1/12/2021 0 Comments 2020 Best in Beauty: My Favorite Makeup, Skincare, and Nail Products from the Year
Hello, everyone, and welcome to 2021!
As we enter this brand new year, I wanted to reflect on the previous one and all of the makeup, skincare, and nail Stuff that I used -- specifically my favorites of this Stuff. You may notice that several categories are missing, and some categories have multiple products. To choose these products, I didn't go category to category -- primer to foundation to concealer, etc. -- but rather chose the products from my collection that truly sparked joy for me in 2020. As such, I didn't select from categories where I didn't have a product that truly wowed me like the rest of the things on this list do, even for categories that I use almost every single day like brow gel. Consequently, this is a "beauty favorites of 2020" and not a "most used products of 2020." I also included what year I first got the product. A majority of these 2020 favorites weren't purchased in 2020; 2020 purchases make up 30% (7/23) of this list, 2019 makes up 43% (10/23), and 2018 -- the first year I got into makeup -- makes up 26% (6/23)*. One could argue that this means the 2020 additions to my collection were not wise investments, but I like to see it as my past purchases standing up to the test of time -- and not treating my beauty products as disposables, only fun while they're still shiny and new. Unless otherwise specified, all of these products are cruelty free! *These percentages are all rounded to the nearest whole number, which is why they don't add up to 100%, haha. MakeupEyes
Left to right, top to bottom: Pur x RBK palette, Colourpop Sleeper, ABH Subculture, KVD Vegan Beauty Alchemist, Milani Weekend Brow Pen
Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture eyeshadow palette (2019)
Unfortunately, ABH is not a brand that I plan to purchase from in the future because of unprofessional treatment of creators and iffy behavior from the CEO/face of the brand. However, I must be completely honest about how much I love this absolute gem of a TJ Maxx find. I didn't use this palette that much the first few months I had it because of the formula of the matte shadows, but when quarantine started, I had more time to play around with it more, and while this eyeshadow palette was also in my 2019 favorites, I used it way more often in 2020. In my experimentation with this palette, I learned that the best way to apply and blend the mattes is to pat the product on rather than swiping like I would with a typical matte shadow. I love the grungy color story of this palette so, so much. The color story is incredibly unique in my collection, and all of the shimmers in my palette are super intense (I say "my palette" because the formula of this palette is infamous for its inconsistency). I love using Cube (pink duochrome) and Electric (gold-green duochrome) as inner corner/browbone highlight shades. I also use Axis (blackened teal matte) and Rowdy (blackened plum matte) very often as winged liner in red/berry-toned and green-toned looks, respectively. I'm especially drawn to doing green looks with this palette. â Pur Cosmetics x RawBeautyKristi collaboration palette (2020) When this palette first came out, I really loved the color story; it's a double-sided palette with neutrals on one side and colorful shades on the other. I sort of forced myself to not buy this limited edition palette by letting it go out of stock, but I ended up buying it off of someone who had accidentally received two palettes. The formula of this is really easy to work with. The neutral side is especially blendable. My favorite shades are those of the beautiful mustardy column on the neutral side of the palette. However, do keep in mind that this is a pressed pigment palette, so while the shadows are nice and soft and buttery, that also means that they produce a lot of kick-up if you dip your brush into the pan with too much pressure. KVD Vegan Beauty Alchemist Holographic palette (2020) This had been on sale on Sephora's website for only $10 for the longest time, and after Kan't Vaccinate Demkids was out of the company, I finally felt comfortable purchasing this. There are four light iridescent/duochromey shimmer shades. I think it's advertised as being both an eyeshadow and highlighter palette, but I mainly use it on my eyes. My favorite way to use the palette is as the inner corner/browbone highlight shade, such as using "Emerald" in the inner corners of a green look. I apply either with my fingers or with a flat shadow brush. KVDVeganBeauty.com: $10 (This is no longer sold on Sephora's site, so I'm assuming it's being discontinued. It still has the old "Kat Von D" packaging.) Colourpop Pressed Pigment in Sleeper (2019) âI use this shadow all the time for deepening the outer corner for looks with tones of purple, berry, red, etc. Nonetheless, just like with the Pur Cosmetics palette, the pressed pigment formula means that you only need to dip into the pan very gently, lest you receive a flurry of kick-up and too much product on the brush. Colourpop.com: $12 (Since Colourpop loves to discontinue all that we hold sacred, this shade seems to be no longer available as a single, but it is in the It's My Pleasure purple 9-pan palette.) Milani Weekend Brow Pen in Espresso (2020) Most of the time when I do my brows, I just use a tinted brow gel alone or combined with a brow pencil. On days that I want my brows to be ~extra~, I use this brow pen. I had been intrigued by Katie Jane Hughes's use of Glossier Brow Flick and YouTuber Andréa Matillano's love for the Urban Decay Brow Blade, so I was glad to find this drugstore brow pen on Ulta's website. There's a bit of a learning curve to using a brow pen if you're used to using a pencil; you only need to use the absolute lightest touch with the brush tip. However, you can create the most beautiful hair-like strokes with this. I usually use a brow gel first, and then I fill in the empty spaces with the brow pen, following the direction/angle of the surrounding hairs. Ulta.com: $8.99 Lips
Colourpop Champagne Mami
Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip in Champagne Mami (2019)
There were multiple lip products that I enjoyed throughout 2020, but this lip gloss was the one I really loved. It has this pleasant dessert-like scent, and it is quite hydrating (comparable to a good lip balm). The shade itself is a sheer peachy coral with non-kitschy glitter, so it looks great on its own or layered on top of lipstick, and the shine of the gloss and glitter visually "plumps" your lips. This gloss does have a brush applicator and not a doefoot, which I know some people dislike, but I'm quite indifferent to it. This is my only "official" lip product favorite of 2020, but there are other lipsticks that are still my favorites in general. However, I truly just did not have the opportunity to wear them for obvious pandemic reasons. Colourpop.com: $7 Face
Left to right, top to bottom: Flower Beauty Shimmer & Strobe, Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Pressed Powder, Becca Tigerlily, Colourpop Drop of a Hat, Colourpop Wisp
Becca Luminous Blush in Tigerlily (2019)
This was another TJ Maxx find. It's an apricot, tangerine orange shimmer, and a combination of the shade and formula means that it blends out well on my warm-toned skin. I like to use this blush when I do an orangey eye look. BeccaCosmetics.com: $34 (for the full size; I have a mini) Colourpop Super Shock Blush in Drop of a Hat (2018) I consider this to be my #1 favorite blush that I own, and it is the only color cosmetic that I've ever bought a backup of. It's a bricky red with gold pearl shimmer, and it's just a joyful color that works with a wide variety of looks. The Super Shock formula has a squishy consistency, generally described as a cream-to-powder formula. I sometimes use a stippling/duo fiber brush if I'm feeling fancy, but I usually just use my fingers to apply this. I swirl my fingertips around in the pot and then tap or swipe onto my skin. Ulta.com: $8 Colourpop Super Shock Highlighter in Wisp (2018) This was in my very first Colourpop order and one of the products that set off my makeup journey back in May of 2018. Just as other Super Shock cheek products, it is a squishy formula, and I usually apply it with my fingers. I used to think it was too dark for me, but now I don't think so. I like the intensity of this particular shade, and it satisfies my eternal desire for ~glow~. Ulta.com: $8 Flower Beauty Shimer & Strobe Highlighting Palette in Champagne Shimmer (2019) I learned about this highlighting palette from Andréa Matillano; she describes this formula as a dupe for the cult-favorite Becca pressed powder highlighter formula. It has three shades -- a champagne, a rosy pink, and a light gold -- that are ideal for fair/light/medium skin tones. It blends out well (I just use the included brush), and it looks nice and ~glowy~. The gold shade is my favorite. If you have a medium tan/dark skin tone, there is also a deeper "Sunkissed Shimmer" variant of this highlighter palette. Unfortunately, this one is only available on the Flower Beauty website, while the lighter version is also available on the Ulta website -- woooo, colorism. Ulta.com: $13.99 Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Pressed Powder in Warm Beige (2019) Unfortunately, Wet n Wild is generally not considered to be cruelty free anymore. However, I still am enjoying this pressed powder. On my dry skin, I only ever use it on my undereyes, around my nose (particularly where the nose pads of my glasses sit and the area around my nostrils), and around my mouth. I apply with a small fluffy setting brush (mentioned later in this post), and it never looks cakey -- which is a problem I've experienced with a different setting powder in the past. Makeup Brushes
I didn't wash my brushes for this photo because that's just how it is around here.
L-R: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Colourpop Tapered Blending Brush, Colourpop Angled Eye Brush, Elf Crease Brush, Colourpop Small Fluff Brush
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush/RT 200 (2019)
This is a bit of a surprise favorite for me. I purchased this dense brush in trying to find a good foundation brush because wetting a beauty sponge every time I want to do foundation is a whole Task, but I quickly discovered that I still greatly prefer using a damp sponge for a smooth foundation application. However, this year, I discovered that this is a great brush to apply the Colourpop No Filter Concealer -- a thicker, high coverage concealer formula that I have been working on panning, which I used to hate because I never had a good application method. Ulta.com: $9.99 Colourpop Small Fluff Brush/E6 (2018) I've heard a lot of people recommend this type of brush as a staple makeup brush. It's a soft, fluffy brush -- larger than an eyeshadow brush but smaller than most cheek brushes. I typically use it for the aforementioned pressed powder and for a smooth concealer application (learned this from Katie Jane Hughes), but you really could get away with using it for highlighter, blush, bronzer, or foundation; YouTuber Shelbey Wilson even made a video where she used this type of brush for an entire face of makeup. As a small note, mine was manufactured a little poorly; some of the bristles were weirdly pulled out, and some of the bristles were matted together. However, that didn't really affect the usability of the brush. Since buying this brush, I've trimmed the out of place bristles, I've washed it enough times that there isn't anymore matting, and the loose bristles have been shed out. Colourpop.com: $8 Colourpop Tapered Blending Brush/E2 (2018) This is my go-to eyeshadow brush. I use it for the transition/crease shade (a mid-toned matte eyeshadow) in a large portion of my eyeshadow looks, and I feel like the fluffy, low-medium density bristles blend out effortlessly. It's such a great size for my eye shape/size in that I can blend eyeshadow quickly, but it doesn't overwhelm the size of my eyelid. Colourpop.com: $7 Colourpop Angled Eye Brush/E6 (2018) I use this thin, angled brush to do winged eyeliner with gel eyeliner, eyeshadow, or winging out a pencil. Because it is quite narrow and dense/firm, I can get a nice defined wing. I do this often with the shades Axis and Rowdy from ABH Subculture, and once someone even asked if I had used a mixing medium to do my liner. Nope, this is just a nice brush for eyeliner! Colourpop: $6 Elf Cosmetics Crease Brush (2019) This is another one of my very frequently used eyeshadow brushes. Just like the Colourpop Tapered Blending Brush, the Elf Crease Brush is nice and fluffy and slightly tapered, so it's easy to blend with. However, because it's essentially a smaller version of the Colourpop one, I mostly use this for darker matte shades to add depth to the outer corner. Even though Elf makeup brushes are so inexpensive, I haven't experienced any issues with shedding. Ulta.com: $4 Skincare
Left to right, top to bottom: The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane, reusable nursing pads, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane (2020)
I had been using the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion from The Ordinary for about a year and a half, but I didn't think that it made any difference at all in my skin -- especially because I am quite young, and wrinkles aren't a concern for me. However, once I used it up, I decided to replace it with the Retinol 0.2% in Squalane. Unlike the Granactive Retinoid, âI think that the Retinol 0.2% has actually done something for me. Within a few weeks, I noticed that the sebaceous filaments/blackheads/general texture around the sides of my nose (something that I've struggled with for years and have been unable to change) became less prominent. I generally use this every other night (after serums, before moisturizers), focusing on my "problem" areas, and I don't use it the same night I use The Ordinary 30% AHA + 2% BHA Peeling Solution. From what I can garner from reputable sources, it's okay to use a strong BHA and retinol in the same night if your skin can tolerate it, but dissociating them just makes me feel better. I've also more recently been using this product on my stubborn backne, and it has helped with that, too. DECIEM.com: $5.30 (I purchased mine from the Sephora website, but I've noticed that TO's retinols tend to be out of stock very often.) Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence (2018) This is a holy grail skincare product for me, and I'm currently on my second bottle. I know that when I use this one up, I will for sure repurchase it. I use this essence every night all over my face after toner and before serums, and it functions as my first hydrating step. I also sometimes use it in the morning before moisturizer for extra hydration. It's absolutely wonderful for my dry skin. As this is an essence, it has a thinner gel texture than a typical serum. Ulta.com: $23 Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (2019) Unfortunately, Laneige is not cruelty free, which I did not realize until after I purchased this lip mask. However, I still really enjoy this lip mask -- specifically in the original berry scent, which is very pleasant and somewhat reminiscent of Jolly Ranchers. It has a very thick and hydrating texture that melts and absorbs when you rub it in. I scoop out a tiny pea-sized amount using the included spatula, and that's honestly more than enough for me (even for my fairly large lips). I put any excess on my cuticles. I used to only use this lip mask as a special treat, but now I use it every night as the last step of my evening skincare routine. Even though I've had this for almost two years, I've only used about a third of the container because you just need the smallest amount per application. I'm the type of person who was constantly peeling off dry lip flakes as a child, but with this, I wake up with wonderfully moisturized and soft lips. It's an absolute lifesaver, especially in the winter months and as someone who has naturally very dry and textured lips. I just wish the brand was cruelty free!!!! Reusable nursing pads (2020) For my nighttime skincare routine, I use a toner/micellar water as my "second cleanse" after a regular gel cleanser to remove any remaining makeup. I would apply the toner using disposable cotton pads, but being aware of the waste I was creating, I would get four uses out of one pad by dividing each side of the cotton pad in half. However, I finally decided this year to get something reusable to be more sustainable. I had heard of reusable cotton pads, but I learned of reusable nursing/breast pads at the beginning of the year. They're meant for people who are breastfeeding to absorb any milk that may leak between feedings, but they're also cheaper and larger than reusable cotton pads that are advertised for cosmetic use while functionally similar. The ones that I have are rougher and absorb more product than regular disposable cotton pads, but I appreciate the sustainability enough to suck it up. I can get 6-8 uses out of one pad by dividing each half into 3-4 sections. To clean them, I just put the dirty ones in a delicates bag to machine wash them with the rest of my laundry, and then I lay them flat to air dry. I've noticed that they don't clean out perfectly -- especially with any makeup stains, but that doesn't bother me too much. I got mine from Amazon, but I'm sure you can find them in a lot of places. For the most sustainability, you can simply make your own reusable cotton pads by cutting up any cotton clothing you already have! I really wished I had thought of this before buying mine. Nailsâ
L-R: NBM Cuticle Buddy, Live Love Polish Koi, Orly Fairy Godmother
Orly Fairy Godmother (2019)
I bought this a bit on a whim when I was at the drugstore, but I'm really glad I got it! It's a gorgeous foiled/metallic mauve, rose gold shade. I do find that Orly's wide flat bottle brush is truly wide, so it took a bit of practice to get a clean application, but it was totally worth it for this beautiful color. This polish also lasts well on my nails; I once had it on for about two weeks with minimal chipping and tip wear. Ulta.com: $9.99 Live Love Polish Koi (2020) I got this indie nail polish at the beginning of the year to wear as my Lunar New Year manicure. It was originally released in winter 2018 as part of Live Love Polish's Japanese Art Collection. It's a thermal nail polish (meaning it changes color depending on the temperature) with iridescent flakes and gold holographic glitter. When it's warm, it's a sheer blush tone that showcases the flakes and glitter well, and it's a beautiful "my nails but better" type of shade: an elevated neutral as I like to call it. When it's cold, it shifts to a tomato red that is really flattering on me -- and perfect for Lunar New Year! Unfortunately for you, this polish has since been discontinued because Live Love Polish is working on improving their thermal formula (I've heard other people complain about their thermals being weak and "expiring" quickly). That makes me a little wary of using this polish too often since it comes in a somewhat small bottle, and I'm kind of scared of using it up (though that's not a great mentality to have for something that deserves to be used to its fullest potential). NBM Cuticle Buddy in Strengthening w/ Lemon & Ylang Ylang (2020) I only started regularly using cuticle oil this year, which is an important step for general nail health. Previously, I was using the Maniology cuticle oil, which comes in a bottle/brush format. While it certainly worked as a cuticle oil, the brush packaging wasn't the easiest to get a good amount for each nail, and constantly dipping back into the bottle meant that there was some miscellaneous gunk floating around in there by the time I finished it. To replace it, I got the NBM Cuticle Buddy (specifically the two-piece bundle, which gives you a small discount), a product I heard about from people in a nail polish Discord server. The brand's mission is "to make nailcare mainstream," which is why it comes on a loop to attach to a key chain, belt loop, etc. I like the rollerball applicator, which is not only a fun, luxurious experience, but it also makes it easy to apply an even amount of cuticle oil to each nail. I usually just apply at night right before I get into bed because I'm too lazy to apply more often, but you really could use it more frequently throughout the day without a problem because I feel that it absorbs relatively quickly. I also love that it's refillable, reducing waste; NBM sells big refill containers. My only complaint is that I wish the loop part of the rubbery outside case was shorter because it gets in the way when screwing the lid back on. ShopNBM.com: $12 for one or $20 for two
I hope you found this blog post of my tried and true 2020 beauty favorites helpful in informing your own purchasing decisions for makeup, skincare, and nail Stuff! Furthermore, I hope to remind you to love the things you already have.
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about @glowyminoI have dry skin and very dry and textured lips. I also have a medium-light skintone (somewhere in the realm of NC25-30) with strong warm yellow/olive undertones. I have a tendency to prefer a glowy, lightweight base and color cosmetics in shades of a warm undertone. Read more about me in the about page! Archives
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