2014 make up favorites

Before reading this post, I suggest you grab yourself a cup of tea, hot cocoa or anything else to keep you entertained while reading. Because we’re in for the long haul. I really did try to narrow down my make up favorites, but I’ve been a) trying so many new products and b) been liking even more it seems, that I just couldn’t cut anything else. I will link to reviews where possible. But for some of these I still have to write the review. In any case, I present to you, without further ado, my 2014 make up favorites.

A selection of the products I’ll be showing you. I’ve made selections from all areas of make up products: from base to face products, from eyeshadow to nails. As well as a smattering of high end and drugstore products. Let’s go!

1.) Large eyeshadow palettes

Urban Decay Naked 3
Marc Jacobs Style Eye Con The Starlet

I never got round to reviewing the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, but I can assure you that I have not only been using it loads. I’ve also been loving it loads. When I first got it, I wasn’t so sure about the pink tones, but when I started using it I was blown away by how nice it looked on me. I did review the Marc Jacobs palette which features 7 stunning metallic colors, 3 of which are like liquid gold, silver and copper. It’s neutrals with a twist which is the reason why I love this palette so much.

2.) Small eyeshadow palettes and singles

NARS eyeshadow duos in Cordura & Isolde
HEMA eyemousse in nude & dark grey
Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita palette

Next up, are some of my favorite single and small eyeshadow palettes. The Hema metallic eyemousse just made the cut, but I’ve been loving these the past few weeks. Even though I haven’t reviewed the Charlotte Tilbury palette yet, I could not, not include it. Lastly are the NARS shadows, which you may remember I wrote a rave review on. They are simply some of the best eyeshadow formula I have ever come across.

3.) Eyeshadow pencils

Make Up Forever Aqua Matic Waterproof Glide-On eyeshadow ME-50
Charlotte Tilbury Color Chameleon Color Morphing Eyeshadow pencil in Dark Pearl for Brown Eyes
Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow 05

An eye product I’ve really been into this past summer and fall are eyeshadow sticks. I bought the Kiko and Make Up Forever ones on vacation over summer. The Charlotte Tilbury I picked up in London last fall. And I love whacking these on for a quick every day look, when I don’t have much time to spend on my make up in the morning. Love them. Reviews for both the Make Up Forever and Charlotte Tilbury ones are still pending.

4.) Smokey eyes

MAC Extra Dimension eye shadow in Sea Worship
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Black Line

My favorite combination for making a quick smokey eye has been these two products from the Alluring Aquatic collection. I reviewed it when I first got them and wore them in this 30 day make up challenge post. What can I say? The golden olive tones of the shadow paired with the eyeshadow pencil are just very flattering on me.

5.) Brows

Catrice Eyebrow Filler – Perfecting & Shaping Gel in 020 Make A Bow Wow
Catrice Longlasting Brow Definer 020 flASHy Brows
Catrice eyebrow set

This past year I really got into my brows. I grew them out and stopped plucking them too much and I also changed up what I use for them when I do my make up. I bought the eyebrow gel and brow definer when Catrice changed up their product line last fall. Before that I used the brow powder set which comes with a lighter and a darker color. I still love both and I love them more than my much more expensive brow products from brands such as Benefit, Anastasia and MAC.

6.) Base

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup 12 Beige Rosé
Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in 51 Vanille Clair/ Light Vanilla
Catrice Re-Touch Light-Reflecting concealer in 01 Porcelain

2014 was the year of the great foundation test. I think I reviewed more foundations on this space then anything else. Two of my favorites are a drugstore and a high end favorite. I also love my Dior DiorSkin Nude foundation (which I am currently using on a daily basis), but there is something about these two that I just love. The shades are perfect, the staying power is amazing and they wear very nicely. Finally, in this category, I also loved a by now discontinued concealer by Catrice.

7.) Face

DiorSkin Nude Tan Transat edition
The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
Benefit Coralista

Face product wise, I was a tad boring. I didn’t really find a favorite blush until at the end of the year and that is by no means a new product. Benefit Coralista has been a staple in my make up collection for years and I rediscovered it. I didn’t put in any bronzer, as they are not part of my favorite make up product to begin with. I do like a bit of highlight and so this favorites post contains two: the gold toned DiorSkin Nude Tan Transat edition and the pink toned Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm. The review for the latter is still in the works.

8.) High end lipsticks

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The MATS 207 Rose Perfecto
YSL Rouge Pur Couture The MATS 208 Fuchsia Fétiche
Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks in 69 & Venom
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy lipstick in Impulsive

On to my second make up love (after eyeshadow): lipstick. I love a good lipstick and I reviewed all of these. I still wear all of these all the time. Goes to show how much I love them. First up were the Urban Decay lipsticks which I purchased last spring. Venom and 69 are both super unique colors that I didn’t own yet. They are also super longlasting and wear nicely ont he lips. On to quite possibly the biggest gems in my collection: the YSL Rouge Pur Couture The MATS lipsticks in Rose Perfecto and Fuchsia Fétiche. It is quickly becoming one of my most read articles, so I’m sure I’m not the only person loving these lipsticks. Finally, my favorite nude lipstick of the year is Estee Lauder’s Impulsive. Best. Nude. Ever.

9.) Drugstore lipsticks

Catrice Ultimate Stay 020 All That She Wants
Ultimate Stay lipstick in 120 Looks Like Coral
L’Oreal L’Extraordinaire lipstick in 204 Tangerine Sonate & 600 Nude Vibrato

But my love for all things lipstick would be incomplete without some drugstore items. I chose the Catrice Ultimate Stay lipstick and the L’Oreal L’Extraordinaire lipsticks. I chose these as they are both relatively new to the drugstore and I’ve really been loving these.

10.) Nail polish

Orly Color Care Polish Bond
Butter London Bit Faker
Catrice Haute Future Limited Edition iROSEdescent

Catrice Luxury Lacquers Limited Edition & New product line

The final category is nail polish. You know I love a good nail and I have been loving quite a few of them and most of them are Catrice. Catrice released a number of great nail polishes this past year and most of them with their limited editions. But that doesn’t make them less pretty. I’ve also been loving my only Butter London purchase of date and I also got my hands on a base coat by Orly that I have been loving, but need to test it out thoroughly, before I write a review.

What make up products have you been loving?