BEST IN BEAUTY 2017

I enjoy reading other peoples ‘best in beauty’ round-ups because you get to see what really made the cut. Here are mine.

Let’s start off with the basics of any good skincare regime.

Cleanser – Elemis has hands down been the supreme winners in my skincare arsenal. Every single product I’ve used so far have been outstanding, to say the least. These are ultra-premium products at their very best! My front-runners have to be Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm for removing makeup immaculately every night, it leaves my skin incredibly smooth and clear, my pores disappear and my skin is soft and supple. I can’t rave about this enough, it’s amazing and my skin has never looked better.

In the morning I use Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash. This luxurious rinse off cream cleanser is so comforting and calming and is an absolute joy to use. It leaves my skin feeling refreshed, balanced and never tight. It’s unconventional to other face washes in that you apply it to a dry face first much like the cleansing balm above, add a little bit of water to create a creamy lather and then rinse off. I love this for time because I can apply it and then jump straight into the shower.

My winning moisturiser has to be Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. This has simply transformed the look of my skin within a few uses. It’s one of the only moisturisers I’ve used that actually retains hydration throughout the day. My skin has never been smoother or softer. It nourishes and firms skin whilst providing a blend of superior free-radical protection. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to up their anti-aging skincare game. P.S it provides a superb base for makeup.

SPF – if you don’t know by now you should be wearing an SPF daily weather incorporated into your daily moisturiser or separately. I prefer the later. My absolute favourite has to be Oclipse Smart Tone SPF 50 by Zo Skin Health by Zein Obagi. This has a unique technology that offers a sheer tinted primer that adapts to any skintone. It provides both UVA/UVB protection, anti-redness and a 12hr time release antioxidant complex that helps protect against photodamage. To say I am obsessed with this stuff is an understatement!

Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for … drumroll, please! MAKEUP!

Foundation is by far my favourite part of makeup application, without a good base, the rest just isn’t going to work. I have three standout foundations for the year – 1. bareMinerals BarePro Liquid Foundation is the newest addition to the bareMinerals foundation collection and one of the best at that. It gives me those MAC Studio Fix vibes as the packaging is very similar. It’s a beautiful, good for skin full coverage, long-lasting foundation that actually improves skin texture in time so you don’t have to feel guilty wearing it daily. I absolutely love this how this looks in person and on camera. If you love Estee Lauder Double Wear but are looking for something that’s better for your skin then look no further. 2. Loreal True Match is an excellent drugstore foundation that offers an abundance of shades and undertones so it’s really easy to find one to match you perfectly. I love the blendability of this base, the finish is semi-matte but gives skin that glow from within. It’s one that I love to mix with more matte foundations for a more skin-like finish. It’s a beautiful foundation for the price and is compared to Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk. This is an excellent everyday foundation and I highly recommend it to everyone and anyone! 3. Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid came to me at the very end of the year but is already a firm favourite. This has 16 hr wear, 24hr hydration and an SPF 35 to boot and provides ultimate high coverage with a natural flawless finish. It feels like nothing on the skin yet hides a multitude of sins! Perfect for anyone with highly sensitive skin, rosacea, acne, vitiligo, tattoos and scars. It’s light fluid texture blends like a dream making skin look literally perfect.

Concealer has to be Tarte Shape Tape, although it’s a bugger to get hold of here in the UK. If you can find your shade from QVC then lucky you! This concealer ticks all the boxes for me, it’s creamy, lightweight, provides full coverage and best of all does not crease under the eyes! I love how it works perfectly with the rest of my makeup up and just adds that finishing touch. It really is superb.

Setting Powders are essential if you want your makeup to stay in place all day. My top three are 1. Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder, this ultra-lightweight powder is so finely milled it’s almost invisible on the skin but sets foundation beautifully and controls shine throughout the day. A perfect accompaniment to any full coverage foundation. 2. bareMinerals Bareskin Perfecting Veil. This adds a touch of coverage making skin look totally airbrushed to perfection hence the name. I love how this powder makes any foundation look good. It’s great for touch-ups on the go to. 3. Vichy Dermablend Covermatte Powder Foundation. This adds a good amount of extra coverage so fantastic for problem skin or when I feel like I want a super flawless complexion. It has added SPF 25 so a great Summer option. The texture is buttery soft leaving skin velvety matte and with 100% mineral pigment it is kind to skin especially acne, oily and combination skin.

Bronzer – Hourglass Ambient Light Bronzer, Luminous Bronze Light is the one and only bronzer I use. Its mix of warm and light tones creates the ultimate glow that’s not orange or muddy. I’ve used this every day for two years and I still haven’t hit pan!

Blush – Benefit Dallas is one of those shades that you can wear all year round. It looks natural and is easy to incorporate into any makeup look. I love to ‘double blush’ with this by using a brighter colour over top. This creates dimension and brings life to skin, an absolute must-have!

Highlight – You must be tired of hearing this but Delilah Pure Light Compact Illuminating Powder – Aura still wins hands down! The marble of multiple shades is so flattering it just creates soft light and dimension without looking like the tin man. It’s what I like to call a ‘grown-up’ highlight so if you are over 30 this may be the one for you as it does not settle into fine lines or look fake. It melts onto skin beautifully and looks naturally radiant and dewy.

Eyeshadow Palette – Urban Decay Naked 3 has been my go-to for eyeshadow. It has the most flattering pink to purple shades that can create numerous makeup looks. I never tire of this palette and I can always rely on it for a great look from a supernatural day look to a sexy smoky evening look. The shadows themselves are so easy to blend and superb quality. I own all the Naked palettes but I find that this particular one compliments my eye colour the most.

Now when it comes to mascara, eyeliner, lipstick and lip gloss etc those are quite interchangeable with me and I never really stick to one thing. There wasn’t one stand-alone product in that category that I used often enough to warrant a position in best of beauty 2017 so I haven’t included them.

Phew, that was a long one! Gold star to those who read until the end! I would love to know some of your best beauty picks from last year.