We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. Essence's Lash Princess mascara, because TBH, we've all wasted too many years and too much money looking for the ~holy grail~ mascara. This one is less than $5 and will give you such instant, effortless length you'll feel like your eyelashes are about to pull a Butterfree and take flight.
Hello, that is my face above, because I bought into the hype of over all the 5-star reviews and now I will never look back!! Putting it on is like giving my eyelashes butterfly wings. It doesn't get clumpy, it stays put ALL the live long day, and you can apply it on very lightly if you don't want it to look so dramatic, or continue applying for longer lashes each time.
Promising review: "I am a 30-year-old who has been wearing mascara since I was probably 15 or 16 and this is by far the best mascara ever. This beats Dior's almost-$40 mascara. A few times I made make up purchases based off of what reviewers and make up influencers hyped up and was disappointed, this surely wasn’t a disappointment." —Mary
Get it from Amazon for $4.99.
2. A buildable Glimmer Glow Stick lipstick with a sheer, subtle glitter and a unique rosy tint formulated with ~pH technology~ so it will adapt to your own personalized shade.
Check out a TikTok of the Glimmer Glow lipstick in action.
Promising review: "This is such a pretty pH color lipstick, viral for a reason — it's very pretty to look at, it's not sticky at all, and the more you layer it, the darker the pink shows up. The only thing I don't like is the scent in it, I can almost taste it a bit. It's nice to have in my purse if I need a quick color while I'm out in case of sudden dinner plans or a meeting, because you can control the color saturation to how light or bold it is." —Kristina Bumbelow
Get it from Amazon for $3.99.
3. E.l.f.'s Poreless Putty Primer, a lightweight base primer that reviewers swear by for reducing the appearance of pores and helping their makeup apply more smoothly and evenly.
LOL, allow me to be the one to shout to GRAB THIS WHILE YOU CAN. Every time I've run out of it I've gotten mad at myself because thanks to TikTok, it's constantly out of stock. Now is finally our chance!
Promising review: "Highly recommend. Learned about it as several influencers used it on TikTok. Tried it and it’s my favorite. Better than all the expensive brands I had tried before. Smooth application and does an excellent job! Excellent." —Binnyx1
Get it from Amazon for $9.
4. BYO Blush Oil, which is the ultimate in easy-to-use makeup because it practically does all the work *for* you — its color is designed to react to the pH of your skin, giving you a wholly personalized look without any extra work. TBH, it's no wonder this is one of their bestselling prods.
Youthforia is an Asian woman-owned small business established in 2020 that specializes in environmentally friendly, cruelty-free makeup made with at least 90% renewable ingredients.
Fun fact: All of Youthforia's makeup is designed with ingredients that make it A-OK for your skin to sleep with it on!
Check out a TikTok of the BYO Blush in action.
I tried this out myself and I have to say, it is WILD watching it adjust to your skin's pH in real time. It was a very bright pink at first but super easy to spread — a bit like Glossier's Cloud Paint, except personalized. It's very long lasting, too — I applied in the morning and could still see a rosy glow by the end of the day.
Promising review: "Dewy and glowy. I tried it over makeup and it appeared as a strong pink shade but settled to a flushed, glowy color. I had my little sister try it too because I wanted to see the color change again and it lasted a really long time on her. The texture was smooth and it was easy to rub in and blend out." —Summer
5. An illuminating moisturizer designed to enhance your skin's natural glow ✨ — perfect for anyone who wants a lightweight alternative to foundation or just a lil' extra low-effort shimmer in their lives.
Promising review: "Love love love this stuff. This is such a stellar product that is so versatile. Can be worn alone to put some glowy life to skin. Add to foundation or layer it. Beautiful. Use it as a base wear you put highlighter on top. Mix some with moisturizer. This in my opinion is better than so many high luxury brands that make similar products. And I am pretty sure it can be used by all skin types. It’s not oily feeling at all and it doesn’t dry out skin either. Just a total package. Can’t beat the price either." —Figgy08
Get it from Amazon for $12.66+ (available in four shades).
6. A makeup-correcting stick for eyeliner, lipliner, and lipstick, because, in the words of Hannah Montana, "Everybody makes mistakes." Now you can make them fearlessly knowing this lil' corrector will make them all *poof!* disappear.
Promising review: "Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? For years, I’ve been using cotton swabs dipped in makeup remover to remove little goofs or mistakes. This is so much better and portable! Erases waterproof mascara marks around my eyes easily. Must-buy product!!" —Katherine Riordan
Get it from Amazon for $7.97.
7. Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind concealer, an inexpensive lightweight concealer for anyone who wants to quickly touch up before meetings or errand running, but doesn't want to commit to a whole layer of foundation. This also helps cover dark circles without caking and reduce puffiness.
TBH, last year I started using this myself (although this is former BuzzFeed editor Kayla Suazo's lovely human face above), and I am mad that I wasted time with other concealers for so long. I am a deeply impatient person who likes to look good and does not like to put in effort in any way, shape, or form, and Maybelline created this so that people like me could gracelessly slap it on in the morning and be like "OKAY, REFLECTION, YOU GOT THIS" before being on their merry way. It never cakes, I look way more awake than I have any right to, and I never struggle to blend it the way I do with other concealers. 11/10 subscribe.
Promising review: "This is my all-time favorite concealer. It goes on creamy, covers under-eye circles without looking chalky. I hope they never stop making it." —YVonneM
Check out BuzzFeed's full review of Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer for more deets.
Get it from Amazon for $8.80 (available in 17 shades).
8. A bottle of Peripera Ink Velvet Lip Tint that comes complete with an applicator shaped to your lip, so application is *that* much more foolproof. Reviewers love this for how buildable and long-lasting it is, and how it doesn't crack or leave skin feeling dry.
9. A smudge-proof eyeliner stamp so you can finally get the perfect cat-eye on the first go without having to ~wing it~ (read: wasting eight cotton balls, half a bottle of eye makeup remover, and all of the minutes you were setting aside to make your morning coffee).
Psst — this tool is double sided, so you can choose the thickness of your wing, and comes with two stamp pens — one for each eye!
Promising review: "OMG I just got this delivered today and I am already obsessed! I have uneven eyes and this was such a breeze! I had to try three times to figure out the angle I usually like but from there it was a cinch. I have slightly oily lids and eyeliners and mascara usually transfer easily. After five hours I’ve had no raccoon eyes. I’ve already texted so many people about this lol. I hope they never stop making these." —rtownes86
Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.97 (available in four styles).
10. Live Tinted's Huestick Corrector, which is a 4-in-1 eye, lip, and cheek multistick designed to neutralize dark spots and circles to help even out your skin tone before you use concealer or foundation. You can also use it as a buildable blush or lip color because it is truly a beauty MVP.
Live Tinted is a small woman-owned business founded by entrepreneur Deepica Mutyala that specializes in clean, vegan, cruelty-free beauty products for al skin tones.
Promising reviews: "I'll admit, I was totally skeptical of these Huesticks. I am 34-years-old, of Sri Lankan descent (medium to deep tan skin) and I've NEVER been good at makeup. I was excited to try these Huesticks, made by and vouched for by a fellow South Asian, but was worried it would look like I was ACTUALLY wearing makeup. I was pleasantly surprised after using Rise under my eyes and around my mouth, blending with a BeautyBlender and then using my same amount of cc cream and powder foundation. You really still can't tell I'm wearing makeup. I even asked my BF if he could see the orange 'glow' under my eyes before I put on the cc cream and he couldn't see it! It really was color correcting!" —Reviewer
Get it from Ulta for $24 (available in five shades).
11. The internet-famous Revlon oil-absorbing volcanic face roller you simply swipe over your face like a magic wand that makes excess oil disappear — super convenient and *way* less wasteful than using blotting strips and time wasting than fancy powders that need a ton of blending work.
Promising review: "First off, if you have extremely oily skin, this. is. it. I was so tired of getting blotting powder/wipes. It felt wasteful and always left residue on my face. I saw this on TikTok and NEEDED it. It was backordered but then I got an email saying it was in stock and I was SO excited. Not only is it affordable, but it's washable, which helps you save money and be less wasteful." —Kelsey B.
Get it from Amazon for $14.44.
12. Maybelline's Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil that's so easy to blend that it's practically foolproof (and as a sloppy makeup wearer who uses it every morning, I can attest to this). It's also every bit as effective as some of the ones I've used that were triple the price.
The tool comes with two ends, one a small eyebrow brush and the other a specially edged eyebrow pencil.
Promising review: "I saw this product being touted on television and decided to try it. I had been using a $24 eyebrow pencil and simply could not find an even replacement until I ordered Maybelline’s Total Temptation Eyebrow Pencil! My eyebrows have thinned over the years and it’s been difficult finding a reasonably priced pencil that fits the bill. This pencil is very easy to use, looks very natural, and stays on until I wash my face at night. I absolutely love this product and I’m saving money! Double win!" —Melissa
Get it from Amazon for $8.12 (available in four shades).
13. Plus an Onset Eyebrow Soap Kit, an eyebrow pomade that doesn't just fluff up your brows for a little extra ~drama~, but holds them in place all the livelong day. It's basically like getting a whole bunch of extra eyebrow thickness without any effort!
Promising review: "I have the kind of eyebrows that look very full with brushing, but can quickly look like one has 'collapsed' once my hair or something else touches it. I’ve used nearly every product from Anastasia BH, but never had luck keeping my brows in place. Well, let me tell you, this stuff is no joke. I had to scrub my eyebrows clean tonight to get them to move. If you need some help holding your fluff, this will be your new favorite product. Also, I was able to ditch the eyebrow pencil since this this stuff holds every hair in the place you brush it." —Bailey M, Deacon
Get a set of two from Amazon for $7.99.
14. Glossier's Cloud Paint, which I personally love because it feels like fingerpainting your face. It's thick enough for a noticeable glow, but subtle enough that you don't have to be super precise about it — basically every time I complained about makeup being too hard, a friend rec'd it to me, and I've neeeever looked back.
Promising review: "I used traditional powder blushes daily up until purchasing this product. My skin is super dry and I didn't know I could have such a natural blush look until Cloud Paint! It really is easy to blend and builds up in color without much effort. The packaging is beautiful and is the perfect size to take anywhere with you. Please never stop making this blush!!!" —:~)
Get it from Glossier for $20 (available in eight shades).
Check out BuzzFeed's full review of Glossier's Cloud Paint for more deets!
15. A makeup setting spray with a matte finish to lock your look in place in just a few seconds, even on days when the sun is trying to melt you like a Popsicle.
Promising review: "Love this spray. Like that it's small and portable. It does set your makeup matte, which I love. Keeps my makeup in place all day. I use it pretty much daily when it's summer. It is great for when you travel to anywhere hot and humid and don't want your makeup to slide off." —Tina J.
Get it from Amazon for $9.10+ (available in three styles).
16. A set of LKE Shadow Patches to prevent eye shadow from smudging or falling, which is the precise kind of safety net you need when you're on a busy schedule and need a little extra help perfecting it.
Promising review: "I don’t know how I've done my eye makeup without these my whole life! They help so much with eyeshadow fallout it’s wild! There are two stickers on them, but I only do the small top ones since I like to do my foundation before eyeshadow! They’re very sticky and sometimes take off some of my foundation but I’ve found if you first tape it on your hand then onto your face it helps!" —Amazon Customer
Get a 100-pack from Amazon for $9.99.
17. The iconic Alleyoop Pen Pal, which features four quick, easy-to-use products in one tiny package. Each of the three pens comes with a curated color palette of four retractable colors to touch up brows, eyeliner, lips, and highlights, so you've got an entire quick makeup arsenal in the palm of your hand.
Here's what BuzzFeeder Jasmin Sandal has to say about it:
"I didn't realize I'd ever use a makeup product in my 20s that had the ability to transport me back to a piece of stationery I used in sixth grade, but here we are; and here I am using a multi-tool pen... for my face. I gotta say, I love the concept of the Pen Pal from Alleyoop! After using all of the functions (eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, eyebrow pencil) and as someone who LOVES makeup but was applying as little as humanly possible during lockdown, I think it’s a great tool for anyone looking to streamline their routine. It's ideal to use for touchups come the end of the work day, or a subtle, minimalist way to apply makeup in the a.m. The brow pencil is particularly soft and pigmented, and filled in my eyebrows quickly. I just adore the ease of application of each product, and appreciate the universal, does-it-all-for-you concept. Plus, it saves me so much room in my already-overflowing makeup bag!"
Get it from Alleyoop for $25 (available in three shades).
18. An easy-to-use, versatile mechanical eyeliner pencil you can get in basics or a ton of fun colors — reviewers are especially obsessed because it not only smudges effortlessly, but stays PUT on your waterline.
Promising review: "You can't beat the price. The most perfect creamy, pigmented, and easy to put on eyeliner ever. I think most eyeliners are a bit stiff and kind of tug on the eye when you apply it but not this liner! I bought it in black but will be buying it in other colors as well. Also! If you like to smudge your waterline, this liner is perfect for that." —Kaykay
Get it from Amazon for $5.99 (available in 14 colors).
19. Eyeshadow color removal sponges for anyone whose beauty routine can loosely be described as "I HIT SNOOZE TOO MANY TIMES AND HAVE NO TIME TO SPARE!!" — this lets you use your favorite eyeshadow brush with as many colors as you need by *instantly* cleaning off even super dark shades.
Here's what BuzzFeeder Jenae Sitzes has to say about it: "I picked up this color removal sponge from Amazon after hearing about this hack on TikTok and can testify that it actually works SO well. I'm *so* bad about cleaning my brushes (I know...shameful) and this makes it super easy to clean a brush in a matter of seconds. So even if I'm trying to do a *slightly* more elaborate eyeshadow look for the day, this makes the process of switching colors as quick and painless as possible. Also, it's *super* lightweight, and I've already tossed it in my bag and brought it on vacation with me. This is one of those products I won't be traveling without in the future if I plan on doing eyeshadow at any point — and it means you only need to pack one or two eyeshadow brushes!"
Promising review: "This product makes it even easier for me to be lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes. It also allows me to use the same brush for a makeup look since I can swish away a previous shadow and move on to the next. Great buy. Super easy to wash. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, but when I do finally travel again, I'm sure this will be excellent to travel with and make it so that I only need to bring one or two brushes." —Azaleah Bumpus-Barnett
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
20. Rimmel's Transparent Moisture Renewer Lip Liner, aka a universal lip liner you can use to ensure your mattes and lipsticks stay put *and* your lips don't dry out. A lot of reviewers swear by this as an easy way to prevent their lipstick from smudging.
Promising review: "I've never used a clear liner before, but with summer, I use a lot of lip tints, stains, and different formulas of lipstick which don't always look good with an opaque liner or any liner at all. I read a bunch of reviews and this had the best ones, and I'm not disappointed in the least. No matter what I wear on my lips this keeps my lips shaped nicely with no color bleeding. If I fill in my lips entirely it does feel a bit moisturizing. This works with anything which helps with not having to own every color of lip liner under the sun. I've had no problem with the tip breaking or not being able to see where I applied it." —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $5.99.
21. Tower 28's SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen Foundation perfect for anyone looking for no-fuss, lightweight, protective coverage — this rocks some SPF 30, is easily buildable, and reviewers with sensitive and acne-prone skin *swear* by it.
Check out a TikTok of the sunscreen foundation in action.
Tower 28 is a vegan, cruelty-free small business that specializes in products for sensitive skin.
Promising review: "I’ve been looking for a tinted sunscreen for so long and have been through so many brands. After reading an article about this product, I went ahead and purchased. This is what I’ve tirelessly been looking for! Covers just enough, makes me dewy, and provided SPF 30 protection. I will be a lifetime consumer!" —KWally21
Get it from Sephora for $32 (available in 14 shades).
22. An easy-to-use cream-to-powder eyeshadow stick, so literally all you have to do is glide it onto your lid and then either use your finger or the built-in smudger to get the desired ~effect~. Easy peasy eyeshadow squeezy.
Promising review: "Oh you better get these. I have been ill and for the first time in my adult life, I couldn't use my hands right to put on eye makeup. I read reviews and thought I will try these. These are amazing. I put it on yesterday. Smooth, easy application. Goes on just as you see color, not too light like others I've tried. It is still on today from my trip yesterday. We were at my doctor and I was so tired I slept with eye makeup on, not unusual, LOL. I mean this stays, and color for my brown eyes is great!!!" —girlyjohnnie
Get it from Amazon for $16+ (available in 11 colors).
23. A tube of long-lasting, moisturizing E.l.f. lip lacquer so perfect for every day use that it will become a "must" in your beauty routine from the first use.
Promising review: "Even during this stay-at-home era, I continue to wear at least basic makeup to make ME feel good. This gloss is a perfect color and the price can’t be beat. Also appreciate that it’s both flavorless and fragrance-free." —Karen Templeton
Get it from Amazon for $3 (available in seven shades).
24. A Lay-n-Go cosmetic bag that fans out to become a mat so you pretty much *never* have to deal with the cleanup or organizing of your makeup ever again.
Lay-N-Go is a small business specializing in storage and organization products.
Promising review: "I was tired of fumbling around in my cosmetics case and saw this. I was skeptical, but...WOW! On my recent two-week trip to Europe, with constant laying out and packing up, this item was wonderful. I could find what I wanted quickly, right away. Packing up was just a matter of pulling the drawstring. At first I wasn’t sure about changing to this bag, but now I could not do without it." —Mojosharkey
Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in 12 colors).
25. A illuminating powder you can simply dust on to highlight just about anywhere you please — reviewers mention using it on their cheeks and eyelids, over their lipstick, and even under the eyes for a little brightening. It's so subtle and shimmery that you simply can't go wrong.
Moonrise Creek is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2014 that specializes in botanical skincare and mineral cosmetics.
Promising review: "Absolutely the perfect shade! This wonderful illuminator gives me the softest moon kisses of a glow. ❤️🌙" —Heather Chen-Hyder
Get it from Moonrise Creek on Etsy for $21.50 (available in four shades).
26. A time-saving eyebrow tint to semi-permanently dye your brow hairs for up to six weeks, helping either fill them in or to dye over gray hairs just as effectively as a salon tint would — a lot of reviewers swapped this for doing brow makeup completely, saving a whole step in their morning routine.
Promising review: "You need this!! Bought this as I HATE filling in my eyebrows after many years of over plucking. I decided to give this a try and absolutely love it!! It was easy to use. I used an angled eyeliner makeup brush to apply it and let it sit way longer then it recommends. I let it sit until it was just about dry and then added a bit more to my ends of my eyebrow since that's where I needed the most coverage. I continued doing so until all the product was gone (I only used one pack of tint) then i wiped off and this was the result. Not as dark as i wanted but for my first time using it i know next time to get a darker color for my tail end of my eyebrows. Will definitely buy again!!" —kirsten lavender
Get it from Amazon for $14.95 (available in four colors).
27. A foundation brush with soft but firm bristles designed for that ever-elusive ~flawless finish~ for blending both powder *and* liquid concealers, blushes, and foundations. Experienced and beginner makeup users love it alike, but especially point out how "user-friendly" the bristle design is for inexperienced blenders!
Check out a TikTok of the makeup brush in action.
Promising review: "I saw this on TikTok. I’m a middle aged woman, so it’s difficult for me to admit that. I. LOVE. IT! It gives a flawless finish with little product. I have a compact foundation that comes with its own applicator sponge. I almost threw it out because I didn’t like the coverage. I tried this brush with it, and it’s perfect! It also comes in a plastic case, which is great because I travel a lot with my work and my other brushes get damaged sometimes." —Thayel M. Caison
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in eight colors).