If your makeup bag is overflowing but you still can’t find what you need, it might be time to simplify your routine. Multi-tasking makeup sticks are having a well-deserved moment, and it’s easy to see why. They’re compact, easy to use, and perfect for everything from a five-minute face before work to touch-ups on the train. These clever little sticks can do far more than their size suggests.
Here are six of our favourites.
Maybelline Lifter Stix Multi-use Face Stick
If contouring usually leaves you looking more muddy than model-worthy, Maybelline’s Lifter Stix makes things refreshingly straightforward.
The creamy formula glides onto the skin without dragging and blends with very little effort, so you don’t need professional makeup artist skills to get a naturally sculpted look.
Infused with cranberry seed oil, it can be used as a foundation, concealer, contour or highlighter depending on the shade you choose.
Available in eight shades, it’s ideal whether you prefer barely-there makeup or enjoy a more defined finish.
Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Highlighter Balm
Some highlighters scream for attention… this one catches the light in all the right places. Haus Labs’ Bio-Radiant Highlighter Balm delivers that glossy, glass-skin effect that’s become so popular, but without looking glittery or overdone.
The formula contains 64% skincare ingredients, including sea fennel and wakame extracts, so it hydrates while adding a luminous sheen to cheekbones, brow bones or wherever you fancy a little extra radiance.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Monochromatic Multi-Stick
Minimalists, this one’s for you. One stick covers your lips, cheeks and eyelids with a soft wash of colour, making it ideal for busy mornings or weekends away when packing light is essential.
The cream-to-powder texture melts into the skin before settling into a smooth finish that feels comfortable all day. The Dazzling Peony shade gives a fresh pop of neutral pink that brightens the complexion without looking too precious.
Collection Gorgeous Glow Stick
If you’re building a makeup kit on a budget, Collection proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get great results.
The Gorgeous Glow Stick range includes separate blush, contour and highlighter sticks that can be worn individually or layered together for extra definition.
The creamy, buildable formula blends easily and leaves behind a fresh, dewy finish, while the retractable packaging makes application quick and blissfully mess-free.
TIRTIR Mood Glider Lip and Blush Stick
K-beauty brands have a knack for creating makeup that looks like your skin on its very best day, and TIRTIR’s Mood Glider is no exception.
Designed for both lips and cheeks, it applies in sheer layers that can be built up. You’ll be left with fresh, healthy-looking colour that looks as though it belongs there rather than sitting on top of the skin.
No7 Pro Artist Colour & Glow Lip & Cheek Multi-Stick
No7 has long been a reliable high street favourite, and this clever little stick earns its place in your makeup bag.
Designed for lips and cheeks, it delivers a soft-focus flush that’s easy to build depending on your mood. The lightweight, non-sticky formula blends beautifully over existing makeup without disturbing it, making it ideal for afternoon top-ups.
Added shea butter, jojoba oil and apricot oil also help keep skin and lips feeling soft and comfortable, so you’re getting skincare benefits alongside your colour.
