Beauty Awards 2015: Best New Makeup & Nails

"Bulletproof" polish, mascara that works with you eye shape, lipstick that feels like a gloss— the latest advances are all about adapting to and enhancing you.

Airbrushed Foundation

This GH Seal-holding cream base goes beyond coverage of redness, blemishes, and spots — it actually evens out your skin's surface and helps tamp down facial fuzz. Lab Notes Its combination of silkening Olay serum, stay-put polymers, and a smoothing silicone disk applicator (the pink orb above!) refines skin texture for a flawless-looking finish. , $13,

Chameleon Cover-Up

The ultimate multitasker, this concentrated yet blendable liquid pigment can act as a concealer or as a full-cover foundation. It also mixes well with other makeup to adjust coverage, and face and body products to create a custom tint that hides whatever you'd like (we tested with serums, lotions, creams, and even oils). Lab Notes "It enabled me to lighten up and use my 'summer' foundation all year," says senior product analyst, Mary Clarke. Cover FX Custom Cover Drops, $44,

At-Home Gel Nail Polish

Get results that rival the salon's with this innovative polish and top coat duo, which doesn't require the usual light to cure. Lab Notes Our team reported that the lacquer dried fast, chipped less, and lasted longer than regular nail polish. , $10 each, drugstores

Nail Protector

These clear "stickers" area applied before a gel manicure to guard nails, then let you peel off your polish later for a less damaging, no-soak removal. Tester Notes "The shields were undetectable, yet made my nails look and feel healthier than they normally do post-gel." , $8, drugstores

Easy-Wear Lip Color

Lipstick-and-gloss hybrids, these liquid lip colors combine the best of both worlds. Lab Notes Our two picks "glide on effortlessly" and "feel softening" like a gloss, yet offer the "high pigment," "true color," and lack of goopiness of a lipstick. Bargain: , $10, drugstores. Splurge: , $25, shiseido.com

Lash Booster

Unlike a straight wand, the unique 25-degree curve maneuvers around your eyes. Lab Notes It made the "curling, defining" application "a breeze, even on the tiniest lashes," says chemist Sabina Burdzovic-Wizemann. , $32, lancomeusa.com More Breakthrough Beauty Awards 2015: • Best New Skincare for Body • Best New Gadget & Tools • Best New Skincare for Face • Best New Hair