BEST MATTE FOUNDATION
The 34 oxidation-resistant shades of NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation ($40) offer buildable, full-coverage color and soft-focus pore blurring without caking or drying out skin.
BEST HYDRATING FOUNDATION
Skin-loving hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5 and aloe ensure medium-coverage IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare ($40) seamlessly imparts a radiant finish and a more even skin tone over time.
BEST CC CREAM
The next generation of color correction, Dermablend Continuous Correction Tone-Evening CC Cream SPF 50+ ($39) is clinically tested to improve skin radiance in four weeks without clogging pores.
BEST BB CREAM
From one of the first brands to introduce BB creams to the U.S. comes the newly improved version of Dr. Jart+ Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm SPF50+ ($37), which conceals everything from large pores to redness with the bonus of more sun protection.
BEST FOUNDATION STICK
Clean, vegan and travel-friendly, MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick ($38) can be used as foundation or concealer and blends smoothly for light-to-medium coverage that lets skin breathe.
BEST TINTED MOISTURIZER
Dewy but not greasy, Saie Slip Tint ($32) is the throw-in-your-bag, one-step skin saver that’s easy to apply, suits all skin tones and gives that fresh, effortless look with the added benefit of hydration and broad-spectrum SPF 35.
BEST MATTE PRIMER
Unlike many of its shine-stopping counterparts, Vapour Beauty Matte Smoothing Primer ($48) is made without silicone or dimethicone. Instead, nourishing jojoba and amino acids deliver a naturally smooth finish.
BEST HYDRATING PRIMER
The difference between good makeup and great makeup? Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer ($44), which creates a smooth, undetectable canvas for foundation while moisturizing skin with shea butter.
BEST UNDER-EYE CONCEALER
The magic microspherical powders in super creamy Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer ($34) make dark circles look brighter and pores look blurred. It’s the definition of airbrushed finish.
BEST FULL-COVERAGE CONCEALER
Doll 10 T.C.E Concealer ($28) takes cover-up to the next level with its cooling tip and crease-less formula that includes vitamin C to treat skin as it hides breakouts, discoloration and pretty much anything else.
BEST PRESSED POWDER
Fans of By Terry’s translucent loose powder were waiting for Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra-Powder ($52) for a long time, and it’s everything we wished for and more. It not only mattifies and hydrates, but also sets makeup.
BEST LOOSE POWDER
Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai says The Silk Powder ($48) is “a modern version of Japanese oshiroi powder,” the white makeup worn by geishas. The reason: it seals in makeup and blurs pores with oil-absorbing silk as it shields skin from blue light.
BEST CREAM BLUSH
One of founder Jessica Alba's favorite products from her own brand, Honest Beauty Crème Cheek Blush ($13) blends and builds with ease, making it easy to go from sheer to saturated depending on your mood.
BEST CREAM HIGHLIGHTER
Wear RMS Beauty Master Radiance Base ($30) as a base underneath foundation or layer it on top, on the light-reflecting high points of the face, for a gorgeous, celestial glow.
BEST POWDER HIGHLIGHTER
Boasting the largest shade range of all the highlighters we tested—light champagne to rich bronze and everything in between—Revolution Beauty XX XXposure Highlighter Powder ($15) is bursting with sophisticated shimmer.
BEST BRONZER
If the pandemic canceled your trip to the tropics, just swipe on Gucci Poudre De Beauté Éclat Soleil Bronzing Powder ($62) for the same sun-kissed glow, and consider the gorgeous blue compact your souvenir.
BEST POWDER BLUSH
One poof of intensely pigmented LAWLESS Make Me Blush Velvet Blush ($29) on the apples of the cheeks imparts a talc-free, buttery-soft flush of color that lasts all day long.
BEST MULTIPURPOSE BALM
Makeup legend Bobbi Brown calls her majorly multitasking Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm ($38) “genius in a pot,” and she is, in a word, accurate. Get an antioxidant-rich wash of color that enhances any look with a quick swipe.
BEST SETTING SPRAY
Mask mandates gave us a renewed appreciation for setting sprays. Alcohol- and fragrance-free Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Set & Refresh Spray ($36) works in two ways: under makeup to prep skin and on top to lock makeup in.
