29 Beauty All-Stars That Won Our Hearts

There are many reasons why Troy Surratt, makeup artist and creator of Surratt Beauty, deserves an award: his incredible skill, his devotion to his craft, his boundless creativity.

But the reason he deserves this award is his commitment to pushing the limits of what makeup can do in the service of making women look and feel their most beautiful. Surratt has married his encyclopedic knowledge of makeup with an intense interest in technology. The result is a line of cosmetics intent on breaking rules, defying conventions, and most importantly, bringing delight to makeup counters around the world.

Fashion Week around the world probably couldn't happen without Dick Page, makeup artist extraordinaire and artistic director for Shiseido The Makeup, who is a sought-after and charming presence backstage both in New York and at shows around the world.

His palettes for Shiseido are beautifully colored, and he creates them through a ridiculously painstaking process that starts with his own photography, which he uses to color-match paint and eventually turns into makeup.

Editorially, he is equally artistic, creating iconic looks for magazines and brands including Love, Vogue, Self Service, Isabel Marant, Céline, and Marc Jacobs. "Mr. Page is a runway and editorial legend, and his work and influence continue to inspire!" — Robin Black

• 
  Bobbi Brown
  bobbibrown.com
• 
  Jin Soon Choi
  jinsoon.com

If you're not already familiar with Goss, here's an intro, by the numbers:
2 million: number of YouTube subscribers
5: number of minutes it took his brush collection to sell out
9 million: number of views for his most-watched tutorial, Contour and Highlight Like Kim Kardashian

Goss has never done editorial. "Editorial is beautiful. Very. It's also fiction. It's not real," he's said. "The models and actresses themselves don't look like that — so, to me, it's promoting an unrealistic image that we all want to look like but just can't." Goss considers himself more of a teacher, and clearly, his students are devoted.

"His videos have popped up in my feed for years, and when I need help contouring, awakening, or highlighting my skin, he never fails me. I've always loved how calm, straightforward, and informative his tutorials are. Plus, he shows that makeup and cosmetics are for all genders!" — Janet Mock

• 
  Zoe Sugg
  Zoella
• 
  Tanya Burr
  Tanya Burr
• 
  Dulce Candy Ruiz
  DulceCandy87

Manufactured onsite at her 1,200-acre farm in Vermont, Harper's line has elevated the organic-beauty category out of musty health-food store shelves, beyond a scant mention during Earth Day, and into the medicine chests of pretty much every skin-care fanatic — because her products actually work.

"Tata Harper is an authentic voice in the beauty industry, and has quickly risen to the top in the realm of luxury naturals. The products are just lovely to experience! I recently gave a few things to someone on my team who had never tried the brand, and she texted me that night, freaking out about them." — Holly Siegel

• 
  The Organic Pharmacy
  Website
• 
  Osmia Organics
  Website
• 
  Laurel Whole Plant Organics
  Website
• 
  Jane Iredale
  Website
• 
  Beautycounter
  Website

It wasn't too long ago when a "cushion" was something you sat on. Nowadays, thanks to the Korean beauty explosion, savvy beauty junkies know that cushions (as in compacts) are an express train to gorgeous, protected skin. When we asked our very own Korean correspondent, Joyce Kong, what product from Korea she thinks has had the most impact, she didn't hesitate to call out the cushions. "In terms of makeup that's made it stateside, I really can't think of anything more innovative than the cushion," she says.

Joyce went so far as to say that she prefers Sulwhasoo's new Perfecting Cushion to the revered Iope one. "The formulation is completely different — it's pretty sheer, but it's also illuminating without being weirdly shimmery. Every time I wear it (really, every time), I get comments on how amazing my skin looks." Black agrees, citing the high SPF, good-for-the-skin ingredients, and luminous finish as key benefits that make this makeup perfect for summer.

• 
  France
  Talika Bio Enzymes Mask Purifying
  
  at Nordstrom
• 
  Australia
  Grown Alchemist Anti-Oxidant+ Facial Oil
  
  at Grown Alchemist
• 
  Japan
  DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
  
  at DHC
• 
  Germany
  Royal Fern Phytoactive Anti-Aging Cream
  
  at SpaceNK

When John Frieda announced it was bringing back its iconic Beach Blonde collection, the Internet released a collective gasp of surprise and joy. The return of the brand's beloved Sea Salt Spray had women flocking to the drugstore in droves to pick up a bottle of the crunch-free texturizer — it's the next best thing to bottled ocean water when it comes to your hair.

Mock calls it the perfect beach-day cheat. "After a dirty hair day, I revitalized my curls by spraying the front and top of my head, then scrunching and blowdrying my hair on cool," she says. "It refreshed my texture with a beachy finish that added volume and a fresh scent." Adds Ron Robinson, "I love when a brand really listens to their customers and brings back an iconic product." Us too, Ron, us too.

• 
  CK
  One Color Cosmetics
  
  at Ulta
• 
  Kryolan
  HD Cream Liner
  
  at Kryolan
• 
  Herbal Essences
  Naked Dry Shampoo
  
  at drugstore.com

With a mind-boggling 62 shades, Alima was the clear choice for this category. The mineral makeup brand blew our judges away with its shade array and varied options for darker skin tones — an attribute that is sadly lacking in too many foundation launches today.

"Beige 7 was a perfect match for me, with a velvet finish that looked like lightly dusted skin," raves Mock. "Plus, the deeper, darker tones were rich and varied in tones of cool and beige." Adds Robinson, "There's a shade for nearly every skin tone on the planet."

• 
  MAC
  Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
  
  at Nordstrom
• 
  L'Oréal
  True Match Super Blendable Makeup
  
  at Walmart
• 
  Lancôme
  Teint Idole Ultra 24H
  
  at Sephora
• 
  Giorgio Armani
  Luminous Silk Foundation
  
  at Nordstrom

They don't call her the Lipstick Queen for nothing — Poppy King's passion for lip products led her to create one of the most visually stunning, damn near perfect matte lipsticks. The expertly curated color selections, dreamy, featherweight feel on the lips, and all-day fade-proof finish impressed our judges and had them grabbing it over and over again.

"Besides having one of the hands-down best reds my lips have ever encountered — Black Tie — I love how this one feels on my lips," says Megan McIntyre. "It doesn't make them parched or leave a gross ring of dead skin, and when it finally starts to fade, it looks like a sexy, lived-in stain — unlike other longwear lippies, which tend to fade from the inside out and give you a permaliner look." Robinson notes that it was a lipstick with "serious attitude," while Anne-Marie Guarnieri was also impressed with how evenly it wore.

• 
  Butter London
  Moisture Matte Lipstick
  
  at Ulta
• 
  NARS
  Audacious Lipstick
  
  at Sephora
• 
  Kat Von D
  Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
  
  at Sephora
• 
  Bite Beauty
  Matte Créme Lip Crayon
  
  at Sephora

With its curved wand and "wide-angle fan effect," Lancôme Grandiôse made our judges' lashes stand at attention. The lash-nourishing formula pulled double-duty by allowing for effortless buildability without making lashes feel stiff or hard.

"Va-va-va-voom lashes!" says Black. "The most definition without clumping — Lancôme made my lashes spread out and stand out like a beautiful fan," gushes Jodie Patterson. "Grandiôse: the name says it all," Robinson says.

• 
  Maybelline
  Lash Sensational Mascara
  
  at Walmart
• 
  Shu Uemura
  Petal Lash Mascara
  
  at Shu Uemura
• 
  Benefit
  They're Real! Lengthening Mascara
  
  at Ulta
• 
  L'Oréal
  Voluminous Butterfly Mascara
  
  at CVS

Concealing fatigue and fine lines is no easy task, but this upstart indie performed with flying colors. Thanks to a hybrid formula that's infused with dark-circle-deleting ingredients like alfalfa, night sleeper, and antioxidants, not only does it seamlessly cover up those undereye circles, it also works overtime and is clinically proven to diminish their appearance with continued use.

"I'm 45, I have five kids, two businesses, one husband, and my eyes always tell that story of a very tired woman," says Patterson. "Onomie erased all that and brought me back a good 10 years. Illuminated, light coverage that doesn't look like heavy makeup, but miraculously corrects. And 10 shades — bravo!" Adds Guarnieri: "No creasing, no feathering, totally even coverage, long-wearing — how had I never heard of this before?!"

• 
  Nyx Cosmetics
  HD Concealer Wand
  
  at Ulta
• 
  It Cosmetics
  CC+ Eye Physical SPF 50 Color Correcting Concealer
  
  at Ulta
• 
  Urban Decay
  Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer
  
  at Sephora
• 
  CoverGirl + Olay
  The De-Puffer Eye Concealer
  
  at Walgreens

It makes perfect sense that a brand inspired by teenagers would take the top prize here. Nudestix's easy-to-use crayons make everything from a smoky eye to contouring as easy as swiping on and blending. Couple that with chic packaging, on-trend (but still flattering for all) shades, and functionality built in at every angle, and you've got a brand even the most cosmetics-illiterate can master.

Our judges agree: This was the closest we got to a unanimous winner. "What's easier than swiping a few pencils across your face?" says Mock. "Nudestix are super user-friendly because of their shade range and easy blendability," says Siegel. "And we love the pencil-case packaging with the mirror top." Adds Guarnieri: "It's FUN to use, which is a huge plus. No overwhelming color palette, either. Just the basics." Says Robinson: "Their mission is about making it easy and accessible for newbies to wear makeup." Well, mission accomplished.

• 
  Clinique
  Chubby Sticks
  
  at Clinique
• 
  Smashbox
  Full Exposure Palette
  
  at Sephora
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  BareMinerals
  Get Started Kits
  
  at Sephora
• 
  Tarte
  Amazonian Clay
  
  at Ulta

In a marketplace crowded with pencils and clear gels, Benefit's fiber-building tinted brow volumizer definitely stands out. Think of it as brow tinting and extensions in a tube — one swipe and your lashes are bold, full, and not budging.

"The little fibers attach to brows to make them a little fuller but not overdone, and it's super-easy because it's one step," says Siegel. "It provides natural-looking coverage and stays put all day," adds Guarnieri.

• 
  Eyeko
  Brow Liner
  
  at Ulta
• 
  CoverGirl
  Bombshell POW-der
  
  at CVS
• 
  Julep
  Don't Leave Your Brows At Home
  
  at Julep

Ask almost anyone what their biggest beauty challenge is, and the answer will likely be foundation matching. Many spend their lives searching for the right shade for their skin, to no avail. So they wind up settling for one that comes close enough, and then work with concealers, bronzers, and moisturizers in a kind of makeup alchemy. And if your skin tone happens to fall outside the range of "tan?" Good luck.

Enter: Cover FX Custom Cover Drops. You can add the liquid pigments, which come in 24 shades, to any other beauty product — serum, moisturizer, oil, primer, or even other foundations or tinted moisturizers — to create a custom color and coverage option that's perfect for you. The pigments are developed to be blended, so they are weightless and residue-free. "I'm a control freak, and Cover FX lets me be that woman," says Patterson. "Two drops during the day, three at night, one on the weekend... It's my world."

• 
  Amorepacific
  Color Control Cushion Compact
  
  at Sephora
• 
  Hourglass
  Ambient Lighting Powder
  
  at Nordstrom
• 
  Smashbox
  Photo Finish Primer Water
  
  at Ulta
• 
  Vera Mona
  Color Switch Duo
  
  at Vera Mona

Curling products are tricky to master — you don't want something that's going to weigh down your hair too much, but neither do you want a cream that leaves curls crunchy and annoying to the touch.

According to our very own natural-hair correspondent, Taylor Bryant, SheaMoisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie is something of a holy grail staple among natural-haired women for its hydrating ingredients, flawless ability to define curls, and (maybe this is just us) its delicious smell. A true triple threat. Or, as Patterson put it so succinctly, "Because, curling."

• 
  Oyin Handmade
  Hair Dew
  
  at Amazon
• 
  Carol's Daughter
  Marula Curl Therapy Diffusing & Styling Lotion
  
  at Nordstrom
• 
  Miss Jessie's
  Transitioner's Magic
  
  at Amazon
• 
  DevaCurl
  No-Poo
  
  at Sephora

It's understandable that you may have a hard time stomaching the idea of paying $250 for a hair dryer. But let's think of it another way: You're buying the Ferrari of hair dryers. This baby has an extremely powerful motor (1,875 watts — for comparison, your average window AC unit uses around 1,200); a sleek, compact design (small enough travel with — see ya later, crappy hotel-room dryer!); eight settings to perfectly control heat, speed, ions, and a cool-shot button; and two types of nozzles (narrow and wide).

Add all these things together, and what you're really paying for is healthier hair. The more powerful the motor, the faster the drying time, which equals less heat damage to your strands. And for a guy who makes his living blowing out the hair of just about every supermodel you can name, it's safe to say that Josh has thought it all through. This is the one dryer to rule them all.

• 
  Conair Infiniti Pro
  3Q Brushless Motor Dryer
  
  at Walmart
• 
  Paul Mitchell
  Neuro Cell Hot Rollers
  
  at Amazon
• 
  Chi
  Touch 2 Touch Screen Hair Dryer
  
  at Ulta
• 
  GHD
  Eclipse Professional Styler
  
  at Sephora

Coconut, avocado, olive, marula, argan...roucou? On the hot-list of beauty oils, that last one isn't exactly in the top spot. It doesn't even roll off the tongue nicely. (Pro tip: It's pronounced "roo-koo.") But get to know it, because roucou oil has powerful antioxidant properties, and when used in hair products, it can help keep your color from becoming dull and flat.

So that's all well and good. But lots of shampoos and conditioners contain fancy hair-helping ingredients. Why do we love this combo? Because of all the ones we tested, OI played the best with many hair types: color-treated, textured, fine, thick, heat-damaged. It rinses clean, and adds the right amount of softness, especially on stressed, fried-out ends. And the smell? Well, if you find yourself looking for reasons to wash and condition your hair more often, come sit by us. You are our people.

• 
  Rahua
  Shampoo & Conditioner
  
  at Barneys New York
• 
  Dove
  Oxygen Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner
  
  at Walmart
• 
  Clear
  Total Care Shampoo & Conditioner
  
  at Target
• 
  Verb
  Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner
  
  at Verb

Handmade in California with a blend of 16 essential oils, this anti-frizz fluid won top marks for being equally great at styling AND treating. A few drops of this liquid gold helps make hair smooth and shiny on contact, and works over time to improve its health.

While Guarnieri couldn't get over the gorgeous scent, McIntyre was impressed with how well the cream worked for both air-drying and blowouts. "I have really fine hair and am always cautious about the styling products I use, lest they be too heavy and make my hair look limp and greasy. This was airy and light, but provided moisture and a light hold. My air-dry has never looked better."

• 
  Suave Professionals
  Natural Infusion Seaweed All Day Body Leave-In Foam
  
  at Drugstore.com
• 
  Christophe Robin
  Hydratant Santal Moisturizing Hair Cream
  
  at Christophe Robin
• 
  R+Co
  Outer Space Flexible Hairspray
  
  at SpaceNK
• 
  Bumble and Bumble
  Surf Infusion
  
  at Sephora

Too thick, too perfume-y, too wimpy: Searching for the right dry shampoo can give you a serious Goldilocks complex. So when you find the one that's "just right," it's not something to keep to yourself. Sachajuan Volume Powder is everything you want in a dry shampoo (lasting power, matte texture, pleasant scent), and sounds like a spray-paint can when you shake it, which makes it fun to use, too.

"It always does its job. It also sops up every last trace of grease on even your oiliest hair day. And it definitely adds at least two more days to a blowout." — Anne-Marie Guarnieri

• 
  Klorane
  Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk in Natural Tint
  
  at Net-a-Porter
• 
  Dove
  Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo
  
  at Walmart
• 
  Verb
  Dry Shampoo
  
  at Verb
• 
  Oribe
  Dry Texturizing Spray
  
  at Barneys New York