Make-up products are a $500 billion dollar industry, and products come and go every year. Some products stand the test of time while others are popular for a little while.
Swear by products
The Summer Friday lip balm came out in 2020 and has become a cult classic. It is a balm that comes in various flavors like sweet mint, vanilla, iced coffee and more. The balm has a glossy look, with the added benefit of nourishing your lips. “It lasts super super long and gives the shiniest look on your lips for a while,” sophomore Kailey Mezger said. It is available for $22 at Sephora or online at summer fridays website. Mezger has been using this product for two years and has four flavors currently. She started using it after multiple Tiktok influencers began constantly promoting the product. “I’ve been using summer Fridays on and off for a couple of years, trying new lip glosses in between but I’ll always say Summer Fridays is the best,” Mezger said.
The Sky High waterproof mascara is $9.99 and came out in 2021. Since its release, the mascara continues to gain widespread popularity. The wand is thin with small bristles, giving it a precise quality that many users appreciate. The mascara comes in waterproof and normal versions, as well as a brown tone and different shades of black. The most popular shade is black, but some people use the brown shade for a more natural look. “It lasts all day and holds a great curl, no other mascara has ever held a curl besides sky high,” junior Emma Rethers said. This product is available at Ulta, Target and Walgreens. Rethers started using this product three years ago and has never changed since.
The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch liquid blush was released in 2020 by pop culture icon Selena Gomez, costing $25. This blush offers nine different shades, all named after virtues like “hope,” “joy” and “worth.” “I love this blush because it stays on all day and doesn’t make your face look oily like lots of liquid blushes do,” junior Allyson Leach said. Leach started using this product in 2020 and has never changed blushes, sticking to the shade “encourage.” Gomez designed these products specifically for accessibility for disabled people, and her brand has grown exponentially in recent years. This product can be found at Sephora and Rare Beauty website.
Trending Products
Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo came out in 2020, but became more popular in 2024; it is $38. The blush comes in 15 shades, which is a huge color range for blushes. Shade names include Tiktok phrases like “just enough,” “she’s the moment” and “she’s giving.” “It’s the most natural looking, and I love how I can choose whether I want my makeup to look glowy or matte,” sophomore Katelyn Gallo said. She started using this product in the summer of 2024.. She uses the shade She’s that girl, discovering it from popular makeup influencers on Tiktok. “I’ve used several other blushes in the past, but this blush tends to actually last all day without any problem,” Gallo said.
Benetint Liquid Lip + Cheek Blush Stain came out in 1976, but recently became trendy in 2023 when Tiktok influencers began pushing the product. Benetint is a lip and cheek tint that comes in six shades like Benetint, Playtint and ChaChatint. “I liked the way it looked on other people and the pop of color it gives you, so I decided to try it and never stopped,” sophomore Alyssa Martin said. You can find this product at Ulta and Sephora for $26. Martin has been using this product for a year and uses the original shade called Benetint.
The Mario SoftSculpt Cream Contour & Bronzer Stick sells for $32-$34. It came out in 2020, but began getting popular in 2024 for its great quality that Tiktok influencers raved about. The stick comes in seven different shades to match people’s skin color and undertones, with shades including fair, medium and dark deep. “I love this bronzer because it stays on all day and makes me look naturally tanner,” sophomore Gabby Foltak said. They are available at Sephora and Makeup by Mario website. Foltak has been using this product for two years, and while she has tried other bronzers, she always comes back to her signature shade, light medium. “The Mario stick is the only bronzer I’ve used that doesn’t make me break out,” Foltak said.
Hate products
The Rhode lip tint was released in 2024 and has gotten a lot of hate since then. The lip tint is $18 and can only be found on the Rhode Skin website. “I don’t like the Rhode lipgloss because it’s so weird trying to apply it and it’s not glossy,” Mezger said. This lip tint comes in four shades: espresso, toast, raspberry jelly and ribbon. A popular complaint about this product is its grainy texture when applied to the lips, and the way application is not smooth. Mezgar tried the shade raspberry jelly but has since chosen other lip glosses instead. “Even though it’s not super expensive, it’s not worth the purchase; drug store lip glosses perform way better than this for less,” Mezgar said. This product has also gotten hate from many influencers on social media.
The Elf Halo liquid filter was released in 2022 and cost $14. This product is supposed to give coverage like a foundation, but also make people’s skin glowy and not matte. It is available at Ulta and Target. “I hate this product because it makes you look oily and does not give any coverage…the product is a complete lie,” sophomore Sophia Austin said. This product began to get hate on Tiktok due to users breaking out and its oily coat. This product comes in 12 shades like medium, rich, and fair. “After using this product for a week, I had serious breakouts, but as soon as I stopped my face went back to being clear,” Austin said.
