Intro
Makeup Haul 2016 is a new blog series where I go through my yearly haul of beauty products.
I am going to do this every year as it is a very personal experience and I want to ensure that I have the most up-to-date information out there. The reason behind this is that I love buying stuff, but all brands have ups and downs so I prefer to know what products are on the best form at any given time.
My makeup haul 2016
I don’t know what this is, but it sure looks great:
I’ve recently been working on a full-time job with an old boss. He has a personal makeup stash and I was invited to help him choose some new products that might work for his skin. While I was away from the office, he had me draw up an order for him. And now he’s behind on his Christmas shopping and he needs some new things as well.
So I was lucky enough to get to go over to his place last night and pick out a few things for him.
First up, I picked up this powder foundation from Intuition Cosmetics called The Ultimate Concealer . This is a very creamy powder foundation that stays put all day long and I love how it blends in seamlessly onto the skin – no streaks or patches. It retails at $28.00 CAD (and can be found online at http://www.intutioncosmetics.com/ ). It comes in 4 shades: Vanilla Bean (too dark for me), Vanilla Bean Light (perfect color match), Deep Pink (too light) and Latte (perfect color match).
I also picked up this blush called “Glowing Glow” which is a unique liquid blush that gives you hints of pink shimmery highlights as you apply it to your cheeks, but then goes back to your natural coloring. It retails at $14.99 CAD (and can be found online at http://www.intutioncosmetics.com/ ). The packaging is very cute and girly – perfect for someone who likes makeup!
And finally, I picked up several other cosmetics from Intuition Cosmetics:
This lipstick is called “Satin Sheer Lip Color” which retails at $10 CAD (and can be found online at http://www.intutioncosmetics.com/ ). It has a beautiful nude shimmer that makes lips look even more kissable with just one swipe!
This lipstick is called “Rose Quartz Lip Gloss” which retails at $14 CAD (and can be found online at http://www.intutioncosmetics.com/ ). It has a perfect rose quartz hue that will bring out your lips if you wear it right!
These two lipsticks are “Pink Flamingo” and “Wicked Pink” which are pink-tinted lipsticks with tiny metallic sparkles
The most popular products on YouTube and Instagram in 2016
It may have been 2015 before I had a chance to write an article on makeup haul, but it was one of the most popular things I did throughout the entire year. Over 200,000 people came to watch me do the haul! And for those of you who were wondering about my products…
These are my favourite products from this year:
1. Revlon ColorStay Matte Lipstick in Black Ops – I’ve been a huge fan of this lipstick for so long that it’s hard for me to pass it up these days. It lasts a lot longer than many other matte lipsticks, and is also a great colour match rugate.
2. Mac’s Baked Blush in Cheeky – This is another colour that doesn’t wear well on me (I’ll just be honest, I tend towards browns), but I still love the way it looks and works on others (except if they have red undertones). It leans more towards pink than brown, but with a subtle undertone of peach.
3. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Divine – One of the few liquid lipsticks that actually stays almost completely opaque all day long, this one is really good at giving your lips some extra definition without looking overly glossy or overdone.
4. MAC’s Powder Blush in Ruby Woo – Another shade that wears better on others (though not nearly as well as Cheeky), this one has an almost pink undertone and is great for those with red undertones or those who like their blushes to be brighter and more vibrant than other shades (like MAC’s Buttercream Blush, which is more yellow-based). The best part? It comes with a mirror!
5. Too Faced Shadow Insurance – This lipliner has become my go-to lipliner recently because it applies beautifully and doesn’t crease so easily like most lipliners can do–especially when layered over darker eyeshadows like Brown Sugar or Soft Brown Shadow #3 . It also comes with an eye pencil brush when you want to get more precise application with your lines.
The best makeup products on Amazon
Amazon is where I spend a lot of my time shopping for beauty products. A few years ago I was a regular day-and-night shopper, but now that I have more time on my hands, I try to do a little bit of shopping every week. The best makeup products on Amazon have been regularly featured in the makeup haul section here on TechCrunch and regular readers may already be familiar with some of them (here’s the Amazon and Sephora comparison). This year I thought it would be fun to give you guys a rundown of the best things I’ve discovered.
I’ve put together this list in two parts. Part one covers the products that are currently available and has been curated based on what Sephora has referred to as their “favorites”. Part two is more about products coming soon, so you can get excited for what is around the corner.
(Note: Sephora does not recommend all of these products, so if you are an avid buyer and want me to recommend a product you might want to check out Sephora first)
1.) MAC Lipstick ($21): This is one of my favorite lipsticks ever. It’s matte but also very moisturizing, non drying and super long lasting (I’ve worn this lipstick for hours without it cracking or wearing off). It’s best described as “Falling in Love” in color because it’s pinkish/peachy but with just enough shimmer to make it look like it’s changing colors depending on how you’re looking at it (this unique quality helps make this lipstick stand out from all other similar lipsticks). It’s also available in some pretty interesting shades (not just cool pinks) too! Kiss Me Like You Mean It is an awesome shade with red undertones and that perfect touch of shimmer which makes me feel like someone else wrote “I love you.”
2.) Too Faced Chocolate Bar ($22): This is one of my favorites because although it has chocolate undertones, they are fairly subtle (it doesn’t smell like chocolate at all), the texture is creamy and easy to apply, the color range looks fantastic no matter what your skin tone or even your mood (I don’t know how they manage this but every single shade looks great no matter what mood I’m in), there are tons of different packaging options available for this product so there really isn’t anything missing if you’re looking for something different BUT if
My favorite makeup products on Amazon
In 2016, I bought 16 new makeup products on Amazon (there was a 15th product, but I didn’t buy it). This is not an exhaustive list of the products I bought (I have a lot of other makeup that I rarely use – or only use once or twice!). It’s just the ones that stood out to me.
Here are my favorite makeup products from this year:
1. TheBalm mini beauty blender ($25)
This little beauty blender is so good for blending your foundation without a lot of work. It has an ultra-fine sponge tip which allows you to blend powder with your cream foundation, no need for any sponges or cotton pads. The price is about half as much as buying another sponges and it does the same job at about half the power.
2. Shiseido Ultra Moisture Cream ($45)
A bit more dense than most moisturizers, but with a surprisingly smooth texture and brightening effect. The formula is award-winning so this one is worth buying even if you don’t think you will like it (which I know some people don’t). It has SPF 30+ which is always nice in summertime and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy at all (although depending on where you live, this may vary). It also contains shea butter, which helps moisturize and tone while providing a lovely fresh scent.
3. Glamglow Tinted Lip Balm in Sea Salt ($10)
I love tinted lip balms – they make my lips feel soft and can be worn all day without reapplying, especially if you don’t eat much (like me). This one has light moisturizing ingredients and doesn’t taste bad at all – in fact it has a very pleasant flavor! Even though it’s not quite as moisturizing as some others, the tint really does make my lips feel comfortable even after eating lunch!
4. Lancome Juicy Scented Body Lotion ($8)
This body lotion smells just like “Soft & Gentle” body wash from Garnier; only better because it also smells like honeydew melon! It’s intensely scented so it’s very easy to use up quickly and easily; just mix with water or soap & pour into hand and rub onto wet skin until absorbed (it can be warmed up if needed). I applied this after shower
Conclusion
My favorite way to spend a weekend is:
● 1. Going for a run with the dog,
● 2. Taking pictures of myself and the dog,
● 3. Foraging for mushrooms,
● 4. Writing blog posts,
● 5. Watching movies, and/or – if I have time – – playing video games.