Mother knows best. So when Lady Gaga restarted her makeup brand from scratch, being a fan of the original, I had no choice but to ~trust the process~. (After an Amazon rollout in 2019, Haus Labs rebranded + relaunched at Sephora in June 2022). But she's always had the vision, and something good was up her sleeve.
A mere three years later, it's one of the most revered celebrity beauty brands on the market. I almost hate categorizing it as such; like its sisters Fenty Beauty and Rare Beauty, the brand and products supersede the founder's namesake.
The relaunch was all about clean, innovative formulas with skincare-focused ingredients (much more on that below). The brand has also been praised for inclusivity—its flagship foundation comes in a vast shade range, and since its first promo, I've seen varying gender expressions represented in the marketing.
When "LG7" became Mayhem (ABRA-OOH-NAH-NAH!) and Mother's return was imminent, I asked a few of my coworkers if they'd like to test the brand for this review. Much to my delight, many already had, and had *opinions* to share. So I wrangled the team, put together a survey, and got as many makeup samples as possible into the hands of my fellow trusty editors. Of course, we had to find out if the TikTok-viral Haus Labs foundation is worth the hype. We also tested the brand's concealer, blush sticks, lip gloss, and recently-launched mascara.
Team Rating: 8.4/10
This foundation is what put Haus Labs on the map in a major way. It went (and stayed) viral on TikTok (Alix Earle is a fan). Around the office, it's the product everyone was most eager to test. And on a personal note, its buildable medium coverage helped me build the confidence to wear foundation more regularly. (I've been wearing it consistently for about a year).
Our editors were collectively impressed by the lightweight formula, dewy-matte finish, ease of blending, and coverage of redness and hyperpigmentation. I usually pump it onto the top of my hand, then pick up little by little with a foundation brush and dab it all over my face, building until I've reached my desired coverage level. It gives me an instant glow that lasts throughout the day and never gets cakey. "There's nothing better than looking in the mirror and seeing an even, dewy complexion," said Sarah Ng, Video Editor. AMEN.
This foundation has also been praised for its range of 51 shades. "As someone with a neutral undertone and tan skin, it’s difficult to find a color match that actually blends seamlessly into my skin tone, and this one is truly my skin tone in a bottle," said Anvita Reddy, commerce editor. "I only need one pump to provide a decent amount of coverage that evens out hyperpigmentation and dark spots." The brand has a shade matching quiz on its site and recently launched a free discovery set for trialing shades before committing to a full-size bottle.
The dewy formula can sometimes get shiny by the end of the day on my combination-oily skin. If that's your skin type, I'd recommend starting with a primer and/or topping it off with setting powder. Another editor mentioned that it caused her to break out, so as always with a new product, patch test before wearing—especially if you have sensitive skin.
Team Rating: 8.8/10
Almost everyone agreed that this is—ahem—one of the best concealers they've ever tried. (Just look at that 8.8/10 rating, mmkay?!) This product feels most true to Haus Labs' "skincare-infused" ethos. It's packed with hard-working ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and patent-pending fermented arnica that claims to target redness and irritation. All of that makes for a hydrating formula doesn't dry out sensitive areas of the face or irritate concealed pimples. We actually named it one of the best concealers for acne in 2024.
It's wizardry in a bottle, IMO. It's somehow both full-coverage and skin-like. And I'm not the only one who thought so: "It’s one of the few products that truly mimics the look of my real-life skin while improving it," said Reddy. "The amount of coverage it provides while maintaining a natural finish is unlike any other complexion product I've used," added Lauren Gruber, associate commerce editor. Samantha Jones, commerce editor, appreciated it's hydrating qualities, while Veronica Lopez, sex and relationships editor, said that it worked well for her "as someone with deep dark under-eyes that crease easily."
One thing that really sets this concealer apart is how well it blends directly into my bare skin, without foundation. On days when I just need a little assist to look alive, I'll swipe it under my eyes, around my nose, dot any blemishes, and let it set for a few seconds. Not very much blending later, the concealer ends where my skin begins and you seriously can't tell the difference. I'm telling you, wizardry...
Team Rating: 8.6/10
If you're only going to try one thing from Haus Labs, make it this blush stick. Beth Gillette, beauty editor, said it best: "Hand's down, this was my favorite makeup release of 2024 and I have one on me at all times practically. (Currently sitting in a hotel in San Francisco with two shades in my makeup bag. I'm obsessed.) Nothing makes my cheeks look so lifted and plump."
What I love most is the dewy finish. It's almost like a highlighter and blush in one, and on no- to low-makeup days, you could absolutely get away with it pulling double duty.
BUT! Application technique is where we were divided. The formula is quite pigmented, so it can be a lot if you swipe the stick directly onto your cheek (especially on top of foundation and other complexion products). When you're doing a full face of makeup, I *highly recommend* stippling an angled brush into the product, and then tapping it onto your cheek. Sarah Maberry, fashion and luxury commerce editor, found success with the same technique; it just gives you so much more control. On bare skin, though, swipe it right on and blend away with your fingers.
Team Rating: 8/10
There's a lot going on with this lip gloss, but you wouldn't exactly know it while wearing it. It's comfortable (it really feels nourishing on the lips) and long-lasting (even if it wears off while eating, etc., it leaves a nice sheen and faint stain of color on the lips). It claims to be a 4-in-1 Goldilocks sort of girlie, combining lip oil, balm, plumper, and gloss all in one. "I've tested lots of tinted lip balms and oils and glosses over the years, but this one is really unique, basically combining all of them into one," said Gillette. "It makes my lips look so plush and full."
The only one of those four claims I take qualm with is... plumping. It absolutely makes my lips look full and healthy, but it doesn't provide that instant gratification that you might be looking for from a true lip plumper (the brand says it'll take two weeks of continuous use to see results). I really just think it's the wrong choice of word. And it certainly doesn't give that irritating, tingling, drying feeling that other plumpers do, so that's a win.
Our testers liked some colors more than others, and the general consensus was that going for your closest nude shade or darker will have the best color payoff. Some of the lighter shades weren't giving much (they're designed to be semi-sheer, after all).
Team Rating: 8.6/10
The mascara was the sleeper hit of our Haus Labs test. (Clock the second-highest ranking, tied with blush balm!) I'm obsessed with the applicator—it really separates and fans out my lashes without leaving clumps behind. It has an ever-so-slightly contoured shape with a tapered tip, making it easy to pick up your inner lashes without accidentally smudging it onto your eyelid (le worst).
"Pretty much every mascara I've ever tried just doesn't impress me much," said Hannah Chubb, lifestyle editor, "But holy sh*t. No clumps, no mess, major lift, major thickness...just everything you could ever ask for in a mascara."
Like the foundation, it's buildable, so you can easily apply a feather-light layer for daytime without overdoing it. Depending on your affinity for mascara, you might need a little extra oomph in the evening. "The volume and length it provides make it more of a daytime mascara than a nighttime (bc yes, there is a difference to me)," said Maberry. She added that she doesn't find black flakes under her eyes or have raccoon circles after a long day of wear and that her regular face wash can remove it.
Haus Labs is among the superior celebrity beauty brands, and its products are some of our editors' all-time favorites in their respective categories (lookin' at you, concealer!). Our band of testers agreed that its formulas are long-wearing, feel healthy on the skin, and retain their pigment all day long. The brand has successfully stuck to its commitments to clean, innovative ingredients and inclusivity—and three years post-launch, it's paying off.
Most of us loved the foundation and found it worth the hype, but it may not be best suited for those with oily skin. (Btw, we had good luck with the shade-matching quiz! For one of us, it ran slightly dark.) As a group, we were collectively surprised by lesser-known products in the lineup, specifically the blush sticks and mascara. (We already knew the concealer was good <3)
If you've been considering trying Haus Labs, we think it's worth the investment. And it should come as no surprise that Gaga has something new up her sleeve in time for the Mayhem era—she's launching a Bio-Radiant Glassy Highlighter Balm on March 4. (I'm wearing it in the foundation pic at the top of this story.)
And now, we shop...
Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick
Heath Owens (he/they) is the Deputy Editor for Hearst Magazines' central commerce editorial team, where he leads content strategy and production. He specializes in product testing and sales and deals coverage, with the ultimate goal of helping readers shop smarter. When he’s not at his desk or running around New York City to preview the latest product launches, he’s probably catching up on the Real Housewives of Everywhere™ and tending to his plant children, or, as of late, training for a marathon.
![los angeles premiere of netflix's "stranger things" season 5 arrivals](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/sadie-sink-caleb-mclaughlin-finn-wolfhard-gaten-matarazzo-news-photo-1762530681.pjpeg?crop=0.716xw:1.00xh;0.128xw,0&resize=360:* "Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season 5 - Arrivals")
