Best Beauty Products 2021 Top Makeup Picks

This is my second annual best beauty products 2021 blog post! I started in 2020, and I want to be clear that the items in that post are still my favorites today. This second post only adds onto the great list of the past year. I want to make sure it is understood that this list is made of products that I tried for the first time in 2021. Not all of these items are new beauty products 2021. In fact, some are rather “old.” When I plan this type of post, I think back over the whole year for the items that I used a lot and really enjoyed over all others. Really, these are those top of mind products. I own so much makeup that if I go back and use something repetitively, that speaks volumes. For each product I will be providing an in-depth review, and I will link you to any corresponding blog post for further details.

Best Makeup 2021

Primer

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer

I am starting the best beauty products 2021 with the same way that you start your makeup- with primers! Tatcha’s The Silk Canvas Protective Primer is nothing new. Many people will call this primer a favorite as well. I bought this to test it against other putty primers on the market, and it ends up being the best. It fills all of my huge pores 100% with a lovely blurring effect. Tatcha leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated with no tacky finish. At the end of the day I see oil production in the t-zone, but nothing outside of the ordinary. This primer simply works better than all other putty primers, and I find myself using it for special occasion looks, and it creeps into my travel bag.

elf Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer

The other primer that I am loving is the elf Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer. First, it smells like dessert and is such a treat to apply to the skin! But, it dries with a tacky finish that will grip your makeup all day for long-lasting wear. It even gives your skin a fresh, slightly radiant finish. So if you want to wear it alone, you can. I try a lot of primers in the span of one year, and it is very rare that I find one that actually causes makeup to wear longer. That is why I have to call attention to this, and its watermelon counterpart. Do not miss my Mint Melt Collection review to see this primer in action.

Foundation

wet n wild barefoucs Tinted Hydrator Tinted Skin Veil

Next up for best makeup 2021 is two primer options, starting with the wet n wild barefocus Tinted Hydrator Tinted Skin Veil. I first review it as a part of wet n wild 2021 new products, and I have been using it a lot since that point! This is a foundation that I have been using for almost all of my special occasion/bullet-proof makeup this year, even in my travel makeup bag. In 2020 I did a lot of powder foundation special occasion looks because it worked with wearing a face mask. This year I want to enjoy liquid foundation because I can.

First, this foundation is lightweight like a BB or a CC cream. However, you can build the coverage up to high-medium. It looks incredibly fresh and skin-like. This is a statement I really have not ever been able to make, but it actually looks even more beautiful when set with powder! This foundation holds up well all day for long-lasting wear, so it makes a lovely pairing with virtually all of the other products in this blog post.

Loreal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation In a Powder

I have been looking for a less-expensive dupe to my favorite Sephora powder foundation, and the Loreal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder is the real deal. It has buildable coverage, and I always hesitate to call a powder full coverage, but it gives me enough that I can also wear this for special occasion looks. I even use this as a setting powder (pair it with that wet n wild Tinted Skin Veil!). Some beauty gurus pair this powder with the elf Mint Melt primer for a bullet-proof look, and I totally back that. It never looks heavy or cakey on the skin, rather, it looks blurring and smooth. You cannot mess this product up! It also lasts all day for long-wear.

Concealer

wet n wild megalast Incognito All-Day Full Coverage Concealer

Now in best beauty products 2021 I am going to touch on two concealers. First is some best new makeup 2021 with the wet n wild megalast Incognito All-Day Full Coverage Concealer. I find that I reach for this concealer on days when I do not want to think too hard about what makeup I want to use. This is an easy choice that I can trust. This concealer is creamy with a natural finish, and you can build it up from medium to full coverage. It looks skin-like and wears well all day.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

Every year I find myself saying WHY did I not try this product sooner, but I finally fell into the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. It also has a natural finish, but it builds up to high medium coverage. They actually make a light enough shade that it highlights well on fair skin, and it truly looks beautiful as it wears all day. Sometimes I grab this for special occasions, too.

Brows

Kara Beauty First Impressions Eyebrow Palette

I have a lot to say in best beauty products of 2021 for Kara Beauty, but that is coming up soon. For now, I am going to hit brow products and start by discussing the Kara Beauty First Impressions Eyebrow Palette. The first row contains powders, and the second row contains cream pomades. You have lovely options for highlighting, as well as a shade range to target most brow colors outside of red hair. The pomades provide soft, creamy tint and hold to the brows, and the powders are also soft and feathery. I can use this palette with my Pears soap brows routine for a special makeup look, or any day, and it works well. This is really a people pleaser eyebrow palette.

Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil

Now I have to tell you about an “old” brow pencil but I am digging it! Meet the Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil. A triangular-shaped retractible pencil is not a new concept, and this one is slightly smaller than others on the market. This makes it so easy to get soft, feathered, hair-like strokes, while also being fast to use and will keep you ‘in the lines.’ This formula glides through the brows smoothly and is never waxy. I appreciate the spoolie end to brush the product through. This is now one of my favorite pencils in my collection, hands down.

wet n wild Brow-Sessive Brow Shaping Gel

I have so many drugstore brow shaping gels, and they pretty much all perform the same/well. But, for some reason, I keep using the wet n wild Brow-Sessive Brow Shaping Gel in the year 2021. It works just as well as others, but I cannot help that I like it! This gel provides soft tint and all-day hold, but it is not crunchy. The small spoolie is easy to control with no mess. I can grab this in a pinch and I am good to go.

Bronzer, Contour, Blush, & Highlighter

Natasha Denona Bronze Cheek Face Glow Palette

Continuing on with best beauty products 2021, I am tackling a big section for bronzer, contour, blush, and highlight, beginning with the Natasha Denona Bronze Cheek Face Glow Palette. This palette has a cream highlight and blush, then a powder bronzer and highlight. I appreciate the plastic lid that protects the creams from the powders! You can use this palette all over the face, even on the eyes. All four products have a buildable formula with shimmer that gives you a healthy glow. You really do look like a bronzed goddess with this palette, even if you have fair skin.

I got hooked the first time that I used this because these formulations are such high quality and look great on the skin. Everything blends into the skin so well! I like to apply the cream blush with a stipple brush, and then the cream highlighter with my fingers. The cream highlighter almost has a jelly formula, in that my finger can move it around the pan. I love this palette so much that I am starting to collect the others from this line.

Physicians Formula All Star Face Palette

For a drugstore option, you cannot sleep on the Physicians Formula All Star Face Palette! You get six of their all-time best sellers for a steal inside one palette, plus limited edition shades. This palette works well for a variety of skin tones, and all of the powders are buttery smooth and easy to blend. It features blush, bronzer, highlight, and a face powder. The quality is there, period.

Hard Candy Fox in a Box Glamour Girl Marbelized Baked Highlighter

I found this Hard Candy Fox in a Box Marbelized Baked Highlighter in Glamour Girl at Dollar Tree, but I am blown away! I recognize it is probably being discontinued, but it wears just like a high-end highlighter. The pina colada scent is lovely, and the white gold hue works great on fair skin. You can build this up to be blinding if you want.

Fenty Beauty Lil’ Bronze Duo

You have got to try this Fenty Beauty Lil’ Bronze Duo, as it is such a steal for the quality! It comes in two options depending on your skin tone. This lighter set is perfect for me. Again, I get the perfect bronze. The powder is velvety smooth and matte, while the stick is shimmery in a healthy way while it blends so well. None of these products are orange.

Physicians Formula Matte Monoi Bronzer

Okay, Physicians Formula is killing 2021 with all of their bronzers, but we know they rock this makeup category. You should already love the original Butter Bronzer line, and now we have two Matte Monoi bronzers. They smell great, are fully matte, and are easy to blend and build for all-day wear. You cannot go wrong with these drugstore bronzers, and you get a lot of product.

Physicians Formula Butter Cheat Day Bronzers

This best beauty products 2021 list has even more Physicians Formula bronzers! These four Butter Cheat Day bronzers smell amazingly delicious! You get the perfect bronze with them, and none are orange. They all have some sort of shimmer, but it looks fresh on the skin. Many of the shimmers and special designs are over sprays, so they do quickly wear off, but these are still great and packed with product.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Iced Out Highlighter

For another highlighter recommendation, I reached for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Iced Out Highlighter many times in 2021. I love a blinding highlight, and you get that with this highlighter. It is meant to be icy, and it definitely is! The best way to describe it is a white highlighter with a gold metallic sheen. ABH always brings the quality.

Eyeshadow

Kara Beauty Palettes

For this part of best beauty products 2021, I am going to gush a lot about Kara Beauty because it is my personal brand of the year. I first discovered them at TJMaxx as they were selling several 25-pan eyeshadow palettes that looked really nice. I hesitate in buying unfamiliar brands at discount stores because I often get disappointed in the quality. On Instagram I tried asking people if they were familiar with Kara Beauty, but everyone was unfamiliar. I decided to bite the bullet and buy three of the 25-pan palettes. Well, after I tried them, let me just say I went back to TJMaxx and wiped them out on Kara Beauty! Every time that I go in there I grab everything from this brand that I can, and I have shopped their website too.

Kara Beauty is an indie makeup brand, but it is clear that they put a lot of care into their products. Their price range is lower than high-end, but more than drugstore. As an example, the 25-pan palettes are $25, but TJMaxx sells them for $12 or less, so that is a major steal! The brand mostly makes eyeshadow. Below you can see ALL of the palettes I bought in the year 2021.

What I find is that their formula is incredibly pigmented, which I liken to other well-known brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills. Little building of pigment is needed, but they are easy to blend and to build with. You will swear that these are high-end or luxury! I urge you, if you come across this brand, buy whatever you can. I have been using these palettes over and over again in the makeup looks that I share on Instagram. They end up in my travel makeup bag. I cannot get enough.

Huda Beauty Naughty Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Outside of Kara Beauty, I have other favorites that stand out from the year. I particularly enjoyed the Huda Beauty Naughty Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. This is a fresh take on a nudes palette, with a variety of formulations. I know you are curious about “Slippery” but I am too afraid to try it! Huda Beauty kills it with eyeshadow, and these are so velvety smooth, blurring, and pigmented. I interviewed for my new job wearing this palette!

Morphe x Madison Beer Channel Surfing Artistry Palette

Another eyeshadow obsession is the Morphe x Madison Beer Channel Surfing Artistry Palette. If you are familiar with Morphe’s formula, then you know it is really good, but somehow this palette is even better and on another level. Every time that I use it I am blown away by how silky smooth and richly pigmented this entire palette is! We need to discuss this shade range too. It literally is perfect for every day! I love to use this palette to make the perfect mauve eye, a nude look, or something flirty and sultry. This is your one-stop-shop for most looks, days, and occasions.

Eyeliner

Lottie London Stamp Liner Wing Edition

Turning to eyeliner in the best beauty products 2021, I have to rave about Lottie London! I first tried this brand this year as it works its way into Walmart stores and online retailers. An eyeliner stamp is not a new concept, but this one actually works! I have seen so many beauty gurus test stamps that fail. The Lottie London Stamp Liner Wing Edition produces a matte black wing and it is not patchy. My best advice is to not overthink it. When I go to stamp, I really do not think at all, I just go for it. I can never say that my wings looked uneven. Honestly, you get the perfect wing every time! The felt tip end is somewhat large, but I do not struggle with it as I am experienced with eyeliner. I can connect the wing to the rest of my eye well. I now use this eyeliner for special occasions! Often times it is sold out in stores, a testament to how good it actually works.

Lottie London Starry Eyed Stamp Liner

Lottie London rocks the stamp eyeliner game, and I also have the Starry Eyed Stamp Liner. Unfortunately, you cannot buy this liner anywhere, as I got it in the 2021 Walmart Halloween box. They NEED to make this available ASAP. I have been wanting a star stamp all year, and this works just as well as the wing! The felt tip liner side is much smaller, which is easier to use for those less experienced. I use the stamp as a beauty mark, but you can get as creative as you want.

elf x Jen Atkin Zero Effort Liners

I try not to promote limited edition/discontinued products in my best of posts, but when something is that good, I have to give it props. Really, the entire elf x Jen Atkin line was so well done (more on that later). Here are the Zero Effort Liners. These are standard eyeliner pencils that you sharpen. They came in black and brown. I love the formula because it glides easily without tugging, while it lasts all day, even on the waterline! Smudge these out for a smokey look, line your waterline, do whatever you want and it comes out great. I sincerely hope that elf brings these back in these exact colors, while also expanding the shade range.

Lips

elf x Jen Atkin Xxtra Lip Duos

Moving on to lips in best of beauty 2021, I do have to share more discontinued items. The elf x Jen Atkin XXtra Lip Duos change the lipstick game at the drugstore! You get a matte lipstick that matches the matte lip liner on the other end. These last all day and feel great on the lips. The kicker here is that they virtually do not transfer, and these are lipsticks! What?! They hold up pretty darn good with eating and drinking. I beg elf to bring these colors back plus to expand the shade range!

Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks

This might sound crazy, but the Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks pretty much are dupes for the elf Xxtra Lip Duos, yet they are being discontinued too! I was able to grab two shades this year, and my review for them is really the same as that for elf. They are matte, comfortable, have virtually no transfer, and last all day with minor wear and tear during eating and drinking.

Revlon ColorStay Satin Ink

I should state that I tried so many lip products in 2021. For whatever reason, I kept finding good deals on lippies and it ended up being the year of lip color. Narrowing this lips section down is really hard, as I can recommend so much. However, the Revlon ColorStay Satin Ink line left an impression on me. I only have one shade that was sent in the Walmart Halloween 2021 box. I hope to expand my collection soon. This product does dry and set with a perfect satin finish, but there is little to no transfer. So, it holds up well with careful eating and drinking. It definitely hugs the lips and feels comfortable. The pigmentation is supercharged, and the triangular doe foot is easy to use.

Honorable Best New Makeup 2021

elf x Jen Atkin Collection

I want to give a special shout-out to the elf x Jen Atkin Collection. This is the best collection from 2021 for several reasons. First, all of the colors are perfect for daily wear. Second, the quality is over-the-top for elf Cosmetics. Their stuff rocks, but these products are on high-end level. Each and every item works exceptionally well in terms of shade range, blendability, pigmentation, and formulation. It is a real shame that these items are limited edition and gone. If there was an award for best drugstore makeup 2021, it needs to go here.

Best Beauty Products 2021 Makeup Look

I am ending these best beauty products 2021 with a makeup look incorporating as many items as possible. As a note, I went with the Kara Beauty Gentle Teaser palette as it stands out to me from the year. I used it many times and traveled with it, no matter if I needed a rusty orange look, or something flirty and sultry. Here are the products used:

• elf Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer
• Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer
• Milani Eyeshadow Primer in Nude
• wet n wild barefoucs Tinted Hydrator Tinted Skin Veil in Fair
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Cool Ivory
• Loreal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation In A Powder in Porcelain
• Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in Fair
• Maybelline Lasting Fix Makeup Setting Spray
• Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil in Deep Brown
• wet n wild Brow-Sessive Brow Shaping Gel in Brown
• Natasha Denona Bronze Cheek Face Glow Palette
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit in Fair
• Kara Beauty Gentle Teaser Eyeshadow Palette
• Lottie London Stamp Liner Wing Edition
• Lottie London Starry Eyed Stamp Liner
• elf x Jen Atkin Zero Effort Liner in Brown to Earth
• elf x Jen Atkin Xxtra Lip Duo in Bring It On Brown
• Loreal Voluminous Primer
• wet n wild Bayside Cheerleading Mascara in Black

To recreate the eyeshadow look, start by setting the eyelid with Pillow Talk. Next, apply Embrace Me to the crease, and bring it down below the lower lash line. Then, deepen the crease with Love Line, and also bring that down below the lower lash line. Now, apply Little Mama to the eyelid. Next, apply Full Exposure to the outer-v, and bring it down along the lower lash line, close to the lashes. Deepen the outer-v with Hustle, and again bring it down close to the lower lash line. Again, deepen the outer-v with a slight touch of Brown Sugar. Sweep Babe along the entire lower lash line. Finish the look by highlighting the brow bone and inner corner with Sugar Pop.

Shop the Best Beauty Products of 2021

Conclusion

In summary of best beauty products 2021, these are all of the stand-out items that I personally tried this year. Since I cannot possibly try everything, I need your help in the comments to add on to this list, and to even suggest skincare. I will continue to use these products, and items from my 2020 list, well into the future. But, I look forward to what 2022 will cause me to discover. You will love all of these recommendations, of that I am sure. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.

Are any of my products also on your list?

See the Best Beauty Products of Previous Years: