Beauty is one topic that I can go on and on about forever. There are always new and innovative products to share or beauty trends that we may love (or not) to talk about. I purchased a handful of beauty products to try, mainly lip products, and stuck again to some of the holy grail products I have shared repeatedly. Let’s dive into my best of beauty products for 2024!
SKINCARE
I do not have a strict skincare regimen with a long list of products that I use, however, I do like to ensure that I use some essential serums and hydrating products that aid in minimizing fine lines, discoloration, acne, etc. Every day before makeup I layer vitamin C serum, a daily moisturizer, and SPF. My holy grail daily moisturizer is the Olay Complete Lotion Moisturizer. This was one of the first skincare products my Mom introduced to me and for 15 years this moisturizer has been in my rotation. It wears great under makeup, it is not a sticky or oily formula. For SPF, I stuck to the La Roche Posay Anthelios Sunscreen.
My evening skincare routine is just as simple as my daytime routine. I liked the L’Oreal Revitalift Glycolic Face Wash for makeup removal and daily cleansing. It contains a small amount of glycolic acid, which will also gently exfoliate the skin. My MIL introduced me to this L’Oreal line when I visited her in Bosnia, and it has been part of my routine for the past year and a half.
I still used the Garnier Micellar Water daily to clean around my eyes of any makeup residue.
When I felt like my skin was breaking out or needed a bit more resurfacing I started using the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner or I would use Witch Hazel. I would use these toners after cleansing but before serums and moisturizing.
One serum that I highly recommend and love is the Clarins Double Serum. It is extremely brightening and I found that consistent use did target the appearance of fine lines. I would use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer to seal in the serum.
Lastly, one eye mask that I discovered is Grace & Stella Energizing Eye Masks. I originally found these to add to my Bridesmaid proposal boxes (read more here) but I liked to use them when I felt my eyes looked tired and could use a boost.
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FACE
Years ago, I would have told you that I am not a foundation person, but, now is a different story. A few years ago, I started using the It Cosmetics CC Cream. It is a full-coverage product with skincare incorporated. This product makes my skin look flawless so once again it is on my best-of-beauty list! This is the foundation that I even used for my wedding makeup (in the matte formula) and it held up all day.
I tried a new concealer this year, the Tarte Cosmetics Creaseless Concealer. All concealers naturally crease for me but what I liked about this one is the full-coverage formula so a little goes a long way, and it DID have minimal creasing. This is another product I used for my wedding makeup!
On days I did not wear foundation, I added this L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion in the shade 903 Medium Glow to my daily moisturizer. As a base, it gave my skin such a beautiful glow. I would then proceed with my concealer under my eyes.
I did not think I would like coral blush so much, but I have worn it nonstop since I purchased this Revolution Beauty Blush in Peach Bliss. It looked great with my summer skin, which is slightly more golden, and has looked great with my winter skin so far, giving it a flushed look.
The last step in applying my makeup was using a setting spray to ensure that it lasted all day. The E.L.F Cosmetics Stay All Night Micro-Fine Setting Mist did a good job keeping my makeup intact without separating my foundation by the end of the day.
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EYES
I did not wear as much eyeshadow this past year, but I did buy one makeup palette I also used for my wedding makeup which was the Morphe Magic Mirror Palette. I found this palette through a bridal makeup artist on Instagram and I knew it was going to be the perfect palette for my special day.
I am an eyeliner girlie and it is genuinely my preference for eye makeup. I bought both the brown and black liquid eyeliners by Maybelline that are easy to use with precise tips. I do not have a lot of eyelid space so a liner that can help me achieve a thin wing is the best. The other eyeliner that I liked was NYX Professional Eye Pencil in Taupe.
I have been a big fan of the L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black for a long time! I also decided to try this mascara in the Burgundy color as the colored mascara was trending last year. I remember the days when I wore blue mascara! For “no makeup” days I wore the Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara.
My MIL did help me find a pair of false lashes that suit my eye shape which were the Ardell Naked Lashes 420. They are subtle, beautiful, and looked natural which was what I loved most.
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LIPS
I do not even know where to begin with lips because I tried a lot of new products. All I can say is there was not one that I did not like. So I will just list them all. A majority were affordable brands mostly consisting of E.L.F. and NYX and I focused a lot on gloss and lip liners – so many lip combos to make, I will have to share some of my favorites on another post!
Lipsticks / Lip Balms
- MAC Cosmetics MACximal Matte Lipstick in Whirl
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk – nude pink
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk 2 Medium – warm berry pink
- Revlon Super Lustrous in Bare it All
- NYX Fat Oil Slick Click Tinted Lip Balm in Link In My Bio
- Bioderma Atoderm Lip Balm
Lipglosses
- Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Cream in Rose Julep
- Tower 28 Shine On Lip Jelly in Oat
- Tower 28 Shine On Lip Jellt in Pistachio
- E.L.F Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Honey Talks
- E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Rose Envy
- E.L.F Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Jam Session
Lip Liners
I am not sure why never used lip liners, but wow they make a huge difference to how lipstick and gloss look. I also think they made my lips look so much fuller. I was very impressed with the NYX lip pencils and find them to be a great product for the price.
- Revlon Colorstay Longwear Lip Liner in Mauve – hands down my most used lip liner for 2024!
- Maybelline Lifter Lip Liner in On It
- NYX Lip Pencil in Ever
- NYX Lip Pencil in Nude Truffle
- NYX Matte Lip Liner in Cherry Skies
- Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
- Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk 2 Medium
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HAIR
Hair care is very important to me as I am my own stylist. I prefer to invest in good products because I do my hair at home. For shampoo and conditioner, I used the Oribe Gold Lust Repair and Restore line. I know this brand is very expensive, but I found that it lasted me a year because I also mix up the products I use and only wash my hair once a week.
For cleansing the scalp, once or twice a month (because I wash 1x per week) I would use the Briogeo Scalp Revival Exfoliating Shampoo. This worked wonders for removing buildup, grease, and helped to control a flaky scalp.
A more affordable shampoo and conditioner I discovered this past year was the L’Oreal Restoring Shampoo and Conditioning Mask. They were also products that I found while visiting Bosnia, but see that you can also get them here in the US. Very rich and hydrating products.
For blow drying, I loved the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Styling Cream. A family friend who is a stylist told me they launched a new formal and it is so good. It is everything I need in a blow-dry cream.
By mid-week, I would feel as though my ends were getting dry so I would use this OGX Hair Oil Serum to bring back some shine and protection to my hair.
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