It has been years since I did a yearly beauty favourites. What better way to wrap up this year with a 2016 beauty favourites post.
This year I am back home and I have access to all my beauty products. So, I am able to take most of my beauty products for a test drive and find out which ones are really the gem in my collection.
Let's start off with the base product.
It was hard to choose since I do own so many base products. These are products I find myself always reaching for.
Before I go into the products, I am going to give the stats of my skin. I have dry combination skin with pores and dry flaky patches at my nose area and skintone is pretty even. For my shade, I am about a NC15-20.
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural have been my favourite powder for years. I use this to set my makeup. The powder itself applies very light on the skin and it gives some amount of coverage with a slight glow. I never ever end up with cake face with this powder, it sinks really beautifully into the skin and it does not look like I have applied powder on my face.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation has been my obsession this year. I really get the hype of this foundation. This foundation is while providing a light-medium coverage is really light on the skin, almost second skin like. I like the soft glow it gives. It's not overly dewy or oily looking, very much like a healthy glow from within. It does not cling on to my dry patches on days where my nose is dry and flaky. This foundation has a long staying power. On me, it last about 8-9 hours before it starts creasing a little. My shade is Light 3 Gobi.
Rimmel True Match Foundation is my drugstore foundation of choice. You could see that my bottle looks a little beaten up. I have been using this a lot. This foundation is also very light on the skin and it provides a light-medium coverage. Everytime I use this foundation, my skin looks great.
Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream has remained to be one of my favourite Korean BB cream. I have been using it since 4 years ago. The consistency is on the thicker side so is the coverage. Since I do not need a lot of coverage, I will use the tiniest bit to sheer out the coverage and it will look so good on my skin. The foundation also sinks into the skin, making it very skin-like. Shade wise it does not have much of that terrible grey undertone compared to many BB cream I have used.
My favourite bronzer is The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in #1. I am kinda sad that is not available to purchaser in Malaysia. I got mine when I was still in Europe. I seriously do not know how am I gonna live when this runs out. This bronzer is super fool proof. I can pile on loads of it and it still looks so natural. It provides a very slight touch of warm to the face to make you look radiant and alive.
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle. This is such a beautiful highlighter. I have gotten myself many compliments using this highlighter and I have converted a few friends into using this highlighter too.
Bourjois Blush Pot. These blushers are so good, I love how pigmented they are and how long they last on me. They hold on me pretty much the whole day. I have about 6 of these.
Maybelline Brow Satin. The pencil is fine and thin so it makes it really easy to draw the brows with good precision. Ever since I bought this eyebrow pencil, this is pretty much the only thing I use for my brows. It's very affordable, it does the job and I am happy with it.
Artdeco single eyeshadow in 578. I swear Artdeco is so underrated. Hardly anybody talks about this brand. This eyeshadow is a dusty mauve shade which I have been loving of late. This eyeshadow is so great as an all over base or at the crease. Very versatile
Another versatile eyeshadow that I have been loving is Innisfree Mineral Eyeshadow Matte in 04. It is a milk chocolate shade. It's great as an all over lid colour for those lazy days where you just want to slap on one eyeshadow and look all ready.
NARS dual intensity eyeshadow in Himalia. This is another beautiful shade but beautiful metallic finish and pigmentation. You can sort of see my favourite type of shadows are those type that I can throw on just one eyeshadow and be done and still look really done up and good.
Maybelline Volum' Express Hypercurl Mascara. This mascara just really volumizes and holds my curls. Also, it;s the most affordable among the Maybelline mascaras at the Asian counter.
I had about hundred over lipsticks. So, it did took me a long and hard time to sort out and bring you my gems of 2016.
NYX Soft Matte Lipcream. This is probably my favourite drugstore liquid lipstick type of product. I have about 8 shades of them. The one in this photo is Istanbul. I like how velvety they go on the lips but they are not transfer proof nor they are bullet proof. I actually do not mind that because they do not dry the heck out of the lips. Don't you just hate those liquid lipstick that leaves your lips looking like the desert at the end of the day.
Kylie liquid lipstick. These made the cut! These liquid lipstick are transfer proof and also, bullet proof , last through all my meals and drinks. Great thing is, they are not drying on my lips and pretty comfortable to wear. My lips still look good at the end of the day. It does not leave the tacky feeling that I hate from liquid lipsticks and it dries completely matte. The shade in this photo is Posie K and I love love love this shade. It's such a beautiful medium mauve pink.
BBIA Last Lipstick Velvet Matte in 04. This lipstick is not completely matte as it claims, it's has a little satin finish but I am fine with it because it means it is not as drying. This shade is extremely beautiful, I am head over heels with this shade.
YSL Rouge Volupte in Pink Fetish. Probably one of my most favourite ever existed on planet earth. I like how buttery and smooth they feel upon application, it makes you just want you keep applying this lipstick. The shade might be a barbie pink but it is very wearable even for daily or office.
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Kiss Me. Not many talk about these type of liquid lipstick formula, people are more into the matte type. This liquid lipstick formula is just so moisturizing and hydrating. It's fuss free and easy to use, it's pigmented, last pretty long and not sticky at all.
2016 is the year of eyeshadow palettes. Brands are releasing palettes after palettes, it just blows you away.
These are my top picks from my palette collection which is not extensive. I mostly picked them up based on the raves and reviews and yes, I love them!
Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette. For me, this has got to be the best release of palettes in 2016. The shadows are just so smooth, buttery and pigmented. The formula is top class. The shades are gorgeous and unique. Definitely not for the makeup newbies because it takes some experimenting to know which shade goes together and 14 shades is pretty overwhelming. It is not the eye palette I go for when I am in a hurry. It's more for those days where I have lots of time to slowly go through the palette. I have been loving warm tones and the red and cranberries. So, this is the perfect palette for me right now.
Too Faced Boudoir Eyes. I love how simple is this palette and how the shades put together with the daytime, classic and night rows. I find this palette easy to use for makeup newbies. There isn't a whole lot of shades in this palette that makes you wonder and confused on how are you gonna pair the shades. The shades are very subtle and neutral, nothing over the top. Very suitable for an everyday use. The shadows are smooth and pigmented.
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eye Palette in The Dolce Vita. Another extremely beautiful eye palette. I have been loving warm tones so, I have been putting this palette into good use. I love the eyeshadows, they are smooth and luxurious feeling. This palette is so easy to use, probably one of my most reached out palette. I am the type who can live with one eye look as long it looks extremely well put together. So, if I only need one palette in my life, it's got to be this.
This type of palette is the type I would recommend my non makeup enthusiast friends puts on makeup on a daily basis to get because of how simple is it to use and also very suitable for use in almost every occasion.
Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette. I bought this on a whim because everyone and their grandmother is talking about it. Do I need another palette? No. Do I love this palette? Yes. Another Beautiful blend of warm and cool neutral eyeshadow shades. With this palette, you can create many looks with it, you are probably set of life if you are a neutral lover and you own this palette. I love the scent of this palette, the vanilla chocolate flavour just make me crave for chocolates everytime I sniff it.
That's all for my 2016 beauty favourites.
It was hard to choose since I do own so many base products. These are products I find myself always reaching for.
Before I go into the products, I am going to give the stats of my skin. I have dry combination skin with pores and dry flaky patches at my nose area and skintone is pretty even. For my shade, I am about a NC15-20.
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural have been my favourite powder for years. I use this to set my makeup. The powder itself applies very light on the skin and it gives some amount of coverage with a slight glow. I never ever end up with cake face with this powder, it sinks really beautifully into the skin and it does not look like I have applied powder on my face.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation has been my obsession this year. I really get the hype of this foundation. This foundation is while providing a light-medium coverage is really light on the skin, almost second skin like. I like the soft glow it gives. It's not overly dewy or oily looking, very much like a healthy glow from within. It does not cling on to my dry patches on days where my nose is dry and flaky. This foundation has a long staying power. On me, it last about 8-9 hours before it starts creasing a little. My shade is Light 3 Gobi.
Rimmel True Match Foundation is my drugstore foundation of choice. You could see that my bottle looks a little beaten up. I have been using this a lot. This foundation is also very light on the skin and it provides a light-medium coverage. Everytime I use this foundation, my skin looks great.
Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream has remained to be one of my favourite Korean BB cream. I have been using it since 4 years ago. The consistency is on the thicker side so is the coverage. Since I do not need a lot of coverage, I will use the tiniest bit to sheer out the coverage and it will look so good on my skin. The foundation also sinks into the skin, making it very skin-like. Shade wise it does not have much of that terrible grey undertone compared to many BB cream I have used.
My favourite bronzer is The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in #1. I am kinda sad that is not available to purchaser in Malaysia. I got mine when I was still in Europe. I seriously do not know how am I gonna live when this runs out. This bronzer is super fool proof. I can pile on loads of it and it still looks so natural. It provides a very slight touch of warm to the face to make you look radiant and alive.
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle. This is such a beautiful highlighter. I have gotten myself many compliments using this highlighter and I have converted a few friends into using this highlighter too.
Bourjois Blush Pot. These blushers are so good, I love how pigmented they are and how long they last on me. They hold on me pretty much the whole day. I have about 6 of these.
Maybelline Brow Satin. The pencil is fine and thin so it makes it really easy to draw the brows with good precision. Ever since I bought this eyebrow pencil, this is pretty much the only thing I use for my brows. It's very affordable, it does the job and I am happy with it.
Artdeco single eyeshadow in 578. I swear Artdeco is so underrated. Hardly anybody talks about this brand. This eyeshadow is a dusty mauve shade which I have been loving of late. This eyeshadow is so great as an all over base or at the crease. Very versatile
Another versatile eyeshadow that I have been loving is Innisfree Mineral Eyeshadow Matte in 04. It is a milk chocolate shade. It's great as an all over lid colour for those lazy days where you just want to slap on one eyeshadow and look all ready.
NARS dual intensity eyeshadow in Himalia. This is another beautiful shade but beautiful metallic finish and pigmentation. You can sort of see my favourite type of shadows are those type that I can throw on just one eyeshadow and be done and still look really done up and good.
Maybelline Volum' Express Hypercurl Mascara. This mascara just really volumizes and holds my curls. Also, it;s the most affordable among the Maybelline mascaras at the Asian counter.
NYX Soft Matte Lipcream. This is probably my favourite drugstore liquid lipstick type of product. I have about 8 shades of them. The one in this photo is Istanbul. I like how velvety they go on the lips but they are not transfer proof nor they are bullet proof. I actually do not mind that because they do not dry the heck out of the lips. Don't you just hate those liquid lipstick that leaves your lips looking like the desert at the end of the day.
Kylie liquid lipstick. These made the cut! These liquid lipstick are transfer proof and also, bullet proof , last through all my meals and drinks. Great thing is, they are not drying on my lips and pretty comfortable to wear. My lips still look good at the end of the day. It does not leave the tacky feeling that I hate from liquid lipsticks and it dries completely matte. The shade in this photo is Posie K and I love love love this shade. It's such a beautiful medium mauve pink.
BBIA Last Lipstick Velvet Matte in 04. This lipstick is not completely matte as it claims, it's has a little satin finish but I am fine with it because it means it is not as drying. This shade is extremely beautiful, I am head over heels with this shade.
YSL Rouge Volupte in Pink Fetish. Probably one of my most favourite ever existed on planet earth. I like how buttery and smooth they feel upon application, it makes you just want you keep applying this lipstick. The shade might be a barbie pink but it is very wearable even for daily or office.
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Kiss Me. Not many talk about these type of liquid lipstick formula, people are more into the matte type. This liquid lipstick formula is just so moisturizing and hydrating. It's fuss free and easy to use, it's pigmented, last pretty long and not sticky at all.
These are my top picks from my palette collection which is not extensive. I mostly picked them up based on the raves and reviews and yes, I love them!
Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette. For me, this has got to be the best release of palettes in 2016. The shadows are just so smooth, buttery and pigmented. The formula is top class. The shades are gorgeous and unique. Definitely not for the makeup newbies because it takes some experimenting to know which shade goes together and 14 shades is pretty overwhelming. It is not the eye palette I go for when I am in a hurry. It's more for those days where I have lots of time to slowly go through the palette. I have been loving warm tones and the red and cranberries. So, this is the perfect palette for me right now.
Too Faced Boudoir Eyes. I love how simple is this palette and how the shades put together with the daytime, classic and night rows. I find this palette easy to use for makeup newbies. There isn't a whole lot of shades in this palette that makes you wonder and confused on how are you gonna pair the shades. The shades are very subtle and neutral, nothing over the top. Very suitable for an everyday use. The shadows are smooth and pigmented.
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eye Palette in The Dolce Vita. Another extremely beautiful eye palette. I have been loving warm tones so, I have been putting this palette into good use. I love the eyeshadows, they are smooth and luxurious feeling. This palette is so easy to use, probably one of my most reached out palette. I am the type who can live with one eye look as long it looks extremely well put together. So, if I only need one palette in my life, it's got to be this.
This type of palette is the type I would recommend my non makeup enthusiast friends puts on makeup on a daily basis to get because of how simple is it to use and also very suitable for use in almost every occasion.
Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette. I bought this on a whim because everyone and their grandmother is talking about it. Do I need another palette? No. Do I love this palette? Yes. Another Beautiful blend of warm and cool neutral eyeshadow shades. With this palette, you can create many looks with it, you are probably set of life if you are a neutral lover and you own this palette. I love the scent of this palette, the vanilla chocolate flavour just make me crave for chocolates everytime I sniff it.
That's all for my 2016 beauty favourites.
