House of Bren: Beauty Buzz: Best of 2014!

I’m not sure where 2014 went… such a typical question to pose at the end of the year but it’s a valid one. If the events of the preceding year were amazing, then the year surely flew by according the adage “time flies when you’re having fun!” If it wasn’t so epic, the end couldn’t come fast enough. In my case, the former applies and I’m left totally baffled wondering where mine evaporated to!

So many amazing things happened (like cooking with Carson Daly!; or talking food and wine with J. Lo on the Today show!; or going to Europe for 3.5 weeks!) and those amazing things also kept me from doing everything that I needed to do before 12/31. I did, however, allocate quite some time playing with some of my favorite things in beauty, fashion, tech, travel gadgets and more. And even though I spend most of my time on the road, traversing the highways and skyways, the true fun was experimenting with all of the beauty and makeup that came out in 2014.

I got my hands on at least 300 or so products but the real task was editing down to top 10. I featured some of my favorite finds in the luxe annual gift guide, but of everything I tried from January through December, these here were my favorites based on how quickly I went through them and my reorder. And, they just worked marvelously, honestly.

Lancome always treat me right. I think they’re more on the sophisticated end of makeup, but they work superbly well for every day. Their mascara still tends to be number one. But their new oscillating wand is major. It even converted my sister, the ultimate non-makeup person. She loves that thing. And that makes me incredibly happy. And the cover-up stick is genius for dabs and dots here and there works natural wonders. I’ve been mostly using it for under eye and little brown spots after that unkind monthly visit.

Bobbi Brown never fails either. If for nothing else, her packaging and purpose. She is a master at rolling out products that benefit great causes, especially those charitable to women and girls. But her packaging is attractive. Look at her Scotch on the Rocks collection! Oohlala. The lipstick were gorgeous but the eye palette is everything! Have you seen that croc-embossed case?! Yes and yes!

And, noteworthy, L’Occitane‘s Aromachologie relaxing oil is opulent and luscious. I’ve been swearing by it since it launched earlier this year. Among their other collections, which were great (the Almande!), this one just stood out the most!

Oh, and so many other amazing and really effective products made my ‘I Love List;’ too many to really share here, but these 10 above have been mainstays in my repertoire. Every one of them either enhanced my look, made my application process easier, or just made me feel good. And isn’t that what a lot of this is about…

But, let’s be real here. Of everything in the world I could possibly try, L’Oreal’s True Match Crayon is the best thing ever invented. So much, I am frequently stopped and asked what under eye and spot corrector I use. That little stick is everything in my life. Everything.

There were a good 30 more I could get into (Shiseido foundation, Sothy’s lipsticks, Bobbi Brown CC cream, Aerin’s perfumes — every single one of them, Smashbox eyeliner, Artistry Beauty skincare, Laura Mercier caviar sticks, etc..), but these were almost daily hits…even if they came out toward the holidays.

1. Bobbi Brown Art Sticks
2. Lancome Oscillating Mascara
3. Nyakio Face with Kola Nut
4. L’Occitane Aromachologie Oil
5. Clinique Nutcracker Suite Collection
6. L’Oreal TrueMatch Crayon
7. Bobbi Brown Scotch on the Rocks Warm Eye Palette
8. Les Couvents Gardners’ Hand Healer
9. Lancome Gold Glitter
10. Lancome Maquicomplet Concealer (honey)

What were your top beauty prods this year??

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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36 thoughts on “Beauty Buzz: Best of 2014!”

I love this. I follow your blog and always wonder if you really test these things. It is a lot! But I love how you share what you like about them. You sound very convincing on the Loreal stick. Will have to check that out. I don't have a favorites list but one go to balm is by Fresh. And I did like the Orico brand oil you suggested in of your guides. Keep the reviews coming! Thanks!

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