Six of my favourite beauty discoveries this year

Okay, I’m not a beauty blogger. I am, however, a person who uses beauty products, and sometimes I want to share my appreciation or thoughts on them.

In lieu of being able to come up with a post with a purpose from the random selection of things that have been new to me this year, I thought I’d keep things simple. A little list of some of the good stuff I’ve discovered throughout 2018 (that I haven’t already mentioned in other posts), should you be in the market for anything similar to these or in need of something to read on the toilet.

For the purposes of being upfront I will say now that the majority of these items were gifts – I wasn’t obligated to share any of them, but of all the things I was sent over the past 12 months, these are the ones that became staples in my beauty arsenal.

Can I please also apologise for the state of these products in the photos; the whole reason I’ve included them is because I’ve loved them and found myself using them on a daily basis, but a side effect of that is that most of them are looking a little worse for wear. We’ll call it well loved. Here are the things that – sometimes surprisingly – became favourites for me this year.

Tropic Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum*: Pretty sure I shouldn’t be leading with this in a mini review of a skincare product, but man – that COLOUR. Isn’t it glorious?! Luckily the formula itself is also a delight; smooth and weightless, and unlike a lot of products which aim to target oiliness and blemishes, it doesn’t feel remotely drying. My face feels so soft after applying this, although I’m not sure if it’s by design or not, because it’s not something I expect from anti-blemish products. This year my skin has been a lot better generally than it was in 2017, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t have its ups and downs, and this has really helped to counter its bad days and keep the balance the rest of the time.

3ina Lip Sync in Nude Nights*: This is part of 3ina’s ‘Destination Dance’ collection that they were kind enough to send me. The range features all sorts of sparkly, shiny treats that are perfect for party season, but this has fast become my everyday lip product; it’s the exact brownish nude shade that I find so difficult to find a version of that suits me, and it lasts a treat. I’m not really fussed about the way it’s packaged – the product is in the cap and you press the sponge applicator into it – but it does the job that way so I’m not averse to it either. It’s buildable, matte but not drying, and super wearable. Well worth a try if you haven’t tried this brand before.

The Body Shop Tea Tree 3-in-1 Wash Scrub Mask: I can’t say I ever use this as a wash, but I use it several times a week as a scrub and every so often (i.e when I have time and remember to do so) as a mask too. It’s not a product that blew me away on first use, but considering I’ve been using it regularly for probably nine months now, I think it’s safe to say it’s definitely a favourite. A slow burner, if you will. There’s not a huge amount to say about it – it’s a great exfoliator that leaves your skin feeling ace and looking more radiant, the way a great exfoliator should. Side note: it’s also a really affordable price tag for something that’s multi-purpose and it lasts ages.

The Fragrance Shop Twist & Spritz Atomiser*: Kind of a random addition, but when I was thinking about the new things that have truly made a place for themselves in my day to day life this had to be included. It’s a refillable atomiser, and in all honesty, when it first arrived, I didn’t use it for a while. It was a few weeks later when I was packing a bag for a night away that I filled it up, and it hasn’t left my bag since. So useful. Much grown up. It’s great for travelling too and I very much enjoy the way you fill it up – there’s a pump on the bottom which attaches to the valve of your perfume and you just pump it in without having to faff about tipping bottle. Would also make a cute little stocking filler, just saying.

Eyelure Brow Pomade in Soft Brown*: I’d never been keen on a brow pomade before this one but I am completely and utterly HOOKED on it. I’ve eschewed pencils in favour of this little baby; teamed with a thin slanted brush, it’s my favourite brow product ever. Buildable, waterproof, natural enough looking and finally – the perfect shade for me. After months of use, I’ve only really scratched the surface of the pot, so I think we’re going to have a long and happy life together.

Eyelure Brow Luminizer*: I don’t usually love these type of crayon brow highlighters in particular, but this was another product that one day I realised I’d been using for weeks and weeks and that it seemed I was in fact a fan. The matte highlighter on one end, which I expected to be kind of pointless, actually does a great job of highlighting the brow bone to lift and shape the brow for everyday, and the shimmer on the other is soft enough to be worn in the daytime if desired but pigmented enough to build up for a less subtle look.

*Products marked with an asterisk are ones which I was lucky enough to be sent by the relevant brand. As always, thoughts, imagery and inability to describe beauty products effectively are my own.