It can be difficult with all the makeup out there these days to determine which products are worth the money and which are not. I’ve been in the beauty industry for nearly 20 years and been blogging about beauty for 12+ years so I have tried a TON of makeup products. I’ve tested super high end luxury products and budget friendly drugstore products. While a higher price tag does not always equal better quality, there are a select handful of higher end makeup products that I definitely feel are worth the investment. Products that I go back to time and time again, repurchase regularly and know that they perform consistently well on my skin.
I decided to round up my top picks in every category of makeup products that I think are worth the splurge. Hopefully next time you want to invest in some new makeup, you can use this list as a guide for what is worth your hard earned money!
Makeup Products Worth the Splurge
Foundation and Skin Tint
Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint
I am huge lover of hyaluronic acid because of its ability to hold onto moisture in the skin, deeply hydrate and plump the skin. So I was thrilled to see that it is one of the ingredients in the Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint. In addition to hyaluronic acid, it contains plant-based squalane and meadowfoam seed oil that help to nourish the skin making it appear and feel smoother throughout the day. You will notice the immediate effects of this hydrating and nourishing formula. Because the skin instantly looks plump and supple after applying.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
The Luminous Silk Foundation is an oil-free medium coverage glowy finish foundation. It’s designed to blur imperfections while providing a medium coverage long-lasting luminous finish to the skin. This claims to be a long-wearing foundation and it is! It stays put all day for me without needing to set it with powder. I find this to give the perfect amount of coverage without being too heavy! It’s medium coverage with the ability to build it up just a bit though you will not be able to get full coverage out of this formula. However, I like to apply a small amount and sheer out the coverage to give me a beautiful skin like finish.
Dior Forever Skin Perfect Stick Foundation
I’ve been a fan of Dior foundations and complexion products for many years so I was excited to try this new stick foundation from them. As expected, I really ended up falling in love with it. It’s a creamy medium coverage with a skin-like finish that lasts ALL DAY LONG! I was shocked at how long it lasted and still looked perfect by the end of day. I do need to add a bit of a moisture mist when applying because my skin is more on the dry side, but once I did it blended in perfectly. This was definitely worth the splurge.
Concealer
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer
Upon applying this serum-like concealer, the first thing I noticed was how creamy and hydrating it felt on the skin. It glides right on and immediately made my under eye area feel moisturized. It contains a combination of botanical stem cell actives that reduce puffiness, hydrate and help to brighten dark circles immediately and over time. Because the formula is so creamy and smooth, it is a dream to blend. I use either my makeup sponge or this concealer brush to blend it out. It literally melts into the skin with only the smallest amount of blending needed. The Hy-glam concealer contains a mixture of biomimetic pigments and texture-perfecting microspheres that help to blur darkness and fine lines. The finished result under my eyes is a soft matte finish that looks flawless.
Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer
Nothing has been able to knock the Natasha Denona HyGlam concealer off it’s #1 place in my concealer collection, but this concealer is a very close second now. The entire Sarah Creal beauty brand is designed for more mature skin so I had a feeling this would be absolutely beautiful and I was correct. Creamy, hydrating, medium coverage but virtually undetectable once blended in. No creasing, no settling into fine lines – this is completely splurge-worthy.
Loose Powder and Pressed Powder
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.
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
This setting powder acts as a soft veil to the skin, blurring imperfections, minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines and gives the skin a velvety matte finish. The powder is SUPER finely milled so you won’t get that powdery finish and it won’t settle into fine lines. There are tiny light reflecting particles in it that can be seen when the light hits the skin but I love the look and don’t find that it looks glittery at all. Though there is a slight yellow tint to this powder, it disappears into the skin and would work on any skin tone. I do prefer to use this all over the face but not under the eyes anymore. My Kosas Cloud Set powder is the only powder that is smooth enough for my under eye area. This is perfect on the rest of the face!
Eyeshadow
Armani Eye Tint
A longgggg time favorite and a formula that many of you have purchased and loved as well. This cream shadow is easy to apply, blend out with your fingers and it lasts all day long. This particular color is my most worn and gives the most gorgeous polished eye for daytime or nighttime. Especially for those that struggle with eyeshadow formulas emphasizing texture on the lids, the Armani eye tint is one of the best for helping to minimize this. It is creamy and hydrating and makes the eyes look luminous and slightly blurred which I love.
Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Nude Dip
Listen, the price point of the Tom Ford eyeshadow quads are absolutely criminal. And for the most part, I don’t really think they are worth it……..except for Nude Dip. I don’t know why but Nude Dip feels completely different from every other eyeshadow quad I have tried from Tom Ford. The texture of Nude Dip is a powder but manages to be so creamy and smooth. The color mix is stunning though I mostly use the top two shades, but occasionally have dipped in to the other two.
With that being said, will I repurchase this? Absolutely 100x. And it’s worth mentioning that I am going on year 5(?) maybe longer with this quad and I have never hit pan yet so for me, I can justify the price because of how long it has lasted me. Out of all the formulas in this list, this will show the most texture though it is minimal compared to most other powder shadows I have in my collection.
Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Sticks
Since they are so creamy, they blend beautifully and because the shimmer is so slight, they don’t make the eyelid look crepey or show texture. I wore mine all day (8+ hours) with absolutely no creasing. In fact, you will need a cleansing oil or balm to remove since these are very long wearing. The pigment is quite rich so while these could be worn under a powder eyeshadow, I find they look beautiful all on their own. I applied it directly onto the lid and then blend with my fingers. The coverage is SO EVEN!!! No patchiness or pulling on the lid, these simply glide on effortlessly.
Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Palette
As someone that almost exclusively wears neutral eyeshadow colors, I immediately gasped when I saw the beauty that is the I Need a Nude palette. The colors are breathtaking and I LOVE that they skew more cool which is something that was lacking in my eyeshadow collection. I’ve always found Natasha Denona eyeshadows to be highly pigmented, great for a variety of skin tones, easy to blend and this palette was no exception.
Bronzer
Chanel Les Beiges Cream Bronzer
The Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream is a gel-cream bronzer that gives a sun-kissed glow to the skin with a soft matte finish. It’s designed to apply effortlessly and give a smoothing effect to the skin. Though it has a matte finish, there are light reflecting pigments that still give the skin a subtle radiance without being too dewy or glowy. What makes it stand out to me above other cream bronzers is the balance of a soft matte finish that still makes my skin look luminous and sun-kissed. I think it is worth noting however that this will dry out after some time so it’s best to purchase with the intent of using it regularly!
Makeup by Mario Transforming Skin Enhancer
The name “Skin Enhancer” can be a bit confusing at first and even had me pausing a second to figure out exactly what the product was supposed to do. In short, it is a form of a cream bronzer but is very sheer and can be used on specific parts of the face or all over to give a subtle radiant glow. There is no shimmer to the product but it does give the skin a healthy glow. It’s a complexion balm that adds warmth to the complexion and can be used to even out the skin tone.
Makeup by Mario Multi-Use Bronzing Serum
This is a definitely a product that is super user friendly and almost foolproof to apply. There is a pump so you can choose to mix product in with your foundation/skin tint or you can choose to use the doe foot applicator to place the product where you want it on the face. You can use it as a bronzer or as a sculpting/contour product to define certain parts of the face. Before I purchased it, I saw a ton of videos on social media of people using the product and it looks so great that I had to try it for myself.
It doesn’t have a shimmer finish but it looks healthy and radiant when on the skin. This bronzing serum is the most user friendly product ever! You don’t have to worry about using too much or blending it out quickly before it dries down. It’s creamy, smooth and melts into the skin with minimal effort.
Blush
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Blush Cheek Tint
Initially these feel somewhat similar to the NARS Afterglow blushes but as they blend out, you can definitely see they are more pigmented. Not too much that it becomes difficult to blend them out, but just enough that you know they will be long wearing. They have a soft satin finish and has a slight blurring aspect to them as well. You have some time to play with them when you first apply but once they dry down, they are incredibly long wearing.
Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush
The Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blushes are a liquid blush formulation that have a skin like finish when applied and last up to 12 hours. They are easy to build up to achieve maximum color payoff or can be sheered out to give a wash of color. There are 7 shades currently in the range with a mix of coral, pink and berry tones. For those that like a blush with moisture and need that extra bit of hydration for their skin, these Unreal Liquid Blushes would be a great option. Because these are so pigmented, I recommend spreading out that one drop so you are only picking up a small amount of it at a time. This way you can better control the color and application. It’s best to start small and build up to your desired intensity.
RMS Beauty Hydra Powder Blush (discount code: Maree-15)
Though these are a powder blush, they are a gel to powder formula which makes them blend seamlessly into the skin. There is no powdery finish that leaves your cheeks looking dry or textured. They also contain skin-nourishing ingredients which help to smooth the skin and leave it looking healthy and radiant. These blushes are designed to be long wearing and I can confirm that they are! They pigment is very rich and intense so you need a light hand when applying but they will definitely last all day.
Highlighter
Armani Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer
This is an extremely thin and lightweight formula. You can build it up slightly but it will only build up so much. The effect is more subtle like fresh glowing skin. You are not going to get an “Instagram highlight” with this product. There is no glitter and the radiance is understated so it’s perfect for daytime. It could definitely be worn at night but it’s not as bold as other formulas which I actually prefer.
It’s a thin liquid that melts right into the skin upon application. It doesn’t disrupt your makeup underneath and doesn’t enhance any texture on the skin. I don’t find that it gets oily or greasy throughout the day and my cheeks stay looking fresh and glowing. If you do have oily skin, I think it could work well without getting too shiny. If you have normal to dry skin, this is the perfect liquid highlight formula.
Lip Oil
Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil
While lip oils are known for being extra shiny and glossy because of their nourishing ingredients, the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil provides an almost glass-like finish to the lips. For being such a thin formula, it gives a mirror finish to the lips without being uncomfortable or tacky. If I had to identify one specific feature that really made me fall in love with this formula, it’s the mirror-like effect it gives to the lips. After only a few seconds of application, the formula leaves my lips looking like glass. All fine lines look minimized, lips look plumper and the shine is like no other. It’s also designed to enhance the natural color of the lips while still giving a hint of pigment depending on the shade you choose.
RMS Legendary Lip Oil (discount code: Maree-15)
The RMS Beauty Legendary Lip Oil is a nourishing lip formula designed to give shine, pigment and nourishment to the lips. This is a 97% skincare infused formula that is designed to provide 8 hr hydration and lip repair. I love the colors, the pigment, the feel and the finish of these lip oils. My only complaint is that very little product comes out so you have to dip the applicator in a few times to get enough product out to give adequate coverage. There is a stopper at the top that helps limit the amount of product that comes out but I may try and remove it to make it easier to get more product out each time. But regardless of that, the formula is too good to pass up!
Lipstick
RMS Beauty Legendary Serum Lipsticks (discount code: Maree-15)
The RMS Beauty Legendary Serum Lipstick is a unique formula and one that I have never seen before. It’s a lip stain that provides nearly full coverage in just one swipe! It’s intensely pigmented and very long lasting which sometimes can mean that the formula could be a tad drying on the lips. But that is NOT the case with these lipsticks. They manage to be intensely hydrating, comfortable and nourishing on the lips.
Tinted Lip Balms
Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm
Glossy balm/lipstick hybrids have been gaining popularity over the past few years and I am so happy they have. Most of these formulas are super moisturizing but still provide a ton of pigment. The Hourglass Glossy Balms are richly pigmented but feel very comfortable with no stickiness or tackiness. The color range is stunning and the plumping effect is minimal so there is no discomfort. It’s hard to even pick a favorite shade at this point because I love and wear almost every color. A creamy and hydrating formula that glides effortlessly on your lips. They stay quite glossy and smooth on the lips and don’t bleed or feather.
Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Lip Treatment
So many people have been telling me to try this lip balm formula and that once I did, I would immediately fall in love with it. I can confidently say that are 100% correct. Out of this entire list of tinted lip balms, this quickly shot up to the very top as my favorite. It is the most comfortable on the lips, creamy and smooth without being sticky. It feels nourishing and delivers just enough color and pigment.
Tatcha Kissu Lip Tint SPF 25
The Tatcha Kissu Lip Tints SPF 25 are a creamy, hydrating lip tint with SPF 25 and buildable color. The pigment is so much more rich than I imagined and really give amazing color payoff on the lips. They feel super smooth and moisturizing and hardly at all like a traditional sun product for the lips. There are three shades in the range – Camellia, Midnight Lily and Plum Blossom. Midnight Lily gives a sheer wash of deep berry to the lips without being too dark. Camellia is a bit more pink but still rich in tone so it works really well for fall.
Lip Gloss
Patrick Ta Major Volume Plumping Gloss
The Patrick Ta Major Volume Plumping Glosses are a high shine and hydrating plumping gloss designed to make the lips look fuller, poutier and more voluminous. There are two different types of formulas – sheer and rich in the range. Some colors have shimmer and others are a cream flat finish. These are definitely a thicker type of texture so they are a tad sticky when you apply. The pigment on the rich shades are quite intense and really deliver a great color payoff. Because of the thicker nature of these plumping glosses, they do last longer on my lips than other similar formulas.
Saie Glossybounce High-Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil
I am not sure why I have not yet tried one of these Saie lip gloss oils but after falling in love with the shade Remix, I will definitely be purchasing more colors. This does feel a bit more like a gloss than an oil but has a bit of slip to it which makes it feel quite nourishing and moisturizing. I always go straight for the pinky nudes and sheer peaches when trying out a new lip formula, but this time I wanted something that was a bit bolder and gave me more color. Remix is one of shimmer glosses and was an instant love from first swipe. It’s a mauve shimmer that is the most perfect deep rose shade which is a great fall option for those that want something a bit lighter than a berry or plum shade.
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