I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by. In all honesty, I think I blinked or closed my eyes for a nap like Rip Van Wrinkle and woke up a year later. So much has happened this year and I have had the awesome opportunity to try out so many different products newly released. While I have tried out so many wonderful products, I also found that I stuck with a few favorites from last year as well. With the end of 2014 so quickly approaching, myself and the gorgeous beauties from the Beauty Council bring to you our Best of Beauty 2014.
My list includes a variety of Cosmetics, skin care, face and body products as well as hair and perfume. My favorites range from Drug store products to high end and include a wide variety for all. I know I’m a little earlier than usual this year, as I normally make this post or video in January – but I wanted to share this information with you in case you are looking for ideas for Christmas presents for that Beauty lover in your life. I’ll have a video and maybe a revised post sometime in January.
[Some of the products mentioned in this post include Press Samples & Affiliate Links.]
This year I tried out a lot of new skin care items and while some didn’t quite work for me, others have become favorites of mine.
- Coconut Oil – this has been a favorite of mine a few years now and still something I just can’t live without. It is the number one item in my skin care arsenal.
- Freeman Beauty Feeling Beautiful Face Masks – I have tried several of these this year and so far I’m loving them all. They are not harsh on my sensitive skin and really affordable.
- Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser – this is my HG facial cleanser and one I’ve been using for years now.
- Japanese Konjac Sponge – I have used a few varieties of these Konjac Sponges this year and they have been great for my face and a separate for my body.
- Valentia Skin care Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Serum – We all know I’m a serum addict and this one is one of my favorites.
- Michael Todd Soniclear Cleansing System – I have only been using this the last few months but it is my favorite cleansing tool to date.
- Be Delectable by Cake Beauty Body Lotion – yummy, delicious scent and great moisturization. One of my favorite lotions – EVER!
For hair care this year, I wanted to be able to use products that would offer my hair more moisture so I could embrace my natural curls. I also needed products that would protect my hair from sun damage and help tame my frizz.
- Dove Pure Care Dry Oil – When used in combination with my Coconut Oil and/or Argan Oil, this dry oil has helped to keep my hair soft and frizz free. This product also smells yummy!
- DermOrganic Argan Oil Hair Care line – these products, all of them from this line have become favorites this year and I don’t know what I would do if I lost them or couldn’t buy them. They leave my hair feeling so soft, my curls are gorgeous and my hair is frizz-free.
I can’t believe the amount of products I have had the opportunity to test out and use this year. While I had to narrow my list down quite a bit, I chose out a few items that I knew I tend to pull for more than others.
- NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams – I wish my local stores sold all the shades available, but nonetheless, I stock up on these when I can. They apply like a liquid lipstick, feel nice on the lips and their matte.
- J.Cat Wonder Lip Paints – these very affordable lip gloss like products are fun and come in a variety of shades. I own six of them and really have been enjoying wearing them the last 6 months or so.
- Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes – these lippies were just recently released within the last few months. They are creamy, feel wonderful on the lips and they don’t dry my lips at all.
- Milani Color Statement Lipsticks – there’s no secret there that I am in love with these lipsticks. Nuff said. lol
- Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencils – ah, these are so awesome. Full with pigment and color, feels wonderful on the lips and non-drying.
- Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Shadows – I love how easy these are to apply to my eyes and they are so easy to grab and use for days when my makeup application has to be quick. So affordable too.
- Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette – I have a few favorite palettes from this year, Lorac Pro 2, Lorac Mega Pro and so many more… but if I had to choose one palette I thought really hit it home for me this year – it was the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. And, I’m not gonna lie… my Semi Sweet palette is on its way – so I am excited for that too.
- Benefit Porefessional – While I don’t use many face products, I do sometimes look to primers to help minimize pores. This is still one of my all time favorite face products.
- Maybelline Baby Skin – Instant Pore Eraser – I love the way this product feels on my skin. Just like the Benefit Porefessional, this is a product I do not use often, but when I do – it helps my products in longevity (like blush and bronzer) and minimizes my pores
- NYX Sunkissed Radiant Face Powder – One of my all time favorite highlighters I used this year, this product feels so soft, is finely milled and blends great on the skin. It can be used as an all over face powder or on special areas on your face.
- NYX Matte Bronzer in Deep – This is one of my favorite Matte bronzers from the drug store. This product is the right shade for me and the shade range is nice for a drug store brand. It blends nicely, doesn’t look patchy on and works as a great all over bronze or contour.
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders Palette – this palette is well worth the cost for the amount of product you get. If you are interested in diving into Hourglass – this is a great way to try three of their powders. I love Radiant Light as one of my favorite sunkissed highlights though all of the shades definitely have a place in my heart.
- Milani Baked Blushes – Come on now… we all know I love Milani and I am a huge lover of Milani Baked Blushes. They are available in gorgeous shades and are very pigmented, have awesome staying power and are some of my favorite blushes to bat.
I love sweet smelling scents and this year no matter how large my collection of fragrances, I still found myself consistently pulling for these.
- Malin+Goetz Dark Rum Eu de Toilete – this scent is unlike any I have smelled before. It’s unisex so man or woman can wear it. It’s a musk like scent but has a soft hint of feminine touch. I can’t explain it. I love layering it with some of my favorites for a custom blend.
- Coach Love – this is one of my signature scents and it makes so much sense seeing as I love the brand Coach. Definitely one of my favorites. Soft with a hint of sexy.
- Aquolina’s Pink Sugar – There is just something I love about a sugary sweet or vanilla scent and this one really takes the Cake. lol
I am always looking for the perfect mascara and eye liners and while I have quite an extensive collection, I tend to gravitate to the same ones over and over again regardless of my selection available for use. These are some of my favorites from this year.
- L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara – I really love that this mascara gets all my tiny little lashes and makes them visible. For the price tag, I think it offers great volume and some length that work for me.
- Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara – this one has been a favorite now for about two years. Since I have short lashes, I love that this coats my lashes, gives them great volume and make them visible for me.
- Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara – still one of my favorites into the second year of use and I have continued to purchase over and over again. Gives me length, volume and doesn’t flake.
- New York Color Liquid Eye liner – while this isn’t waterproof, I still love that it lasts on me for quite a while, definitely a favorite of mine and under $3.00 – it can’t be beat.
- Mally Beauty Evercolor Waterproof Liners – Midnight is probably one of my favorite liners, though I do have a few other colors and love them.
- Jordana 12 Hour Made To Last Liquid Pencil Liner – these are some of my favorites and I have them in every color available. They work well on my waterline, apply smoothly and hello – they are under $3.00
I know my list of products is long and I would be lying if I didn’t say that I actually narrowed it down quite a bit. Truth be told, I had a lot of fun testing out and trying new products this year and it definitely reflects on the products I enjoyed using and selected. I think the joy in beauty products and makeup for me is that the options are definitely endless… from drugstore to high end brands, now a days you have so many choices available for you – it really is difficult to narrow down favorites when so many of them are close calls. Did you notice I left out nail polish? If I included those… I would need a whole new post. lol
I’m definitely looking forward to 2015 and all the new releases and products that will become available soon. Brands are constantly developing new formulas and shades, colors and textures that it makes for a great selection. I hope you all stick around and read or watch about those products here as I love to share them with you.
Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday season. And, don’t forget to stop by the other lovelies posts from the Beauty Council and see what made their top picks for 2014.
33 Comments
Great list! And I’m totally in agreement with you about Milani blushes, these are drop dead gorgeous 🙂
I’m glad to see you made it to this roundup! Great list of best beauty products!
Great picks! There are so many products in your list that I have to try!
Great list! I want to try the Too Faced palette.
I see a few items on your list that are my faves as well like the milani bella eyeshadows, nyx matte bronzer, and valentia even glow serum.
There are so many great items on here that I use all the time! I snatched up some of my favorites this year.
Great picks! I love Dermorganic!
What an amazing list! I have a few of these things, but definitely see other things to add to my list!
I seriously love so many of the same items ! I can’t wait for the new semi sweet palette.
We share a lot of favourites on that list
I use Cetaphil on my boy’s skin because he unfortunately inherited my super dry and sensitive skin. Great list!
Awesome list! I am right there with you on the coconut oil, and on Pink Sugar! I fell head over heels with that scent this year!
Wow, I’m seeing so many brands/products that I love too on your list including the Valentia Even Glow Serum – who knew that would be so wonderful!
This year has been an amazing year for beauty! I can’t wait to see what next year holds
Awesome post!! WORD on those Milani lipsticks, they’re so creamy good! I’ve got to try that Dove dry oil now.
Awesome, awesome awesome post. Those are some darn good goodies you picked there! I am in love with all the good beauty finds this year!
Awesome picks, love Derm Organic!
So many great products that I must get my hands on! I recently got to try out the J.Cat lip paints and really like them so far. And pore-fect has been in my arsenal for a long while – definitely a necessity! 🙂
So much good stuff this year! For real
I spy so many of my favourites – DermOrganic, Porefessional, Chocolate Bar, the Be Delectable body wash, Cetaphil, J.Cat Wonder lip paints and so on. Great choices!
Happy to see DermOrganic, Too Faced and Bite Beauty on the list
So many great brands! That Too Faced palette looks just amazing.
So many of my favorites are on here!
I loved reading your list, Honey – we share several favorites!
Great picks! Quite a few would be on mine- especially the Maybelline mattes though, they’re amazing!
This is an epic list! So many great choices! I have a few favorites on your list as well. I need to try that Malin+Goetz scent, which I forgot you recd to me ages ago!! Can’t wait to see swatches of your new Choc Bar palette too! I love the original, but haven’t decided if I’ll grab the second one yet.
You and I have very similar taste!! Love seeing a range of high end and drugstore.
Benefit They’re Real is one of my all-time fave mascaras! You have a lot of other products on this list that I love, too. 🙂
You’ve got some wonderful favorites!
I just picked up some more of those Milani eyeshadows. They are bomb dot com. They would make great stocking stuffers!
So many great products here that I’d love to try! Thanks for the helpful guide. 🙂
Some absolutely fabulous picks!
Great list, I agree with so many!