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Best Makeup Brush
Why: The rounded shape of this brush makes it oh-so-easy to seamlessly blend foundation over your entire face, including hard-to-reach spots (think: your hairline and around your nose). The end result: An airbrushed, natural-looking finish that will make people think you #wokeuplikethis.
Honorable Mention: Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection 100 Arched Powder
Readers' Choice Winner: It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Airbrush Powder & Bronzer #1
Why: This is a really nice, high-quality brush. It has a very full and soft brush head. Perfect size for picking up enough powder to do my entire face with one swipe.
Honorable Mention: BareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush
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Best Mascara
Why: Thick, long lashes can finally be yours, thanks to this inky-black mascara. It separates and fans out lashes and gives them an insane amount of lift. In other words: Retire your lash curler.
Honorable Mention: Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Escalator Mascara
Readers' Choice Winner: Benefit They're Real! Lengthening Mascara
Why: The formula is excellent at separating each and every lash, coloring, lifting and adding a good deal of volume. I can use it on bottom lashes without fear of crumbling or dreaded raccoon eyes.
Honorable Mention: Maybelline New York Volum' Express The Colossal Washable Mascara
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Best Palette
Why: A gorgeous, sultry array of colors that blend like a dream and can create a variety of looks, thanks to the mix of matte and shimmery finishes. But what really gives this palette an edge is the included high-quality brush.
Honorable Mention: Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette
Readers' Choice Winner: Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette
Why: These hues flatter all eye colors in a soft way. There is no limit to the number of gorgeous effects you can achieve by blending these plush, silky shadows, which come in matte, pearl, and shimmery finishes.
Honorable Mention: Lorac Pro Palette
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Best Powder
Why: This pore-blurring, skin-perfecting finishing powder sets makeup without looking cakey, controls shiny skin and doesn't settle into fine lines.
Honorable Mention: Paul & Joe Beauté Pressed Face Powder
Readers' Choice Winner: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Why: I've been using this product for a year and I can no longer imagine doing my makeup without it. It is light, invisible, yet somehow smoothes skin texture and disguises flaws. Lasts all day.
Honorable Mention: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Loose Powder
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Best Primer
Why: It was love at first sight with this primer, which makes skin look impossibly radiant with illuminating, color-correcting particles (and probably witchcraft). The gel formula provides a satiny base for applying makeup, and contains absorbent powders that keep skin shine-free and luminous throughout the day.
Honorable Mention: Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer
Readers' Choice Winner: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Why: This formula goes on smoothly and feels like silk on the skin. My foundation goes on smoothly after using this. It makes my skin look flawless.
Honorable Mention: Benefit The Porefessional Face Primer
Look out ladies, the best makeup of the year is here -- so start making room on your vanity. After testing hundreds -- yes, literally hundreds -- of makeup products, we compiled a list of all the latest and greatest beauty products out there. Since we're beauty over-achievers, we didn't stop there. We turned to our readers to tell us their ride or die makeup products, so we could provide you with the best of the best shopping lists for the next time you make a Sephora run. Ready to see the all-star products? Read on to see all the makeup winners from our 2016 TotalBeauty awards.
Image via Flare
Image via Flare
