2020 Beauty Favorites

2020 has been an incredible journey of learning, trying new things, and pushing limits ( especially our patience, am I right? LOL ). Being home so much this year has really taught me a few things about myself, about beauty, and about self-care. It is easy for some to say beauty products don’t do much for people but I really believe they do. Finding the right skincare to improve your skin health, applying that beautiful cheery cheek color can put a smile on your face, and swiping that perfect shade of lipstick can make anyone’s day brighter. Whether it be for a dinner date or just to brighten your own day, applying skincare and a little bit of makeup can make anyone feel a little brighter and a little more beautiful!

This is a collection of my favorite beauty products that I have used and loved throughout this past year! These are my favorite blog posts to read and to write, you get to see the best of the best used that year!

So Let’s get started…

Primers:

My first and favorite one this year has to be the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. It glides on like a rich butter, feels super lush, and smells like a dream. This is great alone but works wonders under your makeup. It preps the skin beautifully before foundation and gives your skin a bounce! The next up has to be the Supergoop Glowscreen SPF 40, girls this one was new to me this year and I can’t get enough of it! It is hydrating and so so glowy. It has no glitter in it, just a golden pearlized glow. This is a MUST try for you in 2021 if you haven’t tried this already! It is especially good for those with dry skin. It almost feels like a lightly tinted moisturizer. It feels like a hybrid of skincare and makeup all in one. I will have this in my makeup bag forever…so good! Last favorite for primers has to be the Dermalogica Prisma Protect SPF 30. This one is more of a skincare product but works so so well under your makeup. It gives great hydration and a lit from within glow. Such a beautiful product if you want to splurge a little!

The photo above: (L to R) Swatches of the Dermalogica Prisma Protect followed by the Supergoop Glow Screen (slightly tinted).

Foundation:

This one was a no brainer, the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation. I had been avoiding purchasing this product for years because it was so hyped up by the beauty community and it is pricy. Buttt I finally took the plunge this year and purchased a mini bottle of this foundation and I have to say, I am so glad I did! It is by far the BEST foundation I have ever used! It is exactly what it is advertised as, luminous, and glides on like silk, literally! I have used it almost every day since I purchased the foundation. I can’t get enough of it. It is unlike any other foundation I have ever used. It is everything I wanted in a foundation and more. I would 1,000% recommend you give it a try, It won’t let you down! You can get anywhere from light to pretty much full coverage with this product! This will be a staple in my makeup kit for a long time. If I had to choose a second foundation for 2020, it would be the MAC Face and Body Foundation. This is a great everyday sheer to light coverage foundation. What I love about this foundation is that it gives a beautiful wash of color to even out skin and still leaves your skin looking like skin. It also dries down and sets, making it perfect for people like me who are always touching their face…It’s a bad habit I know.  So I like a foundation that doesn’t move! This is perfect for that. They also have an extensive color range available so great for all skin tones!

The photo below: (swatches L to R) Mac Face and Body (shade C1, more liquidy texture) followed by the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk (shade 4, more of a rich cream).

Concealer:

This is my favorite category (other than bronzer obviously..lol) I have a few favorites I think you will all love! It’s hard to just pick a few but here are some of my must-haves. First and foremost I have to start with this year’s winner, the Armani Beauty Power Fabric Concealer! Like the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, this concealer glides on like silk and has a glowy finish. This to me is the perfect concealer for any skin type. It is hydrating, brightening, and sets on its own! It is super comfortable under the eye but I also love to use it around my face in place of foundation on light makeup days. This is the perfect concealer to me. It has everything I would want in a concealer. Another really great concealer is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer. This is a super brightening concealer that leaves your under eye looking flawless. It’s like your using a faux filter on your face but your not! Just a great concealer all around. It is definitely a dryer consistency, similar to the taste shape tape BUT it is somehow soft in texture! I would use this at any age! Lastly, I have to mention the Bareminerals Bare Skin Serum Concealer, this is a beautiful concealer for dry dehydrated under eyes. It is definitely a medium to full coverage concealer and looks lovely blended out as a foundation as well. It has a serum/liquidy texture. I love that it is hydrating and gives great coverage! This is a product I use and love all year round. Definitely a top pick for me!

Bronzer:

This is my all-time favorite category! You can never have too many bronzers, can you? Lol, This year has been my year for cream bronzers most definitely. I love that you never get a patchy dry look with cream bronzers. They blend out so easily and look like skin. I have to start with my most used and loved this past year, the Milk Makeup Cream Bronzer in Baked. I absolutely love this formula, it is super creamy, blendable, and the color is perfect for those with light to medium skin tones. They also have a deeper shade for those with deeper skin tones as well! You also get so much product in this container, it will take you years to use up! It is definitely a must-have If you like cream bronzers. Next is the Nudestix Cream Bronzer in Bondi Bae. This is a very similar product to the Milk Makeup Cream Bronzer. It is similar in texture and color. I would say either one is a great option but I love both. The Nudestix bronzer has slightly more of a reddy tone but very similar. Lastly, I would say, I love the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream. This is a beautiful cream bronzer. The texture is similar to the stick bronzers but almost more of a satin feel. The color is much lighter and more of a summer bronze with an orange undertone. I use this one during the winter months when I am at my palest. It is a lovely cream bronzer that again, will last you many years, it has so much product in this gorgeous packaging!

Swatches above – Concealers: (L to R) Charlotte Tilbury Shade 2 Fair, Armani Beauty shade 3.5 ( my summer color), and Bareminerals shade Fair. Bronzers: (L to R) Nudestix Shade Bondi Bae, Milk Makeup in Baked, and Chanel the original.

Blush:

I have been obsessed with cream products this year. I have found that a cream blush gives not only a more natural lovely pop of color to the cheeks, it also gives a beautiful glow. I often will apply cream blush and top it off with a touch of powder blush to set the color in place to help it last all day! My go-to this year has been the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in shade Powder Pink. This is the most beautiful tawny pink, warms up the skin so beautifully! I love the finish of this blush, it is super creamy and pigmented. It leaves the skin looking plump and hydrated! Such a beautiful way to add a healthy glow! Great for cheeks and lips, I always keep one in my handbag! The Nudestix Cream Blush is definitely the next runner up! I love the shade “In The Nude”. It is the perfect dusty tan/mauve. They have so many beautiful colors to choose from tho, I love their Instagram, every time I am on there I want to buy everything! Lol But the cream blushes are definitely a must have if you haven’t tried them. They give a natural, warm flush of color to the cheeks, lips, and eyes. I love them for all seasons!

Swatches below: (L to R) Nudestix In the Nude and Bobbi Brown in shade Powder Pink! It’s hard to tell in this photo but the Nudestix blush is more pink toned and the Bobbi Brown blush is more of a brownie beige.