2008 brought on a bevy of new beauty favourites from skin care to hair care. I get to try tons of products throughout the year but only some make it into my everyday beauty stash. Here are my top 35 beauty picks for 2008! By the way, I didn't find a top fave in eye creams but I'm testing out a few as we speak. Since eye creams take time to see a difference it'll be a few months until I am able to reveal the results! Stay tuned!
1.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser: This was my favourite cleanser out of all the ones I tried this year. I just love the thick consistency because a little goes a long way. My skin always feels refreshed and squeaky clean. It's also really gentle on my sometimes sensitive skin.
2.
Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask: It's an instant spa treatment right in the comfort of your own home! This is a quick pick-me-up for those days when my skin is just blah.
3.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream: Heavy duty moisturizer without the heaviness. This has saved my skin this winter!
4.
L'Occitane Sunscreen Veil High Protection SPF 30 Face/Eye: Since I'm allergic to various products with an SPF this is the only one that didn't make my face breakout into a serious rash. Plus, it doesn't feel heavy or greasy.
5.
Cargo blu_ray High Definition Mattifier: I've tried a lot of different mattifiers but Cargo's HD version is the only one I've tried that didn't make my face shine after an hour. Your makeup just glides on smoothly and helps minimize fine lines and pores.
6.
Prescriptives AnyWear Multi-purpose Makeup Stick SPF 15: This is one foundation that is in my makeup bag at all times. When I'm in a hurry or just need to even out my skin tone in certain areas, I reach for this foundation stick. It's quick, easy, and has nourishing benefits for my skin. Leaves my skin radiant!
7.
Benefit Erase Paste: I never thought anything would ever come in between me and my YSL Touche Eclat until I tried Benefit Erase Paste. My eye area is a little dry at times so the creamy texture is perfect for keeping it hydrated. It also acts as an undereye brightner and is thick enough to cover my dark circles without settling into my fine lines. A little goes a long way so this will last you for a long time.
8.
Green by Nature Lip Butter Banana: I wish these were sold in Canada! I have many lip balms but this is by far my favourite. The flavour tastes natural and the brand's products are all natural. Really feels like butter on the lips!
9.
Tarte 24/7 Lip Sheer SPF 15: It's hard to find a tinted lip balm that has staying power that's why Tarte's version is my favourite. The colour is long-lasting and it has a nice creamy finish.
10.
Stila Lip Glaze in Grapefruit: I have a few Stila Lip Glaze favourites (Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Rum Raisin) but Grapefruit is my favourite so far. I love wearing this on its own for a subtle lip or slicking it over a pink shade of lipstick. Gorgeous! It's a bit tacky but the colour and shine last forever!
11.
Tarte Lip Products: I pretty much love any lip product from Tarte. Not only do they contain skinvigorating ingredients that are good for you on the outside but they also benefit you on the inside! We ingest a lot of lip product so it's nice to know there are some that are good for you!
12.
Lise Watier Plumpissimo Gloss: I don't usually like to wear plumping glosses because of the sting-factor but Lise Watier's are the only plumping glosses that I can wear. Plus, the texture is non-sticky and come a variety of gorgeous colours and finishes!
13.
Pink Beauty Luscious Lipshimmer Lipstick in Kimberlina: I've been a fan of Pink Beauty's line of lip products since I first tried them last year. Well, the love hasn't gone away and this year I fell in love with Kimberlina, a sheer pink with swirls of gold shimmer. It's such a wearable shade of pink and the texture is just so moisturizing - you'd think you were wearing a lip balm!
14.
Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipsticks: Everything from the packaging to the colours are just fabulous! Lipstick Queen's Sinner lipsticks which have a matte finish, are the best that I've tried. The pigments are strong and true to its shade. You'll be surprised by the matte yet creamy texture.
15.
Tarte Cheek Stain: My first loves were Flush and Tipsy but my newest favourite is Berrylicious from the Berry Coutoure collection. The deeper berry hue is great for my skin tone. Long-lasting, radiant dewy finish, and loaded with nourishing benefits - and they smell yummy too!
16.
Lipstick Queen Oxymoron Matte Gloss in Minor Crisis: Created to give your cheeks the same hue as your lips. Love using this as a cream blush because Minor Crisis is such a beautiful rosy pink and looks equally as lovely on the lips!
17.
beautyADDICT ExpressGlimmer: I love the dewy creamy finish of this highlighter. It's so versatile too - swipe on lids, highlight inner corner of eyes, or mix with your favourite gloss or lipstick!
18.
Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion: No slipping or sliding shadows with this primer! The wand applicator makes it easy for application but I've heard Too Faced's version is just as good and the applicator is much better. Will have to try that one out for 2009!
19.
CoveGirl Lashblast Volume Blasthing Water-proof Mascara: I've tried a lot of mascaras this year but this is the one I always go back to. My lashes are always full, voluminous and super long! I know with the water-proof formula there will be no smudging or flaking.
20.
Lancome Oscillation Mascara: My go-to mascara for those special occasions when I don't want to add falsies. Although it's not great if you're in a rush, I just love the faux finish it gives my lashes!
21.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil: I love these creamy, highly-pigmented liners. They glide on easily and don't budge all day.
22.
Stila Smudge Pots: Amazing versatility! I love the creamy gel texture - makes for easy blending. It's great as a liner or using as a base to add intensity to a powder shadow.
23.
Urban Decay Shadows: Urban Decay's holiday launch of Book of Shadows was a great way for me to try wide aray of the brand's popular shadows. Love the fun, rich colours. With this palette, I can create a million-and-one looks!
24.
Bobbi Brown Basics Eye Palette: I was pleasantly surprised with this neutral eye palette. I've gotten a lot of use out of it. Great for those business meetings or for after-work cocktails.
25.
Anastasia All About Brows Kit: With everything included it's such an amazing value! It has everything you need to keep your brows perfect and polished!
26.
Anastasia Brow Duality in Matte Shell/Lace Shimmer: I use this everyday to highlight under my brow and it works well as an eye brightner. The shimmer end is great for the evening and can be used to highlight elsewhere on your face.
27.
Sephora Detail Lash Curler: I have to use this everytime if I want noticeable lashes. It gets to the harder-to-reach lashes much easier and pumps up the length to the rest of my lash. Can also be used to achieve different effects.
28.
billybBeauty "Paintbrush" Collection: I like to have a separate set of brushes for myself. Billy b.'s is so functional and transportable! It rolls into the smallest brush roll I've ever seen and these brushes are full size! Comes complete with 8 essential brushes to achieve a flawless look each time.
29.
The Powder Group Clear Soft-Packs: For makeup enthusiasts to makeup artist, these clear packs will keep your beauty stash organized and easy to transport. They come in a variety of sizes and the clear packaging makes finding your favourite blush that much easier.
30.
Benefit The bSpot Fragrance: I love this light fruity-floral feminine scent! I always feel sexy and girly when I wear it!
31.
Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve: My purse is never without it especially on the driest days of the winter!
32.
OPI Louvre Me Louvre Me Not: There were many hot versions of royal purple this season. I loved the black-purple hues but fell in love with this brighter royal purple. Such a sexy colour!
33.
Ojon Revitalizing Mist: Love Ojon! It's a great leave-in treatment and always makes my hair look healthy and shiny. Works well for mid-day touch-ups.
34.
Bumble and Bumble Classic Hairspray: Since I've been rocking the curls, I've gone back to using hair spray again. Me being anti-hairspray for so long was relieved to try Bumble and Bumble's non-sticky, long-lasting spray! My waves always stay soft and in tact!
35.
Chi Flat Iron: Where would my hair be without my pink Chi?? I can create the sleekest or waviest looks with this iron!
Did I list any of your favourites? Or were some of my top picks on your boo list? Makeup Junkie wants to know!
Fabulous Feel Liquid Colour glides on smoothly to give opaque colour with high shine. The formula is non-sticky and just like the name - feels quite fabulous on the lips! I test ran Amaretto, a pretty neutral pink-brown colour that works well on different skin tones. The colour stayed true for the most part, but I found a touch-up was required after about 3 hours. The one thing that took me a bit to get used to was the strong fragrance of the gloss. I like subtle scents to my glosses, but found this one initially overpowering. A minor setback, but the look and feel of this gloss is still a steal for $12 USD (approximately)!
Double Lush Mascara Plus Primer I'm not a usual fan of 2-step primer and mascara products, but I was pleasantly surprised by American Beauty's version. I found the formula gave my lashes much needed volume, versus other 2-step mascaras I've tried in the past. I tried out the mascara in Black, but Double Lush is also available in Brown and Midnight, which is a first that I've seen for primer plus mascara products (usually they're only available in Black). I love what Double Lush does for my lashes, and I'd definitely be willing to shell out the $12 US that this mascara retails for.
Ultra-Easy Automatic Eyeliner (Auburn) The simple twist-up and no-sharpen action of this eyeliner definitely makes it ultra-easy. I had the chance to try out Auburn, a gorgeous maroon brown with faint shimmer that looks particularly lovely on blue-eyed ladies. The creamy eyeliner glided on smoothly and lasted well throughout the day to keep my eyes defined (minor midday touch-up was required though!). This eyeliner is perfect for the no-fuss make-up junkie – no need for sharpening – just roll up and apply as desired!
Pretty Bronze Bronzing Powder (High Summer) Get that coveted bronze goddess look with American Beauty’s Bronzer months ahead of the summer season! The sheer tan brown powder accentuated with flecks of gold sparkle. With just a couple of swipes, you can instantly revive that glow and say goodbye to blah winter-skin (all my Canadians are saying amen right now!). The sheer consistency of the powder makes it very user-friendly to work with – it builds and blends well for a more of a natural appearing non-streaky glow. Dust some of the powder along the collarbones or atop the décolletage for the piece de resistance!
