Makeup I Loved Most in 2013

I love a brand spanking new year, come January 1st and I'm all about getting organised and setting way too many harsh and specific resolutions (after a huge dose of festive cheer I can handle the punishment!) Overall 2013 was quite a good year for me, after moving house in December it ended on a total high- it's something I'd been planning for ages and at times felt like it was never going to happen. While there were a few moments that weren't so great, I think experiencing a low point now and again means you can appreciate the good times even more (ooh, check me out getting all philosophical). I'm amazed by the progress that this blog has made over the last twelve months, and I've hit some milestones that have had me doing a happy dance around my bedroom (cool, calm and collected were never my strong points, can't you tell?) I'm really excited to see what 2014 has up it's sleeve, and for the first time in a long time I have a spring in my step and feel genuinely pretty content. It's definitely been a year for trying new products, and I've found some gems that I'd never be without now. Here's a rundown of some of the products I loved most over the last twelve months; there were at least twenty more things that probably deserved a mention, but I've tried to keep it to my very favourites in the interest of this post not turning into an essay!

Face Products
Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
You might notice that there's no foundation here- unfortunately it's not that I don't need one, I'm just yet to find one that ticks all the boxes for me. Day to day I tend to use Revlon Colourstay which I like, but I can't help to feel that it's not 'the one' and is more of a fling than a long term foundation relationship. Okay, that sounded weird. I was never a big concealer fan until I started using Collection's Lasting Perfection. I absolutely love the stuff now, and can even get away with just that and a bit of powder (Rimmel Stay Matte, to be precise) on light makeup days. I haven't photographed mine because it looks, quite frankly, rank- anyone who owns it will know how quickly the outer packaging fades leaving you with a manky looking tube. Benefit Hoola is a product I'd never be without, the perfect matte cool toned shade that's ideal for both contouring and bronzing. At £23.50 it's not the cheapest, but I've had mine for a year and haven't hit pan yet. I know for a fact it will be a repurchase when the time finally comes!

Cheek Products
Mac Peaches, Etude House Grapefruit Jelly Blush, Bourjois Cream Blush Nude Velvet, Elf Cream Contour Palette in St Lucia
If you've read any of my previous posts then you might know that I'm partial to a good matte peach blush, these are the ones I've switched between throughout the year and genuinely love and recommend them all. The Elf cream contour palette is a product I reach for when I'm going all out with my makeup, I usually contour and apply the cream blush and then go over the top with powder products. That probably sounds like an insane amount of makeup, but it doesn't look to overdone all once it's all finished and blended in. I haven't included a highlighter here because it's not something I wear that often, but when I do it's Lightscapade by Mac- I like that it's sheer and not too sparkly so is subtle enough for the daytime.

Eye Products
Urban Decay Perversion Eyeliner, Dolly Wink Felt Tip Liner, Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow Pencil, Urban Decay Naked Palettes
My search for the perfect black eyeliner ended once I found Perversion by Urban Decay. It applies with no tugging or scratching at the eye, is smudgeproof and lasts all day on the waterline. The Dolly Wink liner is a product I received in a beauty box swap, I don't think I'd have ever thought to try a felt tip style liner but I'm a total convert now. Urban Decay's eyeshadow pencil in Sin is another product I use every time I do my makeup, it's a great base for any eyeshadow look and can be used to highlight the inner eye corner too. It might seem a bit premature including Urban Decay's Naked 3, but it basically represents all three Naked palettes. While I favour the second and third, all three are gorgeous and I know I'll be getting a lot of use from these rose gold hues of goodness. I've also loved using my custom Mac palette this year, two of my most worn shades being Cranberry and Expensive Pink.

Lip Products
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey, Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons in Red Sunrise and Peach on the Beach, Mac Please Me, Kate Moss by Rimmel Shade 26
I do love a good lip crayon, I can't deny it. As addictive as lipsticks are, when it comes to practical daily use when you're rushing out of the door in the morning I think lip crayons are an easier and less high maintenance choice. My most worn lipstick has probably been Mac's Please Me, I love this thing it's so wearable and goes with anything. I always go for Kate by Rimmel's '26' with a really dark smokey eye when I'm getting dressed up, and is my all time favourite nude shade. While there are lots of red and berry shades that I love and have worn a lot this autumn/ winter, these five are products that I've consistently picked out all year round.

What makeup product/s did you love most in 2013?
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