2015 BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Can you believe we’re already bringing in 2016? It seems like only yesterday when I was spending the day in bed with a bottle of V8 and my curtains closed recovering from the last New Years eve.

2015 was filled with an incredible amount of great memories and has become the year that I really dove myself deep into makeup and design. If you don’t know much about me, I’m a graphic design major and I found myself really learning and understanding much more about it than ever before.

Since this was the year of makeup for me, I wanted to share with you my favourites from this year.

Laura Mercier Baked Matte Radiance Powder in Highlight 01:
I know, I’m the worst! I realize I just hauled this piece but there are few items I fell in love with right away and this was definitely one. As you know, I am a huge fan of highlighting and I have tried so many different kinds but this has beaten all of them. I find that the Laura Mercier Baked Matte Radiance Powder is completely different from it’s competitors. Because this highlighter is baked, the sheen it creates on your cheeks is incredible and leaves out the chunky glitter that most highlighters give you (even the Becca ones seem to have this consistency because of how powdery they are!) I have been using this daily since I received it and this is an item that will stick in my stash.

T00 Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue:
This item speaks for itself and there’s not much to say about it. When I got the MAC Pigments and Glitters, I needed something to secure them down and to assure they didn’t move all day and this did the trick. It’s something I can’t seem to live without now and it works the best out of all the glues I have tried. In my opinion, you get a lot for the price as well.

Too Faced Love Flush 16-Hour Blush in Love Hangover:
The need to tell any of you that I love this product is irrelevant because it’s in my year favourites but, do I ever love this blush?! The colour is incredibly flattering on my skin tone and believe it would look great on all skin tones! It is pigmented, has a natural skin tone sheen and allows your cheeks to look like you just came out of a cold winters day.

Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Doce:
This is one of the best shimmer eyeshadows I have ever used. It is incredibly buttery, foiled and blends beautifully on the eye. The colours are a bit out there and might be right up your ally if you love all of the bright things but this was the perfect colour for me. I mean, c’mon, it’s copper, it’s foiled and it’s an incredibly great eyeshadow, what’s not to love?!

MAC Reflects in Bronze:
I fell in love with this colour when I saw MannyMUA using it in a tutorial on YouTube but when I got this, I realized the colour looked completely different to the one he used. I was actually more pleased with the way this looks in person because it’s more Copper than Bronze. I happened to get this right after I got the Kat Von D Metal Crush shadow and realized the two paired perfectly together.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi:
I need to say no more than these lip creams are a dream! I have used almost every colour and they never seem to disappoint. These are considered a liquid lipstick and one of the best I’ve tried. When they dry, they dry. The worst thing is buying a liquid lipstick that stays tacky after it’s supposedly “dried” but this one is completely matte. It fades subtly which allows you to avoid the 80’s lip-liner look. The colour are versatile and so pigmented.

Nivea After Shave Balm:
This seems like a super weird favourite to have but if you’re a fan of NikkieTutorials then you’ll understand why. She discovered earlier in the year that using this on your face, rubbed in until tacky, then makeup applied over is a great solution for primer. I have tested this out for weeks and it has kept my makeup on longer than any other primer I’ve owned – high end or drugstore. I will link a review down below that will allow you to see the difference!

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in Colour Pop:
This blush is in the most beautiful deep red colour. This is another blush that keeps your cheeks beautifully flushed. It gives just the right amount of colour and it’s beautifully buttery.

MAC Satin Lipstick in Twig:
As you can see in this picture, there is only an inch left in this tube and that’s because I loved it this year. Twig had been the perfect purple brown and something that really made me step out of my comfort zone – reds and berries – and try something different. Now, these colours have become my new comfort zone.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (220):
I’m sure you’ve heard it from a lot of people but this foundation is absolute perfection. I have no desire to try any new foundations from the drugstore or high end because of how much I love this foundation. It’s medium to full coverage, matches my skin tone perfectly and has the best texture. Although they claim this foundation is matte, it’s not drying and would be perfect for all skin types.

Maybelline Lash Sensational:
This has become one of my favourite mascara’s I have tried and has become my favourite for this year and I’m sure, years to come. It gives your lashes an amazing fanned out effect and creates the false lashes look more than any other mascara I have tried. *Do not buy the waterproof one, it doesn’t even seem to come off with makeup remover, the non-waterproof one is pretty sturdy and doesn’t move*

Covergirl Professional Loose Powder in “Translucent”:
This year, I started to hear of the trend “baking” and decided to try it for myself. Instead of using the usual Laura Mercier loose powder that everyone and their mother seems to love, I wanted to try it with something inexpensive incase I didn’t like it. This technique is something I have fallen in love with and use it almost every day. This product works great for this technique and really highlights the areas that you bake.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (20 Sand):
I have been using this concealer from the beginning of 2015 and I have been in love with it ever since. Again, just like the foundation and the lash sensational, I have had no need to try any other products because these have been so good. Maybelline has been shocking me this year with their products and I have fallen in love with every one I’ve tried.

Maybelline Brow Drama in Deep Brown:
Again with Maybelline and their awesome products, I have used this for over a year to set my brows and it’s something I can’t do my makeup without. The tinted brow gel is perfect to set your eyebrows and assure you didn’t miss any places when filling them in and is great for days where you don’t want to fill in your eyebrows.

Annabelle Lip Liner in Java:
I love this lip liner because of it’s unique colour. It’s definitely a brick brown colour and is absolutely gorgeous. I bought this lip liner a couple months back and didn’t know how I felt about it. One day I wore it to college and every girl I could possibly think of complimented my lipstick and it has quickly become one of my favourites.

NYC Liquid Liner in Black:
This liquid liner is fantastic because of it’s intensity and staying power. The brush is a little hard to navigate at first because it isn’t stable like the felt tip I was used to but once I got a hang of it, I will never buy a different liner again! Also, this product retails for around $2.00! How can you beat that?

Mineral Fusion Illuminating Primer:
If you’ve seen my video about Mineral Fusion, you’ll know I partnered with them to create a review. This is one of the many products that stood out to me and it’s really crept it’s way into my everyday makeup routine. When I’m not using the Nivea After Shave Balm (which I only use on days where I know I’m going to need my makeup to last 12+), this is the primer I run to. It has a silicone feel so it mattifies your face while adding gold flecks to illuminate. This is the perfect primer for the oily makeup lover who likes a fresh looking face.

(Not pictured here) Philosophy Purity & Hope in a Jar Renewed:
I have heard a lot about these products because every beauty blogger and vlogger talk about them! Although, I didn’t know if a face wash and moisturizer could really make that much of a difference. During the holidays last year, Sephora was selling a set with the two of these products so I decided to pick them up. I started using this in the beginning of 2015 and I have not been able to use anything else since. I have rosacea and the redness in my cheeks is something I have never been too proud of. Surprisingly, using these products allowed the redness to calm down and I have been wearing no makeup a lot more since this product has cleared my skin. The cream is a dream to put on, absorbs really quick and leaves your face feeling plumped, rejuvenated and refreshed.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Let me know what your favourite products of 2015 were!