Beauty Tools of 2021

We don't know what we'd do without trusted beauty professionals, but time at home has turned many of us into skilled makeup artists and hairstylists. With this year's lineup of tools, all of which rightfully earned the coveted Best of Beauty Award seal, your artistry is about to be leveled up like never before.

Among the winners there is an incredibly lightweight blow-dryer from Drybar that smooths any hair texture without leaving your arms sore. There's also Glamnetic XoXo's Vegan Magnetic Lash, which eliminates the need for glue and a steady hand. And while many other brands have tried to steal the spotlight, we're giving Shu Uemura's iconic eyelash curler yet another win — because, well, there's just no duplicating it.

Hot Tools (Brush Dryer): T3 AireBrush Duo

The T3 AireBrush Duo has two interchangeable brushes, five heat settings, and three different speeds, which adds up to sleekness and volume in one pass.

Hot Tools (Blow-Dryer): Drybar Reserve Ultralight Anti-Frizz Blow Dryer

If you think the airy, ergonomic design of Drybar Reserve Ultralight Anti-Frizz Blow Dryer ups your bathroom's Insta game, just wait till you see what it does for your hair.

Hot Tools (Flatiron): GHD Max Wide Plate Styler

The sensors in the GHD Max Wide Plate Styler monitor heat 200 times per second to keep it at the perfect hair-smoothing (but not hair-damaging) 365 degrees.

Hot Tools (Curling Iron): CHI Spin N Curl Compact

The rotating barrel of the CHI Spin N Curl Compact does all the work, producing big, bouncy curls at the push of a button.

Hot Tools (Curling Iron): Kristin Ess 1" Curling Iron

For shorter styles, the slim Kristin Ess 1" Curling Iron gives bobs, lobs, and pixie cuts a generous serving of tousled texture.

Hot Tools (Waves): Trademark Beauty Babe Waves

Place the Trademark Beauty Babe Waves against your hair to sculpt perfect mermaid ripples. The three ceramic barrels leave an undulating impression — effortlessly.

Hairbrush (Paddle): Y by Yusef Cushion Paddle Brush

The airy cushion and ball-tipped bristles of the Y by Yusef Cushion Paddle Brush deliver luxurious shine and a blissful scalp massage.

Hairbrush (Paddle): Manta Healthy Hairbrush

For fragile hair, the supremely flexible Manta Healthy Hairbrush molds to the shape of your palm and scalp, reducing tension to prevent damage.

Hairbrush (Round): Conair Hairbrush Advisory Frizzy Hair Blow-Dry Porcupine Round Brush

The Conair Hairbrush Advisory Frizzy Hair Blow-Dry Porcupine Round Brush polishes roots and sculpts our ends into a full-figured curve.

Hairbrush (Detangler): Goody Total Texture Oil- Infused Detangler

The Goody Total Texture Oil-Infused Detangler distributes a light veil of oil as you brush, so bristles glide without snagging and knots practically undo themselves.

Hairbrush (Edge Styler): Kitsch Dual Edge Brush and Comb

The Kitsch Dual Edge Brush and Comb has soft nylon bristles on one side and a mini comb on the other so you can lay down baby hairs and get artsy with your edges.

Hairbrush (Hair Pick): Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Hair Pick

We've combed through the competition. Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Hair Pick is The One for fluffing, shaping, and elongating tight textures.

Skin Device: NuFace Trinity

NuFace Trinity uses metal spheres to channel low-level current to facial muscles, painlessly zapping skin into a tighter, smoother, more toned-looking state.

Makeup Brush (Foundation): Merit Brush No. 1

Densely packed and slightly angled, the bristles of the Merit Brush No. 1 cozy up to your bone structure, buffing away streaks from hairline to jawline.

Makeup Brush (Concealer): Laruce LR105 Short Shadow

The airy tips of the Laruce LR105 Short Shadow blur shadows and fine lines under your eyes. The curved head hugs nostrils and navigates the base of any blemish.

Makeup Brush (Powder): Zara Beauty Large Powder Brush

Insanely soft and feathery, the Zara Beauty Large Powder Brush skims the face and diffuses powder for the sheerest-possible coverage.

Makeup Brush (Contour): Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Contour Brush

Apply the fanlike bristles of the Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Contour Brush to the contours of your face and ta-da! Cheekbones you never knew you had.

Makeup Brush (Blush): Sephora Collection Pro Blush Brush #96

Compatible with liquids, creams, and powders, the fluffy Sephora Collection Pro Blush Brush #96 swirls pigment over the apples and builds color along the cheekbones.

Makeup Brush (Highlighter): Sigma E40 Max Tapered Blending Brush

Roughly the size of our fingertips (but way more dexterous), the Sigma E40 Max Tapered Blending Brush concentrates glow on high points of the face.

Makeup Brush (Brow): Tweezerman Dual Ended Angled Brow Brush

No gap is too narrow for the Tweezerman Dual Ended Angled Brow Brush to target. Switch to the spooley on the other side to help brows achieve their fullest potential.

Makeup Brush (Eye Shadow): Merle Norman Cosmetics Makeup Artistry Eyes #2 Brush

Wide enough for sweeping on shadow and thin enough for adding definition, the Merle Norman Cosmetics Makeup Artistry Eyes #2 Brush accommodates lids and creases (and pros and amateurs).

Makeup Brush: Monika Blunder Beauty Hybrid Cream Brush

Blending, highlighting, sculpting, diffusing... Is there anything the Monika Blunder Beauty Hybrid Cream Brush won't do? "Yes," answered one editor. "Shed."

Makeup Sponge: BioBlender by EcoTools

Plenty of makeup sponges have the ability to make streaks disappear. But the BioBlender by EcoTools can make itself disappear too — it will almost entirely decompose in a home compost bin in six months.

Tweezers: Tweezerman Slant Tweezer

At this point, Tweezerman Slant Tweezer should be an honorary ishonest editor. The precise stainless steel tips were fine-tuning our brows back when we were still editing with ink.

Eyelash Curler: Shu Uemura Iconic Eyelash Curler

The icon of eyelash tools (and a must-have for monolids), Shu Uemura Iconic Eyelash Curler accommodates every eye shape, giving even downward-facing lashes a robust bend.

Lashes: LoveSeen

The wispy tips and staggered lengths of LoveSeen strips mimic the pattern of your natural lashes — if your natural lashes dusted your brows.

Lashes: Glamnetic XoXo Vegan Magnetic Lash

Glamnetic XoXo Vegan Magnetic Lash gives dramatic effect with zero effort. Just draw the magnetic liner along your upper lids and these lashes snap into place.

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