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Home • ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awa

Best in Black Beauty Awards 2015: Makeup

These intense colors and complexion perfecting base shades will give you a flawless touch.
By Essence · Updated October 27, 2020
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01
Foundation: Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation

“This foundation is very lightweight and gives me a flawless look that I have not seen with any other foundation I’ve tried.”—Chrisy Brutus, Winter Park, FL

$43, Sephora

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
02
Foundation: Maybelline New York SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

“It’s very creamy without feeling heavy, it matched my complexion and it has sunscreen!” —Erika Medley, Rockford, IL

$12, maybelline.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
03
Foundation: Lancôme Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact

“It feels light on my face, the compact is easy to carry and it matches my skin perfectly.”—Angela Boudreaux, Harvey, LA

$47, lancome-usa.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
04
Concealer: Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum

“My foundation looks flawless over it and when I used this concealer, I found that I actually used much less foundation.”—Niketa Dennis, Keller, TX

$40, bobbibrowncosmetics.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
05
Concealer: Becca Ultimate Coverage Concealing Crème

“The color match is great; it blends supremely and does not dry out, crack or cake.”—Renee Peters, Philadelphia

$32, sephora.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
06
Brows: Lancôme Sourcils Gel Waterproof Eyebrow Gel-Cream

“The consistency is very silky and the application is effortless. It feels like I don’t have anything on my brows. It’s easy to clean up mistakes and the color isn’t too harsh. I was even able to touchup my brows without it looking cakey.”—Kenyatta Stephens, Atlanta

$24, lancome-usa.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
07
Lipstick: Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick

“With moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, jojoba, olive, and babassu oils, this long-lasting lipstick is great for natural makeup days.”—Patricia Striggles, Bronx, NY

$22, urbandecay.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
08
Lipstick: Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss

“The consistency is soft and creamy and the color lasted a long time before I had to reapply. I also love that they cater to African-Americans by stating that this is for dark skin.” —Crystal Irby, Durham, NC

$7, Walgreens

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
09
Lip Gloss: SheaMoisture Shea Butter Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

“The color is completely true to what was shown in the tube. It doesn’t leave a film on my lips, and it actually survived a meal and a snack!”—Rachael Ruffin, Silver Spring, MD

$10, Target

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
10
Mascara: Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils

“Mascara is a staple in my makeup kit, so it really has to stand out for me to keep it in rotation. This one did just that. The formula is smooth. And the color is a high-density black that makes my curly lashes look lengthy and full.”—Stephanie Wise, Madison, IL

$32, yslbeautyus.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
11
Eye Liner: Eyeko Fat Liquid Eye Liner

“The fatness of the pen is way more comfortable in my hand than other eyeliners I’ve used, which made it easy to apply.”—Melanie Brown, Indianapolis

$16, eyeko.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
12
Eye Shadow: Iman Cosmetics Perfect Eye Shadow Pencil

“The color is a shade I can wear daily. I also like that the pencil is something I can easily take on the go.”—Charita Vine, Kansas City, KS

$10, target.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
13
Blush: Milani Rose Powder Blush

“This blush has just enough pigment to make the cheeks look rosy. A small amount goes a long way. It works well on both my fair skin and on my girlfriend who is of a darker complexion.”—Nicole Clark, Woodbridge, VA

$8, CVS

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
14
Nail Polish: OPI Infinite Shine Gel Effects Lacquer System

“I wash my hands a lot at work, so it’s pretty hard to keep polish on my nails for more than two days. I wore this polish for two weeks. The shine lasted the entire time and I didn’t get one chip. It’s amazing!” —Melanie Maldonado, Davie, FL

$13 each, ulta.com

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore
15
Primer: CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Primer

“I have very oily skin and this primer kept my face matte for the longest period of time.” —Sylvia Spivey, Philadelphia

$9, Walmart

The Top Makeup Products of 2015
Greg Vore