Favourite Products Of 2013

It's time for one of the most enjoyable posts for me to write - my favourite products of 2013. For this year's post I've decided to list just five products in each category. There's been so many things I've loved using in 2013 it would take me forever to post about all of them. So here's 45(!) of my favourite products. It's always interesting to look back at my posts from previous years and see what things I'm still using. My skincare routine is probably what has changed the most which is quite surprising to me. At the time I thought that last year's selection would all still be making an appearance but I've found some really fantastic items this year that have improved my skin tenfold. I guess that's part of the appeal of beauty blogging though, there's always something new & better to try. Here's to trying plenty more in 2014!

Skincare
Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash / HealGel Face / Elemental Herbology Cell Food
Estelle & Thild Lily Detox Mask / La Roche-Posay Redermic R

Last year was all about the chemical exfoliants for me but Liquid Gold & Clarins Brightening Toner were both pushed aside for this amazing Elemis cleanser. It uses lactic acid to smooth the skin, reduce pores & get rid of blemishes. Cleansing my face with this twice a day has made so much difference to my skin. I can't recommend it enough! The whole HealGel range is fantastic but their facial moisturiser is a real winner. My skin feels better every time I use it & it's suitable for all skin types. Elemental Herbology are a brand I really need to try more next year because their Cell Food is such a lovely serum. It adds a natural radiance to my face, hydrates & soothes any irritation. The Lily Detox Mask from Estelle & Thild is just incredible. If you want clear skin & barely visible pores then this is a must have. Finally La Roche-Posay's Redermic R has been a lifesaver this year. I was suffering with lots of blocked pores & hormonal acne and this stuff completely sorted everything out. It helps bring all the gunk trapped under your skin to the surface & heals it up super quick. It contains retinol which also works as a wrinkle treatment so I really do think I'll be using this for years to come.

Body Products
Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant / L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil / Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser
Organic Surge Citrus Mint Shower Gel / NSpa Massaging Body Brush

I think many people were surprised by this Sure deodorant but it really is a brilliant product. I wouldn't consider myself a sweaty person but this stuff keeps me smelling fresh & feeling dry 24/7. I simply adore the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil. It's the best thing you can use if you have sensitive skin & it is so good for shaving with. I'm very lazy with body moisturising so I'm a big fan of the Vaseline sprays. Organic Surge's shower gels smell amazing & are also a great choice for sensitive skin. Dry body brushing is a great thing to do before a shower to get your circulation going & manually exfoliate your body. I use this one from NSpa & it really helps to keep my skin feeling soft. My bumpy upper arms are much improved since I started doing this regularly.

Haircare
Organic Surge 2-Minute Mask / L'Oreal EverRiche Perfect Elixir Masque Spray / Alterna Caviar Perfect Blowout Creme
Alterna Caviar Rapid Repair Spray / Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine

I discovered two brilliant hair masks this year - one from Organic Surge & one from L'Oreal. They both work wonders on my bleached hair & stop it from looking like a dry straw-like mess. The Alterna Caviar range is perfect for anyone with dry unruly hair. I sometimes use the Blowout Creme if I want a very smooth & sleek style. The Rapid Repair Spray is probably the best finishing spray ever. It smells divine & gives me incredibly shiny hair. Bumble & Bumble's Brilliantine is a complete superstar product. You can use it to add definition & shine and it gets rid of any flyaways. I also use this on Chloe to smooth down her frizzy curls.

Base
Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream / Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light / Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

I always keep several foundations on rotation but one that I've used a lot this year was the Clinique CC Cream. They come in a fab shade range including one for us ghostly pale girls. I love this stuff because it feels light on the skin yet the colour correcting properties give the illusion of more coverage. Hourglass have fast become one of my favourite brands & their Veil Mineral Primer is the best one out there. Unfortunately it's also crazy expensive. This is one case where you get what you pay for though as it really does make my skin look better & keeps my makeup perfectly in place. My number one favourite beauty buy of the year was another Hourglass product - their infamous Ambient Lighting Powders. I got Luminous Light because I love glowing skin & it just makes everything look airbrushed. Love love love this product! Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer was another of my favourite products because it's just so versatile. You can use it as a foundation or a concealer & it's full coverage makes those bad skin days much more tolerable. Laura Mercier's setting powder for your undereye area is such a good product. It contains a faintly sparkly white pigment to bring light to the area. It sets your concealer & reduces the appearance of dark circles at the same time, what more could you want in a setting powder?!

Eyes
Benefit They're Real Mascara / Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette / Artdeco Eyeshadow Base
Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil / Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen

I hated They're Real when I first got it but I've really come around to this product lately. It gives good separation, length & pigmentation to my lashes. The Urban Decay Naked Basics palette hasn't left my makeup bag since I got it. Those six matte shades are perfect for everyday wear & help add some subtle definition to my eyes. I keep everything in place with the Artdeco Eyeshadow Base. This creamy neutral base stops any creasing & helps to brighten my eyes. A new love is the Hourglass eyebrow pencil. The triangular shape makes filling in your brows a complete doddle & the shade Soft Brunette is perfect for me. Soap & Glory's Supercat eyeliner is a good choice for a really pigmented black flick. It takes some getting used to but I use this everyday now. Plus it's really cheap!

Cheek Products
NARS Douceur / Illamasqua Naked Rose / theBalm Frat Boy
Stila Lilium Convertible Colour / theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

I've favoured slightly nuder shades this year with NARS Douceur being a clear favourite. It's a browny pink that sculpts the face so you don't need a separate contour product. Naked Rose, Frat Boy & Lilium are all lovely blushers that add a nice pop of colour to my cheeks. Lilium also works as a very pretty lip colour. Nothing has managed to knock Mary-Lou Manizer from it's position as best highlighter ever this year. As you can see it is a very well loved product & I use this every single day for a perfectly glowing complexion.

Lip Products
Korres Pomegranate Lip Butter / NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm / Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid
MAC Lady Danger / MAC Chatterbox

I finally tried out the Korres Lip Butters this year and it was instant love. They're so moisturising & the colours are all so gorgeous. Pomegranate is probably the one I use the most as it's a very flattering coral shade. I'm still loving the NUXE lip balm but Lanolips Lemonaid is even better. The citric acid in the organic lemon oil acts as a natural exfoliator on dry lips & the creamy balm leaves my lips feeling kissably soft. MAC will always be the king of lipsticks & two shades I've been using a lot this year are Lady Danger & Chatterbox. The orangey red tones of Lady Danger look incredible on a night out & Chatterbox is a bright true pink that I always reach for during the day.

Nail Products
Essie Bachelorette Bash / Essie After School Boy Blazer / Essie Lilacism / Essie Bahama Mama
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

Essie are still my favourite nail polish brand. Their polishes are easy to apply, quick to dry and fairly chip resistant. These are some of my most worn shades this year. Liliacism remains a firm fave from last year though. My nails would look like rubbish without the little miracle worker known as Sally Hansen's Instant Cuticle Remover. No manicure would be complete without it.

Tools
Real Techniques Brushes / MAC 219 Brush / Tinkle Eyebrow Razor
Tweezerman Tweezers / Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

Real Techniques brushes are some of the best around. They're very good quality & excellent value for money. I love that they don't shed at all which always used to be a problem with my MAC & Sigma brushes. The setting brush is one that I use every single day to set my undereye concealer, I couldn't be without it! Real Techniques don't make many eye brushes though so I mainly use my MAC ones. The 219 works well to add definition under my eyes & to define my crease. The eyebrow razor might seem like an odd choice but don't worry I'm not putting stripes in them anytime soon! I use it to remove all those tiny hairs around my eyebrows as well as any excess facial fuzz. My Tweezermans are still going strong & they're just the best tweezers you could possibly buy. I still use my Shu Uemura eyelash curlers every day without fail. They make my lashes look so much longer & open up my eyes. Once you start curling your eyelashes it's hard to stop!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'