Best of 2018.

 

So, this is it. Another year comes to a close. 2018 was a strange year for me. It was mired in plenty of sticky situations but it did spare a few personal triumphs. All in all, I’m hoping and praying 2019 is better. For all of us. As per tradition here on the blog, here’s a list of my Favourites – products I used all through 2018 along with a few recent additions. I tried my best to not include products I’ve featured in previous Yearly Favourites, just to switch things up, you know?

 

 

• Sugar All Set Go Translucent Powder: Lightweight, no white cast, softly sets makeup and removes shine.

 

• Maybelline Facestudio Master Strobing Stick (Nude): Natural-looking cream highlighter, use fingers to warm up product and dab along places you’d like to highlight.

 

• MAC Strobe Cream (Pinklite): Imparts super pretty, lit-from-within glow. Works best under other face products. Can be used as a liquid highlighter too. Creamy consistency that never really sets.

 

• Garnier Skin Naturals BB Cream: The only recurring product from previous years. Lovely consistency, natural finish, has SPF but no flashback in photos.

 

• Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder (Precious Petals): Not a natural-looking highlighter in the least. Very metallic and intense. Packs a punch. Dust off the excess and use a light hand if you want to make it appear more natural.

 

 

• Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow 10 Pan Palette ( Rosé in the Air): An affordable dupe for the Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette. Pretty shades, pigmented, blend-able, long-wearing. But the powders are loosely packed and there’s a lot of product kick-up in the pan.

 

• Sugar Blend The Rules Eyeshadow Quad (07 Applause): Lovely formula. Pigmented, smooth, blends easily, long-wearing. Packaging could be better, though.

 

• Bite Beauty Multistick (Biscotti): A multitasking dream of a product. Can be used on the eyes, cheeks and lips. Cream formula that sets to a smooth powdery finish. Love using this on the eyes as a one-and-done wash of colour.

 

• 3INA The Cream Eyeshadow (313): Mousse-y consistency. Blends easily. Pigmented. Sets and lasts for a long time.

 

 

• Glossier Cloud Paint (Haze): Gorgeous colour. Gel-cream formula. Long-wearing. Multi-tasking.

 

• 3INA The Blush (313): Neutral rosy nude shade that goes with any look. Soft powder, smooth, wears well.

 

• Essence Matt Touch Blush (10): Fun peachy shade. Smooth, quite loosely packed and kicks up a bit of product but blends easily and wears well.

 

• Benefit Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain: Natural-looking watery stain. Blend quickly when using on the cheeks. Layer when using on the lips.

 

• 3 Concept Eyes Love 3CE Cheek Maker (Giving Pleasure): Matte apricot shade. Pigmented, soft, blends out nicely, wears well. Adorable packaging, too.

 

• Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher (#6 Grapefruit Jelly): Warm pink with a white base. Comes with an adorable puff. Quite powdery but blends out nice and smooth. Pigmented and wears well.

 

• Bite Beauty Multistick (Biscotti): A multitasking dream of a product. Can be used on the eyes, cheeks and lips. Cream formula that sets to a smooth powdery finish. Adds warmth to the cheeks.

 

 

• Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour (Lilac): Gives blotted, stained look to the lips. Comfortable. Easy to touch up. Cool-toned MLBB shade.

 

• Clio Rouge Heel Velvet (02 Hottest): Outstanding formula. Extremely pigmented, opaque and long-wearing. Comfortable, too.

 

• Peripera Airy Ink Velvet (Dry Rose Brown/Bright Plum/Glimpse Brick Brown): Mousse-y formula. Easy to touch up. Lightweight. Lasts well.

 

• Etude House Soft Drink Tint (BL601 Milky Soda): Only gloss in the line. Lovely consistency. Colour changes according to the warmth of your skin. Works well on its own and layers nicely over other products.

 

• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (Dolce Vita): Stunning colour and formula. Long-wearing. Needs to be sharpened, non-retractable.

 

• Dior Lip Glow Hydrating Color Reviving Balm (005 Lilac): Bought quite a few lilac hued lip products this year, it seems. Amazing formula. Sheer wash of colour that adjusts to the warmth of your skin. Long-wearing balm.

 

• Jill Stuart Forever Juicy Oil Rouge Tint (08 Apple Trick): Lovely gloss with specks of glitter running throughout. Non-sticky, comfortable formula.

 

• Wet n Wild Color Icon Lipliner Pencil (Fab Fuchsia): Creamy lipliner with good longevity. Affordable.

 

• Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick (Lover): Cooler-toned MLBB hue. Sticky formula but long-wearing. Blot to get rid of stickiness.

 

 

Sì Intense Eau de Parfum by Giorgio Armani: Most-worn scent of the year. Warm and sweet. Sensual. Impactful and memorable sillage.

 

 

Favourite Brand of 2018: 3 Concept Eyes, by far! I tried a handful of products from the brand (only reviewed two so far but look forward to more) this year and wasn’t let down by a single one. They have interesting products and feature colours that are unique but flattering.

 

Most Disappointing Brand of 2018: Too many to name! Klairs continues to be a disappointment. I should just stop buying any of their stuff. Was let down by a couple of COSRX products too.

 

We’re done!

What were your best finds of 2018? Which products did you enjoy the most?