
2015 was such a wonderful year in the world of beauty. From makeup to skin products, there were a lot of new launches and collaborations that made this year very exciting for those of us obsessed with all things beauty. If you were to ask my husband, I am pretty sure that he will tell you that he saw one too many Sephora bags and packages around the house, but I could not help myself. Last year, I was determined to find a skin care routine that I could stick with that really worked. I also wanted to find makeup to add to my collection that would help me to achieve a flawless look while keeping everything very current and on trend. I have rounded up all of my favorites that have gone the distance and made the journey with me into 2016. To keep this write up from being way too long, I have broken up my favs into two segments, beauty & skincare and makeup and I will blog about them separately. Keep reading to see what beauty and skincare products have been rocking my world.
First up, I have to go with skin care. Last year I made it my mission to invest in my skin and find products that would not just cleanse, but protect and prevent damage and aging where possible. I have oily skin which is good from the aspect that I do not lack moisture per say, but my pores can be enlarged and clogged which is not good. The boscia line was one of my winners for skincare in 2015 and three of their products have become staples for me and I use them everyday. The boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser is my step one and I love that it heats up on contact with skin and does a great job opening and de-clogging my pores. I also use the boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser to refine my pores. What I really love about these two products is that they are in gel form which is light and gives a gentle lather. I am one of those people who just do not feel that their skin is clean if the cleanser products do not lather. The last product that I use daily is the Clear Complexion Tonic. This spray is very refreshing and eliminates shine which is a huge plus for the oily girl! My next pick makes me feel extremely luxurious as this brand is from France, so ooh la la! Caudalie has two products that are a part of my daily regimen and though they are a little bit pricey, I have found them to do my face a world of good. The Beauty Elixir gives the skin an instant glow, and diminishes the visibility of pores. I use this after the boscia clear complexion tonic to give a little pop to my skin. You can also use this after applying your making as a setting mist and it will take away the matte over powdered look giving you a radiant look. The other product from Caudalie that I am loving is the Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum which is a mouthful to say. This sirum adds moisture to the skin, but is totally non-greasy with its water weight formula and it feels like silk going on to the skin. When it comes to an actual moisurizer, over the years I have always struggled to use one. I alway thought that since my skin was oily, I did not need one. I learned that I was very wrong in my thinking and even us oily girls need to moisurize. My final skincare product is the First Aid BeautySkin Rescue Daily Face Cream. This cream is very moisturizing without leaving a greasy feel to the skin and is great before applying a primer before makeup application. I have found that all of the products that I have mentioned work very harmoniously together and I have really made my skin the best that it has looked in years.
I did want to also mention the GLAMGLOW line as I have really taken to several of their masks that have been great for my face. The Youth Mud and Super Mud Clearing Treatment have been a must for me and I use them a couple of times a week as they serve as both mask and exfoliator. I also need to note a product that I have used for years that I still used throughout 2015 and it is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Triple-Action Toner. This toner is great in the evenings after you have washed your face to get any remaining traces of makeup that stubbornly tries sticks around.
Smelling good is everything and I fell in love with several fragrances in 2015, but there were two that really stood out and won me over. One is more luxury while the other is very simple and sweet. I may have been late to the party, but I fell for Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb. This scent is sexy without being too spicy and I tend to get a lot of compliments when I wear it. Anthropologie sells and eau de toilette called Vanille that is to dye for. My husband and children literally follow me around the house when I have it on. I love sweet smelling fragrances and sometimes companies can really mess up vanilla by mixing it with things that do not compliment it at all. Others are so sweet that they can almost give you a headache. They have done vanilla right with this one, you will love smelling yourself all day and it really lingers.
When it comes to makeup removal, I am such a fan of the facial wipes. I actually came across my favorite of the year during a time of desperation. While on a family trip, I noticed that I failed to pack my wipes and had to purchase some in a really expensive gift shop. The only wipes they had were the Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes - Pink Grapefruit which are for normal to oily skin and they ROCK! I love them and they do such fantastic job of removing my eye makeup and everything else. I have repurchased since my initial purchase and they are what I use now.
Eye creams are new to me and since I was on a skincare mission last year, I opened myself up to finding one and I have happy that I did. The tarte C‑Brighter Maracuja Anti‑Aging Eye Treatment has been a great find for me. I feel that it has made under my eyes appear slightly brighter. I do not suffer from crow's feet or wrinkles in that area, so I feel that this cream is a great preventative measure in my skincare routine.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the products that made an impression on me last year and stay tuned for my next post that will go over all of my makeup favorites from 2015. If you have not already, do subscribe and receive alerts when I have a new post up!
XO
Andréa
