Hello everyone, and happy new year! I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was quiet, but lovely - I'm still recovering from the Christmas food coma! It's always difficult getting back into the daily grind after a long Christmas break, but I'm excited to see what the new year has in store for us. 2016 was a weird year, and honestly, I'm quite happy to leave it behind. I hope that the next twelve months are brighter, happier and more peaceful for everyone in the world. Today, I'd like to take one last look back at 2016, and re-visit some of my most used makeup, perfumes and skincare products. Despite everything, 2016 was a wonderful year for new beauty discoveries, and I'm excited to share a few of my favourites. Hope you enjoy!
MAKEUP
I think it's fair to say in 2016, I bought more makeup than in all the previous years of my life combined together. That's what being a beauty blogger does to you! My favourite makeup brand of the year has to be Zoeva - I fell completely in love with their eyeshadow palettes, especially Cocoa Blend (swatches here). The shades are absolutely gorgeous, warm and highly pigmented. The formula is smooth and buttery with zero fall-out, and it lasts all day long even without an eyeshadow primer. However, if I was to use a primer, it'd definitely be Shadow Insurance by Too Faced. This primer can really bring out the intensity of any eyeshadow, and it helps to keep your eye makeup in place all day (and night!) long.
As for my favourite lip products, my most used lipstick of 2016 is definitely the Rouge Volupte Shine by Yves Saint Laurent in 44 Nude Lavalliere (swatches here). I absolutely adore the comfortable, hydrating formula - it basically feels like a luxurious lip balm. The shade is a perfect, warm nude, which truly gives you that 'your lips but much better' kind of look. Dior Addict in 553 Princess is also a top pick, and I'd recommend it to anyone who dislikes sticky lip glosses. The formula is incredibly lightweight and moisturising, and it honestly doesn't feel like a lip gloss at all. There are so many lovely shades in the range, but I think that Princess is my favourite - it's a pale, soft pink with a bit of shimmer (swatches here).
The title for the best mascara of 2016 goes to my all-time favourite Chanel Le Volume by Chanel. I have tried so many different mascaras - both drugstore and high-end - but I always end up coming back to this one. This is the best mascara ever, hands down. It makes your lashes look thick, long and very black. You can also layer it like mad and you will never get any clumps - just beautiful, full, thick-looking lashes. On a few occasions, I even had people ask me whether I was wearing falsies!
PERFUMES
2016 was a year of the classics! I didn't actually buy many new perfumes, and instead, I enjoyed re-visiting some of my all-time favourites. My most worn perfumes in 2016 were Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf, Si by Armani and Dior's Miss Dior. Those three fragrances actually have quite a lot in common, and if you like at least one of them, you're likely to enjoy the others. They're all incredibly feminine, elegant and sweet; with slightly dark, earthy undertones. I'd say that Miss Dior is the most sophisticated one out of the three - it smells like fresh strawberries on the bed of white flowers and patchouli. Si has a slightly more tropical, juicy vibe to it (something about it makes me think of blackcurrant ice cream), whereas Flowerbomb is wonderfully sparkling, fruity and girly.
SKINCARE
2016 was the year when I finally decided to do something about my annoyingly oily and problematic skin! I've always had a few trusted products that I enjoy using, but nothing that would really make a significant difference to my skin. That is, until I discovered Korean skincare a couple of months ago! I've talked about these products a lot on my blog, and you can read some of my reviews here and here. My two favourite Korean beauty picks include Etude House's Bubble Tea sleeping packs (despite the cute packaging, these are not actually edible!), as well as their Honey Cera eye cream. Both are incredibly effective, and they've really helped me to clear up my skin and reduce breakouts. Even my boyfriend commented on how clear and radiant my skin's been looking lately!
A couple of body care favourites include the argan oil and eucalyptus black soaps which I've picked up during our anniversary trip to Morocco. Black soaps have a very unusual, thick consistency - they're made from the ash of locally harvested plants (such as palm tree leaves), and enriched with oils. These are quite effective as exfoliators, however, they are more of a sentimental favourite as they remind me of our amazing holiday! I've also been loving the Moisture Rich foot butter by Sanctuary - it's incredibly rich and moisturizing, which is particularly appreciated during these colder months. Although it's a foot cream, you can use it just as well on your hands, also!
Leave a comment and let me know what beauty products were your favourite in 2016! I hope you're just as excited about 2017 as I am! And don't forget, you can still enter my Yves Saint Laurent giveaway here. Happy new year!
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