Favorite Makeup Products of 2018

So, it's the end of the year, and everyone is making their lists of the best and worst makeup of 2018. The older I get and the less involved with the "influencer" side of the beauty industry I become, these lists matter less and less to me. That also might be because we are so inundated with new releases that it's hard to hold onto a few select products as "the best." And even if they do make that cut, where will they be six months or a year from now?

I didn't try a ton of new makeup this year. I did buy some things and I was gifted a few things, but I was generally less concerned with buying.

Because of this, it didn't make much sense to me to create my own "best of 2018" list, since I didn't buy many new releases and mainly just used and loved what I already had. And then it struck me—that's the entire point of this blog. To encourage mindful shopping and using what you already own.

So I decided to write a post on my favorite makeup items of 2018—most of which I acquired before 2018.

FACE

Foundation: Fenty Pro Filt'r 

I talked in depth about this foundation in a recent post, but this is a really fantastic foundation. It gives my skin a light, skin-like finish and provides a lot of coverage while also not looking like a mask. I love the shade range, and it is a brand that I feel good supporting. 

Primer: Australian Gold Tinted Sunscreen

I've used this sunscreen as a primer for a while, and despite trying several different primers this year, it still came out on top for me. My previous favorite foundation (It Cosmetics CC+) had SPF 50 within it, so it is even more important to me now to have SPF in my primer. I've raved about this sunscreen before, and I will continue to do so. It's non-greasy and yet really holds onto foundation well. I love it. 

Multi-purpose spray: MAC Fix+

I have used MAC Fix+ for many years, but I used it more this year than any other. And that's because I finally started wetting eyeshadows. This was never something I was all that interested in, mainly because I didn't feel I should have to wet an eyeshadow in order for it to work. And I still agree with that (I'm looking at you, Makeup Revolution The Emily Edit). However, some shadows still perform dry but pack a little more punch when wet, and those are the ones for which I don't mind putting in the additional effort. To wet shadows, I'll only use Fix+. This product was also heavily used when I was finishing my Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot powder and my face looked like it was caked in product. Fix+ took down the powder look and made my skin appear a bit more natural. 

Bronzer: Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light

It's not surprising that my favorite bronzer is from Hourglass, since all of my favorite powder face products are from Hourglass. I didn't use bronzer for years (I didn't understand the point of it, to be honest), and I still only use a small amount, but I have come to really love the warmth it gives my face. With that said, I'm unsure how anyone ever finishes a bronzer. I have had this product for a long time, and I use it almost daily, and I have only made a small dent in it. 

Setting powder: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder

This is a relatively new product to me, so it might be a little unfair to call it a favorite already, but I don't care. It is. I purchased this powder to replace my One Heck of a Blot powder when it was finished, and I absolutely love it. It makes my skin look airbrushed. That shouldn't be surprising—so many Hourglass products do that. I feel like you might not notice a huge difference with this powder (and other Hourglass products) until you stop using it. That happened to me with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder, and I just couldn't understand why my face looked so dull when I didn't use it. I feel the same about this. 

Finishing powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

I've talked about this product so much at this point, so all I will say here is that I can't really see anything ever topping this powder for me. I plan on using it as long as Hourglass makes it. 

BLUSH

I have a sizable blush collection (though it probably appears small when compared to a large number of beauty content creators), and these four are the ones that stood out to me this year as the best. 

Marc Jacobs Lines and Last Night

Lines and Last Night is a perfect peach/orange blush for my skin tone, and it lasts all day without fading. I have two other Marc Jacobs blushes in this formula, but neither are quite as special (on me) as this one.

NARS Exhibit A

I've talked about this blush several times before, but this is my all-time favorite and the blush I wear the most.

MAC Gingerly 

This blush is such a great color, but unfortunately, the staying power isn't the greatest on me. I really like to pair Gingerly with a yellow-gold highlighter and warm nude (on me) lipstick. It also looks great with green or mustard eyeshadow!

Hourglass Mood Exposure

Next to Exhibit A, this is my favorite blush. Whenever I can't quite figure out what blush to wear, I go for this one. When I'm traveling, this is usually the only blush I take. I think what everyone else loves about Tarte Exposed is what I love about Mood Exposure.

HIGHLIGHTER

I firmly believe that a highlighter is a highlighter is a highlighter. I picked my three favorites from the year and the three I've worn the most, but honestly, while there are differences between them, I think they all look pretty similar on the skin—like almost every highlighter. 

Becca Vanilla Quartz

For years, Becca Moonstone was my top favorite, and it probably still is, but I wore Vanilla Quartz the most in 2018. I like that it has a yellow/peach base instead of a champagne base, which sets it slightly apart from Moonstone. Becca highlighters will likely always be my favorite, and Vanilla Quartz is a stunner. 

Physician's Formula Butter Highlighter in Pearl

I've recently talked about Pearl, but I have to say that I'll never understand why people seemed to have skipped over this highlighter. This is the only highlighter from the Butter line that I personally felt was unique, but performs at a level that is far above its price range. I would think people would rave about the Butter line, but unless I'm missing something, I haven't heard anything. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills X Amrezy Highlighter

This highlighter was given to me as a gift at a time when I really wasn't wearing much makeup or focused on anything other than recovering from 5 years of unhappiness and environmental depression as a result of living in New York City. So, it took me quite a while to use it. But since then, I have worn it a lot, and it has become a favorite.

Honestly, I wouldn't have purchased this highlighter myself, and I debated even including it in this list. And the reason for that is because Amrezy is not a person who I personally feel comfortable supporting. I understand that she and Norvina of ABH are friends, but I don't think she's a good candidate as a brand ambassador.

The highlighter is really pretty, and I was surprised by how much I liked the strong yellow-gold color. I pair this highlighter with MAC Gingerly, and I think the two make a really nice combination.

EYESHADOW PALETTES (NEW)

The irony here, of course, is that my two favorite eyeshadow palettes that released in 2018 (or at least were new to me) are pretty far apart in terms of price. I purchased NYX Grind for $12 (when it was on sale), and the Pat McGrath Decadence palette was a hefty $125. 

NYX Grind

I've heard next to no one talk about this palette, and I really don't understand why. I think it's really fantastic and one of the best color stories to come out in a while. It performs at a level that is much higher than its price range, and I don't have to work to make the shadows perform. They are just high quality. It's always a treat to use this palette. 

Pat McGrath Mothership IV — Decadence 

I bought this palette as a "Congrats, you survived New York" gift to myself. Decadence is the nicest makeup item I have ever owned. (I was then gifted another Pat McGrath palette—one of the smaller ones—and I was not impressed with that.) I have no concept why Decadence was the only limited edition Mothership palette. That makes no sense to me because I feel like it's the best one. And I think it's really disappointing that people can't buy it anymore. 

I had a slightly hard time tracking it down (it was sold out online and I had to put this one on hold at a Sephora near me and then race to buy it), but I never made the connection that it was limited edition (and not a false scarcity tactic). I remember the Sephora employee gasping when I gave my name and said what I was picking up. And I remember thinking that was weird. 

This is a beautiful palette, and these are the highest quality eyeshadows I have ever used. That's especially why I was disappointed in the smaller PM palette as it doesn't seem that the quality is consistent across the board. Decadence is the perfect name for this palette. I only wish it was still available for people to purchase. 

EYESHADOW PALETTE (NOT NEW)

BH Cosmetics Zodiac 

Up front, I need to give a disclaimer. As I detailed in my last post, I'm not sure that I will ever buy from BH Cosmetics again because I have recently had the worst customer service experience to date after purchasing from them. Long story short: They took 28 days to ship a product to me, lied to me, ignored me, and then blamed the USPS for their errors. I was incredibly disappointed by how I was treated, and when I went onto their social media, the comments were littered with people like me who were being ignored and were frustrated. Customer service is a big deal to me (and most consumers), so, at present, this is not a company that I can or do recommend purchasing from. 

With that said, the Zodiac palette is my favorite palette in my collection. And I'm including it in this post because if you already own this palette, I wanted to maybe remind you of how great it is and encourage you to get more use out of it. Zodiac is a fantastic palette, and it performs better than a lot of high-end palettes that I've tried. It is beyond disappointing that BH Cosmetics handled their customer service so unprofessionally because I really do love a lot of their products. 

SINGLE EYESHADOWS

If you've read my blog for any period of time, you'll know that I love single eyeshadows. Reflecting upon which are my favorite of the year, I found that there was a nice mix of new and old shadows. They are:

Marc Jacobs Copperazzi

Fyrinnae Rapunzel Had Extensions

Fyrinnae Serendipity 

Urban Decay Space Cowboy

Marc Jacobs The Big O!

Hourglass Foil

Fyrinnae It Beautifies! 

I have talked about all of these shadows in previous posts, so I will just say that these are the singles in my collection that really stand out, either because of color, texture, or finish. 

SINGLE EYESHADOWS (HONORABLE MENTION)

This might be cheating, but I wanted to give a mention to my giant palette (from Coloured Raine) of single shadows that I either purchased individually or depotted from palettes. This giant collection of singles helps me dupe so many new releases, and my desire to own new things gets immediately curbed. Largely, I don't think singles get enough love, but they are the best tool I have to resist buying something unnecessary. Singles will forever be one of my favorite products. 

LIPS

If I'm honest, I haven't always been a huge lip product person. That's largely because:

• I drink coffee all day and hate getting lipstick all over my nice mugs
• I typically only apply lipstick in the morning 
• I very rarely reapply my lipstick throughout the day

But, even though I might not wear it as much as I would like, I still apply some kind of lip product most days, and these are my favorites.

NARS Barbara

The NARS Audacious lipstick formula is one of my all-time favorites, and Barbara is my go-to warm nude (on me) that I pair with bold eyes, MAC Gingerly, and the ABH highlighter. 

NARS Anna

I think this is a perfect lip color for me and my skin tone, and it feels like the lipstick version of Hourglass Mood Exposure. 

Estée Lauder Shock & Awe

This has been in a monthly favorites post before, and I continue to love it. On me, it's not as bright as it looks in the tube, and I find it to be a really wearable and pretty pink. 

Pat McGrath Antidote

I bought this lipstick at the same time that I bought the Decadence palette, and I absolutely love it. I don't have anything even similar in color, and I love wearing it with a matte mustard eye look. 

Tom Ford Fetishist 

I wrote about this lipstick in a recent post, and I will say that despite the staggering price tag, it's a great lipstick. Its staying powder is like none other in my collection (including liquid lipsticks!). The color is deep and romantic, and it feels every bit as luxurious as you would expect from Tom Ford (and its price!).

Recent Favorites: Elegant Makeup

I haven't been posting any "Recent Looks" posts lately, and that's largely because I've been favoring a much more simple makeup aesthetic. I doubt it's very interesting to read a post where the same two or three looks are done, and it has honestly been really nice to just focus on a look I really enjoy and let it be easy. 

With the recent Sephora sales and promotions, I did buy a few new makeup items—mainly single eyeshadows—and they have quickly become some of my favorite products that I've come across in years. And what's interesting is that I personally haven't heard any influencers talk about them. I heard about the eyeshadows from a real-life friend who loves makeup just as much as I do. It has been really refreshing to have a friend recommend a product that they've been loving and then buy the product and have the same reaction. It's what YouTube used to be, when I really loved the content and the community. Now, it's PR packages and hidden sponsorships and contracts, and the only brands that get mentioned are the ones that pay and play the game. 

My recent favorites aren't really talked about, except for the Fenty foundation. And when I gathered all the products to take a picture, I noticed that they all look elegant. This is sophisticated makeup meant for adult women. This is not unicorns and mermaids and alien heads marketed toward children. 

Here are the products that I have been loving:

Fenty Pro Filt'r Foundation

If you read my last post, you'll know that I have been looking to replace my all-time favorite foundation, It Cosmetics CC+ cream. I have loved that foundation for years, but the shade range is unacceptable and so heavily favors light skin, and it's not a product or a brand that I feel comfortable supporting. If you've read my blog for a while, you will know that inclusivity is very important to me, and that factors heavily into my purchasing decisions. I can no longer be ignorant about the people who are excluded by the makeup industry and continue to support products that will only work for me as someone with light to medium skin. 

I honestly didn't think I would find a foundation that could replace the CC+ cream. I have hated nearly all of the foundations I have ever used, and none of them ever gave me the skin-like finish of the CC+ cream. I recently finished all three of my foundations in a project pan, so I decided to buy the Fenty Pro Filt'r foundation. Fenty was honestly one of only a few brands that had an extensive shade range that I felt comfortable supporting. The other brands I considered—MAC, Make Up For Ever, and L'Oreal—all have not worked for me in the past. MAC foundations clog and irritate my skin, Make Up For Ever foundations look too dry and matte on me, and L'Oreal foundations have caused my skin to break out. So, Fenty it was. 

Honestly, I absolutely love this foundation, even more than the CC+ cream. It came as a complete shock to me—even though the product has fantastic reviews—because nothing has ever come close to the CC+ cream. I immediately told my aforementioned friend about it, she purchased it, and loves it too. She was looking for something to replace the old formula of the Estée Lauder Double Wear Light, and she said the Fenty was a great alternative. 

I couldn't be happier that I found a foundation that I like even more than my all-time favorite, and the fact that it is from an inclusive brand makes it that much more thrilling.

NARS Exhibit A

In an era where we are always looking on the horizon for the next new thing to come out and dazzle us for a few moments until we're bored, I think it's nice to reflect upon those staples in your collection that will never be knocked off their throne. And for me, that's Exhibit A.

This is not a new product to me, but it has been my go-to blush for the past month. Every time I wear it, I always wonder why I own any other blush. This is my number-one—the blush that most flatters my skin. Exhibit A has been a part of my life for many years, and after my original blush got to be too old, I purchased this one. I only use a tiny amount because of how pigmented it is, so I find it impossible to think I will ever even hit the pan of it. But I use it, and I love it. And I don't think anything will ever replace it. 

Marc Jacobs Omega Shadows in Perfect-O! and The Big O!

Up front, I need to say that these shadows have really dumb and cringey names. But, if you can get past that, they are utterly gorgeous. The pans are huge—about the size of shadows in Juvia's Place palettes—and they are a "gel powder" formula. I love the texture and payoff of these shadows, but the colors themselves are not unique whatsoever. They come in matte, satin, and shimmer finishes, and I have one matte (The Big O!) and one satin (Perfect-O!), which performs like a matte. I use these as everyday, workhorse shadows, and I like having them as singles in individual packaging. I wear The Big O! almost every day in my crease, and Perfect-O! on the brow bone:

Fyrinnae Serendipity (over Pixie Epoxy) on the lid.

As of now, this line of shadows doesn't have many colors, but I think the range is nice, especially for being so limited. I'll be interested to see if they make other colors in the future, but for now, these were the only two that I felt warranted buying since they are everyday staples in my collection. I wouldn't use the other colors every day, and I already own several dupes of all of them, so I don't see myself buying any more unless the range expands. 

Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadows in Smoke, Reflect, and Foil 

When I mentioned to my friend that I was really interested in sheer washes of sparkle and shine, she told me I should try the Hourglass Scattered Light eyeshadows. I bought three colors—a taupe, champagne, and gold—but truthfully, the taupe (Smoke) and champagne (Reflect) look very similar. Reflect also looks almost identical to another shadow in the line, Aura, which is supposed to be pink. So, unfortunately, these shadows don't have a ton of individuality. 

If you're looking for intense pigment, these are not for you. If you hate sheerness, these are not for you. If you hate the idea of a "shadow topper," these are not for you. However, if you like intense shine, these are really pretty and worth considering. 

Reflect:

Smoke:

Foil:

As you can see, Smoke and Reflect are very similar. There is a slight difference between the two, but I wouldn't say that it's strong enough to warrant buying both colors. But these are very beautiful shadows, and although the colors are not exactly unique, the payoff is unlike anything else in my collection, and I have been loving them with a bold lip. 

Marc Jacobs See-quins Eyeshadow in Copperazzi

Because I loved the Hourglass Scattered Lights so much, my friend recommended I look at the Marc Jacobs See-quin shadows, which she said are supposed to be like the Scattered Lights. I wouldn't say the two are very similar, to be honest. Yes, they both have almost a gel-like consistency and work best applied with a synthetic brush, but the Marc Jacobs shadows are full of multi-dimensional glitter whereas the Hourglass have intense shine. 

As you can see, like the Hourglass shadows, there is a ton of reflect and shine to Copperazzi, but it also has a lot of glitter, which the Hourglass shadows don't have. In photos, this shadow honestly doesn't look that impressive, but in person, especially in the light, this is one of the most brilliant, multi-faceted eyeshadows I have ever seen. It also has quite a bit more pigment than the Hourglass ones, so, between the two, I would say the Marc Jacobs shadows pack more of a punch. 

Tom Ford Fetishist

I went through a period for the last several months were I didn't want to wear any lipstick at all. If I wore something, it was usually a tinted lip balm. That's likely because I had been wearing really intense, colorful eyeshadow, and I liked a light lip to balance things out. Now that I have been wearing lighter eye makeup, I have been really liking my lipstick to bring the drama, and Fetishist has been my go-to. This is the only Tom Ford lipstick I have ever purchased, and I can say that this lipstick stays on longer than any other lip product I have ever used, including liquid lipsticks. When I purchased this color (online), I thought it was going to be brighter and more berry, but it is actually quite deep, almost like oxblood. It put me off for a while, but the color was pretty, so I chose to not return it. Since then, I have come to really appreciate this color, especially paired with a light eyeshadow and NARS Exhibit A blush. 

Bésame Cosmetics Red Velvet

Since I've been loving Fetishist, I decided to pull out another dark lipstick favorite, Bésame's Red Velvet. I really love Bésame lipsticks because they have fantastic staying powder as long as you blot and apply two coats (note: the Tom Ford lipstick does not requite this to last all day). Red lipstick always feels intimidating to me because of the upkeep (and, yes, I still worry if I have gotten red all over my face throughout the day), but I really love the depth of this color. Like the name suggests, it is a deep red instead of a cherry-red, and like Fetishist, it looks fantastic with a light eye and NARS Exhibit A blush. 

Project Pan Finale: Empty Products

A few months ago, I decided to embark on a project pan to use up or hit the pan of several makeup items. My goal was to finish 12 products before Christmas/the end of 2018. And as you will see below, I not only hit that goal, but I surpassed it! I used up/hit the pan of 19 makeup products!

In this post, I'll walk through all of the products I used up and discuss if I plan on repurchasing or not.

Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot
Goal: Finish
Status: Will not repurchase

As you can see with this dirty pan, I accomplished my goal of finishing the setting powder. The powder developed hard pan, which made it difficult to use, so I needed to repress it to get rid of the hard pan and give myself an even pan again. This is what it looked like before repressing:

And after:

Once I repressed the powder, it was much less densely packed, which meant that I picked up more product with my brush. While I liked this product and I think it does a good job of keeping the face matte, with the loosened product, I found that it left a white cast on my face and make me look really powdery. This didn't happen until I repressed the product, which, again, was generally difficult to use before repressing. 

I don't like to keep more than one powder in my collection at a time, so I have replaced this product with the Hourglass Veil translucent powder. So far, I really like that one. 

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use, but will likely not repurchase

Back when I was living in New York and using makeup as a coping mechanism, I purchased the very expensive and not at all inclusive Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel cream bronzer, which is also known as the "universal bronze." This is not a universal bronze. This is the first and only cream bronzer I have ever used, and while I think it's a good product, I have to really blend it out or else it leaves my face with an orange/brown stripe. Obviously part of this could be my application or user error, but the shade just isn't right for me or what I would want. With that said, the product works, and I would like to use it up since there is nothing wrong with it and I spent quite a bit of money on it. 

Generally, I find that I prefer my powder bronzer (Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light), so while I intend to use up this product, I doubt I will repurchase. 

Tarte Exposed blush

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use, but will not repurchase 

This may be the only powder blush I have ever hit the pan of, and the only reason I have is likely because I have to use so much product just to get any color payoff. I do like the color of this blush, but Tarte is not a brand that I want to support. I'm tired of how non-inclusive the brand is, and until that changes, I don't want to purchase anything for them. I don't know if Exposed will stick around in my collection long enough for me to use up the entire thing, but if it does, I will not repurchase. 

Physician's Formula Butter Highlighter in Pearl

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: Will continue to use

I have a lot of highlighters in my collection, but this is one of my favorites. I'm not a huge fan of the twist packaging or the swirl design, but I really love the product. It has a duochrome finish, and I find that it lasts longer on my skin than many mid-range or high-end products. I don't hear a lot of people talk about this, but it's certainly a product that I love. This is only the second highlighter that I have ever hit the pan of, and the other is Becca Moonstone, which is my all-time favorite. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

Goal: Hit the pan

Status: All-time favorite

After I finished my Dim Light powder last year, I immediately replaced it with this one. I love this product. I use it as an all over finishing powder, and I find that I just don't like my makeup without it. I will continue to repurchase and love this product. 

Physician's Formula The Healthy Foundation and Milani Conceal + Perfect

Goal: Finish

Status: Will not repurchase 

I am usually a huge proponent of "do not use a product that you hate just to finish it," but I made an exception for these two foundations. In an attempt to find a more inclusive foundation to support (we will get into this more in the next product), I purchased both of these foundations. On their own, I hated both of them. Mixed together, I hated them less. The worst offender of the two was The Healthy Foundation. This looked so dry on my skin, and I have combination skin. The coverage was very thin, and while I don't like full-coverage foundations, this one didn't even seen to be able to provide an even layer of coverage at all. The shade I purchased was also too light for my skin tone. Conceal + Perfect, on the other hand, was way too full coverage for me, and the shade I purchased was too dark. I was able to mix the two of them together for shade and coverage/texture, and while that was better than either on their own, it still wasn't great. 

It's worth noting that the cap on The Healthy Foundation continually broke and splintered off as I worked through the bottle, which made this miserable to use. I can see both of these products working for people with skin types that are different from mine, but I will not repurchase. 

It Cosmetics CC+ Cream

Goal: Finish

Status: Will not repurchase until the shade range improves 

If you've been a longtime reader of my blog, you'll know that this is my all-time favorite foundation. Truthfully, I would be very happy to just use this foundation and not even try another one. But, this foundation shade range is unacceptable, and I cannot support it. Until recently, there were only four shades in this range, and none of them were dark enough for deep skin tones. The range has expanded to 12 shades, but seven of those are meant for light skin, three for medium skin, one for dark, and one for deep. So, even though the range is slightly better, it still skews too heavily toward light skin, and it is not something that I am comfortable supporting. 

To replace this, I have recently purchased the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r foundation, and I absolutely love it. 

Elf Mineral Face Primer

Goal: Finish

Status: May repurchase one day, but not now 

I used up a few primers during this project, and I think this one is good value for the money. I liked it just as much as the Make Up For Ever mattifying one, and think it gives generally similar results to the Hourglass Mineral Veil. I didn't love it, however, and I have found other primers that I like more.

Samples: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer, Becca Backlight Primer, Becca Blurring Primer

Goal: Finish

Status: May repurchase Becca Backlight Primer

I had three primer samples, so I used them all up in this project. 

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer: I hated this primer. It was impossible to pump (but that may just be the sample), the smell was off-putting, and the texture was very waxy and thick. It clung to the foundation and my Beauty Blender—making it impossible to wash—and I did not like the results on my face. 

Becca Blurring Primer: I also hated this primer. I left behind a powdery residue on my fingers and face after application, and I found that it didn't work well with my foundation. 

Becca Backlight Primer: I've purchased this before and didn't care for it or notice any difference with it, but it looked absolutely gorgeous with the Fenty foundation. I am currently using the Australian Gold mineral tinted sunscreen as a primer, and I love that, but I can see myself buying the Becca Backlight again soon. 

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

This is my all-time favorite eye primer, and one that I will continue to repurchase. I have finished several bottles of this primer, and I will continue to repurchase it. 

L'Oreal Lash Paradise Base

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased

I haven't tried too many mascara primers, but I loved this one. I use it with Benefit Bad Gal Bang mascara, and I love the effects of it. I finished up this entire bottle (even before the two month expiration date) and immediately repurchased another. I love how it makes my lashes look. 

Sample: Benefit Bad Gal Bang 

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

I received a sample of this mascara, and, in an unusual act for me, I used up the entire thing. I have long loved many Benefit mascaras (They're Real and Roller Lash have been favorites of mine), but I always find that I get tired of paying the high price, and then I'll buy a drugstore one for a while. That tradition may continue, but I really love the combination of this mascara and the L'Oreal Lash Paradise primer. 

Physician's Formula Eye Booster

Goal: Finish

Status: Have already repurchased 

This is another boring one to write about as this has been my all-time favorite eyeliner for years, and it continues to be. I have used up many of these eyeliners, and I always immediately repurchase another. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer 

Goal: Finish

Status: Undecided 

I find that I'm always torn on brow pencils. On the one hand, I really like the smaller brow pencils (like ABH Brow Wiz), but on the other, I hate how quickly I use those up. The ABH Brow Definer certainly lasts longer, but I like the precision that smaller pencils provide. This is the second Brow Definer that I have used up, and likely won't be the last, but I do like smaller pencils better.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Goal: Finish
Status: Will continue to use

A while ago, I was gifted several of these NYX brow pencils, so this is what I will be using until I finish all of them. I love this pencil and have purchased it before, and this is the size of pencil that I prefer to the ABH Brow Definer. The negative with this pencil and others like it is that there is so little product, and I go through it very quickly. Even during the time I started this project, I was able to use up two of these pencils (that were brand new) in a shorter amount of time than I used up the ABH Brow Definer that was more than half-finished. But, I'm happy to have a nice supply of them, and I will continue to use. 

What I'm Not Buying: Fenty Beauty Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette

Fenty Beauty, the brand that recently launched (and came out swinging), has also released a holiday collection, including the Galaxy eyeshadow palette. 

But I won't be buying. 

I wasn't sure if I wanted to write an anti-haul post on this product, mainly because I actually love all the hype surrounding this brand and am glad so many people are excited for it. Fenty's motto is "beauty for all," and that is a concept that is really being celebrated by consumers and noticed by other brands, as, traditionally, brands have catered solely toward light skin tones.

So seeing a brand like Fenty, created by a woman of color, launch with 40 foundation shades and be incredibly hyped and celebrated is really exciting. And since the focus of my blog in large part is to lower the hype, it feels a little strange to talk about a kind of hype that I'm not mad about. 

But, this is still a product that I am not going to buy because it's a product that I don't need. And for people who are in a similar boat and getting caught up in the hype, I figure laying out my reasons for not buying may be helpful. 

Let's look at the palette:

This palette is made up exclusively of shimmer shadows, which is a trend that I'm seeing a bit of this holiday season. More than that, this palette is filled with glitter shadows, similar to Too Faced Glitter Bomb:

And Urban Decay Moondust:

I've mentioned this before, but I am personally not a fan of shadows/palettes that have a lot of glitter. I can tolerate it from time to time if the color or shine is exceptional (like in Jouer Skinny Dip or the Stila Magnificent Metals), but most of the time, it's a no-go for me. I don't personally have either of the above palettes because a glitter shadow is not something I enjoy, and I would say that if you do own either of those palettes, the Galaxy palette may not be all that additive to your collection. 

The Galaxy palette costs $59. For comparison, the Urban Decay Moondust palette costs $49, and the Too Faced Glitter Bomb costs $45. So while the Fenty one is more expensive, it also contains more shades. However, that is still too much money to spend, in my opinion, on a palette that is all shimmer/glitter shades. I guess this is where I am either hypocritical or just showing my personal preference, because I can understand spending a chunk of money on a great all-matte eyeshadow palette, but less so for one with all shimmers/glitters. 

The Galaxy palette has stunning packaging:

And while I don't typically get too caught up in packaging, I got a little caught up in this. When I look at what a lot of other brands are doing, which is catering to a young audience, I tend to roll my eyes. Too Faced has been going overboard for a few years now, and there are so many collections at the moment in collaboration with My Little Pony, which is really throwing me. So seeing Fenty packaging, which is sleek, sophisticated, interesting, and gorgeous, is really appealing to me. 

But, at the end of the day, it's not about the packaging, it's about the product. 

Let's look at the colors away from that gorgeous packaging: 

When I look at the colors like this, I don't really see anything that is all that interesting or special, and certainly nothing that I don't already have elsewhere in my collection. I suppose I am most drawn to the color that represents "Mars on Fire," but the description, "sheer copper rose glitter," does not sound appealing to me. 

Let's look at swatches:

Again, there is not a ton here that I personally find all that interesting. 7 and 11 are what catch my attention, but that's really it. It is also important to keep in mind that these are swatches provided by the brand, which means that they will undoubtedly look better than they actually are. This is not specific to Fenty—essentially every brand does this. With that said, these swatches also aren't all that interesting to me. 

The layout of this palette reminds me of the Smashbox On the Rocks palette:

And the color scheme reminds me of Tarte Make Believe in Yourself:

Urban Decay After Dark:

Urban Decay Vice 4:

And the shimmers in the Kat Von D Metal Matte palette:

The Galaxy palette just doesn't interest me personally beyond wanting to try some Fenty Beauty products and the gorgeous packaging. I'd like to speak to that first point, though, about wanting to buy something just to try a new brand. I have mixed feelings on something like this. On the one hand, I don't advocate for ever buying something that is unneeded, just to "try" it, as I feel that is a really dangerous consumerism mindset. But on the other hand, I feel like the brand is hyped for all the "right" reasons. Yes, people are hyping the foundation as really incredible, but I've also seen Jacquelyn Lovene's review video where she discovered that the formula is the same as a much cheaper Catrice foundation (this is not uncommon, and, according to Jacquelyn, the Catrice foundation has a laughable shade range). But I don't feel people are hyping Fenty just because the foundation is great. The hype is coming from what the brand stands for, which is much needed inclusivity. And the better Fenty does and the more attention it gets, I feel like other brands are taking note. And that, in my opinion, is a worthwhile endeavor. Brands are always going to be aware of their competitors, and if Fenty's success brings about real change the the beauty industry, that would be really fantastic. 

At the same time, as a consumer and recovering makeup/shopping addict, it is important that I still practice healthy shopping methods and only buy things if they are really additive or unique. I'm reminded of when I purchased the Pastel Goth palette as a sign of solidarity despite having previously made the decision to not buy it. This ended up being a really great purchase for me, and it has survived many rounds of decluttering. I don't have anything in my collection that is quite like that palette, and I've found myself reaching for it on a pretty regular basis. 

That is not to say that I will never buy something from Fenty—because I would really like to eventually. But at this point, there is nothing in the line that I feel would be additive to my collection. And buying just for the sake of buying is not a healthy habit that I want to practice. 

With the Galaxy eyeshadow palette, that is just not a product for me. I think the packaging is stunning, but it is not a product that we haven't seen before. I imagine that for best results, the palette probably requires a glitter primer, which just adds to the cost of it. And the reality is that if I bought the palette, I would use it a couple of times before retiring it to the back of my collection and using less glittery shadows. Then, on the occasions that I would want a glitter shadow, I would have to decide between this, Jouer Skinny Dip, and my Stila Magnificent Metals. And then all of these products would be used less because there would be more to compete with. And, frankly, I don't think I would like the Fenty shadows more than the Jouer or Stila. 

So, while I am excited to keep an eye on this brand and see what else they come out with, the Galaxy palette is not something that I am going to buy. This product would not get much use in my collection, so it would not be a good purchase.