BEST MAKEUP PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR 2018

jane iredale gwen lipstick

This year I most definitely wanted to choose my ultimate favorite products of the year AKA the best beauty products of the year. I already did a post about my favorite skincare products here, so today it’s time for the makeup category.

These makeup products were my ultimate favorites last year. I use most of them daily and they are also the products I’m likely to travel with.

best makeup of the year

BEST MAKEUP PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR 2018

best makeup of the year lily lolo mineral makeup foundation catrice liquid camouflage concealer tony moly smooth primer

TonyMoly Silky Smooth Balm*
This primer smooths all my pores and texture and makes my skin silky soft. I love to use this with liquid foundations. It also makes my foundation last longer so if I need my makeup to last from early morning until late at night, I choose this one. The packaging is not the most convenient, but it’s fun and pretty.

Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer*
I was so surprised to find an affordable concealer like this that I actually liked. Especially as I was so hooked on the NARS RCC. As the name suggests the concealer is very high coverage and more on the thick-side. The longevity is great. This concealer I have been using all year long and I have a feeling I will be buying it in the future as well.

Blog post here

lily lolo foundation catrice concealer tony moly primer

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation, Popcorn*
I got some Lily Lolo products at the end of the year, but I immediately knew I had found gold. I honestly think Lily Lolo’s mineral base is the best mineral foundation I have tried. It’s just so soft, easily blendable and it lasts well. And it’s very affordable! I love to use mineral makeup, because it actually has some skincare benefits as well.

Blog post here

essence princess lash mascara

essence Lash Princess Mascara*
My lashes are very small and they need a lot of volume and definition. Essence’s mascaras practically cost nothing, yet they are awesome. I think this one is so far my favorite from essence’s mascaras. It’s funny, because I usually prefer rubber wands.

mad4eyebrows natural brow filler jane iredale brow pen best brow products

mad4eyebrow The Natural Brow Filler
I can’t imagine life without this weird brow product. It’s a mineral powder with lots and lots of fibres – meaning it’s great at giving volume and definition. And it lasts really well. I buy mine from @kosmetologianu in Helsinki.

Blog post here

Jane Iredale Retractable Brow Pencil, Ash Blonde*
To make my brows perfect, I finish them off by drawing brow strokes with a thin brow pencil like this. I can also sharpen any lines easily with this. I love that the product comes with a spoolie brush.

jane iredale triple luxe gwen lipstick

Jane Iredale Triple Luxe Lipstick*
When it comes to the best lipstick consistency, Jane Iredale takes the crown with their new Triple Lux lipsticks. It just feels invisible on the lips, the color payoff is great and the packaging is luxurious. I have two shades and I used a lighter rosy shade (Rose) all throughout the summer. At the end of the year I got this beautiful classic red color, Gwen.

Blog post here

bobbi brown lux eyeshadows

Bobbi Brown Lux Eye Shadows: Heat Ray & High Octane*
To me, these are luxury. They spark joy in me (#konmari, right?) just when I look at them. I also think these two shades are very versatile. The golden Heat Ray is great for every day looks, whereas the purple High Octane one is made for smokey eyes and parties. And what’s best about these is that they can be applied with a finger. Actually, they work best that way. I also sometimes wear them on top of each other and have gotten lots of compliments on my eye shadow.

Blog post here

best makeup of the year charlotta eve blog

What is your favorite makeup product of last year?

*Adlinks. Most of the products are pr-samples.
P.S. How lucky am I for being able to test new products and find new favorites that way? I am so thankful for all the brands and companies I get to work with. I love this job.

How long does it take for me to do my makeup?

makeup blog charlotta eve

“How long does it take for you to do your makeup?” is a question I somehow get asked all the time. I didn’t even realize how frequently I answer to this question, until Risto pointed it out to me and said that I should do a post about it.

Actually, now that I think of it, I’m quite bad at answering that question. And usually Risto is quicker, when he says “As long as it’s possible. She uses all the time she has (for doing her makeup).”

And he’s not wrong. That answer is quite accurate. I do use as much time as I have to doing my makeup. To sum it up, I would say that I spend 1-2 hours doing my makeup daily.

 

makeup beauty blog

My ideal makeup time: 1,5 hours 

I would say that I can do my makeup in an hour, but it’s not ideal. I feel like I need a bit more time and that’s why the ideal time for me is 1,5 hours. There’s room for error, for sipping my coffee between blending and playing with colors. In an hour I wouldn’t necessarily try difficult looks. I would stick to my go-to products and go-to looks. But 1,5 hours? I can focus.

If I have somewhere to be, I make sure I have that much time in the morning. Even though I wouldn’t use it all for makeup, I would use the most. So to be perfectly accurate, the average time on those days is possibly somewhere around 70 to 80 minutes. The makeup you see in these photos took me about 70 minutes. But it included a lip color change, since I didn’t like the fist color I chose. See? It’s also about trial and error.

Two hours might sound excessive, but that is when I truly shine. Two hours is when I can do a difficult full-face glam look without stress. Whenever there is a party or I’m not in a hurry, I really really enjoy sitting at my makeup table and taking the time to do my makeup. No rush! Whenever there is a special occasion or a party, I make sure I have at least two hours to do my makeup. Now here’s possibly why Risto says I like to spend “all the time I have”. He knows that for parties, I start getting ready at 1 or 2 pm, when the party starts at 6. Okay, and I guess he’s seen me sitting at my makeup table daily… for hours.

makeup blog charlotta eve

Here are all the products I used to do this makeup. I’m currently testing a new foundation from IsaDora. It’s very thin and super matte. I wanted to wear something blue and gold, so I reached for my The Power of Makeup -palette since it was perfect for this look. I love that blue turquoise color with gold.

Primer, foundation, mascara, eyeliner & lip gloss are gifted. Links are adlinks.

Products

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair primer
IsaDora Active all day wear make-up, Fair & Light
Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer, Porcelain
Maybelline Masterfix Baking Powder
Laura Mercier Transluscent Powder
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
KikoMilano Baked Blush, Gypsy Pink
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, Soft & Gentle

mad4eyebrow Brow Filler, Blond
Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny Eyebrow, 02
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Glitter primer
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil, Milk
The Power of Makeup Palette (NikkiexTooFaced)
KICKS Graceful Length Mascara
Ardell Demi Wispies lashes
Pretty by Flormar Ultimate Dipliner, Black

TIGI luxe lipgloss, superstar

blue gold eye makeup

A two hour masterpiece

Whenever I’m doing a makeup tutorial, it also takes time. 1,5-2 hours. I need to be extra careful with my application and I need to take photos in between. Good photos, might I add. It’s a process! Which is why I’m happy you like those tutorials. There’s so much work that goes into them. Not to talk about what happens on the computer afterwards.

Now keep in mind, I love makeup. It’s like painting. It’s where I get to be creative and try new things. It’s where I get to look into the mirror, highlight those beautiful cheekbones and say to myself: you’re looking fine. It’s my place. I like to start my day from there. Get inspired.

Usually. Because another thing I want to note is that I don’t do my makeup every day. I would say there are anywhere between 2-4 days in a week when I don’t wear makeup at all. I work from home so if I don’t have anywhere to go, I might lack motivation to do my makeup. Which is also why I like to take my time when I do decide to wear makeup.

At this point I’m just defending myself, but I can do a half hour or one hour makeup looks on clients and have done lots of those. One hour is enough for an evening look or even for a wedding makeup. But somehow when it comes to my own face – well, I need my peace.

Last, but not least. I would like to learn to do quick makeup sessions. Like thirty minutes, maybe? But I’m one of those no-in-between girls. It’s either no makeup or full-glam. During summer I did do a bit of those quick makeup looks, but it’s a struggle, as weird as it sounds! I also like quick makeup looks and tips (I’ve lost all my credibility at this point…), so maybe I will start working on that. I’ll put a timer and do as much as I can in that time.

Now, I’m very much interested to hear your answers to this:

How long does it take for you to do your makeup?

(I honestly have no clue.)

makeup blog charlotta eve

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