A lot of new innovations have sprouted over the past few months, making 2017 one of the best years for new beauty companies. Instagram has been a huge influence, with videos going viral (the black mask) and thousands of makeup tutorials added every day. It's fun to see vloggers using new and innovative tools to apply makeup. But with so many products out there, which ones actually work?

We've taken all of our favorites and put them under the microscope. Some are oldies that paved the way for future inventions of a similar type, and others are hot off the presses. We predict makeup companies will all have apps in the near future where you can customize anything from eyeshadow to foundation. But for now, shop and explore our favorites!

[Photo via @fromsandyxo]