The Best Beauty Edit Of 2016

Last week I shared some of the beauty products that disappointed me this year so it only seemed right to discuss all the beauty products that I truly loved in 2016. It's been a weird year beauty-wise for me, I feel like I've been a little more focused on skincare rather than makeup. I've gone makeup free so much this year as I've finally started to feel truly comfortable with my skin without makeup on. But of course, I still love applying my favourite beauty products and the feeling I get from using a truly wonderful item is like nothing else. So here are 13 favourites from the year, of course, they'll come as no shock to anyone who regularly tunes into my beauty content.

BEAUTY

BAREMINERALS BARESKIN CONCEALER*: I've not stopped yapping about this concealer since receiving it in the Summer. And typically when I don't stop mentioning a product it's because it's really really really good. And this concealer is superb, it's thick and creamy and covers up just about anything you might be dealing with from dark circles to blemishes. It does it all and it's so creamy that it doesn't gather together or dry out the skin in an unflattering way. Concealer is one of those products that I typically don't think is worth the extra money but this is truly fantastic.

PIXI FLAWLESS BEAUTY PRIMER*: Primer is something that I absolutely adore using as with my complexion it makes a large difference in how my base behaves. The Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer is something that helps to add radiance to the skin without making it look greasy or glittery, just healthy. It's not a product that improves the wear time of your base all that much but it does create a smooth even finish for the products that you will apply over the top. And if you wanted to then it can be worn alone to add light to a tired complexion.

BAREMINERALS BAREPRO POWDER*: As you can tell I've had a real moment with BareMinerals this year. Their BarePro powder is a new release and the whole premise behind it is that it's a powder foundation that covers as well as setting everything down so it doesn't crease or wear away within a couple of hours but it's not cakey in the slightest. In combination with some of my favourite bases, this has created such a flawless finish and it perfects the skin in such a beautiful natural way.

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR BB BLUR*: This is a mousse formulation and when I read that on the packaging it immediately made me relive dreadful memories of Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse. However, this couldn't be further away from that and is a beautiful base product. I feel like the packaging even though it's great for travel and is incredibly light makes the product appear cheap and just doesn't do what's inside any justice. It smoothes out the complexion and gives the same amount of coverage as a medium foundation. Containing oil absorbing technology it makes my skin look a tiny bit more matte but it doesn't accentuate any dry patches. If you're after a completely fuss-free base and you're a little more on the oily side then this is a great option as it perfects the skin with ease.

KIKO LOOSE POWDER EYESHADOW*: I've tried to include an eyeshadow that isn't a standard champagne shade as we all know that I have a slight obsession with those. But of course, this still a classic neutral soft cream type of shade. And even though loose powder products are a little bit of a faff to apply there is no doubt about that I think this shadow from Kiko is totally worth it. I was always under the impression that something that was loose wouldn't be long lasting at all and would just fall down. But actually, this wears incredibly well and it's so comfortable to wear throughout the day.

RIMMEL ONLY 1 MATTE LIPSTICK*: If there is anything I think the high-street does really well it's lipstick. Of course, the packaging isn't as decadent as a high-end option but more often than not the formulation is just as good and in some cases better. This new release from Rimmel is fantastic, they're a matte but they feel awesome on the lips and are incredibly easy to apply. They're a velvet matte so a little different to your bog standard matte so they give you a little extra hydration. But the velvet formulation doesn't compromise on wear time, I can get a good few hours from these lipsticks without needing to touch them up and they wear evenly which is the most important thing.

SKIN & HAIR & EVERYTHING ELSE

CLARINS LIP OIL*: A lip oil is something that sounds pretty terrifying and a recipe for disaster but this is truly beautiful. It's so incredibly kind and hydrating to the lips but it's not sticky or tacky at all which is what you would expect when you see this. It reminds me of honey in texture as it's thick and gloopy but it sinks into the lips so quickly. It's a product that I reserve for night time use only so I can make the most of all the nourishment that it provides. It also smells incredible like the majority of Clarin's lip products and it's a test every evening not to lick it off immediately.

THE BODY SHOP HIMALAYAN CHARCOAL PURIFYING GLOW MASK*: This is a pretty new addition to my skincare regime but it's such a great item and it's a little more budget friendly which is something that I always like to share. This is a deep purifying mask that contains tea tree so not only does it bring out all the crap that lurks deep within our pores but it helps fight blemishes too. It's not something that's suitable for sensitive skins as it can be a little abrasive upon removal as it does dry down to quite a firm finish. This has been compared to the well loved GlamGlow mask and I can see why as they look very similar in terms of formulation. Of course, I can't comment on how they compare with results but it might be worth looking into if you like the sound of GlamGlow.

ANTIPODES SKINCARE*: The majority of skincare I've used this year has been things that I've loved for a while like the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel and Liz Earle etc. But one brand I've slowly been discovering more from has been Antipodes, I've particularly Ioved their Grace Cleanser as whilst I might dabble in balms and oil cleansers from time to time I think my heart will always lie with a cream formulation. They're one of the only natural brands that I've really got on board with and noticed results from which is awesome and makes me want to try more from natural brands.

COLAB LONDON DRY SHAMPOO*: I make it no secret that I don't like to wash my hair and only do it around once a week so a good dry shampoo is a staple in my beauty arsenal. I've used Batiste for years but it's not something that I've ever really loved but the Colab dry shampoo completely blows Batiste out of the running and is fantastic. Not only does it smell incredible but it actually makes your hair feel fresh which is often not the case with dry shampoos as they can make your hair feel terrible.

OGX COCONUT OIL*: OGX haircare, in general, has been one of my favourite beauty finds of the year. And the Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum has working wonders on my hair, even though my ends aren't really damaged and breaking away this makes them feel incredibly soft and silky. It's also helped dramatically with static which is something my hair usually really struggles from in Winter as the combination of the wind, air conditioning and scarves is a recipe for disaster when you have incredibly fine hair. You only need to use a tiny amount of this to reap the benefits so it's a product that lasts you months.

COLOUR WOW CARB COCKTAIL*: As I have incredibly fine hair I need all the help I can get in the volume department. I didn't quite know what to expect when this product arrived as it's pretty runny is consistency but when you massage this into the roots it works some pretty spectacular magic. I could give you the whole scientific spiel that's in this product but I'm not quite sure I understand it. So I'll just give you my honest unedited thoughts instead. It lifts my roots dramatically and it keeps the volume there too as so often volumising products that you put in damp hair can fall flat pretty quickly but this stays put. It's a pretty pricey hair product but you only need a small amount so even with more regular washing you could probably get 6 months from one bottle.

JO MALONE DARK AMBER & GINGER LILY*: There have been a lot of beautiful fragrances that I've loved this year but I just had to pick this as my favourite. It's something that I've been saving up for [I was lucky enough to receive this a gift from House of Fraser] for around 15 months ever since I had a meeting with Jo Malone. But I could never quite pick the right time to treat myself as this is an incredibly pricey fragrance. The smell is something that I can't quite explain in a way that serves this justice but if you adore amber as much as I do I highly suggest smelling this. Jo Malone is a brand that I've adored for years and without fail when I spritz on a JM I instantly feel awesome.