Welcome to the future — all day long we’re broadcasting ourselves — whether via Snapchat, selfies or sexts. In the era of the spontaneous camera snapshot, you kind of need to be camera-ready at all times. To help you up your makeup game, no matter when the flashbulbs start popping, we’ve put together a list of our 35 most photographable products so you’re always ready for your close-up.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Like any good project, a proper foundation for your makeup is key. And while foundation might be the obvious choice there, taking a few extra seconds to smooth your complexion with a primer will make everything you layer on top go on extra-silky. Definitely worth it for those unexpected lunchtime selfies. ($36, smashbox.com)
Maybelline New York Master Prime
The faint pink tint in this primer helps boost the glow in any complexion while also blurring the appearance of any bumps or imperfections. Think of it as Facetune for real life. ($10, maybelline.com)
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD fluid foundation
With 40 shades to choose from, this foundation, which was specifically designed with high-definition cameras in mind, has something for every skin color and undertone so you can finally find your perfect match. ($43, makeupforever.com)
BH Studio Pro HD Foundation
This oil-free foundation is liberally dusted with light-diffusing particles that will make your complexion look subtly radiant, even if you don’t have a professional lighting setup (or one of those fancy selfie mirrors) to rely on. ($16, bhcosmetics.com)
Black Up Fluid Foundation
Most foundation ranges focus on the light end of the spectrum, making it hard for dark-complected selfie queens to find a good match. This fluid foundation comes in 18 shades, focusing primarily on deeper skin tones, with both red and golden tints. ($42, blackupcosmetics.com)
e.l.f. HD Mattifying Cream Foundation
When it comes to photos, matte foundation is the best all-purpose option, because it’s forgiving no matter how bright of a flash you’ve got lighting up your face. This creamy version goes on feather-light, so it’s not overwhelming, even for oily skin types. And with a price tag clocking in under $10, there are no complaints here. ($6, elfcosmetics.com)
Beautyblender
To get the smoothest, most photo-worthy application, makeup artists can’t resist this iconic pink sponge. Try lightly wetting it first to get truly natural-looking coverage that will have everyone clicking hearts over your flawless skin. ($20, Sephora)
NYX Cosmetics HD Photo Concealer Wand
We’d love to say that we get eight hours of sleep a night, eat all of our veggies, and never, ever get zits, but since we’re not living in Neverland, we’ll just have to fake it with a really good concealer. In addition to the usual range of colors, this emollient-rich concealer comes in yellow, lavender, and green tints to neutralize under-eye circles, give a pop to sallow skin, and cancel out redness respectively. ($5, Ulta)
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer
Rich in antioxidants, this concealer, which comes in 14 shades, won’t fade or crease — meaning you’ll be just as Instagram-ready after happy hour as you were when you left home. ($25, Sephora)
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores HD Micro Powder
Collagen, vitamin K, and hydrolyzed silk team up to make this super-fine powder a perfect skin smoother. It also works to fight shine throughout the day, keeping that flawless matte finish intact for as long as possible. ($24, itcosmetics.com)
Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder
Make Up For Ever has been manufacturing HD makeup for pros since long before we all had high-def cameras in our phones, so it’s no wonder that they make some of the best around. This silky pressed powder is ideal for stashing in your bag for last-minute touchups. ($36, makeupforever.com)
Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush
When the summer sun is threatening to melt the makeup right off your face, the pretty flush from this powder blush still won’t budge. ($26, Ulta)
Sonia Kashuk Crème Blush
This creamy blush melts right into skin for a soft, natural effect. Or layer it on for a vibrant, healthy look that will make your post-gym pic look well-earned, even if you only hit the juice bar. ($10, Target)
Nars The Multiple Copacabana
When a product develops the kind of cult following that this multi-purpose stick has, it only makes sense to craft a few dozen shades of it for every need. The blendable formula makes for an ideal subtle highlighter. Try the best-selling Copacabana for pale skin or the equally-beloved South Beach for darker tones. ($39, narscosmetics.com)
Laura Mercier Face Illuminator
Never underestimate the power of a powder highlighter. This compact is easy to keep on hand for when your latest snap looks Sahara-dry and can easily dot onto the inner corners of your eyes to make you look wide awake during the midafternoon slump. ($44, lauramercier.com)
& Other Stories Face Contour Cream
One shade doesn’t sound like nearly enough, but this neutral-toned cream creates flattering contours on a shocking number of complexions. Pale types, dot on the very lightest wash and blend liberally. The darker your skin tone, the more heavy-handed you can be and still never risk looking muddy. ($15, stories.com)
L’Oreal Paris Spray & Set Makeup Extender
The key to being photo ready all day long is locking down every carefully-applied layer. A setting spray, like this one, helps fuse every bit of blending and contouring to keep your face looking fresh for hours. ($17, lorealparisusa.com)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Nothing ruins a perfect cut-crease like, well, creasing. Cream shadows can be a culprit, but oily lids can make almost any eye shadow smear and smudge. This primer keeps everything in place, and with three shades to choose from — the invisible original as well as a shimmering champagne and a matte nude — the options are nearly endless. ($20, Sephora)
L’Oreal Paris De-Crease
Don’t get us wrong, this beige eye shadow primer does a great job of keeping your shadow in place all day, but if you really want to roll like all the perfect-skinned girls on Instagram, try dabbing it onto a zit before you apply concealer for a cover-up job that won’t budge. ($9, lorealparisusa.com)
Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow Sticks
Let’s be real. No one wants to use a brush if they don’t have to… the cleaning, the extra space they take up in your makeup bag, the unfortunate moments when you mix up your colors and end up applying a muddy splotch instead of the smoky shadow you intended. Skip the whole ordeal and use one of these velvety stick eyeshadows instead. The 18 shades cover everything you need from inky black to matte pink to metallic gold. Just work fast. Once these babies are set, they’re not going anywhere for the rest of the day. ($29, bobbibrowncosmetics.com)
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
People are obsessed with these brush-tipped liners, and for good reason. They apply smooth and inky and stay on like a dream. Makeup artist Kat Von D even uses them to touch up her brows for some serious smudge-proof Cara Delevingne action. ($19, Sephora)
Marc Jacobs Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon
Utilizing your eye’s waterline for liner can make a huge difference in your look. If you want big, bright anime-princess eyes, there’s nothing better than a layer of white liner around your waterline. ($24, marcjacobsbeauty.com)
Maybelline Master Kajal in Navy Night
In case the whites of your eyes are looking a little more bloodshot pink than pearly white (curse you, pollen!) try skipping your usual black or brown liner and opting for something with blue tones. The color creates an optical illusion that makes everything around them look brighter and much less like the before shot in an allergy medicine commercial. ($7,drugstore.com)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
The world of enviable selfies has its own rules, and in that world, there are two, and only two, acceptable ways to style your brows. The first is the full Kardashian: the solid, almost geometric swoops that you see on most YouTube makeup sensations. To pull that off, you’ll want this fine-tipped mechanical pencil. Fill in liberally and then comb lightly with the built-in spoolie brush. ($21, anastasiabeverlyhills.com)
Wunderbrow eyebrow gel
Brow option number two is the “Oh, these? Yeah, they just grow in all thick and dark like this. #blessed” route. It involves pumping up the volume on your natural brow hairs, and nothing does it better than this water-resistant brow gel (beach days ahoy!) that everybody and their mother has been raving about. ($22, wunder2.com)
Lash Star individual lash curler
Look up celebrity beauty secrets and almost all of them mention a lash curler to make them look wide awake. And that’s great if you happen to have lashes and eyelids that perfectly fit the shape of most curlers (sorry anyone with short lashes or a mono-lid). Never mind holding something that looks like a medieval torture device right up to your eye. In case you aren’t one of those people, this teeny tweezer-like lash curler is an ideal solution. ($29, lashstarbeauty.com)
Benefit Roller Lash
Looking for an incredibly natural lash look? This mascara’s got your back. Or eyes, as it were. The curling effect is subtle and doesn’t leave your lashes crispy like some other formulas, and the special hook-shaped bristles make sure each and every lash is coated and separated. ($24, benefitcosmetics.com)
Tarte Best In Faux lash extending mascara
In case your ideal fringe looks a little less than, ahem, made by Mother Nature, this two-tube kit is the answer. Start by applying the mascara, then layer on a dusting of the fluttery, lengthening fibers. Then lock it all in place with one more coat of mascara. Bam! Starlet lashes in no time. ($20, Sephora)
Ardell Duralash Naturals individual lashes
If mascara’s not your thing or your own lashes need an extra dose of oomph, these individual flares bolster any sparse spots. They come in a variety of lengths, but for the easiest blending, choose the short ones, which disappear into even the longest natural lashes effortlessly. ($6, amazon.com)
Huda Beauty False Lashes in Claudia
You can’t get the full beauty blogger effect (or make it through your next bachelorette party) without some major “no, I did not grow them myself” lashes. Hey, sometimes organic is overrated. ($18, Sephora)
H&M Lip Primer
No matter what lip color you’re wearing, this silky, clear balm will make sure it goes on smooth.($10, hm.com)
Revlon ColorStay Lip Liner
Take out some fade insurance by layering a matching pencil under your lipstick. Or steal a style-star trick and use a shade slightly darker than your lips to create a subtle contour around the edges to make your lips look fuller. ($9, Ulta)
Lipstick Queen Hello Sailor
Like Mom always said, nothing is prettier than a smile. As intimidating as this blue lipstick may look in the tube, it actually goes on sheer for the faintest wash of teeth-brightening color. Think of it as your magic bullet for the perfect no-makeup makeup look. ($25, Ulta)
Too Face Melted Matte liquid lipstick
As with foundation, matte is the safest bet for lip colors that will look good in any light. This liquid version goes on creamy and won’t leave your lips feeling like sandpaper. ($21, toofaced.com)
MAC lipstick in Ruby Woo
Classics are classic for a reason, and in this case, the reason is a perfect, opaque blue-toned red that will make your smile shine whether it’s being captured on a photo shoot or your phone. ($17, maccosmetics.com)
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