For pretty much ever year of #DitsyDecember since 2014, I've always enjoyed having a good whittle down of everything I've loved throughout the year. From my original 'Five Favourite Finds' which was both a more select choice and also inclusive of all things beauty to my more general and makeup-only 'Top Ten Tried'. I've done this new format for the past couple of years and really liked not only having more spaces to fill (as there always seems to be so many favourites to choose from) and also making it only about Makeup, meant I could be even more specific too - it has to be something new I've tried in the year too after all! Obviously, I'll still be doing my usual Yearly Favourites round-up as always at the start of January as always where everything I've been loving over the year - not just Makeup - will be getting a well-deserved mention but for now, let's try and condense things down (at least for Makeup) to ten things I both tried this year and really enjoyed ever since...
REVOLUTION CONCEAL AND HYDRATE FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER - Starting off with this this awesome foundation and concealer! I just had to throw these in together as they're from the same range and released at the same time - forgive me! I love the original Conceal and Define range (particularly the concealer) but I really enjoy this new, glowier version of them both too. The foundation has slightly less coverage off the bat - more of a strong medium than full - but it can certainly be built up to a full coverage with a second layer! The finish is definitely more dewy than C&D, but not too shiny and set into place, it lasts impeccably all day or night long. As for the matching concealer - this has great coverage (probably more in line this time with its full coverage counterpart from the Conceal and Define Range), it blends out easily and once set, doesn't crease or move at all - it also looks super smooth on the skin too! I'm really glad I tried these as I think I like them just as much, if not perhaps a little more than the Conceal and Define formula...
L'OREAL INFALLIBLE 24HR FRESH WEAR FOUNDATION - I know, I know - another foundation - but I just had to give this one a mention because before trying the Conceal and Hydrate, this was my obsession. Ever since trying it earlier on in 2019, I soon fell in love with it. This is definitely more of a light-medium (probably more medium) coverage, with a more runny consistency and lighter finish on the skin - quite different from the above! But for the first half of the year, over Spring and Summer, that was exactly the sort of foundation I wanted. It still gives me pretty good coverage, it just feels and looks a little more lightweight (not that the C&H is heavy-feeling but you get what I mean). This foundation blends out like a dream, sitting so smooth on the skin and as the name suggests - it keeps looking basically as freshly-applied all day long!
OBSESSION MEGA HIGHLIGHTER IN 'MEGA LIGHTNING' - It wouldn't be a post like this from me without a highlighter or two. And the first just had to be this gorgeous offering from Obsession! After seeing and hearing MakeMeUpMissa raving about this for so long, I finally decided to take the plunge - it was only £3, after all. But you know what? It's possibly one of the best £3's I've ever spent - this highlighter is awesome! If I didn't know it was so cheap, I'd guess it was priced much higher as both the formula and finish it gives seems worth so much more. It's so creamy in texture, glides onto the skin so smoothly and deposits such an intense, yet not chunky or glittery glow. You quite literally need the smallest amount to get a super blinding, gleaming finish! Shade-wise - it's mainly an icy white, but marbled with warmer gold veining and mixed together, it just creates the perfect highlighter hue for my paler skin-tone...
OFRA X NIKKIE TUTORIALS HIGHLIGHTER IN 'GLAZED DONUT' - Another highlighter - I mean, I couldn't just mention one, could I? - that seriously wowed me this year. Ever since very luckily receiving it for my Birthday back in May, this has become one of my go-to highlighters in my collection. Though it is on the more expensive side of things, in my opinion it is more than worth it. If I've got a special occasion or event or just want to be real 'extra' with my highlighter that day - this is now the one I'll got for. The colour is perfect - super white and icy, but not at all ashy or grey on the skin - and the formula is just gorgeous. So intense with the smallest amount of product, give such a blinding finish, yet is almost undetectable on the skin until it hits the light. It's so finely milled that it almost melts into the skin, leaving behind no chunky-ness or even apparent shimmer or glitter to be seen - until it gets its chance to shine. And when it does, it really does.
REVOLUTION PRO SKIN FINISH POWDER IN 'OPALESCENT' - Moving onto what is possibly one of my favourite finds makeup-wise of this year - mainly because it's unlike anything I've tried or owned before. You know the MAC Skin Finishes or Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders? This is like the affordable version of those! I first heard of these - this shade especially - again through MakeMeUpMissa and I have been loving it and using it nearly every single time I do my makeup ever since. This is like a baked powder that's almost like a cross between a face powder and highlighter. Unlike 'setting' powders that set your makeup, this is more like a 'finishing' powder that adds the slightest (yet most gorgeous) natural-looking sheen to the skin. You could use it as a highlighter if you like a more subdued glow (#CantRelate) but personally I just love taking it on a big fluffy brush and lightly dusting it virtually all over my face as a final step to awaken my complexion again. This shade - white gold with copper marbling - is just about right for me, though I do also enjoy the lighter 'Luminescence' too if I'm a little more pale that day. All in all, these are just great for if your face is starting to look a little too matte and flat or if you just want to really get your glow on...
B.PERFECT X STACEY MARIE CARNIVAL PALETTE - Eyeshadow palette-wise, I couldn't not give a shout-out to this beauty. This is another item I very luckily got for my Birthday this year and have been utterly obsessed with ever since! My first 'high end/more expensive' eyeshadow palette and oh my, am I glad I chose this one. I decided to plump for this palette as it's unlike anything else on the market. Of course, it's essentially a rainbow palette and there's a tonne of those about nowadays, but unlike some other high end palettes, from what I can see there's no obvious identical colour scheme available that's more affordable and so for me, it felt more 'justifiable' - if you get what I mean. I also just generally loved the colour scheme itself too. Full of everything from brights to bolds to neutrals, in both mattes and shimmers - and even with two highlighters thrown in for good measure too! I'd heard basically nothing negative about it, quality-wise, so it seemed a good shout. And it certainly was! The mattes are so rich and pigmented and blend out seamlessly whilst the shimmers are almost more like foils, applying so intensely on the lid - even without a damp brush or use of a finger! Don't get me wrong, I love my affordable palettes and you can get some great quality ones for the price, but there just seems to be something extra special about this one and I can definitely see why it's a higher price-point. I've created so many looks so far using this and can't wait to continue doing so...
REVOLUTION RELOADED PALETTE IN 'VELVET ROSE' - The other palette that's much more on the affordable side of things yet I have also been completely in love with has to be this one from Revolution. You just cannot go wrong with these £4 Reloaded Palettes. Great quality, great amount of shades and selection of different colour schemes - and this one is certainly no different. This is basically like a 'rip off' of the ABH 'Soft Glam' Palette - which I love the look of, but not so much the price-point - and whilst I cannot of course compare the quality but what I can say is that as a standalone palette, this is just perfect. The mattes have great pigment and blend out and together easily, the shimmers might sometimes need a damp brush or finger to get the full potential out of them but when you get them there - they're pretty intense - and for such a cheap palette, I really can't complain. I love how this mixes your basic neutrals (both cool and warm) but some pretty mauve tones and though it is a more 'nude' palette, there's still a lot of different looks you can get out of it and they always come out really lovely too!
REVOLUTION MATTE LIP LIQUID LIPSTICKS - Finally - we come to Lips - and I just had to mention these matte liquid lipsticks. It's no secret that matte liquid lips are one of, if not my favourite, most-used type of lip product and I just love finding new ranges and formulas to try. These were released by Revolution earlier this year and ever since, have been a staple in my stash. I started with a few and have added various other colours to my collection over time - that's how much I love them! These have quite a thin and runny formula and apply super glossy, but they soon dry down to a super powdery-matte finish. They're fully opaque in one coat and once set, are completely transfer-proof and basically budge-proof too. They're pretty easy to reapply but honestly, they require hardly any touch-ups throughout the day (only really at the very centre of the lips after eating or drinking) and they stay looking and feeling pretty good too. Whilst they are super matte, they don't feel too uncomfortable on the lips and they don't look super dry or heavy on the lips at all either.
I HEART REVOLUTION CHOCOLATE LIPGLOSS IN 'SALTED CARAMEL' - This lipgloss has been a real staple of mine this year. I've never been a big fan of lipgloss but over time, I've kinda come to love it - especially this year - and I feel like trying this one towards the start of the year was sort of the catalyst for it. Not only does this lipgloss smell incredible (like actual salted caramel - mhmmmm), the colour and formula of this is just perfect - a mid-toned pinky-brown nude that's not too light, nor too dark (almost just like my ideal 'MLBB' type colour). It gives such a super glossy and shiny finish to the lips, but it's not sticky or goopy on the lips at all. It just feels almost balmy and really moisturising - so comfortable and light in texture. It makes your lips look so juicy and plump too!
MUA INTENSE COLOUR LIP LINERS - Last, but by no means least - these lip liners are so, so good! They're only £1.50 each (?!), are super long with loads of product inside and are such a great formula. Fully pigmented in one swipe, creamy enough to glide on easily but waxy enough to allow for a controlled and crisp application too. They stay in place all day long without smudging, transferring or bleeding - and help keep whatever else you apply on the lips firmly in place aswell! They also come in virtually every colour you could ask for - from nudes to pinks, reds to purples and everything in-between...
L'OREAL INFALLIBLE 24HR FRESH WEAR FOUNDATION - I know, I know - another foundation - but I just had to give this one a mention because before trying the Conceal and Hydrate, this was my obsession. Ever since trying it earlier on in 2019, I soon fell in love with it. This is definitely more of a light-medium (probably more medium) coverage, with a more runny consistency and lighter finish on the skin - quite different from the above! But for the first half of the year, over Spring and Summer, that was exactly the sort of foundation I wanted. It still gives me pretty good coverage, it just feels and looks a little more lightweight (not that the C&H is heavy-feeling but you get what I mean). This foundation blends out like a dream, sitting so smooth on the skin and as the name suggests - it keeps looking basically as freshly-applied all day long!
OBSESSION MEGA HIGHLIGHTER IN 'MEGA LIGHTNING' - It wouldn't be a post like this from me without a highlighter or two. And the first just had to be this gorgeous offering from Obsession! After seeing and hearing MakeMeUpMissa raving about this for so long, I finally decided to take the plunge - it was only £3, after all. But you know what? It's possibly one of the best £3's I've ever spent - this highlighter is awesome! If I didn't know it was so cheap, I'd guess it was priced much higher as both the formula and finish it gives seems worth so much more. It's so creamy in texture, glides onto the skin so smoothly and deposits such an intense, yet not chunky or glittery glow. You quite literally need the smallest amount to get a super blinding, gleaming finish! Shade-wise - it's mainly an icy white, but marbled with warmer gold veining and mixed together, it just creates the perfect highlighter hue for my paler skin-tone...
OFRA X NIKKIE TUTORIALS HIGHLIGHTER IN 'GLAZED DONUT' - Another highlighter - I mean, I couldn't just mention one, could I? - that seriously wowed me this year. Ever since very luckily receiving it for my Birthday back in May, this has become one of my go-to highlighters in my collection. Though it is on the more expensive side of things, in my opinion it is more than worth it. If I've got a special occasion or event or just want to be real 'extra' with my highlighter that day - this is now the one I'll got for. The colour is perfect - super white and icy, but not at all ashy or grey on the skin - and the formula is just gorgeous. So intense with the smallest amount of product, give such a blinding finish, yet is almost undetectable on the skin until it hits the light. It's so finely milled that it almost melts into the skin, leaving behind no chunky-ness or even apparent shimmer or glitter to be seen - until it gets its chance to shine. And when it does, it really does.
REVOLUTION PRO SKIN FINISH POWDER IN 'OPALESCENT' - Moving onto what is possibly one of my favourite finds makeup-wise of this year - mainly because it's unlike anything I've tried or owned before. You know the MAC Skin Finishes or Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders? This is like the affordable version of those! I first heard of these - this shade especially - again through MakeMeUpMissa and I have been loving it and using it nearly every single time I do my makeup ever since. This is like a baked powder that's almost like a cross between a face powder and highlighter. Unlike 'setting' powders that set your makeup, this is more like a 'finishing' powder that adds the slightest (yet most gorgeous) natural-looking sheen to the skin. You could use it as a highlighter if you like a more subdued glow (#CantRelate) but personally I just love taking it on a big fluffy brush and lightly dusting it virtually all over my face as a final step to awaken my complexion again. This shade - white gold with copper marbling - is just about right for me, though I do also enjoy the lighter 'Luminescence' too if I'm a little more pale that day. All in all, these are just great for if your face is starting to look a little too matte and flat or if you just want to really get your glow on...
B.PERFECT X STACEY MARIE CARNIVAL PALETTE - Eyeshadow palette-wise, I couldn't not give a shout-out to this beauty. This is another item I very luckily got for my Birthday this year and have been utterly obsessed with ever since! My first 'high end/more expensive' eyeshadow palette and oh my, am I glad I chose this one. I decided to plump for this palette as it's unlike anything else on the market. Of course, it's essentially a rainbow palette and there's a tonne of those about nowadays, but unlike some other high end palettes, from what I can see there's no obvious identical colour scheme available that's more affordable and so for me, it felt more 'justifiable' - if you get what I mean. I also just generally loved the colour scheme itself too. Full of everything from brights to bolds to neutrals, in both mattes and shimmers - and even with two highlighters thrown in for good measure too! I'd heard basically nothing negative about it, quality-wise, so it seemed a good shout. And it certainly was! The mattes are so rich and pigmented and blend out seamlessly whilst the shimmers are almost more like foils, applying so intensely on the lid - even without a damp brush or use of a finger! Don't get me wrong, I love my affordable palettes and you can get some great quality ones for the price, but there just seems to be something extra special about this one and I can definitely see why it's a higher price-point. I've created so many looks so far using this and can't wait to continue doing so...
REVOLUTION RELOADED PALETTE IN 'VELVET ROSE' - The other palette that's much more on the affordable side of things yet I have also been completely in love with has to be this one from Revolution. You just cannot go wrong with these £4 Reloaded Palettes. Great quality, great amount of shades and selection of different colour schemes - and this one is certainly no different. This is basically like a 'rip off' of the ABH 'Soft Glam' Palette - which I love the look of, but not so much the price-point - and whilst I cannot of course compare the quality but what I can say is that as a standalone palette, this is just perfect. The mattes have great pigment and blend out and together easily, the shimmers might sometimes need a damp brush or finger to get the full potential out of them but when you get them there - they're pretty intense - and for such a cheap palette, I really can't complain. I love how this mixes your basic neutrals (both cool and warm) but some pretty mauve tones and though it is a more 'nude' palette, there's still a lot of different looks you can get out of it and they always come out really lovely too!
REVOLUTION MATTE LIP LIQUID LIPSTICKS - Finally - we come to Lips - and I just had to mention these matte liquid lipsticks. It's no secret that matte liquid lips are one of, if not my favourite, most-used type of lip product and I just love finding new ranges and formulas to try. These were released by Revolution earlier this year and ever since, have been a staple in my stash. I started with a few and have added various other colours to my collection over time - that's how much I love them! These have quite a thin and runny formula and apply super glossy, but they soon dry down to a super powdery-matte finish. They're fully opaque in one coat and once set, are completely transfer-proof and basically budge-proof too. They're pretty easy to reapply but honestly, they require hardly any touch-ups throughout the day (only really at the very centre of the lips after eating or drinking) and they stay looking and feeling pretty good too. Whilst they are super matte, they don't feel too uncomfortable on the lips and they don't look super dry or heavy on the lips at all either.
I HEART REVOLUTION CHOCOLATE LIPGLOSS IN 'SALTED CARAMEL' - This lipgloss has been a real staple of mine this year. I've never been a big fan of lipgloss but over time, I've kinda come to love it - especially this year - and I feel like trying this one towards the start of the year was sort of the catalyst for it. Not only does this lipgloss smell incredible (like actual salted caramel - mhmmmm), the colour and formula of this is just perfect - a mid-toned pinky-brown nude that's not too light, nor too dark (almost just like my ideal 'MLBB' type colour). It gives such a super glossy and shiny finish to the lips, but it's not sticky or goopy on the lips at all. It just feels almost balmy and really moisturising - so comfortable and light in texture. It makes your lips look so juicy and plump too!
MUA INTENSE COLOUR LIP LINERS - Last, but by no means least - these lip liners are so, so good! They're only £1.50 each (?!), are super long with loads of product inside and are such a great formula. Fully pigmented in one swipe, creamy enough to glide on easily but waxy enough to allow for a controlled and crisp application too. They stay in place all day long without smudging, transferring or bleeding - and help keep whatever else you apply on the lips firmly in place aswell! They also come in virtually every colour you could ask for - from nudes to pinks, reds to purples and everything in-between...
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