2017 Beauty Favourites: Skincare

Welcome back to the second installment of my 2017 Beauty Favourites. On Monday I shared with you my make up favourites of the past year and today I'll be sharing with you my skincare favourites from 2017.

Cleanser: It's always hard trying to decide what my favourite cleansers are. I try so many and love so many that it's nigh on impossible to whittle it down to one. So I went with three. The first is the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm. It's balm to oil formula is perfect for breaking down make up without leaving skin feeling greasy or weighed down. The same goes for the Loreal Extraordinary Facial Cleansing Oil.It breaks down make up with minimal effort whilst simultaneously nourishing the skin without clogging pores or leaving skin greasy. This has been the perfect Winter cleanser as it works to reduce the effects of skin flares up such as central heating, harsh wind and dropping temperatures. And the final cleanser I loved in 2017 is the Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser. Whilst it's texture is stranger than most cleansers, this has worked wonders at not only taking my make up off but for my skin aswell. Containing 5% Glycolic Acid, this works to give skin a gentle yet effective exfoliation whilst it cleanses your skin. It effectively removes make up but has seriously changed the feel of my skin which is why I now use it predominantly as my second cleanse.

Toner: Last year I made an effort to use more toner and I found two that I absolutely adore. The first is Alpha H's Liqiud Gold. With a Glycolic Acid and Liquorice Extract formula, this toner/treatment has changed my skin. And whilst it's pricey it's totally worth it. Any texture I had on my skin is dramtically reduced any and all texture I had on my skin as well as tightening and firming my skin. This is one that I can see myself sticking with this year aswell. And the other toner I've loved is more budget friendly, coming from Garnier. Their Rosewater Toner has been perfect for when my skin needs a little TLC or is feeling a little more sensitive. It soothes, nourishes and tones simultaneously and leaves skin feeling hydrated and soft to the touch. And coming in at £3.49 a bottle, it's not so bad if you go through a bottle or two of it.

 Facial Spray: Last year I raved about the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer and whilst I still love that there has been another facial spray I've also loved. The Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz that contains nothing but Rosewater. It soothes, nourishes and hydrates whilst remaining lightweight and gentle on the skin. I love using this after I've taken my make up off as it takes away any tightness that cleansing may have caused. But as I said I still love the Liz Earle and will continue to do so in 2018.

Serum: Serum wise, 2017 was dominated by the Loreal Hydra Genius. Containing nothing but Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe, this water like serum gave skin a much needed hydration and a burst of refreshment during the Summer. Alongside that the Simple Water Boost Hydro Booster Drops have also changed how hydrated my skin feels. A couple of drops mixed into a serum or moisturiser or applied directly onto skin adds a boost of hydration that is slowly released over a longer period of time. And the last serum I've enjoyed is one I use in conjunction with the Simple Hydro Booster. The Botanics All Bright Serum Concentrate is a brightening AHA based serum that provides light and gentle exfoliation to brighen skin and reveal a glowing complexion. It's lightweight and doesn't irritate or strip skin even though it has a naturally occuring AHA.

 Moisturiser: There have been two moisturisers I've loved this year. The first is my go to daily moisturiser from Garnier. Their Moisture Bomb Glow Enhancer Water Cream has not only boosted my skins hydratoion levels but has also helped even out my skin and giving it healthy glow. Packed full of Hyaluronic Acid this slowly releases hydration into skin over a longer period of time meaning skin will feel less dry and tight as the hours go on. And it's water/gel formula is lightweight to layer under make up but also effective enough to give skin that boost. And the other is one that has comes in handy a lot during these Winter months. The Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser with Natural Neroli has been a skin saviour on those days where my skin has been dry, stripped and irritated. It's richer than other moisturisers I own and worked deep into my skin to leave it feeling soft, supple and looking healthier than had. The only downfall to this product is that it's pricey for a full size tub and for the amount I've used it, it's not worth shelling out for one.

Eye Cream: Eye creams are the hardest product to buy correctly the first time. In fact I've brought three different eye creams this year in hopes of one working for longer than a month. And there has only been one that has. The Olay Total Effects Transforming Cream has really done what it says on the pot. My under eye area looks completely different than it did six months ago and it's all down to this product. It's lightweight yet nourishing formula helps reduce the signs of fatigue and dark circles whilst hydrating and plumping the skin which in turns reduces the appearence of any fine lines. I've never known my under eyes to look this good and it's all down to this little pot of magic. And the best bit, it doesn't break the bank like a few others I've tried do.

Facial Oil: Facial Oils are something I've been trying to incoporate into my routine for the last few months and one I've loved throughout that is the Naturally Radiant Moisturising Facial Oil. It's lightweight and doesn't leave skin feeling overly greasy or clogged. Yet it nourishes and moisturises amazingly and this has helped reduce the remaining signs of any breakouts I've had. It's budget friendly, suitable for the majority of skin types and has proven to me that facial oils can be added to an exsisting skincare routine without disrupting skin.

Face Mask: I'm a bit of a face mask fanatic so choosing just one that I hadn't already raved on about before was hard. But I managed it. The GlamGlow Thirstymud Treatment has been a skin saviour during some of my worst skin moments this year. This leave on mask has hydrated, soothed and softened my skin when nothing else has worked. It was a heaven scent to my skin when I had a throat infection, a pampering treat when I had toothache and a replenshing, nourishing moisturiser substitute during the sweltering Summer we had. And a little goes a long way so whilst this little tube looks like it wouldn't last long, it has in fact lasted longer than I expected.

Sheet Mask: There have been a few new sheet mask releases that I enjoyed in 2017 but none of them have been as loved as the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks. Yes I know I featured them in my 2016 Beauty Favourites but this year they released four new variations and I love them all more than the original. Out of the four releases of the year my favourites are the De-Tiring Mask and the Super-Glow Mask. Both boost my hydration levels but they also work to add a glow to my skin as well as reducing the signs of fatigue. They're inexpensive, easy to use and work within fifteen minutes. What's not to love about them. And I'm hoping that Garnier comes out with more variations in 2018

2017 Beauty Favourites: Make Up

Happy New Year! It's that time in the Beauty Community where we all share what we've been loving the past year. And as I did last year I've split my beauty favourites up into two posts, the first make up and the other skincare which will be up on Wednesday. Shall we get into it?

Primer: The only primer I have loved this year is the Maybelline SuperStay Primer. Released last January, this lightweight fluid primer not only helps prolong the life of your make up but also creates an even base so that make up applies seamlessly over top. I've lost count of the amount of bottles of this I've gone through in the last year and I know I will be going through so many more unless something better comes out.

 Colour Correctors: Colour correcting is something I've been a lot more interested in this year and it's all down to two colour correctors from Collection. The Lasting Perfection Colour Correctors Concealers are pigmented but coverable, long wearing and don't effect anything you apply over top. The Green worked wonderfully to cover any redness caused by blemishes whilst the Lemon brightened and neutralised my dark circles after one too many late nights.

Foundation: There were two foundations I loved in 2017. The first was the Loreal Total Cover Foundation. Extremely high coverage, long lasting and lightweight on the skin, this has been my favourite when I want my face to look flawless but still skin like. And the second was my go to Summer base. The Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer is a BB Cream/Tinted Moisturiser hybrid that gave skin a healthy glow as well as decent coverage. It was perfect during that stifling heatwave we had and gave my skin an even, healthy looking base even though it's was boiling outside.

Concealer: The only concealer that I've reached for this year has been my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. It's high coverage, long lasting and doesn't look heavy or cakey on the skin. It covers blemishes, under eye circles and redness easily and doesn't crease or fade throughout the day. This last year I've gone through one a month and can gurantee that I'll be going through even more in 2018.

 Powder: There were two powders that I loved in 2017 but I only had one to physically photograph so I'm only going to talk about that one. The MUA Transparent Pressed Setting Powder has been the only powder this year to not crease under my eyes and help prolong the life of my make up. It's a lightweight almost baked texture powder that doesn't feel powdery or heavy on the skin. It sets the under eye area perfectly and concealer doesn't crease as it does with other powders. And it also doesn't sit heavily on the skin, leaving it looking natural but set in place.

Brows: I get my brows tinted when I get them waxed so I don't always find a need for brow products but over the last year I have been loving the Benefit Gimme Brow. This is just enough for those times in between brow tints when my brows just need a little something extra. What I like about it the most though is that it doesn't leave my brows looking crispy or over the top even if I accidentally put too much in them.

Mascara: I've tried a lot of mascaras this year but there was only one I found myself going back to time after time. The Loreal Volume Million Lashes So Couture was a surprising favourite. First impressions weren't too great but with a little perseverance this turned out to be a brilliant mascara. With a silicone feel, multi bristle brush, this mascara gives lashes volume and length without being too clumpy or wet in formula. It's holds a curl and doesn't flake or smudge making it the perfect mascara for everyday wear.

Lip Liner: Apart from my beloved Primark Lip Liner in 03 Red, there has only been one other lip liner I've loved this year. It's the Rosie For Autograph Lip Definer in Silk. This has been the only lipstick I've been wearing when I've worn a neutral lip this year. It's highly pigmented, glides beautifully on the lips and matches so many shades of lipstick. Plus it's a mechnical pencil so I haven't had to contantly worry about finding my pencil sharpner.

Lipsticks: Lipstick is always one of the hardest catergories for me to chose. I find so many I love throughout the year but physically can not put them all in this post. So I cut it down to four. Two of them come from Rosie For Autograph and have been two that started my love for shades that aren't just red or deep plum tones. Silk Cami is a stunning nude shade that suits even my fair tone whilst Rosie Lips is a deep pink shade that is bold, beautiful and a surprising favourite for someone like me who shys away from pinks. These lipsticks are creamy, highly pigmented and long lasting. They're comfortable to wear, plus they don't smudge even though they are a sheen finish. And the other two lipsticks I've loved this year are matte. The first is the Gosh Matte Lipstick in Raisin. It's a matte finish but isn't a dry powdery matte like so many on the market. It glides effortlessly onto the lips and stays in place all day without gathering in any lines or cracks in the lips. It's a stunning brown shade which I've been wearing all year and calling it 90's Grunge. And yes I plan on rocking it all through next year as well. And the last lipstick is a relatively new one to me but with the amount I've been wearing it, it couldn't be left out. The LorealxBalmain collaboration lipstick in Domination is the perfect red. It's perfect for all skin tones and it's comfortable matte finish means it stays in place without drying lips out. It's been my go to lipstick over the festive period and I can see myself getting a lot more wear out of it next year.

Liquid Lipsticks: Now I know a lot of people have gone off liquid lipsticks this year but I am still embracing them and have found two formulas that have worked perfectly for me, The first is the Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick. I have the shade Out Loud and it's been one of the only liquid lipsticks that I've worn over the last few months. It's thin in formula, lasts all day and doesn't dry or become uncomfortable. I am certainly going to be getting more shades in 2018. And the other formula I've been loving is the Barry M Liquid Lipstick formula. Especially in their Matte Me Up Lip Kits. Each kit contains a lip liner and matching liquid lipstick. These are some of the thinnest liquid lipsticks I've ever worn. They feel like your not wearing anything at all and don't suck all the hydration from your lips either. I'm hoping Barry M release more shades in 2018 as I can't get enough of these kits.

Setting Spray: There has only been one setting spray I've reached for and that comes from Collection. Their Primed And Ready Make Up Fixing Spray has replaced the Maybelline SuperStay in my affections and for good reason to. This lightweight spray locks make up in place with a soft matte finish that both removes any signs of cake face as well as leaving everything looking natural and skin like. It's not heavy and pore clogging and doesn't leave those horrible white toothpaste looking dots on the skin if not shook enough. I've never known a setting spray work so well and I can tell you now you'll be seeing a lot more of these in my empties in 2018.