It has been one long year. I’d say 2017 was just OK – but I’m absolutely thrilled we are now in 2018. I’m ready for a fresh start and to reconnect with passion projects I’ve been working on. Getting back to painting, practicing calligraphy, and writing about my obsession with fashion and makeup. Reflecting back on the past year, I fell deeply in love with experimenting with different types of makeup – foundations, blushes – you name it, I tried it.

Because I’ve already gone through and tested these products, I thought I’d share my favorites and most used. This way, you can read about my experience, and make a better informed shopping decision.

Foundation:

I had these four on repeat. The Natasha Denona Foundation X (in Light Beige) is without a doubt one of my favorites. It is a full coverage foundation, and I loved it so much it was my go to for my friends wedding, when I needed my makeup to last all day. The IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream (in Medium) is the absolute BEST in the summer. I love to be outside in the summer months, and can’t stand a heavy foundation or cream if I’m sweating. This is the perfect thing, and IMO should be considered a foundation. The Hourglass Vanish Seamless Stick Foundation (in Buff) works best for me when my skin in hydrated. It goes on like a dream, and is perfect for days I need to throw makeup on in a hurry. Just remember to blend it! The last foundation is my most recent find. I received a sample of the Kevin Aucoin Etherealist Foundation (in EF04) only a few weeks ago, but ever since I tried the sample, I knew I HAD to have it. It gives you a glowy, porcelain look without a major dew or grease factor. It is pricey, but definitely worth it to me.

Highlighter:

This year two different highlight palettes were on repeat. The first was one I found randomly on a trip to NYC, and I saw this palette and couldn’t wait to try it out. The STELLAR Face Sculpting and Highlighting Palette (in Nebula) might seem dark if you have fair skin – but it isn’t! It gives a beautiful cut for contouring and a gorgeous glow for highlighting. The other one I used all the time is the Smashbox Spotlight Palette in Gold – which was a collab between the brand and Casey Holmes. I combine some of the colors, and it creates a subtle and soft orangey gold glow.

Blush Palettes:

When it comes to blush, this was the year of the palette. Seldom did I reach for an individual blush – I always went for the palette. At the tail end of last year I acquired Grav3yard Girl’s Swamp Queen Palette from Tarte, and I’ve used it nearly every day since I purchased it. It is still available at Macy’s – and I might just have to grab a second one because I love it that much. The blush is the best shade of mauve I’ve seen, and the shadows come in enough neutral colors to work for every day. Aside from that one, this was the year of Becca. The Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette is my favorite when I want a soft look. It has peachy colors that work seamlessly throughout the year to create a natural look. At the very end of the year I picked up the Apres Ski Glow Face Palette when it was a Weekly Wow – and this truly wowed me. I love the brown tones in that palette to warm things up for the winter months.

Eyes, Brows:

One trick I use all of the time to make myself look a little more awake is to put a little light highlighter in the corners of my eyes. I found this one from Thrive causemetics called the Brilliant Eye Brightener. It is perfection for those days you don’t want to look exhausted. Everyone raves about the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, so I won’t linger on it. Mine broke, so thats why it looks so tiny… I pair that with Benefit’s Gimme Brow (in shade 1) and my brows stay in place all day. On my eyes, I’m obsessed with the Tarteist Double Take Eyeliner. One side has a felt tip pen, the other a crayon and it couldn’t be a better combination. And for mascara, I’ve literally thrown out all of mine except the Le Volume De Chanel. It makes my lashes longer than anything else I’ve tried – and the formula is perfection.

Lipstick:

While I’m not a huge fan of glosses, the Natasha Denona Lip Glaze (in Woodwash). It gives lips a nice shimmer without a lipstick under it, or you can put it over anything you want. Very versatile. When I heard Patrick Starrr was doing a collab with Mac I was thrilled – I’m a big fan. I picked up the lipstick She Better Werk and it is an awesome nude-y pink color that is flattering on all skin tones. During the Nordstrom Sale in August I picked up a Mac set with the Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color in the color Look Out. I love the brown lip look and this doesn’t disappoint. For days I just want to throw something on, I’ll grab my Nudestix Cream Lip + Cheek Pencil in the color Whisper and run out the door. It is super easy and the pencil lasts a long time. I have tried a ton of liquid lipsticks, and by far the Kylie Liquid Lipsticks are the driest I’ve had. BUT I love the color, and will push through it to sport my favorite color. Candy K is the color I always reach for because I can layer the peachy nude under my Natasha Denona glass for the perfect lip combo. The liner I use pretty much exclusively is the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in the color Pillow Talk. It is the best and most versatile liner I have come across and become a “must have” in my book!