As well as looking back on my highlights from 2017, I thought I'd also round up my best beauty products from the past year. I got into beauty in a big way last year, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and actually made an effort (for the most part) with my make-up, I took a real interest in skincare and the ingredients I was putting on my face and I loved trying out lots of new products. You could also call this post my 'All Time Favourite Beauty Products' because I reach for each product that I'll be sharing at least once a week, if not more!
In 2017 I discovered some amazing beauty brands like The Ordinary and Note Cosmetics. I was also lucky enough to try out products from brands who I'd only ever dreamed of using like Kiehls and Charlotte Tilbury. I learnt to take care of my skin using the right products and use make-up to enhance my features, not cover them up.
One big thing I learnt about beauty in 2017 is that it's very personal. A foundation that could work for me and be the best thing ever might not work for the next person and leave them with a terribly oily face. The same goes for the latest hot make-up trend that might look flawless on that MUA you follow on Instagram, but you just can't seem to pull it off. Beauty and make-up are completely up to you and your own personal preference.
With all that being said, let's see which beauty products stood out to me in 2017 shall we?
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
If you follow me on Snapchat, you'll have surely seen me with this peeling solution on which looks quite like you've smeared beetroot all over your face. I bang on and on about The Ordinary and how amazing their products are for such a cheap price (you can read more about the brand here) but honestly, they are amazing, this peeling solution especially. It helps to take away most of the texture my skin has (something I struggle with) and leaves my skin super bright and smooth.
L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks
I'm a total face mask addict and I ain't afraid to admit it. I love popping one on every few days to sort my skin out, or give it some love. In 2017 I discovered the Pure Clay masks by L'Oreal and they quickly became my favourites. In particular I love the Glow Mask for brightening my face and giving it a good scrub and the Detox Mask for pulling out any nastiness in my skin. I think these masks are really reasonably priced and you get so many uses out of just one pot.
Kinvara 24 Hour Rosehip Serum
Like I mentioned earlier, 2017 was the year I really started to pay attention to the ingredients in my skincare products, so brands like Kinvara who are all natural really appealed to me. This serum in particular made a huge difference with my skin which is no surprise as it's packed with lots of vitamins, antioxidants and plant extracts. It promised to leave my skin glowing and that it did, even if I'd only had a few hours sleep the night before!
L.O.V RoyaLINER
This is another product that I feel like I haven't shut up about since I first tried it but it's honestly just amazing. I often get asked how I do my winged liner so well and this eyeliner has to take all of the credit. The super fine pen makes it so much easier to have complete control over where you're drawing the line. It also lasts so well too, so there won't be any of that annoying transferring and smudging.
Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink
This might sound like a bold statement but these are hands down THE BEST matte liquid lipsticks I have ever used, ever. Seriously, if you love a matte lip that will not budge, you need to try this offering from Maybelline. I have worn this particular red shade, Pioneer, so many times now and it's the perfect red (you know the kind that makes your teeth look whiter). They do take a bit of effort to get off but if you use an oil cleanser it's much easier.
Note Luminous Moisturising Foundation
My goal used to be to have the most matte skin possible, which if I'm honest wasn't the best look. Since I have quite an oily T zone, I would never have dreamt of using any kind of 'luminous' or 'moisturising' foundation. Then I tried this beauty from Note Cosmetics and now I'm obsessed with the glow it gives my skin. It doesn't leave my face super oily, and a bit of translucent powder on my T zone keeps everything set.
Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil
I love the entire brow range from Benefit, but the Goof Proof Brow Pencil was the brow product I reached for the most. It really is a goof proof pencil and I can do my brows so quickly with it. I also loved the Precisely My Brow Pencil too as it's a super fine pencil, so perfect for adding hair like strokes for a really natural look.
L'Oreal Paradise Mascara
If I could tell you to try just one product out of this entire post, it'd be this mascara. I wear mascara everyday, even if I wear no other make-up and I like to think I'm somewhat of a mascara connoisseur so when I say this mascara is the best I've ever tried, I don't say it lightly! It gives my lashes amazing volume, a bit of a curl and it stays put, which is the most important part to me because I had mascaras that end up crumbling off throughout the day. In the past I've used Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara and Urban Decay's Perversion mascara (both of which are brilliant, but are over €20) and I really do think the L'Oreal Paradise mascara is so much better and it's cheaper too!
Flormar Terracota Blush On in Pink Bronze
As well as embracing a more glowy base, in 2017 I also started to wear blush. I'd always just used a bit of bronzer, or nothing at all on my cheeks and now since using a blush, I can't believe the difference it makes to your complexion. In particular I've loved the Terracota Blush On from Flormar in the shade Pink Bronze, it's the perfect colour for me and it also has a bit of a shimmery bronze in it too so it's great for adding warmth as well.
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette
This has honestly been one of my most loved beauty products from the past year. You know when you find an eyeshadow palette that just works so well for literally every occasion? Obviously this palette was designed to be like that, with four looks ranging from a subtle day look to a vampy disco look, and I've gotten so much use out of it. It's also been very handy for me because I'm not the best when it comes to eye make-up. I tend to stick to my usual make-up safety blanket of a light matte shade all over my lid and a matte brown shade blended into my crease, so this palette has helped me to try out different looks.
LanaiBlo Hair Dryer
I couldn't write this post without mentioning the LanaiBlo hairdryer since I use it almost everyday. I've raved about it to anyone who will listen for the last year, and even my hairdresser ClĂona has had to listen to me rabbiting on about it. When I first got the LanaiBlo, I had a full head of hair extensions and with my old hairdryer it would take so long to dry my hair that my arms would ache. With the LanaiBlo, it dried my hair so fast and left my hair looking super sleek and not one bit frizzy. If you're looking for a new hairdryer, this is definitely one to check out.
Wet Brush Shine Brush
Another thing that's really made a difference to styling my hair and my hair's general health is the Wet Brush Shine Brush. It features both natural boar bristles and flexible bristles to prevent your hair from getting snagged and snapping. I can brush my hair straight after getting out of the shower without pulling loads of it out and the boar bristles help to smooth my hair and make it super shiny.
Moroccan Oil Dry Texture Spray
Why is it that we always want what we don't have? I have quite straight hair, but yet I feel so much more like myself with a big head of curls and the Moroccan Oil Dry Texture Spray has helped me to achieve that messy, bouncy look that actually lasts all day. Once I have curled my hair, I'll lift up and separate the curls and spray this all over my hair and it gives it the nicest texture. It doesn't leave my hair feeling crunchy, and it also lasts so long that I'll wake up the next morning with my curls still perfectly intact.
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Cleansing Oil
I've been a longtime fan of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate which is a gorgeous oil that really looks after your skin, so when I heard that they were bringing out a cleansing oil in the same range, I was so excited. As I mentioned above, I used to think that because I have oily skin, that I should avoid using any kind of moisturising or oily products on my skin, but I was totally wrong. This cleansing oil has the same relaxing lavender scent as the Concentrate and melts away make-up so easily, leaving my skin really clean and soft.
What are your best beauty products from 2017? Were there any beauty finds that were so good you just had to tell anyone and everyone about?
I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you try out any of the products I've mentioned, let me know how you find them!