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Rosie O'Donnell got a facelift—and she has some thoughts to share.

The comedian and actor revealed this week that she had a lower deep-plane facelift in January, sharing her complicated feelings on Substack in her now-signature poetic style. In the post, titled “decisions,” O'Donnell wrote that she had always sworn she'd never go under the knife. After losing 50 pounds, she changed her mind.

“I used to feel very strongly about facelifts,” O'Donnell wrote. “Not casually—morally. I had assigned myself as head of all women who would never ever.” She went on to say that getting a facelift felt like a “betrayal” of feminism and aging, even of “our team of women worldwide.” But after her weight loss, O'Donnell said her face changed to a point that “I'd look in the mirror and think – this isn't aging, this is melting with intention.” She tried to accept it, and couldn't: “There's a point where acceptance starts to feel like lying.”

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O'Donnell's 13-year-old child, Clay, found out that she was contemplating a facelift and had their their own thoughts, saying O'Donnell “earned” her wrinkles and that young women look up to her. What kind of message would she be sending about aging and acceptance if she got plastic surgery? And then this: “‘I wouldn’t be able to respect you if you did it.’” (“That's a big statement from someone who still needs you to open jars.”) According to O'Donnell, Clay sounded “exactly like me. Like my younger, more certain, more morally rigid self had somehow moved into my house and was now judging my face.”

O'Donnell sat for a few months with the idea of getting a facelift, then realized that not doing would also send her child a message. “If I’m teaching Clay anything, it can’t be that my body belongs to an idea either,” she wrote. “Even a good idea. Even feminism. Because that’s still not freedom—that’s just a different authority telling you what you’re allowed to do with your own face.” Her words echo those of Allure contributor Joan Kron, who said of her three facelifts: “The feminist line is, 'We've earned these wrinkles. We don't want to erase them.' Well, I’m a feminist, but I don’t believe in telling people what to do with their bodies.”

About five months ago, O'Donnell had the surgery, choosing a doctor who had worked on some of her friends, “who all still looked like themselves, just like they had recently been told good news.” Her goal: “to still be me, just…less haunted. And I do look like me…a slightly more well-rested, emotionally stable version of me.” So what was the response to the results, after all that self-reflection and “a full existential feminist crisis”? O'Donnell says no one has even noticed she had work done, “not one person. Not a friend, not a stranger, not even people who owe me compliments / My teenager has not said a word.”

But O'Donnell is pleased with that. “I didn’t disappear, I didn’t become someone else. I just stopped arguing with the mirror. And maybe that’s enough. Or at the very least…it’s what a lower, deep plane face lift [sic] looks like when it minds its own business.” A day after the Substack post went live, she shared before and after photos on her Instagram.

O'Donnell joins the ranks of celebrities who have been open about their work recently. Denise Richards told Allure all about her recent facelift and even shared the actual, clinical before-and-after pics. A day after O'Donnell's post went live, Glamour published an interview with TV personality Keltie Knight in which she shared details about her own facelift. Then there's Ricki Lake, and Kathy Griffin, and of course Kris Jenner.

O'Donnell ended her post by saying that while she knows she doesn't owe anyone an explanation for her decision to have plastic surgery, she doesn't like secrets. “Part of my desire to show myself…is to come clean,” she wrote. “But who do I owe that truth to? Is it mine to keep?” She writes of feeling “almost shameful” of her “privileged place” in the world, noting that the surgery cost “more money than I have ever paid for a car.” But at 64, O'Donnell says that despite her still-conflicted feelings, she and her “new lower face and neck” are “just happy to be alive…able to feel and choose and use my voice whenever I feel called to…as we carry on in act 3.”

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So far, 2026 has been a year of long-awaited comebacks. Hillary Duff hits the stage after 18 years; Ariana Grande after seven. Fans waited five years for Euphoria season three to air on HBO and two decades for The Devil Wears Prada 2 to arrive in theaters this month. And for makeup lovers, it has felt like ages waiting for the return of Marc Jacobs Beauty, the fashion designer’s beloved makeup brand that shuttered unexpectedly in 2021.

News broke of the reboot last year, but it’s been a slow crawl to launch day. I’m not sure about you, but for us beauty editors, the press rollout has felt like 84 years of blind items, occasional red-carpet and runway spottings, and teasers of teasers of teasers.

They say patience is a virtue, and with Marc Jacobs Beauty finally arriving at Sephora on June 1, (and today on MarcJacobs.com), I'm feeling particularly virtuous—and eager to dig into how these products look, feel, and perform. For many beauty editors at Allure, we remember the initial launch fondly, some of us holding onto our Highliners and bottles of Dew Drops despite being fully aware of how expiration dates work.

Now, it’s important to note that Coty, the brand’s parent company, has been very adamant that this new Marc Jacobs Beauty has nothing to do with the original. As Allure contributor Marci Robin noted last week, the press release “would have you believe that the Marc Jacobs Beauty you're about to meet is the first installment.” That being said, at the launch event in New York City, Jacobs admitted that “we looked at, obviously, what Marc Jacobs Beauty was before” when rethinking this new iteration.

For those of us who coveted the brand in the 2010s, part of our excitement for the launch is powered by nostalgia—in my case, for the gel liner and the Omega Bronzer—and we couldn’t help but feel curious about how they compare. So, in the name of beauty journalism, I asked my fellow Allure editors, regular contributors, and makeup artists who were fans of the OG Marc Jacobs Beauty—all who still own original items—to try the new range and share their thoughts. But first, a little more about the collection in general.

Is the New Marc Jacobs Beauty the Same as the Original?

No. And I should reiterate that Coty—the same company that creates Marc Jacobs fragrances—is promoting this as an entirely new line, completely separate from the original (which was owned by LVMH's Kendo). “This is not a reissue of the original line; everything has been reimagined: the formulas, the textures, the performance,” a representative of the brand specified via email. And while the product names have a similar cheekiness to them (Gagged, Heart & Fast, Money Shot, to name a few), you won't see reformulations of the old formulas. The packaging also looks completely different.

One similarity? A heavy focus on eye makeup, which seems to come directly from Jacobs' personal preferences. When Allure interviewed him about the first Marc Jacobs Beauty launch in 2013, he told us, “I’ve always been very drawn to the eyes,” and it seems that still holds. “It's the eyes for me,” he told preview guests earlier this month. “I think it's the place where there's the most opportunity for experimentation, for expression. It's what I look at first when I see someone. So, I think the eyes just have all that possibility.”

What Products Are in the New Marc Jacobs Beauty Collection?

The initial June 1 drop introduces seven products, including the Flashes Mascara, available in black, brown, and blue; Drawn This Way Eyeliner, a waterproof gel formula that's as creamy as a kajal and comes in 21 colors and four finishes: matte, metallic, and “magical” (the latter includes glitter and duochromes); Born Star Eyeshadow, 14 individual powder shadows also broken up into matte, metallic, and magical textures; Joystick Blush Stick, multiuse balms for lips and cheeks that come in 10 shades; Legally Bronze Bronzer, a buildable powder bronzer in nine shades that range from fair to deep; Money Shot Highlighter Gel, which comes in just one hue with pink and blue reflects; and finally, the Heart On Lipstick, a hybrid lipstick balm in 15 neutral, pink, red, purple, and “trendy” hues, like electric purple and Barbie pink.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Flashes Mascara

$29

Sephora

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Born Star Eyeshadow

$29

Sephora

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Joystick Blush Stick

$35

Sephora

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Legally Bronze Bronzer

$42

Sephora

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Money Shot Highlighter Gel

$29

Sephora

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Heart On Lipstick

$34

Sephora

Why Did the Marc Jacobs Beauty Packaging Change?

At the press preview, Jacobs explained that back in 2013, he felt strongly that the packaging should be black. “I did feel that it should be simple,” he explained, noting that it seemed more in line with how he felt sophisticated beauty brands were packaged at the time.

For Marc Jacobs Beauty 2.0, the aesthetic couldn't be further from simple. “I remember the conversations being, ‘We want to do something that’s more disruptive and different,'” he said. Presented with loads of options (including penis-shaped lipstick tubes), Jacobs went home and started sketching ideas. He landed on three shapes: stars, to represent the eyes; daisies, the innocence of which reminded him of skin; and hearts, which look like lips. Eventually, he came up with the idea of giving the shapes a party balloon-like quality, adding an element of fun and playfulness that the designer wanted to convey.

How Do the New Marc Jacobs Beauty Products Compare to the Originals?

This is where I got help from my fellow MJ Beauty fans, including Allure editors, contributors, and professional makeup artists. It's hard to offer a true comparison because many of the products we own from the original line have either dried up or gone in the trash after Marie Kondo-esque clean-outs. (I recently tossed the most perfect red-brown metallic Omega Gel-Powder Eyeshadow during a type-A cleaning rage.) In any case, we did our best.

Keep scrolling to see how Allure editors tested Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Legally Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer ($42)Tester: Content director Sophia Panych

Sophie with the new Legally Bronzer Pressed Powder Bronzer.

Courtesy of subject

Sophie applying the new Legally Bronzer Pressed Powder Bronzer.

Courtesy of subject

How I loved the original Omega Bronzer. It's been a long time since I've used or seen one in real life, but I remember the texture being silky smooth and super blendable. Upon first glance, the new Legally Bronze Bronzer is nothing like the original. For one, the size. The Omega Bronzer compact was comically large (makeup artist Dick Page once joked to me that it was big enough to bronze a horse), but the idea was that you could also use it over your body (which, I'll admit, I never did). Second, is the smell. The original powder had a tropical, coconutty scent that you'd get a whiff of with every swipe. The Legally Bronze Bronzer is a normal size and has no discernible smell.

The Omega Bronzer was top tier in 2014, but probably wouldn't hold up in 2026, most notably because it came only in one shade (boo). Legally Bronze Bronzer comes in nine (I'm Light Medium Plus), and in general, I'm really impressed by the formula. I prefer cream bronzers these days, but Legally Bronze buffs on just as seamlessly. Blending with a fluffy brush—I use the Smith 118 Powder Brush—takes little to no effort.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Legally Bronze Bronzer

$42

Sephora

Drawn This Way Eyeliner ($26)Tester: Acting features director Kara McGrath

Kara wearing the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner in You Up?

Courtesy of subject

Kara wearing the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner in You Up?

Courtesy of subject

Sadly, the original MJB liners in my makeup archive have long dried up, but this new formula definitely lives up to my memory of them. They are so creamy and pigmented, I actually gasped when I tried them for the first time. If you want to use the liner for a smoky look, you'll have to smudge it out quickly because the pigment sets almost immediately—and then stays set. I applied You Up? at 3 p.m. on a Friday, then went to dinner and dancing after. When I got home around 11 p.m., my base makeup had totally melted off, but the liner was almost perfectly intact.

Kara wearing the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner in You Wish.

Courtesy of subject

Kara applying the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner in You Wish.

Courtesy of subjectTester: Makeup artist Cass Raimundi

Marc Jacobs Beauty was a powerhouse from the beginning! Their original lineup was unlike any other "fashion" brand I had experienced at the time, where beautiful skin was at the center, and the colors and textures of the shadows, liners, and glosses felt sleek and sexy. The new lineup feels like a more playful, bold, and youthful story. It's so exciting to see an array of colorful eye shadows and eyeliners, especially since the OG MJB liners were my absolute favorite ever! Despite their differences, both the original and current launches inspire you to play up your natural beauty with an unexpected twist.

Cass wearing the new Drawn This Way Long-Wear Waterproof Gel Eyeliner and Born Star Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow.

Courtesy of subject

Cass wearing the new Drawn This Way Long-Wear Waterproof Gel Eyeliner and Born Star Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow.

Courtesy of subject

I put Drawn This Way Long-Wear Waterproof Gel Eyeliner and Born Star Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow to the ultimate test. There is no better feeling than creating a high-impact look with minimal effort; the liner and eye shadow do just that! I was already infatuated with the stellar new packaging, but the quality did not disappoint with the intense color, buttery glide, and flawless blendability. I've missed my Marc Jacobs Beauty eyeliner for years, and I'm happy to say… She is new, improved, and ready to play! I can't wait to try the rest of the lineup and experiment with all of the beautiful colors and textures.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Born Star Eyeshadow

$29

Sephora

Born Star Eye Shadow ($29)Tester: Acting features director Kara McGrath

Kara holding the new Bold Star Eye Shadow in Mood Swing.

Courtesy of subject

Kara wearing the new Bold Star Eye Shadow in Mood Swing.

Courtesy of subject

While I'm completely in love with the new MJB eyeliners, I wasn't quite as smitten with the eye shadows, beyond the very cute packaging. The new ones feel similar to the old versions: They're very silky and soft to the touch. This could have been specific to the shade I tested—Mood Swing, a very pretty blue-purple duochrome—but I found the formula to be quite messy, and without enough payoff or staying power to make the cleanup worth it. I'd definitely recommend applying with just your fingers; the formula glided on a bit better when I went that route.

Kara applying the Born Star Eye Shadow in Mood Swing.

Courtesy of subject

It's also not an office-to-dinner option: I first applied the shadow around 1:30 p.m., and by the time I finished work at 6:30, the shadow seemed to have slid from my eyelids to my temples and cheeks.

Tester: Makeup artist Cass Raimundi

Cass creating a look with some of her favorite products from the original Marc Jacobs Beauty collection.

Courtesy of subject

Cass creating a look using the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner in No Cap and Born Star Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow in Zero Chill.

Courtesy of subject

After 12 hours on an 84-degree day with no eye shadow primer, I can truly say this liner-and-shadow combo is long-wearing and waterproof! Initially, I applied using only my fingers, and was impressed by how easily I was able to blend. There's about a minute of playtime before it fully sets. I have quite greasy lids, and after 12 hours, I still had no creasing, even through the sweat and heat! These will definitely be going into my personal beauty rotation and professional makeup kit.

Joystick Blush Stick ($35)Tester: Contributing writer Sable Yong

Sable wearing the Flesh & Fantasy Airblush.

Courtesy of subject

Sable applying the Flesh & Fantasy Airblush.

Courtesy of subject

I’ve had the Flesh & Fantasy Airblush since… 2017? Maybe earlier. I think these came out around the time the draping trend was coming back, so I’d see people applying them dramatically, all the way up the temples. I love how the powder has a gradient of pigment and highlight shades that, when mixed together, give me a diffused finish—semi-matte but with a luster. The overall effect is quite soft and, as the name implies, airy. It’s very pigmented, a little goes a long way, and it stays on my face all day.

Sable wearing the new Joystick Blush in Self-Centered.

Courtesy of subject

Sable wearing both blushes—one on each cheek.

Courtesy of subject

The new Joystick Blush (shade Self-Centered) is a totally different format—a cream cheek-and-lip formula. It packs on pigment and has a nice tack to it, sinking into my skin in a way that looks almost like a stain. This is a really easy color to blend and build (I hate when cream blushes feel greasy and kind of smear around in streaks). It’s a much more user-friendly formula than other options, in my opinion, but for staunch powder blush loyalists, probably not a suitable replacement. I have dry/dehydrated skin, so this doesn’t look quite as vibrant by the end of the day on me, but it’s still there. (The cute packaging might make up for it, though.)

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Joystick Blush Stick

$35

Sephora

Heart On Lipstick ($34)Tester: Contributing editor Marci Robin

Marci wearing the old Le Marc Lip Crème in Infamous.

Courtesy of subject

Marci wearing the new Heart On Lipstick in Love Muscle.

Courtesy of subject

I held on to a mini of Le Marc Lip Crème in the shade Infamous, a warm pink, for nearly a decade. I never used it because, first of all, I’m not a pink-lipstick kinda gal; secondly, I wanted it as a souvenir of the time—as if I knew the first version of Marc Jacobs Beauty wasn’t meant to last. Now that I’ve finally tried it along with the second coming’s Heart On lipstick, I can confidently say that I won’t be using the old one again. Maybe it didn’t age well (despite my storing it meticulously), but the classic, creamy formula is nowhere near as pleasant to apply and wear as Heart On.

Marci wearing the new Heart On Lipstick in On Red.

Marci applying the new Heart On Lipstick in On Red.

Courtesy of subject

I tried Love Muscle—perhaps my least favorite lipstick name ever—and On Red, and both knocked my socks off. The formula feels like a balm, but still delivers intense color. It may not be as opaque as its predecessor, but it’s still pigmented as all get-out. Love Muscle is the closest thing I’ve ever gotten to a YLBB shade, and On Red is the perfect cool red without the dreaded pink-leaning tones. They last as long as you don’t eat, drink, or kiss; but I implore you, please don’t avoid any of the above for its benefit, as you’ll get the good fortune of the reapplication experience, which is truly a pleasure.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Heart On Lipstick

$34

Sephora

Shop the new Marc Jacobs Beauty collection at MarcJacobs.com starting today and on Sephora.com on June 1.

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Jennifer Lopez has gone through many style evolutions through her long career, from her “Jenny from the block” persona of the early 2000s to her glamorous Hollywood aesthetic of today. But one element of her look has always remained the same—her glowing makeup that has you instantly wanting to gulp down a glass of water, grab a bronzer compact, and book a beach vacation. Her makeup is all golden skin, fluttery lashes, glossy lips, and immaculately groomed brows, so when the multi-hyphenate stepped onto the red carpet with those feathery brows almost completely faded—we did a double-take.

J.Lo debuted the look at the premiere of her new romantic comedy Office Romance, in which she plays a high-powered CEO who breaks her own rules with her office fling (co-star Brett Goldstein). She wore a structural, embellished gown with sleek, middle-part hair and her new lightened brows, courtesy of makeup artist Ernesto Casillas.

The actress's brows have changed slightly over the past 30 years. For her role as Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 film about the late singer, her arches were darkened and defined. Like many Gen Xers and millennials, they became slimmer in the early aughts. But it's been years since she's experimented with her brows, and perhaps the first time we've ever seen her go for a more goth-inspired look on the red carpet. (Perhaps she was inspired by her role in last year's Kiss of the Spider Woman, where one of her looks is a dark, edgy seductress complete with vampy makeup and claw-like nails.)

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Although we think J.Lo absolutely nails the lighter eyebrow trend, we don't expect her to keep it for long. Especially since it appears that they're not bleached, unlike celebrities such as Jenna Ortega, Miley Cyrus, and Michelle Yeoh, who have all gone that route. Instead, the lightening may come thanks to a combination of glue, concealer, and a light dusting of powder over top—a classic method used in stage makeup and by drag artists to make their natural brows disappear. It's a great way to dabble with the bleached brows trend without having to open up a bottle of peroxide.

Whether J.Lo's lighter brows are here stay or just making a fleeting appearance, we always love to see an unexpected red-carpet makeup moment from one of our favorite, ultra-glamorous celebs.

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Whether you’re in the mood for a razor-sharp cat eye, a barely-there flick, or something bold and graphic, the best liquid eyeliners get the job done with ease. Unlike pencil or gel liners, liquid eyeliner delivers a level of precision and intensity that's hard to replicate with the former. A felt or brush tip allows you to draw cleaner, sharper lines, from subtle lash-line definition to a dramatic wing. Liquid formulas also tend to be more transfer-resistant and longer-wearing, meaning your look stays intact through heat, humidity, and accidental eye-rubbing.

While liquid liner has a reputation for being more unforgiving and trickier to master, with a bit of practice, the latest formulas and applicators are more user-friendly than ever—offering smooth glide, intense pigment, and impressive staying power.

• Best Overall: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner, $24
• Best for Beginners: Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner, $24
• Best Matte: Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner, $36
• Best Smudgeproof: Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner, $42
• Best Color Options: Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, $10

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What’s the best technique for beginners to apply a liquid liner?
• What's the trick to getting a perfectly even line on both eyes?
• Why should you use a liquid liner over a pencil? What’s the benefit of one versus the other?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Ahead, we’ve rounded up the very best, editor- and makeup artist-loved liquid eyeliners for precise lines, bold color, and all-day wear. Whether you're a liquid liner loyalist or just learning the ropes, there's something here for you.

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What’s the best technique for beginners to apply a liquid liner?
• What's the trick to getting a perfectly even line on both eyes?
• Why should you use a liquid liner over a pencil? What’s the benefit of one versus the other?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner

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Stila

Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

$24

Amazon

$24

Nordstrom

$24

Dermstore

Allure contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai applying the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Deanna Pai

Why we love it: As a Best of Beauty Award Winner across various years (yes, it’s just that good!), Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner has never left our makeup routines. The ultra-precise felt tip makes it easy to create everything from barely there lines to bold, dramatic wings. The formula dries quickly, sets to a satin finish, and genuinely holds up: no smudging and no mid-afternoon fading. It’s available in two classic shades, black and brown. Ardajah Jones, a makeup artist based in Waldorf, Maryland, counts it among her most-reached-for liners. Her go-to trick: "Taking a Q-tip with a little bit of eye cream on it and clean up the wing to get the most precise, sharp line."

Pai before applying the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Deanna Pai

Pai after applying the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Deanna Pai

Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai

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“Nothing makes me feel more put-together than a swipe of this liquid liner. I like that the applicator pen is firm at the base and more flexible at the tip, which I find gives me the most control when I'm applying it. Best of all, once it's on, it's ON. I usually struggle with liquid formulas smearing or smudging during the day, and this is the one pen that doesn't do it—even in the dead of summer.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor

More to know

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• Shades: 2
• Finish: satin
• Waterproof: yes
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best for Beginners: Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner

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Fenty Beauty

Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner

$24

Ulta Beauty

Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner

Jailynn Taylor

Why we love it: There’s something about a deep, black, inky liner like Fenty Beauty’s Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner that is so satisfying to look at and to catch a glimpse of every time you see your reflection. The hyper-saturated, water-resistant formula delivers a satin finish (in black or brown) that locks down and stays put until you remove it. The flex tip is one of its most highlighted features: Press lightly for a precise, delicate line along the lash base, or lean into it for a bolder, graphic look. The pen-like body makes it easier to grip and control, which matters when you're trying to keep things steady.

Zak Taylor, a makeup artist based in Indianapolis, has consistently leaned on this long-lasting formula: "I've never had it dry out on me early, which can be a common issue with liquid liners." He also notes that "the classic black shade is incredibly rich and dramatic, while the warm brown option pairs beautifully with softer or more natural makeup looks." Jones keeps it in regular rotation, too, and even recommends it for those starting out with liquid liners. "I apply it on myself, and it lasts all day long without smudging or wearing off."

Taylor before applying the Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner

Jailynn Taylor

Taylor after applying the Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner

Jailynn Taylor

Tester feedback from contributor Jailynn Taylor

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“I still remember my conversion from pencil to liquid liner during the peak wing era of 2016, and even today, I'll still swipe on a razor-sharp wing to this day. I've since upgraded my liquid liner and now reach for Fenty Beauty's Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner. The color is an undeniable deep black, and the felt pen tip is sharp enough to give you that clean drag that makes achieving the perfect pointed wing effortless. It dries down quickly, which is a must for me to prevent transferring to my upper lid. My favorite attribute, though, is that it stays all day despite my terrible habit of touching my eyes.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor

More to know

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• Shades: 2
• Finish: satin
  Waterproof: no, but water-resistant
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best Matte: Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

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Pat McGrath Labs

Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

$36

Nordstrom

$36

Sephora

$36

Ulta Beauty

Allure content director Sophie Panych applying the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Sophie Panych

Why we love it: Matte liners make pigment appear richer, and edges look more defined, which is why the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner stands out. Its velvety, true-matte finish delivers an intensely saturated black that reads crisp and graphic against the skin. This waterproof formula is built to last all day without smudging, transferring, feathering, or fading, even in heat and humidity. The flexible tip is a soft, skinny applicator that gives you more control over line weight, letting you go from a precise tightline to a bolder stroke within the same application. The ink is fast-drying, and once it’s on, it’s on—so tread carefully and confidently.

Panych before applying the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Sophie Panych

Panych after applying the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner

Sophie Panych

Tester feedback from content director Sophie Panych

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“The Pat McGrath Labs liquid liner is an elite product, and what would you expect from a makeup artist who made dramatic eye looks a signature of her career? But the amazing thing about this liner is that, yes, you can use it to create runway-style cat eyes and major artistic flares, but the tapered, fine tip also lets you draw delicate wings and subtle doe-eyes à la Marilyn Monroe. As a former dancer, I’ve used a lot of liquid liner for the stage, and the reason this is one of the best out there is that the felt tip is stiff enough that it lets you create crisp lines (especially helpful if you are over 35 and your eyelid skin is getting looser), but not so stiff that it pokes you in the eye. It’s also incredibly pigmented—both the Xtreme Black and Xtreme Coffee (which I'm wearing in these photos)—and stays that way for hours (and through a sweaty performance, too).” —Sophie Panych, content director

More to know

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• Shades: 2
• Finish: matte
• Waterproof: yes
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best Multichrome: Stila Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliner

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Stila

Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliner

$27

Amazon

$27

Nordstrom

$27

Ulta Beauty

Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Stila Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliner in Unicorn

Sarah Han

Why we love it: Black liner will always have its place, but if you want something more eye-catching (literally), Stila’s color-shifting Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliners take your look to new dimensions. Rather than laying down a single-tone line, this formula is much more dynamic. The Unicorn shade, for example, drifts between fuchsia, bronze, and green depending on the light, giving you a prismatic effect. The formula is long-wearing and resistant to smudging and fading, so all that color actually sticks around, and the precision applicator makes it manageable enough to get a clean line. It’s lightweight on the lid despite how bold it reads, which helps with all-day comfort.

Han before applying the Stila Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliner in Unicorn

Sarah Han

Han after applying the Stila Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliner in Unicorn

Sarah Han

Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han

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“I adore colorful eyeliners but usually stick to gels since they're more forgiving. I also consider inkwell/dip liners the most difficult to master, but with a little practice, Stila's Stay All Day Chroma-Flash isn't all that bad, especially since the brush is so thin and precise. I mean, for the gorgeous, color-shifting finish, it's worth a bit of struggle. It's just so pretty! I'm impressed that there are not just two, but three colors you can visibly see as you turn your head. I simply must try all five shades!” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

More to know

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• Shades: 5
• Finish: metallic
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best Smudgeproof Liner: Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner

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Chanel

Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner

$42

Chanel

$42

Nordstrom

$42

Ulta Beauty

Allure commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann applying the Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner

Sarah Hoffmann

Why we love it: The secret to Chanel’s Le Liner’s staying power is a latex-like formula that essentially seals itself to the skin the moment it dries. The flexible felt-tip brush doesn’t tug or pull on the delicate lid, allowing for a clean, continuous stroke in a single pass. Tilt the brush on its side for a thicker, more graphic look, or use just the tip for a precise lash-line definition. The three available shades include a deep black, a rich, ultra-brown, and a bordeaux-toned rouge noir.

Hoffmann before applying the Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner

Sarah Hoffmann

Hoffmann after applying the Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Eyeliner

Sarah Hoffmann

Tester feedback from commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann

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"My days of thick, forgiving winged eyeliner are long behind me, so I'm all about precision and control with my liner formulas these days. Chanel's Le Liner de Chanel has a fine tip applicator that's quite stiff compared to others I've tried, which I find to be ideal for keeping my lines tight and clean. The formula is definitely a liquid but not so loose that it's runny and stressful—I love dragging my fingertip along the outer wing to slightly soften the tip—and this eyeliner has just enough viscosity that I can safely manipulate the wing with my fingers without fear that I'm going to end up with inky fingerprints all over my face. You can do a lot with this eyeliner, which really helps justify the price tag, IMO.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce market editor

More to know

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• Shades: 3
• Finish: matte
• Waterproof: n/a
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best for Hooded Lids: Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner

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Lisa Eldridge

Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner

$32

Lisa Eldridge

Allure senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner

Jesa Marie Calaor

Why we love it: A two-time Allure Best of Beauty winner, Lisa Eldridge’s Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner was born from decades of professional experience and a very specific goal: making a feline flick feel achievable for everyone. The calligraphy-style pen has an ultra-fine nib with just the right amount of flex, and is particularly useful for hooded or mature eyes, where lid space is limited, and getting close to the lash line without flooding it is key. The ultra-black, matte formula is budge-proof, smudge-proof, transfer-proof, and water-resistant, with all-day staying power. It offers tons of versatility: Keep it subtle with a delicate flick or build it out into a full cat eye.

Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor

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"I’ve tried every liquid liner under the sun, and this inky, long-lasting black pen is the one I always come back to, to create my signature cat eye. It never skips, and its fine point makes it easy to effect a sharp wing." —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor

More to know

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• Shades: 1
• Finish: matte
• Waterproof: no, but water-resistant
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best for Thin Lines: Wet n Wild Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner

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Wet N’ Wild

Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner

$6 $5 (17% off)

Amazon

$7

Ulta Beauty

Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Wet n Wild Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner

Sarah Han

Why we love it: On a tight budget? Invest just five dollars, and you’ve got all you need to achieve your thinnest, most precise wing yet. Wet n Wild’s Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner is designed with a brush tip that tapers down to less than 0.1 millimeters, so you can get right into the lash line and stay the narrow course, or build up your pigment without flooding your entire lid and risking raccoon eyes. The matte black formula is deeply pigmented, dries quickly, and is ready for whatever your day has in store (rain, tears, or sweat).

Taylor keeps it in his kit as a go-to recommendation for beginners: "I especially love the brush tip because it gives amazing precision and makes creating detailed wings much easier," he says, adding that "for the price point, I think the performance and staying power are incredibly impressive."

Han before applying the Wet n Wild Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner

Sarah Han

Han after applying the Wet n Wild Breakup Proof Waterproof Skinny Eyeliner

Sarah Han

Tester feedback from Han

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“Because I tend to think liquid liners look too harsh for my eyes, I usually stick to gel liners for a softer finish—but Wet n Wild’s tip is so precise that I can really nail down a thin line that just barely peeks through but still adds the tiniest bit of drama to my look. I actually picked this up from the drugstore on a whim (and because Breakup Proof is a clever name), and have been reaching for it on days I want a bit of drama—a.k.a. a sharper-than-sharp wing—without outright overwhelming my eyes.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

More to know

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• Shades: 1
• Finish: matte
• Waterproof: yes
• Brush or felt tip: brush

Best for Cat Eyes: Half Magic Magic Flik Eyeliner

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Half Magic

Magic Flik Eyeliner

$25

Ulta Beauty

Former Allure senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen applying the Half Magic Magic Flik Liquid Eyeliner

Nicola Dall'Asen

Why we love it: If Euphoria’s makeup looks have you mesmerized, meet the liner that has made them possible: Half Magic’s Magic Flik Liquid Eyeliner, created by the show’s makeup artist Donni Davy. (Maddy's signature double wings were created using this liner and the Flik Eraser Makeup Correcting Pen.)This TikTok-viral pen features a one-of-a-kind paddle-shaped tip that lets you effortlessly switch between razor-thin lines and bold graphic wings by simply changing your grip. Use the thin, curved edge of the tip for precision, then flip it onto the thicker, flat side when you need more coverage, such as filling in your wing or creating a bold, graphic look. The ultra-black formula is waterproof, smudge-resistant, and lasts all day—no touch-ups needed.

Dall’Asen before applying the Half Magic Magic Flik Liquid Eyeliner

Nicola Dall'Asen

Dall’Asen after applying the Half Magic Magic Flik Liquid Eyeliner

Nicola Dall'Asen

Tester feedback from former senior news editor Nicola Dall'Asen

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“Even a cat-eye veteran like myself needs some help when it comes to drawing straight lines with liquid eyeliner, and that's what Magic Flik provides in a way that no other eyeliner does. With its wide, flat applicator tip, this eyeliner works like a fancy calligraphy pen, delivering smooth strokes with high-impact color.” —Nicola Dall'Asen, former senior news editor

More to know

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• Shades: 1
• Finish: satin
• Waterproof: yes
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best Color Options: Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

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Nyx Professional Makeup

Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

$10

Amazon

$10

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: Nine shades of waterproof liquid liner for $10 a pop? The Best of Beauty-winning Nyx Professional Makeup Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is very hard to beat, in our humble opinion. But don’t just ask us: Our readers bestowed a 2026 Readers’ Choice Award on the liner—and in 2025…and 2024, and so forth. While most liners stick to black and maybe a brown, this one has more intriguing options—including a deep chocolate, warm graham cracker, dusty blue-grey, and more—that are sure to be hits with anyone who wants to experiment beyond the basics.

The slender brush tip delivers saturated, skip-free color in a single stroke and adjusts easily depending on pressure. Taylor reaches for its vast color range and the “smooth and easy to work with” formula. "It works well for both everyday makeup wearers and artists who love pushing creativity," Taylor adds. Jones agrees: “The brush tip is movable and the liner is super black—it’s best for people looking for that extra drama and a great, affordable option.”

Tester feedback from Han

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“This has been a staple since my college days—it's affordable, super pigmented, easy-gliding as heck, and the felt tip is equal parts flexible and precise. While I prefer gel liners these days, I recently picked up Epic Ink in two browns and a shimmery pink—I'm so here for these color expansions—and have fallen back in love. This formula lasts all day and sets really quickly, but I find that I can use my nails to quickly fix any out-of-line mistakes or sharpen the lines of my wings at the very end.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

More to know

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• Shades: 15 (9 matte, 6 shimmery)
• Finish: matte
• Waterproof: yes
• Brush or felt tip: felt

Best Dual-Ended: Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen Liquid Eyeliner Duo

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Tom Ford

Eye Defining Pen Liquid Eyeliner Duo

$65

Nordstrom

$65

Bluemercury

Why we love it: Girl math: Tom Ford’s Eye Defining Pen Liquid Eyeliner Duo is two liners in one, so it’s really $32.50 per head. On one side is a fine calligraphy-style tip for precise, thin lines, and on the other, a longer brush tip for broader, more fluid strokes. Together, they cover the full range of what liquid liner can do, without the need to adjust pressure to customize your swipe. The formula is a deep, satin-matte hybrid black, and once it sets, it stays: no smudging, no fading, no transfer. It's a good match for anyone who’s trying to find their liner style or for the makeup enthusiast who likes to switch things up.

More to know

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• Shades: 1
• Finish: satin-matte
• Waterproof: n/a
• Brush or felt tip: both

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best technique for beginners to apply a liquid liner?

Taylor recommends working in small strokes rather than trying to create the entire line in one motion. "One of my biggest tips when applying liquid liner is to look straight forward into the mirror while slightly leaning your head back to evenly show your lid space,” Taylor says. “While keeping both eyes open, frame your eyelid with the liner first before extending it outward into a cat-eye effect."

Jones offers a practical starting point for those still finding their footing: "My best technique for beginners is to apply tape to the outer corner of your eye to use as a guide.” She also suggests sketching out the line with black eye shadow and an angled brush first, since "eye shadow is a bit more forgiving than a liquid liner and easy to clean up."

What's the trick to getting a perfectly even line on both eyes?

Both Taylor and Jones stress the importance of checking your work from multiple angles and distances rather than relying on one close-up view. Taylor suggests keeping both a large mirror and a handheld mirror nearby: "It's also important to step back occasionally and look at both eyes relaxed and straight on, since liner can look different up close versus at a natural distance." Jones recommends going back and forth between eyes rather than completing one side before starting the other: "Following the natural outer corner of your eye is always the best way to get the line even on both sides," she adds.

Why should you use a liquid liner over a pencil? What’s the benefit of one versus the other?

It comes down to the finish you're after. "Liquid liners are perfect for boldly defining the eyes and creating sharper, more graphic makeup looks, especially for dramatic wings or editorial styles," Taylor explains, while pencils are better suited for "softer liner looks and when you want a more smudged, lived-in makeup effect." Jones adds that the two tools also serve different parts of the eye: "A pencil tends to be better suited for the waterline, and a liquid liner is perfect for the top eyeline."

Meet the experts

• Ardajah Jones, a makeup artist in Waldorf, Maryland
• Zak Taylor, a makeup artist in Indianapolis, Indiana

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best liquid eyeliners, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brandsSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Breakouts on your back can be annoying to clear—and even harder to reach. The good news? The best bacne sprays can help on both, ahem, fronts. Formulated with acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and hypochlorous acid, these products help resolve active breakouts, soothe inflammation, and prevent future pimples from dotting your back. While they aren’t all that different from products for acne on your face, they often have higher concentrations of active ingredients, since the skin on your back is thicker and less sensitive. And, because they come in easy-to-use spray bottles—many of which apply the product in a continuous mist—they spare you the messiness (and contortions) that lotions or scrubs require.

Our Top Bacne Sprays

• Best Overall: Dermalogica Clear Start Clarifying Bacne Spray, $28
• Best Drugstore: Differin Acne Body Spray, $15
• Best for Dry Skin: First Aid Beauty Body Acne Clearing Mist, $28
• Best for Acne Scars: Paula's Choice Clear Exfoliating Back & Body Acne Spray, $29

Even better? Bacne sprays slot right into your post-shower routine, too. Just spritz on your product of choice once your skin is clean and dry. (While other body products like lotions and creams are best applied to damp skin, you don’t want any lingering moisture to dilute the active ingredients in the spray.) You can reapply it if you shower again or break a major sweat, but once a day should suffice for most people, according to Vidya Shivakumar, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago, Illinois. Scroll ahead for the best bacne sprays worth misting, as selected by skin-care experts and Allure editors.

Frequently Asked QuestionsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevron

• What causes bacne—and how can you prevent it?
• What active ingredients should you look for when shopping for a bacne spray?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Dermalogica Clear Start Clarifying Bacne Spray

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Dermalogica

Clear Start Clarifying Bacne Spray

$28

Amazon

$28

Dermstore

$28

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: Both Brendan Camp, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, Commack, and Hampton Bays, New York, and Sejal K. Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, New York, both give Dermalogica’s Clear Start Clarifying Bacne Spray their seal of approval, since it’s especially effective against acne and packed with calming ingredients; that makes it a great option for daily use for most people. “It pairs salicylic acid with soothing botanicals like witch hazel and tea tree oil, which may help calm redness and irritation while treating breakouts,” Dr. Camp tells Allure.

It has a slight cooling effect, which makes it all the more refreshing after a steamy shower or sweaty workout. Also worth noting: This continuous spray contains a lower concentration of salicylic acid than many other bacne sprays, which makes it especially good for bacne newbies and people with dry skin, Dr. Shah tells Allure.

More to know

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• Key ingredients: 1% salicylic acid, witch hazel, tea tree oil
• Fragrance-free: no (contains essential oils)
• Who it’s for: newcomers and seasoned users of bacne sprays alike

Best Drugstore: Differin Acne Body Spray

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Differin

Acne Body Spray

$15

Amazon

$20

Ulta Beauty

$15

Walmart

Why we love it: An expert-approved bacne treatment from a Best of Beauty Award-winning brand for under $20? Say no more. Differin’s Acne Body Spray has a relatively simple—yet effective—formula that uses a combination of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and witch hazel to reduce and prevent breakouts. That glycolic acid also works double-time to brighten any dark spots that arise after your bacne resolves (though it’s also helpful if you generally deal with dull, uneven skin). Its packaging deserves a shout-out, too: Dr. Shah gives it extra points for its continuous spray nozzle that allows for 360-degree application.

More to know

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• Key ingredients: 2% salicylic acid, glycolic acid, witch hazel
• Fragrance-free: no
• Who it’s for: anyone who wants effective skin care at a great value

Best for Dry Skin: First Aid Beauty Body Acne Clearing Mist

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First Aid Beauty

Body Acne Clearing Mist

$28

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: As with many acne products, a lot of bacne sprays tend to be pretty drying—but not this one. First Aid Beauty’s Body Acne Clearing Mist, a top recommendation from Dr. Camp, contains moisturizing ingredients like glycerin in addition to 2% salicylic acid, so you can clear blemishes and keep your skin hydrated all in one convenient spritz. It’s also alcohol-free, which can be hard to find in sprays (since it helps them dry quickly). This omission keeps the spray from pulling moisture from your skin and potentially drying it out. If your skin isn’t just dry but irritation-prone to boot, you’re in luck: Dr. Camp notes that this spray is suitable for people whose skin is on the sensitive side.

More to know

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• Key ingredients: 2% salicylic acid, glycerin, glycolic acid
• Fragrance-free: no
• Who it’s for: people with dry, acne-prone skin

Best for Acne Scars: Paula's Choice Clear Exfoliating Back & Body Acne Spray

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Paula's Choice

Clear Back & Body Acne Spray

$29 $20 (31% off)

Amazon

$29

Dermstore

Why we love it: If you’re prone to hyperpigmentation, Paula’s Choice’s Clear Exfoliating Back & Body Acne Spray can help tackle bacne and any resulting dark spots alike. “This spray gently exfoliates and unclogs pores while calming redness and irritation,” says Kristina Collins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin, Texas. That calming effect comes from barberry extract and licorice extract, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties. Their benefits extend beyond that, though: Barberry extract also helps reduce oil production, which licorice extract can help fade skin discoloration.

More to know

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• Key ingredients: 2% salicylic acid, barberry extract, licorice extract
• Fragrance-free: yes
• Who it’s for: people who deal with dullness and hyperpigmentation in addition to bacne

Best for Sensitive Skin: Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray

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Tower 28

SOS Daily Rescue Spray

$12

Amazon

$28

Sephora

$28

Credo Beauty

Why we love it: If common anti-acne ingredients irritate your skin, consider skipping the heavy hitters and using a hypochlorous acid spray instead. “Hypochlorous acid sprays are generally very gentle and well-tolerated, even by those with sensitive or reactive skin,” Dr. Shivakumar says. Their active ingredient targets bacteria—including the kind that causes acne—without damaging the skin barrier or causing irritation. Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist Zoë Indigo, MD, is a fan of Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue Spray in particular. While it’s sold (and works great) as a facial spray, you can use it all over, she says. And we like it for its simple ingredient list, which leaves out common irritants: In addition to hypochlorous acid, it only contains water and sodium chloride (a.k.a. regular old salt).

More to know

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• Key ingredients: hypochlorous acid
• Fragrance-free: yes
• Who it’s for: people with sensitive, irritation-prone skin

Best Spray Alternative: The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick

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The Inkey List

Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick

$20

Amazon

$20

Sephora

$20

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: If you’re still not sold on a spray formula—or want something easy to throw into your gym bag or suitcase—then try the Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick from The Inkey List. Just swipe it onto your skin like a deodorant, where it will leave zero greasy or sticky residue behind. Not only does the Best of Beauty Award winner tackle body acne with a one-two punch of glycolic and salicylic acids, but it can also address rough, KP-ridden skin and discoloration as well.

Tester feedback from former shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis

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“I was dealing with pretty bad bacne, but after swiping this on once a night after showering, it cleared it up in a week—faster than any prescription I’ve tried.” —Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor

More to know

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• Key ingredients: 7% glycolic acid, 0.5% salicylic acid, shea butter
• Fragrance-free: yes
• Who it’s for: people who want a more travel-friendly bacne product (and don’t mind stretching to get to those hard-to-reach spots

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes bacne—and how can you prevent it?

“Bacne develops for many of the same reasons facial acne does,” Dr. Shah says, pointing to excess oil production, clogged hair follicles, bacterial overgrowth, and inflammation as common culprits. “When dead skin cells and oil build up inside the pore, they create an environment where Cutibacterium acnes bacteria can thrive, leading to breakouts,” she explains.

But unlike the skin on the face, “the back naturally contains larger and more active oil glands than many other areas of the body, which can make acne there appear deeper and more persistent,” says Dr. Shah. Once you factor in excessive sweat, tight clothes, oily hair products, and hormonal fluctuations, bacne can be hard to avoid—but not impossible. That’s why Dr. Camp recommends showering as soon as you can after workouts, wearing breathable clothes, and using noncomedogenic skin and hair-care products in order to reduce your likelihood of developing bacne.

What active ingredients should you look for when shopping for a bacne spray?

The tried-and-true actives found in facial acne treatments will help with bacne too. Dr. Shivakumar points to salicylic acid, which exfoliates and unclogs pores, and benzoyl peroxide, which reduces acne-causing bacteria and inflammation, as excellent options. (Heads up: If you apply a product with benzoyl peroxide to your back, wear an old or white top, because the ingredient can bleach your clothes.) Don’t stress if you notice that they come in higher concentrations than you’re used to seeing in facial products. The thicker skin on your back tends to be more tolerant of stronger products, Dr. Shivakumar explains.

You can also look for products containing alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, Dr. Camp says: “[They] may help improve skin texture and post-inflammatory discoloration left behind by breakouts.” And folks with sensitive skin may prefer the gentler effects of antimicrobial hypochlorous acid, which targets acne-causing bacteria with less risk of irritation and dryness.

Meet the experts

• Brendan Camp, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, Commack, and Hampton Bays, New York
• Kristina Collins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Austin, Texas
• Zoë Indigo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles, California
• Sejal K. Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, New York
• Vidya Shivakumar, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago, Illinois

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best bacne sprays, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

On the occasion of Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, Allure revisits a story journalist and author Rebecca Mead wrote for our August 2012 issue to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the star's death. In the piece, Mead examines Monroe's legacy, and how her disarming beauty still holds the power to seduce today.

In March 1955, Life magazine featured a familiar figure on its cover: an actress with a cap of platinum-blonde curls, her deep-set eyes accentuated with bat-wing eyeliner and high-arched brows, her pink lips parted in a smile that revealed a row of perfect white teeth. It was the look of Marilyn Monroe, who at the time was riding the wave of her comic, bombshell popularity. Less than two years earlier she'd appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes singing “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend,” and within a few months she would be seen again, in another fluttering moment of exposure, having her white dress blown above her knees in The Seven Year Itch.

But the young woman on that 1955 magazine cover was not Marilyn Monroe. She was Sheree North, a 22-year-old former burlesque dancer (and former brunette) whose chance had come: Monroe's studio, Twentieth Century-Fox, had hired North as an alternative to Monroe, casting her in a movie called How to Be Very, Very Popular, in which she played a striptease dancer who witnesses a murder—a role written for, and rejected by, Monroe, who aspired to more serious dramatic work. When, a few months after the Life cover, North appeared as a mystery guest on the TV show What's My Line? and was asked by a blindfolded Bennett Cerf if she had ever been mentioned in the same sentence as Monroe, she replied with some chagrin, “I think that all of us have.”

North's opportunity came and went: After a couple of years she was eclipsed by somewhat more durable Marilyn substitutes, including Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. But if North was the first actress who was obliged to mold herself in the remarkable shape of Marilyn, her example has been followed by countless others since.

Madonna channeling Marilyn at the Academy Awards in 1991.

Getty Images

Lady Gaga evokes the starlet at the 2016 Golden Globes.

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For many actresses, channeling Monroe, who died 50 years ago at 36 of an overdose of barbiturates, is virtually a rite of passage. Nicole Kidman impersonated Monroe for Australian Harper's Bazaar; Scarlett Johansson did her for a Dolce & Gabbana ad; Lindsay Lohan, an avowed Monroe obsessive who bought a West Hollywood apartment the star once lived in, reenacted for New York magazine the actress's famed nude shoot with Bert Stern, in which Monroe posed behind colored chiffon and bit a pearl necklace. For makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin, Lisa Marie Presley shed her resemblance to one American icon—her father, Elvis—to incarnate, uncannily, that other lost legend. Monroe's likeness is so recognizable that it has been refracted through pop-cultural iterations many times over: Guess model Anna Nicole Smith presented herself as a coarser version of Monroe, while subsequent models for the same brand impersonated Smith impersonating Monroe. Most famously, Madonna took the trappings of Marilyn's look and put them to her own uses: As Gloria Steinem observed in the mid-1980s, “She has imitated Marilyn Monroe's hair, style, and clothes, but subtracted her vulnerability.” And Monroe's blonde legacy is so unmistakable that Lady Gaga's platinum pose recalls Monroe because of its evocation of Madonna.

Why does Monroe endure? She wasn't Hollywood's first voluptuous, fair-haired beauty. She wasn't even Hollywood's first voluptuous, fair-haired beauty who died at a tragically young age: That would be Jean Harlow, for whom the term “blonde bombshell” was coined in 1933, and who died four years later at the age of 26, from kidney failure. But Monroe is the one whose beauty is so instantly recognizable that it can be indicated merely by a handful of components: blonde bouffant hair; sleepy, half-shut eyes; slightly parted lips on the verge of a welcoming smile. Andy Warhol's Marilyn silk-screen prints, which he made in the immediate aftermath of her death and which were reproduced from a publicity photo from the 1953 thriller Niagara, reduced her image to those very components, highlighted in vivid Pop Art color. Monroe's beauty belongs to a common language of American pop culture—a fact that was evident even as early as 1955. As Sheree North observed in Life magazine, “Marilyn's an institution, like Coca-Cola.”

Monroe's own debut on the cover of Life happened in 1952. In what now seems a striking choice of phrase, the magazine characterized the young actress—who had already appeared in small roles in All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle and was about to be seen in her first starring role, in Don't Bother to Knock—as a “sturdy blonde.” If sturdiness is not the first characteristic that leaps to mind when considering Monroe, whose legend is bound up with her frailness and vulnerability, it's easy to understand why it could have seemed an apposite description back then. Monroe's vital statistics were reported to be about 36-22-35: She was full and fleshy where it mattered, in the breasts and the hips, and narrow and nipped in at the waist. She had, with only the slightest help from the corset-and bra-building industries, a figure that looks to contemporary eyes as if it were generated by digital trickery.

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Even if her curves exceeded the standards of beauty that have prevailed in the fashion industry in recent decades (“I'd kill myself if I was as fat as Marilyn,” Elizabeth Hurley once said), her body shape has an enduring appeal. In 2004, a Polish anthropologist named Grazyna Jasieńska published findings indicating that women with hourglass figures may have higher levels of the hormones that facilitate conception and pregnancy—evidence that there is a possible biological explanation for Monroe's sex-goddess appeal.

After her first, silent screen test, which was done in 1946 when she was 20, “every frame of the test radiated sex,” according to cinematographer Leon Shamroy, quoted in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe (Grand Central Publishing), a biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli. Whether or not she is, as she has sometimes been described, “the world's most photographed woman” (in the digital age, there are probably teenagers with more pictures on Facebook than were ever taken of Monroe), it seems likely that she was the woman most photographed lying down. Even in her first Life shoot, she is seen lounging on a chaise, and so many photographers portrayed her in horizontal languor—including a shot for the first issue of Playboy, in 1953—that it sometimes seems as if she rarely got onto her size-7 feet.

“Women couldn't take her seriously enough to be indignant: She was funny…in a way that made people feel protective.”

Billy Wilder, who directed her in The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot, remarked upon the “luminosity” of Monroe's face. She seemed literally incandescent: her skin was covered with a fair, downy peach fuzz that reflected the light and amplified her glow before the camera. When the studio wanted to wax it off, she wouldn't allow it. Her natural radiance was helped along by surgical interventions. An overbite, which accentuated her pout, was corrected, and a bump on her nose was reduced early in her career.

There was also the aid offered by cosmetics, often applied by her longtime makeup artist, Allan Snyder. For her final movie, The Misfits—during the filming of which she was drinking to excess and abusing prescription drugs—Snyder started working on her while she was still lying in bed in the mornings, because of how long it took her to get up. At the time of her death, her makeup case contained pots of Erno Laszlo creams, as well as a green Leichner of London eye shadow, two Elizabeth Arden Eye Stopper pencil liners, and false lashes made by Glorene of Hollywood. It was auctioned at Christie's in 1999, along with other personal effects, with a pre-auction estimated price of $1,000 to $1,500. The case and its contents sold to Ripley's Believe It or Not! for more than a quarter of a million dollars.

A teenage Marilyn Monroe at the beach.

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Early photographs of Monroe, taken when she was an 18-year-old munitions-factory worker, show her with long brunette curls that were only transformed into what became her signature platinum after she signed with a modeling agency. She turned to Pearl Porterfield, a colorist who had been responsible for Jean Harlow's locks and who used old-fashioned peroxide to achieve the desired result. Monroe would rely upon several hairdressers over the decades, including Kenneth Battelle, who prepared her for her appearance at the birthday gala for President Kennedy. (Battelle also did Jacqueline Kennedy's hair.) Blonde hair—like a high, breathy voice, which Marilyn demonstrated in her presidential serenade—is associated with youth and innocence. Her womanliness was augmented by a childlike cuteness that rendered her unthreatening to other women at the same time that she was irresistibly appealing to men. As Pauline Kael, the film critic, said of her, “Women couldn't take her seriously enough to be indignant: She was funny and impulsive in a way that made people feel protective.”

As an actual child, rather than an onscreen reimagining of one, Monroe had not found protection from those who were most obliged to provide it. Born in Los Angeles in 1926 to a mother who was mentally unstable and ill-equipped to care for her, Monroe—or Norma Jeane Mortensen, as she was then called—spent most of her childhood in a series of foster homes. Later, she said she'd been sexually abused. She was married at 16, to the son of a neighbor, and was divorced for the first time at 19. The hardships of her upbringing are thought to have contributed to her onscreen power: Her beauty was animated by a neediness that commanded attention. In his memoir, Timebends (Penguin), playwright Arthur Miller said of Marilyn, his wife of four and a half years, that she was “the saddest girl I've ever known.”

A publicity still from “Gentleman Prefer Blondes.”

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The sadness of Monroe's life predominates: The images from the Bert Stern nude shoot, which might have been a kittenish footnote in a longer career, now have the status of a tragic valediction, having been shot six weeks before her death. It is a curious function of celebrity culture that Monroe is now better known for the still images of her than she is for any of the movies she appeared in. She's instantly recognizable to generations who have never even seen Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or Some Like It Hot.

As such, she presents a stilled image of impending tragedy; her dynamism and her kinetic energy are lost—as is the much-lampooned sway of her hips. (“There's a broad with her future behind her,” the actress Constance Bennett reputedly remarked.) The literary critic Diana Trilling wrote in an essay published not long after Monroe's death that to see her in a photo, rather than in a moving image, was to see her diminished, “since no still picture could quite catch her electric quality.” It was that motion and aliveness that powered Marilyn Monroe's beauty—and that helps explain why, although it has been stilled for 50 years, her beauty retains the power to move us today.

Courtesy of Kosas and Painted by EstherSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

Long before we were all talking about Barbie blush, before Olandria and some Real Housewives went viral for their draped flushes, Ngozi Esther Edeme (a.k.a. Painted By Esther) was posting her work online, laying the foundation for her reputation as bold blush’s most fearless champion.

Seven years ago, she tweeted a short clip of her applying makeup on a Black woman, alongside the caption: "Posting this because I want brown / Darkskin gurlz to see how blush hugs & balances our skin tone / our features. Cream blush to map out, powder blush to set. Blush was made for us." She had been doing this for years before anyone started paying attention, practicing on herself first, then on models she met at university. She’d share the results online and watch them go viral because, as she puts it, "people had never seen Black women look like that."

That 2019 post resurfaced recently as the public debated whether she has the right to be upset that her approach to layering cream and powder blush for a seamless, blurred finish appears to have been the inspiration for another brand's new launch. Blush draping is not a new technique, and Edeme is the first to acknowledge the artists who came before her. But bringing the look back, recentering the conversation on dark skin, and turning rosy cheeks into a cultural conversation? That’s all Painted By Esther.

When, in late May 2026, Patrick Ta launched his Transition Blush collection—a cream blush, powder palette, and dual-ended brush built around a three-step technique for blending color from the undereye into the cheek—beauty fans of the internet were quick to call out the similarities between his marketing materials and Edeme's work. Everything from the language Ta used to describe the system, the formula, and the placement tracked closely with what Esther had been demonstrating publicly in her workshops and online. A side-by-side comparison went viral, showing Ta using some of her exact wording. Ta eventually updated the caption on his launch announcement video, calling Edeme "amazing and so talented" and acknowledging the role she played in popularizing the look, while also claiming he had been doing his own version since 2021. (Ta has also been known for his love of blush; his Major Headlines Double Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo, which launched in 2020, is a bestseller for the brand. Allure reached out to Ta’s team for further comment, but has not heard back.)

For Edeme, none of this is surprising. "They're trying to rewrite history," she says. But her digital trail proves years of posts that document exactly how long she has been developing and sharing her method.

Edeme is careful to credit the lineage her work draws from: Kevyn Aucoin's Making Faces, and the work of Sam Fine and Danessa Myricks, two artists she studied obsessively. "If it wasn't for the artists that came before me, I would not be here, period," she insists. It is worth stressing that she has never claimed to have invented the foundational makeup technique that is transition shading. This type of blush application has long been part of makeup artistry, championed by greats like Way Bandy (in the 1970s and ‘80s) and Aucoin (in the 1980s and ‘90s). What makes her approach distinct isn’t the undereye blending itself but the boldness and unapologetic commitment to high-pigment color, applied generously. While editorial makeup of the 2010s framed blush as something to be used sparingly and softly, Edeme goes all the way in.

She normalized that bold approach, specifically on dark-skinned Black women at a time when the dominant beauty conversation was moving in precisely the opposite direction. And her aesthetic has become widely referenced, replicated, and reinterpreted across the beauty industry. "I just have a natural gift for looking at someone and knowing exactly where they should take it," Edeme explains.

Where another artist might arrive with a fixed technique, Edeme comes ready to customize her approach for whoever is sitting in front of her and is intentional about translating their energy and personality onto their face. Her work with Chloe Bailey, a regular collaborator who gives her full creative freedom, is a perfect example. Knowing how whimsical the multihyphenate is, Edeme wants exactly that energy reflected back. The results are some of the most playful, otherworldly makeup looks Bailey has worn.

Edeme has had a fascination with cheekbones long before she was Painted By Esther. She grew up collecting Bratz dolls and describes studying their faces with the seriousness of someone already learning a craft. "They're heart-shaped, they have beautiful cheekbones," she says, "and everything just sits nicely. It always made sense to me that everything would sit here." She trained as a portrait artist and learned to read a face the way a painter does, as something you build from scratch, customize, and celebrate in its specific geometry.

"Our skin is the most beautiful skin. I've always just wanted to elevate it and amplify it."

When she turned that eye toward Black women, Edeme saw a canvas the industry had persistently undervalued. "Our skin is the most beautiful skin," she says. "I've always just wanted to elevate it and amplify it." In response, she would seek out dark-skinned Black women and build looks around them: high-pigment blush in hot pinks, corals, and berries, colors the beauty industry had long insisted didn't work on dark skin. "I've always wanted to just give us the platform that we are absolutely gorgeous," she says. "That is my baseline."

By the time Edeme was in college, saving money to order Melanie Mills Glow products from LA, the foundations of her approach were already in place: skin first always, then color placed where it would do the most to accentuate features. "Everything just naturally sits here anyway," she says. "I practiced on myself first." She developed the three-step process for blush: cream to map, powder to set, a final layer of translucent setting powder to build intensity. Her client roster speaks for itself: Raye, SZA, Viola Davis, Kelly Rowland, and Adut Akech, to name a few.

Edeme's influence has reached farther than she could have imagined. She describes watching a video recently of a young Black woman applying bold blush and crediting Esther with giving her the confidence to do so, after years of being told the look made her appear clownish. "She fully credited that to me," Edeme says. "I just started crying." The woman in the video had decided she liked it and kept doing it, regardless of what anyone said. For Edeme, that’s the whole point.

Just like Edeme, who moved from Nigeria to the UK when she was younger, I moved from Ghana to a city in the UK, where my brother and I were the only Black kids in school. I was made to feel ugly, and I didn’t fit in. When I started teaching myself to apply makeup at 17, blush felt like a risk; something that would draw attention to a face I had already been told wasn't good enough. I wore it tentatively at first, then with more conviction. Now, I'm proud to be known for my blush blindness.

Mine is the story of so many Black women, which perhaps explains why, when the controversy broke, so many of us rose up to defend her. Edeme's influence on beauty culture has given us so much to protect.

There is a strange final stage to influence when something you popularize becomes so well-known that it's bigger than you. Edeme is careful to stress that influencers play an important role in introducing looks to new audiences, but she hopes that the industry becomes as quick to celebrate the artists who create as it is to celebrate those who spread. At the end of the day, recognition isn't just a nicety. It's how we make sure the people shaping beauty's visual language are credited (and, ideally, compensated) for their work.

This week, many people have posted in support of Edeme, often without mentioning the ongoing discourse at all: Creators have been sharing videos of themselves “trying Painted by Esther’s iconic blush technique,” and MAC Cosmetics published a shoot featuring Olandria wearing the brand’s blush alongside makeup tips from Edeme. Overall, Edeme does feel like the industry, including mainstream media outlets, has done a decent job in giving her her flowers. She adds, however, with characteristic directness: "I think they could do better."

In the meantime, she’s getting on with it. "My mission before I leave this earth is to spread my gifts," she says. She describes her goals for what’s next with the same unhurried confidence that seems to animate everything she does: workshops that feel like a party, complete with cocktails and a community of women learning together and lifting each other up. In time, she’d love the role of creative director at a brand. For now though, Edeme’s off to Jamaica this week to shoot a music video. She is booked, busy, and at a level where she can skate a little and really enjoy her work.

Beyond blush and any controversy, it has always been about women being seen, celebrated, and taking up space in an industry that has historically asked them to make themselves smaller—something Edeme never did. "I've always been willing to help," she says. The receipts go all the way back, and the work speaks for itself.