Favourite makeup of 2014

2014 is drawing to a close, a year which has go by so quickly, but a year with amazing beauty releases and products which have kept me addicted all year. I always love doing the end of year favourite products round-up posts; sharing the products I’ve loved using the most, the staples I now couldn’t be without. These are my favourite makeup products of 2014!

Bases & Cheeks

The Antipodes Performance Plus Mineral Foundation with SPF15 is one of the most amazing bases I have ever used. It’s easy to apply (I find flat-top kabuki’s best), with a medium coverage that leaves a beautiful natural finish, leaving my complexion looking healthy and happy. It manages to mask any blemishes and redness with ease, whilst being the most long-lasting base you could ever try – I never need to powder or touch-up when using this base, its incredible! I use shade Medium Beige 03 which is a perfect match for my skin tone, a base I’ll be sure to repurchase for years to come (full review here).

My second most used base of the year has been the Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick, which is my go-to base when I want to achieve a flawless complexion. It’s a medium to full coverage base which can easily be built up, working  to cover any imperfections whilst leaving a natural looking finish. I use shade Nude, applying from the stick before blending in with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. This is another great long-lasting base and works perfectly with my skin no matter what season (full review here).

A high-street favourite and absolute must-have for me is the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant RetouchPressed Powder – a fantastic dupe for the loose Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder (read review here). I use my Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply; it leaves no trace on the skin despite its yellow tone, and keeps oil at bay with ease. I never leave the house without it! (Full review here).

My ultimate bronzer for over 2 years now, NARS Laguna Bronzer is still my most-used go-to bronzer which I can turn to any time of year for a natural looking glow. A cool toned bronze with taupe undertones, it’s a shade which would work well with most complexions and can be built up for a contour or simply used to add warmth. I’m not quite sure what I would do without this beauty in my collection! (Full review here).

When the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush range was released I pre-ordered two shades before even seeing swatches, and when they arrived all the excitement seemed to disappear and I didn’t use them for months. Now? Dim Infusion is an everyday must-have for me and my most-used blusher of 2014. One of the paler shades in the range, this works as a lovely multi-tasking wonder for me being perfect for a blush all year round, but in the warmer months when my skin has caught the sun, it also works amazingly well as a very subtle highlight. I’ve become quite fond of this beautifully packaged and designed blush.

Eyes

A shadow I can’t get enough of as a perfect wash of colour as well as a fantastic base when teamed with other shadows is the Clarins Ombre Matte Cream-to-PowderEyeshadow in 02 Nude Pink. The perfect shade; a super pale cool-toned pink, it has the most amazing formula I’ve ever come across for cream-to-powder shadows (full review here).

Deciding on my favourite eyeshadow palettes was actually more difficult than I thought, but there’s two which I turn to more than others, palettes which have seen me through all seasons. My prized possession and still my most favourite piece in my makeup stash, I am still utterly besotted with the Charlotte Tilbury The Vintage Vamp Luxury Palette. A colour-coded palette, there’s four beautiful shades to prime, enhance, pop and smoke. With incredible quality, amazing pigmentation and formulas which are a dream to both apply and blend, I think this will forever be my favourite makeup buy (full review here).

I created my own Inglot Freedom System Quad at iMats back in July (see my iMats haul here), and it’s a brand I definitely plan on exploring more in 2015. A brand who makes creating your own palettes easy with their super budget-friendly prices, the formula of each shadow, regardless of finish, is beautiful. Buttery soft powders with no chance of fall-out, great colour pay-off and a long-lasting formula that lasts all day, even with my naturally oily lids. You can check out my full review and shade choices here.

Although I have a few high-end favourites where mascaras are concerned, there’s one high-street offering which has really impressed me this year. A new release for 2014, the Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara is the quickest way to achieving voluminous lashes. It effortlessly makes my lashes appear thicker, fuller and longer, without any smudging or transferring throughout the day (full review here).

A liner I have become obsessed with this year, and an overseas purchase from Sephora, is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, a true deep black liquid liner that allows super precise application with its angled brush tip. This stuff is incredible; once applied it sets with no smudging or budging, with amazing longevity that leaves your liner looking freshly applied all day. Well worth picking up if you plan on a Sephora visit/order soon (and you can find out more about Sephora International shipping and costs here).

Lips

A high-street range I have adored and built up quite a collection from is the Maybelline ColorSens Nude Lipstick range. My favourite shade from the range is 728 Honey Beige, a stunning warm nude that feels comfortable and moisturising when on. The colour pay-off is pretty darn good for a high-street offering, and fairs well through eating and drinking (full review here).

As the colder months set in, my love for deeper, warmer shades quickly returned and I’ve been embracing Sephora’s own range with a few of my most reached for favourites. The Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain range has taken the blogging world by storm since Sephora started offering UK shipping, and they are easily some of the best lip products I have tried. Without a doubt my favourite liquid lipstick, the formula is spot on; just the right consistency that feels comfortable on the lip, providing the most intense colour pay-off and the best longevity I’ve ever come across in a lip product. Once these beauties are on, they’re set to last all day! I have a few in my stash now, but my current favourite is 04 Endless Purple, a stunning deep plum. The perfect winter shade! Teamed with the Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liner in 09 Pleasant Plum, and we have a winning lip combo right there!

Last but not least, and another Sephora favourite, is the Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in 10 Red Essence; a warm red with lovely cranberry undertones. This range is a new find for me and one I can’t stop reaching for. It has a perfect formula just like the cream stains, but with a less intense finish. With a slightly glossy finish (without that sticky feeling of a gloss), the pigmentation and longevity is just as amazing as the other Sephora Collection products in my stash. This has been a favourite for me over the colder months, as it goes perfectly with any look and the slight gloss finish provides a lovely naturally looking fullness.

What are your favourite makeup products of 2014?

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