Alright, here it is. Today I am sharing my favorite products of 2013, why you want them, how much they cost, and where you can buy them. A few disclaimers before we begin:
1. I have oily acne prone skin.
2. I am very fair complected.
3. These are MY favorite things.What works for me may or may not work for you.
Well lets get to it!
makeup:
- Korres Mattifying Primer: keeps my face matte for hours with out leaving it irritated, also prolongs the wear of my foundation. I do not recommend this product for anyone with dry-normal skin type. Also the primer is skin color when you dispense it from the tube, but once applied to the face it blends seamlessly with no color.
$33 dollars at Sephora
- L'oreal Truematch Concealer Crayon (I am shade n-1-2-3): I love to keep this in my purse to touch up whenever I have a blemish or loose coverage near the end of the day like around my nose and chin. It blends beautifully with just your finger and does not require a setting powder, even with my oily skin. Both of these points make it the perfect purse staple. This concealer is very opaque and pigmented, offering full coverage. I do not recommend this for under the eyes, as I find it creases and can be a bit to heavy.
$8 at any drugstore
- Benefit Rockateur Box Powder Blush: I never though I could love a blush this much. It can look very scary in the pan as it has a shimmery over-spray when you first open it. However, this does not show up on the skin and wears away after the first few uses. This is the most natural flush color. It goes with literally any look and is great for fair-med skin tones. Oh, and like all Benefit products it smells amazing!
$28 at Sephora or Ulta
- MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Lightscapade: The perfect neutral, everyday powder highlight for fair-medium skin tones. It is incredibly finely milled and gives a natural looking glow to the skin. I use this everyday on the high points of my face. This is a baked product, so it will last you ages.
$30 at MAC
- Prestige Longterm Relationship Eyeshadows: These are by far the best drugstore eyeshadows I have found. They are so pigmented and creamy. These can also be used wet or dry and the shades available are stunning!
$9 at Ulta
- Lorac Pro Palette: In my opinion this should be everyone's must have palette. I have loved mine almost to death and when it dies I will be repurchasing. This offers a wide range of both matte and shimmer colors. Most shades are very neutral and perfect for every day. All the shadows are pigmented and so creamy. I have zero complaints here.
$42 at Sephora or Ulta
- Lorac Pro Mascara: My holy grail mascara! It is a little to wet when brand new for my liking but after the first week of use it transforms into the most amazing mascara I have ever tried. Usually I have to use both a lengthening and a volumizing mascara, but this does it all in one product. It only comes in black and there is no waterproof version.
$23 at Sephora or Ulta
- Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm: This is so amazing. I love all the colors I own. But most impressive is the formula. These are highly pigmented and truly balmy. Gone are the days of chapped lips from wearing matte lipsticks all night. The shade pictured above, Standout, is possibly the most beautiful and universal red I have ever seen. You MUST try it.
$9 at Ulta or any Drugstore
- Maybelline Color Elixirs: My new lipgloss obsession. Most of the time I wear a lipstick under my lipgloss, but I love the look of these so much on their own that I wear them solo! The shade range is impeccable. The are not sticky at all, but balmy feeling.
$7 at any Drugstore
skincare:
- Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water: I prefer cleansing waters (micellar waters) to remove my makeup because I find they do not irritate my skin and are rinse free. This particular one has no scent, and removes every bit of both my eye makeup and face makeup with ease. It literally feels like water on your face and its an absolute essential in my routine.
$13 (for size above) at Sephora
- Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask: This mask is no joke. Just 15 min and it will literally suck everything out of your pores. However I do not recommend this for anyone with dry skin. I have also noticed that using this on a regular basis (2-3 per week) has really lowered my skins oil production. This mask also functions great as a overnight spot treatment, just be sure not to put it on any broken skin.
$4 at any Drugstore
- Mario Badescu Facial Spray w/ Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater: I use this after cleansing my face everyday as my toner. It is alcohol free which I love and truly helps hydrate my skin and balance its ph level. The spray nozzle packaging also makes it very convenient.
$7 at Ulta
- Sephora Acne-fighting Mattifying Moisturizer: This moisturizer is perfect for anyone with oily and acne prone skin. The 2% salicylic acid helps fight off breakouts and the mattifying properties fight oil. I use this religiously every day and always pair it with my Korres Mattifying Primer to insure my makeup stays shine free for as long as possible.
$18 at Sephora
hair:
- Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo: This is the best clarifying shampoo I have found. Nothing else leaves my hair feeling as squeaky clean. However, I always use this in conjunction with a deep repair mask and I limit it to once a week. I highly suggest you do the same because it is very drying. That being said, it gets rid of every styling product residue and dry shampoo in my hair.
$6 at any Drugstore
- Batiste Dry Shampoo (deep/dark brown): This is my holy grail dry shampoo. It not only smells amazing, but it really soaks up all the oils in my roots allowing me to go 2-3 days in between shampoos. This version above is for brunettes (they have other versions), so it is tinted brown. This is so nice because nothing is worse than having white residue left in your brown hair from dry shampoo. Not cute.
$7 at any Drugstore or Ulta
- Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment: The smell of this first of all is completely to die for. When this is in my hair I look like a freak because I cannot stop smelling my own hair every 5 sec. No Shame. This stuff makes me feel like a princess. It is luxurious and rich, so hydrating for your hair. I appy this all through my ends to keep them hydrated and add lots of shine.
$13.50 (size above) at Ulta or Sephora
Well that's it guys! Please let me know what your favorite products this year have been in the comment section below! As always thank you for your support and I will be back with another look soon!
FIN
