Temptalia

Best Beauty Products of 2018 | The Roundup

Christine — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Best of 2018

The Roundup

2018 was another great year filled with tons of product discoveries, and there was no shortage of high-quality products, regardless of price point and type. I’m looking forward to seeing what products and trends get pushed in 2019. Here’s a round-up of all of my best of 2018 posts:

Must-Haves that Stayed Favorites | 2018

Christine — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Here are 16 products I still clung to in 2018 that came out in previous years, just to give you a little view into long-time products that continue to stand the test of time. I love trying new products, so I tend to switch and move products around not because I’ve discovered better ones so much as I want to use something that’s as good but maybe in a different formula, slightly different finish, or by another brand for a bit. These, though, survived those switches! There are definitely more regular products in my drawers than just what’s highlighted here, but I wanted to keep this a little bit edited and looked at what kept making the cut and what I remembered using most, too.

Best of 2018

Must-Haves that Stayed Favorites

It’ll come as no surprise to regular readers that products like Urban Decay Rebel, Marc Jacobs Beauty Flesh & Fantasy, Chanel Jersey, Tom Ford Nude Dip, or Tom Ford Platinum are on this list. I almost always take Viseart’s Paris Nudes with me when I travel; reliable, easy-to-use, and muted for all occasions. I actually five shades of the Marc Jacobs AirBlush formula in my vanity drawer, so I have three more than shown here, but I think I’ve used Lines & Last Night second most after Flesh & Fantasy. Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze & Glow has been nearby since the line debuted in the states! Makeup Geek’s Moonphase has been a go-to for cooler, more iridescent highlighting needs since they launched years ago (I keep about five shades in the formula in my drawer, presently, but I do rotate them).

I keep Fenty’s Universal Gloss Bomb in my purse for any top ups if I’m out and about (and whatever I was testing is gone or is need of repair). Estee Lauder’s Naked Truth is the coral that replaced Guerlain’s Gems for me (which I loved but is long discontinued), and I keep that tucked in my drawer along with Tiger Eye, which is a more coppery take. Two brushes that have been in my arsenal since I reviewed them (and that I use every time they’re clean) are Smith’s 253 and Hakuhodo’s B5521.

What favorites from previous years did you reach for often this year?

P.S. — You can view swatches of my favorites here.

P.P.S. — If you enjoy reading/viewing my favorites, make sure you check out my all-time favorites here, products I’m thankful for (2018 series), and all of my editor’s recommended products here.

View the List

Must-Haves that Stayed Favorites in 2018

01.

01. 253 Laydown Eyeshadow Brush Small Smith Cosmetics

Smith Cosmetics

PPermanent. $21.00

A+

Read Review

02.

02. B5521BkSL Highlight Brush Tapered Hakuhodo

Hakuhodo

PPermanent. $53.00

A+

Hakuhodo B5521BkSL Highlight Brush Tapered ($53.00) is a small-to-medium sized brush that flares out from the base and tapers to a rounded point. It...

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Hakuhodo B5521BkSL Highlight Brush Tapered ($53.00) is a small-to-medium sized brush that flares out from the base and tapers to a rounded point. It...

Read Review

03.

03. Nude Dip Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty

PPermanent. $79.00/0.35 oz.

A+

B+

Fenty Beauty Universal Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer ($18.00 for oz.) is a medium, rosy brown with warm undertones and fine gold and pink pearl. It had a...

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View Dupes

Fenty Beauty Universal Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer ($18.00 for oz.) is a medium, rosy brown with warm undertones and fine gold and pink pearl. It had a...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

95%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

application

fitness

durability

construction

Total

95%

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

application

fitness

durability

construction

Total

95%

New Must-Have Beauty Products | 2018

Christine — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 22:00:00 +0000

I’ve shared a lot of my favorites from the 4,000+ products I’ve reviewed this year, but I thought it would be neat to go through and see what products made it into my “vanity” or into my mental must-haves section of my “makeup library.” (Frankly, my two vanity drawers are far too small to contain everything, especially as I keep lip products and eyeshadow palettes elsewhere!) Think of these as the products that I remember fondly; they’re the ones that come to mind if you said, “Christine, wear whatever you want today, you don’t have to test a thing!”

Best of 2018

New Must-Have Beauty Products

So the twist with this list is that I’m also including products that have returned to my must-have drawer or may have been reviewed in a previous year but I only fell in love with in 2018. I have the pleasure of testing out a ridiculous number of new products each year, so sometimes I end up really enjoying something that’s new and move something older out to make room for the new. I might see a reader or friend rave about the older product and use it anew, and then I fall in love all over again! I also tend to shift some limited edition products out after awhile in favor of more recently released limited edition ones so I can appreciate more of the products I’ve used (and have kept).

You’ll see that a very newly-reviewed shade already made the list–Bite Beauty’s Sugar Flower–and here’s why: the color is complex and right up my alley (shimmery plum? yes, yes, and yes). Dior’s Hologlam might be one of the most interesting blushes I’ve tried; it somehow manages to look like two top-tier products layered together but done in one little swish of the wrist (though you’ll likely find me incapable of being 150% extra by adding Make Up For Ever’s 103 on top for extra extra glitz). Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk is easy for me to wear on my skin tone and have it work with a myriad of looks.

I’m a highlighter fiend, and while I didn’t have much movement in my go-to blushes this year, there were a few highlighters that certainly found their way into my must-haves list this year. These include Becca’s Berlin Girl Glow (which has more nuance to it than you’d expect), Dose of Colors Bathe (intensely metallic, pinkish hue), Natasha Denona Light-Medium (fantastic formula, I have all three in my drawer, but I probably use this one the most, though it might be tied with Bronze), and finally Make Up For Ever 106 Grenny White (this is me picking one out of several I’ve wanted to wear all-over my face since trying the Star Lit Diamond Powders).

While I don’t regularly reach for bronzer, after testing Becca’s Sunset Waves, I slipped it into my drawer–I love the reddish tone and more luminous finish. For all-over luminosity, I’ve been regularly using Charlotte Tilbury’s Light Hollywood Flawless Filter (though I’ll likely go through a few of the other shades I have before repurchasing Light specifically) and enjoy Tom Ford Liquid Sun when I use lower coverage foundation (rarely seen on camera).

I can’t recall if there’s ever been a cheek palette that I’ve really returned to over and over again. I tend to keep my favorite cheek colors as singles in my vanity drawer, so it’s always been rare for me to think about a particular palette to use to complement a look. That has not been the case with Natasha Denona’s Darya palette (and to a lesser degree, Citrus, but I’ve used Darya the most it feels like). I might have mentioned a time or twelve to Ms. Denona that I require Pink Champagne released as a single.

Palettes o’ plenty defines 2018. So many favorites, so many ones I’d happily return to and wear for a spell. It’s hard for me to narrow down favorites because I have such a love for variety. I love color, I love shimmer, I love matte, I love playing with undertones and textures and depths. These days, I tend to use more shades from one palette than pulling one shade from this palette and another from that palette, but I do enjoy pairing two palettes together (often something more shimmery and something more matte) to get depth and nuance into the look without pulling out five different palettes. Consider this a brief, barely-skimming-the-surface kind of overview of the palettes that made this list:

ColourPop Chasing Rainbows — a surprisingly cohesive palette with a variety of finishes, undertones, and color/neutral interplay. Pair with one’s favorite Super Shock Shadows!
Pat McGrath Decadence — duh, I’ve probably mentioned this palette two dozen times this year; superb quality, fantastic depth and intensity, and textures that make me swoon
Pat McGrath Subversive Metalmorphosis — I anticipated this as going to be my least favorite of the recent MTHRSHP releases but alas, it came together so beautifully in this look that I would wear it over and over again.
Pat McGrath Bronze Seduction — when I first saw this, I was a little disappointed; it’s so… on-trend in a way–warm neutrals–but applied? Stunning.
Pat McGrath Subliminal Platinum Bronze — if I think neutrals, it’s likely going to be this taupe-filled six-pan palette by PMG. I’m likely to pair it with Decadence or whatever new-ish palette that might be on my vanity (by another brand).

B+

Make Up For Ever 106 Grenny White Star Lit Diamond Powder ($26.00 for 0.08 oz.) shifts from lavender-pink to flashy, greenish-gold with a sparkling,...

Read Review

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Make Up For Ever 106 Grenny White Star Lit Diamond Powder ($26.00 for 0.08 oz.) shifts from lavender-pink to flashy, greenish-gold with a sparkling,...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

95%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

9.5

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

95%

product

9.5

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

95%

Liquid Lipsticks (Under $15) | 2018 Editor's Favorites

Christine — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Between ColourPop Ultra Satin / Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks and Sephora Cream Lip Stains, we have ourselves a top 12! When Sephora re-did the shade range on their Cream Lip Stains, I picked up several to review, and I can see why it has been a popular, more budget-friendly formula for those who like their matte liquid lipsticks.

Best of 2018

Liquid Lipsticks (Under $15)

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Sephora Smoky Quartz (111) Cream Lip Stain ($14.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a deep plum with subtle, warm undertones and a metallic finish. It had...

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Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

94%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

longevity

application

Total

94%

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

longevity

application

Total

94%

Liquid Lipsticks (Over $15) | 2018 Editor's Favorites

Christine — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In 2018, Bite Beauty released more shades in their Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick range, which I was all about, as I love this type of liquid lipstick: creamy, smooth, ultra-pigmented, and very comfortable to wear. I hope NARS adds Lip Covers to their permanent offerings, as it’s a standout formula, and is a nice counterpoint to their Powermatte Lip Pigments. I’m curious if we’ll see more edited offerings in the liquid lipstick category in 2019, as it seems to be a product type that isn’t quite as popular (possibly because most major brands offer a solid range of shades in their core lines).

Best of 2018

Liquid Lipsticks (Over $15)

Haze is a soft, medium plum with subtle, cool undertones and a mostly matte finish. It had rich color coverage in a single layer, which applied...

Read Review

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View Dupes

Haze is a soft, medium plum with subtle, cool undertones and a mostly matte finish. It had rich color coverage in a single layer, which applied...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

97%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

9.5

pigmentation

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

96%

product

9.5

pigmentation

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

96%

Top 100 Highest-Rated Beauty Products of 2018

Christine — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Here’s a look at the top 100 products reviewed over the last year, plus a summary of how many products and brands were reviewed and a break out of ratings! Now, this list is strictly according to the rating a product received. You can check out previous years’ Top 100s here!

Pigmented Lipglosses | 2018 Editor's Favorites

Christine — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 22:00:00 +0000

I love a pigmented gloss, and I’m so glad that 2018 gave us a lot more finishes to choose from, whereas the previous couple of years felt very heavy on the matte lipsticks. There were some richer coverage formulas this year, like Too Faced Juicy Fruits Comfort Lip Glaze, MAC Grand Illusion Liquid Lipcolour, and NARS Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer, plus more shades in one of my favorite gloss formulas, NARS Velvet Lip Glide. I feel like I might have a “type” when it comes to more opaque gloss–copper, plum, mauve, and a few reds, haha!

What more pigmented glosses did you reach for this year?

P.S. — You can view swatches of my favorites here.

Best of 2018

Pigmented Lipglosses

View the List

Top Pigmented Lipglosses of 2018

01.

01. Ruby Ripe Too Faced

Too Faced

PPermanent. $20.00/0.24 oz.

A+

Too Faced Ruby Ripe Juicy Fruits Comfort Lip Glaze ($20.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a bright, pinky-red with cool undertones and fine red and fuchsia pearl. ...

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Too Faced Ruby Ripe Juicy Fruits Comfort Lip Glaze ($20.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a bright, pinky-red with cool undertones and fine red and fuchsia pearl. ...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

02.

02. Flaming Lips (812) Chanel

Chanel

LELimited Edition. $30.00/0.19 oz.

A+

B+

NARS Cape Town Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer ($26.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a light-medium peach with strong, warm yellow paired with pink-to-peach shifting pearl...

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NARS Cape Town Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer ($26.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a light-medium peach with strong, warm yellow paired with pink-to-peach shifting pearl...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

94%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

94%

product

pigmentation

9.5

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

94%

Lipsticks (Over $15) | 2018 Editor's Favorites

Christine — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 20:00:00 +0000

If there was any category that was hardest to keep short and sweet, it’d be this one: there are so many fantastic lipsticks out there, and brands release new shades nonstop. Sometimes I feel like I’m catching up on eyeshadow palettes, but I always feel buried under lip products. This category is stacked with competition! I started with 55 shades I really enjoyed and narrowed it down to the 36 listed here.

Best of 2018

Lipsticks (Over $15)

B+

Urban Decay 100 Degrees Vice Lipstick ($18.00 for 0.11 oz.) is a bright, medium pinky-coral with warm undertones and a glossy, shiny finish. It...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Urban Decay 100 Degrees Vice Lipstick ($18.00 for 0.11 oz.) is a bright, medium pinky-coral with warm undertones and a glossy, shiny finish. It...

Read Review

View Swatches

View Dupes

Side-by-Side Swatches

Glossover Breakdown

96%

Average

Glossover Averages

product

9.5

pigmentation

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

96%

product

9.5

pigmentation

texture

9.5

longevity

9.5

application

Total

96%