It's the end of the year, and everyone
is putting out their “best of the year” lists. So, rather than a
December Favorites, this month you get my Best of the Year list.
Best
I was so impressed by this lipstick.
It totally lived up to the internet hype around it. I have since
tried other colors from the line, and none have impressed me like
this one did. This is now my go-to, HG true red.
OK, even I'm getting tired of seeing me
gush about how much I love this. :) If you look at my pot of this
eyeshadow, you would see just how well-loved it is. This makes for
an easy single shadow look, yet also makes a great base for a more
complex one. While the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded is
very similar, I actually like this one better.
This is another product that lived up
to the internet hype. I have actually used a good portion of mine
up, and that is pretty rare. This is my go-to concealer on days when
I wear a lighter foundation, like a BB cream or tinted moisturizer.
On good skin days I'll even use this alone. I found that this
actually works OK on blemishes and other facial imperfections like
dark spots. I will almost definitely be repurchasing this when it
runs out.
Fragrance: Killer Queen by KatyPerry
What can I say about this that I
haven't said already? How about that I found a gift set on sale for
half price at Rite Aid the day after Christmas and couldn't pass it
up. Now, not only do I have a backup perfume, I also have shower gel
and lotion. Totally rocks!
Where would I be without this cream? I
would be a giant, scaly mess, that's where. This cream
single-handedly saved my face from increasingly dry, scaly, red
patches that were making it impossible to wear makeup, weren't
responding to anything else, and were on the verge of cracking. I
have used it at least once a day since I bought it, and have already
bought a replacement for when my tub runs out.
Hair: Hair Oil, such as JohnFrieda Frizz Ease Nourishing Oil Elixir with Argan Oil
Hair oil has become a staple in my
daily routine. I have found several that I can apply to my damp
hair, and it will help tame frizzies as it dries naturally. And
needing so little, I can add a little more to the ends later in the
day on days with really bad fly-aways.
Book: The Fault in Our Stars by
John Green (completed 3/18/14)
This was, hands down, the best book I
read all year. The story struck close to home in certain ways, and I
was definitely fully invested in the lives of the characters. The
movie was a very good adaptation, but like most, it just couldn't
compare to the book. I laughed out loud and cried real tears, which
meets my qualifications for a good book. This was one of the few
that did that this year.
Movie (fiction): The
Secret Life of Walter Mitty (viewed 1/4/14), Chef (viewed 5/16/14),
Whiplash (viewed 11/22/14)
These
three movies are all different, yet all similar in that they are
stories of men searching for themselves. Walter Mitty does so by
taking a trip around the world in search of a photograph for work.
In Chef, the main character finds his passion again, for life,
cooking, and family, by opening a food truck and driving it across
the country. And in Whiplash, a young man strives to be the best
drummer in the world, by pushing himself and by being pushed by a
strict professor. Each of their stories are different, yet, at their
core, they are the same.
Movie (documentary): One
Last Hug (viewed 4/19/14)
I
haven't been able to get this short film out of my head since I saw
it in April. Maybe it was because it struck close to home. Maybe it
was because it gave me ideas for the future in case they become
needed. The film is about a grief camp for children who have lost a
close loved one. The camp takes place over the course of one
weekend, and focuses on children in all stages of grief who lost
loved ones from several different means. I was so moved by the film
that after, I looked up the featured camp and grief camps in general.
TV: TGIT
I talked about this a few months ago,
and it holds true today. I've been watching Grey's Anatomy
and Scandal since the beginning, and they continue to hold
their own if not improve each week. But the newcomer this year, How
to Get Away With Murder, had some real stunner moments so far
this season. I'm interested to see what they do when the show comes
back after the winter break.
Trend: Matte Lips
I love that this has come back around
full force. I was semi-into this in the 1990's, and now that I'm
older, I feel more confident to wear it proudly. I love being able
to wear a matte purple lip and not look totally out of place.
Other Greats from 2014: Wet
and Wild (so much better than when I was a teen); shopping the sales;
high end sample sets (get to try out products without spending a
fortune on full-size products I don't know if I'll like); reaching
Platinum level at Ulta and VIB at Sephora (although feel a little
guilty about that as well); beauty boxes in general (Birchbox, Ipsy, Target, Walmart).
Biggest Disappointments of the Year:
Cancer (should be on the top of the list every year); perfume samples
in non-spray testers (I have so many I haven't used up because of
this); trying to find a foundation as a fair-colored neutral
(everything seems to be either too pink, too yellow, or too orange;
BB creams have worked best, and yellow can be made to not look so
sickly)
What tops your list this year?
Anything at the bottom that I should make sure to stay away from?
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