Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Best of 2014!!

It is the actual last day of 2014!!! This year has been a hell and a half for me, in the best kind of way. I put in a lot of work this year and I think in so many ways, it's been a success. I got pretty awesome grades, traveled quite a bit, got to present at a conference, started a new job, and most importantly, started this blog where I get to share my thoughts with all of you lovely people! Thank you so much to anyone that has been reading my posts or is following me, it honestly means the world to me. :) I've managed to narrow today's post down to my top ten products of 2014, spanning a variety of different categories. A lot of these products are products I've used daily this year, and have yet to talk about here. So with that, let's get on with it!


1) MALIN + GOETZ Mojito Lip Balm ($12.00)- I got this product in my very first Ipsy bag, in December 2013, and have honest to God used this product every single day since. This lip balm is super moisturizing and thick, making it the perfect lip balm for before bed. It also smells awesome, and I will definitely be repurchasing very soon. I think this product is well worth the price, I've been using mine for a full year and am just now hitting the bottom of the tube. That's literally a dollar a month!


2) Nars Laguna Bronzer ($38.00)- Picking my bronzer of the year was probably the most difficult decision in this entire post. I found so many this year that I truly loved for different reasons (top five bronzer post anyone?) but I ultimately decided to go with the cult classic. This bronzer was the first high end makeup purchase I ever made, and as you can see, we've been through quite a bit together. No matter how many bronzers I found myself loving this year, I've consistently gone back to old reliable here.




3) The Body Shop Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub (discontinued?)- It looks like this scent has been discontinued! How heartbreaking!! To be fair, I picked this scrub up a while ago, early this year, and it was already on clearance then. The thing I liked most about this scrub was that it was gentle enough to use everyday. The raspberry smell was sweet but not at all overwhelming, which was nice, as I'm not the biggest raspberry lover in the first place. I'll miss this scrub when it's empty, for sure.

It looks just like jam!

4) Our Moment by One Direction ($59.50)- My fragrance pick of the year! This perfume is sweet and pretty, and honestly, I think the scent is just lovely year round; it's well rounded enough that the scent isn't going to go out of season. You know what I mean, some perfumes are so fruity you wouldn't imagine wearing them in winter, or so sultry they're too heavy for spring. This perfume is not one of them. Notes include (but are not limited to) pink grapefruit, red currant, freesia, jasmine, and my all time fave, patchouli. 


5) Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara ($23)- This is a product I've mentioned in my favorites before, so I'll keep it short and sweet. This is probably my holy grail mascara, and to give the honor of best mascara of 2014 to any other would have been a downright travesty. Enough said!

The fat brush really catches the lashes and pulls them up for insanely full, long lashes!

6) Benefit Gimme Brow in the shade Medium/ Deep ($22)- Another product I've spoken about in my favorites!. I am reaching the end of mine, and although I've told myself I'm going to give the Maybelline dupe a chance, we'll see how long I last. My brow game may not be strong, but it would literally be nonexistent without this product.


7) Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri- Wheat Conditioner ($17.95)- Let me tell you about this product. I got a travel size in an Ipsy bag (January) and the instant change in my hair was amazing. I'm a girl that's ombre-d half her head, and even still, people were stopping me to tell me my hair looked shiny and super healthy. Needless to say I purchased a full size before mine had even run out. I love this product so much, I bought a 3.3 ml spray bottle so I could bring it with me while I traveled. I'm serious about this stuff, guys. I know it's only been a year, and maybe its too soon, but I think maybe this product could be the one.


8) Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette ($29.00)- I know there's been a lot of hype about the Basics 2 since it was released this year, but I've got to say, nothing beats the original. It's got every shade you could need, and for $29, you just can't beat the quality of these shadows. The only downside is the shades are almost exclusively matte, so if shimmer or metallic is your aesthetic, this palette may not be for you. I used the shade Naked 2 almost exclusively over the summer, and the colors are all super versatile so you can create a multitude of looks with them. :)



9) Sephora Instant Nail Polish Remover ($9.50)- This is definitely one of those aforementioned products that has silently been a life-saver all year long. It's basically a little tub and when you open it, there's a sponge soaked in nail polish remover, and you simply stick your finger in the tub and it dissolves your nail polish. I tried to get a good shot of the inside of the product, but it was too dark. Just, trust me on this. If you have a chance to pop into a Sephora, give it a go. You won't regret it. Painting your nails just got a million times easier.


10) L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation in the shade W5 Sand Beige ($12.99)- In the many months that I couldn't afford to purchase the YSL Touche Eclat foundation, thus dupe was my lifesaver. It gives the same, dewy, radiant kind of finish, and also comes in a huge range of shades. The whole Lumi line from L'Oreal is awesome, particularly if you're someone who likes a dewy finish rather than a matte one. This is definitely one of my favorite drug store foundations ever!


And we made it! If you made it through all of this, thanks for sticking with me! I'd love to hear what you guys have been loving this year, so be sure to let me know! I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve and I can't wait for everything 2015 brings us.

Stay beautiful!!
- Whit

4 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your good grades, conference, new job and travelling! Sounds really exciting! I've been looking for a new bronzer and the nars looks like a good one. As all the naked palettes are the urban decay basics looks gorgeous. I don't own any but they look really nice. Happy new year!!

    nikimint

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    1. Thank you so much! I really love the Nars bronzer, would definitely recommend it! I hope you have a lovely new years and 2015 is your year :)

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  2. Great round-up of products, I've been itching to try the NARS bronzer and might just have to splurge on it soon!

    Happy New Year, xx
    Love, Krista

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    1. Thank you! It was my first big splurge, so I can definitely recommend it! Happy New Years to you as well :)

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