May 17, 2025

Welcome to Cosmo's shopping newsletter. I'm Meg Uy, a shopping editor here at Cosmo, and this is Let's Talk Shop—aka my tiny corner of the internet, where I share my favorite finds and current obsessions.

For today's In My Bag—a recurring series where I call out the stuff that's truly worth your time and money—I've got a beauty takeover. Cosmo published our annual Holy Grail Beauty Awards this week, and it's chock-full of amazing products our entire team personally vetted. Obvs, I was a part of that process, so below are my personal favorite award winners that I'm definitely going to keep stocking up on for years to come.

the words In My Bag on a black backgroun

THE COSMO HOLY GRAIL BEAUTY AWARDS ARE HERE, AND THESE ARE MY FAVES

Invest in these, and your regimen will never be the same (for the better, obvs).

Alert the masses: This year's Cosmopolitan Holy Grail Beauty Awards just dropped, and honestly, this is how I get the inside scoop on what products are worth the buy year after year. Not to brag, but we have some very knowledgeable editors on this team who are experts in every sense of the word. Everything from makeup, skincare, bodycare, haircare, fragrance, nailcare, treatments—you name it—gets put through the wringer so that your skin and hair don't have to suffer any risky consequences. As one of the lucky official testers for this iconic moment, I got assigned some pretty major categories, including:

BEST LIQUID LINER: Tom Ford Eye Defining Liquid Liner Pen
BEST EYESHADOW PRIMER: Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion
BEST EYELASH CURLER: Chanel Le Recourbe Cils de Chanel Eyelash Curler
BEST MAKEUP SPONGE: Beautyblender Denim
BEST ANTIPERSPIRANT: Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant

Visual evidence that I was a Holy Grail Beauty Awards 2025 tester:

Listen, vetting these products was no joke. You run the risk of totally freaking up your skin's natural biome with new ingredients that could cause potential skin irritation, dryness, or even eyelash baldness. Alsoooo, I just hate the idea of disrupting my (very regimented!!!) daily beauty routine. But alas! I did it for the greater good (for you).

For just over a month, I incorporated two finalists from each category into my daily routine. (I tried these products in static environments (aka my apartment and the office) and in more volatile environments (aka the gym and bars). Some absolutely blew me away…others, not so much. But that's the magic of the process. You get honest, real-world feedback from people who actually used the products, not just swatched them once on the back of their hand.

Are you ready to see the fruits of my labor? Scroll down for what got my stamp of approval plus other faves that won a Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award.

Best Liquid Eyeliner: Tom Ford Eye Defining Liquid Liner Pen

$65 AT SEPHORA

After a two-year break from liquid eyeliner, this Tom Ford one completely won me back. It lasts all day without smudging or fading, and the packaging? It legit looks like a designer pen. Honestly, the $65 price tag feels totally justified.

Best Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion

$28 AT SEPHORA

I always thought eyeshadow primer was a bit of a gimmick...until I tried the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Not only did it keep my eyeshadow crease-free for hours—even through sweaty days—but I also love its light, iridescent color that blends into the skin effortlessly.

Best Eyelash Curler: Chanel Le Recourbe Cils de Chanel Eyelash Curler

$30 AT ULTA BEAUTY

No eyelash curler on the market compares to Chanel's. It is lightweight and never pinches the delicate skin around the inner part of my eyes, and one gentle squeeze of the handle gives a curl that lasts more than one day. I never thought I'd spend more than $5 on a lash curler—let alone one priced six times that—but here we are.

Best Makeup Sponge: Beautyblender Denim

$20 AT SEPHORA

Over the past 10+ years of doing my own glam, I've always found myself returning to the Beautyblender sponge because of its lightweight and soft texture. Whether I'm using it to blend foundation, concealer, blush, or bronzer, it delivers an airbrushed finish every time.

Best Antiperspirant: Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant

$13 AT AMAZON

Secret's Clinical Strength Antiperspirant keeps up with this very sweaty girl. Not only does it keep my pits fresh and dry all day, but it also feels lightweight and absorbs quickly with none of those annoying little white specks just sitting on your skin.