2017 Favorites | The Makeup Edit

I'm back with my makeup favorites of 2017 - if you missed it, you can find my skincare favorites here. Like my skincare post, I pulled together everything that stuck out to me as a favorite rather than choosing one product from every category. My look for most of the year was quite minimal, glowy, and with an unexpected focus on blush.

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation

I rotated through foundations/tinted moisturizers like crazy this year, but the one that stuck out the most was this beautifully glowy foundation by Charlotte Tilbury. I had tried the formula before, but last year I actually bought my correct shade and was able to wear it a lot more. This smooths over any imperfections, gives a perfect light-medium coverage, and really amps up the glow. If you like dewy foundations, this is one to try for sure.

Milk Makeup Flex Concealer

I truly didn't expect to fall in love with this concealer as much as I did. It's now pretty much the only one I reach for - it has a very natural skinlike finish and isn't drying at all on my skin. I can use it both under my eyes and on blemishes, and the Fair shade is a perfect match for me. Concealer used to be the one product I changed up the most, but I've used this consistently since it launched.

Glossier Wowder

I'm so not a powder person, and yet again, Glossier converted me. This sets the skin beautifully and takes away shine without dulling your glow. It's finely-milled and doesn't appear powdery on the skin, and I've found it really blurs out your pores. I can't use pore-filling primers because they break me out, but this is a nice alternative. I use this for everything - setting under my eyes and down the center of my face where I get a little bit oily, and also recently to set the NARS Soft Matte Concealer on my eyes instead of using a dedicated eye primer - and it works even better!

Glossier Cloud Paint

If I had to choose just one makeup favorite from the entire year, it would hands-down be Cloud Paint. I wasn't even that into blush before these came out, but they really made me embrace that fresh, flushed look. I've gotten lots of use out of all four shades and they all look incredibly beautiful on the skin. They blend out effortlessly and are pretty much impossible to overdo. My favorite of them all is Puff, but I also love mixing different shades together for a custom color.

BECCA Sunlit Bronzer

I've always been a bit of a bronzer fiend, and I was totally in love with this one for the better part of the year. When you look at the pan it looks ultra-shimmery, but on the skin that translates to the perfect amount of sheen. It's not shiny, but just adds a sunkissed glow. It's super smooth and easy to blend, and their selection of shades is quite impressive.

Lilah B. Bronzed Beauty Bronzer Duo

The first half of the year was all about the BECCA Bronzer, and the end of the year saw me obsessed with this beauty. First of all, I love the packaging so much. It's so heavy and feels so nice to hold. The shade is also perfect - not too warm and not too cool. It also has a teeny bit of sheen, though not as much as the BECCA. 

NUDESTIX Nudies All Over Face Color in Illumi-Naughty

This year was all about the glossy highlights for me. Illumi-Naughty is pretty much a face gloss in a stick, with a bit of a pink shift to it. It looks absolutely beautiful on the skin and gives a healthy glow. It's quite lightweight and not sticky at all, despite it not setting down on the skin.

Glossier Haloscope in Quartz

I think I mentioned this in my 2016 favorites, but it was certainly still my most-used of the year. I went through a whole tube of it. It's still just my all-time favorite, it gives the skin a huge dose of sheen while still looking quite natural. 

YSL Touche Eclat Glow Shot

Yes, another highlighter. This was an impulse buy, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. It gives a beautiful glassy shine to the skin, and it sets down so it's easy to layer with other products.

Tom Ford Nude Dip Eyeshadow Quad

I didn't wear much eyeshadow in the past year, but when I did, it was almost always this quad. The shades look so chic, and I love that they're a little more cool-toned. The formula is beautiful - if you like in-your-face pigment you might want to give these a pass, but they build up so nicely and are really easy to use. I haven't decided what makeup I'll be using for my wedding this year, but I'm really leaning towards this for my eyeshadow.

Wander Beauty Unlashed Volume + Curl Mascara

This is definitely second to Cloud Paint as my "favorite product of the whole year." I've never found a more perfect everyday mascara. It separates and fans out my lashes and also gives them the perfect amount of volume and length, making them super fluttery. Despite not being waterproof, it also holds a curl well and doesn't smudge on me at all throughout the day. A true win!

Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Like

This was probably my most-reached-for lipstick of the year. It gives the perfect flush of pink to the lips, and the sheer matte formula makes it look super natural and like it's just your real lip color. This is a wedding lip contender for sure.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

2017 was the year of Fenty Beauty, and the Gloss Bomb is hands-down my favorite product I tried from the line. It gives a glassy sheen to the lips, adds the perfect amount of shimmer, and the rosey nude shade looks beautiful on everyone I've seen wearing it. It's a thin, comfortable formula that isn't sticky or goopy, and it lasts extremely well.

NUDESTIX Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm in Pulse

This was my other most-used lipstick of the year. The formula is lovely and balmy as the name suggests, and the shade Pulse is a really pretty plummy nude. It's a perfect "my lips but better" shade for me. 

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments

I didn't bite the bullet and try these until the fall, but I quickly fell in love with the formula and ended up with five shades in about two weeks. It's one of the most comfortable liquid lipstick formulas I've ever tried - I was over the whole liquid lipstick trend, and then NARS pulled me back in. It's a super thin, yet pigmented, formula that moves with the lips rather than cracking and flaking off. My favorite shade that I have is Save the Queen, which is a super pretty mauve.

Byredo Rose of No Man's Land

2017 was the year I finally got into wearing perfume consistently, and it's thanks to this beauty by Byredo. I'm just a sucker for rose scents, and I bought this one without smelling it just because the rollerball of the perfume oil was so pretty, and the notes sounded like my perfect perfume. It has the rose notes of course, but it also has a bit of fruitiness and sweetness in there that keeps it out of the powdery, cloying floral territory.

Glossier You

I was hooked on this from the first sniff. I love that it sits close to the skin, so I'm not walking around blinding people in a cloud of scent. The musk notes make it seem like a more natural skin smell, so a lot of people don't even realize I'm wearing perfume. I get lots of compliments when I wear this, but it's never "Your perfume smells good," but rather, "You smell good." I've worn this every single day since I got it, and my bottle is still going strong!

What were your favorite products of 2017?

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2017 Favorites | The Skincare Edit

Happy (almost) New Year! Long time no see! I'm back from my much-needed break, and what better post to get me back into blogging than my 2017 favorites. I did lots of polls on my Instagram (thank you for voting, it was super helpful!), and from those results decided to split my favorites into two posts, one for skincare and one for makeup, and I'm starting off with my favorite skincare products of the year. When I started thinking of products for these posts, I was going to do one per category (ie favorite cleanser of the year, favorite toner of the year), but I found I was just picking products for the sake of having something for some of the categories. So this may not be as organized, but here's a mishmash of all the skincare products I loved putting on my face in 2017.

Pixi + Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

I've been through three of these this year (I was gifted two by the brand and bought one myself). I always double cleanse at night, and this made it super easy. I loved both components - the solid cleansing oil was perfectly no-frills and got rid of every trace of makeup, and the cleansing cream makes everything feel super clean, but it leaves the skin feeling moisturized. I go through this quite quickly, but I do find that I run out of both sides at the exact same time. 

Dr. Roebuck's Ultimate Hydrating Serum

To be honest I wasn't expecting to love this serum quite as much as I do - the texture is thick and the color isn't very appealing, but this has been one of the most hydrating serums I've ever used. It instantly plumps up my skin, smooths over dry patches, and helps keep my skin hydrated all day long. I've been super grateful to partner with Dr. Roebuck's this year too - you can use the code DADMUNK15 on their website for 15% off any order!

Kypris Antioxidant Dew

This was an impulse buy earlier in the year, but it ended up being such a good pick. It's a thin, milky serum that I like mixing with an oil. It gives my skin a beautiful glow, and I really feel like it's making my skin stronger - although the cold weather is completely drying my skin out, it's definitely not as red as it has been in previous years.

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Re.Pair Serum

This was the year of the serum apparently. I've only been using this for a couple months, but it's already reached holy grail status. This not only keeps my skin soothed, but it's also been preventing and helping to clear up the awful hormonal spots I couldn't shake for half the year. It's the perfect consistency for spreading over the skin and mixes well with other products - most mornings I'll mix it with a hydrating serum like the Dr. Roebuck's one. It also has the best packaging ever - as you unscrew the top, it draws up the perfect amount of serum into the pipette.

Jordan Samuel Skin etOILe Facial Oil

This is a more recent find as well, but it's made me fall in love with oil blends. I've noticed it really helps to balance my skin - my skin is normal to dry, but I do get occasional oiliness on my T-zone that's virtually nonexistent when I'm using this oil. I won't list all the oils included in the blend, but it gives my skin the best glow, keeps it plump and juicy-looking, and is keeping inflammation at bay.

CosRX Honey Ceramide Eye Cream

I haven't been as consistent with eye cream as I wanted to be this year, but when I did reach for one for most of the year, it was this one. I didn't notice any dramatic difference in dark circles or fine lines, but it was incredibly hydrating yet lightweight, so I could use it at night and wake up with hydrated undereyes, and I could also use it during the day without my makeup sliding off. 

Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich

My favorite moisturizer ever - I can't believe we've only been graced with this beauty in the past year. It feels super luxurious and moisturizing, but it's not heavy on the skin. It sinks in to leave a gorgeous velvet-y finish (on me). I've been through about four tubs of this this year, and I use it morning and night. It mixes well with other products, too - I love mixing a few drops of a facial oil in before applying it at night.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb

My other favorite moisturizer - this is more of a gel-cream formula than the Glossier PMR. It's super lightweight on the skin, but it still feels like it's drenching my skin in moisture. It keeps my skin so hydrated all day, and it's lovely morning and night (sensing a theme here?).

Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF 35

I was nowhere near as diligent with sunscreen as I should have been until this baby came out this year. It's clear and weightless on the skin, so it's incredibly easy to wear. Other sunscreens make me feel like a chalky or greasy mess, so I never wore them. But I've used this consistently since the spring. The bottle is small, but it lasts me a good three months or so with daily use. If you hate sunscreen too, I'd definitely recommend trying this one.

Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial

If I had to only pick one skincare favorite for the entire year, it would be this. I've never used a product that gives such instant, dramatic results as Babyfacial. It can sting a little when applied, but it makes my skin so soft and smooth, and it evens out my skintone so much right away. I've been using this around once a week almost all year, and I've noticed the results last longer the more consistently I use it. I always can get away with less foundation/concealer the day after using it, so it's a winner for sure.

May Lindstrom The Problem Solver

This was quite the splurge at the beginning of the year, but to me, it's been worth it. It draws out all the impurities of my skin without drying it out and helps to clear breakouts. I like the extra step of mixing it with something, it makes it feel like a more luxurious experience. I've been experimenting all year with mixing it with different things, and my favorite to mix it with has been the Fresh Rose Toner instead of water. Adding a bit of a honey mask in makes it extra luxe as well - I think next year I may need to splurge on The Honey Mud.

Fresh Rose Face Mask

Whenever my skin was feeling irritated, stressed, dehydrated, etc, I reached for this mask. It's a lightweight gel with real rosepetals in it, and it's one of the most soothing products I've ever tried. It's probably my favorite out of the products I've tried from Fresh's rose line. I love that it's one you can just leave on for awhile, too - sometimes I'll apply it in the morning and leave it on for a few hours while I do chores around the house, and my skin is super plump and hydrated by the time I wash it off.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

I pretty much ordered this in a frenzy when it launched because of the color and the packaging, but it ended up being one of my favorites of the year. I use it as the last step of my skincare routine a couple nights per week, and I wake up with clear, glowing skin. It's not hydrating enough for me on its own, but if you have oily skin it probably would be. It smells exactly like watermelon and feels super cooling on the skin. I used it more in the summer than I do at the moment, but I'm going to start using it again soon!

Thanks for sticking around until the end if you're still here. Stay tuned for my favorite makeup of the year - I'm sure most of those will be easy to guess! I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year's Eve, and I will see you in the New Year!

And thank you so much for all your support this year - I've been able to do so much more with this blog than I ever imagined possible, and it's all because of you!

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Holiday Beauty Staples

Christmas is coming up so soon, and I wanted to do a few different looks for the blog this year, but the only look I ever want to be wearing at Christmastime is the cliche gold-shadow-red-lip look. If you're in the same boat, I've got a slew of recommendations for you.

I normally talk about lips last, but since they're the focus of the look, let's start there. It can be tough to find your perfect red, but once you do, you never want to stray. I have three favorites that are all slightly different. First there's the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Always Red (01), always a classic, which is a true, neutral red. This is as "warm" as I can go without it turning straight up orange on me. It's a beautiful red, a beautiful formula, and will make for a perfect Christmas lip. Leaning more cool is the Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored. This is one of my favorite recent launches, and I don't think I've ever felt as good in a red as I do in this one. The formula is super comfortable, and although it transfers, it doesn't smudge and smear around the face. The coolest red I'll be reaching for is the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Starwoman. This is a straight-up blue red that's absolutely breathtaking. I love the Powermatte formula, too - it's so thin that it feels weightless on the lips, and it sticks around for a long time without being drying. You'll notice I've only mentioned liquid lips here - I think that's the way to go when you'll be eating and drinking a lot at various parties.

For eyes, I'll be reaching for the most golden eyeshadows I have, which it turns out, are not very gold. My favorite around the holidays is the MAC Eyeshadow in Patina, which is a more cool-toned, antiqued gold. It's really pretty and again, doesn't turn orange on me. For a champagne-meets-gold dewy/glossy eye, I'll be grabbing the Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in Gold Ashes - these are some of my absolute favorite eyeshadows, as they're super easy to apply, build up, and blend. I also know I'm going to be gravitating towards the Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coat a lot - I have Grey Brown, which is not gold at all, but the sparkle it gives the eyes is beautiful and makes them look wet. I need to pick up the rest of the shades ASAP. I'm also planning on going full cliche Christmas and pairing my red lip with some green liner. Before I had even finished watching Sam from Pixiwoo's Holiday Makeup Looks Video, I had ordered the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 857 Legendary Green. It's the most perfect forest green shade, which I had been looking for for awhile. These glide on so smoothly, are easily blended and smudged out, and once set do not budge. If I want something with a little more brown to it, I like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stash. This has a bit of gold glitter in it too, so extra festive. Eyes should be finished off with super fluffy, voluminous lashes, so of course I'll be going for the Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara - I can't stop talking about this lately because it's just one of the best mascaras I've ever tried. I normally don't like spending much on mascara, but this one is worth it.

My favorite holiday beauty looks keep the skin ultra-glowy with neutral shades on the cheeks so as to not overpower the lip. I've been reaching for the Erborian Glow Creme a lot lately - it reminds me a lot of the MAC Strobe Cream in that it leaves a beautiful glow to the skin and feels quite moisturizing. The blushes I'll be going for are definitely going to be in the more neutral/brown category, like the Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk or the Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Earthy Blush. These shades are perfect with a red lip because they still add definition to the face, but they won't clash with the lip. Highlighter is always important, and if you want to glow like the star on top of a Christmas tree I'd suggest the Hourglass Ambient Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette. I'm just obsessed with this palette and how glowy it makes my skin look. Despite the word "metallic" in the name, they create such a natural glow on the skin. They can be built up to be quite intense, but it still looks like dewy skin goodness instead of shimmery powder.

What are your holiday beauty staples?

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