Welcome to part two of the 2016 Favorites series! Today we’re going to take a look at the face products that I loved this last year.
Base – Dr. Jart Premium BB Beauty Balm
I don’t typically wear much by way of base products (I’m definitely not a foundation girl) but as a sort of “honorable mention product” I want to give a quick shout out to the Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm. At most I use this product once or twice a month but when I do use it, I really enjoy it. I have photos and notes for a review of this but just haven’t had time to get an actual post written. I guess it’s good to have goals in the coming year right?
I purchased this from Sephora.
Concealer – L’Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter
For most of this year I’ve been working my way through a Peter Thomas Roth concealer (which is very nice…and possibly discontinued) but it didn’t beat out the L’oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter Concealer. This product is just the perfect consistency for my needs. It’s a lighter consistency which means that it doesn’t look cakey on my under eyes and it doesn’t crease on me. What more could you ask for really?
You can find this product at any drugstore that carries L’Oreal.
2015 – L’Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter
2014 – L’Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter
Powder – Rimmel Stay Matte Face Powder
As I was stealing the above image from Rimmel’s website, I noticed that it looks like they’ve re-formulated this powder. I’ve been using the original formula off and on for several years and it does just what it claims. It makes your dang face matte. I’m hoping that the new formula isn’t too dramatically different. I will say that while this is still my favorite powder to date, I’m shopping around for a new one. Mostly out of boredom not because there’s anything wrong with Rimmel’s powder. I would be interested to know if you’ve compared the new formula to the old though!
You can find the Stay Matte powder at any drugstore that carries Rimmel products.
2015 – Rimmel Stay Matte Face Powder
2014 – Rimmel Stay Matte Face Powder
Cream Highlight – Colour Pop “Monster”
I have to give a shout out to my girl Glamour Vortex who gifted this highlighter to me in a lovely give-away that she did. You can find swatches in my original post about her give-away. Monster is a cream to powder kind of product that has the most subtle, ethereal pink/violet/pearl duochrome. It lasts all day and is just generally insanely lovely.
You can buy Colour Pop directly from their website.
2015 – Josie Maran Argan Illuminator
2014 – Josie Maran Argan Illuminator
Powder Highlight – None!
I bought so very many highlighters this year that I didn’t really have time to fall in love with a single one. Recently I’ve been using My Pretty Zombie’s “Pancakes!”, Notoriously Morbid’s “Osteomancy” and Makeup Revolution “Golden Lights”. So I’ll give them all honorable mentions but there wasn’t a single stand out product this year.
2015 – Wet n’ Wild Fair Trade Coffee (I still LOVE this highlight but it was limited edition in 2015)
2014 – Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer “Tiki”
Contour – Camp Cosmetics “Monogamy” Blush
In a world of crazy contouring and contour palettes, I think if you find a color that doesn’t make you look like you smeared Cheetos or mud on your face, you should just stick with it. Monogamy is that shade for me. It’s subtle, it’s neutral and it can be used as a blush. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
You can find swatches from wayyyyy back when I first purchased this product.
I couldn’t find Monogamy on the Camp Cosmetics website so I sent them an email and Michael responded within moments as per usual. He did say that their blush was gone until sometime in the Spring. Hopefully that at least means that it will be back at some point.
2015 – Camp Cosmetics Monogamy
2014 – Camp Cosmetics Monogamy
Blush – My Pretty Zombie MDMA
It’s not orange or peach! Can you even believe that this is happening right now?? For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a peach blush girl. If it’s summer then I’m an orange blush girl. Sometimes, if I’m feeling crazy, I’ll do a neutral. But I’m not a pink blush girl. Or at least I wasn’t. Now, I’m all about this pink blush. You can find swatches from when I hauled it but just suffice to say they don’t really do this blush justice. This is the perfect pink, it makes me look bright and fresh and youthful and it has a golden sheen (but isn’t glittery) that negates the need for highlight. It’s perfection. Also, I’ve been using this every day for the last month. It’s surely a sign of the end times.
You can buy MDMA blush from the My Pretty Zombie website.
2015 – MAC Melba
2014 – Maybelline Coral Burst
What were your favorite face products this last year? I’d love to compare notes in the comments!
Other posts in the 2016 Favorites series:
If you’re feeling nostalgic for years gone by:
Gym Bag Makeup 
Great list
Thank you! 🙂
That L’Oreal Magic Lumi is great. Have you tried the Maybelline version? It is fantastic – provides luminosity but slightly more coverage than the L’Oreal. Since L’Oreal owns Maybelline… might be really similar formulation.
Rimmel reformulated the Stay Matte powder?! 😮 There will be riots on the streets! Did they at least repackage the damn thing?
And oooh throw back to 2014: Maybelline Coral Burst Blush is amazing! I hunted that thing down based on all the raves – I do not regret it.
I’m still mentally trying to narrow down my list… it’s really tough!
I have! I kind of waffle back and forth on which one I prefer actually. The majority of the time I like the lighter coverage but every so often a girl really does need something a little more serious.
I really really hope that they haven’t changed the Stay Matte powder too much! Have you heard anything else about it? It looks like the same hideous and evil packaging. I don’t know what they were thinking at all.
I don’t know why Maybelline didn’t make Coral Burst permanent. It’s so freaking good!
I totally understand the difficulty in narrowing down the favorites. I still haven’t written my eyeshadow favorites. I have no idea what I would pick!!