Here are my favs. As a women of color, I have pretty much tried tons of stuff, but I find that I am most satisfied with Lancome.
Foundation/Pressed Powder: I have tried everything under the sun (I'm African American and it is EXTREMELY hard to find a foundation/powder to match me) and I keep coming back home to Lacome. It is by far the BEST! I love both the Adaptive and Photogenic foundation and I the Dual Finish powder.
M.A.C. comes in second for their range of colors and formulas. This is THE ONLY thing I like about MAC. I think the rest of their stuff comes in colors that are too "teeny" (sparky blue, white, pink, orange shadows and lipsticks) for me.
Eyeshadow: Again, Lancome is my favorite. The colors are SO sheer! In second, are Revlon's new color palette.
Mascara: The new Dramatic mascara by Clinique is GREAT! If you have no lashes, buy this and an eyelash curler and honey WATCH OUT!!! I have had people ask me if my lashes were fake because they looked THAT full and long.
Blush: I don't wear it that much, but the one I do have is Lacome's Blush subtil. It is a powder and goes on very sheer.
Lipstick: Lacome, Max Factor's Lipfinity, Perscriptives. This item has been discontinued, but I absolutely LOVED Mary Kay's Lip Laquer!! Whomever got rid of that needs to be caned!
Brushes: I use Perscriptives Foundation brush to apply my foundation and I use a set of Estee Lauder brushes (powder, blush, eye shadow).