Cosmopolitan’s 2025 Holy Grail Awards: The Best Makeup Products of the Year

“Makeup artist and entrepreneur Bobbi Brown is the master of no-makeup makeup. The proof? Her latest launch: Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer. As the name implies, it’s got just enough going on to make your skin look less dull and blotchy—all without looking like you’re wearing anything at all.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR

“I spread a dime-size amount (any more than that and it gets too hard to blend with just fingers) all over my face and, like magic, I’m instantly more even-toned and dewy. It’s also shockingly good at minimizing the look of pores and bumpy texture.”
—LB

“I don’t leave my house without this foundation stick in my bag. It evens out my skin tone and blurs breakouts and dark spots on the go so easily. I just swipe it where I need coverage (usually around my nose, under my eyes, and on my chin) and then blend with a fluffy foundation brush for airbrushed-looking skin in legit seconds.” —LB

“Zero lies were told when Lawless said that this full-coverage, matte foundation would have your skin giving ~filter~. It makes my skin look poreless and blends so well with the rest of my makeup while feeling nonexistent on my face. It also photographs beautifully! Sprint, don’t run.” —CHRISTEN A. JOHNSON, SENIOR LIFESTYLE EDITOR

“I’m obsessed with the Hourglass Veil Skin Tint, so I had high hopes for this multitasking counterpart. It’s basically a glowier version of the OG formula, and I love that it has SPF 30 in it for extra sun protection. It’s great on its own for light coverage or as a mix-in with some primer, or you can also build it up to a medium coverage with a full face of makeup.” —JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR

“If your idea of powder foundation is cakey, dry, and low coverage, then you clearly haven’t tried this one. Using the included applicator or a foundation brush, I pat this onto my skin, and it hides redness, zits, dark spots—you name it. And it blends out for a soft, velvety look that doesn’t feel like I’m wearing a heavy powder all over my face.” —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR

“Most concealers just can’t do it all, but Tarte’s newest version of their iconic Shape Tape isn’t most concealers. It covers everything happening on my face at any given time (which is a lot these days) without settling into my fine lines and pores or feeling heavy and mask-like.” —LB

“This is probably the best concealer I’ve ever used. It is somehow both full coverage and has a second-skin, undetectable finish. It’s set apart from other cream concealers because of how easy it is to blend and wear with or without foundation. Almost effortlessly achieve a full-coverage, airbrushed finish when applying with a brush, or you can tap out a few dots with your finger on low/minimal-makeup days to brighten the under-eye.” —HEATH OWENS, DEPUTY COMMERCE EDITOR

“Packaged in a luxe glass tube with a soft doe foot applicator, this color corrector feels high-end yet incredibly user-friendly. I love how blendable the formula is—it really is serum-like in consistency, meaning it never goes on as thick or cakey. Instead, it melts into my under-eye area and blends beautifully while successfully masking my prominent dark circles.” —MACKENZIE DUNN, SENIOR COMMERCE MANAGER

“This has a nice consistency and a pink hue that spreads with zero effort over my skin while blurring all of my pores. Whenever I use it, my makeup goes on way smoother than usual and lasts all day.” —EMILY ADAR, SENIOR VISUAL EDITOR

“I love a dewy complexion, and this beautiful glow-boosting primer makes my skin look luminous and supple. I’d even go as far as to say it makes me look sun-kissed all day long (and I started testing this in the winter, so that’s saying something!). It has a hydrating and cooling feeling but—and this is key for a *dewy*, not a *shiny* complexion!—soaks into my skin versus just sitting on top of it. Even if I’m wearing light makeup, I’ve gotten in the habit of laying down this primer first because it really secures my makeup for hours and keeps feathering/oxidation at bay.” —HO

“I feel like this setting spray has been everywhere the last few months, and it’s honestly so worth the hype. It keeps my face hydrated while locking my makeup in place during 12-hour days. I also love that you can hold it down for a continuous spritz instead of having to unevenly spray across your face. This has def replaced my go-to expensive setting spray.” —JH

“This powder actually does what it claims: sets and blurs your makeup for a shine-free, long-wearing look. It’s also the least drying setting powder I’ve ever used, so it doesn’t cling to the flaky patches on my face.” —OLIVIA TRUFFAUT-WONG, NEWS EDITOR

“This is the most realistic-looking bronzer I’ve used in years. I dust it on my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose, and it instantly gives my face a level of warmth and luminosity that looks really soft and natural.”
—LB

“I’m typically intimidated by bronzers, but Ilia’s is genuinely hard to mess up. I stipple it onto my cheekbones and across my nose and it really sculpts my face and adds more dimension without looking orange or muddy.”
—HANNAH K. OH, SHOPPING EDITOR

“The e.l.f. Halo Glow Blush is the ultimate blush-highlighter hybrid, and I’m obsessed with the radiant sheen it gives my skin. And the sponge-tip applicator makes it ridiculously easy to tap in the perfect amount. If you’re into that dewy, lit-from-within kind of glow (because who isn’t?), this blush is about to become your new go-to for summer.” —JH

“Every time I wear this blush, the compliments are nonstop. The formula is super-pigmented so you only need a little product to get a flushed, glowy look that lasts all day without turning cakey (my biggest gripe with most powder blushes).”
—CAJ

“The Iconic London Lit & Luminous Baked Highlighter is warm and glowy and makes me feel like I just stepped off the beach after a day in the sun. I prefer a warm over a cool hue for my highlighter, and this one is perfect. It also doesn’t get shimmer fallout all over my face, which is a big win for me.” —EA

“Okay, wow. I haven’t touched liquid highlighter since 2016, but I am newly in love with the Luminous Silk Highlighter. It is such a luxurious experience—the texture is light, almost watery, and very blendable. The shimmer is so fine (not chunky or glittery at ALL), and I’ve been OBSESSED with using a slightly darker shade across my cheekbones and nose bridge—it looks like you correctly applied blush, bronzer, and highlighter when what I really did was just dab one product onto my cheeks with my fingers.” —HKO

“As someone who’s constantly searching for a long-wearing, glowy makeup look, it’s hard to come by a cream formula that lasts. I typically top off cream products with powder to ensure my glam is locked in all day, but the Make Up For Ever HD Skin Blush & Glow Palette gets the job done without the extra step. Whether I wear the semi-matte and shimmering finishes on their own or create a cocktail to drape my cheeks with, it is easy to build up color payoff and blend each shade. Ten hours after application, my cheeks looked incredible without setting powder.” —SAM OLSON, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

“A small dot along my cheekbones and lips creates a cohesive look that blends beautifully to create a long-lasting just-bitten/melted popsicle-like stain that looks natural and oh so dewy. I love that aside from being a true multi-stick, it also offers skin benefits to strengthen the skin barrier and moisturize my complexion. It’s super pigmented but ridiculously easy to blend out with fingers or a brush.” —MARY HONKUS, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR

“As much as I love swiping on this mascara and watching it make my lashes look long and fluffy, I equally love the ease of removing it at the end of the day. It melts away with a cleansing oil or micellar water, no tugging or pulling necessary.”
—SAMANTHA JONES, COMMERCE EDITOR

“As someone with long but thin lashes, I’m all about a mascara that adds volume and bulk. This Charlotte Tilbury mascara supplies a jet-black formula that makes my eyes pop and lashes that nearly look like thick extensions. It also does an amazing job at curling so that I don’t even need a lash curler beforehand. 10/10, no notes.”
—JH

“The thin wand on this mascara is perfect for giving lashes length without getting clumpy or spidery. Two quick coats are all you need for Bambi-like lashes that don’t smudge, smear, or flake.”
—LB

“After taking a break from liquid eyeliner for about two years because I thought it looked too harsh on me, this Tom Ford one has completely put me back on the train. The dual-ended concept has a fine calligraphy tip and a brush that provides control and precision. Together, they help me create sharp, MUA-level wings that are honestly so impressive, I can’t even believe I painted them on myself. And it lasts all day! Not a smudge or fade!! Oh, and don’t get me started on the packaging. It looks like one of those luxury ballpoint pens worth hundreds. Overall, I gotta say, the $65 is worth every single penny.” —MEG UY, ASSOCIATE SHOPPING EDITOR

“I’ve become a liquid eyeliner gal in my 20s, so to convince me to switch to my high-school self, aka an eye pencil, is a tall ask. But I am absolutely blown away at how much this Morphe liner not only gives me control over my line but also lasts so much longer than any of the other pencils I tried. It’s the only pencil eyeliner I’ve used that doesn’t give me raccoon eyes by noon. Getting two options in one is also a major win, and the various colors are absolutely gorgeous, giving even the most adventurous makeup lovers tons of options for looks.” —TAMARA FUENTES, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

“This extra-thin brush applicator makes it possible to precisely target actual eyebrow hair follicles versus the usual spoolie or doe-foots that I’m used to. Albeit minor, I noticed almost immediate results within my first week of use (shiny, healthy-looking brow hairs). After about three weeks, my brow hairs appeared darker and longer, and after about five weeks, I noticed a fuller brow shape with baby hairs sprouting up near my arch. I doubly appreciate these impressive results considering there are only five ingredients in the formula—all of which are natural oils. No skin irritation for me!” —HO

“I particularly like the Dime Eyelash boost serum because it is prostaglandin-free, meaning there are fewer side effects and less of a chance of redness or periobital fat loss. Application is as easy as one swipe morning and night. After 60 days, my lashes seemed thicker, fuller, and healthier with zero irritation or unwanted effects. More lash density meant that my mascara had better payoff and even curling my lashes was easier and more impactful.”
—MD

“When it comes to false lashes, I’m a tough critic. I’ve had my heyday with falsies, and after using a top-tier lash serum on my natural lashes, I don’t even really wear them anymore. But when I want to amplify my glam with falsies, I-Envy’s clusters are so easy to use and come with everything you’d need for a quick and painless application, including a set of tweezers and long-wearing lash bond in case you want to place them under natural lashes for a lash extension effect. The fluffy, natural-looking lashes come in a range of lengths from 10mm to 14mm, which gives the option to peel back or build up any look. I personally love a sultry vibe, so I apply three to five clusters over the outer end of my lashline for a cat-eye effect.” —SO

“I love all-in-one tools and this eyebrow pencil nails that. I have blonde eyebrows that look nonexistent on their own, so I can apply a few strokes of this pencil, then finish the look with a sweep of the clear gel and be on my way. The texture of this pencil also lends itself to layering and building up the coverage you want—a couple light sweeps for a hint of color, or a heavier application for a full-brow look.” —ANDIE FOWLER, SENIOR CONTENT STRATEGY MANAGER

“With eight different options to choose from (including gray and auburn!), this is the biggest shade range I’ve seen for a tinted brow gel product. The spoolie is about the size of a pinkie nail and has a tapered tip, so it gives me more control when shaping and applying the product to narrower areas like the tails of my brows. The tint itself is extremely pigmented: After just one layer, my sparse areas were undetectable and my brows looked fuller and thicker.”
—LAUREN GRUBER, ASSOCIATE COMMERCE EDITOR

"A celeb makeup artist recently convinced me to start fluffing up my brows with this clear gel, and it makes my face look immediately lifted. No crunch or crustiness—just a soft, bushy brow." —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR

“Even if you’re not a makeup pro—heck, especially if you’re not a pro—this palette will be perfect for you. The mix of matte and shimmer neutral shades are the most versatile and the textures are blendable and long-lasting.” —SARAH NG, VIDEO EDITOR

“These have made my mornings so much better. As someone who enjoys the process of doing my makeup before I start the day, I will always reach for the product that works well and takes little time to put on. They are easy to blend, highly pigmented, and buildable. They tick all the boxes.” —JOANNA MARQUINA, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

“Just a tiny dab of this on the center of my eyelid immediately takes my look from simple to pop princess. It’s extremely sparkly but not in a chunky, old-school glittery way. Instead, it’s loaded with teeny tiny flecks of multicolor shimmer.” —BG

“I always thought eyeshadow primer was a bit of a gimmick...until I tried the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Not only did it keep my eyeshadow crease-free for hours—even through sweaty days—but I also love its light, iridescent color that blends into the skin effortlessly. Unlike other primers, this one doesn’t leave a harsh-colored base, making it easy to blend without the risk of over-applying. Even though it has a thinner consistency, it also provides the perfect amount of tack and grip for eyeshadow to adhere flawlessly.”
—MU

“The color payoff on the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix is absolutely phenomenal, making it the perfect choice for an easy, shiny lip. It’s also hydrating and extremely comfortable to wear—no stickiness or clumps—and it looks nice even after the shine has worn off a bit.”
—OTW

“I’m a matte lip hater, so I love a natural finish lipstick that gives tons of pigment and some added hydration. This lipstick gives a near-glossy finish and comes in a v extensive shade range. And if you wanna add even more shine, it layers well with lip oils and glosses.” —JH

“I saw Charli XCX using this lipstick, so I tried this lipstick...and I see why she loves it. It blurs and smooths out my lips and adds a wash of opaque color.” —BG

“The extra-precise tip and creamy formula help me expertly define and fill my lips with zero harsh lines. It also lasts forever, so feel free to eat, drink, and smooch with abandon.” —MH

“This combines the moisturizing benefits of a lip balm with the mirror-like finish you want in a gloss. I love that the shiny sheen is zero percent sticky and the fact that it comes in five buildable and highly wearable shades. Oh! And it also chemically exfoliates with lactic acid, so my lips get a nice smoothing treatment every time I swipe it on.” —CORINNE SULLIVAN, SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

“This lip plumper is IT! Yes, it stings, but that means it’s working. I truly saw a difference, and my lips stayed plumped for a few hours.” —JM

“This viral lip stain is truly worth the hype. I can outline my lips for a liner effect or completely fill them in for a pigment that lasts all day. I personally love using the shade Charming for a berry-colored lip with a gloss to top it off. And you only need to keep it on for one minute before peeling it off.” —JH

“These lippies give high-impact pigment with a soft-focus finish that feels way more expensive than it is. It’s the kind of drugstore gem that makes you do a double take (and then buy three more shades).”
—JULEE WILSON, BEAUTY EDITOR-AT-LARGE

“As a chronically dry lip girl, I love a lip balm that’s hydrating, but one that can add pigment is even better. This balm comes in a bunch of shades—some are pH adjusting; others are pigmented from the start. I love this for the days I wanna swipe on a low-key lip with the added hydration benefits.” —JH

“I’m a multitasking makeup lover, and this YSL lip is the ultimate hybrid formula. It delivers a juicy, high-shine finish with rich, buildable pigment while also doubling as a nourishing balm (it’s packed with hydrating mango oil and plumping hyaluronic acid). It is lightweight and gives my lips a glossy wash of color—perfect for everyday wear when you want a tinted lip without going full-on bold.” —JH

“I’m very picky when it comes to tweezers (weird, I know), and there’s a reason Tweezerman is the gold standard. The classic angled-tip design always ensures a successful eyebrow-shaping session. I have plenty of stubborn hairs, but these tweezers effortlessly tackle them with precision and ease. Their use isn’t limited to just hair removal though. I also rely on them for makeup application. Whether it’s applying false eyelashes or adding faux facial jewelry, the firm, comfortable grip makes them perfect for the job.” —SN

“There’s no eyelash curler on the market that compares to Chanel’s—trust me on this one! You might think I like it because it’s luxurious and chic, but it truly checks every box. It’s incredibly lightweight, never pinches the delicate skin around the inner part of my eyes, and one gentle squeeze of the handle gives a curl that lasts more than one day (though if you have particularly straight lashes, you might need to curl twice). Honestly, I never imagined I’d spend more than $5 on a lash curler—let alone one priced six times that—but here we are.” —MU

“Let’s be real: The Beautyblender sponge reigns supreme in the world of makeup sponges. Over the past 10+ years of doing my own glam, I’ve always found myself returning to it, because of its lightweight and incredibly soft texture. The sponge presses so gently against my skin, absorbing just the right amount of product for a flawless, seamless application. Whether I’m using it to blend foundation, concealer, blush, or bronzer, it delivers an airbrushed finish every time. Even though it’s double the price of most beauty sponges, the exceptional quality and longevity is worth it. And let’s not forget the chic denim hue? I’m obsessed!” —MU

“Whether I want to build up coverage or make things a bit more sheer, I can do so with this dense foundation brush. No matter what, my products never, ever streak. Instead, everything looks seamlessly blended.” —BG

“I used to be someone who dabbed on blush with their fingers, but this dual-ended brush has changed my ways. One end flawlessly applies cream blush, and the other flawlessly applies powder for a nice, streak-free flush. It also works great for diffusing liquid, cream, and powder highlighters and bronzers as well.”
—LB

“I cherish this brush every time I get to use it. It blends my creamy concealer to perfection, and its angle makes it easy to get into the inner corners of my eyes.” —JM

“This compact little bag fits a shocking amount of stuff—I used it to stash all my skincare and makeup for a 10-day trip (I’m a beauty editor, so trust me when I say it’s not in my DNA to pack light). It’s also incredibly chic and the material is easily wipeable for when something inevitably leaks or spills.” —LB

“One of my first bosses nearly a decade ago turned me onto the magic that is this concealer, and it’s been a regular in my makeup bag ever since. The sponge-y applicator is a delight and the thin, buildable formula seamlessly covers up everything from dark circles to breakouts. For $11, you won’t find a better concealer.”
—LB

“A device that makes your custom foundation color using a tiny wand that scans your skin? Sounds too good to be true, but it’s actually become my new favorite foundation formula. Just connect to the accompanying app, and it tells you exactly what to do to get your own tailored color.” —BG

“The only cosmetics brand to receive an Ease of Use Certification from The Arthritis Foundation, Tilt’s products are all created with all ability levels in mind, from the easy-to-hold packaging to the comforting, soothing formulas inside.” —BG

“Soooo, I caught dates stealing extra glances at my lips whenever I wore this. I’m a lip product hoarder, and this rivals some of my most luxe glosses that are quadruple the price. It glides like butter across my lips and doesn’t leave any trace of tackiness. While there’s not a plumping effect, it certainly makes lips appear more supple and juicer. I wear it on its own but also love to layer the sheer tint (there’s 12 to choose from!) over lipstick for the plushest lips ever.”
—MH

“Is $85 absolutely ludicrous to spend on a mascara? Yep. Sure is. But I truly love this and people need to know about it, so here I am waxing poetic about it. Not only do I feel incredibly fancy when I swipe it on (it’s Sisley, babes!!), but the formula also makes my lashes longer, thicker, and more defined without a single clump, flake, or smear. It’s mascara perfection.”
—LB