Cream of the Crop: Best Makeup of 2014

Happy New Year Everyone! Here are my absolute favorite makeup items that graced my makeup bag in the past year. I've developed a new and more minimalist philosophy in the past year whereby I only keep things that I really really love and my favorite products are things that I use heavily. I'll skip my usual ramble and get right down to the nitty gritty- the cream of the crop for 2014:

TOP BASE PRODUCTS

FOUNDATION: My most loved and most worn foundation of the year has to be Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. It's a light-medium buildable coverage foundation with a very skin-like satin finish which also photographs well. It applies well with a brush or fingers. 

Find my review here.

PRIMER: A lovely primer to add luminosity and life to the skin is the L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer. It gives the skin a gorgeous and healthy glow that helps to blur imperfections on the complexion. It's also multi-purpose to be used under foundation, mixed in foundation or tapped over the face to highlight the high points of the face. It performs like a high end product for a drugstore price.

Find my review here.

CONCEALER (Blemishes/Imperfections): The Maybelline FitMe Concealer  is a more recent addition to my makeup bag in the past month but has quickly grow to be a favorite. It's a creamy and blendable concealer with fantastic coverage that does not look dry or flaky over blemishes. 

CONCEALER (Under Eye Circles): This product must have been made for shift-workers and tired mothers. The Clarins Instant Concealer is a hydrating concealer which gives under eye bags a run for their money. For the constantly sleep deprived like myself, this concealer looks exactly like skin without creasing or highlighting crepey texture around the delicate eye area. 

PRESSED POWDER: NARS Translucent Crystal Powder has been my favorite powder to set my makeup without making it look flat or cakey. It adds a healthy sheen to the face and makes base products last all day. 

TOP CHEEK PRODUCTS

BRONZER: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer is my absolute favorite bronzer. It gives the look of real sun-tanned skin. I use it on a daily basis to add some color to my pale complexion. A beautiful luxury item with a huge amount of product in it (21g!).

Read about it here.

BLUSH: This blush made it to the top of the list for the simple fact that it is highly pigmented, long lasting and under $5 CAD. Essence Silky Touch Blush is super affordable and performs amazingly. It has a buttery smooth consistency that applies evenly on the skin. My shade is Babydoll, a neutral dusty rose that looks good with most makeup looks. 

Read about it here.

HIGHLIGHTER: Another drugstore product that has wowed me this year is the Wet N Wild Reserve Your Cabana Bronzer. Although it's marketed as a bronzer, it's a light champagne gold highlighter that looks gorgeous on top of the cheek bones. As it doesn't contain glitter, it imparts a pretty golden sheen that is subtle enough to be worn on a daily basis without looking over the top. 

TOP EYE PRODUCTS

MASCARA: I no longer waste my money on high end mascaras as I've found the one at the drugstore. Covergirl Lashblast Volume is a fantastic mascara that provides a hefty amount of volume to the lashes while separating the lashes to make them look full and doll-like. It layers well and lasts all day without flaking or smudging. 

EYELINER: My most loved eye liner of the year was the Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes Pencil in Espresso. A dark chocolate brown eyeliner that can be worn as a defined line or smudged out for a sultry smokey look. The formula glides on smoothly and lasts all day. 

EYE SHADOW PENCIL: Lise Watier 24hrs Glam Eyeshadow in Bronze Glam is a great weapon to have in the makeup bag for early mornings and makeup on the run. This is my favorite swipe-and-go product to create a wash of colors on the lids that lasts all day while creating a polished look. Unfortunately, this product was limited edition in the Fall 2014 collection.

EYE SHADOW PALETTE: My most used palette was easily the Charlotte Tibury The Sophisticate Quad. It contains matte eye shadows in a range of neutral colors that I find use for on the daily. There is not one dud in the palette and the creamy formula of the powders blend easily together. 

Read about it here.

BROW PRODUCT: The Anastasia Brow Whiz is a cult favorite for a reason. The shade Taupe is perfect for my light blonde eyebrows without making me look like Oscar the Grouch. The brow whiz is the most natural looking brow product I have come across. 

Read about it here.

TOP LIP PRODUCTS

NUDE LIPSTICK: Although this was like picking a favorite child, I have to say that Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Penelope Pink came out on top. A gorgeous peachy nude with a touch of brown.

See me wearing it here.

PINK LIPSTICK: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Turn On is my favorite pink ever. It is a very flattering plummy rose with a touch of warmth. It's versatile used as a light stain patted into the lips or full-on for a complexion-brightening pink lip. 

See my review here.

NATURAL LIPSTICK: MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick is a unique and beautiful lipstick that everybody should own. I think it would look great on a variety of skintones, especially those who lean warm in tone. It's a gorgeous matte deep pinky-brown nude and happens to be one of my favorite lipsticks of the year. 

LIP LINER: The best lip liner of them all is Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk. The perfect liner that mimics the natural color of lips and looks great under most of the lipsticks in my collection. It glides on smooth and provides a long lasting base for lip products. I love that it doesn't leave those unattractive lines around the lips as my lipstick fades. 

LIP GLOSS: My favorite formula of lip gloss comes from the drugstore. The Maybelline Gloss Elixirs feel smooth and hydrating on the lips and dry down to a pretty stain after a few hours of wear. This formula is better than any high end lip glosses I have tried. 

So there sums up my favorite products of 2014! It's been a great year for beauty and I look forward to  blogging in 2015. Please let me know if there are any beauty questions or techniques you would like me to post about this year. Thank you again to everyone who has supported NFBB and I wish you all a happy, healthy new year!

Thanks for reading.