This year went by with the blink of an eye it seems and to round up 2015, I thought I'd share with you all my beauty favorites! There were so many new products I was introduced to, so it was really hard to narrow it down. Being a beauty blogger, I always try to try what's new and coming in the market, however, it is just impossible :)
Anyways, enough rambling! I separated my favorites into different sections to make it easier for you :) If you don't make it to the end of the post, then I'll wish you a Happy New Year now!! See you all in 2016!!
PRIMERS
1) Smashbox Primer Water - gives you a hydrated surface for the rest of your makeup
2) Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - keeps my oily/combo skin at bay and mattifies my foundation.
3) Smashbox - Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer - the BEST pore filler primer ever. My holy grail product!
FOUNDATIONS
1. Dior Airflash Foundation - the best foundation that comes in a aerosol format :) feels weightless on your skin and gives you buildable coverage. I love it.
2. Amore Pacific - Cushion Foundation - I tried a few different cushion foundations this year, and Amore Pacific has got to be my choice this year. The color matches my skin perfectly and lasts all day.
3. Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation - I've been using this foundation for the past 3 years and I keep coming back to it. It gives you luminous skin and doesn't have a cakey finish.
4. Charlotte Tilbury - Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder - I LOVE this powder. Even though it is pricier, I will keep using it. I use this on days that I do not feel like putting on any liquid foundation, or if I wanted touch ups mid day, this can do the job. It makes you look airbrushed - really, it does!
5. Maybelline - Hydrate and Smooth Foundation - this is my choice for my drugstore foundation of choice. It gives a medium coverage and is very adorable at less than $10.
CONCEALERS
1. Sephora Gel Serum Concealer - I discovered this a few months ago, and it has taken over the few concealers I have been using on rotation. It gives good coverage and has 20 different shades to choose from. From the site, it says that it has 21% pigment, allowing for effective coverage without feeling heavy, and doesn't settle into fine lines.
2. Maybeline Instant Age Rewind Concealer - A great drugstore find! Be careful which color you go for though, I like the neutralizing one, and I have a feeling I'll like the medium shade as well but it is always out of stock. I tried the brightening one once, and absolutely hated it - so stay away from that one!
BLUSHES
My absolute weakness - it really was quite hard to narrow it down, however my top selections high end, drugstore and cream based are:
1. Clinique - Color Pop Blush - not only is the packaging of the product adorable, but the product itself is great. I have three different shades - Heather, Rosy and Ginger and I reach for Heather the most. It gives you great color, buildable but the way it applies on your face is almost sheer-like. It doesn't look powdery or cakey. LOVE it!
2. Annabelle - Blushes * - Great pigmentation, great lasting power, great drugstore find and you can usually find them on sale for around $5-$6 a piece.
3. Inglot - Cream Blush - I find myself quite picky when it comes to cream blushes. I don't want anything with a greasy feeling and I want it to last all day and I found everything I want in a cream blush here :) If you haven't tried it before, I highly suggest you do. It's cheaper than Bobbi Brown or Becca and outperforms them.
CONTOUR & HILIGHTER
1. Kat Von D - Shade and Light Contour Palette - my choice for contour powder. Three different shades, all works for my medium skin tone.
2. Charlotte Tilbury - Bronze and Glow Palette - this is my choice for favorite hilight. It gives you a subtle yet beautiful golden glow to your face. LOVE! I will be taking this with me on vacation to the Dominican in March! With a tan this will be utterly fabulous!
3. Charlotte Tilbury - Wonder Glow - My FAVORITE liquid hilighter here. I add this usually to my liquid foundation and it gives me a gorgeous dewy finish. You can also add this to the high points of your face.
EYESHADOW
1. LORAC Pro Palette - My palette of choice this year. I was coveting this for years, and finally got my hands on it. You can create a neutral to bold look with it... you really just need this one palette with you when you travel.
2. Colour Pop & Milani - at around $5 this would be my "drugstore" shadow of choice. While I know that you can't pick up Colour Pop shadows at the drugstore per say, the price of it is really comparable to what you can find at a drugstore. My second drugstore shadow of choice, would be the Milani Gel Shadows.
3. Make Up Forever Artist Shadows - with 198 colors to choose from, you can't ever say that you can't find your perfect shade. The pigmentation of these are incredible and so is the performance. I picked up a few at IMATS this year and I LOVE them :)
MASCARAS & EYELINER
1. Marcelle - Extension Plus * - This drugstore mascara gives me length and volume. It does better than over half of the high end mascaras have done for me.
2. Dior Show Iconic Over Curl - I use this if I'm feeling a bit fancier as afterall, it is higher end. It gives me a beautiful curl without having to manually curl my lashes before hand.
3. Estee Lauder - Little Black Primer * - This has been my HOLY GRAIL product. I use this primer every time now before applying any type of mascara. In addition, I love the length and seperation it gives me. Sometimes I wear this alone as the primer is black. Paired with any mascara, it takes the mascara to a new level. I highly suggest you all to try this. It is a little drier in texture - so if you buy it, don't be shocked. I will be definitely getting another when this is done.
4. Kat Von D - Ink Liner in Trooper - Ultra black, ultra pigmented. Gives you an amazing wing. There is no other.
BROWS
If you want brows on "fleek" you need these two in your life. On days that I have time to perfect my brows , I go for the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade. If I am on the run, and need to be out the door ASAP, I go for the Anastasia Brow Wiz.
* I forgot to put my favorite brow gel here - that is the Milani Brow Gel :)
LIP PRODUCTS
1. Estee Lauder - Pure Colour Envy Liquid Lip Volumizer *- this product is really great. I keep it in my purse and use it any chance I get. It contains the fancy self adjusting color property that gives you a beautiful shade of pink to your lips and also adds a bit of volume without ever feeling like you rubbed a chili on your lips. It is ultra nourishing and even gives my lips comfort in this cold weather for my chapped lips.
2. Tom Ford Lipstick - My luxury lipstick of choice. Beautiful colors, pigmentation and goes on like a dream. One swipe is all you need.
3. Essence Lipstick - My drugstore pick . These lipsticks are so cheap and so worth the money. It comes in a bevy of colours as well.
LASH GLUE
My favorite lash glue has to come from Esquido*. You do not need to wait 30 seconds for it to get tacky before applying, Just swipe on your lashes and wait about 2-3 seconds and then place on your lashes. Best part is it helps your lashes stay on all night and you can even peel the glue off the band with your fingers without having to force it.
To keep this post as short as possible, I said to myself, no skincare, or else it could last all day, but I had to add this one last product (I will include some names of the brands that carried some of my favorite products this year - B.Kamins and Paula's Choice)
This is the Indie Lee Blemish Stick. I have introduced this to countless of people, I even have one coworker so hooked on it I think she's on her.. 6th? bottle? Anyways, this stuff is marvelous. A little dab when you feel a flare up coming, and it's gone the next day. It doesn't burn like mad and it just simply works for me.
What are some of your beauty favorites for 2015? I'm so looking forward to seeing what 2016 brings in the world of beauty, but until then - Happy New Year everyone!
Lots of Love, XO - M.
Happy Valentines Day Everyone!! I hope that you are all spending this lovely day with your friends and loved ones doing whatever it is that makes you happy. For me, it'll mostly consist of spending time with my hubby, my furbaby and getting a good lunch together and then maybe watching a movie at home tonight. My hubs unfortunately has work tomorrow and on Monday (Family Day in Toronto) so booo...
