The year is coming to a close so I love to look back and share what my favorite items were from beauty, fashion, accessories, etc. I will be sharing a few more blog posts with my more of my 2025 favorite but today’s post is focusing on the complexion items that really impressed me this year. These are the pieces I used the most and would continuously recommend over and over.

Best of Beauty 2025 Complexion

Concealers

Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer & Complexion Enhancer

The Face Flex Concealer and Complexion Enhancer is designed to be a multi-purpose complexion product that moves with your face throughout the day without creasing or fading for up to 12 hours. It conceals, corrects and adds just enough coverage. I personally use it only as a concealer but it can easily be dabbed all over the face and blended out as a light foundation or complexion enhancer. This is creamy and smooth perfection!!! Some concealers claim to be creamy and hydrating but still dry down and make my under eye area look cakey. This does not at all. It’s super blendable but does set after a few minutes. It’s moisturizing and slightly blurring.

The Face Flex Concealer gives medium coverage though can easily be sheered out by applying a smaller amount. For me, it is the perfect amount of coverage and manages to look absolutely flawless on the skin. It gives a nice natural finish that mimics the look of real skin. It’s truly beautiful.

Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Concealer

Much like the skin tint, this concealer gives amazing medium coverage without looking cakey or emphasizing fine lines. The shade range for her concealer is diverse and includes something for every skin tone. There are 20 shades in all to choose from. The concealer is formulated with various skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid to hydrate, caffeine to reduce puffiness and centella asiatica to moisturize and strengthen the skin barrier.

RMS Beauty Revitalize Hydra Concealer (discount code: Maree-15)

This was a very new discovery that I tried in late November but it became an instant favorite. The Revitalize Hydra Concealer is a medium coverage hydrating concealer with skincare ingredients. It blends like an absolute dream, doesn’t emphasize fine lines and LASTS ALL DAY! This is  one of the longest wearing concealers I have ever tried. Especially for those with dry eyes and mature skin, this is a must try.

Foundations

Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

This foundation stick is my favorite Westman Atelier product AND my favorite foundation stick. It gives light coverage that can be built up, blends in seamlessly and makes your skin look like it’s just had a facial. It’s fresh and dewy natural finish without ever being too glowy. It is truly the perfect embodiment of a skin-like complexion product formulated with camellia seed oil, squalane and coconut oil. I like to apply it directly to my skin and blend in with either a foundation brush or damp makeup sponge.

It looks nearly perfect after I first apply it, but it manages to look better as the day goes on! I have rarely ever found a complexion product that looks better the longer it is on my skin but this is definitely true for the Westman Atelier Vital Stick Foundation. If you have oily or combination skin, I still think this would work but may require a setting powder or light dusting down the t-zone to help prevent shine. If you have normal or dry skin, this is an absolute DREAM! Truly one of the best complexion products I have ever used.

Merit Beauty The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

This is a complexion stick that you can use as a foundation or a concealer or just spot treat where you need it. I personally use it all over my face as a traditional foundation which means it will probably run out a bit sooner than my other stick foundations which is a downside but the formula is so great that I would be willing to repurchase it even with this issue. The Merit Minimalist Complexion Stick gives a creamy satin finish to the skin and is very easy to blend. It provides sheer to light coverage but it spreads nicely so you can cover a large portion of the face with just one swipe.

Even though I have dry skin, this formulation works beautifully on me and doesn’t require a ton of skincare prep to ensure it looks seamless and skin-like. If you have more oily or combination skin, this would be a great option since it has a natural satin finish. For the sheer coverage, I wasn’t expecting it to be incredibly long wearing but it surprised me and wore beautifully all day long.

Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Foundation

It took me a few times using this to determine the best way to apply and how much to use because this is a proper foundation. It gives medium coverage with a natural finish. Since I usually prefer skin tints, I wasn’t sure I would love this heavier foundation formula. The key for me is using the tiniest amount of product and applying it with a damp makeup sponge. Once I figured out exactly how much to use, this quickly became a favorite. The longevity of this foundation is what really impressed me. It does not move from the moment you put it on in the morning. It’s a hydrating and blurring formula which is perfect for my dry mature skin.

Skin Tints/Tinted Sunscreens

Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50

I’ve heard so many great things about this tinted SPF so I’m not sure why it took me so long to try it – but I am HERE NOW FOR IT!!! I can now understand why this has so much buzz surrounding it because the formulation is 10/10. This is a tinted SPF that goes on white and then transforms into a skin tone shade when you blend it in. The coverage is sheer but can be built up slightly to really even out the skin tone and conceal small imperfections. The finish is dewy which I personally love because my skin is more dull and dry these days. But it may not be a good option for those with oily skin.

I have to mention that the product is marketed as having a demi-matte finish which I don’t really agree with. There is a slight velvety look to the finish which is nice for helping give the face a smooth finish. But for me it is more radiant than matte. It wears beautifully throughout the day and also works well underneath makeup as a great base or primer. There are only six shades available so not very inclusive. But the tint is designed to be more self-adjusting rather than an exact match.

Merit Beauty The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45

Merit Beauty has been hit or miss with me but this tinted mineral sunscreen was an instant hit. It is gorgeous and truly feels undetectable on the skin while still giving amazing coverage. This formula is not as dewy as some of the others in this list so it would be great for almost all skin types. Though I still think something with oily or combination skin may need a setting powder for the t-zone. But for those with mature skin types (dry, oily, sensitive, etc), this is a must try! It gives much more coverage than I anticipated. So I like to start with a small amount and build up as needed since the formula is more on the buildable side.

Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint

The Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint is a lightweight yet buildable tint formulated with skincare ingredients to help nourish and hydrate the skin. It gives light to medium coverage, a natural skin-like finish and lasts all day long. It literally melts into the skin and has a slight blurring effect as well. It’s suitable for all skin types though I definitely think if you have oily/combination skin, it’s best to set your t-zone with a powder or mattifying spray. Additionally, the shade range is incredibly inclusive so there is definitely a shade for everyone.

Setting Products

Kosas Cloud Set Brightening Powder

I don’t know what magic they put in this powder or how it was formulated but this pressed powder is one of the best powders I have ever tried! It’s a talc free formula that begins as a mousse and once it is baked becomes an ultra-fine sheer powder. Talk about blurring and smoothing – holy cow! It’s absolutely amazing how well this powder sits on the skin and manages to mattify without making the skin look too flat or dull. I bought the pink shade and it is perfect for brightening. It also comes in skin tone shades as well as a buttery yellow and sheer peach shade.

Danessa Myricks Liquid Blurring Balm Spray

This is like a filter for your face. It blurs, gives a soft velvet finish and makes your makeup last ALL DAY LONG! And as someone who has never found use in a setting spray, this has become a non-negotiable for my everyday makeup. It is GORGEOUS!! As with the skin tint and concealer, the Blurring Balm Spray contains skincare ingredients like niacinamide to reduce texture, upsalite to absorb sweat/oil and hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate.