Best New Makeup April 2019
These Are the Best New Makeup Launches Our Editors Are Loving This April
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Warmer weather has finally arrived and given us endless occasions to wear the new varieties of makeup hitting the cosmetics shelves. April's packed with metallic eye shadows to jazz up your conservative family-dinner style, banana-infused face primer to remind you that Summer is near, and music festival-worthy liquid pigments to make a statement with.
Your favourite brands are prepping for the new season with loads of new mascaras, tinted lip balms, and cream formulas to make getting a fresh-looking face fast and easy so you can spend more time in the sun (just be sure to wear your new eye shadow with SPF).
Luckily, our editors have been trying out the latest launches so you know you're purchasing the very best. Check out our favourite makeup picks, ahead.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel
"When I heard Anastasia Beverly Hills was dropping its first eyebrow product launch in three years, you could say I got a little excited. Dipbrow Gel ($18) is a hybrid of the brands Dipbrow Pomade and their Tinted Brow Gel, combining the formulas we love for a holy grail product.
I naturally have full, dark brows so I used the gel to brush the hairs up and fill in the ends where they get a little sparse. I'm already in love with the wide shade range (11 in total) and can attest that it does, in fact, last up to 12 hours." – Jessica Harrington, assistant editor, Makeup.com and Skincare.com
Kosasport LipFuel
"I'm a huge fan of lip balm, meaning I keep at least two, possibly even three, in every room of my apartment and within arms reach at all times. So, naturally, when I saw Kosas launched LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm ($18) in a new shade, Rush, I was very on board with testing it out.
Rush provides your lips with a sheer wash of cool pink colour, with a wild minty sensation that simultaneously energizes. It's formulated with konjac root, a gel-like protective network to form a barrier between lips and the environment, as well as hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E to smooth and repair. With a colour that screams Spring, it's safe to say this lip balm will have a permanent home in my stash." – JH
MAC Cosmetics Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash
"I tried the MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash Mascara ($24) and liked it! It gave my lashes a big boost of length. I loved that it washed off easily and didn't flake off during the day. I would give it an 8 out of 10!" –Lauren Harano, editorial coordinator, Growth and Strategic Features
Honest Beauty Tinted Lip Balm
"I'm a tinted lip balm kind of girl. I'm too Type A for lipstick, and most glosses are just too sticky. Because I try every tinted lip balm that comes my way, I'm super picky about the formula. It has to be sheer enough that you don't need a mirror, offer hydration that lasts for at least a few hours, fade evenly and not leave a ring around your lips (if it has a bit of a staining effect, even better), and it should come in a few shades because options are key.
Well, the Honest Beauty Tinted Lip Balm ($9) is all of these things and more. The moisture lasts all day, it's vegan, it comes in seven shades, and the formula is clean. I may have to stop trying every tinted lip balm because I can't imagine using anything else." – Dawn Davis, senior editorial director, Beauty
Supergoop! Shimmershade Illuminating Cream Eyeshadow SPF 30
"If you know anything about my beauty routine, it's that I like as many steps as possible to have sun protection. Every morning, I layer a moisturiser with SPF under a primer with SPF under a BB cream with SPF under a powder with SPF — I kid you not. So when Supergoop created Shimmershade Illuminating Cream Eyeshadow SPF 30 ($24), they made all my dreams come true. The cream textures are lovely, and I've been using Golden Hour, a pretty, shimmery gold shade. And there are four different colour options, so I can do a full makeup look with UV blockers. Now, if only I had a brow powder with SPF..." – DD
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow
"Mercier introduced the Caviar Chrome ($29) collection in early March, which adds a metallic finish to the OG eye shadows. Like the original sticks, these blend beautifully but do not budge on the eyes – perfect for a day in the sun or spending some time in a lazy river. My favourite shade is Beam, a white-lavender duo-chrome, which could easily double as a highlighter for the cheeks, nose and cupid's bow."— Kirbie Johnson, sr. reporter, Beauty
Make Up For Ever Let's Gold Eye Palette
"I've always loved Make Up For Ever because their products are dependable. From the foundation range to HD powder, I've always end up going back to MUFE. The Let's Gold Eye Palette ($45) is right up my Capricorn alley: it includes 18 earth-toned shades, but it's anything from boring — several of the shadows include metal or chrome finishes. Even so, these shades are wearable for everyday and are buildable, so you can go as natural or dramatic as you like. As someone with hazel eyes, I love all warm brown tones." –KJ
Tom Ford Soleil Collection
"Hi, it's the Tom Ford obsessee again. It's hard to pick one product from the 2019 Soleil Collection, so I won't. From the Soleil Lip Blush ($55), which is flecked in 24K gold, glides on the lips clear and leaves a flush of pink, to Acqua Metal Shadows ($46) which add the perfect lightweight, reflective tint on the eyes, everything is effortlessly glamorous. Nothing is too heavy or stark, including the powder bronzer and blush duo — which is just how we like it when things start to heat up." —KJ
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer
"If you saw a bunch of influencers in Montana last month promoting the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer ($36), I can confirm that the IG hype isn't fake. I fell in love with this product because I don't feel like it's even necessary to apply makeup afterwards — it brightens your skin similar to how banana powder would, but without having to worry about your skin being too dry for powder. I've been using it as the last step in my skincare routine on days I don't wear makeup and need to give my skin a little extra help." –KJ
Laura Geller Lash Boss Max Mascara
"I had never used a curved mascara wand before, and boy have I been missing out! The Laura Geller Lash Boss Max Mascara ($24, available soon at Ulta) can be used with the curve turned in or out (or in my case, both), and it creates the longest lashes of my life. There was absolutely no clumping, which is something that I find to be very common with mascaras when they're first opened, and was so easy to apply to the inner corner lashes because of the small bulb at the end of the wand. My friend asked what falsies I was wearing, and really that says it all!" –Charisandra Perez, assistant coordinator, Social and Partnerships
CoverGirl Simply Ageless Instant Fix Advanced Concealer
"My world was completely rocked when the Beautyblender first came out, because it made blotting in my concealer — the most painstaking but worthwhile step in my makeup routine — way easier. There have been plenty of variations of the makeup sponge since, of course, but my favourite has to be the CoverGirl Simply Ageless Instant Fix Advanced Concealer ($17). Not only does the formula camouflage dark spots like a dream, the built-in sponge also makes blending a breeze. It doesn't hurt that it's freed up some space in my makeup bag in the process, too." — Kelsey Castanon, senior beauty editor
Boscia Skin Perfecting BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30
"I'm going to be completely honest: I stumbled across the Boscia Skin Perfecting BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($38) after an adult sleepover. I had a meeting right when I got into the office, and I didn't have time for a full face. While I was worried at first about it being a BB cream — I'm a foundation girl through and through — it was surprisingly full-coverage, smelled of refreshing mint, and kept me protected with its SPF 30. It doesn't hurt that it's also loaded with antioxidants and aloe vera, which soothed my skin enough that no one knew I was up until 3 am. . . 'sleeping.'" — KC
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Epic Lash Primer
"Not to sound like the Most Interesting Man in the World, but I don't wear lash primer often. When I do, I use the Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Epic Lash Primer ($26). All you need is a few swipes and it'll take your second step (mascara, keep up) to the next level." – KC
Kat Von D Go Big or Go Home Mascara
"The tube of Kat Von D Beauty's Go Big or Go Home Mascara ($23) is, dare I say, chonky. It feels heavy — like you're holding the weight of your eyelashes' future in your hands — but what makes the formula really cool is that it's made with plant-based fats (as opposed to beeswax or other polymers) to give it its volumizing properties, which means its completely vegan." — KC
