Another year has passed and as per usual I have here my yearly favorites. In this post you'll find products that I have discovered this year, but may not be all brand new. They are just the products that have impressed me and I have used a lot. Some I have full reviews of, some not yet.
Hadalabo Gokujyun Oil Cleansing
Great cleansing oil that has no scent. It's that oil to milk cleanser that easily melts all your makeup. It doesn't sting my eyes and it effectively removes even the most stubborn makeup. I loved it.
Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil
Another amazing oil that I am already on my second bottle. It has lovely lighter oil texture that turns milky and is just as good at removing makeup as previous oil. This one has a bit of a scent, but I believe it's due to plant extracts. It's gentle soothing scent. It also doesn't sting my eyes and I love that it gas centella asiatica in which is just so soothing for any skin.
I loved this cleansing gel with grape water and salicylic acid. It had this fresh gel consistency that leathered well. BHA kept my skin blemish free and smooth. I loved herbal scent which was so refreshing and reminded me of a spa. Lovely product to use as a morning or evening second cleanse.
I don't really have any skin devices yet, though I would love to own one of those light therapy face masks. I have this one instead which turned out to be quite nice. It's facial device that will elevate your masking. It has heating, pulsation and LED light therapy which all help your sheet mask to work better and penetrate deeper. I especially like the warming sensation combined with different LED lights for different skin issues. I feel like I do get the most out of my masks, plus it just feels so soothing and spa like, but at home.
BHA toner that will help unclog your pores and keep them clean as well as keep your skin texture smooth. I love BHA toners, because they keep my blemishes and texture at bay, but also, they are just so easy to use right after cleansing. I have been a fan of COSRX products for years and this is another fairly mild BHA toner that I never get irritations. It also soothes the skin a bit, so it's not aggressive as some other toners tend to be.
I was able to get LE bigger size with a pump of this and I am still using it every single day. It's the best sort of prepping/post-cleansing products that just soothes the skin, keeps it healthy looking and nourishes it. They say it has benefits of serum, but in a super lightweight essence texture. It has panthenol, niacinamide, ectoin, amino acids, ceramides...basically everything you need for a healthy barrier. This is one of those products that literally everyone will benefit from, but especially those with sensitive or easily irritated skin. I love having these kind of products in my routine, because it keeps my skin healthy and not easily irritated.
Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule
Another amazing product from Centella line from Skin1004. This comes in a very high end made thick glass bottle with dropper that is so easy to use. It's basically 100% centella asiatica extract. Centella Asiatica is my absolute favorite ingredient, especially in Asian skin care. It has such an amazing soothing benefits that my skin just loves it. It's a lightweight sort of serum like texture that feels so nice on the skin. This is perfect for anyone with acne, sensitive or easily irritated skin. Plus it's so light you can layer it with other products.
I have been investing in skin care in the previous year and I have found so many amazing and affordable products that are worth a try. Geek & Gorgeous is one of those brands that I would love to explore more. This is their retinal serum with 0.05% retinal. I would say this great starter to retinols, if you don't know where to start and you generally don't have sensitive skin. It has a lot of soothing supporting ingredients in the formula, so it won't feel irritating. Texture is like a light cream and for oily skin this may replace your night moisturizer. I also see great benefit in my skin texture. The skin is smoother and I don't have as many blemishes, when I use it.
This is such a lovely almost gel like serum with beta glucan and madecassoside that just really soothes and repairs the skin. It's one of those serums perfect for any skin, but especially for anyone who want's something ultra soothing for their irritated skin or just to strengthen it. It's such a lovely products to include in your routine for just better feeling skin. Plus it has no fragrance and it's very lightweight.
SVR Blur Sun Secure Mousse Cream
This is sunscreen for the face, but I would actually categorize it as SPF in a primer form. It has thicker mousse texture which feels like a primer. It fills in your pores and on my light skin tone gives me just a tad of color. It's great under makeup and I especially like it in the summer, when I don't want to pile on greasy SPF, but still want some protection for day, when I don't spend it outside on the sun a lot. It's quite scented and I don't think it would work for sensitive skin.
Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF50+
Another great Asian SPF, so you already now it's chemical sunscreen with that light cream texture that blends into skin and leaves no white cast. I wouldn't wear this to the beach or by the pool, but for a normal day this is enough protection. I love Asian sunscreens, because they are light on the skin, they don't make my makeup move and they are not greasy. This one doesn't have a scent, which I love.
L'Oreal Elseve Cream Long No Haircut Cream
This is leave in product in a cream texture. It has a lot of proteins in the formula as well as ricinus oil. It's basically a product to keep your hair moisturized, nourished and protect it from the heat, so you can use heat styling products on your hair, which I love. One product for the heat as well as nourishment. It has lovely sweet fruity scent. In general I love all the products from this range. It's currently my favorite drugstore line, because it feels high end, but is quite affordable.
Eterika Cosmetics Balzam za neukrotljive lase
I was so surprised by how much I like this hair mask. It's basically coconut oil mask and I was certain this won't do nothing to my hair. And I was wrong. First of all, it smells divine - like a proper creamy coconut. It's thicker cream that sticks well to the hair and whenever I use it my hair is ultra smooth, sleek and it just feels so soft. Plus the scent just makes it that much better for me. I love it for when I want really sleek straight hair. Surprisingly it doesn't weigh down my thin hair either.
So apparently this is dupe for Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer. I wouldn't know, because I don't have it. But boy this is one super sticky primer, but in a good way. It's like a lightly colored gel that is super smooth and sort of thick, so you have to really spread it well. But it leaves very sticky layer on the skin which is perfect for makeup on top, because anything you put on top will stick and not move all day. It's great for any special occasions where you want your makeup to really stick to your skin and last all day.
e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
Another dupe from the e.l.f. brand and this one I can vouch for. It's a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. I had tester of Charlotte and I can say e.l.f. to me personally looks even better. It has bigger coverage and nicer sheen. It's like a primer with lovely sheen, but it also has some coverage so it can be used as primer, foundation or highlighter. I love to use it as a primer and as a highlighter. This will give you that expensive no shimmer sheen to the skin that just looks so amazing. The shade range is good, but very fair skin tones will still find the lightest shade 1 Fair too dark. I have it in shade 1 Fair and 2 Fair/Light. The difference between them is minimal, but still 1 is a tad lighter and suits me best now.
It has been a while since I like a new foundation/BB cream and this one has surprised me. I almost used up one shade of this already. It's a thicker BB cream with lighter medium coverage and a nice satin finish. I love that it looks natural on the skin, never looks cakey and doesn't emphasize pores or dry patches. It's just a lovely BB cream for everyday use. Pair it with nice covering concealer and you can use it for an evening look as well. It's also vegan formula.
I am a huge fan of Laetitia Lemak's work as a makeup artist. Her style is always just so natural and perfected. This is contour and bronzer due. One side has cooler grey toned side and one has warmer bronzed side. I love the contour shade as it's just that perfect medium tone that work on light as well as medium skin tones. It has nice smooth texture and I use it a lot on others as well as on me. Sadly, it's already discontinued and I believe the whole brand L.O.V has been discontinued. A damn shame, if you ask me.
Elinor Sunray Bronzer - Espresso
This has quickly become my staple in daily makeup routine. I've grown to love cream makeup products, especially now in colder months. It's a very creamy and pigmented bronzer that you need very little off. It spreads well and doesn't look streaky. I find it lasts well too. Shade Espresso is lighter warm shade, but it suits my skin tone well. You get a huge pot that is impossible to use up. I think it will go bad before I use it all up.
While we're on the topic of cream makeup products, these are my favorite liquid blushes. They come in a lip gloss format and they are incredibly pigmented. You need the tinniest amount, so those minis will last me a long time. I wish more brands would do minis by the way, because it's the only way to use up product and not waste it. They blend like a dream and have great staying power. Some have more of a satin creamy finish and some are matte. Hope was my favorite for a while, because it's that perfect mauve pink, but now I also use a lot Bliss which is a more warmer apricot shade.
Kiko has some really nice products and their baked blushes are always nice. This one is from LE which is nicely pigmented, blends like a dream and has nice satin finish to the skin. I also love light peachy color.
I have bought my third or fourth tube of this already, I can't remember. It's my absolute favorite lip gloss. The formula has added hyaluronic aid which makes for one very hydrating lip gloss that never dries out the lips. I almost feel to say it's actually nourishing. It has sweet oriental vanilla scent and it's actually a dupe for Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow. I have them both and to me they give me the same effect, but the price is much more affordable with Maybelline. 009 Topaz is the perfect nude with hints of pink, brown and peach. It will suit every skin tone.
This is such a nice creamy lipstick at an affordable price. It feels almost soothing like a lip balm, but has pigmentation of a lipstick. I loved wearing it. It's the perfect nude brown that is not too cool nor too warm toned. It's very comfortable to wear and it doesn't dry out the lips. Essence has some nice creamy formula.
This is the only brow product I use these days. I have my brows laminated and this is the perfect product to draw in individual hair like strokes. It's a pen shape with tiny tip. Depending on how hard you push it down that's how dark the strokes look. Ash Brown is cooler toned medium brown. This lasts so long, you forget to buy another one. I only have a problem with the color leaking sometimes around the tip, but that happens with a lot of such products. It's not waterproof.
Another celebrity fragrance with such a comforting powdery floral sweet scent. I get the orchids mixed with sweet amber, musk and woody notes that makes this one of those fragrances that is great for day wear, but can also be used as night as a very feminine, but inoffensive fragrance. I really liked it.
Rephr Brushes
In 2022 I have discovered Rephr. It's Japanese hand maid brushes made of goat heir. Most of the brushes in my stash were synthetic, so this is a whole new game to me. Bristles are super soft, well made and they have nice variety of shapes to choose from. Since I bought my first few brushes I have repurchased many more and maybe I'll do and extensive post about all the brushes I have so far. They were a game changer in my kit. With them eyeshadows blend like a dream and I even use some for creamy products which also works great. They often have amazing deals on the brushes, so it's worth investing in them.
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