There's no denying that makeup is magic. With one little flick of a brush, we are able totransform our faces into tapestries of shadow, light and color. Every now and then we are able to get a taste of just how powerful makeup really is. The NYX FACE Awards provides that taste for us, as it gathers some of the biggest beauty vloggers in the country, each competing for the title of "Beauty Vlogger of the Year" (and a sweet $25,000 cash prize).

Now in its fourth year, the competition requires contestants to put their best faces forward ... and, oh do they deliver. From mermaid-inspired faces to zombie makeup that will scare the bejeezus out you, the looks created in this competition are far from your basic contouring and highlighting tutorials. Don't believe us? Check them out for yourself. We recently chatted with the six super-talented finalists and asked them to sound off on their finest moments from the competition as well as all things makeup.

Finalist: Rosy McMichael

What's the best makeup advice you can give to readers? Which competition look is your favorite so far?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?

This look was obviously inspired by Marilyn Monroe, who is obviously a huge icon in the beauty and fashion world. Her makeup was designed to enhance her natural beauty and give her that timeless look.

Finalist:Erin Timony (Fresh Blush)

What's the best makeup advice you can give to our readers?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?Which competition look is your favorite so far?
Finalist:Mykie

What's the best makeup advice you can give to our readers? Which competition look is your favorite so far?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?

Makeup is just that: makeup! It comes off easily so have fun with it. Do you like natural looks? Try a smoky eye. Do you typically stick to neutrals? Then try colorful eye shadows. And, when in doubt, just throw some red lipstick on - that's a definite mood-changer!

Finalist:Elsa Rhae

What's the best makeup advice you can give to our readers?Which competition look is your favorite so far?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?

I had never tried the NYX Wonder Stick before this competition. I have used it in every single makeup tutorial since receiving it. Go get it. Immediately. It is a must!

Finalist: Patrick Starr

What's the best makeup advice you can give to our readers?Which competition look is your favorite so far?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?

Vincent Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, and I really hoped to do him justice with my look for the Timeless Beauty challenge! I was aiming to emulate the beautifully turbulent, swirling motion of Starry Night, and I am so happy with the end result.

Finalist:LoLoLove

What's the best makeup advice you can give to our readers?Which competition look is your favorite so far?Did you discover a particular NYX product during the course of the competition that is now your favorite?

It's amazing to think outside of the box and try new things, especially if they fail horribly, as mistakes are a wonderful learning opportunity. It's also important to glean inspiration from others and share your own knowledge so everyone can be part of a thriving creative community. Always strive to be a better version of yourself. Be in competition with yourself, not in competition with others.

Ready to sharpen your own makeup skills? Check out our latest makeup tips and tutorials!

YES! I fell in love with the White Liquid Liner - absolutely, fully, completely and deeply in love. I have always wanted a product like this and now I am so happy to have found it. It's great for creating tiny dots, lines and detail work.

I love the mermaid look, which I did for the third challenge. I think it is so representative of my channel (Glam & Gore) and what I love to do. It is both beautiful and scary at the same time, and that's what Glam & Gore is all about. I love the fiber optic lights I hid underneath the scale prosthetics. This was something I hadn't seen done before, and didn't even know if it could be done, but was determined to do. I was ecstatic to see it all come together.

Use makeup every day ... and don't just stick to the products and techniques you're good at. Spend time on things you're terrible at. If you're terrible at doing a cut crease, do it every day until it feels like second nature. If you can't get eyelashes to stay on, glue them on in different ways until they stick. If you don't know how to do something at all, at least try it. It's easy to psyche yourself out when you're first starting or when you feel like you're bad at something. But forcing yourself to tackle it will teach you more than you may think and make every new challenge thereafter seem a lot less intimidating.

I'm in love with the Stay Matte Not Flat Liquid Foundation. All the foundations I've tried lately have either had a great creamy texture and full coverage, but a super shiny and wet finish, or they had a nice satin finish but didn't have the coverage I wanted. This NYX foundation is literally the best of both worlds: full, creamy coverage with a nice satin finish that doesn't feel heavy. I tried it for the first time during the third round of the Face Awards and I'm so glad I did!

I love the look I did for the Paranormal Activity challenge, because it literally screams what I, as an artist, am all about: creating an illusion and eyeball trickery. Using only makeup, I spent nearly 12 hours tediously perfecting the linework and shading to deceive the eye into seeing the impossible.

If at first you don't succeed, you MUST try again! If you are trying something new, practice it over and over and over again until you think you've accomplished the look you're going for ... then try it again! Even the most accomplished makeup artists explore, fail and progress with new techniques. The more experience and knowledge under your belt, the better your skill set.

My new Holy Grail is the NYX Wonder Stick! I haven't done a makeup application without this bad boy since I got it at the start of the competition. While I obviously love the ease of application, what is most impressive to me is the shade. I use the "Light" shade to contour and create a realistic shadow on my face. It blends well, easy to use and will definitely be on my repurchase list!

I love my Paranormal Activity look because it is something I have never done before. I am always beating my face with lashes and highlighter every day so this look pulled me out of my comfort zone.

Don't be afraid of makeup! At the end of the day, makeup is temporary and can be removed. I love stacking different pairs of lashes and customizing my own pair for a fun night out. Just do it. Get glam.

I am obsessed with the Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer! I wear a ton of makeup every day and notice my makeup application is much smoother when applying the primer. #YAZ

My favorite look for this competition would have to be the one I created for the Paranormal Activity challenge. It really made me step out of my comfort zone and I was very pleased with the results.

Practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid of experimenting with colors and getting creative. Remember: Makeup has no rules. Makeup is art.

Yes, I am in love with Epic Black Mousse Liner. It is the blackest black eyeliner I've tried. It's just amazing!