PEOPLE's Beauty Awards: See Our Favorite Makeup Products of 2023!
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PEOPLE staffers tried 164 (yes, that's right) makeup products — from primers to finishing sprays and everything in between — to find these 35 winners
The year was 2023 and the People and Today staffers needed glowing skin, lush lashes and gorgeous manicures, stat. Enter: 164 primers, foundations, blushes, brow gels, lipsticks and so much more that we methodically whittled down to this list of 35 makeup and nail products to meet every need — making them official PEOPLE Beauty Award winners this year.
Related: PEOPLE's Beauty Awards: See Our Favorite Hair Products of 2023!
Best Pore-Refining Primer: e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Poreless Putty Primer
This silky liquid creates a smooth canvas that grips makeup for a flawless all-day finish. The best part: “It doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything at all,” one tester said.
$10
Best Illuminating Primer: Dior Forever Glow Veil Primer
Testers called this hydrating hyaluronic-acid-infused formula “magic.” As one said, “After I put it on, I wondered if I even needed to wear makeup.”
$50
Best Complexion Booster: Kosas Glow I.V. Skin Enhancer
“Sunshine in a tube,” is how one tester described this vitamin-infused liquid, which comes
in 10 shimmery shades that give skin a luminous look.
$38
Best Undereye Corrector: Lottie London Bright Bounce
Stayed up way too late swiping through TikTok and have the dark circles to show for it? This color-correcting cream has you covered — literally — and for an amazing price.
$8
Best Concealer: Smashbox Halo 4-In-1 Perfecting Pen Concealer
Housed in a travel-friendly pen, this buildable formula can be used to cover imperfections or to highlight, contour and correct. Either way, it won’t crease or fade for hours.
$29
Best Radiant Finish Foundation: Saie Glowy Super Skin Lightweight Hydrobounce Serum Foundation
Testers were “obsessed” with the “your-skin-but-better” effect they got from this hydrating and brightening winner.
$40
Best Matte Finish Foundation: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation
This matte formula got rave reviews for delivering the “perfect” amount of coverage that doesn’t budge until you take it off.
$57
$55
Best Setting Powder: Milani Cosmetics Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Powder
This finely milled powder creates a flattering filter-like effect on skin and gets rid of shine with
zero caking.
$13
$12
Best Setting Spray: Too Faced Makeup Insurance Setting Spray
Wearing makeup on hot, humid days? It’s no sweat, thanks to this alcohol-and-silicone-free mist
that locks makeup down for up to 18 hours and smells divine.
$34
Best Matte Powder Blush: L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Blush
If you like your blush bold and bright, this richly pigmented one provides a fun pop of color.
$16
$16
Best Powder Blush: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Color Fuse Blush
“A little goes a very long way,” a tester reported of this velvety formula that stays in place all day.
$38
Best Cream Blush: Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil
With its sheer texture, this blush practically melts into skin to create a natural-looking flush with a dewy finish.
$30
Best Liquid Blush: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
“I would buy this again in a heartbeat,” raved one tester of this gel-like
formula that only requires a dab or two.
$42
Best Cream Bronzer: Essence Makeup Baby Got Bronze
One tester called this $5 wonder, which comes in three tones and is a breeze to blend, an “absolute steal.”
$5
$5
Best Liquid Bronzer: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Liquid Bronzer
“It’s the best bronzer I’ve ever used. I’m hooked,” one tester exclaimed of this standout which has the luxurious feel of a serum.
$48
Best Powder Highlighter: Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter
“Absolutely gorgeous” is how one tester described this shimmery winner from Selena
Gomez’s makeup brand, which delivers the perfect gleam.
$25
Best Contour Palette: Physicians Formula Butter Glow Contour Palette
Even contour novices found this trio—which lets you bronze, sculpt and highlight—easy to use whether you blend with a brush or fingers.
$14
$14
Best Liquid Eyeshadow: ColourPop Chrome Liquid Shadow
This shadow coats lids with a pearlescent pigment that one tester reported lasted through a 90°day without creasing.
$12
Best Cream Eyeshadow: Kulfi Zari Eyes Eyeshadow
“You get a lot of oomph out of a little of this formula,” said one tester of this shimmery find that glides across lids and looks vibrant for hours.
$28
Best Eyeshadow Stick: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick
“This is fun!” reported one tester playing with the two color options, while another raved about the “amazing” staying power.
$39
Best Liquid Eyeliner: Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework
One tester and self-proclaimed eyeliner aficionado said this earned a spot in her makeup bag thanks to its “forgiving” paintbrush tip and ability to stay put through a boot camp class.
$16
Best Pencil Eyeliner: Live Tinted Hueliner Longwearing Pencil Liner
Once this liner is applied, it’s not going anywhere until you wash it off, according to testers who also loved the inky-black color.
$20
$20
Best Lengthening Mascara: Maybelline New York The Falsies Surreal Extensions Mascara
You could spend the time and money on lash extensions or you can just swipe on a few coats of this fiber-infused mascara.
$10
$9
Best Volumizing Mascara: CoverGirl Lash Blast Cleantopia Mascara
Environmentally friendly plant fibers help thicken lashes while nourishing aloe leaf extract and maracuja oil minimize fallout.
$10.5
$10
Best Defining Mascara: Winky Lux Detail Oriented Mascara
Perfect for sparse lashes and tricky spots, we’re filing this micro spoolie mascara under makeup we didn’t know we needed and now can’t live without.
$19
Best Waterproof Mascara: Milk Makeup Rise Waterproof Mascara
One tester with “stubborn, straight” lashes said this kept them lifted and curled all day without clumping or smudging. “I give it 100/10!”
$24
Best Tinted Brow Gel: Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Brow Styling Gel
One tester’s 79-year-old mom was so impressed with how great her brows looked from this gel that she bought one for herself.
$10
$8
Best Clear Brow Gel: GrandeBrow-Laminate Brow Styling Gel With Peptides
This is supposed to create a laminated look, and according to our testers, it does exactly that sans flaking.
$22
$22
Best Brow Pencil: Ilia Beauty In Full Micro-Tip Brow Pencil
With its precise tip, eight natural shades and spoolie for blending, this pencil was deemed “foolproof” by testers.
$24
Best Cream Finish Lipstick: Estée Lauder Pure Color Creme Lipstick
Everything about this lipstick—from the gold case and embossed bullet to its buttery texture and rich shades — feels elegant.
Best Matte Finish Lipstick: Rouge Louboutin Velvet Matte on the Go Lipstick
Yes, it’s expensive. But if there was ever a lipstick worth every penny, it’s this weightless one with zero transfer. “Pure luxury,” said one tester. “It made me want to throw all my other lipsticks away,” exclaimed another.
$50
Best Liquid Lipstick: Glossier G Suit
“It’s hard to find a formula that lasts this long and keeps lips so hydrated,” exclaimed one tester of this assortment of eight opaque colors.
$19
Best Lip Oil: NYX Professional Makeup Fat Oil Lip Drip
From the chunky applicator to the nonsticky feel, testers raved about this under $10 find. As one said, “Where has this been all my life?”
$9
$9
Best Tinted Lip Balm: Wet n Wild Rose Comforting Lip Color
Not only does this hydrating formula give your lips tons of shine, but you also can’t beat the price.
$5
$4
Best Nail Polish: Chanel Le Vernis
“It’s the crème de la crème of polish,” said one enthusiastic tester of this lovely line which includes a range of stunning shades and “wears like iron.”
$30
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