Best in Beauty 2017 (Makeup Edition)

I know this is coming quite late especially as we are already in the second month of the year. However, I love writing my Best In Beauty posts every year and I did not want to skip 2017 because I discovered many gems. Looking over my notes, I can see I have stuck to a few old favourites which already means those products have attained HG (Holy Grail) status in my stash. Right let's get started because it is a long post (as usual)..

Favourite Primers
When it comes to primers, I don't think I have deviated too much from my all time favourite primer which is the Wilko Silk Mattifying Primer. It does contain dimethicone however it does not irritate my skin. It allows my foundation apply very smoothly, prevents shine and helps my makeup last longer. The best part is it cost only £3.00 so it has been repurchased more times than I can count. The next primer I fell in love with is none other than the Fenty Beauty Soft Matte Pro Filt'r Primer which I got along with my Fenty Beauty Haul. I love the classy packaging and the finish it gives my overall makeup is impressive. It is hydrating so it definitely does not feel like you are wearing a primer. It gives a soft focus finish to my foundation and helps my foundation last longer. My last favourite is the Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Primer* which works in two ways- as a primer and as a sunscreen (it has SPF 30). It is one I reach for when I want super flawless makeup.


Favourite Eyeshadow Primer
For Eyeshadow Primer, it will always remain the Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Primer as I am yet to find any other eyeshadow primer that beats it. For the price of £2.50, I highly doubt I will find any that works as well in the same price range. I do like the Urban Decay eyeshadow primers and the Benefit ones but the Essence one stands out. My eyeshadows pop, last a long time and don't crease so it ticks all the boxes for me.

Favourite Foundations
I got to try out quite a few foundations in 2017 and it was really difficult for me to narrow down my absolute favourite foundations. I guess the easiest way was to look back to which ones I reached for the most and which ones were empty. I am definitely going to do a blog post on what I look for in foundations and hopefully a video (fingers crossed). The first is the L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation and it is one of the best foundations I have ever tried. It is a perfect match for my complexion, covers all imperfections, long lasting and a great demi-matte finish. The only sad thing is my shade Creme Cafe 110 is not sold in the UK so I have to stock up from the US which is slightly frustrating. I've also heard the formula sold in the UK does not perform as well as the US one. My next favourite foundation is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Foundation which shook the entire beauty world and beyond. My shade is 370 and I have already finished my bottle. I will be repurchasing soon (although I don't want to pay £6 for delivery which is what Harvey Nichols charge so I am waiting until I pop into Edinburgh). It is the beyond perfect match for my complexion, has an incredible finish and lasts all day. I don't what else I could ever need in a foundation. It's just perfection!


Some other foundations worth mentioning are the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Even Finish Foundation (not pictured above),  Chanel La Teint Ultra Tenue Foundation , Black Opal True Colour Foundation and the Stila Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer*.  They have one or two faults which is why they are not my absolute favourites but they are very strong contenders. I am keen to try out the newly launched Bobbi Brown Weightless Foundation but I have to go in-store to get matched.


Favourite Concealers
I still have different concealers for different purposes. Most people use concealers to highlight and I do that too. However, I also use concealers to conceal some imperfections on my skin that my foundation may not cover (although color correcting works better) and I also use concealers to clean up my brows after I fill them in. For cleaning up my brows, my favourite has remained the Becca Dual Coverage Concealer which has been discontinued. I do have one or two other concealers to try when it eventually runs out but I will sorely miss it as I have stuck to it for years now (I repurchased quite a few when I learned they were being discontinued but this is my last one).


For blemishes, I still love my L.A. Girl Pro Concealers however majority of my foundations have been excellent at covering imperfections so there was not a strong need to use it so much this year. For my highlighting, my absolute favourite has to be the Vichy Dermablend SOS Cover Stick*. I know it will also be great for blemishes but it works so perfectly for highlighting. The shape of the stick means I can get into any corners I want and it applies/blends so smoothly. I am in the shade 55. I have almost finished the one I have and will be repurchasing when next Escentual have their 1/3rd off French Pharmacy products.


Favourite Brow Products
I almost wanted to skip this category because I thought nothing has changed and I realised I added two products that changed everything. My favourite brow pencil still remains the Soap and Glory Brow Filling Pencil (Hot Chocolate). It has become increasingly difficult to get hold of my shade so whenever I find it, I just stock up. I love the pointy tip as it allows me outline my brows with natural strokes.


I was introduced to the Mo'Mineral Brow Powder mid -2017 and I have found it hard to use any other product because it is incredible. The match to my brow hairs is spot on and it is an organic mineral powder. I repurchased another tub because I had ran out of the one I was sent and I will continue repurchasing it. My shade is Brown if you are curious. The last favourite brow product is the YSL Beauty Couture Brow Mascara* which I absolutely love. It keeps all my brows in place especially since I switched to using brow powders. I don't have to worry about my brows getting messy because it helps everything stay in place and last all day.


Favourite Mascaras
This is another category that I have not quite found anything to completely replace my YSL Beauty Baby Doll Mascara. I think it has remained my favourite for almost 3 years now and with good reason. It does everything I want for my small lashes- volume, length, holding a curl and separating my lashes. I love the gorgeous packaging and the only downfall is that it does get dry quickly. Still, I always repurchase whenever there is a discount. The La Roche Posay Respectissime Mascara Volume* was another mascara that really impressed me especially as an every day mascara. It is great at adding volume and lengthening. The bristles prevent clumping so my lashes remain separated. It is a perfect everyday mascara.


I was so surprised that I fell back in love with the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I had run out of my YSL Baby Doll Mascara and I thought I should just use the Roller Lash in the interim and I ended up using it for months. Surprisingly, it gives great length, holds a curl, adds some volume and not very clumpy. I still use and will continue until it completely runs out. I may even repurchase just to have as a back up.  The final product is not a mascara but a Lash Serum which has allowed me use almost any mascara I want. It is the Instant Effects Instant Lash Volumiser* which I would say works as a primer and treatment for my lashes. It helps prep my lashes before my mascara and no matter what mascara I use, the results are impressive. I have also noticed an overall growth in my lashes which was very surprising because I never believed that anything could help my lashes grow. It's an amazing product and I will be repurchasing when it runs out.


Favourite Eyeliners
My eyeliner favourites have remained the same over the years because I tend to stick to them unless a new one launches that sweeps me off my feet. The first favourite is the L'Oreal Superstar Eyeliner which has remained my favourite for a good while now. It has the perfect flick, easy to use and long lasting. Another favourite is the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner* which I was lucky to try out last year. I'd heard a lot of hype about it and I have to say it definitely lives up the hype. I love the size as it is a great fit for my hands and allows me apply my eyeliner without any hassle. The pointy tip is so perfect for any kind of flick and it is long lasting. These two were my absolute favourites from 2017.



Favourite Eyeshadow Palettes
Apart from foundations, I think my favourite makeup product has to be eyeshadows. I just cannot get enough of them and I am always sucked in to get more. I tend to lean towards warm toned eyeshadow palettes compared to cooler toned ones however I do have some great cool toned eyeshadow palettes that have swept me off my feet. My all time favourite eyeshadow palette from 2017 is none other than the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette. I feel like Urban Decay went straight into my heart and created the palette of my dreams. I love everything about the palette from the packaging to the quality of the eyeshadows. I can create so many looks from this palette and it is totally worth the price.



Other palettes worth mentioning are the ones I chose the eyeshadows myself for a custom palette and they include my Makeup Geek Customised Palette and MAC Customised Palette. For Liquid eyeshadows, I fell in love with the Stila Maginificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows. I had the shade Molten Metal* and I also purchased three other minis in Smoky Storm, Kitten Karma and Diamond Dust. I love how gorgeous they look and how easy they are to apply. I have tried two other brands in 2018 and I will be talking about them soon in another post.



Favourite Contour Products
Contouring is a technique I have enjoyed learning more about and I think I definitely improved my technique in 2017. I don't think I have veered away from my staple favourites because these products have been tested, trusted and well loved. The first is the Nude by Nature Contour Kit* which has served me so well both in 2016 and 2017. I am so glad I found a brand new one in my stash because I have made very deep dents in the one I am currently using. I love how natural and buildable this contour kit is and you can hardly go wrong with it. The second favourite was actually the first contour product I ever purchased and I have since repurchased for myself, sister and friends. It's none other than the Sleek Contour Kit. It is well pigmented (so a light hand is necessary) and a good contour match for my complexion. I use the shade Medium. I also have the dark version because I prefer the highlighter section in the Dark Kit.


My final contour favourite is a new product to me but so well loved- the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Trio which contains a contour stick, a concealer and a highlighter all in a stick form. I used to dread using stick contour products because they tend to shift my makeup but these Fenty Matchstix don't do that. They are an absolute dream to apply especially for my combination oily skin. I feel they may be slightly drying for someone with dry skin. I think the price is amazing and I wish the Shimmer Stix came in a trio set too as I want to try out a few of them for a reduced cost.


Favourite Highlighters
I really got into the swing of highlighters in 2017 and I don' think I ever skipped using highlighters like I did in previous years. I usually go for highlighters that compliment my complexion with a natural glow. When I am going out, I am happy to go all the way with the glitter which is why I have quite a few highlighters I loved. My first favourite has to be the Makeup Revolution Baked Highlighter in Rose Gold Lights. While it is a highlighter as the name suggests, I use it mainly as an illuminating blush and it is so gorgeous. When I was moving houses, I could not find it and I had to make a quick order as I had missed it for too long. My second favourite is an oldie but goodie- The Balm's Betty-Lou Manizer. It is a perfect bronze glow for my complexion and I tend to use it almost on a daily basis (I use a light hand because it is well pigmented too). My final highlighter favourite is the Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Candle Light* which I absolutely adore. It is very pigmented so a drop or two is more than enough. I love that I can apply it directly to my face or mix it in with my foundation. It's just gorgeous and I enjoyed it more during Summer.


Favourite Powders
I was not too crazy about powders in 2017 mainly because most of my foundations had a great demi-matte finish which meant I did not need to powder. However, I still had my favourites which came in handy especially when the warmer weather was around. The first is the L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Powder which I love using alongside almost all my foundations. It keeps my face shine free and its long lasting. It also goes well with the matching foundation however there's not much need to use it as the foundation has a great finish.


I also fell back in love with my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette which has three powders in it. They are one of the best powders I have tried as they are finely milled and don't give my face a dull look like some powders do. My final powder favourite is the Collection Pressed Powder which I use mainly to set my under eye concealer and it does such a great job. During Summer, I also used it to mattify my face before I applied foundation and it worked really well. For the price, I can't even complain and I always stock up. I tend to get the Translucent shade as it works well for many complexions.



Favourite Blushes
I don't think I reached for many blushes in 2017 as I used more highlighters. However, I still had some favourite blushes I stuck to. The first on list is the Sainsbury's Boutique Blush in Fool's Paradise* which I think I featured in 2016 Favourites. It's a great everyday blush for my complexion and it is very easy to apple. It fades to a really natural colour on my face at the end of the day which I don't mind at all. My other favourite blushes were from the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette and I love how beautiful the shades are. They are very flattering on my complexion and last a good while through the day. The final blush (which is a highlighter/blush duo in my opinion) is the Fenty Beauty Killawatt Highlighter Duo in Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule. I cannot get over the formula and the shade. It works both as a highlighter and blush for me and I can't think of any product I own which is very flattering on my skin.

Favourite Lip Products

For Lips, I have stuck to my old favourites and I also discovered a new favourite which I use on a daily basis. Just like my 2016 Favourites, my favourite lipstick still remains the ILIA Beauty Lipsticks* and Tinted Lip Conditioners*. ILIA is an organic brand which I adore and I have loved their products for a good while. Their lipsticks come in a unique sturdy packaging, have great colour pay off and fantastic shades. I love how well they wear on my lips and I tend to only reapply once a day. My favourite shades are Perfect Day, These Days and Jump. They were my most worn shades and I still find myself reaching for them even now.


My second favourite is the By Terry Rouge Velvet Liquid Lipstick and I don't think I have tried any similar formula. My favourite shade still remains Pause Cappuccino but I am tempted to try out other nude shades. It is long lasting (almost all day) and has a great wand that helps pick up and apply the product really well.


My final favourites are the Stila All Day Liquid Lipsticks* which have been my current favourites since I got them. I have the mini size set which came with 8 gorgeous and wearable shades. I have been wearing the nude and pink shades almost everyday to work and they are fantastic. They have a great finish (not too dry), wear really well on my lips and I have not had any issues with them.


I wanted to give a shout out to these NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Liquid Lipstick  which lived in my makeup bag almost all year round and I used them for touch ups on the go. I love their formula, wear time and the array of shades available although I am sticking to their nude shades. I have the shade London and Abu Dhabi which look very similar but are quite different. London is more of a nudey nude while Abu Dhabi is more of a pinkish brown nude.

My all time favourite brand from 2017 is Fenty Beauty and it is one of the few brands that have impressed me. They will continue to get my coins and I can't wait to see what else they have in stock in 2018. If you made it to the end, I really appreciate it. I even got tired while writing this post but I did not want to leave any product out. I hope you enjoyed this post. What was your favourite makeup product in 2017?
*PR Sample + Affiliate links used, read my full disclaimer here.