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There’s something really compelling about a recommendation from a friend who’s obsessed with a beauty product. It’s why so many shoppers, in this age of influencers who are paid to endorse things, head to places like Makeup Alley and Reddit to find authentic reviews from real people. And that’s because they don’t have any incentive to do so except for pure, unbridled enthusiasm.

Racked’s Just One Thing series exists to honor this tradition of word-of-mouth raving. It’s where our editors and freelance contributors from all different backgrounds have a platform to gush about the things they genuinely love and have purchased. This year, a bunch of really cool beauty recommendations resonated with our readers and staff alike. Some are brand-new launches, some are tried-and-true, but all of them are fantastic. Here, we present the 14 buzziest products of the past year.