Must-Haves that Stayed Favorites | 2019

I stayed true to a lot of my long-time favorites I wrote about in 2018, but I definitely added in and replaced some products with my new must-haves in 2018 along with my new must-haves for 2019.  Keep in mind that these are products that I really enjoyed using enough to 1) remember they exist, 2) put them in a more accessible area, and 3) use again but in my world, using the same product more than a handful of times is a feat, so my threshold for “must-have” is by no means something I have to use everyday (not possible!).

You might want to check out the new must-haves I discovered in 2018 along with the must-haves that remained favorites in 2018.  This post is a reflection of how those newer must-haves were incorporated into my routine in 2019 along with any my long-time must-haves as listed in 2018 continued to be used in 2019.  I’d love to hear about your own staple products in 2019 and how that compared to 2018; what stood the test of yet another year?

Here are some thoughts on how things changed:

• Though I still regularly use the Smith 253s, I find I prefer Sonia G.’s Builder Three by a few hairs (ha, ha).
• I’ve changed up my crease tools and heavily favor smaller, tighter crease brushes over fluffier, larger ones, so Hakuhodo’s B5521 is less of a must-have (still regularly used, though).
• I still keep Tom Ford Nude Dip in my vanity drawer and definitely used it at least a couple of times this year, but I’ve found myself reaching for Natasha Denona Biba, Camel, and Nude (mini) when I want some neutrals.  (They also replaced Viseart Paris Nude, which I think I used once, possibly, in 2019.)

Some things that definitely did not change…

• My go-to blushes were still favored — Marc Jacobs Beauty Flesh & Fantasy/Lines & Last Night, Chanel Jersey, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Glow, MAC Fairly Precious,
• I still reached for and used Estee Lauder Naked Truth and Urban Decay Rebel a lot (for me, it’s relative!) in 2019. Naked Truth is almost gone, though I have several tubes of Rebel (courtesy of the brand).  Fenty’s Fenty Glow Gloss is one I keep on-hand to add a quick bit of hydration if I’m out and about, and it’s one of my favorte effortless kind of glosses.

And here are how my new must-haves from 2018 ended up working in 2019…

EYE PRODUCTS: Pat McGrath Decadence? Yes, it remained a favorite, and it was definitely used often (whenever I could allow myself, really).  I also reached for Bronze Seduction several times.  I didn’t dig into the Subliminal Platinum Bronze or Subversive Metalmorphosis quite as often as I expected but when I reached for eyeshadow that wasn’t to test, it was often some combination of Motherships and MTHRSHP palettes depending on the color combo I was leaning toward.

I mostly forgot to use Marc Jacobs Topaz Flash and Make Up For Ever Grenny White after a few months of it being in my vanity, though I definitely still love the shades.  I did, however, get plenty o’ mileage out of Urban Decay Overdrive Eyeliner.  I didn’t end up returning to ColourPop’s Chasing Rainbows palette after the holiday season.

CHEEK/FACE PRODUCTS: Dior Hologlam, Dose of Colors Bathe, and Natasha Denona Light-Medium were very much incorporated into my routine for the year.  In 2018, I returned to using Hourglass Diffused Light more often and continued to use it through 2019 (I actually finished an entire compact and purchased a new one!).  Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter was a definite must-have and staple throughout 2019, but I didn’t end up going back to Tom Ford Liquid Sun or Becca Sunset Waves much at all (I don’t use bronzer that much, though).

I love the effect of Natasha Denona’s Darya palette in its sum, but I found I reached for the mini duo featuring Pink Champagne (which was my favorite shade in Darya) more.

LIPS:  I definitely wore Bite’s Oyster Pearl more than a handful of times this year along with other shades in the formula–all discontinued now!–and I actually ended up buying new ones since there’s no plan to replacement them in 2020. Pat McGrath Flesh Fatale actually was a shade I wore often enough (again, for me) but L’Oreal Varnished Rosewood didn’t end up getting reused much.  Giorgio Armani’s Luce was used here and there as an easy, my-lips-but-shinier-and-sparklier kind of gloss.

Must-Haves that Stayed Favorites in 2019