The HYPEBAE Best: 20 Makeup and Skincare Products We Loved in 2019
A list of game-changing products that our editors discovered this year.
Whether it’s shouting out your new makeup finds in a “Monthly Favorites” video or documenting your skincare holy grails with a #TopShelfie, the last decade saw members of the beauty community passionately exchanging recommendations with each other like never before. As 2019 comes to a close, the HYPEBAE editors are joining the conversation by sharing some of the best beauty products we tested and loved this year.
From Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Concealer that launched with a game-changing range of 50 inclusive shades, to The Ordinary‘s hyaluronic acid serum well-loved for its effectiveness and unbeatable price, read on for our affordable and high-end beauty essentials.
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
For makeup that lasts all day and night, our editors swear by Milk Makeup‘s Hydro Grip Primer. Formulated with ingredients such as blue agave extract, prickly pear cactus extract and aloe water, the product helps create a smooth base that feels hydrated and makes your skin well-prepped for a full beat.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation
Created with normal, dry and combination skin types in mind, the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation is a makeup-skincare hybrid that not only evens out one’s complexion and reduces the appearance of pores, but also helps thoroughly hydrate the skin. Available in 44 shades, the full-coverage foundation is currently one of the best on the market.
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer
Introduced earlier this year as a new addition to Fenty Beauty’s much-loved base makeup range, the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer offers buildable, medium to full coverage with a seamless finish and brightening look. A quick pick-me-up for your under-eye area, the product feels lightweight on the skin and doesn’t easily crease.
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder
Another Fenty Beauty favorite of our editorial team, the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder comes in eight sheer shades suitable for fair, medium as well as deep skin tones. Those who’ve tried the loose powder before would know that it does a perfect job of reducing shine without causing the makeup to appear heavy or cakey.
Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder
On days when you want to give your face a little bit of definition, Bobbi Brown‘s Bronzing Powder is the product to reach for. Featuring a matte and silky-smooth finish, the bronzer will give you that natural, just-came-back-from-vacation tan and sun-kissed glow.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Face Palette “Ghost”
Dubbed “Ghost,” the latest version of Hourglass’ best-selling Ambient Lighting Edit Face Palette comes packed with six beautiful shades that can be used as highlighter, bronzer and blush. Thanks to its translucent, iridescent finish, the product gives the skin a subtle glow and is ideal for day-to-night wear. As with other Hourglass products, this palette is vegan and cruelty-free.
Sunnies Face Airblush
A Philippines-based beauty brand that’s rapidly gaining popularity stateside, Sunnies Face launched its Airblush in May this year with six wearable shades, including the orange-hued “Peached,” poppy red “Disco” and our editor’s favorite, the warm, chocolaty tone “Biscuit” that can also be worn as a bronzer. Ultra-lightweight and easily blendable with fingertips, the cheek tint is quite unlike anything else we’ve tried, and leaves a soft-focus, warm flush on the cheeks.
Glossier Brow Flick Microfine Detailing Pen
The perfect complement to the Glossier Boy Brow, which we’ve sung the praises of for quite a while now, Brow Flick is able to fill in the sparse parts of your eyebrows, making the brows appear fuller before you define the hair with the beloved brow gel. With a sheer, watercolor-like formula and a fine, pointed applicator, the product is forgiving to use and easy to maneuver even for makeup beginners.
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VI Eyeshadow Palette: Midnight Sun
When it comes to eyeshadows, no one does it better than “Mother” Pat McGrath. Released earlier this year, the Mothership VI Eyeshadow Palette: Midnight Sun is created with a runway-ready mix of highly pigmented colors. From blindingly gold shimmer to a bold violet hue, the palette is made for those who embrace a statement-making eye look.
Glossier Pro Tip Brush Point Liquid Eyeliner
If you’ve never felt confident enough to use a liquid eyeliner, Glossier’s Pro Tip might change your mind. With a fine brush tip designed with flexible fibers, the eyeliner glides on the curve of the lash line super smoothly. And when the brand claims that the product is smudge-proof, it isn’t exaggerating. After spending hours in the snow, our editor was pleasantly surprised when looking in the mirror and finding out that the eyeliner still stayed put at the end of the night — it’s just impressive.
Dior Diorshow Pump ‘N’ Volume HD Mascara
Launched back in April, Dior Makeup‘s Diorshow Pump ‘N’ Volume HD Mascara is our secret to achieving dramatic and full-looking lashes. Designed with a squeezable tube that allows for an evenly coated brush, the mascara is able to give your eyelashes instant volume by defining and thickening each piece of hair.
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Matte Lip Liquid Colour
A great lipstick for dinner parties and night-outs, Chanel‘s Rouge Allure Ink Matte Lip Liquid Colour boasts a long-lasting formula that applies smoothly like a gloss and sets with a luxurious-looking, matte finish. From the everyday-friendly “Metallic Beige” to the “Signature” red color, the lippie makes an amazing makeup bag staple.
Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid
For those who suffer from flaky winter skin due to cold, dry climates, Glossier’s Futuredew is a lifesaver. Described by the brand as an oil-serum hybrid, this moisturizing product can give your skin that sought-after, dewy look thanks to its blend of plant-based extracts. Treating it as a highlighter, our editor enjoys using Futuredew as the final step of her skincare routine to achieve a natural, lived-in glow.
Chanel La Crème Main
Chanel’s La Crème Main is a hand cream that can do both. Not only do we love how nourishing the quick-absorbing and pleasantly-scented formula is, but we also never seem to get tired of admiring its sleek packaging. It’s function and aesthetic in one Instagrammable egg.
Tata Harper Regenerating Exfoliating Cleanser
A product that we discovered this year from all-natural beauty brand Tata Harper, the Regenerating Exfoliating Cleanser is formulated with natural BHA that gives your skin a healthy glow. Smelling like a glass of fresh orange juice, the cleanser is filled with apricot microspheres that help buff and smoothen the skin.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
Suitable for all skin types, SK-II‘s famous Facial Treatment Essence — often nicknamed “Miracle Water” — is known to combat dullness and uneven texture. At $185 USD, the product is quite an investment, but it’s a long-term treatment that will gradually transform your skin.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
A skincare must-have for many of our editors, The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum is a quick fix for those dreaded dry patches that tend to haunt us during wintertime. After continuous use, our editor noticed that her skin felt significantly plump and moisturized. With a wallet-friendly price tag of $6.80 USD, what more can you ask for?
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
Another tried-and-true solution for dry skin, First Aid Beauty‘s Ultra Repair Cream is a fast-absorbing moisturizer ideal for all skin types — even those with eczema. And in case you’re wondering, this face cream is vegan and cruelty-free.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream
For those who’re ready to make the splurge, consider adding Dr. Barbara Sturm‘s Face Cream to your skincare regimen. A celebrity-favorite product, the face moisturizer is known for enhancing skin texture with purslane, an antioxidant ingredient that helps rejuvenate skin and keeps it hydrated for up to 24 hours.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
Completing our list this year is another product from The Ordinary, the Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG. Formulated to tackle puffy and dark under-eye circles, the concentrated serum contains caffeine and green tea cathechin that help visibly reduce the appearance of tired-looking eyes. It’s a godsend after an all-nighter.
