7 Makeup Products that Broke the Internet

The first thing I think of when I think viral makeup is the infamous Kylie Lip Kit. Kylie Jenner launched her beauty brand on November 30, 2015, with the $29 lip kits (pairs of matte liquid lipsticks matched with a lip liner in nude, pink and brown) selling out immediately at Kylie Cosmetics. The internet couldn't get enough, with the lip kits quickly becoming the must-have lip product of the year. Since then, Kylie has expanded her brand to a whole range of products and collections, launching collaborations with Khloe and Kris as well as birthday, Christmas, Valentine's, and holiday collections. Whilst these have also sold at record rates, it can't be denied that the lip kit was the viral trend that started it all.

Launched in April 2016, the internet went crazy over this "Prism" rainbow highlighter. These limited edition highlighters were originally created by Jenna Georgescu, and sold through her online Etsy shop Bitter Lace Beauty. After the rainbow highlighter went viral, demand quickly skyrocketed and the $22 dollar product was sold out, prompting people to bid up to 55 times more than the original asking price online (most notably one was being sold for $1,225.00!). This was the rise of the rainbow highlight, with brands such as Revolution, Wet n Wild, Essence, Ulta Beauty, and Too Faced all launching similar highlights since the "Prism" release in 2016. The brand was quickly able to launch their own freestanding website, and now offer a variety of beautiful highlighters and limited edition products.

Known for its impressive coverage, Tarte Shape Tape Concealer quickly became a beauty guru staple and there was scarcely an Instagram or YouTube video which didn't feature this viral product. Although the product was released in 2016, there is still a limit of two per customer due to high demand. Following the success of this concealer Tarte announced the launch of their Shape Tape foundation, but have since received backlash due to the disappointing shade range offered by the foundation. Tarte responded to these criticisms by claiming that they wanted to get the product out as fast as possible and moved forward before all the shades were ready to go. Despite this backlash, the Shape Tape Concealer remains a cult classic.

This gel highlighter broke Instagram with its truly unique texture. Farsáli claims that the gel "sets like a powder, leaving behind a wet-satin glow without the slip and slide typically associated with liquid and cream highlighters." The website also claims that the gel is a buildable formula, and can therefore be used for natural and beaming glows alike. The $40 price tag didn't stop this product from becoming a viral sensation.

When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty, she claimed that she was really going to push the boundaries of the industry, and her Fenty Pro Filt'r foundation certainly lived up to this claim with its impressive shade range. Rihanna stated, "It was important that every woman felt included in this brand. We are all so different, with our own unique skin tones, so we started with the 40 foundation shades out the gate." The Fenty foundation was a huge success, and truly groundbreaking in catering for all skin tones so effectively. Other makeup brands quickly started following suit with their shade ranges once they saw Rihanna's success. Therefore, Fenty foundation opened up a much-needed dialogue about the need for inclusivity in the beauty community.

Last year the beauty community couldn't stop talking about PopLuxe's revolutionary glow in the dark highlighter. This mint green powder formula claimed to glow in the pan like the moon, and glow on applied areas of the face after bright light has charged it. Because of the high demand for this product, orders still take up to three to five weeks to fulfill before shipment.

This makeup "sponge" went viral after claims that it would become the next Beauty Blender. The SiliSponge, originally created by Hong Kong-based company Molly Cosmetics, was praised for saving more foundation than your standard Beauty Blender. The silicone material absorbs less product than a typical sponge, with Molly Cosmetics claiming that the amount of liquid or cream products needed is about half the amount compared to directly using a brush or sponge. This innovative sponge has hygienic qualities, ideal for people who don't want messy fingers as well as being easy to clean with some soap and warm water. Although this product received mixed reviews for how it actually blends out foundation, the SiliSponge undoubtedly broke the internet and prompted the release of a variety of silicone sponges from other brands.