGabbie
Get it from Sephora for $31 (available in 30 shades and in a travel size).
5. Elizabeth Moss Eye Shadow Primer makes sure your perfect cut crease doesn't become a muddy mess as soon as you leave home. If you have oily lids, you should seriously consider picking up one of these.
Promising review: "So I use this primer for my eyeliner AND eye brows. And it is a life changer!!! I work with jobs, and majority of the day I'm waitressing outside on the patio in the humidity, I needed something to keep my eyeliner in tact so I didn't look like a raccoon by the end of my shift. It literally kept my makeup looking like I just put it on allllll day no matter how bad I sweat in the heat!!! I used it only on my eyes first just to try and I was amazed. So the next day I tried it as a primer for my eyebrows too before I filled them in and it does the same for my eyebrows! I'm in love with this product. Hopefully, my picture will prove it!!" —Molly
Get it from Amazon for $13.68.
6. Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation offers your-skin-but-better to medium coverage for the person who loves natural makeup. I have a love hate relationship with my smile lines but this doesn't fall through the cracks or separate as I go through the day. Plus, it doesn't break me out.
Everything about this foundation is luxurious. The bottle, the finishes, the formula — everything. For once, I didn't feel like I betrayed my skin by wearing foundation. The coverage is good, but sometimes I spot conceal underneath to go the extra mile. I have combination/oily skin and this never breaks up on me. It remains radiant all day; truly a beautiful foundation.
Promising review: "This is my new go-to foundation for everyday wear. I have combination-oily, acne-prone skin and prefer foundations that can even out my skin tone while still allowing my freckles to show through and have a very natural finish. This foundation is perfect: not too dewy, not too matte, never irritates my skin or breaks me out, and just makes me look like I have lovely skin. Maybe the best thing about this foundation is that it truly lasts all day without breaking up on my skin, oxidizing, or interfering with other products. I can easily layer powder or cream products over top, and my foundation has been lasting well through very humid summer days. It does get dewier throughout the day but in a really nice, natural way, and I can easily touch up with powder if needed." —megalasso
Pat McGrath Labs is a woman-owned brand by Pat McGrath that aims to showcase the transformative power of makeup.
Get it from Sephora for $68 (available in 35 shades).
7. Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is a stunning base that offers quite a lot of coverage considering how lightweight the formula is. Reviewers say it sits beautifully, doesn’t cake, and lasts all day.
Promising review: "I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try this. I have tried every foundation Sephora has sold and this one is absolutely perfect. I’m 43 years old so I had given up the idea of a holy grail. I have found a couple that are really good but not that one that’s perfect EVERYTIME, this is that foundation. Just beautiful, perfect match for my skin. Melts right into my face and stays there without a setting powder even." –only1ericah
Get it from Sephora for $65 (available in 40 shades and in a travel size).
8. Milk Hydro Grip Setting + Refreshing Spray distributes product evenly for a long-lasting natural finish that can withstand masking. Applying setting spray while blending my foundation *and* after I finished made it last from 11AM to 10PM.
Promising review: "I have very oily skin around my T-zone, but this spray makes my skin so dewy and gives it that natural glow, I'm starting to slowly grow into the dewy skin trend now! When it dries on your skin once you spray, I love how it just melts into the skin. It definitely helps with how my foundation looks. It looks so much better than it does when it's matte. When my skin is matte, sometimes you can slightly see the creases and pores around my nose, but once I spray this, it actually helps it seep into the skin and not look as cakey! Definitely gonna be switching to this spray now more than my Urban Decay All Nighter." —CaitlinJung
Get it from Sephora for $36 (also available in a mini size).
9. Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer is such a breath of fresh air, I have never enjoyed a primer so much. Long-wearing doesn't mean drying. It's sticky and kind of gel-like, by far my favorite primer texture. I usually use this at night to keep my makeup for looking crazy under harsh light.
Promising review: "This is the best primer I've tried! It goes on like a thin mask, but after giving it a minute or two to dry completely it keeps my makeup looking fresh all day! I will stick with this brand for life!" —Cassarolli
Get it from Sephora for $36 (also available in a mini and value size).
10. Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 remains my preferred daytime primer hands down. I love that I don't have to choose between protecting my skin from UV rays and having stable makeup. It goes ghost the minute you put it on — and that's why we love it. If you can't put down your phone, there's blue light protection too.
Promising review: "I’ve only been using unseen for a few days, but so far I’m really loving it. It’s truly a game changer, especially for women with darker skin tones. It goes on so smooth and velvety, and leaves no white cast! Hopefully, it doesn’t make my acne-prone skin breakout *crosses fingers*, or else it’s back to the drawing board." —Joy V.
Get the standard size from Supergoop!, Sephora, or Amazon for $34 (also available in a mini size).
11. Beauty Bakerie's Butter Hydrasilk Primer boasts antioxidants and prevents your makeup from electric sliding off of your face before you even leave the house.
Promising reviewer: "The butter face primer glides on super smooth and isn't super sticky its good for makeup to cling to but not sticky like you dumped syrup on your face definitely recommend this product and very cute packaging 😊." —Rhoda H.
Beauty Bakerie is a Black woman-owned, cruelty-free cosmetics company founded by Cashmere Nicole, and it's mastered the perfect shade range for people of color.
Get it from Ulta for $24.
12. Lancôme Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer uses vitamin E to spare you the raccoon eyes while dramatically improving your mascara application and helping it last longer. I've noticed that my lashes are a lot thicker and shed less often when I use this.
Promising review: "Finally, no more dark eyes! My mascara has always made my under eyes really dark and shadowy (just a hour or two after applying. Even a few days later after wearing it I would still be seeing a little black under my eyes. I have used this for just two days, but wow. My mascara has been on for 14 hours at the time of writing this and its still perfect and my under eyes look like I just put the mascara on, absolutely no rub off or dark dust at all. Looks so fresh. Love this." —Sephora Customer
Get it from Sephora for $28 (also available in a travel size).
13. Haloscope effortlessly illuminates your lovely features because newsflash: the forced powdery IG highlight is so 2013. It's oil-based, so no need to worry about it breaking up mid-day. Apply it and know that dew radiating off of your cheekbones is all you (plus the help of some infused crystals 🔮).
Promising review: "I've been over the super blinding, heavy highlighters for a while, I wanted something more natural-looking. This baby is beautiful! It gives a very wet, glass, lit from within glow. I love using it with or without a full face of makeup on, I don't find that it lifts up my foundation and I don't find it to be greasy. It's super easy to apply and blend, I just use my fingers or a damp sponge. A+++." —Chelsey W.
Get it from Glossier for $22 (available in three colors)
14. E.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer applies smoothly to bring out the best in your skin and the makeup you're about to apply. If you have oily skin, this should keep your makeup from breaking up as the day drags on.
Promising review: "My current primer arsenal includes both generic and name and brand products. With that said, primer is a luxury I'm willing to spend extra on if and when I find a product that really works. For the price point, I didn't anticipate how convenient and easy the application would be. A little goes a long way and you can definitely build up the coverage with this. There are no weird residual clumps that you get from silicone-based solutions. However, you will get that 'blurring effect' which is what I'm going for. This creamy blend is in a tub that initially appears white until you blend it into your skin. No discoloration, scent, or weird texture either. It also shipped quickly and arrived just enough time for an important rooftop event and while my complexion has its oiliness issues, my large pothole pores remained filled into the late evening in spite of the oil and perspiration." —NatasshaKnows
Get it from Amazon for $8.50.
15. Beauty Bakerie Instabake Aqua Glass Foundation makes dewy skin possible for even the driest of skin types. Prepare to get flawless coverage that won't fade after a few hours. It's all because of its fast-absorbing water-based formula. To get *peak* hydration, pair it with Wake and Bake Oil — you won't regret it....did we mention Beauty Bakerie is Black-owned?
Promising review: "This is seriously the best foundation I have used...I put it on at 6 a.m., two soccer games, and 12 hours later it's still flawless! It blended so well and it looks so natural while covering all my red spots/uneven skin. Worth every penny of the price." —Veronica
Get it from Ulta or Beauty Bakerie for $34 or (available in 30 shades).
16. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is the first thing I recommend to anyone who really doesn't want their makeup to move. I've been using this for years to minimize oiliness, transfers, and extend my makeup.
17. Benefit Cosmetics Waterproof Brow Pomade is perfect for adding pigment to thin or light brows. It stays in place against slick oily skin. All you need to do is apply with a brush, and then blend.
Promising review: "I have brows that are basically invisible without product, so I generally use three products: tinted wax, pencil and gel. My usual tinted wax was discontinued, so I gave this a shot, and OMG. I think it will replace the wax AND pencil. Powmade is super pigmented and provides filling and shaping. I just used the gel still to define the hairs, but wow. I am so impressed with this. Highly recommend." —ElizGB
Get it from Sephora for $20 (available in eight shades).
18. Coty Airspun Face Powder holds everything in place to guarantee a flawless, flashback-free, beat! Whoever told you that minimizing fine lines and blurring acne scars required a million products lied — this one does it all for under $10. Plus it comes in different shades!
Promising review: "I am totally blown away by this product! I have been consistently using a more expensive powder for about six months, and was dissatisfied with the fact that my skin appeared oily by the end of the work day. By 5 p.m. I have been wearing my makeup for about 10 hours. I also live in a warm climate and have oily skin. By the end of my work day using this powder, my face is still very matte! I am THRILLED! This way outperforms the other powder and is 13% of the cost. I can't believe it. I'm never going back." —AlexisJulian
Get it from Amazon for $5.43+ (available in seven shades).
To learn more, check out our Coty Airspun face powder deep dive.
19. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder delicately blurs pores for a long lasting, even base. Use it before and after your foundation for light coverage and extra hold. Remember, a little goes a long way.
Promising review: "I've been using this product since high school (when I would steal my mom's makeup) and I still use this product today. It's a splurge I am happy to make because it gives me the results I like. This product sets my makeup and looks flawless on the skin. My skin doesn't get oily or greasy until the end of the day or if it's sweltering hot. I use this to bake sometimes too and it looks great for that purpose. Highly recommend this product!" —MichelleT143
Get it from Sephora for $39 (available in two finishes and six shades).
20. Bella Jade Makeup Setting Spray with organic green tea refreshes your makeup and the fine lines caused by breakthrough oils. If your makeup cakes up, use this fast-drying, non-sticky spray.
Promising review: "This is the best setting spray I have tried. It feels like nothing on. It doesn't irritate my skin or leave a residue and it works very well. It's easy to dispense and it doesn't cause my mascara to run when I spray it on. The mist goes on evenly. It leaves a beautiful, natural finish. I am delighted and will certainly repurchase." —A. Black
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
21. Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation survives a sunny day at the beach and keeps oil in its place. I was surprised at how well it held up without looking cakey. They come in a wide range of shades so I found a pretty good match.
Promising review: "There is a reason this is a cult favorite. The shade range is really great. I have fair neutral undertones and it is hard to find a good shade match sometimes but I found a spot on match. Personally, I think this is a solid foundation for any skin type if you prep your skin right. I have dry skin and make sure to really moisturize my skin before application and it looks flawless all day. It has great long wear and even does a decent job of staying under a mask. It’s a great foundation to have on hand. Highly recommend." —bee89
22. NYX Makeup-Setting Spray keeps your makeup from fading throughout the day. No creasing, no running, and no oil — unless you want a little shine. This cruelty-free formula comes in matte and dewy finishes, so you can switch things up.
Promising review: "I have a lot of acne and oily skin and I must say this setting spray is really the cherry on top! When I put this on after I finish applying makeup, I NEVER get oily! I have worn this through two shifts (I have two jobs), rode two buses to get home, and walked home, and I still looked flawless! This is a must-have." —Sasha
Get it from Amazon for $21.66+ (available in matte and dewy finishes).
23. Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation boasts a larger shade range than most drug store brands. People with combination and oily skin appreciate its long-lasting matte formula.
Promising review: "I've tried a lot of different foundations from drugstore to high end and I'm blown away by this stuff. I don't know why I didn't try it sooner but believe the hype. Now if you're dry, this is not for you. I'm 36 with combo acne-prone skin. And this wears so well on me. It blends like a dream and the shade is spot on. I'm like fair neutral and shade 112 is perfect. Not too pink, not too yellow, both of which are common foundation shade problems for me. I moisturize my skin well and prep with Elf jelly pop primer. I blend 1 to 2 pumps of this into my skin with a damp sponge. Bounce the sponge on it until it is completely set. Then set with Milani Make It Last setting spray. After 14 hours of working, doing stuff at home, etc my foundation had not creased, settled into lines, or broke up. I'm amazed. Does not irritate my skin. Also, it's unscented — no smell at all. Please don't stop making this Maybelline!" —R. A. Blaine
Get it from Amazon for $6.48 (available in 40 shades).
24. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lipstick looks fantastic on everyone — but "Unveil" is my personal favorite for daily use. The formula is comfortable and tough enough to withstand straws, cups, and masks.
I've used the Stunna lip paint many times and it never disappoints. The color lasts, the texture isn't drying, and it doesn't budge. Many neutral lip colors geared towards darker skin still require lip liners. This lipstick makes liner optional for me! A lot of times, I outline my lips with this to prevent satin lipsticks from going out of bounds.
Promising review: "I'm not a red lipstick girl, but every time I found myself asking what shade of lipsticks strangers were wearing on the street, they would always tell me it was this product. Finally, I had to try it for myself. I know we're past the trend because liquid lipsticks have their problems, but I still love them and have tried several brand's formulas. This is the best thus far. It is comfortable, long-lasting, easy to reapply, doesn't smear/ smudge, and is fairly transfer resistant. I am determined to get every color now and recommend this formula to everyone. Even if you don't like liquid lipstick. I will warn you though, if you start with this one no other liquid lipstick will compare." —RenRach
Fenty Beauty was created by singer and entrepreneur Rihanna to help everyone feel beautiful and included. Fenty Beauty was launched in 2017 to critical acclaim due to its range of 40 foundation shades. Fenty Skin aims to make skincare uncomplicated, clean, vegan, and gluten-free.
Get it from Sephora for $26 (available in nine shades) or Fenty Beauty for $26 (available in eight shades).
25. Glossier's Boy Brow keeps those creepy crawlers from stepping out of line! Just a little bit of the creamiest wax you'll ever use is enough to make sure your brows are always on fleek.
Promising review: "I had heard about this and finally decided to give it a try after going through many other prestige brands. This product does not disappoint at all. It goes on smoothly and is just the right amount of color. Also, it makes my brows stay in place all day, not just for the first hour after application. This will be a forever purchase." —Jessica
Get it from Glossier for $16 (available in five shades).
Check out why a BuzzFeed editor loves this in "Just 9 Glossier Products We Really Love" (#5 on the list).
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