23 best makeup buys topping the GLAMOUR Beauty Power List Awards 2023
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If there’s one thing we can be certain of, it’s that GLAMOUR readers are into makeup. New, old, niche and cult – you’re constantly on the lookout for hard-working products that deliver on results. Be it the must-try mascara that blew up on TikTok, or the iconic creamy concealer that is in every makeup artist’s kit – chances are you’ve tried it or you already own it.
With this level of makeup know-how, we can trust you to pick the worthy winners – especially when they’re from an expert-approved shortlist that has received the nod from pro makeup artists including Sir John, Nikki Wolff and Alex Babsky.
Spanning no fewer than 23 makeup categories, the GLAMOUR Beauty Power List Awards 2023 is here to bring you the very best products to elevate your makeup bag. From foundation and mascara to brow and lip products, these are the must-haves that got your vote…
Best makeup palette
Whether you’re into brights, neutrals or smokes, Urban Decay’s Born To Run Eyeshadow Palette has you covered with its 21 show-stopping shades that can be worn alone or mixed together to create endless eye looks. For a soft smoke, Stranded and Blaze are a winning combo. For something punchier, experiment with Hell Ride.
Shortlist:
NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette, £20
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership X: Moonlit Seduction, £118
Natasha Denona Glam Face Palette, £54
Best full-coverage foundation
For a velvety matte finish that refuses to budge all day, look no further. Available in 60 shades, Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup delivers medium-to-full coverage that is heat-, sweat- and humidity-resistant. Seriously good, this unbeatable base is your GLAMOUR Beauty Power List Award winner for the sixth year in a row. Impressive, no?
Shortlist:
Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, £39
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear, £38
L’Oréal Paris Infallible 32H Matte Cover Foundation, £10.99
Best buildable-coverage foundation
If you’re after a foundation that is buildable and long-wearing, this lightweight formula from Dior is hard to beat. Not just a pro favourite, but also your pick for creating that elusive second-skin finish. This is the perfect base for subtly evening out skin tone while adding a healthy dose of glow. Choose from 43 shades, spanning six undertones.
Shortlist:
KVD Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Transfer-Proof Serum Foundation, £34
Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation, £39
The Ordinary Serum Foundation, £6.40
Best tinted/BB/CC cream
A firm favourite among beauty editors, makeup artists and Power List voters alike, It Cosmetics’ CC cream gives great coverage and ample glow while still looking natural. Laced with powerful skincare ingredients – niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and peptides – it reduces redness, boosts hydration and improves the appearance of dark spots, too. Need we say more?
Shortlist:
Jones Road What The Foundation, £42
Best under-eye concealer
This cult concealer from Nars needs no introduction. A backstage beauty kit essential, the creamy formula (which is available in 30 shades) expertly brightens dark circles without creasing or settling into fine lines. Truly iconic, one tube sells every five seconds – it really is that good.
Shortlist:
Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser Multi-Use Concealer, £9.99
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, £27
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer, £32
Best spot concealer
Winning the best spot concealer category is this heavy-duty, full-coverage formula from L’Oréal Paris. Long-wearing and easy to blend, the highly pigmented liquid is the perfect pick for camouflaging dark spots and blemishes. Simply dot on and leave to air-dry before blending it in with a small stippling brush.
Shortlist:
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer, £26
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer, £28
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, £31.50
Best highlighter
We’re huge fans of Rare Beauty and this liquid luminiser is one of the brand’s hero products. Packed with light-reflecting pearl pigments, the weightless formula blends effortlessly over other creams, liquids and even powders to bestow a seamless dewy sheen. Know that a little goes a very long way.
Shortlist:
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter, £38
Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette, £36
ICONIC London Illuminator, £30
Best blush
A viral sensation, Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is totally worth the hype. It comes in 13 easy-to-wear shades that all melt into skin to deliver a post-workout glow. And, as with the Liquid Luminizer, all you need are a few taps with the wand – which means you get serious bang for your buck.
Shortlist:
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand, £30
Elf Halo Glow Blush Beauty Wand, £9
Nudestix Nudies Blush Stick, £30
Best bronzer
The best bronzer in the business? Your vote was overwhelmingly for Benefit’s Hoola. Completely shimmer-free, the buttery-soft powder minimises shine while adding sun-baked warmth that looks healthy and natural. The slim packaging and compact brush make it touch-up and travel-friendly, too.
Shortlist:
Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder, £33
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer, £29
Saie Sun Melt Cream-Balm Bronzer, £26
Best contour
To create killer cheekbones, look no further. This iconic beauty wand from Charlotte Tilbury is a total dream to apply. Complete with a cushion applicator, press a little onto the high points of the face before blending the creamy formula in with fingertips for a sculpted look.
Shortlist:
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Contour Skinstick, £25
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick, £44
Best primer
The primer that sent TikTok into a frenzy, this £10 hero grips your makeup for all-day and night wear. Refreshingly lightweight, the gel-based formula also soothes skin and delivers a hefty dose of hydration (thanks to hyaluronic acid) for a plumper complexion. We’re obsessed.
Shortlist:
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, £78
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer Blurring, £35.50
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer, £35
Best setting product
We defy anyone not to fall head over heels for this featherweight Flawless Finish powder from Charlotte Tilbury. Blended with soft-focus micro powders, the silky formula blurs pores, sets foundation and reduces shine without starving skin of glow. It also contains skin-loving ingredients, such as rose wax and almond oil.
Shortlist:
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, £28
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder, £34
Anastasia Beverly Hills Loose Setting Powder, £39
Best brush range
As the saying goes, your makeup is only as good as the tools you use – which is why this pro-level set from Real Techniques is a GLAMOUR Beauty Power List winner. With four fluffy brushes made from soft synthetic bristles and one flexible foam sponge, this kit has all your highlighter, blush and eyeshadow needs covered.
Shortlist:
Morphe X Ariel Signature Look 12-Piece Face & Eye Brush Set, £95
Spectrum Sculpt 30 Piece Brush Set in Tube Bag, £195
Best lip colour
With the comfort of a balm and the pigment of a matte lipstick, Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet is a clear winner. Spiked with jojoba oil and shea butter, the creamy bullet deeply moisturises lips while delivering intense pigment for a stamped-on lip look in your choice of 20 standout shades.
Shortlist:
Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick, £24
Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick, £35
Juvia’s Place The Nude Velvety Matte Lipstick, £14
Best glossy lip colour
Glossy, not sticky – this lightweight oil instantly moisturises lips thanks to cherry oil (the starring ingredient in every colour). For an elegant, light-reflecting sheen, we recommend the clear option. Or, for a hint of pink, try Cherry. Whichever hue you choose, expect a plumper-looking pout.
Shortlist:
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, £18
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, £20
Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil, £26
Best lip liner
No lip look is complete without liner, and this one from Charlotte Tilbury comes out on top. The super smooth pencil effortlessly glides along the lip line to add shape and definition without snagging. Available in a wide array of shades, there is something for everyone – and every occasion.
Shortlist:
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip Liner, £15
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil, £19
Best brow pencil/pen
There is so much to love about Benefit’s Precisely, My Brow Pencil. First, the ultra-fine nib can be used to mimic even the finest hairs for a natural finish. Second, it comes with a fluffy brush to shape brows and blend in the colour. And finally, it is waterproof, meaning your handiwork will last for 12 hours straight. No wonder it won your votes as best brow pencil.
Shortlist:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, £23
Best brow gel
Benefit knows a thing or two about brows. For this reason, its Brow Setter is the only setting gel you need to lean on for brushed-up, Cara Delevingne-esque arches. On one side of the brush, you’ll find long bristles to coat every hair. On the other, short bristles will sculpt and shape those hairs into place for a laminated look.
Shortlist:
Schwarzkopf Got2b Glued 4 Brows & Edges, £5.50
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze, £24
Best mascara
The mascara that broke the internet, this unbeatable formula lengthens lashes like no other while delivering just the right amount of volume without clumping. A GLAMOUR Beauty Power List Awards winner for the third year in a row, it really is sensational. Oh, and thanks to bamboo extract, it doesn’t weigh lashes down.
Shortlist:
YSL Beauty Lash Clash Mascara, £29
L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara, £12.99
Sculpted By Aimee My Mascara, £17
Best pencil eyeliner
Sometimes, the easiest way to pull a look together is with a kohl eyeliner smudged along the lashline. This eye pencil from Mac is your top-rated tool for the job. Highly pigmented, smudgeable and easy to apply, this pencil can be used to create a sharp line as well as a soft, smokey effect.
Shortlist:
Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner, £26
Too Faced Killer Liner 36-Hour Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Pencil, £19
Best liquid eyeliner
Get your fiercest feline flick yet with Benefit’s Roller Liner. Quick-drying, water-resistant and long-wearing, the matte formula is second to none and glides on effortlessly for a smooth, continuous line (thanks to the flexible felt-tip nib). Choose between matte black and deep brown.
Shortlist:
Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner, £30
Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner, £2.99
Best eyeshadow
No one does eyeshadow like Mac. The brand’s iconic formula is pigment-packed and easy to buff in, saturating lids in a choice of over 80 colours. From muted tones to bold brights, you’re guaranteed to find your perfect hue.
Shortlist:
Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Shadow, from £18.50
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VII: Divine Rose, £119
Danessa Myricks Beauty Lightwork IV Transcendence Palette, £125
Best false lashes
Magnetic lashes are the best way to fake a fuller flutter without the stickiness of glue. The winning set? These re-usable falsies from Eylure, which seamlessly adhere to the included magnetic liner. Simply glide the liner along your lash line, then attach your lashes – easy!
Shortlist:
Tatti Lashes Artisté Half Lash, £7.95
Kiss Falscara Starter Kit, £24.99
Photographer: Mateusz Sitek
Stylist: Michelle Duguid
Makeup: Marco Antonio
Hair: Craig Marsden
Manicure: Metta Francis
Models: Fallon Havanna @ Select London, Carmen Garitano @ PRM, Isabella Moore @ Milk Management
Beauty Director: Camilla Kay
Design Director: Dennis Lye
Visuals Director: Dalia Nassimi
