MAKEUP: Lynsey’s Best of Beauty Picks 2021

I recognize that I’m coming in HOT with a pricey primer out of the gate, but this is the BEST OF AWARDS, and you can’t build a superior look on a weak foundation my loves. This primer is velvety smooth, blurs skin to perfection. It’s worth it.

One of my best new discoveries of 2021. It was one of those “shut up and take my money” moments inspired by a TikTok review. I’ll come back and add credit to that OP if I find it. This was the only foundation I wore in the summer, super light beautiful coverage, and comes in 25 shades to find your perfect fit! I recommend heading into Sephora to get professionally matched if you can swing it in these trying times.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and this full-coverage foundation has reigned supreme for me the last five years. The sticker shock quickly wears off when you realize how little of this product goes such a long way — you won’t find yourself replacing this stuff often. And with 56, yes that is 5-6, fifty-six shades, you’ll never find a better match. Go go have the Ulta consultants match you in person if you can because it can be overwhelming, and you’ll want to get it perfect. Personal gripe, I HATE the packaging. If this came in a pump, I think the end to world hunger would quickly follow because all would be right with the world. Until then, we struggle.

If you don’t trust my takes on anything else, heed me on this one. I have tried EVERY dark circle corrector on the market. I started concealing my dark circles in sixth grade. This one is magic, as the name states. I don’t go anywhere without it, and without it I don’t think I’d have a job or friends because I’d look so tired and cracked out all the time.

I’m going to keep it real with you, I’ve been using this since 2016 and haven’t tried anything else. It’s highly pigmented, easy to blend, comes in 35 shades, and lasts forever. There might be better products out there, but I simply have had no need to try them. If you want to send me some, I’ll happily review them 🙂

I’ve been an unofficial (read: unpaid, would love to change that) Buxom brand ambassador for years, but I had only tried the suite of lip products. This year I gave their bronzer and highlighter a try and was of course, delighted. This gorgeous bronzer blends so well, thanks to its primer-infused base. I prefer to use powder bronzer as my contour, I find cream contours always require more tedious blending that I simply can’t be arsed to bother with on a daily basis. It also smells wonderful!

After 2 of my powder blushes shattered in various unfortunate checked luggage accidents, I couldn’t take the heartbreak any longer and switched to cream blush. While I wish I’d come to this conclusion through different means, I’m glad I got here eventually. This is so easy to blend with your fingertips and give yourself an instant glow in 5 seconds. It looks scary coming out of the tube, but trust and blend baby.

My Futuredew takes care of my highlighting needs for the most part, but when I need a little extra boost (like this year for my Ariana Grande halloween costume) I love to hit my cheekbones and cupid’s bow with some of this.

This was a really tough call for me. What does “best of” really mean? Best value? Best overall? Best for me personally? As the arbiter of this Best of list, I decided value is an important factor, so I had to go with e.l.f on this one. A fantastic value, this stuff hold its own when stacked up against the prestige beauty brands.

I already have a feeling I’m going to look back at this trend in a few years and laugh, but for now, this is my go-to brow. I use it in the auburn shade, which I give props to Glossier for nailing — most auburn brow products are way too dark or way too red. This shade is just right and holds all day.

If I don’t use this, my eyeshadow creases on my lids matter of hours. Been a staple in my bag since high school. Nuff said.

I wear a lot less eyeshadow than I used to, most days I just blend some bronzer into my crease, dab some highlighter on my lids and call it a day. When I’m doing a lewk, I love to pull out the ABH x Carli Bybel Palette, but much to my dismay, it’s discontinued! Anastasia always delivers on pigmentation, and there are some really fun glitter and holographic shades, as well as some nice mattes. This year, I’m giving it to the Norvina palette that has a very similar color scheme to the ill-fated Carli palette.

Great value, smooth application, and staying power – I use the shade Deepest Brown with most of my daily looks.

No surprises here. It’s just the best. Don’t spend more than $10 on eyeliner please, it makes me sad, this product literally exists.

Bestie…I hate to tell you this…but it’s worth the hype. This godsend product helps keep my lashes conditioned (you can wear this by itself at night for extra lash love,) curled, and keeps my mascara from flaking off throughout the day. This primer and your favorite mascara..name a more iconic duo…I’ll wait.

Anyone that knows me that’s reading this right now just got to this section and rolled their eyes. My obsession with this mascara is a personality trait at this point. But don’t just take it from me, and the strangers that stop me to ask if my lashes are real, it’s Queen Bey’s makeup artist’s top pick, too. Sure sex is cool but have you even been at Ulta Beauty when L’Oréal products are Buy One Get One 50% off and you have the $3.50 off coupon on top of it….I rest my case.

The perfect pinky-nude. Goes on smooth and doesn’t smudge – a must-have.

Who saw this coming? I don’t even normally like matte lippies, but this one is so creamy, it’s like your lips, but better. The packaging is lovely too.

Much like Lash Paradise, this is a surprise to no one – been on this since 2016. There are multitude gorgeous shades, but lately I’ve been really into the White Russian Lip Cream more than the Lip Polish. It’s beautiful on its own or over the Pillow Talk lippie above. Honorable mention: Holographic Lip Polish Top Coat. This has a stunning finish that catches the light in a really unique way, and it’s way more subtle on than the name suggests. It’s on sale and I think it’s going to be discontinued so scoop it before it’s too late.

You’ve made it to the end of the routine. Time to keep in that face in place. I love this line of setting sprays, and lately I’m here for the dewy finish, radiant finish as an honorable mention. If matte is your thing, they have that too!