Hi Everyone!
Last year, I was tagged in a Best of 2017 Challenge on Instagram. Today, I’m going to be revisiting my picks from last year. Since then, I’ve tested and reviewed a lot of makeup. Like I said last year, it’s hard to choose favourites from each category because different products do different things for you, i.e. a hydrating vs. a smoothing primer or a lengthening mascara vs. a mascara that can keep a curl. I’m still trying to find my holy grail products, but I have found some great products over the last year.
Primer
- Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers (hydrating primer and smoothing primer)
- Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer
- Essence’s I 🖤 Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base
The MUFE smoothing primer is still a fave of mine. The hydrating one wasn’t quite hydrating enough for my dry skin, so I picked up the Nourishing one to see if it’s better. The Smashbox under eye primer does help to slightly illuminate and hydrate my under eyes, but I’m not sure if it actually helps that much. I think you could just replace it with a good eye cream. The Essence eyeshadow base is great for intensifying colour, but it doesn’t really prevent creasing.
Foundation
- Lancome Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel
This is definitely still a favourite of mine. I haven’t purchased it since I finished, but I plan to buy it in the future once I’ve finished my Laneige BB Cushion.
Setting Powder/Spray
- Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
- Cake Beauty’s Everything Powder
The UD setting spray is great, but I want to find one that’s a bit cheaper if I can. The everything powder smooths, sets and mattifies very well, but I just don’t love the smell anymore.
Brow products
- NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black
- Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in 05 Deep
These are still both faves of mine.
Mascaras
- Buxom Lash Mascara
- Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Lash Extension Mascara
- Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara (read my review)
- Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
These are all great mascaras, love all of them.
Eyeshadow palette
- Coastal Scents Winterberry Palette (read my review)
- Too Faced Chocolate Bar (Sephora Rewards mini palette)
At the time, the Winterberry palette and Too Faced mini were the only ones I had. After trying out other brands, these are no longer faves. I still like shades from both palettes, but the Coastal Scents palettes doesn’t have any neutrals in the palette and I no longer have the Too Faced palette.
Blush
- Smashbox Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer
- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty
The Smashbox blush was nice, but it was a bit too dark for me (I bought it at Winners). The Tarte blush was a fave of mine, but I didn’t love that it was Made in China (check out my post about Where Your Products Were Made). I still love Tarte blushes, but you just have to be careful to get the full-sized permanent collection ones.
Bronzer
- Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess
- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate Soleil
These were the only two bronzers I had last year and both were from Sephora rewards, so they weren’t in shades that I would’ve chosen. While the Tarte one did work with my skin tone, I didn’t like the sheen on it, and I know they have a matte one, but I’d rather use the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer. The Too Faced Bronzer was too dark for me, I needed the Milk Chocolate one, not the Chocolate.
Face Mask
- Lush’s Cup O’Coffee Face and Body Mask
- The Face Shop sheet masks
I still agree with these face mask choices. I haven’t bought the Lush one since I finished it, but I would get it again.
Highlighter
- Wet N Wild’s MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals (read my review)
- Maybelline’s Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in Molten Gold
- Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin
Still absolutely love these highlighters. I would repurchase the Wet N Wild and Maybelline ones in different shades because both Precious Petals and Molten Gold are a bit too dark for me. The Urban Decay one is nice, but I don’t know if I would purchase the full-sized (I have a mini).
Eyeshadow Singles
- Coastal Scents Single Shadow in Jewel Teal (read my review)
- Coastal Scents Single Shadow in Teal Green (read my review)
- Stila Shadow in Golightly
I still like all three shades of these, but I haven’t actually just worn the Stila shadow to test out the longevity of it. The Coastal Scents ones definitely need a primer. Even with a primer, they sort of faded a bit on me after a few hours. But they are very nicely pigmented and great to practise doing vibrant colours on your eyes. I have bought a few Anastasia eye shadow singles and those are beautiful, although I haven’t tested out the longevity of those either, but if they’re as good as the palettes, I’m sure they are great. I also have some Make Up For Ever shadows that you can buy as singles, I really love those.
Skincare
- Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment
- COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review)
- Pearlessence Cucumber Water
- Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector
- Pixi Peel & Polish
- Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lip Therapy
I still agree with all of these choices except for the Pearlessence Cucumber Water. A few times, I’ve gotten it on my eyelids and it stung a little. Also, if you accidentally get some in your mouth, it tastes horrible.
Makeup Brushes
- Tarte Bronze & Glow Contour Brush
- Bella Pierre Powder Dome Brush (this isn’t the exact brush I have, but it’s similar)
- Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes (read my review)
- Arbonne Angled Blush Brush
- Fluffy Powder Brush
- Sephora Shadow Brush
I love the Tarte brush and my Bella Pierre brush, although I think it’s time to replace it because the handle’s plastic is chipping off. I enjoy the Simple Glam Girls brushes, but I think oval brushes are a pain to clean because it’s packed so tight. I’ve actually realized that I don’t love angled blush brushes. It’s a lot easier to use a slightly fluffy one to blend. I’m not good at dipping my brush lightly into the pan, so I end up looking like a clown until I blend my blush out. I still agree that a fluffy powder brush is needed to set your face and a shadow brush is great for packing on colour.
Lipstick
- L’Oréal’s Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in 370 J Lo’s Nude
- L’Oréal Infallible Le Rouge in 337 Refined Ruby
- Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Creme (read my review)
- Coastal Scents Lipstick in 2
- Pixi Mattelustre Lipstick in Plump Pink
- MAC Lipstick in Brave (satin finish)
The L’Oréal Colour Riche lipstick is still an absolute fave. The Refined Ruby one is a beautiful shade, but it’s a bit too dark for me. The shade of the Milani one is beautiful, but I’ve realized that I don’t like scented lipsticks that much. The Coastal Scents lipstick…I don’t know what I was thinking putting in my faves. It was patchy and didn’t look good. I don’t really like the Pixi Mattelustre lipstick anymore. The shade wasn’t right and it didn’t smell that nice. The MAC Lipstick is still a fave of mine.
What are your fave products that you discovered this year?
Love,
