My Favourite Beauty Products Of 2017

Moving into the last day of the year, I thought it was the best time to list my favourite beauty products of the year in the categories of makeup, skincare and haircare. These are all the products that I used most often throughout 2017, my reliable “go-to’s”.

These seem to change around a bit each year, depending on the new products I’ve tried and fallen in love with, however I’m sure you’ll see quite a few products I’ve mentioned so many times before. They are all items I would recommend to anyone 🙂

Primer – Rimmel Insta Fix & Go

This is a 2 in 1 primer and setting spray so you can use it before or after makeup. I love using it as a primer. So easy to spray on before applying makeup, and I do feel like it helps the foundation stick. I spray it at the end of doing my base makeup as well, as the mist is fine enough to settle the base but can cause a bit of smudging if I spray it after doing my mascara.

Foundation – Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless

I talked about this foundation in my recent Priceline Sale Haul, it’s the most reliable foundation in my makeup drawer. The coverage is great, the light colour is perfect (more neutral/warm than pink). It applies really well with a sponge and if set right, lasts all day. It makes my skin look a lot smoother than it is and the matte finish helps my somtimes-shiny skin stay a little less shiny for longer.

Concealer – Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous

This is the lightest drugstore concealer I’ve found, it’s a very moisturising formula that blends well with your fingers. It really brightens me up around the eye area and doesn’t crease. It’s also really affordable!

Powder – Australis Fresh And Flawless

I rely on this powder a tonne, it has so much coverage and sets foundation really well. Amazing for touch ups and just creating a flawless base. I’ve been using it for years.

Brows – Ardell Powder, Charlotte Tilbury Pencil, L’Oreal Brow Artist Plumper

The eyebrow product I used most this year was the Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift in the shade Super Model (a dark brown). It was so so so good, I used it all up (it was a sad moment). I was planning to buy another because I loved it that much, but then I found this Ardell Powder in my drawer and remembered how much I used to love brow powder, so thought I’d give it a go. This powder is really good! The colour, the pigmentation, the formula which applies so well with the Zoeva Winged Liner brush, both of which I took with me travelling this past week. My favourite brow mascara of the year is the L’Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in dark brown.

Eyeliner – Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil

I have the shade Hot Chocolate (dark brown) in this pencil and love using it in my tightline on the outer corners of my eyes to make my eyelshashes appear fuller. It’s easy to apply and doesn’t smudge away or into my eyes throughout the day. I find it’s much less harsh than using a black.

Eyeshadow – Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

I received this palette for Christmas last year and it’s pretty much the only palette I’ve used all year. Too Faced eyeshadows are so good, I’m thinking of re-purchasing the Natural Eyes palette because I loved it that much (and used the bronzey shadow right up). The Chocolate Bar palette has a great white for the base, two amazing crease colours, a warm and a cool toned. Darker shades for the outer corners, shimmery options for the lids and the perfect highlighting shades for the inner corners. Everything you need.

Mascara – Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes

This mascara is so good! If you love the look of full, fluffy, fluttery lashes, you need this one. I’m already onto my second tube. It’s not an overly wet formula, so it’s not one of those mascaras you have to let dry out a bit before it applies well (or one you need to worry about smudging everywhere). It starts off great as soon as you open it and lasts several months.

Eyelashes – House Of Lashes, Ardell, Kara

I have 3 favourite styles of lashes. If I want something special I go for the Iconic Lite by House Of Lashes. My favourites for more casual occasions (while still wanting fluttery lashes) are Ardell’s Demi Wispies. And another easy to wear / super affordable pair are the Kara lashes in #48. I really trust the House Of Lashes lash glue as well.

Bronzer – Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil

This is the bronzer that I’ve got the most use out of this year, I love the subtle finish and the light colour that it is. I haven’t really been contouring this year, just warming up the outside of my pale face with this bronzer 🙂

Blush – Nars ‘Impassioned’

I actually haven’t worn blush too often this year, just bronzer and highlighter. When I have though, this is the one I’ve used. The colour is interesting, not your typical peachy/pink blush. It’s a mauve pink which I think looks really nice.

Highlighter – Becca Highlight/Lowlight Palette Pressed

I’ve had this duo for a few years now and I realised this year how much I love the highlighter in it. It has Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal which is such a beautiful, strong champagne shade.

Lip Liner – Rimmel ‘Eastend Snob’, Sigma Lip Base ‘Indulgent’ 

I re-purchased Rimmel’s Eastend Snob liner this year, it’s such a good colour. Very similar to my other favourite, Sigma’s lip base in the shade ‘Indulgent’ which is a product you can wear alone or add a lipstick on top for a really nice, long-lasting colour.

Lipstick – Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude #45, NYX Lip Lingerie ‘Lace Detail’

I thought I’d discover a new lipstick this year that I’d love more than #45 by Rimmel but nope, still my fave! The colour is perfect, about a shade darker than my natural lip colour with the perfect touch of pink. My favourite liquid lipstick is a recent purchase, NYX’s Lip Lingerie in the shade Lace Detail. I really love the peachy nude colour which is a shade or two lighter than my lips. I also really like how it’s so comfortable and just fades away easily throughout the day (after eating and drinking). I never have to worry about it.

Brushes – Sigma & Zoeva

My two favourite brush brands are Sigma and Zoeva. I like different brushes from each, but if I had to recommend one brand over the other it would be Sigma. For me they’re much more useful and easy to use. My favourite Sigma brushes are the 3DHD Kabuki (foundation), Tapered Highlighter (highlighter) and Tapered Blending (crease). For Zoeva, I love their Luxe Sheer Cheek (blush), Luxe Petit Crease (outer-corner) and Wing Liner (brows) brushes.

Brush – ghd Paddle Brush

The best brush I’ve used for my long, thick hair. It’s large and rectangle, so it covers a lot of hair really quickly and I feel like it straightens at the same time.

Shampoo – Essano Acai Colour Protect, Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp 2-in-1

I have two shampoo go-to’s, the Essano Colour Protect for a week or two after dyeing my hair (so the colour sticks) and the Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp because unfortunately at times, my head gets really dry. I think I’ve put it down to either stress or not drinking enough water. The 2-in-1 is really good as it conditions at the same time, so you can do it all in one go.

Conditioner –Essano Acai Colour Protect Conditioner

Another great colour protect product, this conditioner works really well with the shampoo in the same range and you don’t need much at all. Just a bit through the ends does the trick!

Leave In – Essano Coconut Milk Conditioner

So good for summer, this Essano leave-in conditioner smells so good. It’s lightweight as well which I like, as it doesn’t leave my hair looking greasy or heavy throughout the day.

Dye – Schwarzkopf Perfect Mousse

Such an easy to use hair dye, I love dyes in mousse form and the dark brown colour I get in this one always looks great. It also makes my hair really shiny and doesn’t overly dry it out.

Hairspray – Tresemme Freeze Hold

This is the strongest of the Tresemme hairsprays, and if I want my hair to stay in place, this does the job. If I mainly want to tame the fly-aways while my hair is out, I use the next one down (Extra Hold) so my hair still has movement.

Dry Shampoo – L’Oreal Elvive Clay, Batiste Wild

Two dry shampoos I love for the scents, The L’Oreal Clay one is a recent release which I’ve really been enjoying as the scent is incredible. Batiste is always a reliable dry shampoo to go for, I switch between the Wild one if I just want clean-looking hair, or the XXL one if I want volume when putting my hair up in a bun or pony.

Cleanser – Origins Mega Bright Cleanser, Essano Rosehip Cleanser

I went through the entire tube of Essano cleanser this year which I was surprised about, I never make it through a whole cleanser before moving onto another one. I definitely loved it! For the last couple of months I’ve been using the Origins Mega Bright Cleanser and it’s wonderful. My skin always feels super clean after using it, and I have a feeling it’s going to last me a while as you only need the smallest amount for it to lather right up. I wouldn’t recommend it for dry skin as it really cleanses, but for normal-oily skin… perfect.

Micellar Water – Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

An all-time favourite, Garnier’s Micellar Water is my go-to product to get all my makeup off, or just to give my face a quick once-over if I feel it needs it.

Toner – La Roche-Posay Serozinc

Another product I went right through, this was such a great toner spray. So cooling, refreshing and easy to spritz on after cleansing. Definitely one I’d re-purchase.

Essence – Origins Original Skin Essence Lotion

If there’s one skincare product I know you’ll love, it’s this one. This essence is literally like putting grapefruit juice on your face, it’s a dream. It smells exactly like it. I use it after cleansing, before moisturising and it just feels like it settles my skin down. It’s my favourite skincare product of the year.

Moisturiser – Day Origins Three Part Harmony and Night Sukin Calming Night Cream

The Origins Three Part Harmony is one of the best moisturisers I’ve used and my favourite thing to put on each morning. So hydrating without being greasy, it leaves my skin as moisturised as possible as well as really soft and smooth. My skin loves it. At night I have the Sukin Calming Night Cream beside my bed, and I’ve used it so much there’s about half a cm of product left at the bottom.

Eye Cream – Origins Mega-Bright Dark Circle Minimizer

This has been a little tub of goodness for under and around my eyes in the morning. So incredibly hydrating, I have to sit for a minute to let it soak in before applying concealer. It definitely brightens and plumps around my eyes and I can just feel it working to keep that area hydrated. I’m so obsessive about avoiding wrinkles around my eyes as I get older and I feel this product has been helping a lot.

Face Mask – L’Oreal Clay Eucalyptus Mask

This one I’ve mentioned since the beginning of the year and I’ve used it all year round. I love when you use something to the point where the scent of it becomes calming in itself. I use this one more than the other L’Oreal masks as it’s designed for mattifying, and I’m all for matte products.

Blemishes – Essano Clear Complexion Blemish Gel

So happy to have discovered an affordable blemish product! I was so surpised with this one because I had a pimple forming under the skin on my chin (you know those horrible painful ones) and I applied this gel to the spot after cleansing at night, woke up the next day and it had flattened! I feel like it pushed it right back down again which was amazing.

Body Lotion – Essano Rosehip Intensive Hydrating

I’ve had this sitting on my vanity just as a little reminder to moisturise throughout the day. It smells really nice, I love the bottle and it’s quite thick in consistency.

Body Moisturiser – Vaseline Intensive Care Spray

I can be very lazy when it comes to moisturising my body, so these sprays by Vaseline are so helpful. I went through a whole bottle of the yellow one (dry skin repair), and now I’m onto the white one. After having a shower I’ll spray this over my feet, legs and arms and either just let it soak in itself or rub it in.

Deoderant – Dove Powder Soft

This deoderant smells nice, lasts all day, no irritation – just an all-round good one!

Body Wash – Dove Go Fresh

I mainly love Dove bodywashes because of the huge bottles you can get for an affordable price. They always smell good and lather up really well. I use the Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena scented one and really love it.

Body Mist – Victoria’s Secret Bombshell

I don’t even know how many bottles of this mist I’ve been through… it smells so so good. One of the notes is purple passionfruit and it just smells really fresh yet interesting at the same time.

Fragrance – Valentino Donna

This perfume is so ladylike and the bottle is just beautiful. I always feel good wearing it.

If you could pick your favourite beauty product of the entire year what would it be? Mine is definitely the Origins Essence Lotion 🙂