Makeup Madness Challenge 2022: CHAMPION REVEALED - Check out the winner and Community Favorite makeup products!

[TeamBIC]

March has made its way to us, and to celebrate, we’re breaking out the beauty brackets for our second annual Makeup Madness Challenge in the BIC! For the next few weeks, eight popular makeup categories will go head-to-head in a showdown to snag the title of 2022 Community Champion makeup category. It’s up to YOU to vote on the winner … and share some tried-and-true beauty recs along the way (because why not?!). 😉

We kicked off round 1 with a matchup that sparked serious passion last year: lipstick vs. mascara. 🔥 Mascara ended up taking the crown in 2021, but who knows what will happen this year… especially since we’ll be adding new makeup categories to the mix in future rounds. 😏 Stay tuned!

TO VOTE, hit the reply button below and tag a product you love that represents the category you’re voting for. For example, the lovely lipstick lover @WinglessOne might reply with “Lipstick! PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance™ Lipstick” 🥰💄

Let the games begin! Each new round of voting starts Fridays, and ends the following Thursday at 2pm PT:

• ROUND 1 (3/4 – 3/10): Lipstick vs. Mascara (👑)
• ROUND 2 (3/11 – 3/17): Primer vs Setting Powder (👑)
• ROUND 3 (3/18 – 3/24): Concealer vs. Foundation (👑)
• ROUND 4 (3/25 – 3/31): Contour vs. Highlighter (👑) 
• ROUND 5 (4/1 – 4/7): Lipstick (👑) vs. Setting Powder 
• ROUND 6 (4/8 – 4/14): Foundation (👑) vs. Highlighter 
• FINAL ROUND (4/15 – 4/21): Lipstick (👑) vs. Foundation
• CHAMPION REVEALED (4/22): 👑 Lipstick 👑

Click the “Reply” button below and vote for your favorite product (lipstick or foundation!), use the “#” sign to tag a specific one you love, then check back for the results and the next round of voting!

UPDATE 4/22/21: Thank you to everyone who participated in Makeup Madness 2022! This year's champion is 💄lipstick💋 - no pouting for our fellow lip lovers! Here were Community members' top-tagged lipsticks from your votes throughout the challenge:

1. PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance™ Lipstick 
2. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Hydrating Lipstick 
3. MERIT Signature Lip Lightweight Satin Lipstick 
4. GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI I’m Still Here Longwear Clean Matte Liquid Lipstick Original Recipe 
5. TOM FORD Lip Color Lipstick 

We're also showing love to the most-tagged products in all the Makeup Madness categories this year - check them out here:

• Foundation: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation 
• Highlighter:
  • La Mer The Hydrating Illuminator Highlighter and Primer 1.4 oz/ 41 mL 
  • Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter 
• Setting Powder: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder 
• Mascara: Wander Beauty Upgraded Lashes™ Thickening Mascara 
• Primer: Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer Blur Primer Gold 
• Concealer: Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer with Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid 
• Contour: KVD Beauty Shade + Light Refillable Powder Face Contour Palette 

[niki172]

@SportyGirly125 I tried the YSL years ago (I even bought a backup bottle) and I remember thinking it was just okay and I put up with it like I do my Laura Mercier. With that said my skin has changed radically in these last few years so it may be worth it to try it again. I'll have to see if I have a sample of the YSL somewhere. So many people have raved about the La Mer The Hydrating Illuminator Highlighter and Primer 1.4 oz/ 41 mL that I feel like I really need to give it a try. It's so hard to find stuff that works especially around my eye area with my eczema - my concealer after 4 hours looked like a horror show.

[WinglessOne]

Setting powder. 

This one was tougher than I expected. I don’t use primer anywhere except my eyelids, sometimes lips (and only under certain lipsticks), occasionally my undereyes (sunscreen usually takes care of that instead), and less occasionally the oil slick in the middle of my face (I use Lancome's mattefying primer stick there, but my skincare routine usually keeps things in check). If eyeshadow primer counts, then… hmm… on the other hand, I don’t wear eyeshadow daily, so… 

I use setting powder more often than primer because I wear concealer (under my eyes) more often than eyeshadow. My rockstar powder isn’t sold at Sephora: By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder (the translucent loose one, not the pressed version). My favorite Sephora-sold powder is Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder: it's not as good as By Terry's, but it performs well enough. 

Also: hooray for Team Lipstick! Ah, that sweet refreshing redemption! If I end up having to vote between lipstick and brow pencil down the road, I'll have an existential crisis. 🤣 But for now, I am a very happy lady. 💄❤️

[Saradestin]

@WinglessOne 😂😂😂 you made me laugh with your lipstick winning comment! I voted for lipstick as well so I am also a happy girl right now! 😁

[Mcakes]

@WinglessOne I wonder if we’ll be on the same team for anything in this challenge lol. We both seem so passionate about our opposing sides 😂 

Lipstick may have won the battle, but not the war! 

[WinglessOne]

@Mcakes  🤣 Psh, after last year's ridiculous loss, lipstick deserves this comeback! 

Heh, the only other makeup category I'm truly lipstick-passionate about is brow pencil. I'm curious to see what the other categories will be; it's fun to see how folks feel about various types of makeup. Even you crazy mascara lovers. 😛

[ather]

@WinglessOne  As soon as I saw team lipstick win I thought of you!!! Definitely a big win. 

[SportyGirly125]

@WinglessOne You could always use an eye shadow for your brows if you had to choose between brow vs lipstick. 

[WinglessOne]

@SportyGirly125  That's how I used to do my brows from my teens through most (if not all) of my 30s. Well, that plus an eyeliner pencil. If I had to give up my favorite brow pencils today, I'd probably go the eyeliner route—though there aren't many with the texture I like for brows. 

If I have to choose between lipstick and blush at some point though, that's an easy point for lipstick. I love blush, but lipstick can easily double as blush in a pinch. 

[SportyGirly125]

@WinglessOne Agree with lipstick as blush. I see MAC artist do it all the time. 

[QueenMarceline]

I love a good primer but in all honesty the last few years I've sometimes skipped it out of simply being in a rush and used that time for extra skin care. Furthermore, I just made a post that once I finish my primers I'll be switching over to the Tatcha sunscreen that doubles up as a primer 🙂 

The winner for me is: setting powder. I've tried only a handful of setting powders but some of my favorites are the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Translucent and IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Airbrush Loose Setting Powder 0.23 oz 

[Mcakes]

I love the Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35 PA+++ 2 oz/ 59 mL , but still use a primer as well. Dry skin problems 💁🏻‍♀️

[QueenMarceline]

@Mcakes I have combo skin that has a mind of it's own haha! I love a good primer but I think because I do a whole skincare routine before applying my makeup the moisture from my serums and moisturizers is enough (at the time) although I do sometimes notice myself getting drier throughout the day (especially in winter) when I skip the primer.

[Nay7]

powder 

[LCResz]

Team Setting Powder for sure! Hourglass Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder - Talc Free Translucent 

Although, full disclosure, in a three way grudge match, I’d have to go with setting spray over all!

[danielledanielle]

Saaaaammmee @LCResz 

[HeatherAriana]

@TeamBIC Definitely primer.  Here's my faves: Bite Beauty Changemaker Skin-Optimizing Primer Normal to Oily Skin SEPHORA COLLECTION Mattify + Refine Primer DIOR BACKSTAGE Face & Body Primer 1.6 oz/ 50 mL and Urban Decay Mini All Nighter Complexion Primer .28 oz / 8.3 mL .  I'm going to buy Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Glow Serum with Hyaluronic Acid & Niacinamide Juice Boost next. 

[Titian06]

@TeamBIC - I'm on Team Setting Powder.  One powder I use is Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Setting Powder in Soft Light and the other is Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder 01 Original Mousseline Pastel .

[Sunnysmom]

@TeamBIC I love some of these setting powder ideas but as I’ve got drier skin I have to go with these guys, as they technically say primers! Don’t love other primers tho.  
PS sweet justice for lippies finally! 😂

Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 40 Sunscreen with Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide 1.7 oz Sunrise / 50 mL 

La Mer The Hydrating Illuminator Highlighter and Primer 1.4 oz/ 41 mL 

[niki172]

@Sunnysmom La Mer is def going on my list for the Spring sale!

[Sunnysmom]

Think you’ll love it @niki172 and it smells deLICious! 🥰

[heartsmyface]

@Sunnysmom   I’ve heard nothing but good things about that La Mer Illuminator!