I had my mid-year review at work last week, and it gave me the idea to round up my favorite products of the year thus far. This way, I feel like my end-of-year favorites won't be as cluttered, and I won't leave anything out. I've been trying so many products this year alone, so it was tough to narrow it down this far.
I've tried to stay relatively consistent with my skincare so far this year, but it's just so much fun to try new products that I haven't been the greatest at that. But I've still found four staples that I'll use almost every day. For cleansing, I can't get enough of the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. It feels super soothing, making it perfect for morning or night, and it also does a great job at removing makeup. It also doesn't strip my skin at all but leaves it feeling softer than before I washed it. I've been using the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid (review) almost every single morning as my serum step - it really helps my skin stay moisturized throughout the day, despite spending all day in a humidity-controlled cement lab. In the winter I was using the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream (review) almost exclusively every day, but now that the weather has heated up, I've also fallen in love with a slightly lighter option of the Purlisse Blue Lotus Balancing Moisturizer.* They both feel quite gentle on the skin while still being ultra-nourishing.
I don't like leaving the house without doing something to my brows, so I think I've literally used the Glossier Boy Brow in Brown every single day. I use this as the first step of filling in my brows on a more made-up day or on its own on a more minimal day. It really makes my brows look fuller and fluffier, but it doesn't feel crunchy or stiff. I love it.
I've been so into bronzing and giving my skin a glow this year. I've been loving the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer (first impression | review) the most so far this year as it's so easy to use. It's such a creamy formula, so it glides onto the skin and blends out so easily. It makes it so easy to add some dimension to my face, even on a rushed morning. For a glow I've been totally obsessed with the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo since I got it for my birthday in April. It really is as stunning as it looks. The darker shade is more of a rose gold highlight rather than a bronzer, so I like using it as a blush/bronzer topper and then applying the lighter color on my cheekbones. It really does help to perfect the skin.
Last year I was all about that neutral, '90s lip, and while I still do love that, I've been opting for some more nude shades this year. My favorite has come in the form of the Jouer Lip Creme Liquid Lipstick (review) in Lychee - it's a beautiful pinky nude, and the formula of these is just so nice. For a creamier pick, I really love the Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer in Nude Pop, which is another really pretty pink nude. This is still quite pigmented, so it does pale down the color of my lips a little bit. My favorite sheer nude this year has been the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Lipstick in Ex-Girlfriend (I'm pretty sure they re-released this shade in their Vice Lipsticks). It's the perfect mix of a pink and peachy nude, and it has some subtle golden shimmer that helps to enhance the lips. When I'm running out the door and don't have time to think about choosing a lip product, I'll always grab this.
What are your favorites of the year so far?
