14 Beauty Favourites of 2014

You may or may not know that this little online space actually started out as a beauty blog, and even though it’s since evolved into a creative online resource for fellow creatives and bloggers I couldn’t let the end of the year come and go without being an honorary beauty blogger for the day and sharing my favourite products from the past twelve months.

This is the first year in a long time that I’ve hardly bought any beauty products - after my years of being a little obsessed with the aisles of Boots and the shelves of Space NK, I have enough products to now last me a very long time. This has been the year where I’ve enjoyed what I have, found my comfort zone, and really enjoyed the world of beauty without feeling like an obsessive consumer. So what follows is without a doubt a list of my most loved and most used products of the year - and I have a pretty strong feeling they’ll be leading the way in my routine in 2015 as well.

Skincare

  • Clinique Clinical Clearing Gel: This stuff is seriously awesome for anyone else living and struggling with acne. It's a salicylic acid based treatment gel that works wonders at preventing new breakouts, keeping pores clear, and fighting any existing spots as well. When my skin was at its worst this year, this stuff really helped to take control of those pesky spots and bring some calm to my complexion.
  • Clinique Anti Blemish Cleansing Mask*: Perfect for weekly skin maintenance, I've reached for this mask at least twice a week this year to keep on top of my pesky breakout prone skin. It's awesome for keeping pores clear, soothing any red and angry spots, and controlling excess oil as well. 
  • Origins Zero Oil Cleanser: My favourite ever cleanser, I couldn't count how many of these I've used over the years. Perfect for washing away any excess oil and spot causing bacteria, it's awesome at keeping on top of my skin and I think I'll be using it for many years to come. 
  • Origins Zero Oil Toner: A BHA toner is an essential step in my skincare routine and this has been my most used from the year. Morning and night I apply a light layer underneath moisturiser and it works wonders at keeping my acne under control. 
  • REN T-Zone Balancing Gel Cream: My favourite day cream, it's taken me many years to find one that can manage my oily complexion, while still nourishing my skin and not activating any breakouts. This one from REN is awesome for the job, though honorary mention has to go to the Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Moisturiser*. 

Makeup

  • Nars Sheer Glow Foundation: Hands down my most used foundation of the year, this one is my favourite for a medium coverage with a luminous finish. It's perfect for concealing breakouts and scarring as it glides over instead of accentuating any marks, and their lightest shade Siberia is one of the few on the market that matches my very pale skin perfectly. 
  • Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed: It was a tough call between this and the Nars Blush in Douceur for my favourite blush of the year, but this one from Tarte just pipped it to the post. A super pretty plum nude that is perfect for a very subtle contour as well; since discovering this I feel like I've finally found the perfect blush for me. 
  • Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry: My most worn lipstick of the year, after discovering this mauve from Revlon hardly any other of my lipsticks have seen the light of day. Super flattering and pretty, it's perfect just patted into the lips for a stain, or worn fully opaque. 
  • Clinique Eyeshadow in Black Honey*: It was a tough call between this and the Nars Duo in Madrague for my favourite eyeshadow of the year, but Black Honey has to be the winner due to being so damn pretty on the eye. A smoked rustic red/brown, it looks perfect smoked out into the crease and paired with lashings of mascara.
  • MAC Studio Finish Concealer: My most used concealer of the year, this one from MAC is perfect for concealing any scarring and breakouts as well as dark circles. A little pot lasts me around 8 months as well with daily use which I think is pretty awesome. 

Extras

  • Essie Nail Polish in Dress To Kilt: I fell a little in love with this shade from Essie this year and it's my most worn nail polish in recent months. A burgundy red, it's super pretty for the A/W months and it only takes two coats to be completely opaque which makes me happy as painting my nails is one of my least favourite tasks. 
  • Diptyque Eau Duelle EDT: Fragrance is probably my last remaining beauty vice and I have quite the collection sitting on my dressing table. This one from Diptyque has to be my favourite of the year though; it's the perfect spiced vanilla with a musky base and is super sophisticated and grown up whilst still being super feminine. 
  • Aesop Resurrection Hand Balm: My favourite hand cream, this one is a little out of my price range these days but I still have a couple of tubes hanging around on my desk. Super moisturising with the perfect citrus scent, no other hand cream can compare to this one in my humble opinion.
  • Caudalie Divine Oil: I've been through so many of bottles of this body oil the past few years and it's my favourite for fuss free limb hydration. It smells dreamy and is super moisturising and I've just ran out of my current bottle and haven't been able to find a drugstore dupe that can hold its own next to it. 

What about you, what's your most loved beauty product of 2014?


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Jen Carrington