Makeup can fake eight hours of sleep and bring instant life back to your face—but its real appeal is in how it lets you express yourself (with the added benefit of washing it all off at the end of the day). Still, not everything deserves a place in your routine—just ask anyone who’s dealt with the aftermath of a viral product gone wrong. So where do you start? We went straight to the source.

For Coveteur’s 2026 Beauty Awards, we asked top celebrity makeup artists like Ash K. Holm, Tobi Henney, and Aya Tariq to nominate the products they rely on day in and day out—the ones that hold up under unforgiving red carpet lighting and endure long, demanding shoot days without fail. The result is a tightly edited lineup of formulas that consistently deliver.

From mascaras that actually lengthen to lipsticks that feel more like balms, these are the products that earned their place in the kits of people who know exactly what works.

Best Foundation (medium coverage):

A perfect fusing of makeup and skincare, Dior’s medium coverage liquid foundation bestows a dewy finish on the skin as it boasts both 24-hour wear and 48 hours of hydration. Featuring niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and SPF 25,  it visually improves skin health after one week of wear. Available in 42 shades with six undertones, it helps blur imperfections as it delivers radiant, hydrated skin

Best Foundation (MVP):

Since its launch in 2022, Haus Labs has been a mainstay in our makeup bags. And no other product is as raved about by makeup artists from Lady Gaga’s line as the Triclone Skin Tech Foundation. It’s an all-around star performer that is infused with fermented arnica and a host of skin-loving botanicals that delivers complexion-improving benefits as it evens out tone and texture. With 51 shades, the serum formula seamlessly blends into your complexion for a luminous look so natural, everyone will think you’re genetically blessed in the complexion department. “It’s a foundation that delivers a glowy, skin-like texture,” says celebrity makeup artist Colby Smith. “The color range is also incredible.”

Best concealer (face):

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

An innovative formula helps make this cult classic concealer a must-have for your makeup routine. A staple in the kits of makeup artists Tobi Henney and Emily Cheng, the creamy consistency makes it incredibly easy to apply, while it addresses everything from hyperpigmentation to dark circles with high-tech powders that visually correct instead of covering them up. Crease and sweat-resistant, it delivers a luminous finish while skin-care ingredients like vitamin E and grapeseed extract hydrate and improve moisture retention.

Kosas Revealer Concealer

Help revive your undereyes with this lush concealer from Kosas. It contains peptides, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid to perk up tired eyes as its blendable texture visually brightens and plumps the undereye area. “I keep every shade of this concealer in my kit, it’s so good,” says Holm. “The added caffeine helps with puffiness and dark circles, which is key for early mornings on set.”

Danessa Myricks Water Powder Serum

Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin collection is Goaded for those with oily and acne-prone skin, according to makeup artist Loftjet. This liquid-to-powder mattifying primer is a prime (get it?) example of just why that is. It features hydrating botanicals like hyaluronic acid and tremella mushroom extract alongside oil-controlling powerhouses like kaolin clay. Skin is prepped to grab and hold onto the makeup that follows, or can be used alone to create a refined look, velvety texture, and a total lockdown on excess oil production.

Makeup and skincare fusions, the next gen

Yes, skincare with makeup benefits and makeup with skincare benefits isn’t a new concept, but 2026 sees brands amping up those multi-tasking capabilities. This is more than another tinted moisturiser hitting the shelves, this is about foundations containing skincare actives like niacinamide to reduce the appearance of pores and hard-working serums that come in shade ranges.These new buys will not only save you time but also money.

If you’re looking for something that’s doing exactly that right now, then Sculpted by Aimee Second Skin Dewy Foundation SPF 50, £25, is a brilliant foundation that contains SPF alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane, plus centella asiatica, which helps strengthen the skin barrier and soothe inflammation. Or try Perricone MD No Makeup Blush, was £33 now £24.75, it’s an oldie but most definitely a goodie: a vitamin C-infused blusher that adds instant colour but also improves discolouration over time. L’Oreal Paris True Match Plumping Tinted Serum, £14.99, is a fusion of a slow-releasing hyaluronic acid serum that keeps hydrating and plumping the skin throughout the day with tint. It comes in 9 shades, each one is ‘stretchy’ and would work across at least three skin tones.

The blonde shade to ask for

When colourists tell me that the hot new colour of the season requires minimal upkeep, I’m all ears. Step forward the blonde hue for the year, ‘British Blonde’, coined by Nicole Kahlani, consultant colourist at Hershesons in Fitzrovia. “The inspiration for this look is a young Rosie Huntington-Whiteley or Cara Delevingne in her first Burberry campaigns. It’s blonde that’s not too perfect. There are a few tones blended, but it’s really characterised by grown-out roots. It’s nostalgic enough to evoke fond memories, but not so old that it feels vintage or outdated. It creates an effortless look, making the colour appear lived-in, which is softer and more flattering, and reflective of most clients’ day-to-day style.”

The reality of this look could mean that you’re either booking in for fewer appointments to achieve that grown-out effect, or asking your colourist to not apply your highlights so seamlessly to the roots.

Skincare that supports your daily pattern

Skincare that gets to work rejuvenating your skin while you sleep isn’t new, but in 2026, we will see a step-up in products that offer exactly what’s needed, depending on the time of day you’re using it, as consultant dermatologist, Dr Alexis Granite explains. “Innovation will align with the body’s natural rhythm in day vs night formulations that adapt to hormonal and environmental shifts. Expect ingredients like chrono-peptides, melatonin analogues and timed-release antioxidants supporting repair, defence and sleep quality.”

This is more than using a day cream and then night cream. It’s about seriously smart ingredients doing all the hard work for you.  Ingredients that are able to keep on working at a consistent rate without dropping off in efficacy throughout the day or night which means you should see results from your skincare sooner as the ingredients are working harder for longer. Chrono-peptides are particularly exciting: these are peptides designed to activate or be more effective at specific times of day. And melatonin analogues are ingredients that mimic melatonin’s skin benefits (repair, antioxidant activity, sleep support) without being actual melatonin.

Colour Drenching: The Commitment-to-Colour Trend

If you’ve been waiting for permission to go all-in on a single shade, consider this it. Colour drenching — the art of committing to one tonal family across eyes, lips and cheeks — is the summer makeup trend that makes bold feel completely wearable. The key is cohesion: pastels, warm pinks, metallics and a wash of shimmer all work beautifully when they’re pulled from the same palette. It’s maximalist in theory but surprisingly easy in practice.

Think blusher as eyeshadow melting into a berry-toned lip. A copper eye that spills onto a bronzed cheek. A lilac moment from lash line to pout. The result is that rare thing: a full-colour look that reads as intentional rather than overwhelming.

Cloud Skin: Your Softest Complexion Yet

Forget glass skin, porcelain skin and every other skin finish that came before it. Cloud skin is summer 2026’s complexion mood, and it’s the most flattering of the lot. Think of a beautifully diffused base — lightweight, luminous, soft-focus — that makes skin look like skin, only better. It’s that just-stepped-out-of-palates glow: lit-from-within without a hint of shine, built up in sheer layers so nothing looks heavy in the heat.

The approach is deliberately gentle: serum-skin prep, a tinted balm or light-coverage base, and a brushed-in powder that diffuses rather than mattifies. The goal isn’t coverage — it’s radiance with a conscience.

Skin-minimalism: Doing Less, Better

Seven-step routines, we need to talk. Skin-minimalism is the long-overdue course correction — a shift away from endless product layering and towards a tightly edited selection of genuinely effective formulas. The philosophy? Work smarter, not harder. Support the skin’s natural functions, protect the moisture barrier, and let your skin do what it does best.

This isn’t about cutting corners — it’s about cutting clutter from our routines. One brilliant cleanser. A targeted treatment. A barrier-supporting moisturiser. SPF. Done. Your skin (and your bathroom shelf) will thank you later.

SPF as Skincare: Sun Protection Gets a Glow-Up

The era of reluctantly patting on a greasy white sticky film and calling it sun protection is firmly behind us. Summer 2026 is the season SPF fully crosses over into skincare — and frankly, it’s been a long time coming. Tinted formulas that double as light-coverage bases, serum-SPF hybrids loaded with active ingredients, reapplication mists designed to layer over makeup: protection has never looked (or felt) this good.

Our expectation has shifted. SPF needs to earn its place on the shelf not just by protecting, but by improving the skin’s appearance in the process. And this new generation of formulas absolutely delivers.

FAQ’s

1. What are the best makeup and cosmetics to use in 2026?
The best products depend on your skin type, preferences, budget, and desired look, with foundations, concealers, blushes, mascaras, lip products, and setting products remaining popular essentials.

2. What are the biggest makeup trends in 2026?
Natural-looking skin, soft glam, glossy finishes, statement lips, creative eye makeup, and personalized beauty looks are among the trends gaining attention.

3. How do I choose the right foundation?
Choose a foundation based on your skin type, undertone, desired coverage, and finish, and test the shade in natural lighting when possible.

4. What makeup products are essential for beginners?
A beginner-friendly collection can include foundation or skin tint, concealer, blush, mascara, brow product, lipstick or lip tint, and a basic setting product.

5. How can I make my makeup last longer?
Prepare your skin properly, apply suitable products in thin layers, blend thoroughly, and use a setting spray or powder appropriate for your skin type.