50 Makeup Must-Haves and Essential Products 2024
By James Manso,
2 days ago
Methodology:
To compile the list of 50 makeup essentials, WWD Beauty Inc polled hundreds of beauty industry insiders, executives, creators and most of all, makeup artists. Voters were asked to think across categories and in terms of hero shades, and products had to be on the market for at least six months.
After counting the ballots, and accounting for multiple duplicate votes from the same organizations, WWD Beauty Inc culled the top 50 products that garnered the most votes.
While the contents of all ballots is confidential, voters could opt for anonymity or identification. Here, the list of voters who agreed to be identified.
Agnes Landau
Alicia Marie Campbell
Angela Davis Deacon
Anton Zimin
Ashleigh Ciucci
Barbara Zinn Moore
Brittany Sullivan
Carolina Dali
Charlotte Palermino
Ciocan
Daniel Martin
Deanna Melluso
Drew Elliott
Emily Dougherty
Gilbert Soliz
Gita Bass
Hannah Bennett
Jane Fernandez
Jane Lauder
Jazmin Alvarez
Jessie Lefler
Jo Franco
Johanna Nomiey
Kyle Leahy
Laney Crowell
Loftjet
Lucie Greene
Marianna Hewitt
Marz Collins
Michele Magnani
Millie Kendall OBE
Mokgadi Shogole
Natasha Cornstein
Nicolette Bosco
Nyakio Grieco
Oliver Garfield
Olivia Barad
Patrick Ta
Remy Moore
Roberta Betti
Rokael Lizama
Sam Cheow
Sarah Brown
Silvia Galfo
Steven Canavan
Stevie Huynh
Susan Akkad
Tai Beauchamp
Tarang Amin
Virginia Bonofiglio
Yumi Kaizuka
Zenia Jaeger
Addiction Tokyo The Glow Stick
Launched: 2023
Addiction Tokyo, which launched Stateside just last year, is already making waves. This multitasker relies on olive, jojoba, sunflower, sesame and rose hip oils for its skin-nurturing formula.
Pro tip: “Apply to inner corners of eyes, eyebrow bones, cheekbones, bridge of nose, top of lip peak, and light areas of the chin tip,” said Kanako Takase, global creative director, “to increase the skin’s luminosity and give a fresh, natural finish to the makeup.”
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation
Launched: 2000
This foundation garners its name — and flawless finish — from Micro-fil technology inspired by fabric, which creates an even distribution of color pigments.
Pro tip: Start at the center of the face, then brush outward with a sponge, finger or brush to maximize the formula’s skin-blurring effects.
$69, giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Launched: 2008
Anastasia Soare has spun decades of brow expertise into a booming brand, with a hero that has stood the test of time.
Pro tip: “This is the perfect brow product that defines the brows to perfection,” one artist said. “Great, realistic shade range. Small, so you are able to get thin, hairlike strokes.”
$25, anastasiabeverlyhills.com
Benefit Porefessional Face Primer
Launched: 2010
The translucent formula is non-comedogenic and designed to keep makeup in place — while creating a skin-like finish under products. No wonder it’s a top seller and has since spawned the brand’s foray into skin care.
Pro tip: Dab on with fingers to mitigate the appearance of pores and fine lines.
$35, benefitcosmetics.com
Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick
Launched: 2019
The moisturizing Swiss army knife of Chanel’s beauty arsenal offers a dew-inducing glow in a silk-like texture.
Pro tip: Place the product where light would naturally hit the face, such as the nose bridge or cheekbones, to add a shimmer to any no-makeup makeup look.
$48, chanel.com
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
Launched: 2014
This multitasker’s velvety texture comes from mineral waxes and powders.
Pro tip: “One of my favorite ways to use this multifunctional product is with a fluffy, dome-shaped brush,” said Kate Lee, Chanel makeup artist. “When applying, think about where the sun naturally hits the face.”
$60, chanel.com
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
Launched: 2020
Tilbury created this to be used as both a priming and finish step; the spray claims to keep makeup in place for 16 hours.
Pro tip: Spray on an eye shadow brush to maximize color payoff.
$38, charlottetilbury.com
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner
Launched: 2013
Waterproof and boasting six-hour wear, Charlotte Tilbury’s cult-favorite lip liner includes hyaluronic acid to impart a smooth texture and hydrating properties.
Pro tip: Start by drawing just outside the lip line to sculpt the mouth’s contours and make lips look fuller.
$25, charlottetilbury.com
Clarins Lip Oil
Launched: 2015
Long before the TikTok-induced lip craze, there was Clarins’ lip oil. Sweetbriar rose oil, in addition to other plant oils, offers both moisture and comfort.
Pro tip: The lip oil can be used alone, as a lip primer or on top of other lip products for a shiny finish.
$30, clarinsusa.com
Clé de Peau Concealer SPF 27
Launched: 1991
An early skin care-meets-makeup hybrid, Clé de Peau’s concealer has UV protection and is also designed to treat hyperpigmentation.
Pro tip: Apply two different shades to conceal under-eye circles — or use all-over for light coverage on redness and discoloration.
$75, cledepeaubeaute.com
Clinique Almost Lipstick Black Honey
Launched: 1971
The perennially viral and universally flattering Black Honey has 95 percent moisturizing ingredients in the formula, and originally launched as a shade of the Clinique’s Honey Pots.
Pro tip: It can be worn alone, built up for more color or used to prime other lipstick shades.
$25, clinique.com
Danessa Myricks Balm Contour
Launched: 2021
Meant to be versatile enough for all levels of glam, the formula is equally as blendable as it is buildable.
Pro tip: The Balm Contour can be used alone, under foundation for a subtle sculpt or on top for a full-blown contour.
Dior Rosy Glow Blush
Launched: 2012
A TikTok favorite, Rosy Glow blush adjusts to the skin’s pH and moisture for a custom hue on each wearer.
Pro tip: “Rosy Glow blush adds color and brightness to different looks,” said Peter Philips, creative and image director for Dior Makeup. “Apply it in dabs and let it work its magic.”
$40, dior.com
E.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer
Launched: 2018
E.l.f.’s fan-favorite primer — which even inspired the brand’s first Super Bowl commercial with Jennifer Coolidge — promises makeup-smoothing benefits for oily, dry and combination skin types.
Pro tip: Use the spatula end of the applicator to apply, and then blend out with the brush end and wait 30 seconds before layering on foundation.
$10, elfcosmetics.com
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation
Launched: 1997
Now 27 years young, this foundation has staying power in more ways than one. With 24 hours of wear and all-day oil control, Estée Lauder’s foundation packs double the punch with medium to full coverage.
Pro tip: Smooth on with a sponge, foundation brush or fingertips and blend outward to camouflage imperfections and even out skin tone.
$52, esteelauder.com
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
Launched: 2017
When Fenty launched to much fanfare over the shade count of its foundations, one product — this one — came in a single universally flattered shade. The shades have since expanded, and the formula counts on shea butter to smooth out the lip’s texture.
Pro tip: Can be worn solo or applied over lipstick.
$21, fentybeauty.com
Glossier Boy Brow
Launched: 2015
The clean girl aesthetic’s O.G. features a slew of skin care ingredients, such as hyaluronic and oleic acids, in addition to soluble collagen, to keep hairs soft.
Pro tip: Stroke upward, starting at the brow’s arch, to both fill brows and shape them.
$22, glossier.com
Guerlain Terracotta Sunkissed Natural Bronzer
Launched: 1984
Guerlain’s bronzer has won over consumers for its 96 percent naturally derived ingredients, as well as its ylang-ylang and orange blossom scent.
Pro tip: Focus on the forehead, bridge of the nose and cheekbones to mimic a sculpting tan.
$60, guerlain.com
Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation
Launched: 2022
No product better epitomizes Haus Labs’ skin-meets-makeup approach to products. More than 20 skin care ingredients, including the brand’s proprietary fermented arnica, promise to minimize skin irritation and redness.
Pro tip: “I love the coverage and finish of this foundation. You can build it up or sheer it out,” said one artist.
$45, hauslabs.com
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer
Launched: 2020
Microspherical powders in the formula boast 16 hours of skin-perfecting payoff and crease resistance. That performance seems to be resonating, with Hourglass logging double-digit gains in the first quarter.
Pro tip: “Phenomenal formula. Great shade range. Definitely full coverage,” said one voter. “Also incredibly buildable, sets itself, waterproof, lasts literally all day. Great for correcting as well.”
It Cosmetics CC+ Cream
Launched: 2013
Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamin E — coupled with SPF 50 protection and full coverage — have given this product a robust following and spawned an entire franchise.
Pro tip: Use a makeup brush where coverage is needed most, then apply circular strokes to blend it out.
$47, itcosmetics.com
Jones Road Miracle Balm
Launched: 2020
Leave it to a makeup pioneer, Bobbi Brown, to come up with a breakthrough balm. Jojoba seed oil, argan oil and vitamin E nourish the skin, while light-reflecting properties provide an instant glow.
Pro tip: Break up the balm with fingers before warming up in hands and applying to cheeks for a barely-there glow.
$38, jonesroadbeauty.com
Lancôme Hypnose Mascara
Launched: 2004
The buildable formula is meant to prevent smudging and clumping — and even counts on vitamin B5 to condition lashes.
Pro tip: Try applying the mascara with the wand vertically for heightened drama.
$33, lancome-usa.com
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Shadow Sticks
Launched: 2011
Smudge-resistant and long lasting, these eye shadow sticks can be used alone or layered under other shadows.
Pro tip: The quick-setting formula can be used as a liner or fanned up the lid for a full look.
$33, lauramercier.com
L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick
Launched: 2022
The world’s largest beauty brand dominates makeup’s largest segment. Highly pigmented, this delivers long wear.
Pro tip: The slim bullet was designed to both outline and tint lips with precision.
$13, lorealparisusa.com
L'Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion
Launched: 2018
The lightweight formula hydrates skin, as well as highlights it.
Pro tip: Apply all over the face for bronze in a bottle; focus on the face’s high points for an instant highlight.
$16, lorealparisusa.com
MAC Cosmetics MACStack Mascara
Launched: 2013
The clump-resistant formula relies on the products’ petal-shaped wand for customizable volume.
Pro tip: “Designed for multiple coats, build volume by reapplying as much as desired. The petal-like brush and precision tip help to detangle and define with each stack,” said Romero Jennings, global director of makeup artistry at MAC. “MACStack helps me take lashes from day to play.”
$28, maccosmetics.com
MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
Launched: 2006
Twenty-four-hour wear without creasing, as well as its blendability, have made this a MAC mainstay, a broad appeal mirrored by a whopping 67 shades.
Pro tip: For a natural finish, dab at the formula with a foundation brush outward from the center of the face.
$44, maccosmetics.com
Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette
Launched: 2020
The king of contouring, makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, takes his sculpting abilities to the eye area. The matte shades have a creamy, light feel on skin — despite their medium coverage.
Pro tip: The palette, inspired by natural skin tones, can also be used to fill in brows, open the eye with lighter shades, or add a smolder with deeper ones.
$50, makeupbymario.com
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencils
Launched: 2018
Versatility is the name of the game for these pencils, which include a sharp point to increase precision and a blendable formula for easy blurring.
Pro tip: “The versatility of these pencils are unmatched. Perfect for creating sharp, defined shapes, or defused, smoldering looks,” said one voter.
$24, makeupforever.com
Manasi 7 All Over Color
Launched: 2019
Vitamins A and E, in addition to sweet almond oil and waxes, create a product perfect for lip, cheek and eye — a range of uses from which the product derives its name.
Pro tip: Use fingertips to warm the product up, dab it on and blend it out.
$44, mansai7.com
Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
Launched: 2021
A top performer in one of Maybelline’s top categories, the ophthalmologist-tested product garners its performance from bamboo extract and fibers.
Pro tip: Part of the mascara’s magic is in its wand. Stroke from root to tip.
$13, maybelline.com
Milani Baked Blush
Launched: 2011
The product, which is baked on Italian terracotta tiles, is just as pigmented as it is buildable.
Pro tip: Apply on top of a cream blush or alone on skin before powder.
$11, milanicosmetics.com
Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner
Launched: 2017
The brand’s top-selling liner includes a slender brush for either thin or thick lines.
Pro tip: Trace the lash line for a light line, or swoop upward at the outer eye for a dramatic wing.
$10, nyxcosmetics.com
One/Size On 'Till Dawn Setting Spray
Launched: 2021
Talk about staying power: Patrick Starr’s cult setting spray delivers a matte finish that holds up for 16 hours, and is also waterproof, rub-proof and transfer-proof.
Pro tip: Shake well, apply 10-12 inches from face in a circular motion to evenly distribute the product.
$32, onesizebeauty.com
Nars Light Reflecting Foundation
Launched: 2022
With 70 percent skin care ingredients, this helped kick off the skinification of makeup and promises to even skin tone by 93 percent while providing luminous coverage.
Pro tip: Work outward from the center of the face, focusing on one area at a time.
$52, narscosmetics.com
Nars Orgasm Blush
Launched: 1999
The blush O.G. from maestro Francois Nars made waves with its R-rated name, but has kept consumers coming back with its 16-hour wear, four different pigment types and weightless application.
Pro tip: Start applying where color should be strongest, then gently buff in circular movements.
$24, narscosmetics.com
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership XI: Sunlit Seduction Palette
Launched: 2023
Known as the mastermind behind the runway’s most fantastical makeup looks, Pat McGrath took an equally imaginative approach to this palette. With 10 shades of pinks, metallics and mattes it can be used across the eyes and face.
Pro tip: A wet brush ensures no product fallout; add the sparkling pigments to lips for a boost of glitter.
$128, patmcgrath.com
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Launched: 2020
Living proof that good product can stand separately from its famed founder, this was quick to gain TikTok stardom for its strong pigments and all-day wear, though it’s equally buildable and lightweight.
Pro tip: Smile to find the apples of the cheeks, then pat on with a blush brush.
$23, rarebeauty.com
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick
Launched: 1961
Packed with ultra fine pigments and 80 percent nourishing ingredients, the lipstick’s formula has given it longevity both in wear and in time on the market.
Pro tip: Exfoliate lips, then line outward with a liner to enhance the product’s definition.
$10, revlon.com
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer
Launched: 2009
This luminizer was part of RMS Beauty’s debut assortment, as a trailblazer in clean makeup. The formula’s skin care ingredients, such as various oils, give it equal parts sheer coverage and moisturizing benefits.
Pro tip: Apply to the top of the cheekbones for a natural result.
$40, rmsbeauty.com
Saie Glowy Super Gel
Launched: 2020
Saie’s fatty acid complex, which includes glycerin and squalane, combine with papaya seed and rose hip oils — and 75 percent water — for the product’s serum-like texture.
Pro tip: Use as a radiant foundation primer or on top of makeup for extra dewiness.
$28, saiehello.com
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
Launched: 2016
One of the most viral products among TikTok’s makeup obsessives, Shape Tape has garnered more than 20,000 five-star reviews for its crease-proof claims. No wonder the brand is America’s leader in concealer.
Pro tip: Start with a single dot on the inner corner of the under-eye, and move outward.
$32, tartecosmetics.com
Tom Ford Eye Shadow Quads
Launched: 2016
The hero shade, Disco Dust, comes in four different finishes: sparkle, satin, shimmer and matte.
Pro tip: Work the rosy hues into the corners of the eyes for a dramatic highlight.
$90, tomfordbeauty.com
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Launched: 2013
As the top mascara in the U.S., this is a product that lives up to its name. Polymers help lashes keep their curl, while peptides condition.
Pro tip: A single coat maximizes length.
$29, toofaced.com
Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil
Launched: 2006
Cottonseed oil, jojoba oil and vitamin E are among the hydrating ingredients that comprise 50 percent of the formula.
Pro tip: “The best waterproof and smudge-proof eyeliner on the market,” said one voter. “‘Perversion’ is my standout shade.”
$23, urbandecay.com
Patrick Ta Major Headlines Crème and Powder Blush Duo
Launched: 2019
Makeup star Patrick Ta’s instant hero has vitamin E and biomimetic pigments, which resemble the ceramides found in skin, gives good glow — and hydration.
Pro tip: Apply the crème over the powder with the brand’s dual-end brush.
$38, patrickta.com
Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner
Launched: 2019
True to Victoria Beckham’s luxury-meets-clean, no-compromises ethos, the liner relies on a skin-friendly INCI for both long wear and to mitigate irritation.
Pro tip: “There’s endless ways to use these,” Beckham said. “Along your lash line, in your water line, create a wing or smudge it out. They’re highly pigmented and so soft and creamy.”
$32, victoriabeckhambeauty.com
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
Launched: 2018
One of Gucci Westman’s original creations as well as one of her most enduring: These hydrating sticks include biomimetic pigment technology which amplifies color and enhances blendability.
Pro tip: Start by applying with a finger to the middle of the cheekbone, and work outward in oblong movements — and finish with a swipe on the lips.
$48, westman-atelier.com
YSL Beauté Touche Éclat
Launched: 1992
Thirty years after launch and its popularity shows no signs of waning: Moroccan calendula extract, vitamin E and ruscus extract work in tandem with the pigments to reduce signs of fatigue and soothe skin.
Pro tip: Use under eyes to brighten, or on the high points of the face to illuminate.
$40, yslbeautyus.com
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