Happy #BEAUTYMONDAY, the first one of 2017!! How crazy is that?!? I hope you had a perfect New Years Eve and that you rang in the new year with complete happiness! I’ve gotta say, I don’t know how this year could possibly beat 2016, but I’m hoping it does! I’ve got a TON of exciting things planned that I cannot wait to share with you. Today, I am going to be sharing with you the BEST of 2016, makeup-wise. I got a TON of new makeup the year and tested both drugstore and high-end products for you, and rounded up my all time favorites for this post. Enjoy!

Best Makeup WINS of 2016

Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit

Yes. I know that I am late to the party for this one. I was like oddly against cream contour for the longest time (I don’t have a good reason), but after receiving this for Christmas and FINALLY trying it out….I’m hooked. I am going to film a tutorial on cream contouring soon because it is completely intimidating. I freaked out when I put it on the first time and saw how dark it was against my pale as heck skin but it blends out like a total dream and gives my cheekbones brand new heights. 10/10 would recommend.

Becca Liquid Illuminator

I got this in the mini kit that Becca was selling for the holidays this year and when I run out, I will definitely be restocking. I use this to layer my highlight. I put it overtop my liquid foundation but underneath my powder foundation, and then put my Becca or Tarte highlighter on top of it. It helps my highlighter stay all day so that I can pretty much be seen from space. AKA highlighter GOALS.

It Cosmetics CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder / Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation in Light Beige

This stuff is basically heaven in powder foundation form. For MONTHS I had been using a translucent powder with a damp beauty blender to set my makeup but had been really unhappy with the results. I’ve been on the prowl for a really good powder foundation to lightly set my makeup and IT Cosmetics totally came through. It is light coverage, stays all day and keeps my skin matte. Win, Win, Win.

I’ve talked about this liquid foundation before, but I felt like I needed to mention it again. This liquid foundation is light on your skin, but full coverage. It blends super nicely and there are a ton of colors so there is one for everyone. Because you don’t need a lot when using it, it lasts for a long time. I’ve been using mine for months down and it is still pretty full. You really get what you pay for.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Genius

This was also in my Christmas gifts this year. I always have a hard time finding blushes that work for winter because I don’t like wearing coral colors during this time of year. This is the perfect nude-pink for the winter and it is matte, so it doesn’t compete with my highlighter. It is dark enough that it gives me that “flushed” look without taking over my face.

Benefit Gimme Brow in 3 / Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown / Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade in Taupe

These beauties are responsible for making my eyebrows actually visible on my face. I am cursed with sparse, light brows so I need products to help me shape and fill without looking like I drew them on with permanent marker. I do Brow Wiz first — lightly filling with hairlike strokes, fill with DipBrow around the edges and creating my brow tail, and finish with a light brush through with the Gimme Brow! These products are easy and simple to use with awesome color pay off. One jar of DipBrow lasts me almost an entire year, so even though they lean on the pricey side, they last for a long time!

Milani Prime Perfection Face Primer

This stuff is AMAZING. Also it’s a drugstore brand which means it’s in everyone price range. It is perfect if you are looking to hold your makeup all day long. It feels cool on your skin and doesn’t make it oily (a problem I always have). It smooths my skin and allows me to have a perfect, blank canvas upon which to place my makeup!

Urban Decay Partial False Lashes in Flirt

I loooooove these. Like. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I love full lashes but for an every day look, I prefer the look of partial lashes because they make me feel like they are my-lashes-but-better. They extend my natural lashes out just a bit so my winged liner looks “finished”. They don’t look over the top but they add just enough extra length and volume. 

TooFaced Creme Lipstick in Sugar Daddy

I am actually surprised I like this lipstick so much. I’ve been switching from my opaque stay all day liquid lipsticks for the new year and bringing back my creme lipsticks. Mostly for ease of wear. While the liquid lipsticks look AMAZING, they are a pain to reapply and when they start coming off on the inside of your lips, it looks tacky. Creme lipstick typically fades nicely and is super easy to reapply. This particular shade is a your-lips-but-better kind of thing. It is a nice pinky-nude that fades beautifully and has fantastic color pay off. A+, TooFaced.

Urban Decay Metallic Vice Lipstick in Conspiracy

This lipstick has completely won me over. It is a creme formula so everything I stated in the previous paragraph on creme lippies applies here as well. This particular shade is a purple-bronze kind of shade that would be flattering on ANYONE. It is so gorgeous and I’m super digging the metallic colors lately. 

 Urban Decay Naked Smokey

Okay, again, I’m late to the party. This has been out forever but I just got it and it is quickly replacing all of my other Naked Palettes. It’s got light colors and dark colors but I’m most impressed with the metallic shades. I spray a bit of setting spray on my brush and dip into the shadow and BAM! Totally stunning metallic shades. I have always been a fan of Urban Decay Naked Palettes but this one seriously impressed me. Plus now I have the complete collection. So.

Tarte Pretty Paintbox

Sadly, this palette was a holiday special and is no longer available. BUT. I have to mention it because I love it so so so much. I searched and searched for it to link it here, but no dice. A similar palette to the shadows here would probably be the Tartlette Pro Palette (I’ll link that one below with everything else). But this one is fun because it is essentially an entire face in a box. Every eyeshadow color you could want (in beautiful, blendable shades), blush, highlighter, two types of bronzer, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. I was not a fan of the mascara, but I loved the eyeliner and the nude lipstick.

I hope you guys learned something new today and found some new products to try this year. These are my best makeup WINS of 2016 and I KNOW you will love them, too!! 

Did you have a product you couldn’t live without this year?? Share your best 2016 holy grail product with me in the comments!!

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101 Comments

  2. The Naked Smokey palette is my holy grail. I love this palette. I also love the ABH Cream Contour palette. I have to get the powder version. Of course I love the ABH dipbrow. lol

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  3. I have never tried fake eye lashes before. It sounds really scary to me! I tried liquid eyeliner this year for the first time and failed…repeatedly. But, I did perfect removing eye makeup 🙂

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  4. Thanks for the tips! I could definitely use some makeup recommendations for the new year. My skin is yucky from staying up too late, drinking caffeine, and eating pizza and chocolate.

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  7. I think the neutral colors work best for me. I don’t wear makeup too often because I have such fair skin. It’s hard to find a shade that doesn’t look too unnatural for me.

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  9. The Milani Prime Perfection is definitely a must have for me, I absolutely love it. I really want that Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette now and the Urban Decay Metallic Vice Lipstick in Conspiracy looks like one I need as well.

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  10. I am obsessed with all things BECCA. Love that brush (I got one a year or more ago) and now the illuminating stuff is genius. Scared of any contour kits, but maybe after your tutorial I will give it a try again!

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  12. How fun! I just got some new Bare Minerals makeup from my mom for Christmas that I’ve been loving. I adore that Too Faced creme lipstick color in SugarDaddy!

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  18. These are such great picks. I will have to try some of these like the Tarte paint box. I can’t live without the fresh sugar lip care. I love the original, as well as all the tinted ones.

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  19. All these look great and high quality. This might be a stupid question but does every person look for something different in make up or is it like: if one person thinks this red lipstick is good then its just good for everyone?

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    1. It’s totally not a stupid question! In my opinion, it can be different for everyone depending on the undertones of your skin, but quality is always the same. I consistently look for blendable eyeshadows, staying power and pigmentation. As far as lipstick shades go, it can be hard to find a “universal” shade.

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  20. I love these colors and I would love to try make that is a high quality. Mine always wears off by the end of the day.

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  22. I picked up the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette last year and have been obsessed with it. I’ve been thinking about the Smokey palette, but just haven’t bitten the bullet yet…so I’m late to the party too! 🙂 In my world, you’re cutting-edge, Taylor!! 😉

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  25. So what I want to do is go to Sephora, show them this post and then buy every item. I stink when it comes to buying make up and this was really helpful!

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  32. I really like Tarte and Becca. I really should try out more of their products! I got the Anastasia Brow Wiz and Pomade and loved them both too. Any Urban Decay palette is good in my book! LOL! I get really good use out of the Urban Decay Smoky Palette! Great post, Taylor!

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  34. I published a similar post on my blog, too! Although we didn’t have a lot of things in common on this list, I’m glad that the ABH brow products made it to yours, too! I know I love mine! I have their Brow Wiz, Brow Definer, Brow Duo Powder, and Dip Brow! Can you tell I’m obsessed??

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  35. I love the palettes that you featured! There’s nothing like Urban Decay’s Naked palettes. They’re always on top of everyone’s list and there’s no denying that they’re awesome.

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  38. I so agree on the Urban Decay palette! I have several of their palettes but use the Naked Smokey far more than the others. Benefit’s Gimme Brow is also amazing. I recently found the Milani brand and have been impressed with their products as well, especially for the price! One other item I can not live without is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. It is the best I have found!

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  43. These are all great picks! If you loved the CC powder foundation, you would probably obsess over the liquid version. I seriously LIVED off of that this summer in Louisiana and it was the perfect combination of coverage, but it felt light, too! Some of my favorites from 2016 were the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, the L’Oreal Pro Glow foundation, along with the Buxom Lip Polish in White Russian and the Colour Pop Satin Lippies

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  44. Loving all these makeup finds! I think the brow makeup is my favorite. People underestimate how much difference great brows make to the whole face

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  45. I admit I’ve not had much success using false lashes but those look like something i could handle. i need to check them out. much easier than a full lash line

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  46. Ooh these all look great! I started having a lot more fun with my make up this year! I’d love to use the foundation pallet you had and even try out fake lashes!

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  47. I absolutely fell in love with Tarte in 2016 & have heard so many others rave about the other brands you talked about…I’m going to have to step up my makeup game in 2017!

    xoxo, SS

    Southern And Style

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  51. My favorite lipstick is only $2 from Wet N Wild. It’s their Matte lipstick and it comes in the best colors, and lasts much longer than other matt lipsticks I’ve tried, and at $2 it’s a steal. It has also won beauty awards, and you can find it at Walgreens, Target, and Walmart, probably other drugstores as well. I am cheap when it comes to makeup, and love that my favorite lipstick comes cheap!

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  52. So many wonderful products!! I LOVE that Naked Smokey palette, and I recently bought the Tarte foundation and can’t wait to use it – I’ve heard nothing but good things!

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  53. I love your picks!! I could not agree more about the smoky palette – I just talked about it on my blog this week too – late to the party, but happy I got there haha! It’s SO GOOD!!

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