Thursday, January 14, 2016

Best of 2015

Is it just me, or are yearly favourites posts/videos not that exciting anymore? I'm not sensing as much interest in them as say, 2-3 years ago. Most bloggers do monthly favourites, so the yearly one is a "best of the monthly favourites" more than anything. Still, I wouldn't feel right not following tradition, so here are the products that stood out to me the most in 2015.


Morphe Brushes Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette
Even though shipping cost more than the palette itself and I jumped through hoops to order it (including abruptly waking up at some obscene hour and entering my credit card details bleary-eyed), this 28-pan eyeshadow palette is a classic example of a product only a makeup junkie would buy, and could fully appreciate. Given it's limited edition, I feel happy and lucky even (corny as it sounds) to have it in my possession. There isn't a single dud in terms of pigmentation and texture. The matte shades are the best I've tried for the price point. Full review and swatches here.

Australis Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in Pa-ree
Though I have too many lip products to count, rarely do I encounter one that genuinely is a game changer. Pa-ree is just that. The matte lip cream formula is virtually faultless — far and away the most comfortable and forgiving I've tried, while remaining ultra matte and opaque. But the colour is what makes this product special. It's unlike any nude I've ever come across. A muted peachy caramel with slight greige tones. Obsessed.

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat
My favourite foundation discovery of the year, beating other high end contenders like Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation, Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Simply put, Le Teint Touche Éclat beautifies your complexion while still retaining the appearance of natural skin. Good coverage and a soft, radiant, airbrushed finish. Especially great for dry skin.


Essie Cocktail Bling
I know buying Cocktail Bling ... can only mean one thing. That it'll be on my toes and fingers for pretty much most of the year, no exaggeration. I like it more than comparable, sophisticated neutrals like Nails Inc. Porchester Square or OPI Tickle My France-y. It's that kind of effortlessly cool colour you wear while dreaming of a Scandi kitchen and the perfect roll neck sweater.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in Bad Girl Bronze
An ancient product, but one that I felt deserved a mention here. Absolutely on par with any high end offering, this has been a failproof, go-to option at home, on the run, and travelling abroad. Creamy but not hard to work with and intensely pigmented, the colour is gorgeous (look at the multi-coloured shimmer in the light and tell me otherwise), it lasts forever and the stick format ensures it can be used as eyeliner or cream shadow. Back up already purchased.

Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liquid Liner
I didn't think I'd find anything to rival the Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner in last year's favourites, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good this Maybelline one is. I've been using it nonstop since I bought mine in August. It's everything you want in a liquid liner: easy to use, precise, a non-floppy or fraying tip, nicely black and not watery or grey, long wearing, and won't run out in a week (mine is admittedly on its last legs, but it has been over 4 months).


Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve
I really didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Initially, I thought it was no better than slightly fancier Vaseline. But consistent use throughout the year has made me see the light. Soothing, moisturising and pleasant to use, it also gives the lips a cushiony, glossy rosiness that's awfully pretty.

Radical Hydrating Cleanser
Yes, $52 for a cleanser is steep, but this has been my standout skin care product of 2015. My tube hasn't run out yet, and I've been using it almost daily for 6 months, with a few short-lived breaks as I briefly turned my attention to other options. For a morning cleanser, I haven't come across anything better. Wonderful smelling, hydrating, non-foaming, gentle, nourishing-feeling, non-irritating to the eyes and easily washed off. Never leaves my skin feeling tight, dried out or stripped after I rinse it off.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
The best mascara I've used all year. Excellent wand that gets to each lash. Extends, thickens and curls while minimising clumping. Formula is long lasting, doesn't transfer or flake. Often compared with Benefit Roller Lash, I have a sample of Roller Lash and find Lash Sensational superior.


Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt Brush
Honestly, I don't even know why I continue to buy or look at buying brushes to contour, highlight, powder or apply blush when this exists. Especially contour. I doubt I could find anything better than the Powder & Sculpt Brush for that purpose. Apart from the fact it's absolutely beautiful to look at, it's extremely functional. The shape, the hairs (not too floppy that it's hard to pick up product, but not prickly or lacking in softness by any means), the handle. Everything works for the results you want.

Wayne Goss Brush 14
Now this is a soft brush. Only my Suqqu Cheek Brush is softer in my entire brush collection, but that was $160 and this was $50. Brush 14 is my new staple in pigmented or soft-textured powder blushes. It applies and blends product like a dream. For the quality and craftsmanship, I think it's actually priced competitively.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
Saved for the best for last, you could say. I called it earlier in the year when I predicted this would appear here. While undeniably pricey, I can confidently say if you have this, you basically don't need any other contouring or highlighting products. Because the individual 'Sculpt' and 'Highlight' pans are the pinnacle of both fields. You also get a whopping 16g of product which will last forever. And of course, the packaging is DIVINE.

27 comments:

  1. so desperate to try morphe eye shadows http://maybemayhemmakeup.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/lol-bronzing-powder-brown-sugar.html

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  2. I've really got to try out more Maybelline eyeliners but I've got so many to use up! Maybe at the next Proceline sale :)

    www.sayyip.blogspot.com

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  3. I agree, it does seem like monthly reviews have replaced yearly ones for a lot of people. Personally, I prefer reading (and writing!) yearly reviews because they give a better sense of which products provided more than momentary excitement. (Plus, I just can't be bothered to write up my favorite products every single month.)

    I recently discovered that Charlotte Tilbury is cruelty-free and now I'm really interested in her products! A dangerous interest, to be sure...

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  4. I have the other Maybelline eyeliner with a yellow cap instead of purple. Which I assume only sold in Asia because my mom who lives in Indonesia is a lover of the liner. And I bought mine in Hong Kong. But it's kind of the best eyeliner I've used so far. Although it can smudge a little bit but I tend to top the wing part with hardcore waterproof eyeliner. But when it comes to application, packaging, brush quality, there's nothing can beat it. And I have been using mine since end of July and I still can use it normally :) Very happy with the eyeliner.

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  5. I notice that yearly favorites are not as popular as in previous years. I still love to see those as I find it extremely hard to narrow down to a handful of products for the whole year(yes, we are all hoarders in some sense:). Morphe palette is such a nice palette. I used it lots when I first got it.

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  6. Cocktail bling is such a lovely shade however it reminds me of the song hotline bling and I'm really not a fan of that haha!
    Charlotte // charlottespicks.blogspot.com

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  7. I know what you mean about favorites! I couldn't manage to do any monthly favorite all year so yearly favorites were pretty exciting in these parts! ;-) I just got the Wayne Goss brush in #14 as a gift and I am completely in love! Its amazing with my Les Beiges powder as well which I love for everyday! :-)

    TheConscienceFund

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  8. YES YES YES to Charlotte Tillbury packaging! Also have a sample of the Roller Lash I like the wand but it really doesn't curl it up. Need an actual curler first. It's decent and waterproof but I wouldn't buy the full size.

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  9. The Charlotte Tilbury bronze & glow is also a favorite of mine, it's so worth the hype. I really want to try any of Morphe's eyeshadow palettes.

    Perfect Shade of Mauve

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  10. I just recently discovered Morphe (got the Soul of Summer palette) and oh my, what a nice discovery! I definitely want to try more from them this year.

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  11. I've been feeling the same about the Best of 2015 favourites - I've been enjoying reading them when they've popped up on my feed though but it does feel like just a big monthly favs post! Love your picks by the way :) x

    Evelyn @ We Were Raised By Wolves

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  12. Great picks!
    I don't follow Jaclyn Hill on youtube or other social media and I don't even know how she looks like xD but I specifically wanted her Morphe Palette , sadly I was late :/
    I have read a lot of good reviews on Morphe eye shadow palettes in general, and Cultbeauty stocks them now, if I'm not mistaken.

    The CT Filmstar Bronze and Glow, isn't it amazing? ah and the Rimmel Bad Girl Bronze, my old time favorite as well ^^

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  13. I would kill for the CT Bronze and Glow. I've been eyeing it for ages but the price is absurd, especially here in Canada since our dollar is down. But it's one of those things where I know resistance is futile; I will have it eventually!

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  14. I completely know what you mean by 2015 favourites videos being a bit...ehhh. I just click on the video and scroll through the favourites first in the description box to see what's there and then decide to watch it or not as bad as that sounds XD I really liked the maybelline eyeliner at first, but then it fully smudged on me at the end of the day. So much sadness.

    ♥ M&L // twoplicates

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  15. My CT Bronze & Glow Palette and sculpt brush is top of my favorite products that I discovered in 2015 too! I swatched every single shade in all my morphe palettes today and I have to say, the quality is not the same across all the palettes! I also find that I had trouble with lot of the mattes so I'm a bit on the fence about them :c

    chloé⎪ status.chlo

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  16. That Morphe palette is gorgeous! I don't own anything from them, but I should get my hands on it asap! xo

    McKenzie | http://therosynook.com/

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  17. Hopefully I'll make it to the Morphe Burbank store when I'm in Los Angeles, apparently they still stock the Jaclyn faves palette there! I was set on getting the 35O palette though..not sure I need both! Haha :P Wow you've really worked that Rimmel crayon to a lil stub! Good job haha, I've always overlooked those! Perhaps I need to check 'em out. Those brushes look divine, so fluffeh yet small!

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

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  18. Love that huge eye shadow plate!
    All the colours are so soft, feel good for night out and everyday use.

    Like essie's nail polish, they have so many colours that other brands don't have

    Akane
    www.humancat.co

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  19. I think I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't went on the morphe brushes wagon...I think I've said this before but I've became quite picky with my choices for palettes. I'm more into the new neutral palette from Zoeva from example ( the one with warm shades)

    I don't really need more brushes but I've been thinking about getting another one for powder, blush and highlighter. I'm also really curious to try the professional collection from Sephora...
    I've heard really amazing things about that eyeliner and I am currently on the hunt for a substitute of my all time favourite from Clio.

    I have yet to do my 2015 favourites due to college work T_T
    Take care*

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  20. I agree with you completely!! I felt a little wrong about not doing an annual favourite so I tried doing it differently last year! I've heard all sorts of hypes about the Morphe collaboration but I didn't realize it was limited edition! Great to hear that you had a great experience with it!

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  21. Now I feel total regret for not owning the Morphe JH palette :(

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  22. Well, I'll say that I'm still one of the few left who thoroughly enjoys yearly favorites! :-)

    Also, wow. I can't believe the YSL foundation beat out Giorgio Armani. I've heard great things about both and have been meaning to try one for ages, I just couldn't decide which to try. I've heard the YSL oxidizes a bit, have you experienced that at all?

    Thanks for sharing! xx

    http://beautifulbliss12.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. Wasn't blown away by the Armani - especially during winter when my skin is drier, it wasn't dewy or glowy at all as I hoped. It looked super matte on me.

      I haven't experienced too many problems with oxidisation with the YSL. The colour I bought doesn't really match me perfectly regardless, so it starts off a bit too dark and warm golden than the actual shade of my skin. The Armani is worse - the shade I bought is too pink-toned and noticeably off if I compare my neck and face in the sun. My bad I guess!

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  23. Thanks for the review of Maybelline Lash Sensational!

    ivyholly.blogspot.com

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  24. I've loved a few products from the Radical brand but have yet to try the cleanser.... Will do in 2016!
    The Beauty Bloss

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  25. I wish I loved the Maybelline mascara as much as you do :'( 2015 was such a big lash year for me! I've literally searched everywhere for a mascara that could dupe, or be as good as the discontinued Australis Lash Length Extensions! After hearing much hype, tried the Maybelline mascara, and it just didn't work for me :'(

    I've also tried the Benefit's Roller Lash, and that too, didn't work for me! Sad sad! Wondering if you've tried Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara though!! It's a really great lengthening mascara!! ^_^

    X

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    1. Nope I haven't! That is one I do want to try. I have a mini of Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes and I have high hopes!

      That's too bad Lash Sensational didn't work for you. Hate it when brands discontinue holy grail products - like Savvy by DB with the Luxury Liners (renamed Soft Glide Eyeliner). They were so good! (Luckily I still have the back up of the bronze one you so kindly sent me, hehe.)

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