Happy 2014 Lovelies! I hope everyone had an eventful New Years celebration, or at least enjoyed themselves! I thought a post of my 2013 favourites would be suitable, now that the year is over. Although my year was not the greatest, it was certainly not the worst! I gained a bit more confidence, and have learnt so much more about myself. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it (afraid of change, much?), and that is why it was so easy to create a 2013 Top Beauty Favourites post. I simply looked at what I have been using daily and decided those products would be best fit as my 2013 Favourites! These are not in any particular order, I just tried to group similar products together :)
Skincare:
1)
Vichy Idealia Life Serum:* I'm absolutely in love with this expensive serum, which I use regularly as a primer. It doesn't break me out, or negatively affect my skin in any way. My face looks brighter, illuminated, and smoother when I apply this before foundation. I was shocked when my friends even noticed a difference in my skin. If you're having primer issues, you definitely need to try this! I'd say to try your nearest Shoppers or Vichy distributor for a sample tube, so you can test it out before forking over your cash!
2)
Vichy Aqualia Thermal 48-hr Hydration for Sensitive Skin: For the past 2 months I've been using sample tubes of this facial cream in both Light and Rich, and it has really helped hydrate and reduce dryness on my skin for the winter months. Light is perfect for daytime use, and will probably still be suitable during the warmer months.
Face:
3)
CoverGirl Clean Glow Bronzer in Spices:* I originally thought this would be too dark for my skintone, but it actually applies very lightly but has the ability to be built up. I'd say it's more for pink skintones, but it still gives me a natural glow all over when applied carefully!
4)
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Neutralizer: After having so many ups and downs with this product, I have come to terms with it. There must be a reason it's almost done, right? It covers my dark circles well when applied correctly, and although does not perfectly match my skin, it does brighten up my eyes.
5)
Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Buff: A great affordable drugstore foundation, (I suggest picking it up at Walmart, if you can find it in stock) that covers my blemishes and matches my skintone almost perfectly. I've tried both the Combination/Oily and Normal/Dry, and I found the Combination/Oily to cover better, and was much thicker. I do love this for everyday use, but I know there is a better foundation out there for dry/oily skinned girls like me! I just need to... give in and splurge on one!
Brushes:
6)
Sigma E25 Blending Brush: This brush is amazing for blending out any sharp lines, the crease, or mistakes during eyeshadow application. It's the softest blending brush I've used, while being very effective.
Real Techniques Multi-Task Brush: I may have cheated and counted these 2 brushes as one..hehe, but I can't forget to mention this well loved brush! I've used it everyday since I found it in a set at Walmart! It's great for adding colour to my face, and creating a softer contour.
7)
Beauty Blender: After all the hype, I bought a $7 fake beauty blender from Winners. It wasn't soft, didn't expand when wet, and absorbed all my product! At IMATS, I gave in and picked up 2 real beauty blenders. I've never been happier and have used it for foundation every day, ever since. It really minimizes the noticeable flakiness I would get when using a brush, and makes my skin look that much closer to flawless.
Eyes:
8) Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Eyeliner: This gel liner glides on so smoothly, and doesn't muck up and dry out my brushes, so I can use the same brush more than once (shh). It lasts long and the brown is suitable for everyday wear, when black might be a bit too dramatic.
10) Yves Rocher Pur Bleuet Express Eye Makeup Remover: I don't know how many bottles of this eye makeup remover I've gone through! I've used this makeup remover since entering high school! It removes my eye makeup quicker than other oil based removers I've tried, and all I have to really do is hold the cotton pad to my eye.
11) Maybelline Define-A-Brow: These brow pencils have been correcting my brows for months! You don't have to worry about drawing your brows on too dark, as the pencil has very light colour payoff. This is a good thing for me, because I tend to have a heavy hand when doing my brows, so this helps me stay in control.
Hair & Fragrance:
12)
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo:* The best dry shampoo I've tried so far. At first, I hated it, but realized I wasn't using enough product. To really reduce greasiness, you need to use more than you probably expected. It sprays out white powder and it is a b**** to rub out but once you do, your hair looks like it's been washed yesterday! You won't get that 'omg, your hair looks so clean', but it is close enough for a dry shampoo and great for emergencies.
13)
Rihanna Rebelle Perfume: This is a unique, musky vanilla scent to it that most people might not favour. But I like how different it is from typical perfumes, it is light and sultry, not florally, but still professional, and doesn't kill your nose!
Items marked with an asterisk (*) were received by PR for consideration. This in no way affects the fact that the product are apart of my 2013 favourites :)
What are your 2013 favourites?
