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 

[Titian06]

@TeamBIC - I'm on Team Foundation.  I haven't worn makeup very often over the past couple of years.  After playing around with a few foundations, the one I like best is DIOR Dior Forever Matte Skincare Foundation 0N Neutral .

When I wear eyeshadow, I do use concealer under my eyes.  My favorite has been discontinued, Cover FX Cream Concealer.  Fortunately I knew in advance and was able to stock up! 😄

[itsfi]

@Titian06, I’m seeing so much love for the Dior foundation. That’s awesome that you stocked up on your fave concealer before it was discontinued.

[niki172]

@TeamBIC I'm going to have to go foundation on this one simply because I haven't found a concealer that is working with my dry undereye area and the foundation I use currently (Chanel Les Beiges Hydrating Foundation but I'm always on the hunt for something else) is doing the job just okay. Concealer on me, especially under my eyes, breaks apart and gets cakey and just looks terrible. Since the Chanel foundation (which does a decent job but I feel there may be something that's a better fit that I have my eye on for the Spring sale) may do better due to the reviews I'm going to nominate DIOR Dior Forever Skin Glow Hydrating Foundation . If someone out there with super dry skin has a concealer that they love feel free to LMK. I'm currently using the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer .5N but I'd love to find something that's more hydrating.

[SportyGirly125]

@niki172 @I have dry under eyes and love Cle de Peau concealer stick mixed with Tatcha The Serum Stick Line-Smoothing Treatment & Touch Up Balm 0.28 oz/ 8g 

[niki172]

@SportyGirly125 it appears I need to check out the Cle de Peau concealer. I've heard good things about the Tatcha stick but didn't know how it would interact with my eczema.

[eshoe]

@niki172 the CDP is what opened my eyes to how concealer can really work. I have not tried another formula that does what this one does. It is so easy to use, and stays put all day. I bought the one on the left last July, and purchased a backup in December *just in case* I decided on a no buy the first half of this year. That did not happen, but I don’t regret my decision!

Daily use, after approximately nine months, on left. The right is my unused backup.

@SportyGirly125 @WinglessOne 

eta: my skin overall is normal, but my cheeks tend to run dry. I use this solely on my cheeks to cover hyperpigmentation.

[niki172]

Thanks for the pic @eshoe you really get your money's worth! I'll have to see about maybe driving to the Nordies closest to me to see about sampling it. 

[eshoe]

You are welcome, @niki172. I received a sample card and that was all I needed. I also should note that I use between 3-4 swipes on each cheek daily. I am very pleased with how long it is lasting!

[SportyGirly125]

@niki172 @There’s several of us on here that love the CDP concealer stick. I think it’s @eshoe and @WinglessOne 

[WinglessOne]

@SportyGirly125 @niki172  Yep, I'm a fairly recent (as of 2021) CdP concealer convert. I always avoided trying it because it's expensive and the shade range used to be ridiculously small. After CdP expanded the shade range, I decided to spend some Nordy Notes on a stick. I like to rub the stick on the back of my hand to warm the product up, and then dip my brush into the product left on my hand. 

Alcohol's one of the first 5 ingredients. But it's probably what makes this concealer last so long: the brand claims it's good for 3 years (!!!). Considering how sparingly I use concealer, this stick's a pretty good longterm investment. 😂 And sometimes I don't bother to powder-set it. With this concealer, I need setting powder insurance only on hot humid days—so, basically mid or late June through mid or late August, or anytime I visit a hot humid place. Still, I sometimes tap on a teeny bit of By Terry powder (outside of summer) out of habit. 

[niki172]

@WinglessOne I just went to Nordies online to look at the price 😬 and the fact that alcohol is one of the first five ingredients makes me a  bit nervous (the closets Nordies is now over an hour away from me boo!). I also was reading where people were saying it dried out their under eyes now unlike before since they reformulated. If I knew that it would work I'd happily pay that price. I wish Sephora carried them or something that would work just as well. I've seen people talk about Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer with Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid but my local Sephora doesn't carry the brand. Hopefully I'll figure something out before the Spring sale.

[WinglessOne]

@niki172  Aw crud, I forgot CdP's reformulated the concealer stick since I bought mine. I should've realized something was off when I visited their site to double check the INCI list and it looked shorter than I remember, plus the SPF is now 27 instead of 25. The previous version (which I have) also contains alcohol, but it's farther down the list. It also contains kaolin clay (one of the first 5 ingredients) which can be drying, yet this concealer doesn't dry out my skin—maybe because of all the emollients in the formula. The reformulated version also contains several emollients, though. 

From what I can tell, many reviews of the reformulation fall into one of two categories: either "very cakey finish compared to original" or "no caking and much creamier/smoother." 🤷‍♀️ If it wasn't so pricey and my old stick was nearly finished, I'd get a new one and see for myself how it performs on my particular skin. I might play with a tester next time I'm at Nordstrom. 

I've never tried that Kosas concealer. I can't use it because it contains rosemary oil, according to the brand's site. (Also contains fennel oil which I'm pretty sure I don't wanna test on my face.) But if you're not skin-sensitive to essential oils, it may be worth a try for under $30! 

[eshoe]

ugh @WinglessOne now I will have to take a better look at the ingredients on the new one I purchased.  And I guess now I will know what is going on if it performs differently than my original tube😕

[WinglessOne]

@eshoe  If your new one is the reformulated SPF 27 version, I hope it still performs well for you! 

@SportyGirly125  Now I kinda wish I'd bought a backup last winter, when my local Nordy probably still had plenty of SPF 25 stock in-store. It'd be awesome to find the old formula at a Nordstrom Rack (at a greatly discounted price)... I should keep an eye out for that. 

[eshoe]

@WinglessOnecome to think of it, I remember seeing it go in and out of stock shortly before I bought mine in December. I was surprised But thought maybe supply issues. I will have to read through some reviews of the new formula before purchasing. I am surprised (sort of, anyway). I shouldn’t be, happens to pretty much anything that works perfectly well for me. @SportyGirly125 

[SportyGirly125]

@eshoe @WinglessOne I bouught 2 of them on Dec 4 2021 from Nordstrom and mine were the SPF 25 ones.

[eshoe]

I just checked mine and it is the 25 SPF as well, @SportyGirly125. Alcohol is near the bottom. I guess backups can be a good thing! At least this gives me plenty of time to find a suitable replacement if the new formulation does not work for me. @WinglessOne 

[SportyGirly125]

@niki172 I got a sample years ago of the CDP concealer in 3 shades which made me buy the full size one. I have it in 2 colors but it is pricey but last a long time for me. Hopefully you can get a sample to test out. Usually Neimans and Nordstrom has samples. 

like winglessone said working it either in between your fingers or on the back of your hand helps make it glide better on the skin.   

[niki172]

@SportyGirly125 do you mind me asking if you prefer the KORA Organics Noni Glow Radiant Eye Oil .34 oz / 10 mL to the Tatcha?

[SportyGirly125]

@niki172 I like them both but have used the Tatcha one more. 

[Ispend2much6]

@SportyGirly125  That's a great idea!