Makeup Favourites of 2013

 Well this took a long time to whittle down. 2013 has been a year of massive makeup discovery, from my first venture into Space NK (be still my beating heart) to fantastic product releases from Rimmel, Chanel, Hourglass and Maybelline. I've splurged massively, and probably racked up a similar amount on makeup to rent (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get the drift). There's been hits and misses (more on those next week) so I'm gonna round up my favourite in each category here for you. 

I've picked one for each category, and the occasional honourable mention. I didn't have them all to photograph since I'm back home for Christmas, but as before I'm gonna link up any reviews I've done, just click on the product name! 

Primer: Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer - This is a fairly recent addition to my makeup ranks, but it's the only primer that has impressed me this year. Soft and velvety, and makes makeup stay put all day and night.

Tinted Moisturiser: Diorskin Nude BB Creme - Light and velvety with decent coverage, feels like there's nothing on your skin. Lovely and natural, I used this for most of the summer.

Foundation: Max Factor Facefinity - I love this foundation, high coverage, matte flawless finish, an awesome dupe for the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, that comes in around the £10 mark. Perfect, photoready skin.

Honourable Mention: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow - For days when I don't need full coverage, I opt for this. I always get compliments on my skin when I wear this, it's medium coverage and a satin finish, super natural looking.

Setting Powder: Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder - A fab mattifying powder with a medium coverage, lasts all day and is cheap as chips.

Honourable Mention: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders - This would have been top of the list, but I only discovered this a month ago. Mattifies the skin whilst making it glow.

Spot Concealer: Mac Studio Finish Concealer - High coverage and lasts forever, I've had mine for almost a year, and it's not even half gone, despite me using it every day. Great coverage and staying power.

Under Eye Concealer: Rimmel Wake Me Up - Medium coverage and radiance boosting. I've been using this for most of the year, and love it. It doesn't completely cover dark circles, but it's brightening properties make it fab.

Honourable Mention: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - A new favourite, more coverage than Rimmel's offering, and slightly thicker, but gives a similar effect. Possibly slightly better, but I haven't been using it long enough for it to win this battle.

Highlighter: Benefit Sunbeam - My go to for the whole summer. Imparts a gorgeous natural golden glow to the cheekbones.

Honourable Mention: NARS Devotee - From the Guy Bourdin One Night Stand Palette, this has been my go-to-shimmer-giver since October. A bit more in your face than Sunbeam, which I don't mind for the winter.

Bronzer: NARS Laguna - A total no-brainer. The perfect bronzer for pale skinned gals, I wouldn't be without this. I have a full size at home, but for the purpose of this trip I'm using the mini in the Guy Bourdin Palette. Great for contour or adding colour to the face.

Blusher: Chanel Creme Blush in Revelation - This was probably the hardest one to pick, but since getting this blush in September, it has barely left my cheeks. Imparts a gorgeous natural flush to the cheeks, and lasts really well throughout the day.

Honourable Mention: Benefit Sugarbomb and Nars Blushes - I've been using Sugarbomb for over a year now, it's my go-to, 'I don't know what blush to wear' blush. It's a pretty peachy pink, with enough shimmer to not require highlighter. Goes with everything. As for NARS blushers, they are a recent addition, that I am totally obsessed with. I can see my collection of these growing drastically next year!

Eye Primer: Benefit Stay Don't Stray - Creaseless lasting power, this is also fantastic under undereye concealer. 

Cream Eyeshadow: MAC Paintpots - This was another no-brainer, my absolute favourite hands down, particularly the shade Painterly, which I use every day as a base for shadow. Creamy but set like stone. Painterly is the perfect base shade, and I love Rubenesque in the summer with a slick of bronze liner, and Constructivist as an all over, no fuss needed shade. 

Eyeshadow Palette: NARS And God Created The Woman Palette - This was the big release of the year, and I, along with half the blogging community, fell hard for it. The perfect palette for every look, it's got a combination of champagne base shadows, taupes, and chocolate shades, and it's small and sleek for travel. I've nearly hit pan on one of the shades already, that's how good it is. I'm debating buying another as a back up, since it's back in stock on the Space NK website, despite being limited edition. The shadows are amazingly pigmented, and buttery soft.

Honourable Mention: The Naked Palettes - Naked One and it's warm bronze tones, Naked Two with it's cool taupe tones, and Naked Three the new jewel of my collection with it's rosy shades. They have a shade for every need, and they're great quality shadows.

Eyeliner Pencil: Rimmel Scandaleyes Pencils and Max Factor Kohl Pencil - A new release for this year, the Rimmel Scandaleyes pencils blew me away with their incredible pigmentation, and true waterproof properties. These last all day, even in the waterline, without budging. I have the shades Nude, Bronze and Taupe, and use them all regularly. For black however, I have stayed loyal to Max Factor's Kohl Pencil, a waxy black pencil that smudges nicely and stays put well.

Liquid Eyeliner: Soap and Glory Supercat Liner - Felt tip liner is definitely the answer to your liner dilemas, but this is definitely the cream of the crop. A thin nib that doesn't bend on the eye, and it's black black, not like some of them that turn grey by the end of the day.

Mascara: YSL Shocking Volume - This stuff has it all, length, volume, curl and drama, it's even got luxurious packaging. I love this stuff so much, it's hands down holy-grail material.

Honourable Mention: Max Factor Masterpiece Waterproof Mascara - My drugstore go to, I don't normally go for waterproof formulas, but this is awesome.

Brow Product: Along Came Betty Br-wow - A fantastic dupe for HD Brows kit and Benefit Brow-zings, and I paid a fiver for it. Two powder shades, a wax and a highlighter, what more could you want?

Lipstick: MAC - This was easy too, MAC literally have every lipstick you could ever wish for, every shade in every finish. This year I have particularly loved Plumful, Lustering, Russian Red and Syrup. You can see my MAC Lipstick collection here.

Honourable Mention: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - Another fantastic release this year, Urban Decay lipsticks are incredibly pigmented, have a gorgeous satin finish and lasting power like no other. Also, the packaging is incredibly sexy. 

Setting Spray: Urban Decay All Nighter - This got me through the summer, and the days of melting faces, spritz this onto made up skin to keep makeup intact all day.

So there you have it, my 2013 stand out products, have you tried these? What were your favourite products this year?