Hello, lovelies!
How are you all doing? Hope everything’s fine 🙂
Today I bring you the Best of Beauty, the best products I tried this year, the crème de la crème (which pretty much just means the best of the best!). These are my babies, the products I’ve loved to death this year and that I’m sure I’ll continue loving for many more.
So, get your snacks, your drinks, this will be a long one!
Skincare
Intense Moisture Serum, Rituals
Technically, I tried this product exactly a year ago, but I didn’t include it in last year’s Best of Beauty so it’s definitely going in this one. I’ve already told this story here but this product changed my skin for the best in just a day! Literally, from day to night, the difference was huge! My skin was having a breakout and just looking dull and unhealthy, and I was given this serum on Christmas eve. Used it that night, on Christmas morning and, after getting ready, my grandma told me wow, your skin looks so beautiful, so much better! And it wasn’t a Christmas miracle, it was a Rituals’ one, and it’s re-purchasable! I’ve been through 2 of them already and I’ve ran out of the second one a couple of months ago. I need it back in my life!
Talk about a cleanser that works! I’ve mentioned on Monday’s post that I love my cleansers to actually clean. To get that slight foam, and the feeling that it’s actually removing all the impurities from all the layers of the skin, and that clean and fresh feeling you get afterwards. This does it all, ticks all the boxes! It’s not abrasive to the skin, even though it’s purifying. And it smells of nature, like it’s made with natural ingredients that are good for the skin. Perfect!
Modern Friction – Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion, Origins
This product’s heaven on Earth! It’s a scrub, but it’s a gentle one (if you don’t scrub it too harshly), which’s the preferable kind of scrub for my skin type. After using it, my skin just feels the softest you can imagine! And now that it’s Winter, I don’t apply my purifying/deep cleansing face mask, so I use this one once a week, before applying my hydrating mask. Also, you don’t need much of it (this little sample has lasted me a bit over three months), so it’s a safe investment. Seriously, if you have the chance to try it, do it, your skin will thank you (or thank me, haha!).
Aqua – Hydrating Mask, Cien
If you have a Lidl near you, get your hands on these masks! These are the best ones I’ve ever tried and they cost €1 / $1 / £0,85 for a set of 2! Doesn’t get any better than that. They are heavy, rich, deeply moisturising, and they really do work – better than all the slightly more expensive ones that I’ve tried. I don’t know what else to say about these masks other than that they’re just the best, ever. If you get the opportunity to buy them, do it, you’ll see what I mean!
Ethiopian Honey – Deep Nourishing Mask, The Body Shop
If you are looking for a good hydrating face mask and can’t find the ones I just mentioned, you can always get this one. I’ve only tried it once, with this sample (I discovered the other ones shortly after so I didn’t want to spend the money on this one when I could have the cheaper ones). Only that one time was enough for me to fall in love with it, it worked brilliantly, deeply nourishing my skin and leaving it soft and plumped for a few days.
Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado, Kiehl’s
I’m so glad I finally ran out of my eye cream from The Body Shop because then I got to buy this baby, that I’d been eyeing for a long while. This works brilliantly! My bags aren’t as evident nor as puffy, my dark circles aren’t nearly as dark, and the whole area’s just a lot more hydrated. Brilliant product, couldn’t recommend it more! Mostly so considering a bit goes a long way.
Solid Oil Lips, The Body Shop
This solid oil’s the best balm you can ever apply to your lips! Honestly, after the first couple of hours, my lips were immediately softer, hydrated. It has been a lip-saver this Winter, and I only apply it at night, before going to sleep, but it makes such a difference. And it’s really affordable, so it’s a win-win!
Makeup
Tartelette in Bloom, Tarte Cosmetics
Of course, this palette just had to make it to this list. Most. Perfect. Palette. Ever! Seriously, I’ve worn every single shade to death. You can get so many looks with it, from simple, everyday ones to more glam, night out. Of course, it’s not that affordable, and hard to get if you’re out of the US, but totally worth the investment. The packaging’s great, feels expensive and good quality, you get the biggest mirror, the colours are all stunning and very pigmented, without much fallout (if any). What more can you ask for?
Super Liner – Perfect Slim, L’Oréal
Again, best liner I’ve ever used! It takes me way less than 5 minutes to do my liner with this one and it stays put all day long, without smudging nor transferring. And it’s so slim that you could either do the thinnest line ever, or build it up for a thicker looking one. Also, it’s L’Oréal so it’s pretty affordable, so it’s all you could ever want.
Healthy Mix Foundation, Bourjois
So glad I finally convinced myself that buying this foundation would be a good idea. It really is. I always thought it wouldn’t work on my oily skin but, since my skin’s actually like that because it’s desperate for more water, it turns out this is a great option! Doesn’t last 16 hours on me, though, but it’ll last a good 8 to 9, which is a record for me. The skin looks hydrated, healthy, and it’s a buildable foundation, so you can do what works best for you. Again, it’s from the high street, so pretty affordable, which is always a plus!
Nude Magique Cushion Foundation, L’Oréal
Another product that I never thought would work on my skin but worked brilliantly! It gives the most natural, flawless finish, that you can build to your desire. Only problem’s that it dries after a short while, so it won’t last you very long, but it’ll be great while it does. And it’s also from the drugstore, so low price for a great product.
Normaderm – BB Clear, Vichy
Such an amazing product for someone with blemishes! I must admit, ever since getting the other two foundations, I’ve been slightly neglecting this one, but it works so well, clears my skin in such a short period of time. After using it for a week straight, the difference’s undeniable – better looking skin, with less blemishes. Only problem’s the selection of shades (or its the absence): you can only get it in two shades and this one was the best for me, but it’s still a bit too light. Other than that, nothing bad to say about it!
Liquid Concealer, Wycon Cosmetics
I discovered this brand last Summer and it’s pretty similar to Kiko, both in price and in quality. This’ very likely the best concealer I’ve ever used, it’s creamy, hydrating, conceals, brightens and stays in place all day long. Only problem, like the Vichy BB Cream, is the lack of variety when it comes to shades. I had to get a lighter one than I’d normally use because the darkest one after this one was already too dark for me.
Fix & Matt Translucent Powder, Wycon Cosmetics
Such a great powder! It’s way more natural than the one by Kiko, doesn’t leave you with a white face, leaves you matte pretty much all day long and the makeup’s set to perfection, does not budge. And it’s affordable as well, which is always a plus. I’ve been wanting to try the one from RCMA (which I can’t get a hold of) and the Laura Mercier one (which is way more expensive), so this one’s a great alternative.
Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in ‘Bahama’, NARS
This has to be my favourite lipstick of all time! Perfect formula for a matte – silky smooth, not drying at all, lasts hours on the lips ever after eating and drinking. And the colour, don’t get me started on the colour… The most stunning, perfect, ‘your lips but better’ colour, which is my favourite to wear. Couldn’t be happier with this one!
Rouge Infusion in ’13 Plum Concentrate’, Sephora
(and in ’20 Dusty Pink’)
I’m obsessed with Sephora’s Rouge Infusion lip stains! I have the two I mentioned and I love them both. Dusty Pink is like ‘your lips but better’, with more pinky-red undertones (like you’ve just eaten some strawberries and got your lips stained). The perfect colour for everyday, the one I always carry with me, in my bag. Plum Concentrate I’ve had for a couple of years but have always been too scared to use it, since it’s a vampy burgundy. I love it! It’s the lippie I’ve been wearing the most since it started getting colder and it’s simply perfect. The formula, the scent…I love everything about it! Also, since it’s a stain, you can eat and drink and it’ll still be there. Perfect!
Soft Matte Lip Creme in ‘Transylvania’, NYX
I’m so obsessed with the colour of this lipstick that I can overlook the fact that the formula’s rubbish. I’ve always wanted a lip colour like this and I had my eyes set on the Nars Train Bleu, but I found out that this one was a good dupe so I decided to spend the money on the cheaper version instead. As I said, the formula’s rubbish: it’s patchy, hard to apply, you have to wait for the first layer to dry to apply the second one so it looks like this, but even then it’s a bit patchy. And if you try to eat or drink, it’ll be gone and you’ll be left with the unflattering lines around your lips. But the colour’s beautiful and it tastes like cookies.
Applicators
Another item that I never thought would work well on my skin was a beauty sponge. I couldn’t be more wrong! I love how my skin looks whenever I use this sponge from Real Techniques! It gives the most amazing, natural looking finish I’ve ever gotten. My skin looks like skin, but perfect, amazing skin! Also, setting my face with this sponge makes my makeup last much longer, it really does set it all in place. I’ve never tried the Beauty Blender so I don’t know how it compares, but I love this little sponge, it’s perfect!
Real Techniques’ Brushes
For my birthday this year I got these three brushes from Real Techniques. Truth be told, ever since I got the sponge I’ve been neglecting these brushes, with the exception of the sculpting one that I use for bronzer/contour. But whenever I want slightly more coverage with my foundation, I go in with with the stippling brush, that gives the most natural look, it looks like your skin but better. And I love the Blush Brush for powder, since it’s big and loose, it distributes the powder well keeping you from getting cake face.
That’s it for this list, guys! Which products have you loved this year?
Also, have you tried any of these?
Love,
Alice ♥
Alice's Wonderland 
Rituals, origins and kiehls are some of the great brands to try and you have literally nailed it
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Thanks 🙂 these really are great products! Have you tried any of them?
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I have tried kiehls ultra facial cleanser which I liked it a lot and I know it is believed to be HG product for many of us
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It really is 😉 xx
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I have the Real Techniques sponge and I love it. But I feel like I’m not gentle enough with it when it’s cleaned, so I’ll have to replace it soon.
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It’s great, isn’t it? If you’re considering replacing it, both Feel Unique and Look Fantastic are having sales on Real Technique’s products, so you can get it for an even better price 😉 xx
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Nice you listed a bunch of great brands.The major product that caught my eye was the fruit infused foundation never heard of the mix.
http://sheismelrose.net/
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Thanks, dear 🙂 You’d never heard of it? It’s quite famous around the bloggosphere, which’s why I decided to give it a try in the first place. It’s really good, and I think it’s one of those that works great, no matter the skin type 🙂 xx
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