Lisa Eldridge; I purchased when the brand debuted but did not review due to the quick sellout and known length of time before a restock. Patrick Ta and Westman Atelier are also new brands that I discovered and reviewed this year. For rediscovered brands, I’d say Fyrinnae and Clinique a bit, not that either totally dropped off my radar!
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If “discovered” equals “tried for first time”: Pat McGrath Labs, Natasha Denona, Marc Jacobs, Dior, Charlotte Tilbury, Sydney Grace, Ace Beaute, Geek Chic Cosmetics, Nomad Cosmetics, Lime Crime, Volition Beauty, Wander Beauty, Winky Lux, and Pretty Vulgar.
Rediscovered: To an extent, Tarte. I had cooled off on them for a while, but their offerings have gotten better again. Chanel: I only rarely bought from them, and it had been many years since I last had bought. I’m loving the two palettes and the Tweed Beige blush I bought this year, though. They’re back on my radar.
Youth to the People (but that’s skin care) – I love their facial oil and cleanser. For cosmetics, it’s probably Natasha Denona. Because her stuff was never available in store and was steeply priced to boot, I never purchased anything from her til this year when I got the Mini Gold palette and, just yesterday, the Mini Glam palette.
?Lisa Eldridge…Swoon!
?Kit Stars makeup brushes (like Tom Ford but way cheaper)
?Beauty Pie skincare
?Chanel bronzer (a gift)
?Viseart shadows….which have completely taken over
?Marc Jacobs foundation concentrate and Eborian CC cream (tried samples, on the wishlist for next VIB sale)
? Happy New Year!
Too Faced. Their gimmicks and controversies of the people involved have always left me feeling a bit icky. And I felt that I’m not their target audience with their juvenile packaging. But earlier this year I was still on the hunt of a good mattifying setting powder for my wedding (Laura Mercier, Fenty and Hourglass, among others, failed me). I kept on seeing Peach Perfect Loose Powder being a favourite by oily skinned people. But I still didn’t think to check them out until a Sephora SA suggested BTW Foundation Powder. Now I love both. I got PP for my wedding and it was perfect. And BTW pressed powder is great to use alone.
I also had not been interested in UD’s complexion products until Stay Naked came out with olive shades. I still have 2 mix to get the correct depth but by far it’s the closest foundation to my skintone after Kett Fixx Creme.
An on products for olives, I got my first bareminerals product. Their pressed powder bronzer in Faux Tan is olive girl’s dream.
I also finally drank the Glossier Koolaid after writing it off for so long for being overhyped. Their brow products (Boy Brow and Brow Flick) are the bomb.
Totally agree on the BareMinerals! I’m a light/medium with olive undertones and BareMinerals is the only brand I’ve found that really matches my skin. Other brands are close, but are either too pink or too dark.
New-to-me brands have been Devinah and YSL. And I’m thrilled to report that I love what I’ve bought from each!
With UD Naked Honey, I’ve rediscovered just how great this brand’s eyeshadows can be when they get it right!
Sydney Grace! Thanks to the reviews here I was inspired to pick up some of their shadow singles/bundles and so far I am really happy with them.
Natasha Denona and Anastasia Beverly Hills – very happy to include their eyeshadow palettes in my stash.
I bought Going Coconuts from ColourPop this year after a hard no buy from them for a few years. I don’t plan on purchasing from them in the future again unless another one really jumps out at me like Going Coconuts did.
Oh and Sydney Grace eyeshadows – love them!
Melt, Milk, Jouer, Missha, The Ordinary
I don’t know if I rediscovered any brands but I’ve continued to love MAC, ABH, Loreal, Milani, Clinique, Fenty & NARS
Discovered: Viseart shadows (only have the Apricotine palette.) Very nice for my aging eyes, and I am all about the size of mini palettes.
Rediscovered: Rituel de Fille. Recently bought a couple products to add to my RdF items, all of which I am using everyday. Love the artistry behind the brand (their Instagram posts are unrivaled in terms of inspiration) their very edited collection, as well as the ingredients. This line brings out the long retired goth in me, but offers a pared-down modern look.
Clinique is definitely a brand I re-discovered this year, both for skincare and make-up. Their products might not be the best in class or my holy grails, but for me it’s one of those `secure` brands… rarely I try something from them that it’s actually bad. Most are just OK… but sometimes that’s fine. And I can’t simply understand why I just completely give up and use only the Take the Day Off Balm… no worth trying something else. 😆
I also discovered I don’t like (or just say products don’t work for me) Charlotte Tilbury products, that in terms of skincare neither Peter Thomas Roth (too expensive for results) nor The Ordinary / Inkey List (OK for the price, but I like something better formulated) make the cut for me
I forgot to mention Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks – her matte formula is fantastic and sets the bar for me. It is the only lipstick I have ever tried that is specifically matte and has not dried my lips out. I like a satin finish though so I just zhooj a little bit of gloss on top. The lipstick feels just like a lip balm to me and lasts quite a while.
I love her Matte Revolution lipsticks. I use them a lot.
Her K.I.S.S.I.N.G however doesn’t work at all for me. Strange, I think, but they seem to disappear very quickly and don’t adhere to my inner lips as they should.
Sydney Grace for sure, thanks to Temptalia. I made an initial small purchase and then a ginormous one. I still can’t believe the quality that is produced. I also feel really good supporting an independent company.
Lisa Eldridge lipsticks. I didn’t buy in the first two rounds as I had to buy 3 lipsticks for qualify for free international shipping, but in the recent restock I treated myself to Muse, Jazz, Ribbon, Decade, Midnight, Beauty and Fawn and haven’t touched any of my other lipsticks since! I love love love them and they are so versatile and I can mix them to create new colours. They’re super long lasting too without being drying!
Sydney Grace, Kaleidos Cosmetics, Give Me Glow, Rituel De Fille and Lethal Cosmetics. I’ve tried a couple other brands this year but these were the stand outs. Rediscovering I would say Becca, specifically the under eye brightener and Charlottle Tilbury, her pressed powder just sits more nicely on my under eyes than any other and after trying several new ones this year I’m back on it.
I guess I tried more things from hipper, “younger” brands like Glossier and Milk, which has helped me to discover winners like Boy Brow (worth the hype though it pains me to say it) and Milk’s concealer. I also tried more things from Kiko Milano and fell seriously in love.
I suppose in terms of rediscovery, it isn’t a particular brand, but just the fact that I do have a fondness for cream foundations. The two I use most often are Makeup Revolution’s foundation stick and RMS Beauty’s cream foundation in the jar. With a cream foundation that has medium coverage on top of sunscreen I can almost get away with that “cool girl” natural-ish makeup look that the aforementioned hip brands hype up.
Fenty: especially her highlighters and new Pro Filt’r hydrating foundation, love the luminosity and real skin-like look to it.
Charlotte Tilbury: Hollywood Flawless Filter (thanks to you).
Huda Beauty: New Nudes and Nude Obsessions palettes, Easy Bake loose powder and Tantour Contour and Bronzer. Her #FauxFilter foundation I bought but don’t love it’s thick texture and full coverage.
Finally, just under the wire (I received on December 31st) Jaclyn Cosmetics: after watching as many reviews as possible I capitulated and ordered the Mood Light Luminous Powder in Dew Me and Beaming Light Loose Highlighter in Extra. I have to say I’m wildly impressed with both and they are two of my top purchases of 2019. The Mood Light is glorious, as an all over finishing powder buffed into the skin; the result is outstanding. It really blurs (many powders claim to, but this one does!) and creates a luminous glow on my entire face. The loose highlighter is blinding and so beautiful. I’m in love with both.
The brands that I have discovered this year are:
Sydney Grace – for single eyeshadows
Colour Pop for their Lux lipsticks – they are just stunning and really hydrate my more mature lips.
Sephora Lipstories
Pixi Beauty for their Reflex Light and Mixed Metals eye palettes
Flower Beauty – for their Golden Natural eye palette – beautiful metallic gold/bronze shades that I am into at the moment.
The brands that I continue to love/rediscovered
bareMinerals Ready eyeshadow quads and palettes – still stunning after all these years.
UD Vice 2 and Naked 2 – versatile shades in both palettes that are a reminder of when UD was at the top of its game.
Discovered: Charlotte Tilbury (Hot Lips 2 lipsticks-Viva la Vergara and Amazing Amal) and Melt Cosmetics ( Amor Eterno Muerte palette). Rediscovered: probably Tarte, since I bought several more cheek products-3 individual blushes (Dollface, Blushing Bride, and Natural Beauty), Park Ave Princess bronzer, and the 9 Ways to Shine cheek wardrobe set I shared with my aunt and cousin (gold stack to cousin, rose gold stack to aunt, gunmetal stack for me).
Relationship Status:
Tried for the first time: Storybook Cosmetics. Rude Cosmetics. Beauty Crop. Revolution Beauty shadow palettes and powder (I had only tried the lipsticks before). Kylie. KKW. Jeffree Star. Lunar Beauty.
Hugely expanded my growing relationships with: Colourpop. Morphe. Milani.
Fell back in with: Lorac. Tarte.
Stayed steady with: Mac, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Huda, BH, Wet n Wild, Nars, ABH, NYX
Had a moment with: Pur (that Barbie collection)
Want to meet: Kaleidos, Menagerie
Of course I see others. I’m basically a makeup whore. But these are the ones on my radar right now.
Ps…I tried Natasha for the first time, but it was only an eyeshadow single and that lovely Bloom blush palette. I got those from Ipsy and Boxy. I like, but I really don’t buy luxury very often. Mayyyyybe I’ll crack and get Biba in 2020.