makeupandwine

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens….no, not my favorite things.  Instead, I’ve been enjoying a few cosmetic items which were new in 2016, and some that hail from years gone by.

Three makeup items which I used almost daily are; Tom Ford’s eyeliner, YSL primer and YSL Highlighter.  Yes, sad to say, these items are pricey, but I am trying to streamline my makeup collection by investing in products I want to use on a daily basis, and items I can get at least six months out of.  The Tom Ford eyeliner was purchased last April, I use it at least five days a
week, and it is still going strong.

The Tom Ford Eye Defining Liquid Liner Pen has a brush on each end of the pen, provides both a fine line and a thicker line.  The pen is the perfect weight and size (at least I think so), and the color is a nice semi-matte black.  I have given this pen as a gift to my daughter-in-law, and her response was “I can finally get the perfect wing – thank you!” Enough said.

The surprise for me this year was the YSL products.  I have tried YSL cosmetic products off and on for the past 20 years (or more) and have never found anything that really knocked my socks off.  All of the products are nice but I felt they were overpriced.  Yes, their
packaging is amazing and beautiful, what’s not to love about the YSL packaging?  However, I am moving on from being sucked in by  beautiful packing, I’m moving forward to functional and productive packaging (but sheesh – have  you seen the YSL Chinese New Year collection?  Whoa.  Still, it was with reluctance that tried the ‘Touche Éclat’ Blur Primer and the Sparkle Clash Touche Éclat Lumiere Divine Highlighting Finishing Powder.  These items were recommended by a youtuber that I follow Uppiesbeads59  She recommended these products and showed the results of using them, so I capitulated.  I’m happy I did.

The  ‘Touche Éclat’ Blur Primer is a silicone based primer with the slip that a silicone based primer will give, but also has tiny gold sparkles in it.  You won’t see the gold sparkles on your skin, they blend into your skin, but give nice radiance to any foundation.  I apply it under my foundation, with a flat foundation brush, and then use my fingers to meld in into my skin. The primer is clear, no worries about it matching any skin tone.  I don’t think it keeps my foundation on longer, but it makes the application of my foundation go on smoother and easier.

The Sparkle Clash Touche Éclat Lumiere Divine Highlighting Finishing Powder has become my favorite highlighter.  It gives a subtle glow, no chunks of glitter, no actual glitter at all, just a lovely shimmer.  Can  you see it from the moon?  No.  I don’t want my face to be seen from the moon, just want a little highlight on the top of my cheeks and above my brows.  I use the Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder Brush #20 to apply the highlighter. You could use any brush that you prefer, or even your fingers, to apply this beautiful highlighter.

My final big favorite of 2016 is the Viseart eye shadows.  These are fabulous.  I have been slowly getting rid my of most of my shadow collection and I am just using these palettes.  If you’re not inclined to buy the larger palettes, and I don’t blame you, try getting your toes wet (or your eyelids

powdered) by getting one of the smaller six-pan palettes.  You won’t be sorry.  If nothing else, these are the perfect size for your purse or travel bag.

The Viseart eye shadows are what the professionals use, and for good reason.  They are smooth, buttery and blend perfectly.  You can wear one color or six colors and they will all blend into each other, just the way you want them to.  With no fall-out and easy blending, why use anything else?

As for foundation, I am still on the look-out for the perfect foundation.  I guess that will be something I’m always looking for.  You have a good foundation, even a great foundation, then the cosmetic companies come out with new formulations, new textures, and you think – hey, that may be better than what I have.  So, the search continues.  What I have been using this past year, and I seem to always go back to it after I try something new, is the Burberry Beauty Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base.  This is the foundation I would purchase tomorrow if all of my foundations were empty and gone (gads – imagine that!). This foundations suits my dry skin, and wears for at least 9 hours, something other foundations do not do.  I have found this foundation to give me a medium coverage without sinking into fine lines, and without creasing or sticking to any dry patches I may have.  I don’t think this is the perfect foundation, but it is my favorite foundation thus far.  Other foundations that I used, that I am comparing the Burberry Fresh Glow foundation to are: Tom Ford’s Traceless Foundation (too heavy for daytime use), Guerlain ‘Lingerie de Peau’ Fluid Foundation (it looked too dry on me, too matte),  Chanel Vitalumière Aqua (did not last long enough on my skin), and the new Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (exaggerated any dry patches I had on my skin).

For reference; I am a MAC NC20-25, I use the Burberry Fresh Glow in Porcelain, Tom Ford’s Traceless in Bisque, Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau in 00N which was too light, Channel’s Vitalumière in Beige and the Hourglass Vanish Stick in Nude.

Lippies, mascara, bronzers and blush were not on my list of favorite things this year because I did not find anything that really stood out for me.  The Marc Jacobs Air Blush Soft Glow Duos are pretty, but I did not think they were anything better than what has been out in the past years.  Of course the Tarte Shape Tape is the absolute best concealer, but I have my eye on the new NARS Soft Matte Concealer.

What are your favorites from 2016?