Best of 2018: Makeup
I admit this title is misleading, as it’s in no way a comprehensive assessment of stuff that came out in 2018. Firstly, I don’t buy that much makeup any more. Mind you, I still buy much more than an average person, but I don’t test as much as I do with skincare (partly because I don’t use makeup every day). Secondly, out of the new stuff I tried, most wasn’t better than my older favourites. I only wanted to include things I truly like and regularly use, so this is a bit of a mix of things. Be as it may, I hope it’s still helpful for some of you, so here we go.
1. Foundation: Cle de Peau Radiant Creamy Foundation. I bought a couple of good foundations this year: YSL All Hours Foundation and Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick chief among them. However, for some good coverage, Cle de Peau is still my first point of call. It is more natural and easier to use than the other two and just looks beautifully polished. In the same high-coverage camp is Armani Power Fabric (which I don’t own), also very good. CdP is the least matte of them all and the most expensive. I dread the day when I run out.
2. Highlighter/primer: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. This one was actually launched in 2018, so bonus points for me! I never thought I would use this product as much as I do: I put it on my face almost every time I wear makeup. I like it best under foundation for some subtle glow, but sometimes I add it on top for a natural highlight or mix with a foundation that is too matte for me. It just makes me look less dead. This is pretty much all I want my makeup to do these days.
3. Powder: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder. I am not a powder person, but IF I use one, I use this (another 2018 launch). If you need a very mattifying powder, this is not it. If you need something that tones down the shine nicely, sets everything in place and does not look cakey or powdery, this is very much worth looking into. Gorgeous, finely milled, light stuff. If your skin is darker, look out, however. I don’t think it’s entirely transparent and doubt it would work well for medium+ skins.
4. Mascara: Lancome Monsieur Big and Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara. To be frank, these aren’t the most amazing mascaras I’ve ever used, but they are really nice and came out this year. I think. I could not choose between them, so I put them both in: I find them quite similar in their effect, giving me longer and more voluminous (but not mega voluminous) lashes without any issues like flaking or smudging. If you want a drugstore option, L’Oreal Lash Lifting and Lengthening Washable Mascara really does give long lashes, but I found the result a bit too stiff for my taste.
5. Eyeshadow: Surratt Beauty Lid Lacquer in Kira Kira. This translucent eye gloss is my favourite makeup product of the year and of course I couldn’t locate it when I was taking the picture. It is entirely effortless to use (I just dip my finger in and pat/smudge) and as it’s transparent, it’s not a huge deal if it moves or creases a little. It gives light and life to your eyes – and face, if you feel so inclined – and has grown-up unicorn vibes, as it’s pretty glittery.
6. Blush: Glossier Cloud Paints. I always prefer liquid and cream blushes to powder ones and Glossier formula is one of my absolute favourites. It looks natural, you need very little and it lasts reasonably well (depending a bit on what you have underneath). All the colours are great, too. In my opinion, one of the best things (top 3) Glossier has ever done.
7. Lipstick: Pat McGrath. If you are serious about your lipsticks, McGrath has to be on your list. I own two: MatteTrance in Flesh 3 and LuxeTrance in Madame Greige and both are great. I prefer the second formula, as it’s less matte (although still rather matte for my preferences). If you like that sort of thing – I know people who adore super matte lips -, these lipsticks are among the very best, as the pigment and intensity are amazing. For me, I’m lusting after her new, shinier formulas.
8. Kjær Weis makeup. What I have on the picture is the blush in Sun Touched (it’s a cream, of course), but I’m more making a case for the brand as such. They were doing the organic and sustainable thing when everyone else hadn’t even heard of kale. So if you are looking for sleek, great quality green (maybe a bit exclusive) makeup and budget is not an issue, this KW is very much worth investigating. I also love their colour options, they are sophisticated and non-obvious.
What about you? Any amazing makeup discoveries this year? And I realise my list is very skewed towards the high-end, as I tend to prefer the textures and colurs of pricier stuff and really don’t want to buy items I only use a few times. So please do share your affordable finds!
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Thank you for this post! Best-of lists are my favorite, and yours are always superlative. In other words, I learn something new. For example, I’d really love to try Cle de Peau’s foundation. I’ve used their concealer for years but I’ve never branched out into other offerings. My best personal discoveries this year are two products that are easy and give me a put-together look in seconds: Hourglass Illusion Skin Tint and the aforementioned Caution Extreme Mascara. I reach for these just about every day. My newest obsession is IT Cosmetics Vitality Flush Reviver. It’s dewy on the cheeks without being shiny and it’s beautiful on the lips too. The color (I have the rose shade) is lovely.
Cle de Peau and Koh Gen Do foundations are two I would highly reommend if one is 1) fair and 2) not on a tight budget. CdP – at least the one I have – is amazing for coverage (you only need a ridiculously tiny amount) and KGD Aqua is perfect for very natural days. I am very tempted to try that Hourglass skin tint and the IT Cosmetics flush sounds lovely, too.
I always enjoy your best of posts. I also tend to buy more skincare than makeup these days but as I wear it almost every day, there were a few new discoveries. I love the Hourglass Vanish stick although Power Fabric is still my favourite, and the mascara is the only non-tubing one I can wear without smudging. Otherwise, I discovered Besame vanilla brightening loose powder which is fantastic for reducing redness and their powder blusher which I love. Lipstick highlight of the year for me were the velvet matte ones by Lisa Eldridge. L’Oreal Brow mascara and Collection concealer were my top budget buys along with the Isabel Marant matte red lipsticks.
That Besame powder has intrigued me for ages! I am obviously even more intrigued now. I’m sure Lisa’s lipsticks are great, I would have gotten one, but was extremely busy when they were launched; I might take the plunge if they ever come back. And I almost out the Isabel Marant lipstiks on my list, too, but felt I didn’t wear them enough.
I love your makeup discoveries! I also got the Monsieur Big mascara recently and I like it a lot. It gives me the results I want. I have naturally long lashes anyway. I tried to use the Too Faced Better than Sex mascara before I got Monsieur Big and the result was a bit over the top, I looked like I wore false lashes, a look I don’t like at all. This is a good mascara, it’s also very easy to apply. But my biggest love this year has been cream blushes. I don’t have access to the Glossier ones but I would get them if I had. Instead, I first started with Kevyn Aucoin cream blushes until the new Shiseido makeup line was released. The Shiseido Minimalist WhippedPowder Blush comes in very unique and beautiful colors. I love the texture more than any cream blush I’ve tried and my personal favorite is shade 03 in Momoko. I still want to buy a few more, for different ocassions and moods. For foundation, the YSL encre de peau is my staple one now but on days where I want only a little bit of coverage I have been using the Ordinary Serum Foundation. Also by the Ordinary, the High-Adherence Silicone Primer has left me very satisfied. I used to love the Estee Lauder Brow Multi Tasker, the pencil that contains a powder, until I discovered that the Maybelline Brow Define & Fill Duo which is basically the same and a lot cheaper. I tend to buy high end makeup products because I never end up using my drugstore ones but when it comes to eye and eyebrow pencils, I found that it doesn’t really make a big difference. So this way I’m saving money for lipstick, cream blushes and a good quality base instead. Oh, and Kjaer Weiss and Rituelle de Fille makeup!
I am a big fan of Kevyn Aucoin makeup and it’s a bit weird that I’ve never tried the blushes. Thanks for the tip! The Shiseido line looks vey good in general and is on my list to check out (while simultaneously trying not to buy things I don’t need…). Just to say that the Glossier blushes as more liquidy than traditional creams, so they leave a stain-like result. I think the closest I’ve tried are the Stila liquid blushes, although these are even more liquidy.