They light up with joy, tear up with emotion, widen in disbelief, and let everyone know if you’ve prioritized Gossip Girl reruns over a great night’s sleep (again). Our eyes have a singular ability to speak our private thoughts and experiences, which is a component of their special power. But it surely’s nice to exert a bit of influence over those subliminal messages, too, courtesy of the Eye Makeup winners of the 2023 Allure Better of Beauty Awards.
The mascaras, shadows, liners, and brow products featured below do greater than enhance our eyes: They make our secret beauty ambitions a reality. Whether which means lashes so long they dust your brows, strokes so precise they redefine your waterline, or smokiness so subtle you possibly can sweep it on and not using a mirror, these products enable us to perfect any look we would like and signal that intention to the world. Here, the true visionaries of 2023.
After you are done with this category, make sure you try the remainder of 2023’s Allure Better of Beauty Awards winners. In case you’re unsure where to start out, allow us to point you toward the fan-favorite Skin Care, Splurges, and Base Makeup categories.
Better of Beauty Awards 2023: Eye Makeup
Jump to your favorite category or keep reading to see every mascara, eyeliner, and brow enhancer:
Best Mascara
Why it won: We have lost more lashes to stubborn, water-resistant mascaras than we care to confess. But Gen See Spectator Sport Mascara evens the rating in our favor. The budge-proof formula holds its own against sweaty workouts, but still washes off without the same old tug-of-war.
Why it won: With its twistable cap and shape-shifting brush, Caia Cosmetics Twist Me Up Mascara gives us a menu of 4 different effects to pick from (elongated, defined, voluminous, and fluttery). We love the variability — and the diversion. “It is so fun to play with,” says deputy digital director Kara McGrath.
Why it won: We went in skeptical (IYKYK), but there was no controversy — or contradiction — in our testers’ feedback: If long and feathery is what you are after, L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara leaves no lash behind with its staggered brush. The shorter bristles cozy right as much as our roots (to sculpt), while the broader teeth glide through to the very suggestions of our lashes (to elongate and define).
Why it won: The glossy black formula in Maybelline Recent York The Falsies Surreal Extensions Mascara comprises fibers just like those utilized in skilled lash extensions, creating the illusion of voluptuous fakes in only a couple of strokes.
Why it won: For probably the most natural effect, the nourishing sunflower seed and olive oils in Well People Expressionist Lengthening Mascara give us elegantly fanned-out, clump-free lashes.
Why it won: Blue-eyed babies aren’t the one ones who can rejoice with brown mascara. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push-Up Lashes! Mascara in Dream Pop, an understated shade of auburn, adds depth to dark eyes and a soft contrast to light ones.
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Why it won: The velvety blue of Tood Beauty Toodscara in Blue Mood makes a daring statement with every blink. “I am unable to consider how pigmented and brilliant this makes my lashes,” says senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen, who can be still in awe of the bonus length added after only one coat.
Why it won: We heard it’s unimaginable to make Blinc Original Tubing Mascara clump, flake, or smudge — even when you try. We tried. The creamy pigment forms miniature cylinders around lashes that stay put until they hit warm water. Then they slide right off.
Why it won: Infused with ceramides and a soft black tint, Maybelline Recent York Lash Sensational Sky High Tinted Primer makes our lashes look longer, fuller, and fluffier — even minus mascara.
Best Eyeliner
Why it won: The creamy point and saturated color of Mary Kay Waterproof Eyeliner produces easy opacity and the smoothest of strokes. Let it set or smudge it out for 2 equally gorgeous looks.
Why it won: With one buttery tip for smudging and one other for illuminating, Estée Lauder Beauty Smoke and Brighten Kajal Eyeliner Duo gives us more definition than we ever thought possible from a pair of well-mannered neutrals.
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Why it won: “Drawing on my usual flick takes me 15 seconds with this,” says commerce editor Sarah Han of the Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner. “I am unable to consider how freaking smooth-gliding and pigmented it’s!” In case you prefer a softer effect, act fast, and the velvety color diffuses into the good smoky eyes we have ever achieved.
Why it won: Lancôme Idôle Ultra-Precise Felt Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is the classic black turtleneck of liquid liners: It hugs curves, looks sharp, and flatters absolutely everyone. And, like the one that you love top, this waterproof formula comes off as easily because it goes on.
Why it won: For more dramatic flicks and swoops, Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paint Brush Liner packs 560 absorbent bristles into one slim, waterproof point, giving us the smoothness of calligraphy ink with the control of a pen.
Why it won: Each brilliant hue (sky blue, lime green, mustard yellow) within the Urban Decay 24/7 Inks Liquid Eyeliner collection is just pretty much as good at sitting tight because it is at turning heads. “The grip not only makes cat eyes and graphic looks approachable for eyeliner newbies, nevertheless it also makes applying eye makeup more accessible for individuals who have disabilities or limited mobility,” says senior editor Nicola Dall’Asen.
Why it won: With its tiny point, Revlon ColorStay Micro Hyper Precision Gel Eyeliner in Black/Brown reaches the narrow gaps between your lashes, providing intense definition. Use its built-in smudger (on the alternative end of the pen) to melt or smoke out harsh lines.
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Why it won: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner gives the tightest of tight lines within the richest of jewel tones. With eight shades to pick from (emerald, turquoise, and more), you will have no issues finding your diamond within the rough.
Best Brow Product
Why it won: Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Gel should have a thing for irony: The translucent formula lacks a “tint” and a “hue.” But it surely does perfectly fluff and arrange our arches — which just happens to be our thing.
Why it won: File L’Oréal Paris Infallible Volumizing 24HR Brow Mascara under “products we wish we would considered first.” The tinted gel does for our brows what mascara does for our lashes — it colours, sculpts, and elongates — with the wave of a wand.
Why it won: If Kosas Brow Pop Nano looks familiar, that is because… it’s. An ittier-bittier version of its predecessor, this ultrathin take mimics hairlike strokes, squeezes into sparse areas, and offers our brows a natural-looking sheen.
Why it won: Joey Healy Luxe Brow Powder has reignited our relationship with powder. The featherlight formula enhances our arches without making them look obviously filled. Identical to the smudge-proof finish, we’ll never stray. (Testament to our fidelity: That is its fourth Better of Beauty win.)
Why it won: The clear formula and flake-free consistency of Profit Cosmetics Fluff Up Brow Wax add depth and dimension while holding rogue hairs in place. “Only one coat gives my brows a laminated-like look that lifts feathery hairs into place all day, night, and… even into the subsequent morning,” says associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen.
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Why it won: Look familiar? RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner has nabbed this title 10 times — and counting. The potent mix of peptides and biotin fortifies our arches, helping restore brows to their pre-tweezer glory.
Best Eye Shadow
Why it won: A fun punch of pigmented powder is how we would describe Ami Colé Lid Joy Liquid Matte Eyeshadow. A single swipe of any of the 4 liquid-first shades covers our lids in creamy color that dries to a powdery finish.
Why it won: Half Magic ChromAddiction Eye Paint + Liner has multiple trick up its chrome sleeve: The iridescent formula imparts a pearly sheen or a surreal glow depending on how much you layer on.
Why it won: Makeup chameleons will love the ColourPop Chrome Liquid Shadow. The multifaceted pigments in each of the nine shade-shifting hues (starting from opalescent pink to metallic bronze) give lids a holographic gleam.
Why it won: At first glance, we wondered if a shadow as soft and lucid as Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick would even show up on our lids. However the creamy crayon deposits a lot pearly definition, we have seen the sunshine (and look great in it).
Why it won: The substantial point of Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color delivers a no-doubt-about-it-matte finish. The chunky stick is equally adept at draping lids in color and drawing precise lines.
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Why it won: The About-Face Shadowstick produces a wash of intense color in a single stroke. We love every edgy hue (frosty pink, shimmery peach, songbird blue), but when we had to select one — we would say it is a free country and we haven’t got to limit our options, K?
Why it won: With a pigment-rich cream for creating depth and a glimmery powder for adding dimension, the pair of shadows in Rose Inc Satin & Shimmer Duet Eyeshadow work together in perfect harmony. Mix in with a brush or sweep on together with your fingers for a soft-shimmer finish.
Why it won: You haven’t got to live within the tristate area to benefit from the Recent York City-inspired Maybelline Recent York Shadow Blocks Stacked Shadow Palette. Forming a pocket-size cube, the trio of colours (two mattes, one shimmer) in each of the five compacts — with colorways starting from deep plums to soft browns — allows us to construct any effect we would like.
Why it won: The Florasis Floral Engraving Phoenix Makeup Palette in Retro Brown is probably the most gorgeous kit we have ever laid eyes on — and that is before we even open it. Inside, the nine neutral hues recall a silk screen, stamped with mythological birds. Once you’re employed up the courage to muss up the design, the pearl- and peony-enriched shades transform your lids into actual artistic endeavors.
Why it won: Juvia’s Place Candy Shop Eyeshadow Palette makes us feel like a child in a…beauty closet. With 16 high-impact decisions (flavors?) like bubblegum pink, creamy butterscotch, and ripe cherry, this kit is your golden ticket to free-form color play.
Best False Lashes
Why it won: Pro Lash Classic Luxe Wispy Lashes are so light and airy, we’re tempted to wish on them before we apply them. “They’re pretty, propped-up, and elegantly tapered, making my eyes look more defined without giving them that overdone, ‘just hopped off the musical theater stage’ look I’ve encountered with so many false lashes before,” says site director Sam Escobar.
Why it won: The wispy suggestions and staggered hair lengths of Static Lashes perfectly mirror the pattern of your natural lashes. Draw the accompanying magnetic liner across the lash line for a locked-in look. Literally.
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Why it won: For those of you who only trouble with strips that dust your brows, the royalty-inspired, corset-styled Kiss Lash Couture The Muses mimics the intense length and thickness of extensions. Queen Charlotte would definitely approve.
Best Eye Jewels
Why it won: The rainbow-, butterfly-, and heart-shaped stickers in af94 Joystickers look just as playful on our cheekbones as they might on a Trapper Keeper.
Why it won: The diminutive, sparkly gems and doodads in Bakeup Playbox by Jo Baker give your inner corners a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it glint. They’re so fun, you will need to wear them all over the place: concert events, parties, and even the office.
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