Online or IRL, choosing a foundation shade can be such a stressful decision — and it’s made so much worse when you end up choosing the wrong one for your skin tone. The Makeup By Mario SurrealSkin Foundation features a multi-match shade technology that allows for more flexibility, meaning each shade can work for multiple unique skin tones. It’s also flexible in coverage — the buildable, long-wearing formula can provide a sheer, natural look or seamless full coverage. On top of its luminous finish, you’ll love that it’s enhanced with moisturizing ingredients to keep skin hydrated and glowy throughout the day.

YSL Beauty gave full-coverage foundation a needed makeover with the All Hours Foundation. You can count on the waterproof, transfer-resistant formula to even out your skin tone and cover blemishes, redness, and dark spots for up to 24 hours — all while feeling as light and breathable as a tinted moisturizer. Offered in 40 shades, it provides a natural matte finish that’s the perfect base for any look. It’s also infused with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and jasmine petal to offer long-term skin care benefits as you wear it. “This is the best full-coverage foundation I've ever used,” says BDG staffer Victoria Warnken. “It covers everything, but doesn't look or feel cakey. It blends beautifully and still looks like skin.”

A skin tint that can be used as a foundation and concealer? We love to see it. Available in 40 shades and designed for all skin types, the Keys Soulcare It's Like Skin 2-In-1 Concealer + Tint provides buildable, light-to-medium, natural-looking coverage, and hydrates and brightens the skin. BDG staffers note it does have a slightly thicker consistency than what you may expect from a skin tint (which makes sense because of its concealing benefits), but effectively masks everything from blemishes to dark undereye circles.

Concealer can make or break a makeup look. If you’re sick of it setting in fine lines, flaking, or smearing off within just a few hours, it’s time to try this creamy award winner. Offered in 30 shades, the hydrating formula is made up of 96% natural ingredients and stays put for up to 24 hours without caking, highlighting dry patches, or creasing. You can count on it to cover dark circles and quickly camouflage red pimples. “I was really impressed with this concealer,” says TZR Deputy Beauty Editor Erin Lukas. “It offers enough coverage to mask most imperfections like dark spots, acne, and dark circles and it doesn't wear off or fade with wear. It also has a slightly radiant finish that's super complimentary.”

Achieving a natural-looking contour really takes a team — meaning a great bronzer and an excellent application technique. Available in six shades, the Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Microsuede Bronzer landed on our list of Groundbreakers because of its buildable, skin-enhancing formula, plus the fact that it’s so easy to apply. It features “active sensory powders” that are filled with hyaluronic acid to plump up and blur wrinkles, as well as “multi-functional powders” that deliver a velvety, matte finish. The formula is also infused with hydrating ceramides and squalane, making it a great powder option for those with dry skin. Once you hit pan, you can refill the bronzer for $20.

Whether you like a subtle, natural-looking flush or a dramatic ‘80s-inspired rosy cheek, the Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Multistick is your best bet — in fact, it’ll help you create a pretty lip look, too. Available in four shades, the creamy cheek-and-lip stick features a buildable matte formula that quickly sinks into your skin, delivering a super pretty (and extremely comfortable) wash of color. Infused with hydrating and antioxidant-rich ingredients, it offers a bevy of skin care benefits in a single swipe too. “I really like the texture of the product, it blends onto my skin in a soft, natural-looking way. It's creamy and has great pigmentation,” confirms BDG staffer Shanelle Infante.

Celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes is famous for her glazed-donut skin creations, and thanks to her Hyper Shine High Lite Kit, you can get that glossy, extra-glowy look for yourself — and with ease. The kit includes a highlighter pigment, a shine serum, and a brush. The universally flattering pigments (available in pink, gold, copper, and bronze) and serum can be combined at a ratio of your choosing to create a custom cream highlighter that melts into the skin, or you can use either product on its own for a shimmery or perfectly dewy, glistening finish.

Powder highlights have taken the back seat to creams over the past few years, but the Saie Glow Sculpt Multi-Use Cream Highlighting Blush will give you a reawakened appreciation for the consistency. Technically a blush-highlighter hybrid, it’s made with both creamy pigments and fine micropearls to create a light, easy-to-blend texture that’s perfect for adding a little glow to the high points of your face or a youthful rosiness to the apples of your cheeks. You can score the refillable compact in five radiance-boosting shades — pinky-peach, red bronze, mauve, pink, and warm bronze.

ADDICTION TOKYO’s The Eyeshadow is truly the one to try in 2024. It’s offered in several finishes — sparkly, matte, cream, pearl, prism, and multi-tint — and in a ton of shades. You can use them to customize your own four- or six-shade compact, which is ideal for anyone who only ever regularly uses two or three shades from a 10- or 12-shade eyeshadow palette. “The compact size of these shadows are perfect for NYC-sized bathrooms where storage is lacking and for traveling,” says TZR Deputy Beauty Editor Erin Lukas. “The shade range and various finishes are also impressive — particularly the cream shadow, which held up on my oily eyelids all day long.”

Perfect for cat eyes, tightlining, and smudgy indie sleaze looks alike, the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil is a makeup bag staple. The buttery, kohl formula glides over eyelids — no annoying tugging or pulling — so you get the smoothest, most seamless lines that last for up to 16 hours and rival that of a liquid. It’s offered in six intensely pigmented neutrals, like Night Forest (a deep forest green), Ground Coffee (a delicious warm brown), and Black Treacle (a classic midnight black). “The name says it all — this eyeliner glides on like a dream,” says TZR Associate Fashion Editor Kelsey Stewart. “The consistency is so incredibly smooth and easy to work with. I'll be replacing all my liquid formula with these liners until further notice.”

This volumizing mascara wand’s innovative brush features two different sizes of bristles to help you deposit the perfect amount of pigment to your lashes and then evenly distribute it for a dramatic, clump-free look. It also has a tapered tip so you can target and highlight the teeny-tiny lashes near the inner corners of the eye. A few swipes deliver instant, lash-lengthening satisfaction for several different lash types. Those who never remember to apply their lash serum will love that the formula includes a blend of peptides to provide lash-conditioning benefits, too. “I absolutely loved this mascara,” says guest judge celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. “You really get lots of volume without clumping or flaking.” You can score it in two shades: Rich Black and Brown Black.

Fine-tip brow pencils are great for filling in sparse spots, but when you have naturally thin brows or quite a few of these areas to cover, the task can be a little time-consuming. Enter: the Milk Makeup KUSH Brow Shadow Stick. Featuring a wide, angled tip, this stick covers more surface area with each swipe, helping you achieve a fuller brow in a snap. The waterproof pigment is available in six shades and is made with vegan waxes that help provide a smooth application and a flexible hold. And thanks to the built-in spoolie, it’s a dependable option for naturally shaping your arches.

Thanks to an applicator that features two different sets of bristles, the Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Gel can help you create a sleek, budge-proof brow that rivals the results of a professional eyebrow lamination treatment. The flake-free formula is clear, so if you have sparse spots you want to fill in, reach for a pencil, powder, or a pomade before applying. “My everyday makeup is subtle, but finding effective products to achieve that natural look takes some trial and error,” says TZR Editor-in-Chief Kathy Lee. “I love how Huebrow's clear setting gel comes with a two-sided comb, one with finer-tooth for thinner strands that are challenging to tame. And most importantly, my wild brows stay in place for hours.”

Offered in 21 stunning shades, this lipstick delivers the intense color payoff of a stain with the comfort and TLC of a balm. Thanks to emollient ingredients like mango seed butter, avocado oil, and argan oil, this ultra-creamy, buildable formula glides onto your lips and keeps them soft, smooth, and moisturized. The angled, slightly square tip allows for precise application, which is especially helpful when hitting your cupid’s bow and preventing feathering, and the satin finish provides just the right amount of luxurious shine. It’s also a part of the brand’s Unlocked collection — 5% of net profits are donated to the Nonhuman Rights Project in order to help support their goal to unlock the cages of wild animals in captivity.

Unlike the drying, glittery lip gloss of the early 2000s, this non-sticky formula won’t cling to your hair and acts like a lip balm to hydrate and condition your lips with hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and jojoba seed oil. The clear shade provides a classic sheen, while the seven lightly pigmented shades offer that same lustrous glazed look with the prettiest wash of color. (FYI: Sepia is perfect for a subtle and modern take on the ‘90s brown lipstick look.) “It moisturizes and keeps my lips hydrated, stays on, and gives a natural-looking shine that works with the rest of my no-makeup makeup look,” says TZR Editor-in-Chief Kathy Lee.

The secret to finishing your makeup routine in five minutes or less? Makeup multitaskers like the Liquirosso 2 in 1 Lip & Blush Soft Matte Color from Valentino Beauty. Dab the buildable matte formula on your cheeks and glide it over your lips, and you’re pretty much set with a chic monochromatic makeup look. Its liquid consistency makes it ideal for applying with your fingers, eliminating the later need to wash a brush. “This product is irresistible. Its innovative soft, blurred pigmented feel like a dream on your skin, offering just the right wash of color for effortless application,” says guest judge celebrity makeup artist Mali Thomas. “The shades are universally flattering and work beautifully on all skin tones.”

Hands down the coolest thing about this setting powder is that it helps protect your skin from UVA/UVB rays, infrared radiation, and blue light with non-nano, broad-spectrum SPF 30. While any dermatologist will highly recommend including an actual sunscreen in your skin care routine, this is a nice insurance policy. Of course, as any setting powder should, it helps set your makeup and smooth skin texture. Another great quality is that it's non-comedogenic, so you don’t need to worry about the extra layer clogging your pores. It also doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.

The maker of your everyone’s go-to makeup sponge is also behind your new favorite setting spray, too. And yes, it’s hot pink. Not only does this spritzer set makeup for an impressive 18 hours, but it also hydrates, helps reduce shine, blurs pores, and helps firm skin. It releases in an ultra-fine mist that doesn't leave your face soaking wet and won’t disturb delicate eye makeup. BDG staffers confirm it dries quickly and offers a light, refreshing scent.

What’s better than a makeup primer that blurs pores instantly? One that does that and minimizes their appearance over time. That’s the MO of this makeup groundbreaker from Glow Recipe, thanks to the inclusion of blurring tapioca and rice, plus exfoliating salicylic acid and strawberry enzymes. On top of providing a smooth, satin canvas for base makeup, the silicone-free formula helps to absorb excess oil and control shine for up to eight hours. It gets major bonus points for its pocket-sized, strawberry-red packaging.

The paradox of wearing makeup? When you put it on, you want it to last without a smear or smudge in sight. But when you want it off your face, it better melt off without any elbow grease. True to its name, this cleanser from Fenty Skin takes care of the latter. Unlike many makeup removers that either hold a balmy, buttery, or liquid consistency, this one has a unique jelly-to-oil texture that easily melts away waterproof makeup, sunscreen, dirt, and oil from the skin. You can even use it to remove budge-proof lipstick. What’s more, a blend of nine oils ensure that your skin isn’t left taut, uncomfy, and screaming for moisture post-cleanse. “This really did melt off a full face of makeup easily, and left my skin hydrated and clean,” confirms BDG staffer Rachel Chapman.