Welcome to 2014!
What better way to kick the new year off than a look back at the best products used over 2013?! Just a disclaimer, the majority of these products were released in 2013, however some are only new to me and have been around for longer than last year. I'm warning you now that there are A LOT of products so let's crack into it! I would recommend you grab a hot drink before you read this! :)
Makeup ♡
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| Face Makeup |
From left to right:
- Seventeen 'Photo Flawless' Face Primer: This is a great product to incorporate into your daily makeup routine. This primer came in the Seventeen Box, which I got for Christmas this year. This primer ensures that your makeup will stay on throughout the day, but I mainly use it under my eyes before my concealer.
- Real Techniques 'Expert Face Brush': This is a brilliant multi-use makeup brush. You can use it for blush, concealer, foundation, powder and contouring. This brush has a very soft tip, which is very beneficial for the skin. Real Techniques is a brush line from Youtuber and Makeup Artist Samantha Chapman.
- Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream: As always, BB creams are a lovely, lighter alternative to foundations- and this one is no exception. This offers a smooth, thin consistency with medium coverage for those days where you don't feel like wearing loads of foundation or you want to give your skin a bit of a break.
- Maybelline 'Instant Age Rewind': This concealer has been a highly-talked about product throughout 2013. There is no doubt about that. This concealer provides a medium to full coverage and is mainly tailored for use under the eyes. Also, this product lasts a long time.
- Soap and Glory 'Trick and Treatment' concealer: This concealer has also been highly talked about. This foundation also has high coverage. However, the only downside to this concealer, for me, is that it has tiny, gold shimmers which are quite obvious in the light. I would prefer the concealer to be matte but I guess that this is because it is a brightening concealer, which can also double up as a highlighter.
- Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch: This concealer has been a year-long favourite of mine. Although my bad circles are hard to completely cover up, this has given enough coverage to make them less obvious. The main things that I like about this product are that it has a creamy consistency and has peachy tones instead of orangey ones, so it blends into my skin tone better. Also, it doesn't settle into fine lines.
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Eye Makeup (again from left to right)
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- Seventeen Black Pencil Eyeliner and Rose Gold Pencil Eyeliner: These eyeliners also came in the Seventeen makeup box. They are quite small and so are good to take when travelling. They apply very easily. I use the black eyeliner on my top lid underneath my liquid eyeliner (I'm not brave enough to put it in my tightline! Haha I don't like sticking things near my eyes!). I sometimes use the rose gold eyeliner in my waterline. Rose gold was a very popular trend in 2013.
- Seventeen Black Mascara: This mascara came in the Seventeen box. It is a very good mascara as the applicator grabs onto the eyelashes well, gives length and volume, and doesn't leave clumps. This is not a waterproof mascara.
- Maybelline Great Lash Mascara: This mascara also works very well. It gives super volume and length, but the downside is that it leaves clumps of mascara on your eyelashes.
- Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner: This eyeliner is amazing! As well as being very affordable, it applies very smoothly, and is fantastic for doing winged liner. This is the only liquid eyeliner I've used this year. I much prefer using liquid eyeliner than pencil eyeliner because it is smoother, more accurate and easier to use. I have never used gel eyeliner before but I will always be a liquid eyeliner kind of girl!
- H&M Dark Brown Eyebrow Pencil: This eyebrow pencil applies very well on my eyebrows and is much easier to use than powder. The colour suits me perfectly and it fills in my eyebrows very well.
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| Lip Care |
- Nivea 'Raspberry Rosé' Lip Butter: This is an amazing product, well worth the hype! The texture is smooth and creamy. The lip butter is very nourishing and moisturizing. Very suitable for the winter! Also, this flavour tastes and smells delicious. I have to restrain myself from using the entire tin in one go!
- LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub: This is a very different lip product to those that I normally use. This is extremely good for getting rid of dead skin and helping keep your lips smooth.
- The Body Shop 'Born Lippy' in Guava: This lip balm is very nourishing and smooth. It has a great texture and smells amazing! All of the Body Shop lip products are fantastic!
- Nivea Milk and Honey Chap Stick: Although I forgot to include this in the picture, I have loved this chap stick in 2013 as it is very refreshing and leaves my lips smooth and in great condition.
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Lip Products
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- Rimmel Kate Moss '107': This has been my favourite lip product of the entire year. Admittedly, I only bought this in December but I wore it throughout as, being a dark and vampy red, it was a great winter colour. The whole Kate Moss range is incredible and faultless. Even the price is good at £5.49 (at Boots). The lipsticks are highly pigmented, apply evenly and smoothly, and there are a great range of colours. This colour is my favourite.
- Revlon Lip Butter in 'Candy Apple': The Revlon Lip Butters have been very popular during 2013. They are lighter and less pigmented than lipsticks, so are great in Summer as an alternative. They have a smooth consistency and there are a great range of colours.
- Maybelline Baby Lips "Cherry Me": The Baby Lips range were brought out in British Drugstores in roughly September this year. They were very raved about in America and I can see why now. They are very beneficial to the lips and leave them very soft. There is a variety of these. There are some which are designed to benefit the lips and the others are just for the colour and appearance, however they all moisturize really well.
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Seventeen Makeup Box
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- This makeup box is found in Boots and I was given it for Christmas. This box comes with: fives brushes, a mascara, two eyeliners, a primer, an eyelash curler, a sharpener, metallic cream and gel eyeliner. On the right side, it contains: 5 lip colours, 12 eyeshadows, a blush, and a contour set. All of this for under £20. This box is amazing and deserves a lot of recognition.
Hair ♡
- Matrix Exquisite Oil: I use this oil after I've dried my hair to make it healthier and reduce frizz. It works very well. I was given this as part of a set from my hairdresser so I don't think that you can find it in a drugstore.
- Herbal Essences 'Beautiful Ends' Split End Protection Cream: This is a very effective product, after washing my hair, I apply this to the ends of my hair and then dry my hair. I have seen a difference in my hair since using it, as my ends look and feel healthier, and I don't need to get my hair trimmed as regularly.
- Remington Pearl Wand: This is the best hair curler I have ever used. It has a medium sized wand so that the curls aren't too big or too small, but you can change the sizes of hair that you use to make the curls more beachy or tighter. These curlers are very reliable. The wand gets smaller at the end so the curl varies.
- Tigi S Factor Smoothing Lusterizer: This is really good for reducing frizz and smells of strawberries and cream!
- Superdrug own brand dry shampoo 'Head in the Clouds': This is only about 95p and works just as well as any other brand of dry shampoo. It also smells of oranges and grapefruit!
- Tresemmé Salon Sleek Straightening Spray with Argan Oil: This is the best heat defence that I've used. I usually opt for Tresemmé, but since my last one exploded in my suitcase in July (oops). This has lasted me five months so far and it's only about half way. It is also quite cheap and the argan oil helps keep the hair healthy.
- Tigi S Factor Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner: These have been my trusty shampoo and conditioner for the year. This 750ml salon size lasts for ages and has an easy to use pump. These also smell like strawberries and cream, and make my hair feel very healthy and rejuvenated.
- Tangle Teezer: This Tangle Teezer has been a lifesaver for me. It is very different from regular hair brushed and I am very glad that I made the change. This was recommended by Zoella from Youtube, and is amazing at getting rid of tangles painlessly for long, thick hair, like mine. It makes combing my long hair less of a chore! These are available online and from Boots.
- Turby Towel: This is a great invention for keeping wet hair out of my face. It has an elastic clasp on the back of the head to secure the hair, and is much more practical that wrapping a towel around my head. The only downside is that it is getting too short for my long hair!
- H&M Fabric Hair Bands: These hairbands are a very good invention because, being fabric instead of elastic, they don't leave kinks in your hair. They are also quite cheap and come in a pack of 5 cool colours from H&M.
Skin ♡
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Shower and Bath Favourites
- The Body Shop Peach Shower Gel: The Body Shop shower gels never fail to please me. They lather well, smell divine and are only four pounds. However, I bought the peach and pink grapefruit together for only £6, as it was buy one get one half price. The peach smells very summery and reminds me of being on holiday. It isn't too sweet, which is nice. All the scents are very refreshing.
- The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel: This is my favourite shower gel of all time! The pink grapefruit line is my favourite smell! I have been using the shower gels alternatively. This one smells sweet and feminine but also very fresh. These shower gels also last a while.
- Soap and Glory 'Calm One, Calm All': This smells absolutely amazing and is very relaxing for a pamper session in the bath. You only need a capful of this bubble bath and it will create loads of scented bubbles. A bath must-have!
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Fragrances
- Superdrug own brand 'Crush' Body Spray: This is a very affordable spray which is very suitable for Summer. It is very fresh smelling and isn't too sickly smelling.
- Boots Natural Collection 'Apple and Lime' Body Spray: This spray smells amazing! It is great for everyday use and is not too overpowering. I love the whole collection, however the apple and lime one is my favourite.
- Soap and Glory 'Mist you madly': This scent is more feminine and floraly. I was bought this for christmas and it is already a favourite. Although to be fair, everything from Soap and Glory smells incredible. Also, can we please admire this beautiful packaging?!
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Dove 'GoFresh' Deodorant
- I know it's a bit strange to put a deodorant into favourites but believe me, this one is worth a mention. It smells so fresh, with a cucumber scent. It lasts all day, doesn't leave white marks, and is very affordable.
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Facial Care
- Simple Soothing Facial Toner: This toner is very handy in a travel size , and is very refreshing and gentle. Definitely a keeper!
- Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser: This is also very refreshing, and dries quickly without being too sticky. This is very light, so is perfect for the face.
- Neutrogena Visibly Clear Cream Wash: Again, being Pink Grapefruit, of course this had to make it into my favourites! This is very soothing and applies well to the face with water. It also lasts a very long time. It helps reduce blackheads and spots, and has kept my face very clear.
- Ùna Brennan Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask: This facial mask is great for a weekly treat. It is very relaxing and soothing to the face. It leaves my skin very soft and clear.
- Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes: These remove makeup very well and doesn't irritate my face. The whole simple range is very fresh and gentle. I definitely recommend it! These packs come with plenty of wipes and I have used them for at least a year now.
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The Body Shop Body Butters
- Cranberry Joy: Again, this only comes around in the christmas season. It smells amazing and sweet, and makes my skin feel very fresh and soft. I got this for only £5, which was a great deal.
- Satsuma: This is more of a scent for Summer as it is sweeter and more fresh. I love the Body Shop body butters as they are moisturising, refreshing, and creamy.
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Lush Bath Bombs
- 'So White' This bath bomb smells absolutely gorgeous, it smells of apples. This is a white bath bomb which releases a pink centre to fill your bath with. I haven't actually used this bath bomb yet but I have heard great things about it, and I am looking forward to using a fresh scented bath bomb rather than a floral scented one.
- 'Magic Wand': This bath bomb doubles up as a bubble bath. Whilst the water is running, swish the wand around your bath. It creates pink, sugar scented bubbles. This can be re-used about 10 times, depending on how sparing you are. This has a very relaxing scent and does not disappoint.
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