Let’s start with face primer, shall we? J I was skeptical about the BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector when I first tested it on my hand, but then I actually used it and the stars aligned! Ok, it’s not that great, but it’s a wonderful primer for anyone struggling with unwanted shine. I find it’s also a fantastic eye primer (and yes, the package says it is safe for such use)! It keeps me relatively shine-free almost all day and it keeps my shades in place! If you’d like to learn even more about this wonder primer, check out my post here.
I suppose this next item is kind of like a foundation, but it’s technically a tinted moisturizer. It is the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint and it is another deservedly hyped product. If you have skin that tends to get a bit greasy, you probably aren’t a huge fan of most tinted moisturizers. They’re all a bit too shiny. The Matte Moisture Tint actually seems to keep oil at bay without drying out the skin and, something important to me, it provides pretty decent coverage! I would say it has the coverage of a light-medium coverage foundation, while still being very easy to apply and blend like a tinted moisturizer. It’s a seriously wonderful face product and you can read eve more about it here!
In the concealer realm, I was skeptical about the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I held off on trying it for quite some time and finally caved after seeing nothing but great reviews. The reviews were correct…it’s fantastic! It’s very creamy and so easy to blend, but it has amazing coverage that stays put pretty much all day. I find it best for covering dark spots, acne scarring and blemishes, but it works great under the eyes as well. It doesn’t seem to crease on me, but then that’s not something I typically have a huge problem with anyway. If you’re willing to buy NARS products (their parent company is not cruelty-free, but NARS is), definitely check out the Radiant Creamy Concealer. Believe the hype!
Such an amazing blush line that I discovered in 2013 are the IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Stains. So amazing! They are incredibly pigmented so you only need a tiny bit, they blend like a dream and they always look natural. These blushes also last well all day…just like they claim! J There are not a huge variety of shades available, but they cover the general bases and they are all gorgeous! Check QVC for a set that includes a blush in the shade of your choice plus the amazing French Boutique Blush Brush for only a few dollars more than the blush alone – definitely worth it! J
Another blush product that deserves a mention is the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée. If nothing more, this blush deserves a mention for it’s innovativeness. That aside, it is such a gorgeous blush and lip tint! It has the most unusual texture and creates the most natural, staining flush of healthy color. It’s such an unexpectedly wonderful product! I love it! You can read my full review here.
For eyeliners, I have three pencil formulas. I’m not going to go into much detail because they are somewhat similar, and it’s really difficult to talk too much about pencil eyeliners! J I always have, and probably always will, love the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. They’re just wonderfully creamy, yet they don’t budge…and they come in a billion shades. A more budget-friendly option of essentially the same thing is the NYX Slide On Eye Pencils. Not quite as many shades, but every bit as amazing for a fraction of the price! And finally, there are the Flower Easy On The Eyes Long Lasting Eye Pencils that are similar, but have twist-up packaging. If you’d like to learn more about the Flower Eye Pencils, check out my in-depth review here.
I much prefer gel liner to liquid and I am totally impressed by Inglot’s AMC Eyeliner Gel! It is so creamy and insanely pigmented, plus it doesn’t budge…in fact, it can be difficult to remove! It comes in a ton of colors with a variety of finishes. My favorite is just the standard matte black, which is number 77. Perhaps most impressive, I’ve had the jar open for probably about 9 months, and it’s still almost the same as when I first opened it! It definitely has not dried out at all! This is by far the best gel liner I’ve ever used! J
The eye shadow that has stood out the most to me this year is the Color Play Crème Eyeshadow from Flower Beauty. I really like these shadows. They have kind of a whipped mousse texture that, though perhaps a bit drier than when I bought them a year ago, are still wonderfully creamy and easy to blend. They can be sheered out, or built into a more opaque shade, and they can easily be worn alone or as a base for powder shadows. I don’t find that they crease either! Quite a feat with my eyes, but they wear very well (I do use a primer underneath). There’s a weird removable stopper on top of the shadow, but I have a feeling it may be there to help keep the shadow from drying it out. Flower really did an excellent job with their Color Play Crème Eyeshadows!
My favorite mascara just barely made it into 2013. It is ridiculously expensive in my opinion (I still only have a sample size), but probably totally worth it! It is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara! I’m not entirely sure what it is that makes it so wonderful, but it makes your lashes look incredible! It has an hourglass shaped bristle brush. The formula is neither too wet, nor too dry and it doesn’t clump. It adds volume and length with ease, without making your lashes feel crunchy. You can read my full review here. I am so in love with the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara!
I could keep going, but these were the products that made a huge impression on me this year. Most are new, but there are at least one or two old favorites in there. I don’t really have a lip favorite, although there have been tons of wonderful lip products released over the past year. I’m not a huge lip gloss person, or I would have included the Flower Shine On Lip Gloss. It is definitely my favorite gloss of the year. It has a wonderful formula and comes in pretty shades that range from sheer to quite pigmented! But since I don’t wear any gloss much, I didn’t think it was right to include it. So, there you have the true stars of 2013 in my eyes! Stay tuned for my last installment – the Worst Products of 2013! J