For my final 2019 wrap-up, I wanted to run through my beauty favourites; the stand out products I found best worked for my oily/combination but dehydrated complexion. Rather off-handedly, I mentioned a few times my efforts to do a bit of a “Project Use It Up” in 2019 – something I hope to continue this year. As someone who has the potential to receive so many new products, this was an important limitation for me to set in place to balance the number of beauty products entering my stash. The one place that I really noticed a difference? Skincare. More than ever, I realised just how much my complexion craved consistency. Trying out new launch after new launch can really take its toll, especially if you have sensitive skin like me.
I’ve shared a rather lengthy round up over on my YT channel which you can watch (if you’d prefer to do so HERE), otherwise I’ll be breaking it down into makeup, skincare, and miscellaneous beauty favourites below.
MAKEUP FAVOURITES
FOUNDATION | Let’s kick off my 2019 Beauty Favourites with the one foundation that really stood out to me; the Dior Backstage Face + Body Foundation. I bought this during winter, as many of the foundations I owned were too light, and I had been dying to give it a go. And I was immediately smitten. Even now, this is the foundation you’ll spot me wearing the most. It has a dewy finish, and can be built from light to medium coverage, up to fuller coverage if you so desired. Because the formula is more wet, it doesn’t settle into fine lines, rather blurring them, and I like how this just evens out my skin tone. Often I’ll just wear this without any concealer.
CONCEALER | For the most part, I’ve kicked the habit of using concealer in my routine. I’m not sure if it’s the result of a consistent skincare routine, or if I just got lucky with the pregnancy, but I haven’t had many spots to cover up of late. I also tend to prefer the look of an even complexion, over one “highlighted” in certain areas. I feel it looks a bit more natural. For days when I need that extra coverage though, I’ve been reaching for the L’Oreal True Match Concealer. I love how lightweight this formula is. It blends out seamlessly, doesn’t get overly settled into fine lines, and I like the way it looks on my skin. Plus it’s affordable!
PRIMER | It was in 2019 that I truly discovered how much of an impact skin prep has on your base. It prompted me to rethink the products I use, and also heavily incorporate a great primer into my routine. The one that’s stood out as a favourite is the La Mer Hydrating Illuminator. This is a thick cream primer, which feels nourishing on the skin and leaves a touch of shine – great if you want to glow through your foundation. I actually love the way this looks on my complexion alone, as it adds a soft luminescence to the skin.
BRONZER | There’s two bronzer favourites I wanted to highlight – a cream and a powder. For cream bronzer, I don’t think you can look past the Clinique Chubby Stick (Contour). This is one of the most foolproof cream products I’ve used. It can be built up easily, has a good amount of warmth to it, and it doesn’t require much effort to blend out. Use fingers, a sponge, a brush – all three will do the trick!
For powder bronzer, I’ve been obsessed with the Marc Jacobs Omega Bronze in “Tantalize”. Not only is the pan on this thing HUGE, but the formula is perfection too. It’s very finely milled, and is undetectable on the skin once blended out. It’s a matte formula (my preferred), and a little goes a long way. Pretty sure it’s going to take me at least five years (give or take) to hit pan on this one!
BLUSH | I have three blush favourites because ultimately, I couldn’t decide on just one. The first one I wanted to mention is the most recent blush purchase I made; the Perricone MD No Makeup Blush (also here). As I mentioned before, I favour cream products as I find they ultimately look more natural on the skin. This has a small doe-foot applicator, which you dot onto your cheeks, and can effortlessly blend out with a stippling brush, a sponge, or even your fingers. I love the peachy pink hue – it’s the perfect spring/summer blush. I find that this tends to look much more intense when applied, and naturally fades over the course of the day.
The other two favourites are both powder products. Marc Jacobs has been a brand which I’ve really enjoyed getting to try more of this year, and the Air Blush in “Flesh & Fantasy” is the most idyllic nude-toned blush. The pan has deeper and lighter blush shades striped throughout, which when combined, create this soft luminescent glow on the cheeks. The other blush favourite is from NARS, and it’s the shade “Gina”. This is your standard peach-toned blush. I always find NARS powder products to be intensely pigmented, and this is no exception. It doesn’t look powdery, and it’s easy to blend out on the cheeks.
EYESHADOW | When I first started getting into makeup, around nine years ago, I recall that there were just a handful of brands that offered a solid eyeshadow palette that performed well. I’d argue that now, we’re pretty spoilt for choice. So, rather than highlight what I think is my favourite (as I don’t really have one anymore…), I thought I’d instead focus on the two palettes which have gotten the most use over 2019. The first is a bit of a tease as it’s no longer available, but it’s the NARS “Wanted” Palette. I love the colour story in here; some great neutrals, pretty pinks, and intense glitters. It’s a great all rounder, and has travelled with me many times due to its versatility and quality of the shadows. I don’t notice much (if any) fall out, all the shades are intensely pigmented, and they blend out beautifully.
The other palette I’ve had on high rotation is the Anastasia Beverly Hills “Sultry” Palette. Clearly, it’s a safe choice. All neutrals bar one pop of coral, but it works for me, given I prefer to wear a bronzed eye day-to-day. This does have quite a bit of fallout so I generally tap off the excess into the sink ahead of application. Aside from a couple of the glitters, the shadows are incredibly pigmented, and blend out like a dream. The glitters are stunning as an eyeshadow topper, or if you’re feeling especially glitzy, worn all over the lid.
EYELINER | Safe to say, my eyes always feel a bit “naked” without eyeliner. A cat eye flick has been a signature of mine for the past ten years now, and it’s really only on lazy days that I omit this from my makeup routine. My sister introduced me to my eyeliner fave for 2019, an affordable drugstore option; the NYX Matte Liquid Liner. Admittedly, this isn’t a product I’d recommend for beginners, but if you’re well versed in drawing on eyeliner, it’s worth a shot. It has a skinny paint brush applicator, and is the blackest black. The formula dries down matte, and does. not. budge.
For pencil eyeliner, I’ve been loving using the Marc Jacobs Highliner in “Blacqeur”. This is super creamy, and can be smudged out along the lash line before it sets down. There’s a great colour selection too if you prefer something more playful or vibrant.
BROWS | How you like your brows to look is pretty personal. For me, I’ve never found that HD, ultra-defined shape works for me. Instead, I like to go soft, fluffy and natural. My aim with the products I use is to fill in the gaps, and not look like I’ve added a ton of product. There’s two brow ‘pencils’ I’ve been using on rotation for a good portion of the year, both of which I quite enjoy. The first being the MAC Shape + Shade Brow Tint in “Spike”. I think this was a recommendation from Sam Ravandahl on YT. It’s essentially a fine felt tip pen, which you can use to add hair like strokes into your brows. I actually like to work in the product with a spooley afterwards, as I find it looks more natural. Lasts all day and zero complaints about this one.
The other brow product I use is the Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Longer Brow Pencil in “Mahogany”. This is a waxy pencil, and it’s a wider product that the MAC pen. I find this is great for filling in gaps, using the spooley at the end again to work the product in for a more natural look. This has so much product to it, that I’m nowhere near close to making it halfway through yet, despite using it most days. I love that instead of buying an entirely new pencil at the end, you can just replace the wax cartridge.
MASCARA | My hunt for the perfect *affordable* mascara is finally over. My top pick for the year is the Ardell Faux Mink Multi Layering Mascara. This gives volume and a fluttery look to my lashes, but the kicker is that it doesn’t smudge or budge once applied, no matter how hot or humid it is. I’d also say this tops the list as my most surprising find of 2019, and one I’ll be using on repeat.
LIPS | If you read the beauty notes on my YouTube videos, you’ll have noticed that I tend to wear the same handful of lipsticks on repeat. For me, this is just what works. When I first started getting into beauty, I felt I needed to have every colour under the sun, but as I’ve pared back what I have to focus on the shades I truly love and enjoy, I’ve gotten so much more value and use from the edited collection I have now.
For lip balm, my favourite of the year is the Fresh Sugar Balm in the mint scent. This smells so fresh and has an instant cooling effect on the lips, plus I love how emollient and nourishing it feels.
There’s four lipsticks I’ve had on repeat for most of the year; Marc Jacobs New Nudes Lipstick in “Eat Cake” – a beautiful soft petal pink, which can be applied lightly or layered up for richer pigment. This is super nourishing and does require reapplication over the course of the day. Similar in colour is the Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in “Amoreaux”. This has more of a semi-matte finish, and is applied with a doe-foot applicator. I find you have to be careful with application to ensure it’s even, but it’s incredibly comfortable to wear, and this shade is a gorgeous YLBB hue. Another neutral I’ve really enjoyed is the Becca Lipstick Love in “Yours Truly”. This is a nude-toned lippie with a peachy-brown undertone. It’s so ridiculously creamy, but has more of a satin-matte finish.
My final lipstick pick is an oldie but a goodie; Tom Ford Lip Color in “Wild Ginger”. This always wins out as my favourite red. It’s orange-based, and just adds the most vibrant glow to your complexion. The formula is a dream; it’s thick, creamy, and feels comfortable on the lips. It has a semi-matte finish, but never feels dry. A huge investment but if you’re only going to have one red, this would be my recommendation.
SKINCARE FAVOURITES
CLEANSER | I’ve probably tried more cleansers this year than anything else, and it wasn’t until October that I finally stumbled on one which wasn’t eye-wateringly expensive, and also worked well with my sensitive skin. I’m talking about the Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser. This is a gentle gel cleanser, which foams up in contact with water. It does a fantastic job of breaking down some serious eye makeup, and it doesn’t irritate the dermatitis/eczema patches on my face. A total winner that I’m going to keep repurchasing.
I also wanted to give a shout out to the eye makeup remover I’ve had on repeat; the Clarins Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. This was another YT recommendation, and I really love it. I use this primarily to break down the eyeliner and some of my mascara ahead of my second cleanse. It doesn’t sting my eyes (win!), and it means that my cleanser doesn’t have to work quite so hard.
SERUM | Skincare is definitely an area where I’ve learnt that consistency is key. At one point, I was using multiple products (and changing daily), and it wreaked havoc on my skin. Going back to basics, using just one skincare product aside from a moisturiser really helped to bring back that equilibrium I desperately needed. The serum I called on during that time was the Clarins Double Serum. This is nourishing, packed with so many great nutrients for your skin, and I love the plant-based science behind Clarins products. It’s also suitable for all skin types, so it’s gentle too. I’ve got a couple back ups of this in my beauty stash, as it’s a core skincare product for me.
The other serum which really stood out to me as being super effective is the Biossance Phyto-Retinol Serum. I went to an Australian launch effect with the brand, and was blown away by their ethos, and every product I’ve tried has turned out to be a huge winner. This is hands down my favourite product, and I made my way through it a little too quickly for my liking. It’s the only retinol I’ve come across that is pregnancy safe; this is because the retinol is plant derived. I noticed with daily use (am and pm) that the fine lines on my forehead and in between my brows softened, and overall my complexion felt smooth and supple. A total winner.
MOISTURISER | Also from the brand, I’ve been loving the Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturiser. Australian summers can be incredibly hot, so gel-like moisturisers are a really lovely alternative to a traditional cream option, plus they have a nice cooling effect when applied. Like the serum, this has squalane in it, which is great for locking in and adding extra nourishment and moisture. I have oily/combo skin but it’s dehydrated, so products like this that aren’t heavy or too rich are essential to my routine.
EYE CREAM | The final skincare fave I wanted to mention is the Aveda Tulasara Wedding Eye Masque. Overall, I just love the Tulasara range. It looks and feels rich, but it’s not heavy on the skin, and has never broken me out. Again, Aveda is another one of those brands whose products are rooted in plant-based science, which I adore. This is a wonderful treat if you find your under eye area is looking or feeling a little dry, or if you just want a top up of hydration.
MISC BEAUTY FAVOURITES
FRAGRANCE | When I look back at my perfume stash and think about the fragrances I reached for the most over the year, one brand comes to mind. Jo Malone. Honestly, the brand can do no wrong; I love the breadth of their fragrance offering as there’s truly something for everyone. Plus, it’s encourage me to layer up fragrances in a way I never would have done previously. My two favourites are a bit more masculine or earthy; I adore the “Cade & Cedarwood” Cologne, as well as the “Wood Sage & Sea Salt” Cologne. I’d recommend the latter as an intro to the brand; it’s absolutely stunning, and I think it’s an all round crowd-pleaser.
DEODORANT | Normally I wouldn’t include a deodorant in my beauty round up of the year, but after coming across one which really blew every other natural deodorant I’d tried out of the water, I had to mention it. The product in question is the Corpus Naturals Deodorant in “The Botanist”. This has the most beautiful earthy scent, which unlike other natural deodorants I’ve tried, doesn’t alter in scent over the course of the day. It’s worth noting that natural deodorants aren’t anti-perspirants, so if it’s a particularly hot day, you may need to reapply. I love this one because it’s one of the most long-lasting formulas I’ve tried. Total winner and one I plan to keep going back to.
SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER | I’ve been pretty loyal to one haircare brand for all of 2019; Aveda. As someone with thick, frizzy hair that is prone to acting up under humidity, My key focus is to smooth out my tresses, and add in shine and moisture as it can get dry pretty quickly. I’ve been using on repeat, the Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo & Conditioner. This has really helped to get it under control, and in combination with blow drying it after each wash, really relaxed the way my locks look.
DRY SHAMPOO | Finally, I wanted to wrap things up with my favourite dry shampoo. I’ve got two, which are completely different formulas. Starting with the traditional aerosol dry shampoo, I can’t go past the Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo. Where other brands I’ve tried feel overly thick and too gritty, this strikes the perfect balance. It reduces oil and shine, while adding just a touch of texture and volume where you need it for a natural look. I really like the version for darker hair, as it doesn’t leave a white cast (like some can!).
My other favourite is the Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo. This is a powder dry shampoo which is dispersed in a little puff or product. Because it is a powder, you need to be careful to avoid going overboard, and it does need to be worked into the roots quite vigorously. I love the way this makes my hair look, and it really helps to revive limp locks when I need it.
So that’s a full round up of my beauty favourites for 2019. My goals – beauty-wise – for 2020 are to continue using the products that I love, and not feel enticed by the myriad of new releases. I’ve found having a more edited collection to be much more manageable, plus I love the consistency of using my most loved products day-in and day-out. Would love to know what products really stood out to you over the last 12 months in the comments below! x
