2017 Favorites: the Best of the Best!

[mrsbaine]

I can't believe we're already at the end of the year! We've missed a couple months of favorites, but I wanted to round it all out to the best of the best for the year. What have you purchased or fell back in love with this year that ended up making the Best of the Best list?! 

Here are mine: 

Makeup: 

Pat McGrath Mothership II Sublime Palette: I have all three palettes and this is the warmest of the three. I love it for everyday and evenings out. The formula is really what attracts me to this one. I love it. 

Becca x Chrissy Tiegan Palette: This was my favorite thing this summer. The blush color is perfect and I enjoyed having Rose Gold and that Nectar highlight. I wasn't so big on the bronzer as I don't wear them, but it made a nice crease color. 

Tom Ford soliel Blush Duo - Paradise Lust: Another summer favorite. I traveled with this all summer and loved that I was so into both shades. It blends so well and gives a great glow! 

Tom Ford Lipstick- Night Mauve: This rosey/coral color is my jam. When I swatched this color, I knew it was totally me. I've been in love with Mr. Ford's lipsticks since getting my first which I think was Reckless. This is the perfect everyday color for me. 

Makeup Favorites

Skincare: 

Uma Oils Clarifying Oil: Total game-changer for me. I just re-purchased bottle #3. This oil is amazing if anything weird is happening with my skin. It clears it up within 2 days. It's a total savior! 

Jordan Samuel Plie Cleanser (now known as After Show): I really like this for a first cleanse/makeup remover. I didn't think anything could beat my last cleanser but this stuff is amazing. It gets every little bit of makeup off and my skin feels so clean afterwards. The best part is the price: $20. 

Uma Oils Ultimate Brightening Mask: Talk about glow when you take this off. It lasts for days. I love this when I have an event I need to be glowy for, or if I'm feeling a little dull.

May Lindstrom The Youth Dew: I found this one last year, but it's the serum I keep coming back to for ultimate hydration and keeping my skin in check. It's expensive but I repurchase it every time. 

May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon: Similiar to the Youth Dew, this is a HG for me. I finished my first one; it lasted about a year, so that totally justifies the price. It helps my perpetually dry/dehydrated skin. 

Trish McEvoy Retinol Eye Cream: Another HG that I've been using for years. Nothing compares, so I simply don't try. 🙂 The only thing that keeps me from having to use a color corrector under my eyes. I don't know what magic Trish is working with but I love this product.  

Skincare Favorites

What are yours?!?!? 

[mermadelove]

@sister13  I REALLY wish it came in waterproof! IT's my new favorite mascara once I figured out how to layer it. I really loved the UD Troublemaker mascara-- until I discovered it is SO not waterproof! IT smudged all over for me when I got sweaty once and when I cried. HOW DARE THEY CALL IT SEXPROOF! Are you having sex with a sloth????

[sister13]

Haha, Troublemaker did nothing for me. I have a full tube I’ll try one more time but it’s most likely getting tossed. It did not build any volume on me, and flaked all over the place! Perversion is one of m all time favorites, So I was excited, but in the end, just no for me.  @mermadelove

[mermadelove]

@sister13  Troublemaker actually gave me GLOSSY volume and length!! I was SOOOOO excited about it. Until it gave me literal raccoon eyes!! I could not believe it since it's sold as a waterproof!! It actually reminded me of Lancome Definicils. I used to use that as a teenager and I am going to try it again to see if it's as awesome as I remember.....

[IciclePop]

Wow.  I just looked back at my purchases throughout the year and apparently I did not own the Kat Von D Shade and Light palette until March of this year!!  That definitely belongs in this list because I think it's the most used palette I have.

I've also been using the heck out of my Kat Von D liquid liners.  Most liquid liners are a bit more difficult to work with than pencil liners, so I used to save liquid liners for when I had a little time to focus on getting it to look right.  But KVD liners are so freaking easy to use that I use them even when I only have a few minutes to get ready!!

Josie Maran Protect & Perfect moisturizer has been a huge winner for me this year, and thank god for that because it was a huge loser last year.  I've had a bottle for ages, and never used much of it because I didn't like how it looked on me.  Then I switched jobs, and my new office was drying my skin out, so I dug this out of my collection, and for some reason it kept my skin moisturized like nothing else could.  So now I'm using it daily.

YSL Black Opium has been the big winner this year as far as perfumes.  And my husband gets the credit, because we were in Sephora together and he said "Hey, smell this one" and it smelled amazing.

As far as skincare goes, it's been the year of Clinique.  I've always liked Clinique for skincare, but this year I bought their cleansing milk, their Moisture Surge moisturizer, their daytime moisturizer, and their nighttime moisturizer, so I'm seeing their brand name all over my bathroom!

[Asche]

Great picks @IciclePop! YSL's Black Opium is one of my all-time favourite perfumes. 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Asche, @IciclePop, I picked up a deluxe sample / mini of the YSL Black Opium recently and have been loving it.  I may have to get the full size soon.

[Ispend2much6]

This year was a big one for me for finding two lipsticks loves that had eluded me so far; my perfect, and I mean perfect, mlbb and nude/everyday shade, and a red that is easy to apply and effortless to wear.

Both are Bobbi Brown lipsticks- Luxe Lip Color in Neutral Rose, and Crushed Lip Color in Ruby.

Neutral RoseRuby

[Anonymous]

I've been impressed with the lipsticks Bobbi Brown has come out with this year - great colors and formula! 

Congrats @Ispend2much6 on finding your perfect MLBB and red lippies this year!  

[Ispend2much6]

@Anonymous  Thanks!  I'm very excited. 

[mrsbaine]

I love the luxe line. It's a great lipstick for sure! 

[Ispend2much6]

@mrsbaine  And those two new colors-  plum rose and red berry are so pretty too- from Temptalia:

 

[Kim888]

@Ispend2much6 I really like the look of that neutral rose - its actually in the reward bazaar right now, i hope its still there next time I order!

[Ispend2much6]

I don't think you'll be sorry!  I've actually seen it as a gwp a few places lately, like at Neiman, Bobbi Brown direct, etc.  @Kim888

[txcatx]

I love this thread! 

These are the products I reached for most often this year. Sorry, weird lighting since I'm never home during winter day light hours. 😢

Eyes: Too Faced Sweet Peach eyeshadow palette, Marc Jacobs Highliner 

Face: Hourglass palette (I was lucky enough to get the 1000 point reward), Nars Man Ray cheek palette, Nars Charlotte Gainsbourg Multiple Tint in Jeanette, Fenty Killawatt highlighter in Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby. Also, Sephora and BIC mods generously chose me for the natural makeup gratis, and I fell in love with Lilah B. bronzer and RMS Champagne Rose Luminizer.

Lips: I was all about coral in the spring and summer and often mixed Givenchy Le Rouge in Coral Gypsophila with Tom Ford Michael. Then the Nars Charlotte Gainsbourg collection came out and I was obsessed with the Lip Tint, particularly in Ephelide. Also, Fenty Gloss Bomb and the Nars summer Lip Glide set.

As for skincare, the clear winners for me are Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta extra strength peels, Farmacy Eye Dew, Dr. Dennis Gross retinol night serum, and Kate Somerville Eradikate acne treatment (ugh, my skin rarely broke out as a teen, but now I have to deal with both fine lines and blemishes!).

[Anonymous]

Great picks @txcatx!  Love the NARS lip glides and the Fenty gloss!

I have been so curious about the Lilah B products!  Will have to check out the bronzer (and some of her other products) soon.  

[Ispend2much6]

@txcatx  I remember seeing your post with Ephelide, and it made me sorry I had missed out.

[mrsbaine]

Great choices @txcatx! The Nars summer lip glid set definitely gets honorable mention from me! It is amazing. I love the colors and the formula of those products. 

I need to play more with the Nars Man Ray Cheek palette. I have it, but don't know how I really feel about it yet. I know I like the formula a lot. 

I totally expect to see a lot of Fenty show up in people's lists. 🙂 

[txcatx]

@mrsbaine I love the highlighter and bronzer most in the Nars Man Ray cheek palette. Especially the highlighter. Funny enough, the blushes in the Hourglass palette are my favorite in that palette, so I tend to grab the Nars palette followed by the Hourglass.

[Kim888]

@txcatx So many good choices!! I also got that hourglass palette and agree it is such a good product from this year - their powders are beautiful! 

[Kim888]

so fun @mrsbaine !!

Makeup 

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed- Prismatic Amethyst: This is my favorite highlight - I just love the color its so pretty 

WANDER BEAUTY - Wanderlust Powder Foundation: I've been loving this powder foundation - it's so quick and easy during the week! 

NARS - Velvet Lip Glides: Love these lippies - they are so comfortable and leave such a pretty stain behind! 

Skincare/Hair care: 

Clarins - Lotus Face Treatment Oil: This is the best product I have found this year - it has helped so much with the hormonal under the skin pimples I always used to get on my chin!  

DRUNK ELEPHANT - T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum: My skin loves this, its a holy grail item for me! 

PHILOSOPHY - The Microdelivery Resurfacing Peel: Got this during weekly wow and the glow it gives is just instant! Every time I'm going somewhere special I use it before and my whole face looks so glowy! 

BRIOGEO - Rosarco Milk™ Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray: Been loving all their products this year but the leave in conditioner makes my hair look so shiny, people have actually commented! 

Sephora Collection Face Masks: Love the Sephora Sheet masks - they have the perfect amount of serum inside and the masks are soft and non scratchy! 

[ashlynaf]

I LOVE the Microdelivery Resurfacing Peel! I've been consistently using it for years.