This article was originally published on Adore Beauty.
Mark my words, this is the year of 'stick beauty'.
From our beauty bags to our skincare shelves and fragrance wardrobes, it's all about the swipe and go.
While nothing new, Max Factor was one of the first to offer solid makeup sticks in the late 1940s with their Pan-Stik Foundation (which you can still buy today, btw), the fun and frugal format is growing increasingly popular with new portable products dropping daily.
I, for one, thoroughly endorse this latest beauty trend, as a chronically late girlie with a knack for dropping (= breaking) her powder compacts.
Not only has it saved my palettes (and sanity) from a slow, painful death, stick blushes, bronzers and foundations have simplified my beauty regimen and made it speedier than ever. I can practically hear my fiancé cheering from the other room.
Watch: Find out which sticks Leigh Campbell likes best. Post continues below.
Stick products are also easy peasy to apply on the go as they don't require a makeup brush or sponge. Simply dab or roll onto your skin, blend with your fingers, and you're good to go.
Now that's convenient.
Trust me, you'll want to take these swipe-on sticks everywhere.
1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint, $76.
Fast facts:
- Promises to smooth, brighten, hydrate and soften skin.
- Delivers sheer to light coverage with a naturally glowy finish.
- Packed with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, coconut oil and jojoba seed oil.
- Vegan and cruelty-free formula that's also free from phthalates, mineral oil, talc, sulphates, parabens and fragrance.
My Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm review:
This new Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm was the catalyst for my love letter to all things sticky. You could say I'm rather stuck on it. (Sorry.)
I don't think I've heard as many "Oohs" and "Aahs" than when its samples arrived at Adore HQ.
A serum-boosted skin tint in a solid stick? What is this sorcery?
At first glance, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the Beauty Balm for a chic little deodorant stick. (Which, let's be real I'd probs still buy.) That's exactly what it looks like. Complete with a wind-up mechanism and solid stick texture — but that's where the similarities end.
The ABH Beauty Balm glides onto the skin and feels like nothing. The best way to describe its finish is a beauty filter. Almost as if you've turned on Zoom's 'Touch up my appearance' feature, or TikTok's 'Retouch' tool.
It doesn't deposit a crazy amount of product but rather a subtle sheen, allowing your skin to still look like skin (only better).
I've been loving the ABH Beauty Balm on days I can't be bothered for a full beat. I'll simply swipe the tint onto my skin, use either my fingers or a brush to blend it in and follow with a touch of Benetint on my cheeks, nose and lips.
2. Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation, $67.
Fast facts:
- Created with makeup professionals in mind.
- Features "4K Complex", ideal for high-definition filming.
- Compact stick format makes it ideal for pro kits and travel.
- Has a creamy, blendable texture and medium-to-full coverage.
- Best when used with a primer, setting powder, and setting spray.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation reviews:
"I have tried a lot of foundations in my time, and quite a few stick foundations, and none of them have been quite like this. The formula is so blendable and just melts into my skin, leaving a flawless, semi-matte finish. My skin doesn't feel dry or too matte — it's quite the opposite. My skin is left feeling comfortable, and with a healthy glow. I am only my second stick and loving it!" — Elle.
"It's the only foundation that I have (following this method) that gives me a perfect, light-medium coverage without cracking or settling on my dry skin. Plus it's mess free and long lasting. Really enjoying this product, took the stigma out of stick foundations for me." — GWD.
3. Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Stick Foundation, $71.
Fast facts:
- Silky, blendable texture.
- Promises 24-hour wear.
- Features a built-in brush.
- Has a natural, matte finish.
- Transfer and smudge-resistant.
- Delivers medium to full coverage.
- Fragrance-free and non-comedogenic.
- Use as a foundation, concealer or for touch-ups.
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Stick Foundation review:
"What this product is best for: when your foundation starts coming off your nose and sinks into pores because it's not playing well with your primer and powder, and you can't do anything to save it besides wash off and start again? You try to use concealer and it makes it worse? Nah this will save you. It will go over anything and fix any mess. Contour too low? Use this instead of concealer. Forehead getting greasy but don't have a powder? This will fix you up. Makeup wearing off? Touch up with this. Under eyes smudged after a long day? This instead of concealer. I don't use it for full base, but I keep on me at all times for touch ups, as it will tidy up and refresh your whole look with a few swipes and a buff. It's a game changer. Don't carry concealer and powder anymore, this is better."
4. AB LAB by Adore Beauty HA Plump Lip & Cheek Multistick, $30.
Fast facts:
- Wet-to-dry formula.
- Lightweight, satin-matte finish.
- Multi-use stick for cheeks and lips.
- Leaves skin feeling soft and supple.
- Made in Australia, vegan and cruelty-free.
- Read our resident makeup artist's review here.
- Infused with hyaluronic acid, cocoa butter, jojoba oil and Australian native botanicals.
AB LAB by Adore Beauty HA Plump Lip & Cheek Multistick reviews:
"I can honestly say that it blended out like a dream, leaving my skin with a natural, velvet finish that would be suitable for all skin types. It provides a decent wash of colour but I wouldn't be intimidated by its cream formula as it is a very forgiving product and can build easily if you are after more intensity on the cheek." — Megan, Content Manager at Adore Beauty.
"Love a cream-based blush and lip combo. This is easy to use and convenient to carry with!" — Isabella.
5. Napoleon Perdis Cheek Switch Crème Blush Stick, $59.
Fast facts:
- Easy to apply and blend.
- Long-wearing with a matte-velvet finish.
- Silky, lightweight formula that's buildable.
- Transforms into a silky powder on the skin.
- Vegan, paraben-free, artificial fragrance-free, mineral oil-free.
Napoleon Perdis Cheek Switch Crème Blush Stick reviews:
"This is the BEST blush I have and I don't ever want to use anything else. Such a beautiful, smooth application and so easy to build the colour up depending on the occasion. It blends really well, whether you use your fingers or a sponge, it has such a nice texture, it just glides. I often wear this on its own with a little mascara and feel like that's enough, but it also really complements a full face of makeup. Love it!" — Charlie.
"Have been using this for over a year and love it — use it on my cheeks, lips and eyes." — Lenka.
6. Huda Beauty Cheeky Tint Blush Stick, $43.
Fast facts:
- Blends seamlessly into the skin.
- Has a hydrating, glowy formula.
- Infused with lychee extract and vitamin E.
- Can be applied with fingers, a brush or a sponge.
My Huda Beauty Cheeky Tint Blush Stick review:
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of these glowy blush sticks.
Here are a few reasons: they're pigmented but not OTT, they blend in like a dream, they come in a variety of complementary colours, they last ages, they can be mixed and matched, and they're infused with skin-loving ingredients.
They're one of our Senior Beauty Editor Sadaf's favourites, too. And our resident MUA and Content Manager Megan.
And pretty much everyone else at Adore Beauty.
'Nuff said? Cool.
7. Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, $52.
Fast facts:
- Natural finish.
- Creamy contour stick.
- Long-wearing, oil-free formula.
- Suitable for fair to medium skin tones.
- Easy to apply, buildable and blends seamlessly.
- Chubby Sticks are also available in Highlight and Blush.
- Formulated without parabens, phthalates, fragrance. Just happy skin.
Our Senior Beauty Editor Sadaf's Clinique Chubby Stick Contour review:
"The iconic Clinique Chubby Stick Contour is perfect for people like me who want to add some dimension underneath the cheekbones, without going overboard. It's easy to get a little heavy-handed with some contour products, but not this one. I like to start with a light application first, blending upwards with my fingers. This contour stick is super buildable, so I can always work in more of the product if I want to amp up the intensity."
8. Napoleon Perdis Cheek Switch Crème Bronze Stick, $59.
Fast facts:
- Cream bronzer stick.
- Long-wearing, buildable formula.
- Adds a soft-focus glow to the skin.
- Can be used anywhere on the face or eyes.
- Cream-to-powder texture with matte-velvet finish.
- Enriched with argan kernel oil and candelilla wax to condition skin.
Napoleon Perdis Cheek Switch Crème Bronze Stick reviews:
"This is the first time I've used this product and I'm hooked. It's easy to apply and blend on the cheeks and today I used it as an eyeshadow. Brilliant!" — Marea.
"Creamy and buildable. Very easy to apply with a brush." — Katie.
For more from Jasmine Riley, click here.
Feature Image: Adore Beauty.
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