When it comes to face makeup, most of us will go to amazing lengths in order to find that perfect product. That one foundation, powder or concealer that completely hides spots, minimizes lines and creates an overall flawless finish. (Does one such product even exist?) We will spend a ton of cash — maybe not on one product, but on the hundreds we've tested in a lifetime — read reviews until we're dizzy and, of course, allow makeup artist after makeup artist to convince us that their product is the best. That's a lot of work for a category of makeup that shouldn't really get noticed, right? Well, in order to put an end to this madness and to hopefully save you a few bucks, we thought we'd share a list of the top-rated face powders according to our readers, along with a few editors' picks.
If you love the look of sun-kissed skin but don't live year-round in warm weather, it's time to discover cream bronzers that will melt into your skin for the ultimate beachless glow. Cream bronzers work better than powders to create seamless, natural-looking color due to their hydrating, easy-to-blend formulas. What's more, many of them come in convenient stick forms, so you can trace color onto your face without wondering if your brush is getting into all the right contours. Simply swipe and blend and you'll never look back. Read on for the best cream bronzers worth adding to your makeup routine.
Scrolling through Instagram, you'd think that every woman was born gorgeous and flawless with not a single blemish or imperfection in sight. While everyone is beautiful in their own way, it's also true that sometimes we need a little makeup boost to look our best. Whether it's a foundation, BB cream, CC cream, primer or skin care-meets-makeup, there are products that can give us the appearance of a filtered face in real life. Sounds like your cup of tea? Read on for 17 products that will filter, blur, hydrate and perfect your complexion like you never knew possible.
Who among us doesn't love a multitasking beauty product? Strobing blushes might just be the next dual-use product to add to your arsenal: They're perfect for streamlining your routine since they deposit color and shine onto your cheeks in one fell swoop.
Friends, we are living in the golden age of iridescent highlighters. They come in every texture imaginable — jellies, gel creams, liquid drops — and every finish and color of the rainbow too. There's actually a whole renaissance of iridescent beauty products, from holographic lipsticks all the way to color-shifting face masks.
Having the best makeup brushes in your beauty bag can make all the difference in your makeup routine. Just like a great artist uses a brush to create a museum-worthy painting, we wield our makeup brushes to create perfectly contoured and blended makeup masterpieces.
The best mineral makeup is the gift that keeps on giving. Unlike traditional makeup products, the best mineral makeup lines are free of preservatives and chemicals — like parabens, dyes and fragrances — that can wreak havoc on sensitive skin. They can be a lifesaver for women with skin conditions like eczema or rosacea who don't want to give up makeup. And, because most formulas don't contain oil, they also won't exacerbate acne-prone skin.
Liquid lipstick is great and all, but sometimes we crave something more -- something long-lasting, yet not overpowering; eye-catching, yet natural-looking (despite being just about any color of the rainbow). In short, we crave lip stains.
When you're having a good skin day, reaching peak confidence levels feels just a little easier. And yet, all of us have days when our pores are unruly, our tone isn't its brightest, and blemishes pop like a cruel game of whack-a-mole. Foundation is the easiest makeup solution, but many women worry that wearing it will look -- and feel -- masklike.
Lip liners get a bad rap, probably because they make people think of that awful lined-lips-with-nude-lipstick look. But skipping a lip liner is a missed opportunity to make your lips look fuller and more defined. The best lip liners also keep your lipstick locked in place and prevents feathering. With so many options to choose from, it's easy to end up with a liner that doesn't deliver on its promises. So we narrowed them down to only the best lip liners -- as chosen by TotalBeauty readers -- to make you a believer.
For makeup junkies like us, Sephora is basically our version of Candy Land. Whenever we step inside one, we can't help but walk down each and every row and throw eye shadow after blush after concealer in our shopping baskets.
You've seen these products in your Facebook and Instagram feeds, on the vanities of some of your favorite bloggers and celebs. Nope, we're not talking about the semi-ridiculous, high-promise teas, but instead Younique Cosmetics. Much like Mary Kay's popularity in the '90s and early '00s, Younique has saturated the beauty market in such a way that it's hard to miss. What started out as pestering posts by just about every old high school friend and their mother quickly turned into a beauty brand with a huge following — one that's truly worth double-tapping.
Not to be a Debbie downer, but it's a fact of life that with each passing year, time takes its toll on our complexions. Our cheekbones become more sunken in, our under-eye bags get darker and lower, and our skin turns sallower.
The best blushes give a lit-from-within, healthy-looking glow — something we all strive for with our makeup. A bad blush gives a streaky, sparkly, clownish look — not attractive. Luckily, our reviewers have have helped us narrow down the best blushes on the market. They've tried tons of blushes, and we're sharing their favorite picks. The best part? Our readers guarantee you won't look like you're auditioning for the circus when you reach for one of these top ranked blushes. (Just remember to use a real blush brush with all of them, not the little ones that come in the package, OK?)
There's no shortage of beauty products claiming to help you achieve complexion perfection: foundation, tinted moisturizer, BBs, CCs. But unlike their counterparts, pigment drops, the latest addition to this line-up, offer a completely customized way to achieve flawless skin. It's all about transformation. A few drops can tweak the shade of your favorite foundation (because, let's be real, no one's skin is the exact same color year-round) or switch up the level of coverage. Think of them as the easiest way to teach your old foundation some new tricks. Not a foundation fan? Mix in these colored drops with your go-to moisturizer, serum or face oil, and ta-da! You've got a whole new way to score perfect skin. And they can be worn on their own for crazy-good coverage. Here, six of our favorites that work so well they'll make your jaw drop (get it?).
If your budget's more canned tuna than caviar, your makeup doesn't have to suffer. Like the right $5 bottle of wine can taste just as good as a $50 bottle, the best cheap makeup can produce equally high-end results.
Most artists will admit that they are nothing without the tools of their trade. Just think: Where would Van Gogh have gotten without his bold brush strokes?
Regardless of how you feel about Kylie Jenner, there's no doubt she knows a thing or two about pulling off a flawlessly executed beauty look. Not only does she have a makeup line in the works and an existing line of hair extensions, but she recently launched a lifestyle website -- full of makeup tutorials -- that crashed on its debut day due to too much traffic. (Looks like she took a note from sister Kim about that whole breaking the Internet thing.)
"What's your sign?" This question (and hopefully not pickup line) is either slightly annoying or semi-meaningful to you. Whether you take the whole zodiac thing with a grain of salt or hang on to every word in your daily horoscope as if it's the gospel, there are probably some similarities between your sign's personality traits and your persona.
If there's one product in your makeup bag that can immediately brighten your complexion, it's blush. In fact, most makeup artists will tell you that your face makeup isn't complete until you've dusted a rosy glow across your cheeks. And then, presto change-o: What once was tired, sallow-looking skin is healthy and radiant.
