Photo: Courtesy of vendors; Illustration by Christina Park
Beauty products are a big investment, and when they don't live up to their hype, you'll find yourself seriously let down — especially if you're stocking up to look your best on your wedding day. To help you create a flawless look on your big day (and beyond!), the editors at BRIDES tested hundreds of products to bring you the best for all things beauty in 2015.
We already shared our favorite skincare products and face makeup, so this week we're bringing you our editor-approved picks for eyes and lips.
1. Waterproof Mascara: Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara, $31
The "tube" formula leaves lashes thick and ready to take on the most heartfelt toast. Says our tester, "It won't smudge even if you sleep in it. Which you shouldn't do, but still!"
2. Lip Balm: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, $23
This salve wooed testers with its yummy scent and ability to take lips from parched to kissable in just a few swipes. (You're welcome, fiancés.)
3. Brow Pencil: Chanel Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil, $29
Terrified of fake-looking brows? So was our tester until she tried this smudgy, goof-proof pencil. "It looks totally natural," she says. We love scoring a convert.
4. Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Allure Intense Long-Wear Lip Colour, $35
Miracle! A long-wearing lipstick that feels good on. "You get lots of pigment without feeling like there's gunk on your lips," says our tester.
See More: 4 Eye Creams We Love for Brides-to-Be
5. False Lashes: Kre-at Beauty Sweet Individuals Lashes, $18
Each kit has three different sizes of individual lash clusters. "It made for a dramatic but realistic look," says our tester.
6. Liquid Eyeliner: Surratt Autographique Eyeliner, $42
The markerlike design and razor-thin tip make it a cinch for even shaky hands to draw a steady line. And unlike many others, "the jet-black shade stays jet-black for hours," says our tester.
7. Lip Gloss: Maybelline New York Color Elixir, $8.99
The user-friendly angled applicator and richly pigmented formula won high marks. "The gloss is really shiny, and it's amazing in photos," says one tester.
See More: 4 Tips for Cry-Proofing Your Wedding-Day Makeup
8. Mascara: Benefit They're Real! Mascara, $23
While testing this mascara, our editor was stopped twice on the street — twice! — by strangers complimenting her long, dark, Kardashian-like lashes.
9. Eye Shadow: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow, $26
It comes in 19 shades (we're partial to Sand Dollar) and "stays in place all day without flaking or caking," says our tester.
10. Eyeliner Pencil: CoverGirl Liquiline-Blast Eyeliner, $7.99
Our tester raves about this soft pencil's staying power: "So many liners disappear by lunch, but this one isn't going away until you take it off."
For more great beauty advice, and to find out which other beauty products made our list, be sure to check out our April/May issue, available on newsstands and for download now!