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Your base is the foundation of any makeup look, but in the year 2025, that doesn’t have to include actual foundation—at least not in the traditional sense. Gone is the time when your only options were liquid or powder, full or light coverage. Scan today’s beauty shelves and you’ll find formulas in a wide variety of finishes and opacities; skin tints and tinted moisturizers; concealers in every conceivable texture and format. And from there you have even more brilliant (or matte) options, depending on how you prefer to bronze, sculpt, blush, and set your complexion. When selecting the 2025 Allure Best of Beauty winners in the Base category, we chose products that not only reflect this diversity of options, they also offer a diverse selection of shades—a nonnegotiable parameter for any makeup formula we consider for our awards.
Over a 10-month period, our editors—all with vastly different preferences for coverage, finish, and format—buffed and blended (and swept and stippled) their way through about 650 submissions. The buffing and blending (and sweeping and stippling) didn’t stop until they had narrowed down the field to 11 subcategories and 28 winners worthy of the Best of Beauty seal.
There’s a primer that doubles as a moisturizer and a concealer that mimics the tone and texture of your skin. There are bold new innovations, like a setting spray that’s basically a finishing powder in a bottle, and a three-in-one foundation stick that also hydrates and primes. You’ll spot some all-time classics (welcome back, Nars The Multiple!), a couple viral hits, a few makeup artist favorites (including some products made by makeup artists), and several new additions to iconic complexion franchises from the likes of Armani Beauty and Estée Lauder.
Regardless of whether this is a product's first win or fifth, though, these champions are sure to have you covered, be that matte or dewy, blushed or bronzed, powdered or setting-sprayed, or just a few dots of concealer to get you out the door.
Best of Beauty Awards 2025: Base
Shop your favorite category or keep scrolling for the year's best blushes, bronzers, and concealers.
See our winners:LargeChevron
Best Primer
Best Hydrating Primer: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer
Best Hydrating Primer
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick applies the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer.
Lexi Herrick
Why It Won: An absolute powerhouse of a base product, the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer does double duty as a moisturizer and a makeup-gripping primer. The lightweight cream is brimming with good-for-your-skin ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, shea butter, and vitamins B, C, and E, which come together to hydrate and soften skin so it’s ready to receive—and hold on to—foundation.
Tester feedback from senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick
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“This takes hydrating primer to a different level. With a creamy, soft texture, it glides over my skin and absorbs instantly. My skin is breakout-prone and can be irritated by oily primers, but this hydrates and holds without sparking a breakout. It keeps my makeup in place all day and prevents foundation from drying out my skin.” —Lexi Herrick, senior director of audience development.
Best Matte Primer: Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
Best Mattifying Primer
Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer
Amazon
Why It Won: With its ability to smooth uneven texture, blur pores, blot away shine, and hang on to makeup for hours, Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer is the next best thing to walking around with a makeup artist all day long. In fact, this formula was originally created to make the lives of professionals easier when working under the hot lights and HD cameras on set.
Tester feedback from social director Kassidy Silva
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“The Smashbox Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer has been a staple in my makeup for years. If you also subscribe to the ‘apply in the morning and hope it stays all day’ makeup routine, this is the primer for you. It’s lightweight, oil-free, and lays an even matte base. I apply a nickel-size amount after my skin care, let it sit for about two minutes, and then go in with a light layer of foundation. I’ve cycled through a dozen primers but always come back to her.” —Kassidy Silva, social director
Best Illuminating Primer: Saie Glowy Super Gel
Best Illuminating Primer
Saie Glowy Super Gel
Amazon
Why It Won: Sure, the Saie Glowy Super Gel is technically a primer, which means it's meant to be worn under foundation or a skin tint. But its light-reflecting pigments are so brilliant, we often find ourselves skipping that second step entirely. Even if we do use foundation, we always go back to the Super Gel, using the pearlescent fluid as a highlighter or mixing it into face and body creams for skin that glistens from head to toe.
Tester feedback from senior art director Ingrid Fowler
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“This primer gives a lovely, dewy glow, but it’s subtle enough that you can use it all over your face. It's a great base and mixes well with other makeup, which is often tricky with illuminating products. When I just want a bronzy, glow-from-within look without doing a full face of makeup, I wear this on its own.” —Ingrid Fowler, senior art director
Best Foundation
Best Liquid Foundation: Patrick Ta Beauty Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation
Best Liquid Foundation
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation
Sephora
Patrick Ta
Why It Won: Neither too shiny nor too flat, Patrick Ta Beauty Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation creates the kind of radiant, bare-skin look that’s usually accompanied by good lighting and even-better aestheticians. And with squalane and three different forms of hyaluronic acid, you still get a lovely, luminous glow even if you skipped some of the other steps in your skin-care routine.
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
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“This foundation is light yet creamy and luminous with a capital L. The skin-loving ingredients help soften lines and make my complexion look so much better than it really is. It’s just a nice mix of everything: not too dewy, not too light, and you can sheer it out easily.” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
Best Liquid Foundation: Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation
Best Liquid Foundation
Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation
Sephora
Haus Labs
Why It Won: With so many foundations on the market these days, it's hard to believe any one formula is particularly revolutionary. But our testers (and hundreds of thousands of videos under the #hauslabsfoundation tag on TikTok) beg to differ. Buildable and dewy, with a ton of pigment packed into a thin liquid, the Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation evens out tone and texture with a beautiful, airbrushed finish that will have everyone around you asking if you were just born this way.
Tester feedback from shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis
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“This is my favorite foundation of all time. I’m considering using it on my wedding day—that's how good it is. To apply it, I use a trusty ol' Beautyblender, and it blends like a dream, leaving my skin feeling fresh but with all the coverage I want.” —Angela Trakoshis, shopping market editor
Best Foundation Stick: LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring Skin Tint Foundation Stick
Best Foundation Stick
LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring Skin Tint Foundation Stick
Sephora
Credo Beauty
Why It Won: Part serum, part primer, part foundation, the LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring Skin Tint Foundation Stick is one of the most impressive stick formulas we’ve ever had the pleasure of swiping across our skin. The formula, infused with green tea extract and rosehip oil, feels like nothing but gives everything, offering light-to-medium coverage that can be built up or sheered down, depending on your desired finish. And because the consistency is ridiculously creamy and blendable, you can hardly tell where your bare skin stops and the foundation begins.
Tester feedback from copy manager Dawn Rebecky
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“This foundation stick is so packed with goodie ingredients, you might expect the formula to feel heavy. But the light-to-medium coverage blends beautifully (even around my nose) and feels like nothing on my skin, even layered over SPF. One glance in the mirror, though, and I know it's there, keeping me looking cool and crease-less all day." —Dawn Rebecky, senior copy manager
Best Skin Tint: Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir
Best Skin Tint
Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Creative producer Sydney Malone applies the Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir.
Why It Won: File this under the most surprising win of the year: a product that every single tester didn’t just like but fell in love with. The Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir doesn’t skimp in the pigment department—or the hydrating department (thanks to hyaluronic acid). Available in 24 shades, from deep dark to ultra-fair, the creamy concoction allows skin to peek through, meaning it minimizes the look of pores, not freckles.
Tester feedback from creative producer Sydney Malone
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“I absolutely love this skin tint, especially for the summer since the lightweight coverage doesn't feel overbearing in the heat. It gives me a light glow while not appearing shiny.” —Sydney Malone, creative producer
Best Skin Tint with SPF: Wyn Beauty by Serena Williams Featuring You Hydrating Skin Enhancing Tint SPF 30
Best Skin Tint with SPF
Wyn Beauty by Serena Williams Featuring You Hydrating Skin Enhancing Tint SPF 30
Ulta Beauty
Why It Won: We may not know our backhand from our break point, but as beauty experts, we can tell you that the Wyn Beauty by Serena Williams Featuring You Hydrating Skin Enhancing Tint SPF 30 is an ace of a tinted sunscreen. Combining broad-spectrum sun protection and buildable complexion coverage, we love how the gel-cream feels lightweight, dries to a naturally soft-matte finish, and comes in 36 shades so that every one of our testers found their match.
Tester feedback from editor in chief Jessica Cruel
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“I was shocked at the level of coverage that this skin tint provides. I was expecting tinted sunscreen vibes, but it's more along the lines of a light-coverage foundation. I’m really impressed that there is SPF 30, and that even the darkest shades don't look ashy. Now, I wouldn't go playing tennis in this makeup (it still feels like makeup), but I do think Serena has finally made a foundation with SPF that brown girls can trust.” —Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
Best Concealer
Best Light-Coverage Concealer: Armani Beauty Perfect Glow Concealer
Best Light-Coverage Concealer
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer
Nordstrom
Sephora
Social media manager Bianca Richards applies the Armani Beauty Perfect Glow Concealer.
Bianca Richards
Why It Won: It’s not enough that the Armani Beauty Perfect Glow Concealer helps mask dark circles and redness in a single swipe. Available in 21 shades, the lightweight cream also does it without creasing, quenches your skin with a smoothing, soothing blend of glycerin, vitamin E, and caffeine, and doubles as a highlighter, thanks to its light-reflecting properties. It does so much, it’s one of those products that leaves us in a panic if it goes missing from our makeup bag.
Tester feedback from creative director Amber Venerable
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“Dewy and blendable, this concealer offers the perfect amount of coverage. I don't wear much makeup so a little of this and a drop of tinted moisturizer and I'm all set!” —Amber Venerable, creative director
Best Medium-Coverage Concealer: Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Concealer
Best Medium-Coverage Concealer
Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Concealer
Amazon
Content director Kara McGrath applies the Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Concealer.
Why It Won: What do Courteney Cox, Hailey Bieber, and our editors have in common? We’re all obsessed with the Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Concealer. Meant to mimic the tone and texture of real skin, each of the 20 shades contains the perfect amount of pigment to disguise dark circles, but is light and creamy enough not to crease, cake, or otherwise draw attention to the areas you’re trying to cover. Many of our testers love the look of this formula so much, they’ve followed Cox’s example and begun using it in place of foundation.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“I only use concealer under my eyes, so I look for formulas that offer enough coverage to hide my perpetual dark circles but won’t settle into my mid-30s fine lines. My ideal concealer also needs to last at least through the workday because I simply do not have the time (or fortitude) to reapply. This one hits all those points, with the bonus of a doe-foot applicator that fits perfectly into the inner corners of my undereyes.” —Kara McGrath, content director
Best Full-Coverage Concealer: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer
Best Full-Coverage Concealer
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer
Amazon
Why It Won: Estée Lauder Double Wear is an elite name among those who prefer high-coverage bases, and the Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer lives up to its heavy-duty, longwear legacy. With silicones for glide, silica for oil control, and flexible polymers to help keep everything crease-proof and comfortable, the creamy liquid diffuses dark circles and texture under the eyes for up to 24 hours (although our testers only made it to about 14 hours before having to wash it off for, you know, bed).
Tester feedback from shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis
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“Growing up, I swore by Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation, and using this concealer brought me right back to getting ready in my high school bedroom. It covers everything—from random breakouts to stubborn dark circles—without looking cakey or feeling heavy. It’s one of those products that just works every single time.” —Angela Trakoshis, shopping market editor
Best Blush
Best Powder Blush: Tower 28 GetSet Matte Powder Blush
Best Powder Blush
Tower 28 GetSet Matte Powder Blush
Revolve
Sephora
Commerce editor Sarah Han applies the Tower 28 GetSet Matte Powder Blush.
Why It Won: Makeup artists often recommend applying a layer of translucent setting powder before powder blush to keep the oils in your skin care and foundation from breaking down the color. Tower 28 had an aha moment when the brand decided to take that advice and create GetSet Matte Powder Blush, which combines the two into one long-wear formula. Many of the ingredients mimic the brand’s GetSet Pressed Powder, making it sweatproof (hydrophobic silica does the gentle repelling) and transfer-proof (lauroyl lysine keeps things grippy). We can attest that all seven core shades (pinks, peaches, and berries) have serious staying power.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
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“I’ve never fancied myself a powder blush girlie, but I cannot stop reaching for this Tower 28 formula, especially in the bold, hot pink shade Feliz Fresca, which brings so much life to my face in seconds. I love that it’s self-setting, so I don’t have to worry about it fading or slipping throughout the day. I take my time to blend in everything and dust some across the bridge of my nose; sometimes I’ll sweep leftover product on my lids if I’m in a particularly pink mood (so often).” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Best Cream Blush: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush
Best Cream Blush
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush
Sephora
Content director Kara McGrath applies the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush.
Why It Won: Inspired by the brand’s viral liquid formula, the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush takes the same concept—a blush that’s goofproof, long-wearing, and ultra-pigmented—and puts it in a convenient putty-like texture. The versatility is what makes this new cream-to-powder formula a standout: Buff it on with a brush for a romantic flush, or spread it onto cheeks with your finger for something more statement-making. Either way, the soft-focus finish and hydrating oils mean it melds seamlessly with your complexion, instead of covering it like a mask.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“When I saw it in the pan, I was worried that the shade Happy—a cool-toned peony pink—would be too intense for my complexion, but it goes on sheer and melts into the skin. If you’re looking for a brighter pop of color, adding a second or third layer ups the saturation without taking you into clown territory.” — Kara McGrath, content director
Best Liquid Blush: MAC Strobe Beam Liquid Blush
Best Liquid Blush
MAC Strobe Beam Liquid Blush
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Why It Won: A strobe, by definition, is a light that quickly flashes on and off. MAC took that concept of intense reflectivity and rendered it in blush form with the Strobe Beam Liquid Blush. The water-based formula is featherlight but packed with color and light-reflecting pigments that leave cheeks flushed and flickering. The punchy liquid stays put and works nicely as underpaint for a glow beneath base makeup, or for stand-alone brightness in multidimensional shades like Starlite (rose gold with shimmer) and Good Vibes (deep fuchsia with pearlescent particles).
Tester feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“It’s absolutely bonkers to me that Strobe Beam is MAC’s first-ever liquid blush. What’s not bonkers? How great it applies (with a doe foot), wears (beautifully, with or without a base), and stays (a full workday). My favorite shades are Ice Gleam, a shimmery pale pink, and Nitelite, a sparkly mauve—they’re so pretty!” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Multi-Use Stick: Nars The Multiple
Best Multi-Use Stick
Nars The Multiple
Sephora
Why It Won: The original multitasker, a single Nars The Multiple can do the work of an entire makeup bag—a revolutionary concept when François Nars invented this game-changer in 1996. Inspired by the act of stripping things back and applying the same lipstick on eyes, cheeks, and lips, the makeup artist created a unique cream-to-powder stick that could be applied to every facial feature, whether you’re sculpting, highlighting, or adding a wash of color. Nearly three decades later, a reformulation has reignited our obsession with this does-it-all stick—now more weightless, more blendable, and more pigmented than ever before.
Tester feedback from says senior art director Ingrid Fowler
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“This classic multistick stood out to me among the many, many multisticks now on the market. The light, creamy formula makes it easy to apply wherever (lips, cheeks, eyes). It gives a sheer glow that isn't too bold, so you don't have to worry about being too precise. My favorite? The iconic Orgasm Crave shade. That perfect peachy-pink is famous for a reason.” —Ingrid Fowler, senior art director
Best Highlight, Bronzer, & Contour Products
Best Powder Highlighter: Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
Best Powder Highlighter
Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
Sephora
Senior art director Ingrid Fowler applies Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter.
Why It Won: Not to wax poetic, but Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter delivers the gentle gleam of candlelight, which comes from a not-so-poetic-sounding ingredient called synthetic fluorphlogopite, a lab-made mica that blends into skin wherever you apply it. Add that to the fact that this microshimmer is suspended across a silky, semisheer base, and you end up with a divine, dimensional glow that can be applied with a soft touch for a translucent finish or layered until it dances under the lights.
Tester feedback from senior art director Ingrid Fowler
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“This highlighter is beautiful. It’s so light and fine that it feels like you're applying air. You only need a little bit to get a glimmery, shimmery—but not too shimmery—payoff.” —Ingrid Fowler, senior art director
Best Cream Highlighter: KJH.brand Hyper Shine Lite Pigment
Best Cream Highlighter
KJH.brand Hyper Shine Lite Pigment
KJH.brand
Why It Won: Available in four dazzling hues, the KJH.brand Hyper Shine Lite Pigment is the highlighter for anyone who wants to look glowy simply because they've been drinking a lot of water and getting eight hours of sleep every night. Superfine mica, which offers more sheen than shimmer, reflects light to give skin a natural-looking radiance without the chunky, sparkly appearance of glitter.
Tester feedback from features director Dianna Singh
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“I have yet to encounter a scenario in which KJH.brand Hyper Shine Lite Pigment doesn't literally and metaphorically shine. It looks beautiful dabbed on the tops of cheekbones, as a soft wash of sheen on lids, or placed on the Cupid's bow to help define the lips." —Dianna Singh, features director
Best Liquid Highlighter: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Acqua Highlighter
Best Liquid Highlighter
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Acqua Highlighter
Nordstrom
Sephora
Senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen applies the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Acqua Highlighter.
Why It Won: Like the brand’s iconic Luminous Silk Foundation, the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Acqua Highlighter has a see-it-to-believe-it radiance. Micropearls impart an ethereal luminosity wherever you apply the formula, and the lip gloss-like doe foot makes it easy to spread the pigment across cheekbones or to pinpoint smaller areas, such as the Cupid’s bow and inner corners of the eyes.
Tester feedback from senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen
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“Highlighting my face is always a tightrope act. I want my skin to look wet—no visible glitter, please—but I don't want it to actually be wet, lest my hair drive me bananas when it's sticking to my face. Few formulas can do both, but Armani's does it effortlessly. It may look very sparkly in its tube, but when it spreads across skin, its microfine shimmer creates a light-catching sheen rather than sparkle streaks—then it dries all the way down without losing any of its shine. Miraculous.” —Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
Best Stick Highlighter: Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Bio-Radiant Glassy Highlighter Balm
Best Stick Highlighter
Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Bio-Radiant Glassy Highlighter Balm
Sephora
Haus Labs
Why It Won: Effortless to apply, the Haus Labs By Lady Gaga Bio-Radiant Glassy Highlighter Balm melts onto your face like a solid serum to deliver an otherworldly amount of shine. The luminous cocktail of marine algae, hyaluronic acid, and squalane feeds the skin with moisture and imparts sheen without being goopy or sticky. If shimmer’s not your vibe, opt for the translucent Clear Glass shade; for a touch of twinkle, reach for the opulent Glassy Pink Opal, a rosy gold.
Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards
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“Highlighter is back, baby! I simply love how this balm accentuates the skin, whether you want a subtle or intense amount of radiance.” —Bianca Richards, social media manager
Best Powder Bronzer: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
Best Powder Bronzer
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor applies the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer.
Why It Won: With a touch of shimmer, the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer is the quickest way to convince people you just spent a week in the Maldives (or maybe Ibiza, where Tilbury grew up). No one will know your bronzed complexion comes from a compact. The velvety-soft powder features mica and silica to give it a silky, soft-focus finish, so streaks and splotches are near impossible. When applied with a small contour brush, the blurred pigments can also chisel cheekbones and sculpt jawlines in a completely natural way.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“Despite the many prescriptive face charts and rigid tutorials out there, I see bronzing and contouring as more of an art than a science. My preferred tools are the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer and a fluffy brush. I dust on this featherweight formula to create soft shadows that help shape my face and add warmth. The giant pan sits in a compact with a mirror that is just as large, so I can see myself clearly as I sweep it on.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Cream Bronzer: Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer
Best Cream Bronzer
Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer
Sephora
Merit Beauty
Commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann applies the Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer.
Sarah Hoffmann
Why It Won: More of a silky balm than a traditional cream, the Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer gives you a multidimensional glow with luminosity that comes from amino acids and microfine pigments, not visible shimmer. The unique, oval-shaped stick means you can apply it to large sections of skin or run it strategically along your bone structure just by holding it at a different angle. If you want more color, you can add more layers, or apply with a brush that has dense bristles.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“Bronzy and buttery, this stick glides on and melts into skin. It feels creamy and moisturizing, never settling in my dry patches, and softly defines my bone structure in the most natural way possible. I sweep it along my cheekbones, jawline, nose, and near my hairline, then buff and blend it out with my fingers to give me a glowy, sculpted look.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Liquid Bronzer: Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum
Best Liquid Bronzer
Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum
Sephora
Why It Won: We ask a lot from our bronzers. We want them to sculpt cheekbones, warm skin tones, and give us a just-got-back-from-vacation glow, all while being easy to use and as natural-looking as possible. Very few formulas totally meet our exacting criteria, but the liquid bronzer perfection that is Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum certainly does—then adds criteria we didn’t even know we had. There’s the buildable pigment and second-skin finish; hyaluronic acid and vitamin E for a hydrating, antioxidizing boost; and finally, the bottle, which gives you a pump top and a cushy-tipped wand, so you can float between precision and soft-focus, loosey-goosey blending.
Tester feedback from beauty closet associate Edward Horgan
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“This bronzer always gives me the exact amount of glow I’m looking for. I can dot it on with the doe foot for a softer look or use the pump to put it on the back of my hand and build it up for a fuller-coverage, high-glam effect." —Edward Horgan, beauty closet associate
Best Contour: Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick
Best Contour
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick
Nordstrom
Sephora
Shopping director Shanna Shipin applies the Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick.
Why It Won: Whether you’re a contouring beginner or boast expert sculpting skills, the Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick can be appreciated by makeup lovers of all levels. The secret’s in the name: The chubby little stick lets you easily trace your cheekbones, jawline, hairline, and nose with precision. But that’s not the only thing that makes this product so goofproof: The jojoba oil-infused cream blends effortlessly with your finger or a brush, and the shades—Biscuit is the most famous, but all three neutral tones are spot-on—never look obviously dark or unnaturally orange.
Tester feedback from shopping director Shanna Shipin
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“The most blendable contour, hands down. This is the kind of product that makes you fall in love with makeup. It's buildable but forgiving, making it extremely hard to ‘mess up.’ My skin is medium-tan, so the viral Biscuit shade is too light on me, but Truffle creates the most beautiful, natural shadowing on my face. It's definitely more of a contour than a bronzer, so don't expect any shimmer!” —Shanna Shipin, shopping director
Best Facial Self-Tanner: Isle of Paradise Self-Tan Drops
Best Facial Self-Tanner
Isle of Paradise Self-Tan Drops
Amazon
Why It Won: With three shades, Isle of Paradise Self-Tan Drops warm up the fairest and darkest skin tones sans muddy brown or freaky orange. We love the streak-free, hassle-free format: Just add a few drops to your moisturizer for a light tint; mix in several more for deeper color (we found three or four is the sweet spot). And we’d be remiss not to mention the mild coconut scent, which smells as tropical as the results look.
Tester feedback from Best of Beauty editorial assistant ElleAnna Revell
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“These drops give me an even, natural-looking tan that never develops splotchy. Plus, they never break me out, and the formula doesn’t stain my sheets or towels. As an avid self-tan girl during the winter, these drops are by far my fave!” —ElleAnna Revell, Best of Beauty editorial assistant
Best Setting Powder
Best Pressed Powder: E.L.F. Cosmetics Halo Glow Powder Filter
Best Pressed Powder
e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Powder Filter
Amazon
Why It Won: The E.L.F. Cosmetics Halo Glow Powder Filter bathes skin in soft-focus radiance. Silica plus skin-care ingredients like squalane and sodium hyaluronate mean the featherlight powder melts into the skin without accentuating pores and fine lines. The formula also seems impervious to humidity (and tears, and hot New York City bus rides), but on the off chance you need a touch-up, the portable compact, velour puff, and built-in mirror will enable you to refresh your makeup in seconds.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“I want my skin to look glowy and dewy—healthy!—but humidity can have me quickly crossing the line into greasy. I'm a huge fan of this pressed powder, which retains my skin’s radiance and evens out the tones of my complexion, all without making my skin look too matte. And with a puff and compact mirror, it’s perfect for touch-ups on the go.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Loose Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Talc-Free Setting Powder Ultra-Blur
Best Loose Powder
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Talc-Free Setting Powder Ultra-Blur
Amazon
Why It Won: Laura Mercier’s loose setting powder won its first Best of Beauty award in 1998. Since then, the brand has extended the range, including the Translucent Loose Talc-Free Setting Powder Ultra-Blur, which continues to wow our testers. It’s clear from the name what’s been updated: The brand removed talc and upped the original’s level of blur. Using hyaluronic acid and silica to give the finely milled powder a lovely, silky texture and soft-focus finish, you can rest assured that no matter how much you apply, your complexion won’t look flat like a pancake, dusty like a donut, or flaky like a croissant.
Tester feedback from social director Kassidy Silva
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“This weightless powder has been a staple in my collection for years, since I love a matte finish and don't love anything that feels heavy on the skin. I also appreciate how it helps smooth fine lines and blur away pores. I pour a quarter-size amount into the lid and coat the tip of my brush. I gently dab my brush on my skin, moving slowly around my face and picking up more powder halfway through. A little goes a long way, so it's rare that I need to pour more product, but I'll double up on a second layer if it's really hot or humid that day.” —Kassidy Silva, social director
Best Setting Spray
Best Mattifying Setting Spray: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray
Best Mattifying Setting Spray
Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray
Sephora
Why It Won: First came Danessa Myricks’ best-selling—and Best of Beauty Breakthrough award winner—Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder, a silky balm that acts like a blurring powder. Now there’s the new Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray, a weightless setting spray that acts like a blurring and mattifying powder. Like the rest of the Yummy Skin line, the formula features Upsalite technology, which is a mixture of magnesium carbonate, great for soaking up oils, and marine algae, for obscuring pores. Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients, and when they hit your skin in the finest mist, they soak up oil like a sponge and make you forget what your pores looked like before.
Tester feedback from creative director Amber Venerable
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“I used this setting spray after putting on concealer and the brand’s balm powder, and I love that the spray immediately dried down without settling into any lines or drying out my skin. I definitely found it lived up to its promise of absorbing oil throughout the day—it kept my complexion naturally matte all day long.” —Amber Venerable, creative director
Best Dewy Setting Spray: TIRTIR Mask Fit Makeup Fixer
Best Dewy Setting Spray
TIRTIR Mask Fit Makeup Fixer
Amazon
Commerce editor Sarah Han applies the TIRTIR Mask Fit Makeup Fixer.
Sarah Han
Why It Won: You’d think a sweatproof setting spray that promises to protect your makeup against humidity and friction would feel awful on your face. Not the case with the Korean-made TIRTIR Mask Fit Makeup Fixer, which is gentle on skin (even sensitive types) but tough on keeping pigments in place. The ultrafine mist stays flexible and doesn’t undo all the work you did to get your skin glowing, then stops oil and shine from breaking through as the day goes on and on…and on.
Tester feedback from beauty closet associate Edward Horgan
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"This setting spray mastered the art of a fine mist without the typical chemical scent found in many competitors. It locks makeup in with a soft, long-lasting finish and is genuinely enjoyable to use." —Edward Horgan, beauty closet associate
Written by Sophia Panych
How does Allure test foundation, concealer, and other base makeup products?
For our Best of Beauty Base winners, we consider each product's performance in the following categories: ingredients and efficacy, packaging, durability, and product experience (including texture and wear). We test hundreds of base products across skin tones, types, and textures, from oily to dry, mature to acne-prone (or mature and acne-prone). Our editors and contributors also test each entry through long days, intense heat and humidity, and unforgiving, high-definition lighting to assess performance in every kind of situation. The final winners have been chosen based on testers’ experience with things like blendability, coverage, finish, wear time, and how well they hold up in real life.
Are these Best of Beauty Base winners good for sensitive or acne-prone skin?
Yes. Some of the award-winning Base formulas are noncomedogenic, fragrance-free, and free of ingredients like talc. You'll find a lightweight foundation full of good-for-your-skin ingredients that doesn't clog our pores, a highlighter that also hydrates, and a powder blush that stays put without irritation or settling into our fine lines.
Do Best of Beauty winners include long-wear or transfer-resistant foundations?
Absolutely. We test Base products’ longevity under real-life conditions, including commuting, working out, and long events like weddings and photo shoots. Some of the winners are formulated to last all day without separating, caking, or fading. In the case of setting powders and sprays, these winners extend the wear of your makeup by absorbing excess oil and locking the rest of your base products in place.
What types of products are included in the Base category?
The Best of Beauty Base category features primers, foundations, concealers, skin tints, blushes, bronzers, highlighters, and setting products like powders and sprays, all in different textures (cream, powder, liquid) and finishes (matte, dewy, and natural).
Are there good options for dry, oily, or combination skin types?
Yes. We have ensured that the Best of Beauty Base winners cater to every skin type and texture. This group includes a mattifying primer and a long-wear foundation for acne-prone skin; a hydrating skin tint and a creamy concealer for dry skin; and products that are neither too dewy nor too matte for people who prefer a natural-looking finish. Our winners also span the coverage spectrum, so there’s something for everyone, whether you prefer your base makeup to be full coverage or barely there.
Like what you see from Allure's Best of Beauty Awards?
