My Favorite Makeup Products of 2017
There are only 7 days left in the year 2017. How wild is that?! I feel like my brain hasn't quite caught up to how fast time is going by. This year beauty and makeup became a really big part of my life. I have always loved makeup but decided to up my game and improve my skills. I've learned so much in this last year and have also amassed a decent sized collection of makeup products that have become holy grails and faves that I reach for over and over again.
ColourPop Yes, Please palette
I purchased this palette fairly late in the year but it is at the top of my list because I have been wearing it almost everyday since. I have been a huge fan of ColourPop since they first launched a few years ago with their Super Shock shadows and then their matte liquid lipsticks. 2017 saw them really stepping up their game, debuting single pressed shadows, palettes, concealers (which we will discuss further down in this post) and even setting sprays. But their biggest seller by far this year was the Yes, Please palette. This palette was so popular that it took me three tries to get me hands on it. But it was well worth the wait. The shadows are pigmented, soft and blend like a dream. I always get tons of compliments when I'm wearing an eye look made with this palette. And it's only $16!
Estee Lauder Double Wear in Toasty Toffee
As I stated earlier, 2017 was the year I stepped my makeup game up. I started paying more attention to complexion products and finding ones that worked with my oily, sensitive acne-prone skin and gave me a flawless full coverage finish. That started of course with foundation. Estee Lauder Double Wear is the holy grail foundation for many beauty gurus who have oily skin. I decided to invest a bit of money and give it a shot. OMG. This foundation is amazing. The coverage is great, the finish is beautiful and it stays on despite my oil-slick prone skin. I highly recommend this if you too are oily and have a hard time getting foundation to stay on your skin and not break down. But this isn't for a natural "no makeup" look. It is full coverage!
NYX Angel Veil Primer
I began using this primer after I ran out of my Hourglass Mineral Veil primer and could not bring myself to drop the insane amount of money to replace it. Through the grapevine (as in through watching a bunch of beauty influencers on YouTubers), I found out that NYX Angel Veil is a pretty decent dupe for Mineral Veil. And for $15 vs $54 I figured it was well worth trying. I now use this pretty much everyday. It works amazingly paired with Estee Lauder Double Wear or drugstore foundations like Revlon ColorStay. Is it as good as Mineral Veil? Not quite. But it's damn close! And I don't feel excessive guilt purchasing it as I do the Mineral Veil!
Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipstick in Cork
I own an insane amount of liquid lipsticks. Like so many that I have a hard time storing them. I used to wear a different color pretty much everyday. But lately the rest of my beauties have been neglected and ignored because I can't stop wearing this color. Cork is a gorgeous neutral-toned nude brown. It's one of those rare neutrals that looks good on everybody. I love wearing it when I wear a bolder eye look (which I usually do), because I like it keep my lips a bit more neutral. And the formula is amazing. I have tried almost every liquid lipstick brand there is and Dose of Colors' formula is one of my faves. You can purchase directly from their website, but they are also sold (online only) at Ulta.
Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in Medium Deep
Finding a good finishing powder when you're a woman of color can be tricky. A lot of so-called translucent powders simply make my skin look grey or ghostly. Couple that with being oily and it's a rough ride. Most decent finishing powders are in the higher-end range. There was no drugstore finishing powder that really worked. Until this baby came along...Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder. This stuff is amazing! Seriously. It gives an amazing flawless velvety finish without looking over-powdered. And it comes in eight shades. I use Medium Deep and it fits me perfectly - pun intended!
ColourPop No Filter Concealer in Deep Beige
Like I stated in above, ColourPop has been on a roll with their releases. This past summer, they released their line of concealers. I am not a huge concealer person - I mostly use it to prime my eyelids for eyeshadow and to cover any blemishes or spots. But if you are a concealer girl, you will love ColourPop No Filter Concealer. It's got amazing coverage the formula is not too thick or thin and it blends really well. I do have two gripes however: this concealer oxidizes quite a bit so I suggest going down a shade. Also the undertones for the deeper shades are a bit too peachy. I own about 4 shades from the range because I wanted to try out a sampling of shades (and for $6 each I wasn't breaking the bank to do so!) and all of the undertones are a bit off. For the lighter shades this doesn't seem to be as much of an issue.
Physician's Formula Argan Wear Mascara in Black
I have insanely sensitive eyes and I have a hard time finding mascaras that don't irritate them. Last year I discovered Physician's Formula mascaras and I have been wearing them ever since. I used to wear their basic Organic Mascara but it wasn't giving my the length and volume I wanted and so I decided to try this one out. The first time I tried Argan Wear I hated it. It was thick, a bit messy, and smelled strongly of argan oil (like I could smell my eyelashes). But- I gave it another try. This mascara gives hella length and volume and it is black. Like pitch black, black. Which I love. The formula is messy, - I usually wipe the wand off with a kleenex before applying, but it applies really well. As for the smell...I've actually grown to like it. It's not as overwhelming once you've had the tube open for awhile. But the first blast is strong. You will either like it or hate it.
Honorable Mention: Fenty Pro Filt'r Foundation
If you have not heard of this foundation you have been living under rock. Fenty is the makeup brand created by Rihanna and Kendo Labs (they also co-own Kat Von D's makeup line). This foundation was hyped up to the max - and rightly so. Featuring 40 shades it is the most inclusive and diverse makeup brand launch ever. There were so many shades to choose from that I wound up having the same issue I always have: I had a hard time finding my perfect match. And I still haven't. Right now I own shade 300 which is too light but works (the Pro Filt'r foundation dries down about a half a shade to a shade darker - it does not however oxidize despite what you may have heard). I really am more of 320 but that shade is sold out literally all the time. Soo...I have been experimenting with this shade in the mean time. I like this foundation - I don't love it. And I suspect it's because I haven't found the right primer to wear with it (I will probably just break down and buy the Fenty primer). It does not get along with my Angel Veil primer or the other primers I occasionally use. But the finish? OMG. It's BEAUTIFUL. They describe it as a soft matte and that's the perfect description for it. It's matte without making you look like you're wearing a mask. It dries down quickly and is velvety to the touch. But for a foundation formulated for oily skin, I find myself blotting a lot throughout the day when I wear this. This is why I decided to include this foundation as an honorable mention. It's beautiful but it's not quite perfect.
Alright gang, those are my favorite products of this year. What are some of the makeup products you reached for again and again this year? Let me know in the comments!
