Underrated Cosmetics You Need to Try

Discover beauty gems flying under the radar

In an industry dominated by viral trends, flashy packaging, and celebrity endorsements, many products with exceptional performance quietly sit on the sidelines. These underrated cosmetics products may not grace the front shelves of your favorite beauty store or trend on TikTok, but they deliver results that rival — or even surpass — their hyped-up counterparts. The truth is, the best additions to your beauty arsenal might be hiding in plain sight.

The Beauty of the Overlooked

Beauty consumers often gravitate toward the latest launches, tempted by influencer reviews and luxury branding. But in doing so, they may miss out on timeless performers: those underrated cosmetics products that beauty insiders swear by and makeup artists keep in their kits. Whether it’s an obscure indie gem or an old-school formula that never got its due, these items deserve center stage.

1. Cream Blushes That Melt Into the Skin

While powder blushes dominate the market, cream formulations offer an unparalleled natural finish. Brands like Stila, RMS Beauty, and Flower Beauty have created creamy blushes that blend seamlessly into the skin, giving a flush-from-within glow. They work exceptionally well across skin types and lend a youthful dewiness that powder can’t replicate. These blushes are quintessential underrated cosmetics products — versatile, buildable, and ideal for achieving that effortless, lit-from-within aesthetic.

2. Tubing Mascaras: The Silent Revolution

Mascaras promising volume and curl flood the market, yet few deliver long-lasting, smudge-proof results — especially for oily lids or humid climates. Enter tubing mascaras. Unlike traditional formulas, tubing mascaras form tiny polymer tubes around each lash, resisting flaking and raccoon eyes. Brands like Blinc and Thrive Causemetics pioneered the category, but their low-key nature has kept them from household fame. They’re not flashy, but they work — and work remarkably well. These are classic underrated cosmetics products that quietly outperform mainstream offerings.

3. Eyeshadow Sticks That Simplify Glam

Multi-step eye looks can be daunting for many, but eyeshadow sticks provide a one-and-done solution. They glide on smoothly, blend easily with a finger or brush, and often dry down to a waterproof finish. Laura Mercier’s Caviar Sticks, KIKO Milano’s Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks, and e.l.f.’s No Budge Shadow Sticks are formidable examples. They often go unnoticed in favor of complex palettes, but these sticks are undeniably some of the best underrated cosmetics products for achieving quick and polished eye looks.

4. Lip Oils: The Hybrid Hero

In the tug-of-war between matte lipsticks and high-shine glosses, lip oils have emerged as an elegant middle ground. Lightweight, nourishing, and subtly tinted, they offer the perfect balance of hydration and color. Despite their comfort and skincare benefits, many lip oils remain overlooked. Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss, and Merit’s tinted oils deliver luscious lips without the stickiness of traditional gloss. For those in the know, they’re holy grail items — truly underrated cosmetics products that marry beauty and skincare seamlessly.

5. Multipurpose Balms With Cult Potential

Famed makeup artists and backstage beauty teams often swear by all-in-one balms. These simple-looking jars often work as lip conditioners, cheek tints, brow tamers, or even eye glosses. Take, for example, the cult-favorite Egyptian Magic or Weleda Skin Food — both underwhelming in packaging but overflowing with utility. They may lack the glamour of gold-capped tubes, but their efficacy is unmatched. These multi-use heroes are often dismissed but make for indispensable underrated cosmetics products in any minimalist routine.

6. Setting Sprays That Truly Lock It In

Setting sprays often fall into two camps: over-perfumed mists that do little or overpriced bottles with mediocre results. But there are hidden gems among them that genuinely extend wear-time and enhance the finish of your makeup. Consider the Milani Make It Last Setting Spray or Skindinavia’s Makeup Finishing Spray — both offer performance worthy of pro kits but remain underhyped. These are underrated cosmetics products that can dramatically improve makeup longevity with just a few spritzes.

7. Underrated Base Products That Rival Luxury Brands

Everyone wants the perfect foundation or concealer, but not all solutions come in expensive bottles. Hidden in drugstore aisles or lesser-known online retailers are foundations with stellar coverage, undertone options, and skin-loving ingredients. The Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint are just two examples that punch far above their price point. These formulas don’t get the limelight they deserve but perform on par with luxury brands — a definitive trait of underrated cosmetics products.

Elevate Your Routine With Hidden Gems

In a saturated beauty market, it’s easy to get distracted by the loudest voices. But sometimes, the quietest products speak the loudest — on your skin. These underrated cosmetics products don’t rely on trends to justify their worth. They shine because they work, and once discovered, they rarely leave a beauty lover’s routine.

Next time you refresh your makeup bag, look past the obvious. Beneath the surface lies a trove of transformative treasures — and embracing the underrated might just elevate your beauty game beyond the mainstream.