Makeup
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And the Official 5th Annual TotalBeauty.com Winners Are...
For months, we powdered, dabbed and scrubbed our way through thousands of beauty products -- all to find the best new makeup, face, body and hair products to hit the shelves this past year. While we narrowed down our favorites to name this year's Editors' Picks, we invited you -- our amazing readers and tireless beauty sleuthers -- to vote for your true blue beauty staples for our Readers' Choice award. Now it's (finally!) time to present the best of the best and name the 2014 winner. Here they are below -- our (and soon-to-be your) newest beauty product obsessions.
BB Cream
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Editors' Pick
Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream
The drugstore BB cream wowed editors for its moisturizing and coverage abilities and staying power -- and the fair-skinned among us were pleasantly surprised to find that the lightest shade was just light enough.
Readers' Choice
Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
I love this stuff! Unlike other BB creams, this does not leave you with a slimy face by noon AND it has SPF 30. This has such great coverage for a BB cream I find that I don't need the foundation anymore. I should also mention that the kabuki brush is crucial! It allows for a quick, even application and flawless coverage. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Amarte Natural Finish BB Cream SPF 36
Amarte's BB is a favorite for its smooth, creamy texture, ample coverage and glow-inducing formula.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Rimmel London BB Cream 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Makeup
I've tried so many BB creams and this is my fave! It covers very well and isn't too heavy or greasy. It's a perfect match for my skintone as well as my skin type. I will continue to purchase!
Blush
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Editors' Pick
Chanel's richly pigmented blush blends easily and evenly into skin and comes in an array of drop-dead gorgeous colors.
Readers' Choice
Nars Orgasm is the best blush ever. The color is perfect: a peachy-pink with shimmery sparkles. It looks natural and gives you such a glow, it's unreal! I love that it lasts all day and the color looks good on all different skin tones.
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Rimmel London Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint
These superaffordable tints are creamy, easy to blend and weightless on skin. Pop of Pink is a favorite shade among editors.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
This is one of the most natural, yet flattering blushes I have ever used. I use the small brush inside the compact for touch-ups if needed, and a larger fluffy brush for a gorgeous, radiant glow to highlight my entire face.
Breakthrough Product
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Editors' Pick
From the coconut-water-infused Genius Gel Supercharged Foundation to the chip-resistant Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer, Marc Jacobs Beauty products are like the makeup of the future -- and the packaging is so glam.
Readers' Choice
It Cosmetics Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer
This product did not fail me!!! I applied it as recommended and I was ecstatic at the results. The more coats you apply, the longer the lashes. I did not even need to apply mascara. If you like the wow factor, give it a try since it's such a reasonable price. You will not be wasting your money.
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream
Foundation is a breeze to apply after you smooth on a thin layer of this anti-aging, blotchiness-busting CC cream -- and you can even wear it alone.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Finding the perfect foundation is always such a chore for me, and it becomes an expensive process of trial and error! I like this system because it gives you a wide array of options, so whether you prefer a BB Cream or a powder foundation or something else, you have an option that's the right color for your skin tone. I fell in love with so many of my results!
Bronzer
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Editors' Pick
Physicians Formula Nude Wear Glowing Nude Bronzer
With four shades that can be worn solo or swirled together, this compact is a fabulous value.
Readers' Choice
This bronzer has the perfect amount of shimmer so that my face looks matte but still has that "out in the sun" glow. The powder is a beautiful mocha color that blends with my skin easily. The giant mirror in the compact is awesome for touch-ups on the go. Plus, this pan is going to last me ages!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
A luminizing, coconut-oil-based cream bronzer that offers buildable color for darker skin and looks natural on fair skin tones, too.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
BareMinerals All-Over Face Color
After I apply my foundation and blush, I top it off with a light touch of this product to give me that Florida girl look without damaging my skin by baking in the sun. It didn't take much practice to be able to apply just the right amount. This natural coverage lasts all day long.
Brow Color
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Editors' Pick
Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
With this fiber-filled tinted gel, rocking a power brow has never been so easy.
Readers' Choice
I've tried many brow enhancers and this is the best! It is a wax and a powder. It lasts all day and looks so natural. This is my one item I can't live without. If you have no brows like me, this is the one you need.
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Kelley Baker Brows Brow Powder
The celebrity brow guru's powder stays in place all day, is easy to apply and has a natural-looking color and consistency.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil
Love this all-in-one product with the brush and super-fine fill-in color. There's no smudging and you get all-day wear.
Brush
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Editors' Pick
It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Pointed Precision Complexion Brush
The pointed shape is ideal for applying foundation or BB cream, allowing you to hit tough-to-reach areas like the inner eye, Cupid's bow and around the nostrils.
Readers' Choice
Great brush! I've recently discovered how great it is for applying foundation. First of all, you get to build the coverage gradually and smoothly. Secondly, despite the thickness of bristles, they don't soak up the foundation, so you don't waste much of it (for real, try it! It's so amazing!). This brush is also easy to wash and dries fast. A must-have! And you can't possibly beat the price!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
BECCA The One Perfecting Brush
Great for applying a variety of products, from primer to foundation and powder to blush and bronzer, this brush has densely packed, shed-resistant bristles.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
For only $8, this powder brush has outdone all other powder brushes I've used. The bristles are super soft (as always expected from EcoTools) and they powder on like a dream. With proper brush maintenance this brush will last for a long time! I don't want to go back to anything else now.
CC Cream
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Editors' Pick
Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream Hydrating Colour Corrector SPF 30
Clinique's hydrating CC makes skin luminous while providing ample coverage that never looks cake-y.
Readers' Choice
Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream
It gets a 10 from me! A tiny bit goes a long way for beautiful natural coverage. There is a good shade variety in these, which is a plus. I like to apply with a stippling brush and dust some mineral powder on top to set. It stays on all day and never gets shiny or oily. I just love it!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Eye Crème
This lightweight product smoothes our crepe-y under-eye areas while providing a bit of sheer coverage for dark circles.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Olay CC Cream Total Effects 7-in-1 Tone Correcting Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15
I LOVE IT!! It took a day or two to see results but wow -- I don't have to use foundation to get the same effect! It's awesome! It makes me look like I'm not wearing anything! How cool is that?! I noticed a huge change in my skin too. It helped my pimples look less noticeable.
Concealer
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Editors' Pick
Marc Jacobs Remedy Concealer Pen
We were ready to ditch our old favorite under-eye concealers after trying this cooling, soothing pen, which brightens and covers shadows but doesn't emphasize fine lines.
Readers' Choice
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye
This is the best concealer ever, hands down! You only need to use a very small amount (about the size of a pinhead) per eye so it lasts forever. It covers dark circles beautifully making them bright and young looking. It can also be used to cover blemishes and other imperfections. Incredible product!!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
L'Oréal Paris True Match Superblendable Crayon Concealer
Great for on-the-go touch-ups or to dab on an emerging blemish, this is one of the best drugstore concealers we've ever tried.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Make Up For Ever Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream
This full coverage concealer is wonderful. Easy to work with, the blendablity is great. The rich pigmentation is also wonderful. A must-try if you're looking for a great concealer.
Eye Shadow
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Editors' Pick
Estee Lauder Pure Color Stay-On Shadow Paint
Rich-looking, trendy hues with dramatic shimmer make this long-wearing shadow great for nighttime.
Readers' Choice
Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette
I love all the rosy matte and shimmery colors in the palette! It's a nice tweak to the entire Naked line. Love this! Perfect and beautiful!!!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette
The best-selling palette gets another sequel with a beautiful range of matte and shimmery shades. Bonus: You get four samples of Urban Decay's cult eye primer and a surprisingly high-quality brush.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
These pots go on satiny smooth and are very well pigmented. They are long-lasting on the eye and come in an incredible array of colors.
Eyeliner
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Editors' Pick
The search for long-lasting eyeliner is over. Vincent Longo's potted liner goes on smoothly, dries quickly and stays put. Plus, it comes in an array of fun, densely pigmented colors.
Readers' Choice
Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil
This is my favorite eyeliner. It has a lot of staying power and goes on extremely smooth. You can smudge it for about 30-60 seconds after applying to create a great smoky eye. After that, it won't budge for hours. No raccoon eyes with this stuff!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Marc Jacobs Magic Marc'er Precision Pen Eyeliner
The liquid liner pen puts out richly pigmented color and provides even application with its smooth formula and fine tip.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
If you need long-wear eyeliner, look no further! I love M.A.C. liners because they are so long-lasting and you aren't going to end the night a smudgy-eyed mess. You get a large color range and these are super smooth and easy to apply. The pots also last a long time so it's worth every penny!
Foundation
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Editors' Pick
Lancôme Teint Visionnaire Skin Correcting Makeup Duo
So genius: a vitamin C-infused foundation that works to minimize fine lines and dark spots with a correcting concealer built into the cap.
Readers' Choice
Revlon ColorStay Makeup for Normal/Dry Skin
This foundation is awesome! It literally lasts ALL DAY! It looks just as good at 6 a.m. as at 6 p.m. It has buildable medium to full coverage and it's very comfortable on my dry skin. I'm mostly impressed with the pigmentation and staying power. I will definitely repurchase this. Totally worth it!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Makeup SPF 15
A medium-coverage foundation with a natural-looking finish and a superwide variety of shades.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Supercharged Foundation
I would like to start by saying I have tried A LOT of foundations. This one is the only one that stays smooth all day and doesn't turn orange after a few hours. It keeps my skin hydrated very well and the color is perfect. There's a wide range of colors and they are lightly scented. Do this: go to Sephora and get some samples. This will be the last foundation you will ever buy!
Lip Balm
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Editors' Pick
Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm
An affordable gloss/balm that has inspired multiple repurchases by at least one editor.
Readers' Choice
The EOS balm is organic, so I know it will never irritate my lips. The packaging is super adorable! The formula is creamy and thick on my lips, but I find that it absorbs quickly. The large size makes it easy to apply on both lips with just one swipe. I love this lip balm! It's very moisturizing and smoothing!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Easy-to-apply, moisturizing and deliciously scented lip balms in unique spherical packaging.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
I have to say this is one of the best lip balms I've ever found. I usually use it in conjunction with the Mary Kay lip mask and it is amazing! It glides on very smoothly and doesn't leave my lips feeling greasy or oily. I also love that my hair doesn't get caught in it on a windy day like it does with some of the other lip balms I've tried. This is definitely a winner for me.
Lip Gloss
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Editors' Pick
Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss
These subtle, pretty glosses provide just the right amount of luster and color. Laced with avocado oil, shea butter and hyaluronic acid, they are super-conditioning to boot.
Readers' Choice
L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Le Gloss
Oh-so-pretty, grown-up colors that are truly sophisticated. The smooth, lightly creamy texture glides on easily to give off soft, yet pigmented, color. It's comfortably moisturizing for my dry lips and not sticky. I'm really just loving this gloss!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss
This perfectly textured gloss strikes the perfect sticky/shiny balance and requires minimal reapplication. Plus, the shades are pretty and on-trend.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Benefit Ultra Shines Lip Gloss
This lip gloss smells like peach flowers! It feels silky, never sticky or greasy. It just feels so wonderful on my lips. It gives me high shine and is pigmented moderately. This is the only lip gloss I'll ever use (especially since I've stocked up on them).
Lipstick
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Editors' Pick
Maybelline New York Color Sensational Vivids Lipcolor
This long-lasting lipstick is hydrating and comes in beautiful colors that are shockingly, well, vivid.
Readers' Choice
I have been looking for a great lip tint that is moisturizing but offers subtle color that's buildable, and Revlon got it right. I think this is a great product for those who are lip gloss addicts (like me) that want to venture into lipsticks but want to ease their way into doing so.
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick
Creamy texture and buildable, gorgeous colors are what make Urban Decay's lippie great.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
M.A.C. lipsticks are some of the best out there. They come in many shades and finishes, so there's something out there for everyone. They go on really smooth, and the colors look very natural. Since they are very pigmented, they last very long. Definitely one of my faves!
Mascara
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Editors' Pick
Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Baby Doll
This product made believers of our pickiest mascara mavens -- a stay-all-day formula that delivers separated, thick, fluttery lashes.
Readers' Choice
CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara
I've tried all sorts of mascaras. Expensive with cult followings and newbies. This is the mascara I always go back to. Besides the amazing price, it's dark, rich and lengthens, adds volume, curls and lasts forever. It doesn't flake and best of all, it does not clump. The brush has hard bristles that glide through the lashes every time. The best!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
It Cosmetics Tightline Full Lash Length Black Mascara Primer
Don't think you need a lash primer? You will after you try this. Used before mascara, it makes lashes look longer and more defined; on its own, it creates subtly darker fringe.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Lancôme Définicils Waterproof High Definition Mascara
It gives great definition and the waterproof formula keeps it on all day! No more raccoon eyes! The brush lets you build coverage and it works for lower lashes. I would totally recommend this product!
Multi-Tasker
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Editors' Pick
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting
The liquid highligher adds radiance to skin without drawing attention to your every wrinkle and blemish.
Readers' Choice
Benefit High Beam Liquid Highlighter
From the second I used this product, I knew we were going to be lifelong friends. This is fabulous. It highlights my brows and browbone to perfection and looks stunning on the inner corners of my eyes. No matter where you place this, you will accent that feature perfectly.
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation Illuminator
This luminizer blends easily and gives the face a lit-from-within glow without appearing glittery.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour
This product is great because you can customize it a little bit for your skin or mood. When I'm feeling sweet I aim for a lighter shade and when I'm feeling saucy, I use the darker shades. It's fun to be able to play around with it. Definitely worth the money!
Powder
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Editors' Pick
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
This finely milled, realistic-looking highlighter blurs imperfections -- and inspired several editors to acquire multiple shades.
Readers' Choice
Make Up For Ever HD Microfinishing Powder
This product is my life saver! I use it to set all of my makeup all the time and it works wonders. This powder has never made me break out and it locks my heaviest makeup in place. I adore this and I think every girl should own it. I love this product!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Available in a half-dozen pretty pastel shades, this loose face powder counteracts skin woes like redness and sallowness and adds subtle radiance.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
E.L.F. Translucent Mattifying Powder
It's one of the few products that I keep as an essential in my bag. It's great for toning down any crazy sparkly blush you may have applied and helps mattify the skin flawlessly. It's only $3 so it's definitely worth it just to try out for yourself. Great for touch ups!
Primer / Shine Control
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Editors' Pick
This miracle product corrects wrinkles, enlarged pores and flaws and can be applied under, on top of or mixed in with foundation.
Readers' Choice
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
This is the best primer I have ever used. My shadows stay in place all day with no smearing or rubbing off, and it doesn't sweat off. This is the one and only primer you will ever need!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Laura Mercier's original face primer was fab, and now it's even better with the addition of sunscreen. It goes on like a moisturizer and holds makeup in place.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light
This primer makes my skin really smooth, soft and matte and helps my foundation go on evenly. Another good thing about it is that it doesn't dry out my skin or exaggerate dry areas.
Tinted Moisturizer
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Editors' Pick
Sonia Kashuk Radiant+ Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
This workhorse tint packs enough pigment to hide imperfections and the color and texture look natural against skin.
Readers' Choice
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
I swear by this product and use it every day. It is the best tinted moisturizer I've used in years. My face is as smooth as can be and also has just the right hint of color that I don't even have to use a foundation! Anything that will save me time in the morning is A-OK in my book!! You'll love it!!
Editors' Pick Honorable Mention
Vita Liberata Rich Face Tinted Self Tan Lotion
This unique multitasker is a paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free tinted moisturizer with just a touch of self-tanner.
Readers' Choice Honorable Mention
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
This tinted moisturizer has amazing coverage and makes you look fresh-faced and natural, yet it also makes your skin completely even and flawless. Great shades and great staying power. Love it.
