Favorites of 2013: Make up

Today is the last day in my favorites of 2013 series. And it’s devoted to one of my biggest obsessions: make up. I think, when push comes to shove, I like make up the most. I like trying out new things, wearing different colors and I never wear the same make up look twice. I also think that I am most affected by what’s ‘on trend’ when it comes to make up. Bold dark lips are hot? I’ll try them. Colored eyeliner is all the rage? Find me a budget version and I’ll gladly dabble around with it. So in the course of a year, I tend to try plenty of new products and I found a number of products I like so much, that they have become downright musthaves.

Rimmel BB cream in Light

My biggest beauty horror: drugstore foundation. I’ve tried a few and every single one of them has broken me out or caused me an allergic reaction. I bought this on sale. To try it and O-M-G I love it. I love the tick cream like texture. I love the coverage. I love how it sits on my skin. I love how it applies. I love how it wears. I just love it. By now, it’s too dark for my skin tone, so I am going back to my foundation, but come spring time, I will pop out this baby again.

Catrice Liquid Metal eyeshadow in: Gold Leaf Me, Under Treasure and Look me in the Ice

One of the best drugstore finds of 2013 are these Catrice eyeshadows. Great color pay off. Perfect amount of shine and a good color selection. The white shimmer is a great inner corner highlight and the golden green color pulls more gold or green depending on what you pair it with. Great product!

MAC Prep + Prime Transparen Finishing powder (pressed)

The powder you see in the picture is a back up which I bought at the end of this year. My other one is nearly gone: that’s how much I’ve used it. I started wearing foundation again last winter and combined with the airconditioning at work, my skin wasn’t all that happy with it. After a day of wear my make up had creased and looked cakey. I went to MAC to find a different powder and the make up artist recommended this. Provides you with a mattified, porcelain like finish, which stays crease free even in a dry air working environment like mine.

Benefit eyeshadow in Fishnets

My favorite eyeliner of the year, isn’t an actual eyeliner, but an eyeshadow. This highly pigmented Benefit eyeshadow is no longer available, but it is the best eyeshadow for liner. The color pay off is insane: it’s so pigmented that using this as an actual eyeshadow is a nightmare as you will always get no further than simply applying a big blob of brown. But that’s why this is perfect as a liner. You only need a little to go a long way and I love how eyeshadow looks softer than a traditional eye liner.

Illamasqua Naked Rose blush

One of my more recent purchases, but one I immediately fell in love with. The perfect blush without looking like blush, blush. It’s one of those colors that simply gives you a bit of color, without it being too much. The texture is fantastic and it’s easy to blend.

Essence 3D eyeshadow in Irresistible Chocolates, Irresistible Vanilla Latte, Irresistible Mermaid Kiss

Another drugstore favorite: Essence 3D eyeshadow. The Vanilla duo is a great highlight and combines like a charm with the chocolate brown colors. I use these all the time if I want to wear a simple and easy to do eyelook without the fuss. The teal color I use a lot less, but in summer I wore it a couple of times and it’s still a great color to have and wear.

Anastasia brow powder in Taupe

2013 is the year I discovered brow powder. Before I used MAC’s Omega eyeshadow, and it worked fine, but I just wanted to give this a whirl. And I love it. The light and dark shade combine well, match my eyebrows perfectly and make them look just a tad better taken care of. Plus it works easier than the eyeshadow I find.

MAC Select Moisture Cover concealer in NW20

Can you see how much is gone from this tube? Yep, that’s how much I’ve used it and how much I love it. It blends well, doesn’t get cakey or highlights any fine lines. I just need to get it a shade lighter so I can keep on using this during winter months!

Dior Fusion Mono in Millennium

Once or twice a year I treat myself to a high end make up buy and this fall that buy was a Dior cream eyeshadow. This product is amazing. From the jar it comes in (seriously CD has the best packaging!), to the way the product looks in the pan, to the way it looks swatched and on the lid: this product is a dream. Does need an eyeshadow base to stick properly and not transfer after a day of blinking, but when you wear it, this is all you’ll need. Oh and the texture is amazing: soft and creamy in the pan, but powdery once on. This really is a dream product.

Topshop lipstick in Rio Rio & Rimmel Kate lipstick in 107

I’m ending this post with my favorite lipsticks. Drugstore lipsticks which are very budget proof, yet work as well or even better than most high end lipsticks. Both of these lipsticks have a long lasting power, are matte and oh yes: red. If I had one obsession in 2013 it was red lipstick. The bright shade was my favorite in spring & summer. The berry color is more of a now product. Nothing says hello better than a bold red lip.

What are your 2013 make up favorites?

P.S. If you search any of these products in the search bar at the top right hand side, you should be able to find swatches, mini reviews or these products used in Face or Looks of the day.