Makeup Must-Haves: Timeless Makeup Essentials and Product Recommendations

Last Updated on August 2, 2024 by Prissila Murillo

When trying to find the perfect makeup products, it can be overwhelming to figure out the absolute makeup must-haves. We all know that makeup is going to work uniquely on different kinds of skin, so finding the perfect product takes some trial and error. However, when you finally find the right match for you, you won’t be able to put it down.

Whether it is countless hours of online shopping, or going to the stores, we have found the ultimate makeup essentials. These products are our top makeup products of 2023, and we don’t think we will stop using them in the new year. Our suggestions for makeup must-haves start with primers down to lip liners. Best of all, we’ve been sure to include options ranging from high-end to the drugstore level. And don’t worry,  we know products like mascara and concealer come in many shades, formulas, and brands. That’s why we compiled a list of the best makeup essentials with products that are perfect from the packaging to the formula.

Makeup Must Haves: Beauty Blender

ORIGINAL BEAUTYBLENDER

Now, we aren’t going to lie to you: there are so many beauty sponges on the market for less money than the Original Beautyblender. However, the Original Beauty blender is the best makeup sponge on the market.  This product falls into the makeup essentials category because it is super soft and blends your liquid and cream makeup products to perfection. If you ever have a patchy foundation or cream contour that doesn’t blend out correctly, the Original Beautyblender makeup sponge is your best friend. 

Makeup Must Haves: Primer

But first off, what is the purpose of a primer? Think of primer as your makeup and skin’s right-hand man. It protects the skin and helps tackle several skin concerns. For example, if you have oilier skin, try to get a mattifying primer or vice versa.

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer

This primer is perfect for anyone concerned about clogged pores. Formulated to keep makeup out of your skin, this is perfect for anyone who’s wearing a full face for extended periods What’s amazing is that this primer also helps your complexion by lying smoothly on the skin, which gives an effortlessly airbrushed look.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

This is an oil-free primer with a nice silky texture to help create a smooth canvas for makeup. At the same time, it reduces signs of aging and pores. What more could you ask for? Hourglass is overall just an amazing brand that delivers high-quality products. Mixing this with the Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation will give you one of the best smooth and natural complexions.

Makeup Essentials: Setting Spray

MAC Prep & Prime Fix + Primer and Setting Spray

Priming spray and setting spray is often neglected in a makeup routine, but they ensure makeup has a stronghold and lasts all day. Often setting sprays and priming sprays are two separate products, but the MAC Prep & Prime Fix + Primer and Setting Spray do both. It primes so your foundation glides on smoothly and blends beautifully PLUS it sets your makeup look to stand up against sweat, heat, and melting.

Makeup Must Haves: Foundation

Choosing the right foundation depends on what sort of coverage you’re looking for. If you have more to cover, look for a full-coverage foundation that still looks natural. Also, don’t let the words “full coverage” freak you out. If you apply this with a beauty sponge, it will soak up a bit of the product and help give a seamless finish. However, if you find yourself just wanting slight coverage or are worried about makeup looking too heavy (a potential concern for mature skin), then try a light-medium coverage foundation. All three of the foundations mentioned are buildable full coverage, meaning you can add a small amount or build it up to get maximum coverage.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation

There is a reason this is the number one selling foundation in Sephora. Rihanna made an impact when she released Fenty Beauty. She set the standard for all beauty brands to include more inclusive shades in their complexion products. This foundation leaves a nice soft matte finish and is pretty reasonably priced for a higher-end foundation. If you’re worried this will be a little too matte on your skin but want to experience what all the hype is about, try spraying your beauty sponge with a dewy setting mist to help give your skin a little more hydration.

Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick

This foundation will give you the best and most natural full coverage finish for hours. The best part about it is that you can put on a slight amount or build it up to full coverage. This is perfect for anyone who’s constantly traveling. No glass foundation bottle means no accidental breakage. If you’re getting ready to go to the office and then a night out with the girls after that, this foundation will look just as good at 8 AM when you applied it as it will at 8 PM when you’re getting to your dinner reservations.

ColourPop Pretty Fresh Foundation

Hyaluronic acid has been all over social media this year as the active ingredient to incorporate into your skincare routine. Brands have hopped on this train too, as they are promoting their products with hyaluronic acid. The ColourPop Pretty Fresh Foundation has hyaluronic acid to ensure your face is hydrated while making your complexion look plump and glowy. A makeup essential like this one is a medium coverage that is buildable and creates a skin-like finish.

Makeup Must Haves: Concealer

Concealer is your best friend. On your quick days out the door, spot-concealing or adding a little concealer under your eyes can make the world of a difference. If you have more mature skin, stick to adding less and avoid directly adding it under eye creases. Start with a little on the inner corner of the eye and a little on the outer corner, letting them meet in the middle when you blend.

Tarte Shape Tape

Shape Tape is a literal monster in the concealer world. This is probably the best-selling concealer at the moment. It’s perfect for whatever type of coverage you want. Add a dot and blend for your everyday look, and a little bit more can turn into a full coverage lover’s dream. What’s best is that this concealer will not start to cake up and crease throughout the day, but it will add enough coverage to hide those under-eye circles.

Nars Creamy Radiant

Nars Creamy Radiant is perfect for anyone who’s looking for the perfect, natural coverage creamy concealer, or for someone who’s looking for that no-makeup makeup look. I even recommend using this one as a cream contour. This is going to be perfect for anyone who’s looking for that effortless supermodel look.

We can honestly say it is very hard leaving the house without a full-coverage concealer to hide blemishes and dark under the eyes. Concealer is one of our beauty essentials, and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is tough enough for the job. This concealer is formulated to last all day while leaving your skin radiant. It corrects, highlights, contours, and perfects any blemish or dark spot. The long and skinny packaging is perfect to fit in your purse and on the go.

Another great thing about this concealer is the shade range. You won’t have to worry about buying this product online because the description of the shade and the range of shades allow you to find the perfect match for your skin tone easily.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind

This is one of the best concealers you can get if you’re balling on a budget. It’s perfect for adding a hydrating look under the eyes that erases the look of fine lines. This will probably be a great option for someone with more mature skin or creasy under the eyes.

Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer

 This full-coverage matte concealer is perfect for adding that gorgeous blurred look to the face. It can be perfect for adding that extra bit of coverage on the face without a full face of foundation. It looks natural and effortless. The best part is you can add just a little bit and get a nice amount of coverage, which will make the product last longer.

Makeup Must Haves: Powder

If you want to have your makeup last all day (as in over 8 hours), then you’re going to need some powders. Yes, even if you have dry skin, there are powders for you too.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 

This is THE powder for (almost) everyone. It adds the perfect smoothing veil over the skin. Your skin is going to not only look velvety soft but also feel incredible. This is also a great product to bake with if you lean on the oiler side. It’s not super matte, but you can get it there. What makes the Laura Mercier Translucent powder so popular is the beautiful blurring effect it adds to the skin while keeping your makeup in place all day long.

Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder

This is a great powder for anyone who’s just trying to find a drugstore option, gets a smooth airbrushed finish, or simply has dry skin. Although this is Maybelline (don’t be fooled), it performs just as well as the big dogs in Sephora.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder 

If you’re looking for the perfect pressed powder, then look no further. Charlotte Tilbury has made the perfect powder to add an airbrushed effect to the face. If you tend to have dryer skin, this is a perfect way to give yourself light dust for longer-lasting makeup. It’s almost amazing that you can continuously add more and more without creating a super caked-up look. This is like in a tin.

Makeup Must Haves: Bronzer

Bronzer is perfect for adding warmth back to your face. You want to make sure your face has some dimension to it after covering up some of it with the foundations/concealers mentioned earlier.

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Benefit has created the must-have bronzer on the market. Although the Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer is advertised as a bronzer, it can also be used as a contour. In fact, because of the cool undertones in this powder, we recommend using this as a contour instead of a regular bronzer to sculpt out the face and create a beautiful contour. You can also sweep this over the face just to add back some extra color if you’re in a rush or don’t have time to chisel out your cheekbones. Benefit recently also extended the shade range so makeup lovers of different backgrounds can enjoy this beautiful formula.

Fenty Beauty Sun SStalkerInstant Warmth Bronzer

Rihanna has done it again with her new beautiful bronzers. These are perfect for summer to give you that perfect sun-kissed look. Who doesn’t love having that tan look without having to go sit in the sun for hours? What we love about Fenty Beauty is that they always think of all skin tones when making their products, and this bronzer range shows that. Which other company do you see with a bronzer range this extensive? This product is perfect to bronze with, but not so much contouring since the undertones are so warm. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially if you’re just trying to add more color to the face.

Makeup Must Haves: Blush

Who doesn’t love a little blush? Many people underestimate the power some blush has in helping contour your face. It is d makeup must-have. Placing it just right can give your cheekbones that snatched look everyone dreams of.

MAC

Mac is the makeup OG. Once upon a time, they were the only makeup company worth paying attention to. Their blushes are some of the most beautiful on the planet. They have perfected a way to add a beautiful, pigmented color to your cheeks without giving you that unwanted clown effect. Peaches are hands-down one of the most beautiful blush tones by MAC.

Benefit Cosmetics Galifornia

Galifornia is one of the most beautiful baby doll pink blushes you can find. It adds a beautiful wash of color to the cheeks without looking too overbearing. The blush also has the most heavenly scent, which is always fun to smell when applied. Don’t worry; you won’t have to deal with the scent all day long, as it quickly fades.

Milani Baked Blush

Milani Baked Blush is a beautiful bronzer and blush combination product. Although the colors are mainly pinks and peaches like a standard blush, a warm bronzer undertone adds a sunbaked finish. We consider blush to be a makeup essential because it highlights and brings life to the face. The Milani Baked Blush is also inexpensive and comes in great shades.

Makeup Must Haves: Highlighter

Whether you want a highlighter that can be seen from space or a subtle glow from within, there are many must-haves on the market.

Anastasia Beverly Hills X Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit

This must have collab just got relaunched, and there’s a reason. This formula is simply unlike any other. For this particular palette, Anastasia has created the perfect wet-looking highlighter. This will save you from blinding everyone in your path all summer long. It’s even amazing as a body highlighter, as it makes you glow and look even tanner than you could imagine. It’s rare to come across such a blinding highlight that doesn’t exaggerate your texture or other imperfections you’d rather keep hidden.

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

This is probably the best highlighter at the drugstore. Whether you want a subtle glow or to beam from within, this is the highlighter for you. On top of that, this formula is so buildable, but it doesn’t accentuate texture at all.

Makeup Must Haves: Eyeshadow

Eyeshadow has to be one of the absolute biggest makeup must-haves. You can never have too many palettes. Even on your most natural day, it can completely transform your look by just adding one color to your crease.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills has some of the best eyeshadows at Sephora. Just a little tap in the pan takes you a long way with pigment, which is amazing because you’re getting the most bang for your buck. The reason Soft Glam is one of the best palettes by ABH is that it has beautiful and wearable tones that are so versatile. They’re great for the office, but you can amp up your look with beautiful shimmers and metallic for those nights when you want a little extra pop.

Juvia’s Place

Juvia’s Place has some amazing eyeshadow palettes for a great price point. Their mattes are some of the most pigmented and blendable on the market. Juvia’s Place also offers some very interesting and colorful color stories that you wouldn’t always stumble upon in your everyday palette.

Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Clay Eyeshadow Palette

Many eyeshadows palettes have neutrals similar to the shadows in the Tartelette in Bloom Clay Eyeshadow Palette, but this palette carries every essential neutral shadow. You can create an abundance of different classic eyeshadow looks with this palette. The palette has 12 mattes and shimmers for easy layering and blending. Whether you like shimmers or mattes, these shadows are perfect for creating a soft makeup look.

Makeup Must Haves: Mascara

Mascara is one of the essential makeup items to have in your kit. On most days, it’s probably what you throw on just before you’re out the door.

Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara

This is one of our favorite mascaras. Roller Lash can give you beautiful, flirty lashes that don’t clump up at all. What’s great is you won’t experience this mascara flaking onto your under eyes like other mascaras. This is also a mascara we recommend for anyone who wears false lashes. Adding just a little will give you the perfectly amped-up base for your favorite lash to go on top of.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

This is one of the best mascaras at the drugstore and is often referred to as the drugstore dupe for “Better Than Sex” by Too Faced. This will give your lashes all the drama and volume that you’re begging for. What we love the most is that the mascara won’t clump off and end up all over your cheeks throughout the day.

Makeup Must Haves: Lashes

Lashes might not be seen as something essential to the everyday look unless you’re a true lash lover. However, they can make a world of difference. Also, they don’t have to be as dramatic as what you see on Instagram. There are plenty of natural lashes on the market as well. The key is finding the perfect pair that have strangers second-guessing if they’re real or not.

Lilly Lashes

Lilly Ghalichi is without a doubt the queen of lashes. You can see all the Hollywood A-Listers wearing her lashes on the red carpet. The hairs look so natural. If you’re looking for the perfect pair, look at her “Miami” line. There’s “Miami Lite” that adds the perfect natural flare, “Miami Flare” to add a beautiful winged-like effect, “Miami” for the perfect mix between drama yet wearable, and “So Extra Miami” for all of our large lash lovers out there. Each lash is reusable 20-30 times, so this is d great investment for your kit.

Kiss Lashes

Kiss hands-down makes the best lashes at the drugstore. The hairs look like human hair, which is rare to find on a drug store lash. Usually, when you have drug store lashes, the actual hairs tend to look like plastic; not these! They also have a wide array of different shapes. If someone is trying to learn how to apply lashes, a cheaper pair is great to practice with, since they can get messy. These, however, will become your best friend.

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

Before preparing yourself for the best affordable mascara of the year, it is only $5. The Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara elongates and bolds your lashes to the extreme. We always see makeup artists add false lashes, and it immediately elevates their makeup look. False lashes aren’t always for everyday use. Sometimes we want a bold lash without the trouble of putting on fake lashes. This mascara provides volume and length, and it looks like you could be wearing false lashes. It’s also a dupe for many high-end mascaras that achieve a similar effect.

Makeup Essentials: Brow Powder

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo

We hate when our eyebrows are not filled in enough or filled in too much. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo is the best brow makeup essential for creating an even and effortless brow look. Use an angled brush to flick small lines into your brows to fill them. The best part about this product is the arrangement of shades. From blonde to black hair, you can find the perfect shade for your brows.

Makeup Must Haves: Eyeliner

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil

Out of all eyeliner (pencil, liquid, and gel), gel eyeliner is our favorite. The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil is an incredibly versatile makeup essential. When using gel eyeliner, you can create a harsh line or use an angled eye brush to smoke it out. This gel eyeliner does an excellent job of creating a more smoke effect, and it is super smooth.

Makeup Must Haves: Lip Liner

LA lipliner can be the perfect way to add some dimension to your lips or even add a little color. They’re especially great if you’re not into the whole full-coverage liquid lip look.

Colourpop Lippie Pencils

Colourpop is extremely affordable. They also happen to make amazing lip liners. These come in a wide array of shades, and they help shape your lips to give the illusion of plumper lips. What we love the most is that the pencil itself is creamy – but not so creamy that you can’t make precise lines. It’s also easy to blend out any harsh lines, which helps give your lips a natural look.

Makeup Must Haves: Lips

Lips are probably the perfect way to experiment with your look. Also, if you’re going straight from the office to grab drinks with your girlfriends, just wipe off that office-appropriate nude and throw on a mauve purple. There are endless possibilities when it comes to lips.

Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick 

Huda Beauty has made some of the best matte liquid lipsticks in Sephora. It gives you that perfect pout without creating any discomfort on your lips. Just swipe it on and forget it’s even there. The best part is that it will last all day long. You don’t have to worry about reapplying over and over during your busy day. Glowy lipstick with shine may not be for you, so this HUDA BEAUTY Power Bullet Matte Lipstick will be your go-to lipstick. The creamy formula leaves a matte finish that is not drying and lasts all day. The colors are stunning with pinks, reds, blues, greens, and purples. 

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

Maybelline has one of the most extensive shade ranges in lips at the drugstore. Whether you’re looking for something matte, creamy, or anything in between, they even come in multiple different finishes. The best part about Maybelline lipsticks is that they’re comfortable. The last thing anyone needs is to have a super heavy lip bothering them the whole day.

Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish

We have tried many lip plumper, glosses, and stains, but none of them achieve the pouting effect just like the Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish. The perfect essential for some glossy lips. The formula is not sticky but instead glides on top of lip liner or lipstick while adding pout with a single swipe. You can use this alone for a quick and glossy plump lip. Not to mention, the smell of this product is sweet and delicious.

Makeup Essentials: Makeup Remover

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

You may consider this product in your skincare routine, but it has everything to do with makeup, just like the previous products. Removing your makeup is technically still a beauty essential, and after the glam look, you need to properly take off your makeup. The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is an oil cleanser that acts as a makeup remover. Use a pump or two on dry skin, and it magically melts even stubborn eye makeup. After using this, your face is clear of any makeup residue, and it doesn’t have a film. We recommend using a water-based cleanser after the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.

Conclusion

Finding the makeup must-have that’s right for you doesn’t have to be as tricky as it seems. Hopefully, you can try out some of our suggested makeup must-haves and find your perfect match. Whether you’re a full coverage queen or just trying to add a little extra sparkle before you leave the house, you should be able to find a must-have that suits your needs, with killer formulas and flawless finishes. You can buy these products and wear them without having to worry if your makeup will melt throughout the day. These vital makeup products will provide you with exactly what you are looking for in a makeup product and more!