Best in Beauty: 2016

Aloha Friends!  2016 is FINALLY coming to an end, THANK GOD.  It was a crazy year and there were so many amazing beauty products that I got to try out so to close out a great year on thecaitlynlee, I want to share with you what I think are the best products I've tried in 2016!

This Best in Beauty post is in place of my Year in Review 2016 because unlike for the rest of the world, this year was actually quite uneventful for me.  Before I begin, I just want to say a quick lil THANK YOU to you, for reading my blog.  Whether you're a new or returning Friend, it makes me so so so so so happy that you're here and I hope you stick around next year!

So without further ado... Here are my Best in Beauty: 2016 picks!

MAKEUP:
L'oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation

Believe it or not, this was my first cushion foundation, and this cushion is the reason why I love love looooooove cushion foundations more than anything now.  This foundation was perfect because not only was it convenient, but it was exactly the amount of lumi I look for in a foundation.  Not to forget to mention that the packaging is super pretty!  If you're in the market for a cushion, but aren't sure what you really want, I really recommend starting with this one!

Etude House Drawing Eye Brow

I think my search for the perfect brow pencil has ended.  The Etude House Drawing Eye Brow pencil is definitely a winner in my book.  Since I like to change up the darkness of my brows, this pencil is perfect because it's easy to work with and easy to blend and also SUPER AFFORDABLE.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

How many times have I talked about this highlighter on here?? Like 10000 times right???  It's because it gets better and better everytime you use it.  I've tried other highlighters and they all pail in comparison.  It's easy to control how light or how heavy you want it to be and never looks overdone. I really recommend this highlighter to makeup beginners and experts because it's literally perfect for everyone.

Benefit Gimme Brow

Out of all the products I tried in 2016, this is definitely in the top 5.  I got a deluxe sample of it when I redeemed rewards for it at Sephora and it was the best 100 points I've ever spent.  Even though I have pretty full brows, I love how it makes my brows looks natural and full.  I can even use it without a pencil or pomade which makes it perfect for lazy makeup days!  If you try at least one thing from this list, MAKE IT THIS ONE!

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain

I discovered the Sephora cream lip stains about three years ago when I was on the hunt for a liquid lipstick version of a lip gloss and boy did I hit the jackpot.  It was the first and only cream lip stain that I purchased until my birthday this year, when I went to Sephora and found that they FINALLY had Marvelous Mauve in stock, so I absolutely had to snatch it up and since then, it has been my go-to lippie.  The formula matte, but super soft and comfortable to wear as well as SUPER long lasting!

Colourpop Cosmetics Lippie Pencil

I raved about Colourpop products in an earlier Monthly Obsessions, but through all of their products I've tried, the one I cannot stop using is their lippie pencils.  They're so different from the other pencils I've tried in that their not drying, so I can wear it on its own, and are pigmented enough to pass a an actual lipstick.  They're amazingly longwearing, no matter what you're eating.  My favorites are Lumiere and Grunge!

Cover FX Illuminating Primer

I'm thanking the Sephora PLAY! Box gods for bringing this product into my life.  I have fairly good skin so I never really felt the need to use primer before applying foundation, but after trying this primer, I'm changed.  Like I mentioned earlier, I love the luminous glowy skin look and this primer is perfect for that.  You can mix it into your foundation or apply it before and it makes your skin look so beautiful and healthy.

TONYMOLY Cats Wink Clear Pact

I've been on the hunt for a good powder for a long time because most were too heavy or too light for what I wanted, but this pact is EVERYTHING.  Not only is the packaging super cute, but the powder itself is so silky and never looks like you over-powdered.  I even baked my face with this powder once and the result was AMAZING.  This pact is also super affordable and will look super cute on your vanity or in your purse!

SKINCARE:
Laniege Power Essential Skin Toner

Ya girl is Asian so of course I love skincare and I'm so happy that I found this toner!  After I stopped using toner a while ago, I never realized how much makeup and grubby stuff was still on my skin even after I cleansed but this toner helped me see the light.  It doesn't dry out my skin and has a really nice light scent.  It is however, a bit on the pricey side, but you definitely get what you pay for!

TONYMOLY Pocket Bunny Mist

During the colder months my skin gets super dry, it practically begs me fore moisture, and the Pocket Bunny mist provides just what it's asking for.  I spray it on after I apply moisturizer as an extra layer of moisture and then spray a few more times throughout the day just to quench my face's thirst.  It smells amazing and the packaging is the cutest I've ever seen, which makes me want to carry it around even more!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

I mentioned before that I have fairly good skin, but I'm not perfect and my face does get those painful little red monsters every now and then, but it's nothing that my drying lotion cannot fix!  I first heard about it from Jen FrmHeadToToe YEARS ago and actually bought it like last year, but didn't really use it until this year.  It literally makes your zits disappear overnight and leaves your skin looking like it was never even there.  I really really really recommend this magic potion because I cannot live without it!

TONYMOLY I'm Real Mask Sheet

TONYMOLY is one of my favorite K-Beauty brands (obviously because half this list is just their products lol) and their sheet masks are the real MVP.  They come in different varieties so you can choose which is best for you based on your skin concerns and I haven't tried one that I haven't loved. They're super affordable and since TONYMOLY is becoming more and more popular, they're available outside of K-Beauty stores like Ulta and Urban Outfitters.

GLAMGLOW Supermud Clearing Treatment

OH MY GOD. This mask is everything.  Again, thanking the Sephora PLAY! Box gods because I never would've fallen in love with this without them.  It's a really mainstream products and it's super hyped up, but try it once and you'll understand what the hype is all about.  This mask cleared my skin in one use and I'm definitely going to purchase the full size (even though it's sooooo expensive) because it's honestly one of the best masks I've ever used.

BODY:
The Face Shop Lovely Mix Mini Pet Perfume Hand Cream

Again, like I mentioned before, my skin gets really dry during the colder months, especially the back of my hands, so it's so important for me to have a good hand cream.  My auntie visited Korea last year and brought this super cute pot of hand cream back for me and it's seriously the best hand cream ever.  I have the cute lil pink cat in Sweet/#4 Fruity Floral and not only is it moisturizing but it smells AMAZING.  It absorbs quickly and doesn't feel oily so it's perfect!

Victoria's Secret Love Addict Fragrance Mist and Lotion

I'm practically an adult, but I still love Victoria's Secrets body sprays and lotions, but I particularly love Love Addict.  The scent is light and a fruity floral which, if you haven't noticed, is the kind of scents I'm drawn to, making it perfect for me.  I've used the lotion so much that I'm almost completely out, and I always get compliments on the scent, even my mom loves it!

Olay Fresh Outlast Cooling White Strawberry and Mint Body Wash

Why am I writing about a body wash??? Because it's the best dang body wash I've used in my entire life.  Not only is the scent refreshing and long lasting, but the formula is amazingly moisturizing.  I love this body wash so much that I bought a bottle for my dorm too.  The strawberry scent is not your typical childish, Lip Smackers strawberry, but a really really refreshing mature strawberry (???).  I'm pretty sure I'm on like my third bottle of this stuff.

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sea Salt Body Scrub

We all know the importance of exfoliation, whether it's your face or your lips or your body.  I'm still on the hunt for good face and lip scrubs, but my search has ended for a body scrub.  This body scrubs contains huge pieces of sea salt, which can be abrasive if you have sensitive skin, but is also really moisturizing since it's mixed in with amazing smelling oils.  I use this scrubs once a week before I shave and it always makes my shave smoother and longer lasting!

Aaaaaaand those are my picks for Best in Beauty: 2016!  I hope you get to try out these products if you haven't already and let me know what you think, as well as what products you've loved in 2016! I hope your year was fantastic and that 2017 is even better!

See you next year!

All the Love,
Cat <3