2013 Favourites

After a massive cull to prevent this post taking you all three days to read, I finally selected my absolute, hands-down, favourite products from 2013. Even now, I’m resisting the urge to throw a few more back into the mix for good measure - eek!


Drumroll please…


Victoria’s Secret Shiny Kiss Lip Gloss in Candy Baby
I have a bit of a stash of these going on and find these to be the perfect gloss. Non-sticky but thick enough that it lasts on my lips, this can be applied on it’s own or works just as well over a lipstick. They are budget friendly (luckily since I want them all) plus they smell DIVINE! Candy smells like a lollipop, peppermint smells minty fresh and berry is like a bowl of fresh berries squeezed into a tube – I could pretty happily sit there sniffing the tubes for days… ;-)

Clearasil Oil Free Daily Gel Wash
Anytime my skin is giving me hell a week or so of using this brings it back under control. I do prefer using cleansers that aren’t so chemically harsh as acne treatment formulations but sometimes stress and exhaustion means this is my only weapon against breakouts.

Tresemme Keratin Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner
After a while hearing great things about this range I had to actually try it for myself – it’s hard to believe how cheap it is for the fantastic results I have been seeing. Many shampoos and conditioners make my hair feel less damaged and silkier when it’s still wet but once my hair has been dried it seems to be much of a muchness and I’m not so impressed. This range is different – each time I wash m hair with this I actually feel like the texture is improving, I can’t wait to see what it is like after a few more months of use.

Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Body Mist
I stocked up on quite a few of these when I was in Hawaii a while ago and they were worth every cent. They do come in a full size, but I prefer the mini versions to carry around with me in my bag throughout the day. The scent is lovely and light and I can spritz it as often as I like without it becoming overpowering.

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle
While MAC is on the pricier side, it just can’t be beaten for amazing quality. This highlighter has lasted me well over a year and is only just showing signs of use. It doubles as a shimmery eye shadow when I’m feeling super lazy and also does wonders for highlighting my cheekbones, inner corners of my eyes and right above my lips. It’s a warm golden peach tone that works for most skin tones and I can’t go a day without using it.

Soap and Glory Hand Food
Every time I pull this gem out of my handbag I seem to have someone smelling it and asking what it is. I should be getting some sort of commission for the number of people I’ve been preaching about this to! Hand creams are funny little things – I want one that’s thick enough to provide lasting hydration but non-greasy enough that I can apply it at traffic lights without my hands slipping all over the wheel. This ticks all the boxes and I will keep going back to this for the rest of my life (or at least for the foreseeable future).

Modelco Face Base
When I first used this I thought it felt quite greasy and I was sure it wasn’t going to be for me (as I have oily skin). But somehow it magically smooths out my skin and keeps it hydrated throughout the day without turning my face into an oil slick. My makeup glides on with ease and I feel like I need less foundation to get an even coverage (saving me $ there too). Love it!

Nivea In-shower Body Lotion
The closest thing I have found to a body lotion that applies itself. Fast absorbing then rinses off for when I’m in a massive rush for work – yep, ok that’s most days – but don’t want to forgo my moisturising routine.

Bastiste Dry Shampoo in Blush
Another time saving product I swear by, I don’t always have time for washing my hair between working out and getting myself to work so this lets me get through the day without feeling and looking like a grease ball. The scent also gives it a ‘freshly washed’ smell so you would never guess I haven’t spent hours getting ready! ;-)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
I have a rather large collection of concealers I seem to have collected along the road to the ‘perfect’ one, but I think I’ve finally reached my destination. This covers my dark circles very well but is still light enough to not look cakey (my pet peeve) or slide about throughout the day.

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray
A relative newcomer to my list of must haves, but no doubt this will be sticking around for a while. Keeps my makeup looking fresh and flawless throughout the day – perfect!

Inecto Pure Coconut Hair Serum
A friend picked up a tube of this in her resort gift shop when holidaying in Cairns and since we have similar hair, she thought I should try it out. After pinching hers for a while I finally bought my own tube online and have been using it almost daily ever since. Besides the obvious attraction of smelling like a beach holiday (and who doesn’t love that?), it adds moisture to my hair and leaves it frizz free and manageable without making it heavy or greasy. I have used organic coconut oil as a serum in the past and while I loved the effects but it was tricky to apply it and not leave my hair super oily. This serum makes it easy to give my hair the same nourishment but in a more user friendly form.

Marc Jacobs Honey EDT
This rollerball was a birthday gift and I love it so much I’m almost too scared to use it in case it gets used up! Sweet and sugary it still managed to smell like a fragrance for adults unlike many others with a sweet type of smell.

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering
Rather ashamed to admit I’ve only just gotten into the importance of eyebrows in the last six months. Before this I would brush them into place but paid them very little attention beyond that. Since adding this eyebrow pencil into my routine my life has changed. OK, maybe nothing so dramatic but I have noticed how much better framed my whole face is when they are neat and polished and have no intention of ever going back (shudder).

Stay tuned for some more in depth reviews of quite a few of these soon on the blog – I decided if I loved them so much it was only fair I share the full deets with you all…

Hope you are having a beautiful day!