Eyeshadow Palette: Urban Decay I Blush Palette: NARS I Highlight: MAC I Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury I Matte Lipstick: Too Faced Cosmetics I Concealer: YSL I Eyebrow Cream-Gel: Benefit Cosmetics I Lipstick: YSL I Compact: YSL
Hello Lovely!
I cannot believe 2016 is coming to an end. What a year it has been! From marrying my best friend, to working towards my masters degree, and finally starting this blog, 2016 has been a busy, yet rewarding year.
Today I will be sharing my favorite makeup products of 2016 with you. When it comes to my makeup routine, I like to use products that give me a big impact, with minimal effort. Although I would love to create more elaborate makeup looks, I simply do not have the time to do so on a daily basis. These products will help you achieve a polished look in a short amount of time, and without having to be a makeup master to apply them correctly.
First up is the Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics palette. This palette contains twelve neutral-matte shades in a range of cool to warm tones. What I love about this palette is that the colors are completely bendable and have a velvety texture when you apply them. The range of colors is versatile enough for you to create any type of look, from a natural every day look to a dramatic smokey eye. These shadows can even be combined with other products and hues to create a look that is uniquely your own. If you haven't already tried Urban Decay's eye shadow palettes, I would highly recommend them! You will not be disappointed!
I have fallen completely in love with the NARS Narsissist Unfiltered II Cheek Palette! This palette includes six stunning blush shades in an array of warm to cool pigments. I honestly cannot pick a favorite shade from this palette, as they are all so amazing and blend beautifully. Given that these colors are highly pigmented, I think they can work well for any skin tone. I have a medium skin tone and find that the lighter peach and gold shades work well as highlighters for me, or as a light flush of color on days when I want a more natural makeup look. I usually end up blending two or more colors to achieve the look I want. Overall, I cannot say enough about this beautiful palette!
Holy highlight! I have spent years testing out different highlighters in search of one that did not make me look like I rubbed chalk on my cheekbones or like I had been attacked with fairy dust! I stumbled upon this beauty a few months ago while at my local Nordstrom. The lovely lady at the beauty counter decided to swatch this particular shade on my hand. It is the MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in the color Beaming Blush. At first I thought this was a blush, as it clearly has a distinct rose gold tone. However, as soon as she applied it, I knew this was the highlighter I had been searching for. I really need to find her and take her a gift basket or something because this highlighter is life altering.
The swatch photo on the left was taken in direct sunlight and the swatch photo on the right was taken without direct sunlight. As you can see from the swatches, this highlighter looks more like a soft golden shimmer than a rose gold once you apply it. I like to apply this at the top of my cheek bones, under my brows, and even at the inner corners of my eyes. This is actually the first MAC product I have ever owned and I cannot wait to see what other surprises they have in store!
Next up is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation. I do not wear foundation on a daily basis, but when I do, this is the perfect formula for me. It is a full coverage foundation that applies easily and leaves you with air-brushed looking skin. I have sensitive combination-oily skin and I tend to break out when I wear foundation. This is the first foundation I have tried that does not cause me to break out. The formula contains vitamin C and hyaluronic filling spheres, which help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. It also contains mushroom extract, which firms the skin and tightens your pores.
I apply this foundation over my moisturizer, with a beauty blender that has been dampened with Chantecaille's Pure Rosewater. I will do an in depth post about my foundation application technique in the coming weeks, as this has a lot to do with how I achieve an air-brushed effect.
I mentioned in a previous post that Too Faced Cosmetic's Melted Matte Lipstick in the color Sell Out is my absolute favorite matte lipstick. The color payoff is incredible, and it lasts for hours, even if you eat and drink. Sell Out is just the perfect shade of soft pinky-brown, and I find myself wearing it almost every day.
Also picture here is Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Éclat Radiant Touch Concealer. I am sure you have all heard of this concealer before, and let me tell you, it is truly magic. You can apply it on bare skin or over makeup to cover dark circles and blemishes. The best part about this product is that it gives you medium to full coverage, while somehow managing to look like you have nothing on. I first apply it with the applicator brush that is attached to the tube, and then blend it in with my dampened beauty blender. If you have fine lines under your eyes, I would recommend setting it with your favorite translucent powder to make sure it does not begin to migrate into the creases.
Last but certainly not least, are three of my favorite fool proof products: Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Éclat Blur Perfector and Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick in shade N° 44, which I discussed in this post here, and Benefit Cosmetic's ka-Brow! Cream-Gel Eyebrow Color.
The Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Perfector transforms from a balm into a powder upon application. It is intended to blur imperfections, while creating a transparent, ever so slight rosy-glow effect. It can be used 3 different ways: 1) Alone as an all-over complexion perfector 2) To set makeup 3) As a mattyfying touch up during the day to sweep away any shininess and imperfections. I have combination oily skin, so I personally like to use it as a mattifier throughout the day, applying it only in the T-Zone.
The Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick in shade N° 44 is it the perfect soft nude pink color for me, and is by far the most hydrating lipstick I have ever tried. It also has a soft mango scent to it, which is an additional bonus. I cannot wait to try their other colors!
I have tried other brow pencils, powders, and cream-gels before, and Benefit Cosmetic's ka-Brow! Cream-Gel Eyebrow Color is definitely my favorite. What I love about this product is that it allows me to create fuller, yet natural looking brows, very quickly. The cap transforms into a full length brush, which makes this product ideal for those on the go. A little goes a long way with this one, so I would recommend starting off with a light application of this product and then gradually building upon it in order to achieve the look you want.
I am still on the hunt for a good mascara. I have been using Too Faced Cosmetic's "Better Than Sex" mascara for a while and I love the amount of volume and length I am able to achieve with it. However, I find that the original formula begins to flake off onto my under eye area after a few hours, and the waterproof formula is nearly impossible to remove at the end of the day. I just can't win with either formula. If you know of an amazing mascara that will stay put throughout the day, without me needing to use an entire bottle of makeup remover to take it off, I would love to hear about it. Please feel free to share any suggestions in the comments section below.
As always, thank you for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post! Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year!
Yours Truly, Victoria
