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I can’t believe 2019 is almost over! This year was the year where I can proudly say that I elevated my makeup and skincare routine. This post was also highly inspired by Into The Gloss Top 2019. Once I find something that truly works, I stick with it for at least two more years, so if you’re reading this in 2020, you can bet I’ll still be using most of these products. Many makeup brands went all out this year and released launches non-stop. A prime example of this is Anastasia Beverly Hills and their seemingly never-ending Norvina palettes and collaborations. No shade here, I love ABH! When I do my makeup, I always reach for the Soft Glam palette for a good matte brown base. However, I can’t say I’m the only one who agrees that their releases this year were a little too excessive. Colourpop gets away with it because their prices are super affordable and the pans are really tiny. But the fast-pace releases of ABH this year, have cheapened the brand a little bit and made their palette releases nowhere nearly as special they once were.
Ahead are my top-picks I bought this year that truly stood out in my routine performance-wise and that are really worth the money.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15
Someone once said that choosing a foundation it’s like choosing your soulmate. The power of foundation is real. You can have the most killer eyeshadow, blush and contour, but if your foundation looks cakey or you have the wrong color, it completely throws off the rest of the makeup. My holy-grail foundation is the Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation. However, as much as I love it, I wanted to use something else for everyday. I used the Nars tinted moisturizer two years ago, which yielded great results, but I wasn’t completely in love with it.
I wanted something that was between a foundation and a tinted moisturizer, and let me tell you, the options are pretty limited out there. I tried every tinted moisturizer/ light SPF foundation under the sun and most of them turned orange on me, or provided zero coverage. For example, the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer feels like you’re putting nothing on your face, and the color was off on me despite trying out three shades that were within my skin color range. Some other brands I tried include Charlotte Tillbury Light Glow Foundation and YSL. I even tried the world’s most beloved foundation, Armani Luminous Silk, and it still didn’t make the cut for me. Then, I decided to give Bobbi Brown a go and let me tell you, I will continue to use this for as long as I live. I know I said this before, but finding a foundation for medium skin tones is so hard. Whenever I went to Sephora, different employees told me I was a slightly different shade even for the same product. Picking a foundation is a complete ordeal, but once you find the perfect match, it’s all worth it.
Why this foundation? Not only is the finish beautiful but it has SPF 15 while still providing you with light to medium coverage. While this product tips into the foundation category, the texture is really thin so it’s easily buildable. In just one single layer, I’m able to cover up any breakouts. Besides this and the SPF, another major selling point here is how perfect the match is on my skin – to say that the shade is spot on is a complete understatement. I use the shade Warm Natural.
I don’t even need to bring it down my neck as I did with the other foundations/tinted moisturizers I was trying prior to buying this. Despite being hydrating, it doesn’t make me shiny like the Armani Luminous Silk did. I have combination skin and this product checks all the boxes: no oiliness, no matte finish, no weird patchiness. It’s just perfect! In some of the reviews of this product, people are mad at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics for discontinuing the Moisture Rich Foundation, which is the predecessor that had a different formula. Despite watching my mom use Bobbi Brown over the years, I never thought I would get into her products. Thank you Bobbi Brown and sorry for ever doubting you
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 and Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation are matches made in heaven for deeper skin tones. On the weekends, if I want more coverage, I will reach for Nars, whereas Bobbi Brown has my back on days where I don’t want to put on a thick layer of foundation, but I want some coverage, and of course, the SPF, which you should use every single day regardless of the weather. I bought this in January and I still have a lot of the bottle to go through. You can bet I will be repurchasing this for years on end.
Fenty Beauty Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil
I’m a highlighter fanatic. I am. I mean, who isn’t? In all the tutorials I have ever watched, I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say there’s such thing as too much highlighter. During my frequent trips to Sephora, this stunning silver packaging kept calling my name to swatch it. It took me a few months before I bought it on a lark and I do NOT regret it in the least. Here’s why:
Although just looking at the product in the packaging might seem like you’re going to have a disco ball face, it’s not as intense as it looks and it’s meant to be built up.
The formula is made of very fine-milled glitter. You can apply one layer and I promise you it won’t look gaudy. I love to use it as an eyeshadow and in the corners of my eyes for that extra pop to make me look more awake. The product just melts into your skin, and I have yet to see one person who can’t pull it off – it magically works on all different skin tones. Additionally, the specks of glitter only show up on your skin when the light hits your face, so don’t worry about overdoing it.
This highlighter is also meant to be used on your body, so if you wear a strapless dress or a strapless shirt, you can apply this on your collarbones and shoulders to look like Elsa from Frozen.
A Sephora employee told me that the Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil was Fenty’s best-selling highlighter and I can totally see why. While her other highlighters are also great, this was the winner for me because of the packaging and the special formula.
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer
When 2019 rolled in, I was in search of a bronzer that complimented my skin. If you have medium/deep skin, you will inarguably agree with me on the struggle to find the perfect shade. Most bronzers I tried made my skin either look really muddy, given the limited selection of shades, or didn’t show up at all. A proof of this was last year, when I bought Chanel Les Beiges bronzer, and guys, it was not good. I had to return it since it didn’t show up one bit on my skin, and that was the darkest shade! So I settled for the Becca bronzer, which did the job but left a subtle sheen on my cheeks. I didn’t want to buy the Too Faced Bronzer to have my face smell like chocolate.
However, in April 2019, Fenty beauty proved to other brans that bronzer is not a one size fits all. This bronzer has become a staple in my makeup routine. This bronzer is a soft matte brown that blends right into your skin providing you the most beautiful warmth to your face. The formula is not too pigmented or too powdery, giving you the illusion of a subtle sun tan.
Kevin Aucoin The Etherealist Super Natural Concealer
If you read my beauty posts, you’ll know Intothegloss is my one stop destination for all beauty topics. I love reading “Top Shelf After Dark”, a section that takes a peek into the celebrities routines and makeup bags. I was reading singer Banks’ interview and her makeup bag featured many of the items I currently own, except, this beautiful Kevin Aucoin concealer tube.
I tried Laura Mercier’s concealer and the famous YSL Touche eclat before and I didn’t fall into the hype. I went to my nearest Sephora and tried the Kevin Aucoin Etherealist Super Natural concealer at the store and boy, this concealer is pretty much like applying silk under your eye. Think of it as a mix between the Nars radiant creamy concealer and the Tarte Shape. The formula is super soft and it’s full coverage without looking too cakey. It’s so soft that you can even blend it with your fingers and only a small amount is needed. The common theme in the reviews was how great this was for covering dark circles and how it allegedly perfomed better than the holy grail of concealers, which is the Nars radiant creamy concealer. Even a Nars lover, I can’t say that the Radiant concealer had a profound, life-changing effect on me as the Kevin Aucoin did.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Dou Dou
If you read this blog, you’ll probably know my deep love of Glossier. However, part of being into beauty is trying out new stuff. After a year and a half of being a loyal devotee of Cloudpaint, the Westman Atelier baby cheeks blush stick has become my new love. It legit feels like I’m cheating on Glossier! First things first: this brand is as boujee as it gets. Gucci Westman, founder and creator of this brand, is the makeup artist of A-list celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon. I was on the fence debating on whether or not to shell out $50 for this cream blush that comes in a beautiful sleek magnetized tube. It was very odd that during these two weeks, models Camila Rowe and Miranda Kerr used Westman Atellier’s products in their Vogue beauty tutorials, both of them uploaded only days apart.
If this product wasn’t calling my name, I don’t know what to say. I was also surprised at how many shades of Baby Cheeks were available. Although it’s 2019, there are still high-end makeup brands that rarely feature people of color, so the fact that black girls are on her website, was another reason for me to take the plunge and buy one of these.
The texture of the product is super soft and It doesn’t stain your fingers the way Cloudpaint does. The product blends surprisingly easily in a few pats without disturbing the rest of your makeup one bit. You cannot overdo it as the product goes on super soft.
Also, the tube comes with so much product that is enough to last you at least one year. The last thing? The ingredients, duh. Besides being vegan, Babycheeks is formulated with Vitis Vita Grape Extract, a powerful antioxidant ingredient.
Another product that has been popping up everywhere are her concealer sticks, which I have yet to explore.
Pat McGrath Lipsticks and eyeshadows
After trying out Pat McGrath’s makeup products, I truly believe there’s life before and after Pat McGrath. Nearly every single celebrity follows her on Instagram.
I purchased a few of her products this year, but besides her eyeshadows, the star here are her lipsticks. I’m convinced that her lipsticks and eyeshadows are formulated with a magic ingredient. Every time I wear either her eyeshadows or her lipsticks, people compliment me. Always! My personal favorites that compliment my skin the best are Elson (matte red), Beautiful Creature and Flesh 3. The latter is a tinted lip balm with an insane color payoff.
Special note: When choosing a red lipstick or a color that really compliments your skin, it is very important to know your undertone. In one of Rosie Inc’s video collaborations, she did a tutorial with Huda Beauty where Huda let us in on one major trick: If the veins in your arm are blue, it means you have a blue undertone and therefore you should choose a liptcik with a blue undertone.
Did you know that lipsticks with blue undertones give the appearance of whiter teeth? Pat Mcgrath’s Elson shade has a blue undertone, which works the best for me out of all her red lipstick collection. I’m wearing it in this picture and no, I do not whiten my teeth. Since lipstick is much easier to match than foundation, don’t be afraid to ask one of the employees at your favorite beauty retailer to find the right undertone based on your skin color.
There was also a time when I veered off from matte red lipsticks, but Pat Mcgrath is a a true master in her craft and she perfected this formula to the tee. I do recommend to exfoliate your lips beforehand if you’re going to do a lip color but the formula really glides on like butter. It’s more of a velvety matte.
In case you need more reasons to try her lipsticks, they don’t bleed or seep into your lip-mouth lines. They are expensive but you have to consider the formula, the packaging and the fact that her lipsticks are made in Italy, not the US or Canada. As the saying goes: “Give a woman the right lipstick and she can conquer the world”. This couldn’t be more true. Whenever I wear her lipsticks, I feel empowered and ready to tackle whatever life throws at me. The simply act of putting makeup on is so therapeutic.
I also love the Ritualistic Rose mini quad she came out with this year. It’s sold out at every Sephora but thankfully I got my hands in it. The duo-chrome pink hue in the palette is gorgeous. Her eyeshadows are next level!
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Crux
Urban Decay’s eyeshadows are pretty hard to beat. I wanted an eyeshadow to recreate a look that itslikelymakeup did on her Youtube Channel.
When I scoured the Urban Decay website, the shade Crux immediately caught my eye. It was sold out on the website and it wasn’t available at Sephora. So if you live in a big city, head to your nearest Urban Decay store and ask for it. This shade is medium-dark blue with a stunning shimmery finish. The result? Smooth and a brilliantly reflective look that will make heads turn.
Charlotte Tillbury lip Liner Kiss N Tell
At the time that I was writing this post, Intothegloss posted an article breaking down each of Charlotte’s Tillbury’s lip liners. I’ve never been a lip liner girl but after buying Pat Mcgrath’s Elson lipstick, I knew I needed a lip liner for the perfectly defined red lip. If you’re going for a bold red lip, a lip liner is not necessarily mandatory, but it will make such a huge difference. I looked into other brands but I finally decided to take the plunge and try out her lip liners for myself. I can’t do nudes but if you’re familiar with her brand you will know that her best-selling lip liner is “Pillow Talk”. Charlotte Tillbury’s lip liners are the best in the market thanks to their creamy and long-lasting formula.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Easy Glide Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
When I think of Too Faced, I think of little girls trying out makeup for the first time. I’ve never been attracted to their eyeshadow palettes, but this year, they really outdid themselves with this revolutionary eyeliner. Okay, “revolutionary” might be too bold, but it’s completely changed the way I do my eyeliner. Before I purchased this, there was a time where I completely gave up on liquid eyeliner and used a black matte eyeshadow instead. While it was much easier for me, it still didn’t give me that defined, shiny, jet-black finish I was looking for to elevate my makeup look with a classic wing. I tried all the Maybelline eyeliners you can imagine, Stilla, Kat Von D and even Fenty. I struggled so hard until this eyeliner came along. First of all, I was shocked at how easy and effortless it was to draw a clean and sharp line with just one coat.
Someone said that the key of eyeliner is to find an eyeliner that you feel comfortable with. Now I know why people stick to the same eyeliner for years and years. Another key element here is that the applicators make all the difference in the world. For the life of me, I can’t comprehend how some people are able to get a clean wing line with Maybelline’s thick liquid eyeliner applicators.
The applicator of the Too Faced eyeliner is a very fine tip, which makes it super user-friendly. This eyeliner has forever changed my makeup game and I can’t recommend it enough.
Note: I also recommend buying a small sharp brush to clean up the edges and carve out your wing with your concealer of choice.
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate
Do you need this? Absolutely not, but I splurged at the end of last year and I still have yet to make it halfway through the pan. It lasts for ages. I was very hesitant to buy this because of the price tag. However, Tom Ford is very generous with the amount of product he provides in each of his items. If you don’t believe me, go and look up his cream pot eyeshadows or his double pan cream blushes. I’m not a fan of contour kits since very rarely do they work on my skin tone. A prime example of this is Charlotte Tillbury’s bronze and glow contour duo. I love her brand, but like I said above, bronzer and contour is not a one size fits all product.
Contour sculpts the shape of your face whereas bronzers simulate a sun tan on the high points on your face.
I didn’t own any contour products and God knows how hard it is to find a nice contour shade without it being too cool toned with just the right amount of warmth. Every celebrity and makeup artist raved about this product: whether it was a beauty tutorial, or a beauty blog post, this product has been celebrity and makeup artist approved for a reason.
Is it worth the hype? Absolutely. I don’t know how anyone can run out of this product. The highlight is beautiful and gives you that dewy wet look, and the contour in the medium shade gives my medium tan skin a beautiful healthy glow. If you’re really bad at contour, trust me, this product performs like magic. A few pats with your hands or a beauty utensil of your choice go a long way to create the perfect subtle definition on your cheeks. The application is incredibly smooth and creamy.
Tom Ford recently expanded the selection of shades, so now there are four shades available. The key to this product is blend! I recommend dipping into the pan with a brush and then blending it out with either a beauty blender or your fingers. This product is so natural looking that you won’t look like you have a chocolate bar across your cheeks.
It also gets major points for the packaging, which makes it ideal for travel. If you are looking to buy a cream contour, I recommend this product heartily.
Skincare
May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt Cleanser
If you’re going to buy a physical face exfoliator, please make sure it’s high quality and formulated with clean natural ingredients, despite the hefty price tag. At this point, most skincare lovers are aware that physical exfoliators for the face are not good for your skin, but what makes the Clean Dirt different, is not only the ingredients, but that in order to use it you have to activate it with water. Please note that is not meant to be used every day, but rather twice or three times a week. I’m not going to delve into the full ingredient list but a few important ones The Clean Dirt is formulated with, are Vitamin C, Moroccan clay (hence its messy application), Turmeric, Ginger, Marshmallow and pink rose salt. The result? Velvety smooth, decongested skin. I recommend to alternate this product with your current chemical exfoliator. I live in LA, and I’m always amazed at how much junk comes out of my face, even after I use Bioderma + cleanser + P50 (chemical exfoliator). The Clean Dirt is like an in-home facial. If you’re unfamiliar with May Lindstrom’s skincare line, it can be considered the Chanel of luxury organic skincare.
Special Note: my skin purged when I first started using this. Purging is a skincare term used for when your skin flares up after you use a new skincare product, especially if it contains active ingredients like this one. This process can be beneficial, meaning all the bacteria is coming out to the surface. You will know you’re purging and not breaking out, because that flare up usually fades out in two days. I contacted May Lindstrom customer service and they couldn’t have been nicer explaining to me the process of purging, and they even told me to contact them again in a few days to see how my skin was doing. Now every time I use it, the purge is gone. If you’re still purging after weeks of using the product, it might mean that it’s not the right product for you.
Sunscreen
EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
I may have gone through one or two bottles of Supergoop this year, but after trying out Elta MD I’m converted. I had no idea about the existence of this sunscreen until Kourtney Kardashian used it in her Vogue tutorial. It’s also a favorite among male celebrities including Zac Efron.
Ulta M+D is a dermatologist and esthetician approved sunscreen thanks to its acne-fighting ingredients. So, if you have extremely sensitive skin, rosacea or acne-prone like me, Ulta M+D is the holy grail of daily sunscreens. What I love the most about it, is that it has hyalaronic acid, and it feels like you’re putting nothing on your face. The white cast magically disappears as you slather it on your face so it works like a charm under makeup. The only con is that the packaging is really tiny, which is why I bought another huge bottle of their body sunscreen to use on my arms and my neck. This one has a much thicker consistency than the previous one, but it still goes on clear leaving zero white cast.
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
I’m not a big Drunk Elephant fan but holy moly, I found myself repurchasing the full size of this product months ago after scraping the last drop of the mini-size, which, by the way, lasted me a year. If you’re looking to invest in a hydrating oil, get this one! It will not clog your pores. This Virgin Marula Oil is also a winter skin savior that helps me lock in the moisture and keep my face and neck hydrated.
Cover FX Mattifying Setting Spray
If you want to get the best setting spray on the market, buy this one! I love Urban Decay, but something that their holy-grail All Night setting spray contains alcohol deterred me. I was watching a Youtuber who happens to only use vegan products and she mentioned that this was her favorite setting spray. I went to Nigel’s Emporium in North Hollywood, which is the go-to beauty supply store for makeup artists in the entertainment industry. For Black Friday, they had 40% off the whole store so it was impossible for me not to finally buy this setting spray. It gives you the perfect finish and your makeup will last all day long. They have another one that’s more hydrating, but If you have oily skin, you will most definitely see benefits from this one.
Emminence Organic Stone Crop Hydrating Mist
I absolutely love their Stone Crop cleansing oil, so when I saw Alexa Demi from Euphoria singing the praises of Emminence hydrating mist in her Vogue tutorial, I knew I had to give it a go. After trying this, sadly, I have hardly ever reached for my Heritage Store Rosewater Spray. The Stone Crop hydrating mist is super gentle and refreshing. It is not cheap by any means, but the ingredients it’s formulated with, not only make your skin super soft but also target hyperpigmentation and sun damage. Did I say how heavenly it smells?
If you haven’t heard of Emminence, I highly recommend checking out the whole brand. I found it at Nigel in Hollywood, after a store attendant told me that their best-selling cleansing oil in the store is from Emminence. It’s no wonder why so many celebrities are hooked on this brand!
Renée Rouleau DIY Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
Thank you to The Riverdale cast for introducing me to Renée Rouleau! It was the end of the year and I was looking for a new face mask. I’m not super big on sheet masks, which is why I would much rather invest in a pricey mask that can last me for a while. My pores get clogged super easily and back in December 2019, I was doing a lot of research on which face mask I should implement in my nighttime routine. It looked like Harper’s Bazaar heard my thoughts because they uploaded Camila’s video on December 10th. I had never heard of this aesthetician before, so when I saw this face mask on Camila Mendes’ Nighttime routine video for the first time, it piqued my curiosity.
Not only is the Riverdale cast a huge fan of Renee Rouleau’s products, but also Demi Lovato. There’s a tingle sensation when you apply it — It was tinglier than P50 and I was getting slightly uncomfortable when I tried it on my first time. When I washed it off, the texture of my skin was way smoother than it was before; the results were visible right away. Think of it as an in-home facial.
For a full breakdown of the ingredients, click on the link above. It contains AHAs, BHAs, and enzymes that clear acne scars and clogged pores, reduce enlarged pores, stimulate cellular renewal, and of course, smooth the texture of your skin. Because this blend of ingredients is so powerful, use it weekly or once every two weeks. It also smells like straight up raspberry jam! You can even see the pieces of the berries when you open it.
True Botanicals Vitaminc C Booster
In late 2018, I bought a bottle of Vitamin C from Korres. It was really good and it did the job, but if you know about skincare, Vitamin C goes bad in only a few months. I did some research until I came across the Vitamin C from the brand True Botanicals. Being the skincare junkie I am, I had heard of the brand before, which has Olivia Wilde as their spokesperson. You can find Vitamin C in all different price ranges, like the one from SkinCeuticals for the exorbitant price $166.
On the other hand, this one retails for $90, which is still expensive, but it comes in a powder formula, which means it’s longer lasting than liquid formulas. I’m not saying to go and buy this specific brand, but there is a noticeable difference between a $20 and a $90 product, like the diminishing of pores, dark spots and circles (I don’t even use eye cream anymore) and uneven skin. I love to mix the powder from this one with a serum or the Elta MD sunscreen to start off my day with a glowy booster. You can also use it at night to wake up with radiant skin, but I prefer to use it in the morning in conjunction with sunscreen.
What have been your favorite beauty products this year?
