Favorites of 2015

There is something about the start of a new year that makes me incredibly excited and happy and suddenly I feel the sudden urge to re-arrange, update, tidy, and improve every single thing in my life. For the last few days I've been considering which New Year resolutions I want to pursue this year, what I want to do with this blog and actually seriously dived in my beauty stash and organized everything.

There are many exciting things to come this year on my blog, but before I turn my eyes completely to the year ahead of us, there is one more blog post owed to the year 2015.

Beauty favourites of the year hold a special place in my heart, as this was the first blog post I ever posted on Beautysaur, and I can still clearly remember the excitement and adrenaline, when I was gathering my favourite products, taking pictures and starting something that I've wanted to do for such a long time. Looking back now, I cringe at the thought of the bad quality of the pictures, my non-existing knowledge about blogs and social media, but it was a start and it got me to where I am now.

When selecting the products I loved the most in the 2015 I walked around the room, choosing many things that I enjoyed this past year, and then selected the absolute best 15 to be featured in this post.

Some are old favourites, some are new,  but I made sure that they were all a part of the permanent collection, which made sense to me as the main thing I kept in mind when choosing them was whether I would always repurchase them or not. Now, without further ado, let me talk you to my favourite beauty products in 2015:

ARTDECO HIGH PRECISION LIQUID LINER 01

If all of my makeup was to suddenly disappear, and if we exclude the sentimental value of some pieces, this eyeliner would be the thing I would miss the most and would immediately repurchase it. Despite the hefty(er) price tag, it is a permanent and absolutely necessary part of my makeup stash.

When it comes to makeup, a winged eyeliner is my go-to look, no matter the occasion, I find it sophisticated, classy and timeless. Because I was blessed with quite full eyelashes, I could survive without a mascara and miss my eyeliner much more.

In terms of performance, this one has it all. A perfect thin nib, impeccable pigmentation and formula, fabulous staying power and great precision. Besides all that, it lasts for a very long time and I usually go through about 2 of these in a year and I wear eyeliner basically every day.

Without a doubt, this is the best eyeliner I ever had and I adore it so much that I feel no need to every try any other liquid liner.

Mentioned on the blog:

Vibrant Spring Makeup Look

HYPNOSE VOLUME-a-PORTER MASCARA

While I have always been happy and content with drugstore mascaras, the luxury and hype of Lancôme mascaras was always there, tempting me and calling me every time I walked past a high end makeup counter. My wishes came true earlier than I expected as I was given a lovely goody bag from Lancôme and it was hiding a fabulous mascara.

The wand with plastic bristles is amazing when it comes to coating every single eyelash, the formula elongates them and gives my eyes the illusion of fuller, fabulous eyelashes. It's easy to add several coats, to build up the intensity without clumping and lashes sticking together. The mascara stays on my lashes throughout the whole day and doesn't budge until I decide to remove it.

It is fabulous, performs great and makes me feel like a princess and I've enjoyed it more than any other mascara this year.

Mentioned on the blog:

October Favorites 2015

1. slovenian Beauty Bloggers conference

EOS LIP BALM in Sweet Mint

After all the hype around the EOS lip balms, I felt it was about time I tested one myself. They are rather pricey and quite hard to get, but I found one on the internet and decided on the Sweet Mint flavour. For an everyday balm I am looking for something that is easy to use, feels nice and moisturizing on the lips and won't leave my lips looking milky and dead. Many of the lip balms that I have, often leave a strange aftertaste in my mouth, which I hate and the fact that this one doesn't, makes me love it even more.   

Without expecting to love it so much, I was surprised to find that I was constantly reaching for it and actually missed it if it was not with me all the time. I've grown so used to it that it became an essential part of my evening routine and is always on my bedside shelf.

Thinking about it now, I might actually get a couple more of these to constantly have them by my side. Convenient to use, moisturizing and cute, they are a real must have.

Mentioned on the blog:

September Favorites 2015

MELVITA DAMASK ROSE FLORAL WATER

Before this year, I never realised what the benefits of face waters are. There have been a few that I've tried this year but the one that stood out the most is this one. Incorporating it into my skincare routine was one of the best things I did for my skin this year.

It re-hydrates my skin and makes it feel incredibly refreshed. In a very short time it became a favourite step of my routine, I look forward to it and really enjoy using it. Besides using it as a part of my skincare, it's great for refreshing the makeup throughout the day. What I first thought was an unnecessary addition to a routine, quickly became one of my favourite products this year.

Mentioned on the blog:

1. slovenian Beauty Bloggers conference

October Favorites 2015

ORIFLAME TRUE PERFECTION EXFOLIATING RENEWAL MASK

It's definitely been a year of discovering face masks for me. Since my childhood, they always seemed such a fun, interesting thing to do and when I learned about their benefits as well, they intrigued even more.

This one was given to me to try and I was immediately impressed. My skin felt absolutely amazing after using it, fresh, smooth and firm. It worked amazing without irritating the skin, and I loved that I was able to achieve this effect without using a manual exfoliator.

The effects of the exfoliator last a while and because I only tend to use it once or twice a month, even the small tube will last me for quite a while.

Mentioned on the blog:

1. slovenian Beauty Bloggers conference

October Favorites 2015

MAC MATTE LIPSTICK in MEHR

It's seems like having a MAC lipstick is becoming a staple for every beauty blogger. Trying out a lipstick from MAC was one of my biggest wishes last year and it finally came true when I walked into the store in Trieste.

It took me the longest time to choose the right colour, I'm glad that I didn't simply pick one of the popular ones, but rather took my time to pick the absolutely perfect shade.

The finish I decided to go for was matte, as they last the longest and in my opinion look best on my lips. Mehr turned out to be the perfect nude shade for me and became my most worn lipstick of the year. The times when I used to reach for a red lipsticks for a special occasion, I now stick to my trusty nude.

Definitely worth the hype, the lipstick was one of my best buys this year and I wouldn't really mind trying out some more.

Mentioned on the blog:

Exploring Trieste (& Kiko, MAC Haul)

March Favorites 2015

La vie en NUDE: In search of a perfect nude lip

MAYBELLINE COLOR ELIXIR in 710 Rose Redefined

As one of the first buys in January, it says a lot that I kept using it throughout the year. This was the product that made me change my mind about lip gloss. The lovely non-sticky formula is a dream to apply, and feels lovely and nourishing on the lips.

Besides the product itself, the packaging is really cute and interesting and the soft applicator makes applying it a really pleasant experience, even without a mirror.

With just the right amount of pigmentation and a lovely combination of shine, this gives an incredible look to the lips. The perfect everyday product, due to the shade and pigmentation, and it often finds itself in my on-the-go handbag.

Mentioned on the blog:

January 2015 Favorites

PINK inspirations

Vibrant Spring Makeup Look

SEE by CHLOE EAU FRAICHE

This is something that I found completely unexpectedly and fell in love with it instantly. Due to the lovely floral scent, I thought that I would use it mostly in the spring, but I kept reaching for it throughout the year.

It is an amazing, very long lasting floral fragrance with notes of apple blossom, water hyacinth, jasmine and vetiver. It develops beautifully on my skin and I can't get enough of it. With spring coming up soon, I know I'll be reaching for it even more and I feel this might be one of my first purchases in this year.

A lovely presentation in a cute bottle, and a gorgeous floral fragrance make this a perfect feminine perfume.  

Mentioned on the blog:

March Favorites 2015

RIMMEL MATCH PERFECTION FOUNDATION

A long-time favourite, this was one of the first things I tried from Rimmel. With great coverage and a lovely semi-matte finish, this is such a fuss-free everyday foundation. It's easy to apply with either brushes, sponges or fingers and looks fresh and natural on the skin.

It lasts on my skin through the whole day, doesn't settle into pores or clings to dry patches. It doesn't oxidize on the skin and manages to even out my skin tone. A cheeky little mention has to go to the matching concealer that I also loved using though the year, it works great with the foundation and helps to create a flawless but natural looking makeup

.

It is actually more affordable than some of the other Rimmel foundations but performs great and is, without a doubt, one of my favourite foundations ever.

COLLECTION LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER

A beauty staple all over the makeup community, the Collection concealer is one of the absolute must haves. The pigmentation of the concealer is out of this world, and the formula super creamy and bendable. Depending on the shade you choose it can work great as an under eye corrector, or for concealing spots and other imperfections.

It's been talked about so much already, either on my blog or all over the beauty community, that I feel it doesn't need much more. I'll make sure to stock up on these the next time I have the chance.

Mentioned on the blog:

March Favorites 2015

ESSIE in Lilacism

When it comes to nail polish, there is something about Essie that just keeps calling to me. The thin formula works amazing and helps you achieve a fabulous, sophisticated look.

I've always been attracted to purple shades, may that be a very dark berry or a light lavender, and I fell in love with Lilacism the moment I saw it. At first it may seem like just a perfect spring pastel, but the fact that it is a very light lilac, makes it gorgeous to wear during the colder months as well.

Instead of it being just a simple pastel, this looks gorgeous and classy on the nails during any season. While the shade was my absolute favourite this year, I am in general really obsessed with Essie formulation and will definitely be expanding my collection this year.

BRAUN SILK EPIL XPRESSIVE

This hidden gem was hiding in my drawer for the longest time before I actually started using it. The beginnings were painful, extremely painful and it actually took me a few days before I managed to epilate both of my legs because of the pain.

After I got through the first few painful sessions, it got much better. With each use, the epilation became less painful, and also not as frequently needed. Every summer before that was a struggle as I would be constantly worried about my legs not being shaven, but this year was amazing.

Even though I have to admit, I did give myself a break from using it this winter, I'll be sure to exchange my razor for this in the spring.

Compared to the razor shave, my legs look and feel smoother after using the Silk Epil, not even having to mention that they stay like that much longer. This is, without a doubt one of the best investments I could make.

Mentioned on the blog:

May Favorites 2015

  

THE BALM BETTY LOU-MANIZER

Even though Betty's sister Mary Lou-Manizer is much better known, it was Betty that impressed me enough to take her home with me. The shade looks quite intimidating in the pan, but it convinced me with how it looked blended on my skin.

During the winter months when my skin gets much lighter, this work as a lovely illuminating bronzer and gives me the perfect sun-kissed look. Also great as an eyeshadow, I love how versatile this product can be.

The true magic comes through in the summer, when my skin develops quite a deep tan. If blended well, this is an incredibly gorgeous summer highlight. It gives the skin a gorgeous glow, a luminosity without any shimmer, just a fabulous summer sheen.

ESSENCE MAKE ME BROW Eyebrow Gel Mascara in 02 Browny Brows

Luckily, my brows seem to be cooperating with me most of the time and there is not much that I have to do to keep them in shape. The product that stayed in my makeup bag throughout the whole year is this brow mascara. With the little wand and a formula that is just pigmented enough, I am able to give my brows definition and keep them in place at the same time.

It is really easy and quick to use and will keep my brows looking great though the whole day.

Mentioned on the blog:

March Favorites 2015

L'OREAL INFALLIBLE MEGA GLOSS in 110 I Got the Power

It seems that after finding a lip gloss that I loved, I was willing to venture further into the world of shiny lip products. The shade of product drew me in the moment I saw it and later proved to be an amazing formula as well.

The formula is smooth and creamy, but not at all sticky and hugs the lips beautifully. A very differently shaped applicator is amazing, the different shapes help to reach any corner of the lips. It's quite pigmented for a lip gloss, almost like a hybrid between a gloss and liquid lipstick which I absolutely love.

Nude shade looks gorgeous on the lips and a little bit of shine makes them look full and luscious. The scent and taste of the product are a huge plus for me, sweet and vanilla, they make wearing the gloss a even more pleasant experience. If there were more shades available on out market, I would definitely want to try some more.

Mentioned on the blog:

L'Oreal Infallible Mega Gloss in 110 i got the power

New In My Beauty Stash #14: Summer 2015

Now it's time to see what 2016 will bring us!

Rawr,

your Beautysaur