2017 Beauty Favourites

Wednesday 13 December 2017

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best makeup 2017 it cc cream clarins double serum pacifica super kale boxycharm review

I have not sat down to do a monthly favourites in a while, because honestly, my favourites don't really change much month to month, and using a product for a month after it is released isn't really all that hard. But yearly favourites? Those mean something in my book. I have sat down, scrolled my Instagram and my past blog posts, and looked through my most used makeup to identify my favourite products of 2017.

To be included as a favourite product of 2017 the product must either have been released in 2017, come to Canada in 2017 (hello Pixi & IT Cosmetics!), or have otherwise entered my life in 2017. The products I have selected are products that I reach for long after the post is written, and long after something even newer has entered the market. These are not just products that made it on to the blog, they are products that have made it to my every day rotation. These are often not simply products I have been sent, but products that I have gone out and re-purchased because I am that in love with them.

So now that I have set sufficiently high standards... in no particular order....

It Cosmetics CC Cream*

This light weight CC cream packs a punch. Full coverage, this good-for-you foundation has earned its status on this list by becoming my go-to foundation for the office. Pretty & polished, but never too much, this foundation gives me a dewy glow but never goes overboard. Perfect for daily wear!

You can read my full review here

Benefit Airbrush Concealer*

I want to start this off by saying that I hardly ever wear concealer. So for a concealer to be so impressive that I use it on the regular, that says something. Again, very light weight, I love this under my eyes, but also on my lids as a base for an easy every day look. It evens out the veins on my lid (which you become acutely aware of when you spend all your free time taking makeup photos!) and created a sturdy base for my eyeshadow. What more could a girl want? I love applying it with my fingers, but you can also use a brush or a beauty sponge.

Pacifica Super Kale Shampoo and Conditioner*

I never thought that I would be so impressed by a shampoo/conditioner that it would make a list like this... but when I was at Generation Beauty LA earlier this year with my friend Lauren, she was gushing about it! (It made her 2016 list!) Pacifica kindly gifted me a bottle of each at Gen Beauty and I was hooked. It smells so refreshing, and leaves my hair so soft. I love how it smells in the shower. The only thing I don't love? The fact that it is an Ulta exclusive! Next time I am in the US I will have to stock up!

Good news! I have learned that Canadians can buy this on Pacifica's website and have it shipped!

You can read my full review here. 

Clarins Double Serum*

Clarins, and their famous Double Serum have been around for ages, but this brand has really taken a leading role in my skin care routine this year. Everything I have tried from them has been high quality and delivered results. This year my skin has been a bit dry (which I think in part has to do with living in an apartment. Yes -- I did just buy a humidifier). I have been loving their Hydra-Essential line this year but for me, the real star has been their newly updated Double Serum. Now with turmeric, this serum is both brightening and hydrating on my skin. It packs a punch with out being oily, and settles nicely into my skin without leaving a heavy greasy feeling. I'm obsessed, and with Shoppers changing their points system, I know what I will be redeeming my remaining points for!

Benefit Galifornia*

Okay, first. The packaging. It just screams summer. Second, the smell. Third, the perfect coral shade. I thought that this blush would be great for summer, and I was right -- but also, wrong. Its perfect all year. I love the warmth it adds to my complexion and the way it just brightens up my face. I have really fallen in love with how coral looks on me (does that sound super vain?) and this blush sealed the deal. It has the cutest little sun imprint on the powder, and when you first open it it is dusted in gold.

You can read my full review here.

Tangle Teezer Finishing Brush*

I seriously don't know what I did before this brush, but I use it every time I brush my hair now! I find it easier to use post shower than the Original Tangle Teezer with my long, long hair. It is gentle, basically indestructible, and so easy to use.

You can read my full review here. 

L'Oréal Lash Paradise*+

The moment I made the switch from drugstore mascara to higher end products, I figured I would never look back. But the drugstore has come a long way in the last 10 years-- to the point that I actually use this mascara by choice (and have re-purchased it twice). Some say that it is a dupe for Too faced's iconic Better Than Sex. However I think they are two very distinct mascaras. I find that I get great volume with Lash Paradise, and I love its staying power (and price point!).

My first impressions here.

Colour Pop Pressed Shadow Palettes

Highly pigmented, long wearing, and so, so affordable, the Colour Pop Pressed Shadow Palettes have taken the beauty world by storm. While each pan is smaller than a regularly sized Colour Pop Pressed Shadow pan, they are still a great value. With palettes just under the $20 USD price point, and containing 12 shadows, you really can't go wrong. I have three of the palettes, and have been constantly impressed.

Pixi Glow Tonic*+

I started using this product to test it out... and then I never stopped! I have gone through one small bottle, and two large bottles, having recently bought another large bottle with my Shoppers points. I have found that this product brightens my skin and gives me a wonderful glow. I use it in the morning first thing, and in the evening before my moisturizer and serum. I always thought the product would be harsh, but that is not the case at all.

You can read my full review here.

Boxycharm

I have been subscribed to Ipsy for years, Topbox on and off, and more recently Fab Fit Fun. I love the surprise of getting a little gift in the mail every month, but sometimes get a little tired of the piles of deluxe minis. Say hello to Boxycharm. A tiny bit more expensive than Ipsy, but always full of full sized goodies. I have been sent a full size Becca highlighter, a full sized Pur palette, a full sized Cover FX setting spray, and more! I had a friend over and was showing her the box. She saw the full sized Cover FX spray and couldn't believe me when I said it came in the box!

Watch my 2017 Beauty Favourites video here:



What are your favourite products of 2017? What really stood out for you?

Most of these products were sent for review at some point this year. Many have been repurchased with my own money since then! Products marked with a * were sent for review. Products marked with a + indicate that I have repurchased them, this *+ would mean that the first was sent for review but then that I loved it so much I repurchased it at least once.

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