The Best Makeup Products Of The Year
Whether you're going for a no-makeup makeup look or want to experiment with bright colours and shimmery finishes, there's no shortage of exciting gels, powders and palettes hitting beauty counter shelves each year. It takes a whole lot of time and test driving to find out what’s really worth the splurge, so we enlisted women across Canada to try the buzziest new makeup products at every price point. From glow-boosting foundations and volumizing mascaras to lip colours with serious staying power, they share the products that earned a permanent place in their makeup bags.
Best Drugstore Foundation: L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation
“This foundation doesn’t budge. It evens out my sun-damaged, fortysomething skin tone and smooths over imperfections, while also making me feel like I’m wearing a shield against environmental factors like wind and humidity. The matte finish keeps my combination skin from getting too shiny.” —Nadine Silverthorne, 45
$20, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Runner-Up: Revlon PhotoReady Candid Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation
$16, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Foundation: Tarte Face Tape Foundation
“A little goes a long way with this foundation. It feels great on the skin and it wears really well. I have combination-oily skin and I normally have to blot a few times during the day, but this keeps my skin in check all day.” —Stephanie Kim, 39
$51, tartecosmetics.com.
Best Drugstore Concealer: NYX Cosmetics Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Lightweight Full-Coverage Waterproof Concealer
“This concealer does it all. It gives full coverage without caking, its creamy texture never settles into fine lines— especially those little creepers popping up around my often-tired eyes—and it provides a soft-matte finish that really does last all day. The best part? Despite being super long wear, it still washes off easily.” —Jennifer Berry, 36
$12, nyxcosmetics.ca.
Best Prestige Concealer: Marc Jacobs Beauty Accomplice Concealer & Touch-Up Stick
“This concealer is portable and easy to apply, thanks to its twist-out, lipstick style-packaging. Its creamy texture makes it perfect for dry skin like mine, but still lasts through a long, eye rubbing day staring at a computer. It offers a lightweight, natural looking coverage and wears beautifully without caking.” —Gillian Grace, 42
$42, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Primer: Wet n Wild Photo Focus Primer Water — In Love With Coco
“This spray is light and refreshing, and it smells like a day at the beach! I’m a big fan of multipurpose products, and this works well both as a moisturizing primer and as a setting spray. It gives my skin a dewy glow and keeps my foundation fresh for hours.” —Victoria Badgley, 44
$7, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Primer: Shiseido Waso Poreless Matte Primer
“This corrective primer creates a powdery-soft finish that allows my foundation to glide on flawlessly. I also wear it on my T-zone sans foundation to give my skin a matte look—this product lives up to its name!” —Heather Buchansky, 41
$34, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Blush: Burt’s Bees All Aglow Lip & Cheek Stick
“This 2-in-1 blush is easy to apply on both lips and cheekbones. Plus, the natural formula is enriched with jojoba, sunflower and coconut oils for extra hydration. It gives my complexion an instant glow.” —Geneviève Poulin, 46
$22, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Blush: Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Blush Colour
“This blush stick earned a place in my makeup bag thanks to its silky formula and wearable colour. I have ultra-pale skin, and there’s nothing I appreciate more than a quick-to-apply blush to give me a healthy glow. The detachable blending brush makes it super portable and is easy to clean, which is a nice bonus." —Colleen Nicholson, 43
$38, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Eyeliner: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Flash Cat Eye
“With so many liquid eyeliners on the market, it’s great to find a new product that lasts throughout my workday and still looks fab when I go out in the evening—no touch-ups required! The felt-tip makes it easy to apply with precision, even if you don’t have the steadiest hand.” —Susan Simpson, 40
$13, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Eyeliner: Ilia Beauty Clean Line Liquid Liner
“If a fine tip and a precise application are what you’re looking for in a liquid liner, this one ticks all the boxes. The formula is pigmented, smooth and doesn’t drag on the eyelid. The fact that it’s cruelty-free doesn’t hurt, either.” —Amy Valm, 33
$37, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Brow Styler: Maybelline New York Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil
“This small, compact pencil is easy to carry for touch-ups. I like the fine tip that allows for a precise application. The colour is rich and appeared slightly too dark for me at first, but it blends perfectly with just a few brush strokes.” —Geneviève Gagnon, 41
$12, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Brow Styler: Anastasia Beverley Hills Dipbrow Gel
“This gel is now my go-to brow styler. The wand is so easy to use and doesn’t require any skill. The pigmentation is just right for a polished, effortless look that stays in place all day.” —Tonia Krauser, 43
$24, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Lipstick: Maybelline New York SuperStay Ink Crayon
“My favourite part of this crayon is the little pointed applicator—precision is key when applying this stuff because it has serious staying power! The colour is vibrant and not drying like some matte lip products can be. It also layers well with lip balm for extra moisture.” —Angie Shiffman, 35
$12, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Lip Colour: Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 Lipstick
“This lipstick goes on smoothly and offers great coverage—I only need to apply one layer to get the colour payoff I’m looking for. The hue looks like a juicy berry on the packaging, but on me it’s a really wearable everyday nude that doesn’t dry out my lips, unlike other matte formulas that I’ve tried. It even smells nice!” —Stacy Lee Kong, 34
$43, sephora.com.
Best Drugstore Eyeshadow: Rimmel Magnif’eyes Eyeshadow Palette in Thunderstorm
“This palette is perfect for experimenting with eyeshadow. The shades are fun and wearable, apply smoothly and have great colour payoff. The staying power is good, too. Plus, I like that it comes with a better-than-average applicator that has a sponge on one side and brush on the other.” —Jennifer Goldberg, 39
$15, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Eyeshadow: M.A.C Cosmetics Art Library Eyeshadow Palette in Nude Model
“This palette is ideal for everyday use, but can easily transition from day to night, thanks to its sparkly options and darker shades. The colours are rich but easy to blend to create beautiful and lasting looks.” —Amélie Pelletier, 45
$57, maccosmetics.ca.
Best Drugstore Mascara: Marcelle Volum’ Xtension Electric Mascara
“The main thing I look for in a mascara is an even application, and this one delivers. The formula is buildable, so you can achieve either a natural or dramatic look. The cone-shaped brush gets every little lash—even in the corners—and it lasts way longer than you would expect for such a reasonable price.” —Lisa Fielding, 44
$12, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
Best Prestige Mascara: IT Cosmetics Lash Blowout Mascara
“This mascara is super easy to apply—there’s no need to build it up and no clumps. It goes on smoothly and the shape of the brush is just right to give my eyelashes the voluminous look I love from the first swipe. The final result is flawless and lasts the entire day.” —Noreen Akhtar, 40
$33, sephora.com.
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