GUEST POST: Best Buys of 2014
Hey everyone! I'm Stephanie from Beauty Infinitum, guest posting for the lovely Trysh! The Canadian Beauty Bloggers group tasked us to write a post on the "Best of 2014." Quite a decision for a beauty addict, but I've narrowed down my top favourite product in the categories of splurge, budget, and indie:
Top Splurge:
The good news: Rose was originally called Rose Eden and part of Lise Watier's Eden Tropical Summer collection, and is now permanent with more shades added to the lineup (plus, LW's key ingredient Labrador Tea was added to the formula). The bad: it was originally $24, but probably upon realizing they had formulated greatness, Lise Watier increased the price to $30. Is it still worth it? Absolutely.
I've been constantly wearing this blush since I bought it last spring, and my love affair with it has hardly waned. This pot hardly has a dent it since only a small dab is needed for natural, gorgeous flushed cheeks that last the day. The texture is weightless, smooth and non-sticky. I definitely need more shades in my life, and bonus: Lise Watier is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart, so you can redeem your Optimum points on these pots of gold.
Here's a swatch, blended in:
Top Budget:
Maybelline Baby Lips in various shades ($4-$6)
I bought into the Baby Lips hype late in the game, but I already have six shades of the tinted balms in my arsenal. I originally tried one of the non-tinted balms a couple years ago and wasn't too impressed, but the tinted ones are a different story. I currently own two of the original shades, Cherry Me and Pink Punch, two of the Electros (Oh! Orange and Strike a Rose), one Crystal (Beam of Blush), and one Dr. Rescue in Coral Crave. And, as Ariel would say, I want moooooore.
The originals offer a light tint, the Electros offer more pigment, the Crystals have sparkle and shimmer, and the Dr. Rescues are meant to repair chapped and sore lips. All of them have coordinating flavours/scents, with the exception of Dr. Rescue which has a menthol scent. My most worn shade is Cherry Me from the original lineup, as I love the understated shade of pink/red (oh, and it has my favourite flavour of all of them -- it's like Cherry Blasters candy!) The only one I wasn't too thrilled with in terms of pigment was the Dr. Rescue in Coral Crave, as the colour is barely there.
I don't agree with Maybelline's claim that these balms offer "8 hour hydration," but they do offer some moisture and the tints definitely make up for it. Baby Lips run about $4 to $6 at most mass retailers, and sometimes there are double packs and limited editions! Fuel the addiction!
Swatches, from top to bottom, left to right: Pink Punch, Cherry Me, Strike a Rose, Oh! Orange, Coral Crave, Beam of Blush
Top Indie:
One Hand Washes the Other Flower Balm ($6)
One Hand Washes the Other Flower Balm ($6)
I love me some indie products, and I could spend hours discussing my favourites. Basically One Hand Washes the Other's entire catalogue has fit into my life in some way. One of these products, Flower Balm, is a multitasking genius. Full of beneficial ingredients like plant oils, it is a machine at transforming cuticles from dry and scraggly to smooth and soft. Of course it doesn't stop there!
You can use Flower Balm basically anywhere that is dry and needs a boost of moisture. You only need a tiny bit, and it can be used straight up or with water added. Cuticles are obviously where I use it the most, but I've also been using it on the corners of my nose where they've been dry due to the weather, and it works great. I have a few tubes of it on the go, and I definitely need to get more (a recurring theme with my favourites here, eh?) A must-have for these delightful Canadian winters!
Here's a swatch:
I hope you enjoyed my top buys of 2014! Obviously these are not the be-all and end-all of great products, but I've enjoyed them immensely this year. Thank Trysh for allowing me to guest and the CBB for organizing! :D
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