2018 Beauty Favourites

2018 was a year of new beauty discovers, especially in Skincare. I made quite a few beauty purchases, a lot of them making their way into my favourites, and discovered some amazing brands along the way. I thought I would share with you my top beauty products throughout 2018 so you can see what really stood out to me last year.

Skincare Must Have

I really fell in love with skincare last year and makeup seemed to take more of a back seat. Over the last couple of years I have been using the same skincare products, as they worked for my skin and I was afraid that trying new products could play havoc with my skin. I was so wrong. Over the past year I have started to understand my skin’s needs a lot more and been up for trying a number of new brands. This has lead to a number of new favourites and my skin has become a lot happier and healthier because of it.

Starting off with Cleanser and the Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm has really impressed me. When it comes to taking off waterproof makeup, especially mascara, this products works like a dream. This product comes as a solid balm, which softens with the heat of your finger, and literally melts all the makeup way. You don’t need to scrub your face at all. I just massage this onto dry skin and then wipe off with a hot muslin cloth. When I wear makeup I like to double cleanse and I’m always impressed with how little comes off on the second cleanse. Another thing I love about this product is that it doesn’t strip your skin of oils, so your skin doesn’t feel tight after cleansing.

The stand out serum for me in 2018 was the Caudalie Vinopure Blemish Control Infusion Serum. I have been suffering from a lot of breakouts on my chin and they always left an ugly red scar. The Caudalie Vinopure range was release in September so I thought I would pick up the Blemish Control Infusion Serum and see if it would help. I have now been using this product for over 3 months and seen an improvement in the appearance of the scaring on my chin. This product has also helped keep my breakouts under control, except for my hormonal breakout, with the recent breakout being a lot smaller and less painful. I now religiously use this product twice a day and have hardly made a dent so I can see this product lasting ages. I tend to only use this product on my problem areas and then use a hyaluronic acid along side it to counteract any dryness caused.

One product I have started using recently is the Beauty pie Super Retinol (+ Vitamin C) Night Renewal Moisturizer. When you use a retinol product you have to wear a SPF along side it as retinol increases your skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. With this in mind I have been using the Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Ultralight UVA / UVB SPF 25. I personally hate the feel of suncream on my face, the greasiness of most suncreams really gets to me. This SPF is so nice to wear everyday, its lightweight and sinks into the skin really quickly without leaving your face looking greasy or shiny. I pop this on after my moisturiser and have no problems applying makeup over the top.

Makeup

This next products is a hybrid between skincare and makeup, which I think is a brilliant idea. The La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo  Unifant in Tente Light is great to use when you have a congested area on your face, where breakouts tend to happen. I like using this product alongside the Caudalie Vinopure Blemish Control Infusion Serum, as a bit of a booster. The Effaclar Duo Unifant is great as it is tinted, so I like to apply it to most spots to take away the redness before applying makeup or even on a no makeup day.

Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk has been a favourite of mine for a couple of years now, its cream consistency making it perfect for any season. This products is a hybrid between a blush and a bronzer, with its gorgeous bronzy undertones. You only need a tiny amount of this product to add a natural healthy colour to your cheeks. Another product I have been loving on my cheeks is a touch of highlighter. I like to use a tiny amount of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone on the tops of my cheeks, brow bone and cupids bow. This Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is composed of finely compressed powders, which have an amazing amount of pigment. A small dusting of this gives you the most gorgeous and natural glow.

The mascara I have been raving about in 2018 is the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara. This has featured in so many blog posts and if I am wearing mascara then you can be nearly 100% certain this is it. I love the formulation of this products, it gives a lot of volume and definition with out being clumpy.

Moving onto lips and these two products have turned into a must for me now. Firstly the Sugar Lip Treatment Advance Therapy a lip balm I use everyday without fail. I hate having dry lips and I find in the Winter it can be really hard to keep your lips looking and feeling healthy. Fresh is an amazing brand for Lip products and I just can’t get enough of this product. This lip balm is so long lasting and really helps lock in moisture for at least half the day, even after food and drink. Another lip products I have been loving is the Beauty Pie Shine up Lip Colour Balm Stick in Baby Bare.

If you looking for a lip balm that has a beautiful peahy pink colour then you need to take a look at this product. As you can see Beauty Pie is a brand I have been exploring recently and I am really loving their products. This Lip Colour balm feels lovely and hydrating on the lips, whilst giving you a gorgeous pop of colour. This product comes in a stick so it’s easy to apply on the go and gives your lips a really nice natural shine.

Pampering Products

I love to paint my nails when I have some me time but I find in the winter months my nails can become dehydrate and look unhealthy. One nail care product that has saved my nails is the Nails Inc Nailkale Superfood Base Coat.

This products is packed full of vitamins to help replenish your nails and get them back to perfect condition again. This base coat comes out clear on your nails so it’s perfect for wearing as a treatment on its own or under your favourite nail varnish colour. If my nails are in a real state I like to apply this everyday for one week and it’s amazing how much better my nails look. If you wear nail varnish a lot then you need to look after your nails as your nails will be stripped of your nail natural oils and nutrients every time you get your nails done.

My final beauty product from 2018 is the This Works Deep Sleep Night Oil. Ever so often everyone has difficulties falling asleep and this product is perfect for those situations. I love applying this night oil before going to bed, its smells heavenly and within minutes I am asleep. I tend to sleep with my hands under the pillow so I apply this products to my arms, so I can smell it as I fall asleep. I love that this is a dry oil so it absorbs into the skin really quickly and it doesn’t feel greasy on the skin.

I’d love to know what you favourite products of 2018 have been?

Happy New Year!

Steph x