It's the beginning of 2016 (how?!), Christmas and New Years have been and gone and just like everyone else in this 'ere blogging community it seems - I'm rounding up the Best of Beauty from 2015. Last year was when I finally started my own monthly favourites series of sorts - 'Loves and Lusts' - and so unlike last year, this time picking out my ultimate faves from the past 12 months seemed kinda easier and also perhaps for you guys - a tad more predictable. But hey - you fancy hearing me rave all over again about products I already have done before somewhere along the line over the course of 2015? I guess though, as well as being (hopefully) still interesting for you lovely lot, it'll be nice for me to document this for myself and look back at everything I've been loving over the past year. Just like 2014's version (which you can read again here and here), today's post will be focused on my favourite makeup, nail and tools; whilst Friday's addition (spreading them out a little more this time!) will be all about my top skincare, haircare and bodycare items from the last 12 months. Sit back and relax - and maybe get yourselves a hot drink or snack of your choosing - it's gonna be a long'un...
Makeup:
BEST PRIMER - Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer - This was a real obvious choice, eh? If you've been a regular reader of this 'ere blog over the past year, you'll know how much I'm in love with the primers from Rimmel. Both this one and the 'Fix and Perfect' one are the only two I've reached for during 2015 and whilst it was difficult to pick a favourite favourite, the 'Lasting Finish' just about snags it. It primes the skin and helps prolong makeup wear time, yet feels like a moisturiser in texture - very hydrating and light on the skin, with no silicone-type feeling left behind. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST FOUNDATION - Collection Illuminating Touch Foundation - Just like last year, it was hard to pick just one foundation I'd loved from the past 12 months. While I still do love the Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude that I did in 2014, if I'm honest most of the time that wasn't the one I was reaching for during the most part of this year. Instead these two have been the ones I have been using the most. This one was a complete newbie to both myself and the makeup market - an addition to an already-popular Collection range. This provides everything I want in a foundation - it's lightweight and comfortable on the skin, gives a decent medium coverage and adds some glow and vitality back into the complexion. This lasts well throughout the day (with and without and primer) and for the bargainous price - it's a steal. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST CONCEALER - Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Again, no surprise here. I think this has to win the award for the most-talked-about product on this blog, and for good reason too. I won't ramble on and on about this stuff as I'm very likely to have already said it all before. A good all-rounder concealer that covers everything easily without looking cakey or creasing and it's under a fiver. Have I said enough? Ok, let's move on now...
BEST FACE PALETTE - Collection #ConcealAndHighlightLikeAPro Conceal and Correct Palette - Another gem from Collection (they have just been on top form this year) and this is more of a recent find - one which can be found in my December Loves and Lusts post here in fact - and it is something I feel the drugstore market has been really missing until now. Containing a mixture of varying tones of concealers, a highlighter and a range of correcting hues - this is something I feel the drugstore market has really been missing until now. It's a good multi-tasker, with the concealers either too light or too dark for your actual skintone ideal for acting as cream highlighters or contour shades - and the quality makes it a good dupe for higher-end counterparts. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST POWDER - Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Another from my holy grail makeup crew is this powder from Rimmel. I have loved this for years and years and no doubt will continue to do so for years to come. A straight-up powder with no thrills or spills - it just does the job and for a very affordable price too. It mattifies the face without making things cakey or overly 'powdery' in finish and once you've applied it - that's the way it stays. True to the name and all that...
BEST BRONZER - Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer - Now, onto the real rave of this post. You may recall me discovering this early this year back in January, and ever since then it has been love and I just knew it would end up featuring in this end-of-year round up. This is the best bronzer I have found so far in my makeup-wearing years - that's a bold statement right there. One side is more honey-toned and the other more of a traditional bronzer hue and so once swirled together, you end up with the most flattering, easy to wear shade that is perfect for paler complexions like myself. There's hardly any risk of over-doing and it never looks muddy or orangey on the skin and it also handily doubles up as a contour - with the more ashy side ideal for chiselling out those cheekbones. Can you tell I love this stuff yet?
BEST CONTOUR - Maybelline Master Sculpt Contour Kit - In a similar langue as bronzer is contour and while, as I said the Soap and Glory can be used as a contour if I'm in a rush or haven't got an actual contour handy - preferably this is what I reach for. This was a new release for Maybelline this year and I really rather love it. I got the darker shade of the two as the former, although lighter, was a tad too orangey for my liking and I think I made the right choice as this shade I've got here is ideal. This comes with a circular pan split into a larger contour shade and a smaller (perhaps too small - my one grip with this product) shimmery icy highlight. The contour for me is the stand-out of this palette, though. It's powder in formula but applies really creamily and just blends seamlessly into the skin, leaving behind a noticeable contour, but one that still appears like a natural shadow. I LOVE this a heck of a lot. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST BLUSH - Bourjois Aqua Blush 12Hr - Admittedly, I haven't been faithful to blush that much throughout 2015 - but when I have wanted something a little rosey on the cheeks, this is what I've reached for. It's very light in colour, so no fear in going overboard with this stuff as it just won't happen. The formula is also rather interesting too - it's not like your traditional cream blush in that it's more gel-like and so applies rather watery but without disputing anything underneath and leaving behind a glowy, healthy finish. I loved using this during the Spring/Summer months especially. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST HIGHLIGHTER - theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer - Again - prepare yourselves for a rather big rave now - as this is another 'OMG this is so amazing'-type product and one I am so, so glad I found this year. Until discovering this, I was in a bit of a highlighter rut. All the ones I was using just weren't doing much at all and after hearing some good things about this, finally caved into the hype - thank goodness. This is like glow in a pan. It's seriously, seriously pigmented (so much so that you literally only need a couple of taps onto your brush and a very light hand in application), blends onto the skin in such a way that it simply translates as 'glow' with no chunky bits of glitter to be seen, and the colour itself is a very pretty and flattering champagne-y gold. I doubt I will find another highlighter that I adore as much as I do this little beauty. *Famous last words*. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST BROW PRODUCT - L'Oreal Superliner Brow Artiste Brow Pencil and Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil - These two products should come as no shock to all your regular readers of Dainty Ditsy, as whenever there comes a time for me to mention my brows on this 'ere space on the Internet, these are the only items I ever talk about as they are the only ones I ever use and have been using all year. The former L'Oreal one I use in a lighter shade on the fronts of my brows so it's less harsh and also to generally beef them up more; while the latter S&G one is brilliant for more 'detail' work, with its finer nib that I love to employ for defining the arch and tails of my brows.
BEST EYE PRIMER - Urban Decay Primer Potion - Again, another 'no surprises here'-type entry, as once more this is the only one of its kind I have loved during 2015 (carrying on from 2014 when it was also featured too I believe!) I have quite oily eyelids and so, when any powder shadow comes anywhere near them - creasing never fails to make an appearance - and so, this is a vital (yes, vital) step in my makeup routine almost every single day. Aswell as preventing creasing, this little thing also helps to reduce fading throughout the day, prevent fall-down (giving the shadows something sticky to adhere to) and makes general application much easier and quicker and produce much better results. I literally could not be away from this stuff.
BEST SINGLE EYESHADOW - 17 Solo Eyeshadow in 'Mardi Gras' - I don't tend to use many single shadows nowadays, as any powder pigments I use on my lids are typically out of a palette of sort sorts - however this solo shade stole my heart earlier in the year and I've loved it ever since. It's a difficult one to describe but I suppose in essence it's a dark, super-shimmery golden hue. It's stunning worn alone as it does that whole thing where you apply it all-over the lid and take a brush to the edge to diffuse any harsh lines and the colour gets all 'duo-chrome' and looks darker at the areas where you've blended it out. You look like you've used two or three shadows when I reality - there's only one. Genius. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST CREAM EYESHADOW - Maybelline Eyestudio 24 Hr Colour Tattoos Gel-Cream Eyeshadow in 'Metallic Pomegranate' - These got a mention in last year's yearly favourites post fo' sho' as I have loved these little cream shadow pots for as long as I can remember. While in 2014's Favourites post however, I was raving mainly about the more neutral-inspired hues of the vast collection, this year I finally got my hands on the 'Metallic Pomegranate' shade and oh me oh my is it a beaut. It's just what you'd imagine it to be - a deep burgundy purple with the fine flecks of golden shimmer running through it that's actually surprisingly wearable. A definite top pick for the past few months especially, fo' sho'... MENTIONED HERE.
BEST SINGLE EYESHADOW - 17 Solo Eyeshadow in 'Mardi Gras' - I don't tend to use many single shadows nowadays, as any powder pigments I use on my lids are typically out of a palette of sort sorts - however this solo shade stole my heart earlier in the year and I've loved it ever since. It's a difficult one to describe but I suppose in essence it's a dark, super-shimmery golden hue. It's stunning worn alone as it does that whole thing where you apply it all-over the lid and take a brush to the edge to diffuse any harsh lines and the colour gets all 'duo-chrome' and looks darker at the areas where you've blended it out. You look like you've used two or three shadows when I reality - there's only one. Genius. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST CREAM EYESHADOW - Maybelline Eyestudio 24 Hr Colour Tattoos Gel-Cream Eyeshadow in 'Metallic Pomegranate' - These got a mention in last year's yearly favourites post fo' sho' as I have loved these little cream shadow pots for as long as I can remember. While in 2014's Favourites post however, I was raving mainly about the more neutral-inspired hues of the vast collection, this year I finally got my hands on the 'Metallic Pomegranate' shade and oh me oh my is it a beaut. It's just what you'd imagine it to be - a deep burgundy purple with the fine flecks of golden shimmer running through it that's actually surprisingly wearable. A definite top pick for the past few months especially, fo' sho'... MENTIONED HERE.
BEST EYESHADOW PALETTE - Maybelline 'The Nudes' Eyeshadow Palette - Now this was a trickier one. In the past year palettes, in my opinion, have really took off and especially in the eye department - with more offerings in the drugstore than ever before. However when having a good look at my collection these were the two that stood out to me above the rest and that's surely a sign of a favourite worthy of inclusion in this post, eh? I'm dubbing this one my 'Everyday Palette' and it is of course Maybelline's The Nudes Palette and I can honestly say this is my favourite find of 2015. Oh yeah, I said it. This boasts 12 shades in a range of everyday-appropriate hues and there is quite literally not a single one I don't like or wouldn't use. They're buttery and blendable and when applied, haven little to no fall-down. They're highly pigmented and a little goes a long way in terms of building up that colour, and applied over a layer of my usual Primer Potion last impeccably well throughout the day. LOVE. MENTIONED HERE.
FleurDeForce Eyeshadow Quad in 'Lunar Rose' - My other pick from 2015 in terms of eye palettes, like I said, offers slightly more 'daring' and different hues and is the one I instantly reach for when I want to go for more colour colour on my eyes. This quad from Fleur's beauty line (launched this year!) has to be my favourite from her line that I've tried. Out of the two palettes available (one more brown and bronzey), I plumped for this more rosey/purple-toned offering as I do like to spice things up in the shadow arena sometimes and when I do, they are the kinds of hues I tend to head to first. There's something about pinks and plums that, whilst being 'colour', are still very wearable and easy to pull off and this quad has all that and more. There's a light icy highlight, light dusky pink, a gorgeous metallic rose gold and a slightly shimmery deep purple. For me, the shade I mainly picked this up for and the one that's the star of the show is the rose gold shadow. Oh my goodness. This is so stunningly beautiful once lacquered onto the lids - either on its own or with some of the deep plum shade in the outer corner and crease and it's a shade that I've never really seen before in another palette - despite the recent boom in popularity of rose gold itself. All the shadows are just as good quality as the Maybelline ones - buttery soft, easy to apply and blend and great colour pay-off and lasting power. Well done Fleur! MENTIONED HERE.
FleurDeForce Eyeshadow Quad in 'Lunar Rose' - My other pick from 2015 in terms of eye palettes, like I said, offers slightly more 'daring' and different hues and is the one I instantly reach for when I want to go for more colour colour on my eyes. This quad from Fleur's beauty line (launched this year!) has to be my favourite from her line that I've tried. Out of the two palettes available (one more brown and bronzey), I plumped for this more rosey/purple-toned offering as I do like to spice things up in the shadow arena sometimes and when I do, they are the kinds of hues I tend to head to first. There's something about pinks and plums that, whilst being 'colour', are still very wearable and easy to pull off and this quad has all that and more. There's a light icy highlight, light dusky pink, a gorgeous metallic rose gold and a slightly shimmery deep purple. For me, the shade I mainly picked this up for and the one that's the star of the show is the rose gold shadow. Oh my goodness. This is so stunningly beautiful once lacquered onto the lids - either on its own or with some of the deep plum shade in the outer corner and crease and it's a shade that I've never really seen before in another palette - despite the recent boom in popularity of rose gold itself. All the shadows are just as good quality as the Maybelline ones - buttery soft, easy to apply and blend and great colour pay-off and lasting power. Well done Fleur! MENTIONED HERE.
BEST KOHL EYELINER - Collection Intense Colour Supersoft Kohl Pencil in 'Birdy Song' and 'Black Magic' - When it comes to liners, up until the final couple of months of 2015, I remained a gal who was all about the pencil. And for me, these are some of the best I've tried. They're cheap as chips, creamy enough to apply without dragging the lid and manoeuvre about (i.e. smudge) as you choose, but only for so long as watch out cause these things set down and once they have - they ain't moving for no one. The brown used to be my fave, until I tried the black and now it's pretty equal in terms of ranking in the makeup stakes. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIQUID LINER - Soap and Glory Supercat Liner - Like I said, until about November time I was still very much into my kohl pencils and whilst beyond that point that didn't change in anyway, what did alter was that I finally got back into liquid liner again. Hurrah! I wanted to get my hands on a new one to try for the upcoming festive season when the whole feline flick really comes into its own and after some serious research, I listened up to the hype around this S&G one and I'm very glad I did. It's a felt tip set-up so makes the whole thing very easy peasy indeed and this one in particular is one of the best I've tried - not too thin so it's overly unstable and bendy; nor too thick so that you cannot do a slim, more subtle feline lick with it. The consistency is ultra-black and can be built up without one layer removing the one underneath and this stuff stays around - no panda eyes to be seen here. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIQUID LINER - Soap and Glory Supercat Liner - Like I said, until about November time I was still very much into my kohl pencils and whilst beyond that point that didn't change in anyway, what did alter was that I finally got back into liquid liner again. Hurrah! I wanted to get my hands on a new one to try for the upcoming festive season when the whole feline flick really comes into its own and after some serious research, I listened up to the hype around this S&G one and I'm very glad I did. It's a felt tip set-up so makes the whole thing very easy peasy indeed and this one in particular is one of the best I've tried - not too thin so it's overly unstable and bendy; nor too thick so that you cannot do a slim, more subtle feline lick with it. The consistency is ultra-black and can be built up without one layer removing the one underneath and this stuff stays around - no panda eyes to be seen here. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST MASCARA - Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - This year I feel I've finally been more adventurous with my mascara choice and I have tried a lot over the past 12 months - some good, some less good. However, there are two that I feel have topped the bill when it comes to lash offerings and one is more budget-friendly, and the other more of a luxury beauty buy. I tried picking between them but in all honesty, I think the cheaper one is actually a fairly good dupe for the more expensive option - and I think that's the main reason why they are so difficult to separate in terms of ranking. This one from Too Faced was the first 'high end' mascara I tried and whilst up until then I didn't really see the point of using one that's more expensive, this changed my mind. It is incredible. Like, seriously so good. It's an awesome 'does it all' mascara - boasting length, volume, separation, curl, lift... I could go on. It just gives me amazing lashes that could easily pass as falsies in my opinion and personally - that is the sign of a truly good mascara. It lasts well throughout the day without smudging or flaking and I removes easily too. My only slight gripe? It's not so much of a mascara that you can 'build' with, in that in one coat you're basically done - there's not so much room for gradually layering up that volume. I suppose that ain't too much of a bad thing though, eh? MENTIONED HERE.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara - This just has to win the award for my ultimate pick from the drugstore for 2015 mascara-wise and if you've been reading here for a long time, you'll know that Maybelline mascaras and myself just get along so well. Their 'The Falsies' was my fave this time last year and whilst I still really rate that, for me this one (which was launched near the beginning of 2015) just about pips it to the post. As I said earlier, this is pretty much identical in the things it does my lashes to the Too Faced one. Again, a 'does it all'-type jobby that just makes your lashes look incredible. The only differences I perhaps can spot is that this one is more buildable than the Better Than Sex, and the wand is plastic as opposed to bristle and is also a little smaller so you feel you do have a tad more control and can get into the lashes a bit better. Other than that - this is just as awesome and is ideal if you're on a budget. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIP BALM - Maybelline Baby Lips - Same as last year, and whilst I may not use these as much as I did back in 2014, I still reach for them on the odd occasion when I don't fancy a lipstick or gloss and want more nourishment from my lip choice than colour. I own a few of the 'coloured' versions, but they simply add a touch of somethin' somethin' to the lips as opposed to being full-on pink or red and smell darn good too.
BEST LIPGLOSS - Fleur De Force Lipgloss in 'Written In The Stars' - I'm not a frequent wearer of lipgloss if I'm completely honest, however the new range from Fleur (again - I know, she really has been killing it this year!) has kinda changed my mind about that. This formulation, whilst labelled as 'glosses', to me are more like a 'lacquer' in texture and I think that's why I love them so much, with this being my favourite shade of them all. This is the nude of the collection (as I typically go for in glosses as shiny bold lips aren't really my thing) and it actually packs quite the punch pigment-wise - with the colour in the tube matching up almost exactly to the colour it coats my lips in. I actually think this is like the Rimmel '45' lipstick but in liquid form, as it just combines the perfect mix of pink, beige and a tiny hint of purple-y mauve for that spot-on neutral lip. It's not at all sticky, extremely comfortable on the lips and is a nice alternative for when I want something with a bit more shine to it - especially in the warmer months. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIP LINER - L'Oreal Les Lip Liner Couture by Colour Riche in 'Beige A Nu' - Lip-liner time and a few months back when I was looking at what I was loving from 2015 so far I struggled to pinpoint one lip liner that I was really liking or even simply using. My beloved L'Oreal Infallible Lip Liner in 'Always Toasted' had run out and is now seemingly discontinued (boo!) and after a thorough search around the drugstore for a replacement to fill my 'nude lip liner' needs I hadn't managed to find something that even came close. However, I then had a look around the L'Oreal stand itself (which really should've been common sense as there was always bound to be a dupe for it somewhere there) and came across this beauty and I haven't looked back since. This is practically the exact same lip liner and I am so glad I found it. It matches up to my lip line almost exactly, but with a tad more beige in it (as the name would imply) to give my lips more definition, shape and an even appearance. I love wearing this either simply to outline my lips or coloured all-over and either worn alone or as a base for my favourite nude to be layered on top. MENTIONED HERE.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara - This just has to win the award for my ultimate pick from the drugstore for 2015 mascara-wise and if you've been reading here for a long time, you'll know that Maybelline mascaras and myself just get along so well. Their 'The Falsies' was my fave this time last year and whilst I still really rate that, for me this one (which was launched near the beginning of 2015) just about pips it to the post. As I said earlier, this is pretty much identical in the things it does my lashes to the Too Faced one. Again, a 'does it all'-type jobby that just makes your lashes look incredible. The only differences I perhaps can spot is that this one is more buildable than the Better Than Sex, and the wand is plastic as opposed to bristle and is also a little smaller so you feel you do have a tad more control and can get into the lashes a bit better. Other than that - this is just as awesome and is ideal if you're on a budget. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIP BALM - Maybelline Baby Lips - Same as last year, and whilst I may not use these as much as I did back in 2014, I still reach for them on the odd occasion when I don't fancy a lipstick or gloss and want more nourishment from my lip choice than colour. I own a few of the 'coloured' versions, but they simply add a touch of somethin' somethin' to the lips as opposed to being full-on pink or red and smell darn good too.
BEST LIPGLOSS - Fleur De Force Lipgloss in 'Written In The Stars' - I'm not a frequent wearer of lipgloss if I'm completely honest, however the new range from Fleur (again - I know, she really has been killing it this year!) has kinda changed my mind about that. This formulation, whilst labelled as 'glosses', to me are more like a 'lacquer' in texture and I think that's why I love them so much, with this being my favourite shade of them all. This is the nude of the collection (as I typically go for in glosses as shiny bold lips aren't really my thing) and it actually packs quite the punch pigment-wise - with the colour in the tube matching up almost exactly to the colour it coats my lips in. I actually think this is like the Rimmel '45' lipstick but in liquid form, as it just combines the perfect mix of pink, beige and a tiny hint of purple-y mauve for that spot-on neutral lip. It's not at all sticky, extremely comfortable on the lips and is a nice alternative for when I want something with a bit more shine to it - especially in the warmer months. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIP LINER - L'Oreal Les Lip Liner Couture by Colour Riche in 'Beige A Nu' - Lip-liner time and a few months back when I was looking at what I was loving from 2015 so far I struggled to pinpoint one lip liner that I was really liking or even simply using. My beloved L'Oreal Infallible Lip Liner in 'Always Toasted' had run out and is now seemingly discontinued (boo!) and after a thorough search around the drugstore for a replacement to fill my 'nude lip liner' needs I hadn't managed to find something that even came close. However, I then had a look around the L'Oreal stand itself (which really should've been common sense as there was always bound to be a dupe for it somewhere there) and came across this beauty and I haven't looked back since. This is practically the exact same lip liner and I am so glad I found it. It matches up to my lip line almost exactly, but with a tad more beige in it (as the name would imply) to give my lips more definition, shape and an even appearance. I love wearing this either simply to outline my lips or coloured all-over and either worn alone or as a base for my favourite nude to be layered on top. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST LIQUID LIPSTICKS - Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets - Finally for the lipstick category is liquid lippies and just like last year, I have continued my love for these babies. They apply quite wet, yet set down almost immediately to a finish that no other lip product gives and that I really, really like. It's almost like a cushion-y texture that feels really bouncy and lightweight on your pout - so much so that these are really the only lipsticks I can wear and sort of forget I even am after a while. However, just like the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's, the other main reason I wanted to give these a shout-out in this favourites post as well as last year's is the fact I am really enjoying a new shade they have recently brought out. You may remember me mentioning 'Plum Plum Girl' in a 'NIATD' post of mine a while back? Well, let's just say it is love. It's very similar to the above 'Keep It Classy' actually in that it's a (surprise, surprise) plumy purple hue - can you tell that's kinda been my thang this year? Very appropriate for the past few months and even stretching out to the next few - I can see myself loving this shade in particular for a long time... MENTIONED HERE.
BEST NUDE LIP - Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Nude Lipstick in '45' - Kicking off the lip department, I introduce you to my fave from the 'nude' lipstick arena. Again, we have another 'major rave' on our hands. I know, I apologise. While I feel that by the end of 2014 I still hadn't found 'The One' for me in terms of lippies of the neutral variety, 2015 was the year in which I think I at last found it and it is of course this little beauty from Rimmel. I've spoken about this many, many times since I first fell head over heels so I will try and condense this ramble down a little and simply conclude by saying it. is. awesome. The perfect 'MLBB'-type hue for me, matching up to my natural lip shade almost identically, but doing so in such a way that it simply evens things out and gives my pout a more mauve appearance - very Kylie Jenner-esque indeed. I have almost completely finished up my tube I have on the go at the moment - that's surely a testament to how much I adore this stuff. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST BOLD LIP - Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencil in 'Keep It Classy' - Onto the more colourful and bright side of the lipstick spectrum is my favourite 'bold' of 2015 and I thought a fair long while about this one. I have several bold lippies that I love and enjoy wearing, but it became difficult to distinguish a clear favourite, favourite - until I saw this gleaming at me in my collection. When I think of the lip product I reach for the most when I 'need' a bold lip, and fast - it's this. I think I actually gave this range of lip pencils a mention in my last yearly favourites post as my top pick in terms of lippies of the pencil variety, and after having three in my collection for the past 12 months it's become clear to me which is my most-loved and well-used. This is a gorgeous plumy purple-tinged shade that was practically the only lipstick I wore throughout Autumn. It's a interesting shade as it's not a red, but it's not a traditional berry either, it kinda just hits that sweet spot right in the middle - a 'burgundy' perhaps is the best description to use. As with all of these that I've tried, the formula is bang-on brilliant. Creamy and easy to apply, yet sets down to a matte finish, though they're more 'velvet' in texture (as the name would suggest) than a traditional matte, matte that dries your lips out to a prune-like finish. These manage to be long-lasting yet comfortable at the same time and who could ask for more in a lip product? MENTIONED HERE.
BEST BOLD LIP - Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencil in 'Keep It Classy' - Onto the more colourful and bright side of the lipstick spectrum is my favourite 'bold' of 2015 and I thought a fair long while about this one. I have several bold lippies that I love and enjoy wearing, but it became difficult to distinguish a clear favourite, favourite - until I saw this gleaming at me in my collection. When I think of the lip product I reach for the most when I 'need' a bold lip, and fast - it's this. I think I actually gave this range of lip pencils a mention in my last yearly favourites post as my top pick in terms of lippies of the pencil variety, and after having three in my collection for the past 12 months it's become clear to me which is my most-loved and well-used. This is a gorgeous plumy purple-tinged shade that was practically the only lipstick I wore throughout Autumn. It's a interesting shade as it's not a red, but it's not a traditional berry either, it kinda just hits that sweet spot right in the middle - a 'burgundy' perhaps is the best description to use. As with all of these that I've tried, the formula is bang-on brilliant. Creamy and easy to apply, yet sets down to a matte finish, though they're more 'velvet' in texture (as the name would suggest) than a traditional matte, matte that dries your lips out to a prune-like finish. These manage to be long-lasting yet comfortable at the same time and who could ask for more in a lip product? MENTIONED HERE.
BEST SETTING SPRAY - L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Fixing Spray - I mentioned this in my last 'Loves and Lusts' post of 2015 (here) and talked there about how more of a 'surprise' favourite find this was. This time last year I was all about the Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray when it came to fixing my makeup in place with a spritz (something I only ever really did and do now on special occasions). I was unsure anything would've changed by now as I loved that stuff so much but after my last bottle got all used up ages and ages ago a repurchase never felt necessary and I was without any setting spray in my collection for a long time. Then this was released by L'Oreal and I just had to give a whirl as although Urban Decay's offering is good, it is rather pricey for what it is and I'm always up for finding a good dupe. This is definitely a close one - acting in practically the exact same way as the All-Nighter one. A few sprays onto the face and everything just looks so much more 'meshed together' and fixed into place without any disturbance of residue left behind and I certainly notice a difference in wear-time when using this. MENTIONED HERE.
BEST FALSE LASHES - Fleur De Force 'Simply Fleur' Lashes - Concluding the makeup section of this post with a new category for 2015 and another Fleur De Force mention (again - killing it, Fleur!) are false lashes. As you may already know, this year was the one in which I finally feel like I got the hang of the whole faux lash thang. Ok, I may not a pro just yet (who is?), but I definitely have come a long way from the gal who never used to touch the things and I now actually enjoy putting them on for a special occasion/night out. Who knew? The Fleur De Force collaboration with Eylure I feel was the main culprit in this happening. She created the most gorgeous collection of falsies - all very wearable, all very beautiful. This pair especially is my favourite - her most 'natural' set of the three in the range (plus individuals). 'Simply Fleur' are a strip lash with an equal length all the way round - which once applied give a very 'doll-like' appearance to your eyes. The soft-tips give a subtle finish and the vein is near-invisible so you look as if you're wearing nothing at all, as well as forgetting you've got them on! MENTIONED HERE.
BEST FALSE LASHES - Fleur De Force 'Simply Fleur' Lashes - Concluding the makeup section of this post with a new category for 2015 and another Fleur De Force mention (again - killing it, Fleur!) are false lashes. As you may already know, this year was the one in which I finally feel like I got the hang of the whole faux lash thang. Ok, I may not a pro just yet (who is?), but I definitely have come a long way from the gal who never used to touch the things and I now actually enjoy putting them on for a special occasion/night out. Who knew? The Fleur De Force collaboration with Eylure I feel was the main culprit in this happening. She created the most gorgeous collection of falsies - all very wearable, all very beautiful. This pair especially is my favourite - her most 'natural' set of the three in the range (plus individuals). 'Simply Fleur' are a strip lash with an equal length all the way round - which once applied give a very 'doll-like' appearance to your eyes. The soft-tips give a subtle finish and the vein is near-invisible so you look as if you're wearing nothing at all, as well as forgetting you've got them on! MENTIONED HERE.
Nails:
BEST NAIL BRAND - Rimmel and Maybelline - This time last year I was all about Barry M when it came to nail polishes. They could do no wrong in my eyes and pretty much every lacquer I owned in my collection was from ne of their many sub-ranges. However, 2015 was the year of change it seems, as while they are still a brand very much close to my beauty-loving heart, these two above brands I feel have ever-so-slightly surpassed them - shock horror. This was the year I found a love for two nail-related ranges and you'll know if you're a regular reader that they are of course the Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polishes and the Maybelline Super Stay 7 Day Polishes. I have tried a few others from the other collections they each have, but for me the aforementioned ones are where the real good stuff is at. Both have my favourite kind of brush applicator (flat, wide and slightly curved) that makes the whole thing very easy indeed, both reach full opacity in two coats and both leave behind a finish that's shiny and gel-like and sticks around for ages too. Love, love, LOVE.
BEST NAIL POLISH - I thought for this one, unlike last year's edition where I simply rattled off a few specific plain and special effect polishes I've been loving throughout 2015, instead I would choose one polish for each season as a good way to cover all bases without getting too carried away (being the nail polish addict I am). Of course, there are more that I could name, but these are just my top four. If you fancy a more in-depth look at any of these (as well as all the other polishes I loved throughout 2015), check out my 'Polish Pick' posts.
- SPRING - Maybelline Color Show in 'Bouquet'
- AUTUMN - Maybelline Super Stay Seven Day Nail Polish in 'Divine Wine'
BEST NAIL PRODUCT - Maybelline Dr Rescue Quick Dry Nail Drops - These are a new entry this year and a very welcomed one at that too. I always used to struggle with my nail polishes drying. Sometimes I'd smudge them whilst wet, others I'd paint them before bed and leave them until I thought they were fully dry - only to wake up the next morning with dents and groove all over them from where they quite clearly weren't. Then I spotted this in Boots earlier this year and had high hopes that all my prayers were finally to be answered. In short - they were - as this stuff is all kinds of awesome. Two little drops onto each nail and everything just magically sets into place and you can rest assured whatever may happen to your nails - your manicure will stay intact. These now have a pride of place spot in my nail care kit and a lacquer-up of my nails just wouldn't be complete without them. MENTIONED HERE.
Barry M Nail Corrector Pen - This I loved last year and certainly got a shout-out in my 2014 Faves and still now do I think it is amazing and just as worth a mention. Until I found this, my mani was much more messy and while I do think my painting skills improving over time has helped, my nails has definitely looked much more professional in finish since I found this. Made any mistakes when lacquering-up? Simply draw round your beds with this and you're good to go again. This is my second 'tube' now and I can certainly foresee a repurchase of a third on the horizon soon...
Barry M Nail Corrector Pen - This I loved last year and certainly got a shout-out in my 2014 Faves and still now do I think it is amazing and just as worth a mention. Until I found this, my mani was much more messy and while I do think my painting skills improving over time has helped, my nails has definitely looked much more professional in finish since I found this. Made any mistakes when lacquering-up? Simply draw round your beds with this and you're good to go again. This is my second 'tube' now and I can certainly foresee a repurchase of a third on the horizon soon...
BEST NAIL CARE - Soap and Glory Hand Food Hand Cream - Hand cream-wise there is only one product for the job here and it is an old favourite that I feel I've been talking about and loving for ages now - long before this blog was even started. It's one of S&G's classic products that pretty much everyone raves about and for good reason too. It's lightweight enough that you can easily apply this throughout the day without the dreaded 'Oh my goodness my hands feel so, so sticky and uncomfortable' feeling, but still packs a punch in the hydration department so it actually does what it's supposed to do. Also, the scent is divine. Dry hands, be gone.
Maybelline Dr Rescue SOS Nail Balm - In terms of actually looking after my nails, I feel like 2015 was the year I actually started getting into it all and trying my best to give my beds some proper TLC aswell as the standard weekly paintjob. This product has definitely helped me along the way and I'm very happy I found it. It's a new kind of set-up and not something I've ever seen or sued before, but it's basically a treatment balm for your nails. You can apply this to either the whole nail or just the cuticle area (my preferred method) and it just gives that extra hit of hydration and makes the nail look shinier and healthier and the cuticle bed look much more polished and less raggedy. According to Maybelline themselves, this can also be utilised as a base and/or top coat - who knew? I will certainly be giving that a go soon... MENTIONED HERE.
Maybelline Dr Rescue SOS Nail Balm - In terms of actually looking after my nails, I feel like 2015 was the year I actually started getting into it all and trying my best to give my beds some proper TLC aswell as the standard weekly paintjob. This product has definitely helped me along the way and I'm very happy I found it. It's a new kind of set-up and not something I've ever seen or sued before, but it's basically a treatment balm for your nails. You can apply this to either the whole nail or just the cuticle area (my preferred method) and it just gives that extra hit of hydration and makes the nail look shinier and healthier and the cuticle bed look much more polished and less raggedy. According to Maybelline themselves, this can also be utilised as a base and/or top coat - who knew? I will certainly be giving that a go soon... MENTIONED HERE.
Tools:
BEST BRUSH BRAND: Real Techniques and Zoeva. Up until 2015, my brush collection was made-up exclusively of Real Techniques. They're fab brushes, at an affordable price range and they come in so many variations for almost every makeup task you could ever need a brush for. However, after hearing one too many good things about Zoeva brushes, I just had to give some a go and so far - it's love. Their face brushes (of what I've tried) are good, but for me it's their eye brushes where their talent lies. So, here are a round-up of my favourite brushes of 2015 - with a mix of both brands included...
- Real Techniques Buffing Brush - great for all foundations of all coverage's and finishes.
- Real Techniques Setting Brush - great for blending and setting concealer under the eyes
- Real Techniques Sculpting Brush - great for (you guessed it) sculpting the face, or even as a foundation brush!
- Zoeva Luxe Face Definer - great for everything powder-related really - especially bronzer.
- Zoeva 227 Luxe Soft Definer Brush - a supposed dupe for the MAC 217 that I am in love with - fab for applying eyeshadow, blending it out and it's fab for crease work too.
- Real Techniques Fan Brush - finally, a more miscellaneous one... brilliant for highlighter application or sweeping away any fall-down from darker eyeshadows.
BEST BRUSH CLEANER(S): Dr Bronner Organic Castile Liquid Soap and The Pro Hygiene Collection Antibacterial Makeup Spray - I mentioned these in last year's favourites, but they're so good I just have to give them a notable mention this time round too. I have not used any other combo of products to wash my brushes all year long. The former is fab for a deep brush cleanse, whilst the latter works brilliantly for spot-cleaning larger brushes in-between washes or any smaller brushes. Love, love, LOVE.
I hope you enjoyed delving into Part 1 of my 2015 Favourites! As I said at the start of this post, Part 2 will be coming up on Friday, as I ramble all about the best of the rest from 2015...
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