| Loves | Best of Beauty 2018 - Makeup



| Loves | Best of Beauty 2018 - Makeup 

Hello, 2019! Listen, I know I'm super late on this post but give me a break, this is big post and I had a lot going on at the beginning of the year. Anyways, better late than never and I am very excited to present my favorites. Every year it seems there are more and more brands entering the market and the existing brands are releasing more and more products throughout the year. I honestly can't keep up anymore! I think I say this at the end of every year but I want to slow my roll next year with buying makeup. I think I really got steam rolled this year by many of my favorite brands but I will be stronger this year (hopefully). It was very difficult to narrow down my favorites but I managed to make this list not too long. 

Are you ready to take a long walk down the makeup aisles of 2018?

Since Tom Ford is one of my favorite brands, it has it's own dedicated Best and Worst of post you can read here.


PRIMER

Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Elixir Weightless Beauty Oil - This oil is a bi-phase oil that has a lighter oil on the top and a more viscous shimmering oil down at the bottom. When you shake super well, it combines the two to create a beautiful shimmering oil that can be used as a primer or can be mixed into your base. The shimmers are super fine and you won't see them on the skin, they are more of a translucent glowing veil to the skin. I love this product for creating a glass skin effect, whether you use it as a primer or as a mix-in to your base. It really gives your skin the healthiest and most natural glow. Learn more about how this product works and why I love it so much in my review here.


FOUNDATION 

La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation - This foundation may be my favorite find of 2018! If you're obsessed with the glass skin trend like I am, you will LOVE this foundation! The glass-like glow it gives your skin can't be mimicked by any other foundation! It also offers an insane amount of coverage for a luminous foundation. There isn't enough time to rave about this foundation so head to my full review to learn more about it.


Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter - This is my secret weapon for when I'm tired, sick, or hungover. So. basically for any day of the week... haha but really this product is actually a magic filter! It makes your skin glowing and fresh but also blurs and perfects the skin! I prefer to use this as foundation however, many people will find this too glowy. This product is so multi-purpose and can be used multiple ways to add a glow and a little perfection to your complexion. If you want to know more about this product, head to my review over here.


La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-in-Foundation - I was on a cushion kick this year and this one is one of my favorite all time foundations! While quite luminous, it's not nearly as luminous as the La Mer but still offers a very nice full coverage. I often reach for this cushion because the finish is so beautiful and it sits so nicely on my skin. It's a very healthy looking foundation and one that I constantly receive compliments on from strangers. Check out my full review here.


CONCEALER

Tom Ford Illuminating Pen in Bisque - This peachy brightening and illuminating liquid is my go-to under eye brightener and concealer. It is quite pigmented and this particular shade works best for a medium to light skin. While there are other shades of this product, they are often not popular nor recommended even by Tom Ford Artists.


Hourglass Retouching Veil - While this isn't actually considered a concealer, this is how I use this product because of its light and runny texture. I love it for creating a no-makeup makeup look by using it as my only base product and concealer. It lightly covers any discoloration but it still maintains the look and texture of real skin. It of course works very well for its intended purpose, touching up makeup because of its sheer texture and consistency. Read my review here to learn more about it.

POWDER

Armani Beauty Neo Nude Powder - This glowing face powder gives the skin a fresh and surreal filter over the skin. The powder is sheer and lightly blurs lines, texture, and imperfections on the skin. It is one of the most luminous powders I have every used. It comes in many shades and is meant to have a liquid-powder formula that fuses with the skin.


BRONZER & CONTOUR

Armani Neo Nude A-Contour - This new watercolor-textured contour looks incredibly natural and blends seamlessly into the skin. The formula fuses with the skin and looks like real skin. It's a super easy and effortless product to use and it gives a very effortless and natural look. As I have gotten older, I have really fulled away from very strong and obvious contours and moved toward a more natural sculpted effect. I really love this one for that and the applicator makes it so easy to use. Learn more about it in my review here.

Givenchy Healthy Glow Bronzers - These bronzers are a wet/dry formula, which is gel-powder formula that glides and blends on to the skin. The benefit of using a wet/dry formula is that you don't have to set your base to use the bronzer, it blends beautifully into wet skin. This gel-powder formula also blends and applies more evenly in general than traditional powder formulas. They offer a soft glow to skin and shades offered are just the perfect amount of warmth to add to the complexion. Learn more about these beautiful bronzers in my review here.



BLUSH

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush in Pillow Talk - This blush sold out very quickly after its release but have no fear, the whole Pillow Talk Collection is supposed to come back permanently in January! I hope this is true because this blush is gorgeous! It is the most unique mix of rose gold and bronze that flatters every skin tone. The pigmentation and formula of this blush duo is to beautiful to pass up! Check out my swatches in my review here.


Armani Neo Nude A-Blush - This gel-textured blush is a dream to work with! It comes in a little tube with a doe-foot applicator for you to dot on the perfect amount. It has a great sheer texture that allows you to really build up the color and it looks like the truest healthy and natural flush! These blushes come in several shade but don't fear the deeper or brighter shade because these are sheer. You can read all about this formula in my review here.


HIGHLIGHTER 

Natasha Denona Super Glow Highlighter - This is the most beautiful and intense highlighter! Typically with very intense highlighters, they are often heavy in consistency and texture. The powder often sits on top of the skin instead of seamlessly blending into the skin, like this highlighter. The texture is incredibly smooth and offer a wet and intense beam on the skin but it doesn't emphasize texture. It comes in three shades but I personally love the lightest shade because it is the most neutral of the shades.


RODIN olio lusso Siren Highlighter - This summer release is one of the most stunning highlighters I own! With a gorgeous mermaid embossing and the swirls of lavender and champagne,  it is a truly luxurious highlighter. The combination of cool and warm tones makes it perfectly neutral and versatile for all skin tones! The texture is super soft and smooth, giving off a beautiful glow! Check out my full review and swatches here.


Armani Neo Nude A-Highlighter - This highlighter is super subtle but really gives that "glass skin" effect, which if you couldn't tell, I'm obsessed with and I'm always talking about it. The liquid highlighter has super soft pearl but a real gorgeous impact. It doesn't look greasy, just very fresh. Check out my full review for swatches and more information.


EYES

Natasha Denona Mini Star Palette - This mini palette is so beautiful for a an everyday look. The shadows are all fairly neutral but have a bit of an interesting twist. This is a great taste into the the brand's eyeshadow range for the less adventurous person. It's still very fun and an eye-catching palette. I highly recommend this palette, check out my review with swatches here.



Natasha Denona Cranberry Palette - This palette is STUNNING! The formula is so pigmented, rich, and creamy.  The shimmer shades are unlike most shimmer eyeshadows, they have this unique glimmer to them that makes them look glistening, glossy, and wet! I love this palette and I honestly think this is her best release this year. The colors are so striking and the formula is just phenomenal. More raving and swatches in this review here.


One Over One Chiaroscuro Duotone Cream Color - This multi-purpose cream duo is made of natural ingredients and has a beautiful glossy texture. You can use it on the cheeks, eyes, or lips. I personally prefer to use this on my eyes as an easy glossy eyelid look. It is so easy and looks so effortlessly sexy with a glass skin look. Learn more about this formula in my review here.


Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow - This sophisticated glitter shadow has been all the rage this year and I think Hourglass really nailed it! This formula is highly reflective and sparkly but the particles of glitter are so fine and sophisticated on the eyes. It's a great topper for your eyes or beautiful on it's own. Check out my full review here.


Louboutin Matte Nude Eye Color - These liquid shadows are intense! They don't move and don't smudge once they dry. It is insane! They last all day long and they're so pigmented! I really hope they expand their color range because the formula is very impressive and while expensive, I believe this is the one thing from the range that is worth the cost! Check out my full review of these here.


Wander Beauty Wanderlust Mascara - I'm pretty picky when it comes to mascaras and I used this one all the way up, I mean I scraped the tube! Which you can actually do with this product because it comes in a squeezable and flexible tube! This mascara holds a curl so well and it gives you a very fluffy fared lash look! Plus, the price is very reasonable!


Joah Beauty Liquid Liner - I wasn't expecting to like this drugstore liquid liner as much as I do but I really love it! This liquid liner has a short felt tip that is very firm, so it gives you a lot of control over the shape and thickness of your liner. This liner is so inky and has an amazing flow, so it won't apply too much and won't be dry and tugging on your lid. The black pigment is a super deep and rich black. The liner glides over even shimmery and glittery shadows, which is very impressive! Plus, it's super affordable!

BROWS

Milk Makeup Kush Fiber Brow Gel - Every year I have done my favorites I usually have the same brow favorite, until now! This brow gel is SO worth the price! It isn't too expensive, it fills in my brows, and it has a beautiful neutral tone. I love that I don't have to use anything else on my brows and they are perfectly filled in and shaped in seconds! This product is just fantastic and a new essential to my everyday routine!

LIPS

Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight Sensorial Lip Oil - This balmy and glossy lip product LIVES in my bag because it has become a daily essential! It makes my lips feel so good! My lips instantly feel soft, smooth, and hydrated. It smooths out all my lip lines and makes my lips look plumper. Plus, the tint is very soft and pretty. I won't go back to carrying regular lip balm in my bag anymore, only this! Learn more about this lip product in my review here.



Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide - These creamy liquid lipsticks are insanely pigmented with a unique sponge applicator. They twist up this creamy pigment that easily glides on to the lips and creates a full-coverage veil of color. It feels wonderfully soft and creamy on the lips. The range of colors is stunning and all the shades apply evenly. You can check out all the shades and swatches in my review here.


Dior Addict Plump Lacquer - I love a good lip lacquer and these glossy lip lacquers come in 2 beautiful finishes, glitter and classic. These offer a beautiful glossy finish with some color. These are long-wearing and offer such a cool effect to the lips. It feels very smooth and almost balmy but leaves a super glossy and lacquered finish to the lips. Some of the finishes are harder to maintain than others, I would recommend the classic finish the most. You can learn more about this formula in my review here.


Louboutin Loubilaque Sequins Lip Glosses - These holographic glosses are insanely expensive and while I still don't recommend them because of the price, I kept reaching for them all year. They're quite sheer and the sparkles are very fine. The fragrance is very strong, which most people will hate but if you can handle this, they look very pretty. You can read my full review here.


RODIN olio lusso Luxury Lip Oil - This lip oil really made me fall in love with lip oils. It has a very nice texture between a true oil and a gloss. It doesn't feel sticky but it also doesn't feel greasy on the lips. It just offers a beautiful glossy finish that is also comfortable and smooth. This shade is a very sheer champagne and looks beautiful alone or on top of a stain. While this isn't available anymore, they have recently released some other limited edition shades. You can check out my review on this lip oil formula here.


Rouge Dior Ultra Rouge Lipstick in Ultra Tender - This creamy and gel textured lipstick hugs the lips and has a great lasting power. I has a super comfortable cushion-like feel on lips and the nude shade is perfection!


MULTI PRODUCTS 

Chantecaille La Sirena Bronzer | Highlighter - This limited edition duo really impressed me. The duo has a baked gel-powder formula and has the smoothest texture! It glides onto the skin and blends into the skin beautifully. This duo gives the most beautiful glow ad finish to the skin! The bronzer is very natural, not too warm and not too cool and the highlighter is a beautiful light gold shade. The shimmer is super fine, so it gives the skin a beaming glow instead of shimmer just sitting on the skin. I have seen this duo still available at some places, you can read my full review here.


Hourglass Ambient Unlocked Palette - I don't think I have been this OBSESSED with an Hourglass palette in a while. They finally made a palette for medium to tan skin tones! Finally! Unfortunately, was limited edition and isn't available anymore...ahhhhh!!! This is a beautiful face palette with everything you need to set and glow! I have a full review with swatches and comparison swatches to the permanent Hourglass powders here.


NARS Hot Tryst Cheek Palette - This holiday cheek palette has the most beautiful color story. With the big trend of cherry and berry colors during fall and winter, this palette aligned so well with this hot trend. This cheek palette has a baked gel-powder formula, which can be used wet or dry. All the products are very pigmented and can even be used on the eyes. I love the versatility and uniqueness of all the shades. I believe you may be able to still find this palette, read my review here.



HYBRID 

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops - This skincare-makeup hybrid has been living on my vanity and in my travel bag since I purchased it! This glowing bronze gel adds a beautiful fresh glow to your skin and helps add a touch of bronze to your skin and products. I love adding this to my foundations to adjust the shades to my summer coloring or add it to my skincare products when I don't feel like wearing makeup. It adds a glow and freshness to your skin, helping diffuse any imperfections and discoloration. I also like using this product when I use a physical sunscreen, which often leaves a white cast. Read more about this incredible pollution fighting bronzing gel here.


OLDIES BUT GOODIES 

In a separate category, I wanted to include rediscoveries or just favorites products that I used a lot this year but are not new discoveries to me.


Tom Ford Traceless Stick Foundation - This foundation is one that constantly comeback to because it is so good! Big new for 2019, the recently release more shades to this range! This is excellent for those who have had a hard time finding or shade or in my case, I was in between shades, which I just had to go with my closest match. This stick foundation is not your typical stick foundation formula. It has a glowy natural finish and it is a medium to full coverage formula. This formula is so forgiving for dry skin types and it is so easy to blend. The formula is beautifully creamy but it still adheres very well to skin for a long wear time.


Chanel Soleil de Bronze de Chanel- If you have been following me on Instagram for some time, you will have seen my very well loved cream bronzer. This bronzer has been an all time favorite for years, it has been a bronzer that I constantly reach for because it is so easy to apply and always looks so good! It gives me the most natural and healthy bronze glow to my skin! I love the texture and the way it sits on my skin. I will forever buy this cram bronzer!


Tom Ford The Ultimate Bronzer in Terra - For powder bronzer, this is the only one I have constantly come back to. This is a huge bronzer but although I have used it a lot in the past two years, I still have yet to see the pan! It is a very pretty soft and natural finish without any shimmer. This satin texture still gives a glow but it can also used to naturally sculpt the face. This bronzer has a wet/dry formula, which is great for those who don't like set your foundation but you just want to go straight to your cheek products. It still beautifully fuses with your base and never applies patchy.


Colourpop Eyeshadows - I always go back to my Colourpop singles shadows. I have two big palettes filled with a variety of their shadows and they are such an incredible quality for the price. I just love the formula of these shadows and their huge range of shades, there is always an eyeshadow I can incorporate into my look.


YSL Touche Eclat - I'm not a big concealer person because I often find concealers to look and feel to heavy on the skin, so I often use these illuminating pens to brighten my under eyes and cover any darkness. This is a classic product that I pretty much always have in my collection. They have really expanded the shade range over the years and it's such a great brightening product. Also, if you ever want to touch up your makeup, you can just brush a little bit of this on to refresh your complexion.

Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder - This is one of the only powders I actually like using and I have been using it for the past 3 years. This ultra-fine powder comes in a variety of correcting shades but for the most part, these are translucent powders. They help take down shine but still maintains a beautiful luminosity to the skin. I never look powdery when I use this powder and my base still always looks fresh. You don't need much of this powder and it sets your makeup perfectly.



Fenty Match Stix in Amber - I don't contour often but when I do, I reach for this little stick. This shade is the perfect cool grey that looks like a real shadow on the skin! I just draw this on and blend it out with a brush and I suddenly have dimension to my face. This is a really great contour stick for beginners to advanced makeup lovers.


Estee Lauder X Victoria Beckham Cream Blush - Unfortunately, this product came out last year and it's no longer available but I have been reaching for this throughout the year. You can find a dupe in my review here. I love the fresh texture and the bronze warmth that this blush adds to my skin. If you can find a similar cream blush, you will reach for it often!


Hourglass Confessions Lipstick in One Day - I  haven't show this lipsticks much but I have actually been reaching for this lipstick a lot. It has a nice long-wearing gel-like formula that fuses to the lips. It feels very comfortable and is long-wearing. I love the packaging of these lipsticks, they're so slim, sleek, and luxurious. This nude shade is quite light but its so beautiful paired with bolder eye look.


Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight - I rummaged through my makeup collection and found myself using these illuminating drops quite a lot this past year. These are very intense and concentrated liquid highlighters, bordering on frosty. What I really love about this formula is that it sets very well on the skin and is very long-wearing. I like to pair this highlighter with a glossy highlighter because it makes it so intense and wet looking!


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