Ah yes it’s that time of year again where I’m rounding up my beauty favourites. I wanted to keep this list curated to new things I discovered this year (that aren’t necessarily new to the market). These are things that I loved using and discovering! Hope you enjoy!
Standout highlighter
NARS Forte De France. Again, another luxury item on this list. I bought this because i want to the anna edit, and the formula of this highlighter is amazing. Its very hard pressed in the pan so it takes awhile to work into the skin but it’s a great powder to create a glossy look.
Physicians formula butter highlighter. This is such a beautiful stain highlighter. It smells divine (if you don’t like scents stay away from this) and it has a beautiful texture. On the skin it doesn’t look metallic and gives a beautiful satin finish with no glitter. Perfect for mature skin.
I also just got it – but the Anastasia Amrezy Highlighter is just amazing. I can already tell it’s going to be in my rotation. It is a beautiful light brilliant gold that is great for mature and young skin alike!
Standout foundation
The Body Shop Fresh Nude foundation. I love this foundation – I compare every foundation I test out to this one. It has a beautiful true satin finish. It is dewy, not cakey, and has a variety of shades. It’s also only $25 which to me is a steal because in Canada most drugstore foundations are in the $18-20 range. Which is wild. So really, in Canadian drugstore terms this is the best drugstore foundation of the year.
Matte option: A nice matte option for the year that I surprisingly enjoyed was the NYX Can’t stop won’t stop foundation. It has nice coverage and yes, it does cling to dry patches, however I have normal skin so when properly hydrated this is a beautiful option for the summer months.
Standout Tinted moisturizer
Nudestix nudies tinted blur stick. This was such an innovative product, I found it at the store before I even saw the launch online and immediately purchased it. I LOVE this product. In fact, I rarely repurchase (okay that’s because I’m always buying and trying) but I’m so close to being finished this and I will repurchase it. It has such a beautiful barely there coverage without being a touch greasy but somehow giving you a dewy finish.
Standout blush
Physicians formula butter blush. Ah yes, the iconic butter formula from the most expensive (actually it was always expensive so really its the other drugstore products that have hiked up their prices) brand at the drugstore. I love this blush, its a smooth, blendable blush that gives a beautiful flush to the cheeks.
MAC Peachtwist. Another MAC favourite but I couldn’t resist this. I love it! It has a beautiful beach, bronze finish but is also a sheertone blush so it’s buildable and you can go ham with it without looking over blushed.
Burt’s Bees blush in bare peach. This was a great discovery for me this year. I love the entire Burt’s Bees makeup line, except the foundation. This blush makes me feel good when i wear it both for the shade and he clean ingredients. I love that satin almost matte finish this has, while it is pricey for drugstore (let’s face most products are too pricey now a days) it contains quality ingredients that make me feel good about putting makeup on.
Standout bronzer
Hourglass ambient lighting bronzer in diffused bronze light. For me, bronzers are the product I own the least of but use the most. I got this from my BFF for my birthday and its wonderful. I haven’t used it as extensively as my butter bronzers, but when I want a seamless glowy look I choose this one. It is also the most standout formula for me that I’ve tried in 2018.
Standout Concealer
Collection lasting perfection concealer. Gosh dangit. I cannot get this in Canada and don’t overly trust the amazon sellers. Guess I’ll just have to fly to the UK simply to make this purchase. This was such a pleasant surprise. I had heard a lot about this concealer from my faves from the UK, mostly Fleur De Force, but about a year or two ago Allana Davison tried and didn’t like it so I was a bit skeptical. When I saw it on my trip to England, I purchased it. I go home and tried and LOVE the formula. I’ve been on the hunt for a dupe and would say the Annabelle concealer or the Maybelline fit me are the closest dupes. I find with the collection concealer, while it has full coverage I don’t find it heavy under the eyes. That is my problem with high end concealers – they claim all of this stuff but yet i’m still gravitating towards drugstore concealers I genuinely like better.
Standout Palettes
Anastasia soft glam. I have a feeling this is going to be in a lot of peoples yearly favourites. I really like this palette. It has all the neutral and warm shades I need in my life. The shadows are a bit soft and powdery, but they really just blend themselves our. I also enjoy that I can get quite a few different looks with this palette and that it suits every occasion.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting unlocked palette. I LOVE this palette. It is like the white t shirt you never knew you needed, a quote from Michelle Wang. It has literally everything you need. While the pans are small, I love and use all the shades in this palette. They apply beautifully and give you that lit from within look.
Standout Lipstick
MAC See sheer. I don’t generally foray into the high end world of lipsticks. Mostly because I love a lot of drugstore lipsticks and don’t see the need for my personal collection to own a lot of high end lipstick. However, because of good old Samantha Ravndhal I bought MAC see sheer and haven’t looked back. It isn’t so much the shade I’m wearing in the winter, but its a good day to day almost red sheer lipstick. I really like it and hope to use it in my project pan in 2019 or in a project pan roulette (still planning those). Also the Fenty gloss bomb was such a staple for me this year! I forgot to photograph both so just imagine my friends.
What were some of your favourite products this year?
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