2016 Favourites
As you may expect after reading the title of this blog post, today
I’m going to be chewing your ear off about the products that I tried for the
first time in 2016, and now cannot live without. From cult favourites of beauty
gurus, to random purchases I picked up on my merry, day-to-day journeys, here
are my newfound must-haves.
Cosmetics
MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance in 'Radiant Yellow' (£29.50)
There were only ever two primers that really graced my make-up
bag; NYX Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer in Clear (£10.00) and
Benefit POREfessional Face Primer (£24.50). Now, don’t get me wrong, they
were both brilliant, but I wanted a change. I wanted a primer that didn’t have
a silicone-like texture. I surfed the web, and found mixed reviews regarding
the best ones on the market, so what does a girl do? Turn to her best friend for a
recommendation. So that’s exactly what I did.
I purchased the primer in Selfridges, Oxford Street, and was so
excited that I’d finally made a decision, I didn’t even check the price. Lesson
learned. I almost fell over when the Sales Assistant popped it through the
till. But fear not! I maintained my composure, and acted like I belonged…
Primark flip-flops and all. Typical Lily.
Now, back to the actual product in question. Prep + Prime has
managed the impossible; it hydrates and illuminates my skin, keeps my
foundation on all day, and one bottle has so far lasted me six months.
Incredible.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in
1C Light (£22.50)
If I had to choose a ride-or-die beauty product, it would have to be Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Foundation (£31.00).
My only problem has always been finding a concealer which works well with it. I’m
ashamed to admit that it took me over a year to even consider looking into Estée
Lauder’s concealers, although that’s primarily due to the fact that I knew it
would be expensive. And I was right. However, having been using it for six
months, it’s something I now can’t live without as it hides my dark circles and angry blemishes.
Benefit ‘ka-BROW!’ in 03 Medium (£18.50)
Many moons ago, I decided to get a little bit tweezer happy with
my eyebrows. Now I’m stuck with sparse, thin eyebrows which need a lot of love
and attention. I had always used eyebrow pencils, and then I moved onto Benefit
‘Brow Zings’ (£24.50) which I used religiously for almost three years. And then
came along the new Benefit launch in May 2016, and after trawling YouTube for
product reviews and demonstrations, I decided the bite the bullet and try
‘ka-BROW!’ I wasn’t disappointed. It cut my morning make-up routine down by
around 10 minutes as it was so much easier just using one product! My only
issue? The brush is adorable, but I now find that when clipped into the lid, it
often comes loose. Mind you, maybe that’s just a sign that I should invest in a
new hard-angled brow brush…
MAC Lipstick in D for Danger (£15.50)
MAC is my go-to for lipsticks. There’s no doubt about it. No other
brand that I have tried has managed to live up to the quality, durability or
range of colours that they provide. This therefore explains my ever-growing
collection. However ‘D for Danger’ is different… at least that’s what I told
myself to warrant buying it. I never used to have the confidence to wear bold
lip colours, but now the bold colours that I own are my absolute favourites. ‘D
for Danger’ is a deep berry-red, and it’s probably my favourite red of all that
I own, MAC or not. As expected, it lasts all day and doesn't dry my lips out.
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita & Double Dare
(£16.00)
When I heard that Kat Von D was bringing her make-up line over to
the UK, I scoured the internet to find out as much information as possible,
even signing up on the Debenhams website to be kept in the loop. I had always
wanted to try the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks after seeing the likes of
Shaaanxo and Stephanie Nicole swatch and review them, but then came the big
question… which colour should I order? I settled on 'Lolita', eager to make sure
I liked the formula before ordering more, and I loved it! I ordered 'Double Dare'
the day after receiving the first, and I’ve decided that I need the rest of the
collection. The formula lasts all day; 'Lolita' survived me chomping my way
through a Chicken Bar-B-Q Sandwich at Red Dog Saloon. The lipsticks are a
must-have!
Skincare
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 100ml (£14.00)
I used to suffer a great deal with my skin, and still have times
when I’ll have a spontaneous breakout. However, I’ve found that using Liz
Earle’s Cleanse & Polish helps me keep on top of that, as well as keeping
my oily skin at bay and moisturising the dry patches. I often buy the pack
which contains two of the muslin cloths (£15.50) because when I wash them, they
sometimes run away and embark on their own ventures. I kid you not.
Brushes & Tools
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (£5.99)
I confess to never having tried the original Beauty Blender. At a
whopping £16.00, I could never convince myself to spend that much on a sponge.
I’ll also confess to using much cheaper alternatives which gave a whole new
meaning to ‘beating your face’. The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
was my compromise, and I didn’t regret it! So far, I’ve had four or five which
I use, wash and switch around regularly. Does this mean I’m brave enough to
splurge on a Beauty Blender? Not quite yet. Why fix something that isn't broken?
Real Techniques Buffing Brush
from the Real Techniques Core Collection 1403 (£21.99)
from the Real Techniques Core Collection 1403 (£21.99)
I like to think of myself as a bit of a rebel; I’ll drive around
with the petrol light on, eat food a day or so past its use by date, that kind
of thing. Therefore, it’s no real surprise that I don’t necessarily use the
Real Techniques Buffing Brush for its intended use. Instead, I use it as a
powder brush, and it’s possibly one my favourite brushes in my collection. I
tend to use less product while achieving a much more natural finish.
Fragrance
Vera Wang ‘Princess’ Eau de Toilette 100ml (£60.00)
I am a self-confessed Marc Jacobs perfume addict. From 'Lola' to 'Dot', to 'Honey' and 'Daisy', I’ve hoarded them all and ended up a little more than
upset when spritzing the last of a bottle. I ended up at a point last summer
when I didn’t have any perfume whatsoever after using the last drop of my
two-year-old(!) bottle of 'Honey'. Understandably sad, I saw Vera Wang’s ‘Princess’
in the Debenhams sale and fell in love. It was something so different to what I
would usually wear – it’s best described as a sweet, girly fragrance - and I
ended up snapping up a bargain. I now have a few different perfumes in my
collection, but I keep finding myself reach for this one.
Hair
The Wet Brush ‘Original Detangler’ in Punchy Pink (£11.99)
My hair is unruly, and it often gives my hairdresser, and myself a
major headache. Why? All I need to do is tuck my hair behind my ears and it
tangles. So you can imagine, when my hair is wet and has been towel-dried, it pretty
much forms one large dreadlock. Enter The Wet Brush. This brush is an absolute
miracle worker, so much so that I’ve convinced my hairdresser to invest in the
brand for her salon. I’ve tried many other detangling brushes and combs, but
this one takes the biscuit every time. There really is no competition.
OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum 118ml (£7.35)
Once again, this is another must-have, particularly if you have uncooperative
hair. OGX is one of those brands which I have come to really trust as their
products just do something magical to my hair. Their Moroccan Argan Oil range
is to die for. After having my hair bleached to achieve a balayage effect, it
understandably needed a little TLC, so after looking at reviews online, I
decided to pick up the Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum. As you
would expect, the serum itself smells subtly of coconut, one of my favourite
scents. However my favourite thing about this product is that it isn’t too
heavy, and it never weighs my hair down. Combined with The Wet Brush, the serum
makes hair much easier to handle after washing it.
So there we have it. Those were my favourite products discovered
in 2016. Will they be knocked off of their top spots by products I’ll discover
this year? Who knows! I’m just excited to try different products, old and new,
and see what works for me.
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