Best of 2013: Make Up!

The last post in my best of 2013 series (see my favourite skincare products here & my favourite hair, bath and body products here!) is dedicated solely to make up, which is one of my favourite things to talk about! It took a little while to narrow my list down enough so that we both wouldn't be here all week, but I got there in the end! As always I'll keep my descriptions brief, but if there's anything you would like a full review on just let me know!

LIZ EARLE SIGNATURE FOUNDATION (£21)
+ This was in my favourites last year and I have loved it just as much this year. My first bottle was sent to me for review and I'm now very happily almost nearing the end of my second bottle. The packaging is lovely, the pump is really good quality and the lightest shade is the perfect match for me. When my skin is super dry I can't wear this because it can cling to dry patches ever so slightly but that's the only fault I can find! It gives a really natural semi-matte finish with a medium to buildable coverage.

MAYBELLINE THE ERASER EYE (£7.99)
+ I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I do, but this is a product I really enjoy using. This doesn't give incredibly high coverage, but it's just enough for those minimal make up days. When I want a little extra coverage I just use a little of the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer and the two seem to work really well together. It blends really easily and feels so lightweight it barely even feels like I'm wearing any make up. Lovely little product!

TOUCH IN SOL MAKE UP BOOMER*
+ This has the cutest name ever but I'm not sure that it's available anymore so I won't talk about it too much. I use this when my skin needs a little extra brightness underneath my foundation and it acts as a lovely primer. If this sounds like something you would like definitely have a look at the Illamasqua Satin Primer, I think they're quite similar!

MAYBELLINE FIT ME POWDER* (£6.99)
+ This is definitely my favourite pressed powder of all time. I've definitely talked about this waaaaay too many times already so I'll keep this brief! The shade 110 is the perfect match for me and somehow, no matter how much I apply in my sleepy state in the mornings, it never looks cakey!

MAYBELLINE THE FALSIES MASCARA (£7.99) 
+ This is pretty much the only mascara I've repurchased constantly for most of this year. This mascara really holds a curl, lengthens and gives a nice amount of volume to my lashes. It doesn't smudge either, which is one of my favourite things about it!

ESTEE LAUDER PURE COLOUR STAY-ON SHADOW PAINT* (£19)
+ These little pots are really lovely! These are one of the only things that actually stay on my oily eyelids all day, so I'm incredibly impressed! I have a few colours and they're all consistent in formulation. This shade is called Halo and it's definitely my favourite, it's really versatile and looks as lovely on its own as it does as a base for other shadows.

SARAH MCNAMARA MIRACLE SKIN TRANSFORMER TINTED SCULPTING BALM* (£14)
+ I have this in the shade fresh rose and it's the most beautiful natural rosy coloured cream blush. It never looks too bright or too dark and it blends so easily. I had never heard of this brand before so I didn't really know what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised and I'm definitely going to have to look into some more of the products in the range!

ESTEE LAUDER PURE COLOUR CHEEK RUSH BLUSH* (£24)
+ If you've always wanted to try a gel blush, I would go for one of these. The colours look incredibly bright in the tube, but they're super sheer and look so natural and pretty when they're blended in. I've tried 2 of the 4 shades and absolutely loved them both - pink patent gives a hint of pink to my cheeks and x-pose rose gives a slightly more pigmented fuchsia glow. A little goes a really long way too, which is always good when a product is on the pricey side. The only down side is that the pump isn't very precise, one full pump gives way too much product so you do have to be a bit careful to not waste any. Worth the extra effort though, they're lovely! 

LILY LOLO SHIMMER STRIPES IN ROSE GLOW* (£19.99) 
+ Lily Lolo is one of my all time favourite make up brands, their products are always such good quality and the colours are beautiful. This is the first of their pressed products I've tried and I loved it from the first time I applied it. Giving the prettiest pink glow to my cheeks without looking too flat or too shimmery and it's definitely my favourite powder blush of the year! It's currently on sale too if you've been thinking of trying it!

STILA CONVERTIBLE COLOUR IN GERBERA (£16)
+ If you stop by a lot, I'm sure the inclusion of this product is no surprise to you! Easily my favourite cream blush of the year, and possibly favourite cream blush of all time, I honestly can't say enough good things about these. This colour in particular gives the prettiest neutral flush to my cheeks and the formula is lovely - it practically blends itself it's so easy to apply. If I use a really good lip balm, I also love this on my lips too, such a good multi-purpose product and worth every penny!

CARMEX MOISTURE PLUS LIP BALM* (£4.29)
+ I'm not the biggest fan of the Carmex that comes in the pot, it doesn't really do a lot for my lips but I've really been enjoying using their new-ish tinted balms. This is the pink shade and it gives a really beautiful light pink tint to my lips that's actually a lot more pigmented than I was imagining. Super smooth to apply and beautifully hydrating, this has become one of my make up bag staples!

L'OREAL GLAM SHINE STAIN SPLASH (£7.99)
+ I know that a lot of people weren't so into these, but I totally fell in love with them this year. Admittedly I don't love all of the colours in the range, but there are a few really wearable ones that I've enjoyed wearing, especially Marylin a beautiful pink. They're long lasting, they don't smudge or wear unevenly throughout the day and they feel comfortable on the lips. They're a tiny bit sticky, but I don't think they're too bad and the fruity scent they have is pretty nice too.

ELF LIP BALM* (£3.75)
+ Another tinted balm favourite over the last few months especially has been this one from ELF in the colour Rose. This feels really similar to the carmex one on my lips just without that classic carmex scent and I love it for the exact same reasons. The pigmentation is really good, it applies smoothly and feels so comfortable to wear. These are so affordable too, I definitely want to get the peach shade in time for spring!

What were some of your favourite make up products during this year? 

I'd love to know so I can try them out next year! 

Love, Jennie

xoxo