Hi Everyone!
Today we’re going to look back at 2014 and reminisce about my beauty loves for the year. This was so hard for me to narrow down as 2014 was the year I really started to collect makeup. I tried out tons of new stuff in 2014 and founds lots to love! But I was able to narrow it down to what I really loved throughout the year and that’s what I’m sharing today. Get comfy because I have a lot to share!
To make this easier to read, I created categories. Consider this your table of contents.
- Tools
- Base
- Brows
- Bronzer
- Highlight and Contour
- Blushes
- Eyeshadow Palettes
- Lashes
- Liner
- Lips
- Misc.
Tools
We’ll begin with my most loved tools of 2014. I tried and tested many beauty tools throughout 2014 and these are ones I continually reached for.
Sigma E40 Brush- I cannot do an eye look without this, it’s incredible. It is perfect for applying a transition shade and blending everything to look so seamless. If you want to step up your eyeshadow game, I cannot recommend this enough.
Beauty Blender- Also another tool I cannot live without. When I picked this up, it seriously knocked all other foundation applying methods out of my routine. I have not picked up a foundation brush since purchasing this. I also purchased 2 backups so I am never without a clean one.
Nars Ita Brush- This is a super recent tool add, but I’m confident enough in it to include it. This has really improved my contouring and is perfect for chiseling my round face.
Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive- I forgot to get a picture of this one, but it’s just a white tube anyway. This is the best lash glue I’ve found. It has a brush on applicator which is so much less messy than the traditional squeeze tube. Additionally it doesn’t have the nasty lash glue smell and it goes on blue and changes colour slightly as it’s getting tacky. This makes it way easier to know when it’s ready.
Base
Now moving onto base which is foundation and concealer.
L’Oreal True Match (N1)- This foundation was my holy grail for more than half of 2014. When I first started wearing liquid foundation, this is what I tried and it stuck. This is one of the best foundations at the drugstore and comes in tons of shades. I do need to purchase a new bottle of this, since my second one is nearly empty! I’ll admit that I haven’t picked this up in a little bit, but I did use this exclusively for a great portion of 2014.
Nars Sheer Glow (Mont Blanc)- This is a great foundation that gives a fresh appearance. It’s not too dewy, but not flat matte either. This shade is a great match for me and I’m never disappointed with how my skin looks when I use this.
Make Up For Ever HD (115)- This has become my holy grail high end foundation. It looks amazing in photos and has an incredibly natural finish.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (Chantilly)- This product ended my search for a highlighting concealer. I spent most of 2014 searching for something light enough to actually brighten my face. Since I’m so fair, I’m basically the lightest shade in everything, so finding something lighter than me was a challenge. Not only does this concealer meet my pale girl needs, but it’s incredibly rich and looks buttery on the skin.
LA Girl Pro Conceal (Classic Ivory)- This concealer is excellent at concealing dark circles, before highlighting. If I just go in with a lighter concealer it doesn’t really hide the darkness, but this does. This is super lightweight so it does well with being layered with other products.
Lise Watier Portfolio Professional Correctors (Normal)- This concealer was actually not purchased by me, but won in an awesome giveaway I was lucky enough to win in 2014. This was one of many hidden gems I discovered from the giveaway and it has become a huge favourite of mine. This not only has a concealer that matches me, but also a green for redness, a purple that is amazing for brightening and a shade I can cream contour with. The picture I included is older ( I have now hit pan!) because I actually don’t have this with me currently. The lid seriously won’t come off, not even with pliers. I’m really hoping this company with replace it since the packaging is faulty. It really is a do-it all concealer.
Brows
This category will be short and sweet. I developed a bullet-proof brow routine in 2014 and I can’t go back to anything else. I grew to love bolder brows in 2014 after years of threading and left the threading behind for most of 2014 to really let my brows fill in.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade (Soft Brown)- In order to achieve my new bolder brows, I became obsessed with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Soft Brown. This gives me natural, yet bold brows that nothing else I’ve found can achieve. I sense that many, many others are curious about this because my review of this product was my most read post of 2014.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel- No surprise here since ABH is basically the queen of brows. I got this sample size of brow gel in a Sephora VIB bag and I haven’t put it down. This really holds your brow hairs in place and helps them to look sculpted without looking obviously glued.
Bronzer
In 2014 there were 2 bronzers I repeatedly reached for. I use these to warm up my skin, rather than contour.
Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder- I caved in 2014 and bought the infamous Nars Laguna. I was not disappointed by this at all, it’s the perfect shade for fair girls like me.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer- Another bronzer I loved in 2014, this isn’t too dark for my skin tone and it smells amazing! This is awesome for defining my face without being super warm. I enjoyed this so much that I purchased it individually rather than in the holiday palette I originally tried it in.
Highlight and Contour
2014 was the year of highlighting and contouring for me. I tried so many methods to see which I liked best and that resulted in tons of favourites for this category.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit- This is completely essential to my makeup routine. I use Banana and Vanilla (massive pan on this shade) to set my concealer and Fawn to contour, since it’s the perfect mix of grey and brown. This is so well-loved. If you’re new to contouring and highlighting I 100% recommend this since you get all the basics in one handy palette.
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder- On my highlighting quest, I stumbled across this. This is perfect for setting my concealer and giving an extra brightening boost at the same time! This does have teeny glitters in it, but they’re so subtle I only noticed recently. This just bumps my highlighting up a notch!
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (Opal)- I found a holy grail highlighter in 2014. I had heard so much about Becca’s Opal that I decided to give it a go and I wasn’t disappointed. For a glow-junkie like myself this ticks all my boxes for what I like in a highlighter. This brings a serious glow!
The Balm Mary Lou Manizer- Another super hyped highlighter that I fell in love with in 2014. This also packs a serious punch, for serious glow lovers only! This is a great shade for fair skin since it’s not too golden, which can come across too dark on lighter skin.
MAC Cream Color Base (Shell)- If you’re going for serious glow and extra dew, look no further than MAC’s Cream Color Base in Shell. This highlights and makes the skin look naturally fresh. It has some pink in it, so it really complements the undertones in my skin.
Blushes
I love collecting blushes, so I really had to be choosy here.
MAC Blushes- I took the plunge and made a MAC blush palette in 2014. Turns out that was a good choice, because I haven’t put these down. It’s so handy to me to have so many options in one palette and I think that’s why I reach for it constantly. I have been loving all of these, but especially Cantaloupe, which is the bottom right. It is the PERFECT neutral shade that goes with any look.
Milani Baked Blushes- My next favourite for blushes is so incredible you could slap a high end name on it and no one would question it. These are insanely buttery and so pigmented, they never disappoint me. I loved all of these shades, but especially Luminoso, a beautiful shimmering peach (top right).
Eyeshadow Palettes
This category was actually way easier than I thought it was going to be. This year I built up quite the collection of eyeshadow palettes, but I have some clear favourites.
Lorac Mega Pro- If there was a palette named after me, this would be it. This pretty much has everything I ever reach for and more. I’m very sad it was so limited edition because so many people missed out on an amazing palette. Re-release it Lorac, pretty please?
Lorac Pro Palettes- I also collected both Pro Palettes in 2014 and I have been using them to death. I take these with me every time I travel, since they have the basic shades, plus some.
Urban Decay Naked Palette- I collected all 3 Naked Palettes in 2014, but the original was my most loved. This has lots of light shades which I tend to reach for most of the time. It’s perfect for natural or no-makeup makeup looks. This is the palette I reach for when I’m putting makeup on people who don’t really wear much makeup, since it gives a little something but nothing that is too much.
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette- The last palette I loved in 2014 was the Chocolate Bar Palette. I got this early on in 2014 and have used it tons. It has so many warm shades, which are my favourite kinds of shades to wear.
Lashes
The next category is lashes, which is a mix of mascara and falsies.
Ardell Demi Wispies (120)- I really started to get into falsies in 2014. They are a quick touch at seriously bumps up any look. The Ardell 120s are an extra something, but not over the top.
Velour Lashes (Whispie Sweet Nothings)- I also got my first pair of mink lashes in 2014 and I love them! These are the most natural feeling and looking lashes I’ve tried since they blend so well with your own lashes. I got these at IMATS for a reduced price, which was a bonus.
ELF Mascara Primer- On most days, I don’t wear falsies, but I still wanted my lashes to look good. I actually discovered this in 2013, but continued to repurchase it in 2014. It really makes any good mascara better, well worth it’s price of $3!
Maybelline Colossal Volum Express- If someone had asked me my all time favourite mascara early on in 2014 I would have said Benefit’s They’re Real with no hesitation. Unfortunately as much as I loved that mascara, I think I’m allergic to it as it made my eyes beyond itchy. The Maybelline Colossal Volum Express is a great drugstore mascara that gives lots of volume with no clumps.
Liner
Sticking with eyes, I have a few liner favourites from 2014.
Essence Gel Liner (Midnight in Paris)- I discovered this ultra cheap liner about half way through 2014 and I didn’t put it down for the rest of the year. It is super creamy and easy to apply. It does fade on me a little, but for the most part this is a great liner.
NYX Studio Liquid Liner (Black)- Before I started using gel, I fell in love with a liquid liner. The NYX liquid liner has a fantastic applicator, it’s so slim that it’s incredibly easy to get a fine line and a nice wing.
Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl (Nude)- Putting a nude liner in your waterline really makes a huge difference and this was my favourite liner for this in 2014. I got really into cranberry coloured eye shadow this fall and that shade really can make you look tired if you don’t brighten up your eyes. This is super smooth and glides on without tugging.
Lips
For lips, I grew to love a few formulas and then I collected several shades of each.
Nars Audacious Lipsticks- I took the plunge and tried these out and I’m so glad I did. These are one of the most creamy formulas I’ve tried. In discovering these, I also stumbled on my holy grail nude, the shade Raquel. It’s the perfect peachy-nude for my skin and it doesn’t wash me out.
Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids- In the spring and summer of 2014 and wore bright lips out! I grew to love the Color Sensational line, since they are inexpensive but so creamy and pigmented. Particularly I loved Hot Plum and Vivid Rose.
Milani Color Statement Lipsticks- I collected a ton of these in 2014. This formula is worth well beyond their price, every shade I own is buttery, smooth and pigmented. I especially loved Nude Creme and Rose Amour.
MAC Lipsticks- I got my first of several MAC lipsticks in 2014. I tried several different finishes and really enjoyed many of them, but especially the Creamsheen finish. In terms of shades, I grew to love Diva, a dark vampy burgundy and Pure Zen, a soft natural peach.
Revlon Matte Balms- These are great drugstore option. They are completely matte, but not drying. These are also full colour, not really a balm at all!
Misc.
There are some things that just didn’t fit in a clear category, so they’re getting their own.
MAC Paint Pot (Soft Ochre)- I picked this up at a CCO this past summer and I haven’t put it down since. This is the perfect shadow base, it gives the perfect surface to build colour on. This is like my canvas.
MAC Fix+- This really is the perfect mixing medium for pigments or intensifying shadows. If I’m using a pigment, I am beyond lost without this. It helps with fall out and makes shadows much more vivid.
NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray- This is the perfect setting spray for normal or dry skinned girls. It really settles powder and makes everything meld with your skin. It leaves a dewy finish, but nothing that is too wet looking.
We have made it to the end and with that 2014 has come to a complete close. I can’t wait to see what’s in my Best in Beauty: 2015. Leave me a comment below with a 2014 favourite of yours, I’d love to find some new products to try!
Bye for now!
Chelsey
What’s coming up:
- Collection Series Part 4: Pigments and Glitters
- Colourpop First Impression/Review and Swatches
- The Makeup Eraser Demo
- Morphe Jaclyn Hill Favorite Palette Review and Swatches
Makeup By Chelsey 