2014 beauty favourites

First, let me extend my apologies for the delay in this post. I'm probably the last person to be blogging about my 2014 favourites, but there we go! I must also apologise for my lack of posts over the last six months, but I actually started a new (and my first) full time job back in August, and I feel as though I have had no time whatsoever. And now, six months have gone past.. crazy!

I thought it would only be right to have my first blog post of 2015 as a look back at my favourite beauty products that I used last year. I did consider listing one item from each category, but this way I feel is more honest as I have had to whittle it down to only the best products.

Let's get into the products..

Soap and Glory Archery brow tint & precision shaping pencil in 'Love is Blonde'
First up, my eyebrow saviour – for the girl whose eyebrows grow like no one else’s. I’m not being dramatic here, they literally do grow in a different direction – ie. upwards instead of along. This felt pen/wax pencil hybrid was first discovered at the end of 2013 (I think) and I’ve been through 3 since! I originally loved the pen, and my only complaint was that it seemed to dry out/flatten the nib quite quickly, but it was worth it! I have had such a struggle over the years to find something that works with my eyebrows – both the texture and the colour! I’m naturally blonde but my eyebrows are quite dark, so it’s a matter of finding a dark blonde that isn’t too red toned – enter ‘Love is Blonde’. Later last year however, I discovered that I actually liked the wax end which is quite hard – something I like as waxy textures tend to clog my thick brows (eurgh). Luckily, I hadn’t thrown away all my old dried up pens (hoarder alert!) so I could go back and use all the wax ends.

Urban Decay NAKED 2 palette
Now onto a palette – not exactly original I know, but there is a reason for the hype – it’s gorgeous. I excitedly went into Debenhams looking to buy one of the NAKED palettes, but was torn between number 1 and 2. The pink tones of number 3 didn’t really appeal to me. The assistant in the shop said that the tones of number 2 would suit my complexion better, and as the packaging of number 1 was bound to get dirty in all of 10 minutes, I agreed and happily purchased this one. I love it. Every single night out or special occasion without fail, this has been on my eyes. I love all the shades, but the biggest dents have been made in my standout shades, which are 'Half Baked', 'Snakebite' and 'Busted'. They’re nearly all shimmer shades (bar two), but I do like that in my evening makeup. These shadows are even more gorgeous when you apply them with a damp brush, giving them a foiled appearance. I have definitely got my money’s worth for this palette and I honestly don’t see myself rushing to buy another one anytime soon.

Maybelline Fit Me concealer in 15 'Fair'
This was my concealer of choice last year. I tried quite a few, both drugstore and high end, but I kept going back to this one. It’s got great coverage, but also looks good under the eyes and never goes cakey on me. I personally felt that the colour range was a bit strange – opinions please? I originally bought number 10, but this was slightly too tanned for me. Then I found number 15 and it seemed to be lighter! Am I going mad, or is that right? Very confusing when the number system doesn’t match the norm, but I’ll forgive them as I love the product. At just £5.99 I would definitely recommend giving it a try!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 03 'Hot Pepper' and 06 'Pink Pong'
These lip creams came out last year in a variety of shades, of which I have two. The description ‘velvet’ is very apt as that is exactly what they feel like on the lips, but bizarrely they also feel like a nourishing lip balm. The texture is one of the very best formulas I’ve tried and with this price, you can’t go wrong! I haven’t tried any of the nudes and I’m not really tempted, as with matte finishes like these, I’m more of a bold lover. I do have my eye on the darker red shade, but I think the two I already have have got it covered. They’re really comfortable to wear and last well on me, so they’re definitely a favourite for 2014. I wore the pink shade a lot over summer and it looks gorgeous with a simple winged liner and tanned skin! It’s very rare for me to find a formula I like, especially in velvet/matte finishes, so Bourjois have done a great job with these in my opinion.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
This is the first and only product I have tried from Kiehl’s, bought impulsively in the Florida airport in duty free. The price, as expected, was rather more enticing than it is here! I am tempted to try more from them now, and once my current face cream has run out, I think I’ll be trying something from the Kiehl’s line. This bottle is going to last me for-e-ver! I use it a few times a week (more now that it’s winter time) and it looks like it’s hardly been used! I use a small drop each time, as my skin is quite oily naturally, and it covers my entire face. I can’t say that I’ve woken up and been shocked at my appearance because it’s changed/improved so dramatically over night, but I do really like the product and it’s certainly keeping my skin well-nourished and moisturised now the temperature has dropped.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Painterly'
I also bought this when I was in Florida, in the Mall. I had put off buying it for a while because in all honesty, it’s a rather boring product. It doesn’t show up so who’s going to notice? I will forgive it that though, as I have used it every single day I have worn make up (which is most days). My eyelids are a little bit veiny so this perfectly smooths them out and makes them appear even. It also acts as an excellent base for any eyeshadow I put on top of it, stopping the dreaded creasing that happens ALL THE TIME. The colour perfectly matches my skin tone and I only need a tiny bit each time. I’ve been using this non-stop since June and I have barely made a dent! It’s definitely worth getting, even if it is a bit boring! I store mine upside down as I’ve heard this helps to stop it drying out(?)

L'oréal True Match foundation in N1 'Ivory' and R2 C2 'Rose Vanilla'
I bought this foundation quite early on in the year, then it began to get a lot of coverage from beauty YouTubers and bloggers during the summer months. I have two shades that are suitable for both my pale winter skin and tanned summer skin, but sometimes I just mix the two. It’s a really liquid texture, making it very easy to blend but still maintaining a good level of coverage. My skin isn’t horrendous but I constantly have the odd spot or six, so I like a medium coverage foundation. I think the texture is the thing I like most about this product, and for the price, you can’t go wrong. I only ever use just less than a pump and this covers my whole face with just the right amount of coverage. It sits really naturally on my skin and I wore it for the majority of the year on and off!

Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce texturising spray
I owe this discovery entirely to Amelia Liana. There is so much hype surrounding the Oribe texturizing spray, but I refuse to spend £50 on a hairspray – no matter how good. So when Amelia raved about this one, I was straight into my local Boots and bought it on a two for £8 deal – result! I’ve been repurchasing it ever since. My hair is naturally thick, but because of that it can sometimes get a little weighed down. This adds a nice bit of grit and also a bit of hold, without making it feel gross (I’m looking at you Batiste XXL volume dry shampoo!). My hair sits just below shoulder length and I usually wear it with loose curls at the ends for that Fearne Cotton (I wish) look. This just adds that little bit of extra oomph and I love it. I don’t think I’d ever be tempted by the Oribe version! It’s particularly good on newly washed hair to stop it looking too clean and flat.

Sephora PRO Crease brush '10'
Last but not least (congratulations if you’ve made it this far), is the softest brush I own. I bought this one in America too - my first visit to a Sephora, so as you can imagine it was a lonnnnng shopping trip! I remember this being quite expensive, especially in comparison to my usual Real Techniques brushes, but my goodness it's lovely. I use it most days to really blend out whatever matte brown I've put in my crease and it's perfect for this purpose. I never really apply shadow with it, but simply to blend out it is ideal. Sometimes I find myself just sweeping this across my lids (read: entire face) because it simply is that soft. Highly recommend and well worth the price.


Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed looking back over 2014 with me. Please comment below some of your favourites and if I haven't used them before, I'd love to try them out!

I will try and make more of an effort to update this site more regularly, but my boyfriend and I are in the process of buying a house at the moment so it's all going to get quite hectic very soon!