2019 Favourites: A list of the best products

As beauty lovers we divide years or periods in our life by our favourite products at the time, by our beauty routines – a certain body cream we used all year, or a favourite lipstick colour.

These were my favourite makeup, hair, skin and nails products in 2019. I picked these for various reasons, some because they performed the best, others because the scent reminded me of a lovely holiday…

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

Once I started my treatment with Roaccutane (also known as Accutane), my skin shifted from being extremely oily to being very dry. I had to change my focus from oil absorbing products to ones that keep the moisture in and that bring luminosity to the face. That is how I found the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation, which is pure gold. It spreads very fast and easily, blends into the skin quickly, and the most important thing – it looks just like skin. It is luminous yet slightly velvety. The finish can be manipulated by using products underneath it. For example, specific sunscreens will keep it very fresh and dewy all day.

Most people compare it with the very expensive Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation. It is a gorgeous foundation, ideal for everyday, but also buildable for the evening. The downside is the shade range, which is limited, but their other version of this foundation, the Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Foundation (in a different bottle) has a better shade range.

See it in action – Watch my videos

Buy here

Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish 

Shade Caramel Cupcake 

I love this colour so much, it is a nude yet lively colour, and it looks lovely and elegant. It does not contain shimmer, which I really like. It is also very inexpensive, which is why I keep buying it. Nailpolish never lasts long on my nails, so if it is affordable I tend to paint them more often. This colour is also the perfect base for added glitter or sequin top coats.

I am wearing it in this video.

Buy Here

Laura Mercier Lip Glaces 

These lip glosses are special because they are hydrating, smell delicious and because they are pigmented. I used them almost everyday. The scent is different from other lip glosses, still being sweet but slightly more elegant.

I loved both nude colours and the brighter ones. They do not collect in the fine lines of the lips, they are hydrating enough even during winter and they last a long time for a lip gloss. 

See it in action – Watch my video

Buy Here

Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Body Buttercream

This was my favourite body cream in 2019 simply because the smell makes my breath stop. The star smoothie scent is described as a blend of vanilla, sweet almond and sandalwood, although I did notice the exact description of the Star Smoothie scent changes slightly from product to product (because yes, there is an entire range with this scent!). It is very girly and sweet, but it is unique and difficult to describe. If you ever get the chance to see some Soap and Glory testers with this scent, I do encourage you to try it. It also nourishes very well. 

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 

This is the perfume I used the most in 2019. The scent is a strong one. On their website the perfume is described as a fresh combination of strong orange, jasmine and rose. This is obviously a personal preference, but if you enjoy strong fragrances that are not very sweet, then this is fantastic. What I love the most about it is that it is feminine but lacks that generic sweet scent – giving a more original vibe. It is the perfume I wished for since I was a teenager. Another thing I like about Chanel perfumes is that they have a good longevity, and so a bottle will last you for a very long time.

Buy Here

L’oreal Lash Paradise Primer and Mascara

I will not write a lot about these two products, as I have a full article about them already. The volume they provide is amazing, and your eyelashes will never look better than when you’re using these products. Only use the primer as well if you like a false eyelashes effect. The mascara itself makes your lashes very fluttery and separated, but filled with volume and curl. Almost no other mascara gives me the same result.

I am wearing these two products in this video.

Buy Mascara Here

Buy Primer Here

Dior Holiday Couture collection, Daring Eye & Lip Palette

I have loved this palette more than anything else. I will be honest, one reason for this is that it is couture – expensive, luxury, unique. That being said, the pigmentation of this palette is out of this world. You only need the slightest dab into the pan to get a very vibrant application of colour. 

The golden brown shade is my favourite, because it is a unique shade. It is not very golden but not cool either, the shimmer adding varying undertones to it. It looks expensive and fabulous on the eyelids, it applies and blends like a dream. It takes five seconds to create a beautiful look with it. The royal blue shade is also gorgeous, but I have to confess I have not used it much, simply because I never had an occasion for it. The black in it is mesmerising, having a gorgeous sequin effect, with emerald green shimmers and purples. The Tati Beauty’s palette Memory sequin shade is almost a dupe to this. 

The lip gloss section in this palette is also amazing. They smell deliciously, very sweet, and they spread on the lips really well. They are moisturising and delicate. 

The entire palette, with the shadows and lips glosses offer a very high-end effect. I am aware that this palette was a limited edition, but Dior seems to launch a similar product every year, so check their website for similar products. I know it has a spicy price – but I love it so much, I think it makes you feel special every time you use it. 

See it in action  – Watch my video

Buy Here

Wella Professional Fusion Intense Repair Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask

Another high-end set, the Wella Fusion nourished and protected my very dry hair during Roaccutane like no other. It cleans hair well, smells sweet and fresh at the same time, it leaves hair soft but with a bit of volume as well. My hair got oily again but it reacts very well to this shampoo and conditioner regardless, which makes me believe it is suitable for both dry and oily hair.

What I really love about it is how well it maintains my hair colour. I have blonde hair, dyed light blonde from a dark brown. Dyed blonde hair can very easily shift to green tones, or go brassy and orange, which used to be the case for my hair. I would need to tone it back to a beautiful shade of blonde every two months. Since I started to use the Wella products, my blonde stays fresh and beautiful. I get it toned less frequently now, and even though my hair still changes its tone of colour with time, it never gets to the ugly brassy colour I used to have before. 

It is difficult to express in clear words why, but my hair just feels and looks better since I have started to use these professional products. They were recommended to me by my hair stylist.

Be mindful of the fact that they contain keratin, which is beneficial for the hair, but you shouldn’t use too much keratin on your hair, as it can make it rigid.

Buy Shampoo Here

Buy Conditioner Here

Buy Mask Here

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Eye Cream

This cream has really helped to nourish my under eye area but the significant difference I saw when using it before bed was reduced under eye circles and puffiness, including helping with having less of a hooded eyelid in the morning. A little goes a long way, it has no fragrance and did not irritate the delicate area around my eyes at all. In fact, it is one of the very few eye creams that did not sting at all. It is anti-aging though, and I don’t think it is the perfect match for my needs right now but it certainly feels very pleasant and it helps with puffiness. Some of its active ingredients are Retinyl Palmitate, which is an age-defying pro-retinol.

No7 has this eye cream in various versions, including one just for puffiness, which I would be curious to try in the future.

Buy Here

Lush Soap Golden Pear 

Lush products are known for their hypnotising fragrances. This soap smells like heaven. Lush advertises this scent as warm and woody, with sandalwood oil, Cardamom oil and Brazilian Orange oil. To me, it just smells like the most delicious pear! The soap is a bit rigid but the smell is just out of this world.

I loved using it to wash my hands, for my showers, during a bath, it’s just delicious. It also has shimmer in it. The shape is slightly awkward to hold, but the scent beats it all. 

Essence Lash Princess Mascara Sculpted Volume

Another mascara which made it on the favourites list, the Essence Lash Princess mascaras are some of the best out there in my opinion. They offer length, curl and volume quickly, it lasts all day and they are so inexpensive! If you do manage to find Essence cosmetics in your area I would very highly recommend that you try their Lash Princess mascaras. 

See it in action – Watch my video

Buy Here

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil for Hair

I love this hair oil so much, I recommend it to everyone. It has been a favourite of mine for years and years, it is affordable, it also takes you a long time to use it up, it nourishes hair very well and absorbs quickly. It helps detangle my hair like a dream, which is what I mostly need it for. Besides this, it also nourishes the hair well, makes it shiny, less frizzy, and it smells delicious – I get compliments on my perfume when I use it! 

Buy Here

Vanilie Collection Body Lotion 

I assume this will be a harder product to find than others, as it was bought from a hypermarket chain called Auchan a while ago. The reason I loved this lotion so much is its fragrance. I am in love with anything that smells of vanilla. The consistency is not very thick and it feels more like a body lotion for summer, giving hydration but not being so emollient as a thick winter body cream. 

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

There is no wonder that the BECCA highlighters received so much hype over the years… this highlighter is amazing. It is visible yet delicate and lasts a very long time on the skin. It does not emphasize texture and it is very easy to apply – it shows on the skin from the first application. The reason I love it so much is because it is daytime suitable, but can also be built up for more glamorous makeup. I also personally love the champagne shade as I have a yellow undertone to my skin.

See it in action  – Watch my videos

Buy Here

Korres Santorini Vine Body Milk

Another body cream on the list, the Korres is a favourite product of 2019 for its fragrance as well. It is sweet and fruity and because I used it during my summer holiday, that is what it reminds me of everytime I use it! It hydrates well, it does not feel greasy after application and the smell is unique. It is enriched with almond oil, active aloe and provitamin B5. Everytime I use it it feels like a treat.

Buy Here

Burberry lipstick

Military Red

One of my favourite items in my makeup collection, this lipstick is a gorgeous shade of fresh red with blue undertones. I also spoke about it in my article about the best gifts to give to a beauty lover. Besides the beautiful pigment it is also moisturising to the lips and the packaging makes it feel extra special. 

BONUS 

Cecelia Ahern, Postscript 

This is a book, and both the first novel, Ps I Love You and the second volume, Postscript, were some of my favourite reads in 2019. It is not related to beauty, but in my opinion we as humans are not whole without reading good novels! 

It is a moving book, filled with emotional moments. Also, I purchased a signed volume, so that makes it extra special. I will not go into more details, as I have two articles about Ahern’s books.

If you want to know more about them, you can read my full reviews here and here.

Buy Here

Watch my 2019 makeup routine:

https://youtu.be/_JzJqgpIgzs

Tell me in the comments below what were your 2019 favourites and why?

Disclaimer: This article is not sponsored and does not contain any affiliate links. None of the products were gifted to me.

Instagram


Youtube


Facebook


Twitter