A retrospective - your best beauty buys In 2018

[Sarcelle]

I know there are a couple of weeks left until the end of the year but thought it might be a good time to do a reviewing your best beauty buys this year. I figure it might help others with some last Christmas gift purchases too.

Mine have been:

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Primer - this was instant love. It is really effective.
Charlotte Tilbury Blush in Love Glow - I was a bit meh when I first got this but I tend to wear it most days now.
E.LF. Finishing spray - this does make make up last longer
Decleor Aromacleanse Cleanser and Toner - love the smell, I feel like I am in a spa.
Hourglass mascara. Love it.
Nivea Soft - I now use this as my moisturiser. Cheap as chips but it really agrees with my skin. (I am done with pricey moisturisers.)
Nivea tinted moisturiser - for weekends and summer.
AD Synergy - lavender face oil. I put this on a couple of days a week.
Body Shop Hemp Handcream - an acquired taste aroma wise but best cream I have tried for my weatherbeaten hands and I have got used to the smell!
Some of the Primark make up - in particular the nail polishes and some of the lipsticks. The nail polishes are about a quid and they last a long time on the nails without chipping. Better than some of the higher end ones (looking at you Chanel).

Worse purchases for me were Morocco-oil Argan Oil for my hair, a Bourjois skin primer thing in Apricot colour (made my face orange), Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick (HG for some, death warmed up on me, horrible texture too), and I spent a stupid amount on a blusher from ByTerry for (gulp) £54 pounds in Platonic Blonde - a shade meant to suit everyone- it doesn't. And the case it too small too hold, it's slippery, heavy and too hard to open. I have it on today but it is not right.

Dyson hair dryer

Chanel perfection lumiere velvet

Wunder2 Lash Extension & Volumizing Mascara-stays put

chanel cream long stay eye shadow

charlotte tilbury flawless filter

microblading for brows

wunder2 longstay eyeliner pencil

Curlsmith Moisture Memory Reactivator - amazing for reviving curls

GOW Vitamin C Serum 23% - Most pleasant texture of any vitamin C serum I've ever used. I also tried the Inkey List's Vit C serum but found it very silicone heavy.

Moisturiser wise I've enjoyed Bobbi Brown's hydrating face cream and Cerave moisturising lotion.

Revlon colourstay foundation - good coverage I like more than much more expensive foundations.

@DukeOfEarlGrey Origins Vitazing is pricey but as a slightly tinted moisturiser I think it gives a lovely glow!

Here’s some reviews

www.google.co.uk/search?q=origins+vitazing&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#lbl=REVIEWS&pie=plaji-i

Laura mercier extreme matte velour lipsticks - really stay put and the “fire” one is the perfect bright red lipstick
The ordinary skincare products - been using the salicylic acid and niacinamide and zinc - really helped clear my hormonal spots along with a few other things
La Roche posay effaclar moisturiser - not new but great
And a late entry purchased with a Christmas gift voucher from work - babyliss big hair styler - brilliant for the badly coordinated like me to recreate salon blow dry. Also not a new product but new for me.

QRX labs acid peels. Super strong and bloody brilliant but no sooner had I discovered it than it was withdrawn from sale in the UK cos of the fekkin EU (too strong apparently 😠).

QRX labs retinol is fab and cheap too.

Super drug Optimum nighttime cleanser. Doesn't get rid of eye makeup, but leaves my skin really clean and soft. Usually hot cloth, but just rinses away.
E45 spray for very dry skin. Unlike the superdrug vit e it actually is a fine spray and made a huge difference to my winter bod.

Superdrug vitamin E hot cloth cleanser and the naturally radiant hot cloth cleanser. Always on offer and cheap as chips. I want to try the superdrug glycolic overnight peel as I've heard good things.

COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid; a step up from Paula's Choice BHA for me (and I loved Paula's Choice). Pores are clearer than ever and it got rid of some stubborn milia.

Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil, tried it when on offer in boots and I love it. Smells like oranges, dissolves my makeup and doesn't break me out.

MooGoo skin brightening cream. It's reduced the appearance of a sun spot on my cheek.

Biggest fail for me is the new estee lauder double wear light foundation. The coverage is rubbish and it sets all patchy. Annoying as the old formula was perfect.

Fab:

Night-a-mins night cream by Origins
Better than Sex mascara by Too Faced
Neal's Yard baby powder (talc free)
Nyx eyeliner
Benefit Hello Happy foundation

Rubbish:

Clinique pep start moisturiser. Greasy
Charlotte Tilburg magic night cream. My face felt really tacky and sticky the morning after.

So this year I've written down everything I've bought, mostly to see how much I spend and what I buy. My best new buys have been:
Barry M colour changing lipstick, not drying and has good staying power.
Altruist suncream, cheap, effective and used in place of moisturiser.
Elemental mineral foundation; good colour match and coverage.

My worst buys have been:
Dior lip glow addict, no real colour and itchy lips.
A perfume from Perfume Parlour , headache inducing.
Superdrug foot peeling socks, did nothing

I plan to keep a record of beauty and clothes buys in 2019, it definitely helps keep track of spending plus I can see what has really worked and what hasn't.

@OHolyNightOwl first apologies for late response. Much appreciated. Not had time to fart never mind look online last few days. Where do you purchase these? Just amazon or eBay?

@sushisuperstar
I have used YesStyle.com twice now (incredible bargains over Black Friday!) and it worked OK. Slow delivery, but otherwise all good!
I have also ordered some bits on Amazon and EBay.

Thank you will look 😊

Guerlain mon guerlain perfume.
Lancôme teint idole foundation
Pixie glow tonic

@Destinysdaughter Thank you, will give the Origins one a try

Hello. Interesting read.

I've been enjoying Maybelline eye tattoos and brow drama, nyx eye crayons and Frankincense day cream by Neal's yard.

Planning on getting GOW vitamin c

Retinol reface. I purchased it from Boots. It has worked on my fine lines near my eyes.

Mac lipstick in general.

NXY eyebrow crayon. Better than the Benefit one and half the price.

Hado labo premium hyaluronic acid lotion - it really is the dog's danglies has made a huge difference to my skin.

Le Petit Marseillais - soaps, buy in bulk from French supermarkets, cheap as chips and lovely.

My Burberry Black parfum - makes me feel like I'm the kind of elegant woman I imagined I would be but aren't when I was a teenager.

My best beauty buys have been Revlon colourstay cream eyeshadow (in the little glass pot) easy to apply and great for days when you just want to look okay with minimal effort.

Skin 111 black celestial eye mask- really improves fine lines & dark circles.

Hourglass ambient palette- made me look a bit more youthful & dewy.

Hourglass caution mascara- doesn’t budge & lengthens my lashes.

By Terry ombré black star eye shadow sticks- lots of different shades that are long lasting & easy to blend.

Forgot to add the Vichy (ever such a long name) Vit C. Pp reminded me. I tried the Ordinary foul gritty Vit C and hated it but the Vichy is just a liquid and made such a difference to my skin.

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara
Benefit Gold Rush blusher - perfect shade for me

@Plentyofpies what's the brand of the retinol stuff you mentioned please?

Mine has been the stuff I’ve bought from Beauty Pie. Yesterday I wore one of their cream shadow sticks and eyeliner, and at the end of the day they both looked perfect despite having a long hot stressful day. I’ve also got their Japanfusion cleanser and the 5-minute Facial which are excellent.

It’s a bit of a palaver as you need to pay a subscription and then have a monthly allowance of what you can spend, but the products themselves are cheap and excellent.