2014 Favourites: Makeup and Brushes

I cannot believe it's already 2015. Time truly has gone fast. Today I'm going to round up all my standout products of the past year. Rather than choosing a product for each category, I'm going to select the ones I really fell in love with this year. (Warning: this post is gonna be a long one. You might want to get a snack!)

Makeup:

Base Makeup:

One foundation really stood out to me over the past year, the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream. This is my go to base when my skin is looking dull and drab. The different pigments within the product help to counter act dullness and redness. It offers a light to medium coverage and looks very natural on the skin. I always get compliments when I wear this. 

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

I've got two blush favourites this year, Sleek 'Flushed' and Revlon Cream Blush in 'Charmed Enchantment.' They are both that natural mauvey pink which I love to wear all year round. It looks great on everyone and the formula of both is excellent. The Sleek blush is very pigmented and a dream to blend. The Revlon one lasts ages on the skin. I love them both! 

Sleek 'Flushed'

Revlon 'Charmed Enchantment"

The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer is hands down the most gorgeous champagne gold highlighter out there. It's intensely pigmented and beautiful and buttery and I just love it. Every time I wear this, I look very healthy and glowy but not glittery. I don't know what I was doing before this came into my life! It's definitely worth the hype. 

The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer

Eye Makeup:

I have a lot of products for this category. What can I say? I'm an eye makeup fanatic!

Eyeshadow:

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in 'Rose Gold' is most definitely my favourite eyeshadow discovery of 2014. It's a very soft rose gold that leans more on the rose side. This is also a great shade for brides because it's subtle but catches the light beautifully. 

Bobbi Brown 'Rose Gold'

It took me a long time, but I finally managed to get my hands on the Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadows. My favourite shades are 'On and On Bronze' and 'Metallic Pomegranate.' The formula of these is amazing. Creamy and blendable but very long lasting.  They look amazing layered with other eyeshadows. 

Maybelline Colour Tattoos in 'On and On Bronze' and 'Metallic Pomegranate'

I've also loved using the Max Factor Single Eyeshadow in 'Golden Bronze.' This is the best everyday all over the lid eyeshadow I own. It creamy and pigmented and blends beautifully. It's very subtle which is why I think it would suit every occasion and all skin tones. 

Max Factor 'Golden Bronze'

Brows:

The W7 Brow Bar is hands down the best brow product you'll find at the drugstore. You have a great selection of colours and texture is perfect. The powders have a nice amount of pigment; they're not too strong but they show up. 

W7 Brow Bar

Mascara:

2014 was the year I discovered my all time favourite mascara, Max Factor False Lash Effect. It gives you fluttery full lashes in just two coats and lasts all day. I cannot live without it. I always have to have a spare tube in the draw. I've tried other mascaras but I always come back to this one. 

Max Factor False Lash Effect

Lips:

I wore lipstick pretty much every time I wore makeup in 2014. I'm surprised I've been able to narrow it down to three!

Revlon Lip Butter in 'Wild Watermelon' is definitely my favourite lipstick of 2014. If I was ever unsure as to what lip to wear, you can bet good money that I'd pull this one out. It's a sheer watermelon shade that seems to work with every kind of look.

Revlon 'Wild Watermelon'

If I wasn't wearing 'Wild Watermelon', I was wearing Clinique's 'Super Strawberry' Chubby Stick. This is a perfect my lips but better shade. It's so natural and just looks good. It's as simple as that. 

Clinique 'Super Strawberry'

Revlon Matte Balm in 'Striking' has been my most worn bold lip of 2014. . A creamy matte orangey red that is very easy to wear and apply thanks to the pen shaped bullet. 

Revlon Matte Balm in 'Striking'

Although it's been a year of lipstick, there is one lipgloss that stood out for me. The Laura Mercier Lip Glace in 'Bare Pink' is a great one to layer on top of other lipsticks. It's a very creamy gloss and this shade works well to tone down lipsticks without completely muting the colour. 

Makeup Brushes:

Face Brushes:

The Real Techniques Setting Brush is easily the best concealer brush. It buffs and blends like no other. 

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Also from Real Techniques is the Duo Fibre Face Brush. This brush is perfect for any type of face powder. Because it's duo fibre, it never picks up too much product and it blends it so seamlessly into the skin. Great for those who are heavy handed. 

Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush

Finally for face brushes is the Zoeva 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek aka the best blush brush ever. 

Zoeva 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush 

Eyes:

The Zoeva 228 Crease brush is my 'keep clean' blending brush. It's fluffy and blends out the edges of eyeshadow perfectly. For a crease brush, I love using the Zoeva 221 Soft Crease brush. The shape fits nicely into the crease and allows you to really carve out the socket. 

Front to Back- Zoeva 228 Crease Brush, Zoeva 221 Soft Crease Brush and Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush

Last but definitely not least is the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. This brush is a dream when it comes to cream eyeshadow. The synthetic bristles enable you to buff and blend the cream without it soaking up the product. 

So, those were all my makeup and brush favourites of 2014. It's been a great year for discovering new makeup loves and I can't wait to see what the next year brings for the makeup world!

What's your top makeup product of 2014?

Thanks for reading,
Avani 
xoxo