First of all, happy new year! It’s hard to believe 2018 is over already. As we happily skip into another 12 months of fresh challenges (and palettes) I thought I’d take a minute or two to reminisce about my favourite beauty products of last year.
There were a fair few new additions to the collection last year – but at the same time, I bit the bullet and ditched a lot of products I haven’t been using. Admittedly, there were some that I hadn’t touched at all… but we’ve all done that, haven’t we?
I’ve thought long and hard about my favourites from the past 12 months. It’s been really difficult to narrow it down to just 10! I’d have had a breakdown trying to rank them, so I’ve listed them in as chronological an order as I could… enjoy my top 10 beauty products of 2018!
Kiehl’s Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate
Even though I use this at night, it makes sense to kick off with skincare! My love affair with Kiehl’s continued through 2018, and I can’t see it ending any time soon. I decided during the year that I should probably stop using harsh scrubs on my skin; not only are they bad for the environment, they weren’t doing my skin any favours long-term! The team at Kiehl’s recommended using this serum to get rid of any skin cells that are past their expiry date – and you only need a few drops at a time, so a tiny bottle lasts ages!
NIOD Opacity 12% Photography Fluid
This is a relatively new addition to the collection – but I’m obsessed already. I’d seen the NIOD photography fluid on YouTube and was impressed with the glow that it brought to the skin, even under matte foundation. Considering I’m a fan of taking photos of myself, I figured it was probably a good investment – and I wasn’t wrong! Again, you only need to use a tiny bit for your full face before applying foundation – and it really does make skin look good in photos.
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
I’ve already written a full blog post about this wonder, which you can check out if you fancy a full review. Born This Way has been a great discovery for me – it’s not as matte as my previous MAC foundation, which I find helps it last longer (although that might just have been me being a plank and knowing nothing about makeup!) I love the dewy finish that this one gives me, as well as the fact that a little goes a long way.
Too Faced Born This Way Multi-Sculpting Concealer
Another one I was blown away by! I’ve never encountered a concealer before where I’ve been like “woahhhh” but it finally happened! I’ve been using drugstore concealer forever, but I’d recently bought the Born This Way foundation and adored the results, so when they released the multi-sculpting concealer, I had to give it a try. Granted, I only use it for concealing rather than sculpting, but the results are outstanding. I also love using it as a base for my eyeshadow – just make sure to set it first!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette
This was a tough one! Since the start of 2018, I purchased 2 ABH palettes – and I adore them both. Although Soft Glam is incredible, I held out for a very long time before picking it up, and I don’t think I’ve used it to its full potential yet. Modern Renaissance was a game-changer palette for me. It was the priciest palette I’ve bought so far, but I wasn’t disappointed with the quality. The shadows are so blendable, the shimmers are SO pretty – definitely worth the investment. Love Letter is an absolute favourite shade!
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
I picked up this mascara at the same time as the Born This Way foundation – I’d had my eye on it (pardon the pun) for a while and bit the bullet back in February/March. I adore the metal packaging, and the massive brush. I have long lashes anyway, so little brushes often don’t cut it for me! It separates my lashes beautifully, and avoids the dramatic clumpy look that I sometimes get with Benefit mascaras. It’s great for when I’m not wearing false lashes!
If you saw my YouTube video with 2017’s favourites (makeup game has improved thankfully) you’ll know that I started wearing lashes in 2017 after resisting temptation for years. Back then, I was wearing Eylure 005 Accent lashes – I’ve gone a bit bigger since then! 101s are a perfect lash for a daytime or more casual evening look – and I always use my DUO glue with them to ensure they stay put!
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
For a long time, I stopped wearing setting spray, because it was causing my makeup to separate more easily. I’m not sure whether it’s the change in foundation, primer or setting spray itself, but I’m loving the Urban Decay All Nighter with my current setup. A few skooshes of this stuff and my makeup won’t budge! Although, I do like applying my highlight after the setting spray to get a bit of extra glow! I’m really loving Urban Decay right now, and the All Nighter foundation is at the top of the wishlist…
MAC x Jamie Genevieve lipstick (now gone)
I know you can’t buy it anymore, but this lipstick is my absolute fave nude at the moment – it’s even trumped Velvet Teddy! Jamie’s lipstick is so stunning, plus I got to meet her at the launch in Glasgow. I wear this with either Boldly Bare or Whirl lip liner – and it’s perfect for when you have a strong eye look and want to keep things a bit neutral!
Maria Nila Head & Hair Heal Shampoo/Conditioner
Since getting my tape-in hair extensions, I’ve had to completely overhaul my haircare routine. Ideally, we should all be using sulphate-free products, but it’s even more important with extensions to stop them drying out. My stylists recommended the Maria Nila range – the Head & Hair Heal products help to retain colour, as well as minimising scalp irritation (which I experienced the first time I got the extensions, it’s quite common – especially since I get my roots bleached too!) Maria Nila also have a silver shampoo which I use every couple of washes to stop my hair getting brassy – but the Head & Hair Heal range has been brilliant. The products are also vegan and cruelty free.
There we go, another year over! I wonder what 2019 will hold? I don’t think I’ll be spending quite as much money on beauty products this year – I’ve got a house to buy, after all! What were your favourite products of 2018? xx
