Beauty Favorites - 2014

"Monthly Favorites" is a very popular topic in the Beauty Blogger/Vlogger's world. My work require that I travel a lot and I am on the field all the time. This is a challenging work environment to use and experiment with my cosmetics products. Hence it is almost impractical to carry a lot of makeup with me, which eventually does not inspire me enough to pick up my "monthly favorites" and blog about it. 

Nevertheless, I have been completely enjoying the world of beauty and cosmetics and it has been great till now. Today I am very excited to share the few products that stood out to me this year. I have been constantly using and loving these products:

BareMinerals First Resort Bronzing Kit (Limited Edition, 35$ for the whole kit with a brush and lip gloss): This is undoubtedly my MOST used product this year. I have raved about this in my earlier blog post back in May '14, and, 7 months later, my love is still intact! This product changed how I felt about bronzers; now I love using them throughout the year to bring some warmth to my face. This palette has a matte warm tone mid-brown (with a VERY little sheen), a highlighter shade and a golden shimmery shade which is my most favorite. It looks a little bit too shimmery on the pan but when applied it gives a BEAUTIFUL healthy-glow without the shimmer showing up much.

MAC Ruby Woo ($16): My first MAC lipstick and I could not have chosen better. I love how flattering it looks on my skin tone; makes me feel elegant and very alluring about myself! It's a retro matte finish which makes your lips very dry! But I love the color and the amazing staying power. More review and swatches here.

Bite Beauty Lip Products: Bite Beauty is undoubtedly one of the best lipstick brands that I have experienced till date. Every single product and shade that I have tried has totally impressed me; they are hydrating, creamy and stay on for a long time on my lips. Among the ones I have, I am a little biased towards Rouge Crème Lipstick in Cin Cin ($24) and High Pigment Pencil in Quince (bought in a kit, $25)! You know I love my bright bold colors :-)

IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette ($42): Prior to 2014 I own only one tiny little eyeshadow Quad. And then makeup fixation grew on me and now I have more palettes than I can ever possibly finish up. This palette from IT Cosmetics however will always have a special place in my heart! These are some very-soft-buttery-smooth-long-lasting matte eyeshadows in some very beautiful soft and romantic shades. I do love shimmery-glittery eyeshadows and use them quite often, but, I picked this palette for "2014 Favorites" because of how easy these shadows are to use. The only problem is the outer velvet-clothing type packaging; it has started to accumulate dirt. More swatches here in my earlier blog post.

MAC Paint Pot in "Layin' low" ($21): A must have for me. I use it almost every time I wear eyeshadows. It keeps them in place for a really long time. Read my previous review here.

Makeup Geek Eye Brushes (varies from $5.99 to $8.99): Considering it’s been just a year for me since I have dived into the world of makeup, I am still experimenting with brushes, especially for the face. I am trying to find out my Holy Grail tools. But as far as eyeshadow brushes are concerned I am pretty much set with these brushes from Makeup Geek. I love the sizes of the bristles because they are just the perfect size for my tiny eyelids. The stiff dome brush is wonderful for very precise application on the crease, and the soft dome brush is amazing for blending. I also love how affordable they are :-) 

It's a 10 Miracle leave-in Plus Keratin ($20 for 4 oz.): Such a long name ;-) It's a pricey product but I think it is worth it. I don't believe that it can satisfy all the 10 claims mentioned in their packaging but I absolutely love using it. I apply it on damp hair after wash and it makes my hair very silky and fuzz free. It also manages to lengthen the interval between hair washes. I received it as a sample product from Ulta but I already have repurchased the biggest size :-)

SPECIAL MENTION
Tarte Amazonian Clay waterproof liner in BRONZE definitely deserves a mention in this list. It's a gel liner but I mostly use it as a single-lid color. It is a very rich bronze with golden micro-shimmer. I have reviewed it in detail here. It's my wonder product; needs just a minute to apply, looks good even without an eyeliner and has an amazing staying power. Slap it on and go outta door; FOOLPROOF   ;-) ;-) ;-) 

So, there you go! I really enjoyed sharing my most favorite products from this year. While I continue trying my best to use up my current products I cannot wait to see what new items hit the market in 2015 :-) NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette expected to release in January looks very interesting :-) What are your favorite products this year? Share with me :-)  

And I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday time with your friends and families... 

Merry Christmas in advance folks! 
Love,

~Arrru