best in beauty 2015

Hello, 2016! I hope you all had a fantastic New Years celebration. With a new year upon us I wanted to take the time to reflect on all of my favorite things I discovered in 2015. Today I am sharing what I loved this year in terms of beauty and makeup. These are all items I used throughout 2015 (and probably into the start of 2016!) that I tried, tested out for months, and fell in love with.


Foundation: 

bareMinerals is easily listed as one of my all-time favorite foundations. Not only is this brand known for its natural ingredients, but also for its full coverage application. I frequently buy this foundation to also double as a setting powder on top of my liquid foundation for an even and completed look.
Maybelline Better Skin is another foundation that I used plenty of during 2015. I like the full coverage appeal of this drugstore option. It is also usually under $11 which is a nice price point for foundation. This one is oil-free and will not break you out, too.
MAC Studio Fix Foundation this is my last top foundation for 2015 because I love the demi-matte finish it gives the skin. It also provides amazing full-coverage!

Concealer:
Maybelline Age Rewind this product has become a cult favorite among beauty bloggers and YouTube sensations alike. The concealer is a wonderful way to hide dark spots which can be difficult to cover up. I like how it is smooth to apply and easily blends into my skin. It is also a drugstore buy at under $8!
Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Concealer  in addition to the Maybelline Better Skin foundation, I also love the concealer version of this line of makeup. When the summertime heated up, I immediately went for this product because I knew it had lost-lasting wear and wouldn’t budge.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer although this one is pricer than my drugstore favorites, I highly recommend this product for special occasions because it provides serious coverage and will last all night. I wear the lightest shade in it and it matches my very fair skin perfectly so I do not have to worry about the color oxidizing!

Primer:
Maybelline Baby Skin Primer so maybe Maybelline is my favorite drugstore makeup brand because I also love their primers! This one is a gel consistency that glides right over my pores and levels out my skin to provide a smooth base for my foundation. It does the job and makes my makeup last for way longer than it would if I did not apply this product first.
Dr. Brandt Pores No More I received this product has a 100 point perk from Sephora over six months ago and I still have more product in the tube. I did not know if I was going to like this formula but I started to use the product more and more and found myself liking it as time went on. The formula looks like a tinted BB cream because it has a light brown color to it which I thought was going to mess with my skin tone but it didn’t!

Blush:
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hr blush I purchased a kit from Sephora that was on sale to $29 last month and discovered that all of the products were amazing buys. I especially loved the Tarte blush it came with. The bright pink was just the right amount of color I needed to use on a daily basis. The clay-based product is also great for people with oily skin and the blush lasts all day!
Benefit Coralista Blush for the summer months I used this product all the time because it came in a Christmas set I purchased last December (that I still use!). This orangey-pink hue compliments many skin tones and I like how it gives me a slightly tanned look.

Bronzer:
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil this bronzer actually has real cocoa in it that provides antioxidants to your skin! It also came in the $29 kit I purchased from Sephora. It smells delicious, leaves a matte finish, and works perfectly for my fair complexion. It is vegan-friendly and paraben-free, too.
Beneift Hoola Bronzer another classic beauty lover favorite is Benefit’s Hoola. And with good reason! This shade came in my December holiday box kit and I have almost hit pan with it. Before I picked up my $29 bag of favorites I had been using this every time I wanted to bronze my face! It provides a matte finish and I am able to use it all over my face without it looking too dramatic.

Powder:
Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder there is no other powder that I love more than this one. It is drugstore priced and will last you a while even if you use it daily like I do. The matte finish it gives my makeup is unbeatable and it is under $6 at most retailers.

Mascara:
Benefit They’re Real Mascara I’ve used this mascara since I received it as a birthday gift from Sephora last year.  Since then I have repurchased a larger mascara wand and I am so happy about it. The length it gives my lashes is dramatic but not over the top for an every day school look.
Smashbox Full Exposure this mascara came in my $29 Sephora favorites bag and I use it in addition to any other mascara as a layering one. It provides a good amount of length to my lashes and it does not clump which is always a good thing!

Eyeshadow:
Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette this year was all about keeping neutral eyeshadow looks and I achieved those looks with only one palette. I purchased this one last December and use it on occasion for when my face looks too pale and I need my eyes to look awake. I combine a few of the matte brown shades to give my eyes a simple 2-step enhancement. At under $30, it is honestly one of the best palettes if you want to create every day neutral eye looks!

Eyeliner:
Stila Stay All Day Liner normally I do not use eyeliner but I like this one because it does not take an expert to achieve a nice winged eyeliner with this product. It is around $20 and it lasts you months. The sharp pointed end makes it easy to glide right over your waterline.
NYX Epic Black Mousse Eye Liner this is my drugstore alternative to the Stila one. This one does glide on like butter and will give you a matte waterproof finish. It is also extremely pigmented and provides all-day lasting power.