2013 Beauty Favorites

Wow, this year went by fast! I just want to wish you all a Happy New Year and share with you some of my favorite beauty products in 2013.

Favorite High-End Beauty Brand

MAC Cosmetics: It's the brand that gets me really excited month after month with new collections (permanent and limited edition). I was very happy to see The Return of Marilyn Monroe because I missed out in 2012, and I really enjoyed the addition of new shades in the Retro Matte formula. I also fell in love with every single lipstick in the RiRi Hearts MAC collections (especially RiRi Woo... my HG red). There was a lot of stalking involved, but it was all worth it in the end (at least to me anyway).

Favorite Drugstore Beauty Brand

Maybelline: I was very impressed with Maybelline this year. I really liked the Color Whispers and Vivids that I ended up buying every single shade I could find. I'm also a big fan of their Color Tattoos, Baby Lips, and other Color Sensational High Shine Lip Glosses.

Favorite New Product

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette: I really like this palette because of the beautiful warm pinky and rosy shades in it. The eyeshadows are highly pigmented, apply smoothly, and blend easily. I love my Naked 1 and Naked 2, but I think this will be my new go-to palette.

Favorite Face Primer

Laura Geller Spackle Under Make-Up Primer: A new favorite! It helps my foundation look better and last longer. It feels nice and lightweight. It is easy to apply and sets quickly to a smooth finish. I use this after I've applied my moisturizer, and it seems to help my skin retain moisture. It also adds a subtle glow to my face which I really like.

Favorite Concealer

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer: I've tried other concealers, and I always go back to this one! It does wonders for my dark circles. I just use my fingers to apply, set it with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural... and it stays put all day!

Favorite Liquid Foundation

Revlon ColorStay Foundation: This is what I normally use when I want medium-full coverage that looks natural, feels lightweight, and lasts all day.

Favorite Powder Foundation

Laura Geller Balance-N-Brighten Baked Color Correcting Foundation: It is very finely milled, looks very natural, and blends well with my skin. It's my new favorite!

Favorite Setting Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural: I love using this to set my concealer and/or foundation. It just looks very natural and does not emphasize any dryness.

Favorite Eyeshadow Base

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: I have tried so many eyeshadow primers, but I find myself reaching for this more than any other primer. It makes my shadows look more vibrant and last longer without creasing.

Favorite Cream Eyeshadow

Mally Evercolor Shadow Sticks: I am in love with these. They are so easy to apply! Just glide them over your lids, blend with your fingers, and they won't budge after they've set.

Favorite Pressed Powder Eyeshadow

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows: I love these! They are soft, creamy, and incredibly pigmented. They apply smoothly and blend nicely. I hope MAC will continue to release new shades in the future.

Favorite Loose Eyeshadow

MAC Pigments: I rarely buy or use loose eyeshadows nowadays, except for MAC Pigments. They're smooth in texture, rich in color pay off, and just overall amazing.

Favorite Pencil Eyeliner

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes: They glide on so smoothly and stay put without smudging.

Favorite Cream/Gel Eyeliner

MAC Fluidlines: I usually reach for one of these if I want precise application and intense color throughout the day. These go on smoothly and stay put without budging or flaking off.

Favorite Liquid Eyeliner

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners: These are my favorite liquid liners because they are truly budgeproof, smudgeproof, and waterproof.

Favorite Mascara

Laura Geller Wow Factor All-in-One Mascara: I just LOVE this stuff! This mascara actually gives my lashes some length, volume, separation, and definition. It builds and layers well without getting clumpy, so my lashes look soft and natural.

Favorite Bronzer

MAC Pro Longwear Bronzers: These bronzers are fantastic! They are creamy, buttery soft, and silky-smooth. I have Nude on Board and Sun Dipped, and I love them. I hope MAC will repromote them in 2014, so I can get a backup of each.

Favorite Blush

MAC Extra Dimension Blushes: I love these blushes because they have excellent color payoff, and the texture is very soft, smooth, finely-milled, and easy to apply and blend on the skin. They all look so beautiful and glowy on the skin.

Favorite Highlighter

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinishes: I love the Extra Dimension formula! They have excellent pigmentation. The texture is soft, applies well on the skin, and blends very easily. I was very happy to see MAC repromote old shades and release new shades in 2013. I just hope MAC would make these permanent, so I can repurchase when or if I run out.

Favorite Lip Balm

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm: This has been my go-to lip balm this past year. It smells delicious and works amazing.

Favorite Lipstick

Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipsticks: I can't get enough of these lipsticks! They are rich, creamy, moisturizing, and easy to apply. They make my lips look and feel soft, smooth, and hydrated. They provide full color and shine with a refreshing hint of mint.

Favorite Lipgloss

Tarte Maracuja Lip Glosses: These are very glossy and so moisturizing. They have fairly good pigmentation, and they have a pleasant minty scent and cooling effect on the lips. They feel a little tacky, but it doesn't bother me because they make my lips look shiny and smooth as glass, and they last a decent amount of time.

Favorite Makeup Brushes

Sigma Brushes: I bought the New Synthetic (Kabuki and Precision) Essential Kit (10 Brushes), Make Me Crazy Essential Kit, and Mrs. Bunny Essential Kit earlier in 2013, and I really like them. My favorites are the synthetic kabuki and precision brushes.


I'd love to hear some of your 2013 favorites!