What a time to be alive. There have simply never been as many makeup options available to us as there are right now, with incredible new products hitting the market every day. But what’s even more incredible is how loyal so many Allure readers are to foundations, lipsticks, and mascaras that have been around for years.
This year’s Readers’ Choice Awards saw numerous repeat winners, and not for lack of trying on the part of new launches. When it comes to how long some of these products have been around, you could say their wins are a matter of age before beauty—but voters know it’s age and beauty that have earned them such faithful fan clubs. Ready to get your membership card?
Be sure to check out our other 2024 Readers’ Choice categories, like skin care and Breakthroughs, to see if your favorite products made the cut.
All the Winning Products:
- Favorite Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick, $35
- Favorite Lip Gloss: Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil, $40
- Favorite Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, $49
- Favorite Concealer: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, $32
- Favorite Bronzer: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer, $36
- Favorite Blush: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, $23
- Favorite Highlighter: Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, $25
- Favorite Eye Shadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette, $59
- Favorite Eyeliner: Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, $10
- Favorite Brow Product: Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Brow-Volumizing Fiber Gel, $26
- Favorite Mascara: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara, $13
- Favorite Makeup Tool: Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge, $20
- Favorite Nail Polish: Essie, $10
- Favorite Press-On Nails: Kiss Press-Ons, $8
Readers’ Choice Awards: Makeup
LIPSTICK: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick
Do you even remember a time before Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick was the lipstick gold standard? We hardly do, and neither do Allure readers. Each timeless color applies like a dream with the instantly recognizable square tip. This contemporary classic—known for flying off real and virtual shelves all over the world—is unusually hydrating and soft for a matte finish.
LIP GLOSS: Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil
Unlike most people, Kassidy Silva, Allure‘s associate director of social media, resisted the lure of Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil for as long as she could. “I typically avoid lip oils because they tend to get stuck in my hair, but after seeing the hundredth video on my FYP, I knew I had to give it a shot,” she says, admitting that she instantly fell in love with the non-greasy, outrageously comfortable gloss alternative. “With its thick, glossy sheen and subtle tinted hue, it will always have a spot in my makeup bag.” Longtime Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil fans like Allure‘s executive beauty director Jenny Bailly and senior beauty editor Paige Stables were thrilled to say, “I told you so.”
FOUNDATION: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
You know a foundation is really good when you don’t know where to begin when praising it. The name tells you that this formula offers a flawless, airbrushed finish, but there’s so much more to Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Foundation, like how long it lasts while still looking fresh, its hydrating and cooling effects, and its serious skin-care ingredients, including peptides that fight pollution and lessen the appearance of lines. And with 44 shades to choose from, it’s just a matter of time before everyone realizes that this is the foundation for them.
CONCEALER: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is a repeat Readers’ Choice Award winner and bestseller, and for good reason: Whether you’re using it under your eyes or on blemishes, it does its job and does it beautifully. It seamlessly camouflages redness and discoloration, blurring, and blending without leaving a cakey finish. This concealer even hydrates all day, so skin looks luminous, not lackluster.
BRONZER: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer is the bronzer for the shimmer-shy and, frankly, it always has been. This long-time favorite masterfully adds dimension and glow without the teensiest hint of sparkle or pearlescence, just a soft wash of color. Speaking of color, it comes in four shades to ensure your skin tone gets exactly what it needs instead of settling for a one-bronze-fits-all.
BLUSH: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Meet the liquid formula that can convert any powder-blush devotee. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is one of Selena Gomez’s makeup brand’s best-selling products, due in large part to the foolproof, buildable flush it imparts. Both the matte and dewy finishes layer beautifully with powder and liquid base makeup formulas, and essentially eliminate all excuses for feeling intimidated by the format.
HIGHLIGHTER: Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
Packaged in a similar component with a similar applicator as its fellow winner Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Rare Beauty’s Positive Light Liquid Luminizer offers a weightless way to illuminate any area of the face you want to catch some light. The pearlescent effect never sinks into lines or pores, and it comes in several stunning colors (like the soft pink Enchant and coppery Captivate) that go beyond the usual champagne shimmer.
EYE SHADOW: Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette
The original Naked palette may be long gone, but Urban Decay’s Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette has happily stepped up as the perfect palette of neutrals. Its 12 rosy-leaning shades let you create countless combinations of matte and shimmery shadow looks, and thanks to the velvety, super-blendable formula, experimenting with new techniques is always a joy.
EYELINER: Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
With so many black liquid liners out there, it can be overwhelming to know which one to choose. But your fellow Allure readers have been trying to tell you for a while now: Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is it. A repeat Readers’ Choice Award winner, this felt-tip pen is fine enough to ensure precise application, but rich enough to create an intense line—one that isn’t going anywhere until you decide to remove it.
BROW: Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Brow-Volumizing Fiber Gel
If you’re used to brow gels coming in pots and being applied with a brush—and if that’s exactly why you avoid brow gels—you’re going to want to open your mind to Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Brow-Volumizing Fiber Gel. It’s made up of little volumizing fibers that get applied with a small spoolie, enabling you to build remarkable, natural-looking volume with a perfectly matching tint (choose from 10 options) to fill in sparse areas. As an extra perk, its provitamin B5 gives your natural brows a chance to look and feel more nourished.
MASCARA: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
Show me someone who doesn’t appreciate a great drugstore mascara and I will show you a shameless liar. Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara is the kind of drugstore mascara that could get any makeup snob to not only consider switching but also consider sticking with this extra-lengthening, washable formula. Its volumizing power is nothing to bat your eyelashes at either.
MAKEUP TOOL: Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge
Honestly, we’ve lost track of how many Allure awards the Original Beautyblender has won. This latex-free foam teardrop—which is more or less what all other modern makeup sponges are based on—is built to absorb less product and ensure that it gets distributed flawlessly on your face. Just don’t forget to wet the sponge first, which is how to get the best results, whether you’re applying liquid or powder complexion makeup.
NAIL POLISH: Essie
“For the 30ish years I’ve been painting my own nails, Essie nail polishes have consistently been some of my favorites,” says Allure deputy digital director Kara McGrath, echoing the sentiment of seemingly countless readers who prefer doing their own manicures. “The colors are always on-trend, the larger brush makes applying the polish a breeze, and the formula really lasts.”
PRESS-ONS: Kiss Press-Ons
We’re living in a press-on renaissance, as brands are coming out of the woodwork to design adhesive nails. But Kiss Press-Ons continue to impress (see what we did there?) with a wide variety of colors, designs, lengths, and shapes that grow every season. Truly, there’s something for everyone, especially if you’re looking for an affordable way to indulge in a little nail art.