I had quite a few favourites in April of last year, and just like every month, I am taking a look at all of them to see which ones I still own and how I like them now, about a year later. Do I still like them, do I still use them? And what happened to the ones I don't own anymore, because there's those as well.
2017 versus 2018
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99%/isopropyl alcohol
Yup, still own this. I feel like everyone should have this in their kit, whether you're a professional make-up artist or not. Because it is so essential to sanitise power products, cream lipsticks, brushes and sponges (this shouldn't be an excuse to not replace products or tools that NEED replacing though). I couldn't go without this anymore.
For those in Belgium that wonder where to get it: pharmacies. I got mine at the big pharmacy on de IJjzerenleen in Mechelen. Cost me a little under €7 for half a liter, glass bottle included. If you bring your own glass bottle it's cheaper, but considering you can get it there for just €1, you might as well buy that too from them I feel.
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essence, blossom dreams rainbow highlighter in Prism of Light
Sadly, I dropped this and it shattered. Alas! Because it was like the ONE good make-up product essence ever made. Boo. I'm still sad about this, because I really loved this, quite a lot. But luckily I have other highlighters I also love, just not rainbow ones. This one was very pretty though, alas!
Lamentation aside, I would probably not buy a new rainbow highlighter (not unless essence re-released this exact same one), because I feel I already have all the highlighters I want and use and I could better spend the money on something else.
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essence, blending, concealer, powder and smokey eye brushes
I still own all of these. I still use most of these and I still like them fine. I mostly use the blending brushes to blend out the crease and the smokey eye brush for the inner corner. The concealer brushes don't get used often at all anymore, because I have better brushes for concealer from Nocibé. So basically I only reach for these essence ones when all my Nocibé brushes are dirty. And seeing I have 4 of those, that doesn't tend to happen a lot at all.
The powder brushes I hardly ever use anymore, because again: better options. It's not that there's anything wrong with either of these brushes, not at all, its just that I have BETTER brushes now so I don't grab these as a first choice at all.
I would still recommend these if you're only just starting out with make-up and you're just trying to figure out what kind of brush you like best. Or if you are on a very tight budget. They're not bad, they're just also not the best.
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Ipsy, March glam bag, the actual bag
I use this bag to keep my highlighters in. I have this huge tin box, and because I don't like rummaging through it, I organise products inside it in make-up bags. That way I know where everything is and there's only a little rummaging in a bag, rather than through an entire box. I really like this bag because it's so big. Originally it was intented as a fold over bag, but I suspect that everyone that has this just uses it for it's full size. One side has this cute relief geometric pattern, and the other is a velvety sort of fabric, very cool. I like it a ton even though it's pink :).
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M.A.C, sized to go strobe cream
Strobe cream is still a holy grail product for me. I use it either by itself to give my skin a natural healthy glow and hydrating it at the same time. Or I use it under other highlighter (either cream or powder) to give it that extra oomph. Great stuff, I love it. Enough to have a spare.
I will admit though, I would prefer to have the gold strobe cream rather than the pink, but as the pink is the only one available in sized to go packaging and you get more product for less money than one full size version in 2 sized to go's AND I don't think I can empty out a full sized one before it expires, I feel like sticking to this version is the best choice.
You may wonder why I use so little of this product, well, I only use it on certain spots of my face (cheek bones, bridge of my nose, sometimes also my forehead and chin), so the sized to go goes a long way.
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NYX, Duo Chromatic Illuminating Powder in Twilight Tint
I still own it, and I still like it. BUT... it pales in comparison to the Too Faced Unicorn Tears highlighter.
That said, it's a great highlighter, it's super bright, it stays pretty long (unlike most NYX products) and it doesn't break me out, provided I don't wear it days in a row. Which is a step up from most drugstore highlighters which give me bumps and breakouts after just one day of wear.
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tarte cosmetics, tarteist quick drying matte lip paint in rosé
I found out some things about tarte I don't agree with (like the white washing, refusal to be up front about the source of ingredients, the way they treat influencers in general, and such) so I would not repurchase this as a full size when it's empty. Even though I really love the formula and the shade. But it's not like I can't get another similar one from somewhere else. So yeah, for now I still own it, but once it's gone, it's gone forever.
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Too Faced, Hangover Primer
Holy effin grail.
Hand's down.
Epic AF.
This stuff is BOMB!
It's a skincare primer, so it hydrates, soothes and keeps my skin healthy and happy whilst making my make-up last all day long. It also does wonders as just a day or night cream. When my skin is in a bad way, I just apply this all over my face and the next day I can already see the difference in a very positive way. Absolute win, I always have a spare.
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Too Faced, Love Light prismatic highlight in Blinded by the light
Still one of my favourite highlighters. And unlike the essence one, it doesn't break when dropped (thank god, because this has gone nosediving onto a hard wood floor a few times, as has my M.A.C one. I am sadly very clumsy.). What I love most about this is that I can use it both as a subtle glow, or build it to GLOW to the gods.
This is my favourite together with M.A.C's extra dimension skin finish in Beaming Blush (which was in last month's flashback faves).
This is last year's photo though, mine doesn't look nearly as pretty anymore with all the emboassing rubbed off by now.
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Too Faced, Natural Eyes palette
I still really love this palette. It's just a practical one to travel with, and the colours in it are lovely, pigmented and really great quality. Of course I don't travel that often, but I still get tons of use out of it at home regardless. Obviously, I'm not replacing it for the reformulated and new packaging version Too Faced just came out with. There's still plenty of product in this palette and before it gets replaced it will have to either have been seriously depleated or expired. Then I will see what Too Faced has in this kind of palette :).
The only reason this wouldn't be an automatic repurchase is that there are new products coming out all the time and they might come up with something I like more. Should have have to replace it this very moment, however, I would buy either this one again or the new Natural Matte. But so far, it's still a-ok and a favourite :).
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