What a year it’s been. Miley Cyrus thought she was going to end 2022 as the most talked and tweeted-about female singer, then Beyonce blindsided us and snatched up the honor in the 11th hour (suck on that, Miley). Selfies literally took over the entire Internet.
The president built the worst website of all time then expected everyone to use it. Anthony Weiner was a perv, Paula Deen was a racist, Justin Timberlake was a God, and I became a 30-something.
But aside from all that, it was a fab year for the beauty world. Here are my awards for the best products of 2013. (Click on the product links for full W+P reviews.)
Gadget: Clarisonic Opal. This vibrator-esque contraption rocked my world. And by world, I mean crow’s feet. It uses sonic infusion technology to work serum into your wrinkle-prone areas way better than your fingers, and I definitely see a difference in my eye and forehead regions when I use it regularly. (As for serum, I’m loving Origins A Perfect World for Eyes).
Lipstick: Urban Decay F Bomb. The badass cosmetic company FINALLY put out lipstick this year (WTF were they waiting for?), and good God, was it amazing. F Bomb is not only the best named lipstick on the planet, but also a creamy, sexy red that’s long-lasting, moisturizing, and well, fantastic.
Mascara: Urban Decay Lush Lash + Cover Girl Clump Crusher. I think Lush Lash is one of the best lengthening mascaras on the market; alone, it gives long, natural-looking lashes for the daytime, but put a thickening mascara on top (I love DiorShow and Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume) and you’re ready for a night out. As for a drugstore cheapie, Cover Girl nailed it with the Clump Crusher, which lives up to its bold name.
Exfoliator: Suki’s Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser + Buff Her. You exfoliate your mug at least once a week, right? Thought so. This year, I fell head face over feet with Suki’s lemon-y scrub (AKA the Jennifer Lawrence of beauty products), and a new, Atlanta-based line called Buff Her, which is natural, food-based powder you mix into your cleanser. Genius.
Face Moisturizer: Origins Make a Difference Plus+. You guys, I found my skin soulmate this year. I have extremely dry skin (like, I could smear olive oil and mayo all over my mug and it would soak it up), and have been on the hunt for a perfect product my whole life. This ultra-rich cream moisturizes like no other without being greasy. If you don’t have super-dry skin, snag the Make a Difference moisturizer for your skin type. Trust me. Game. Changer.
Body Moisturizer: Nivea Skin Firming Body Lotion. Never forget that rough, dry skin equals a rough, dry spell. This lotion with “Hydra-IQ technology for moisture and co-enzyme Q10 complex for skin firming” made my skin feel significantly silkier after just one week. Silky smooth skin = dudes want to touch you (duh).
Nail Polish: Nails Inc. Porchester Square. Remember this gem? As I stated before, “It’s got the light gray-taupe thing going (or um, “muted mushroom,” as they call it), but there’s something in this polish that makes it so magical, which I can only assume is unicorn tears or Adam Levine’s brow sweat.” And of course, the Seche Vite topcoat wins the award for best topcoat this year and forever.
Blush: L’oreal Visible Lift + Pla Cheeky Blush. Comparable to NARS (maybe even better), L’oreal’s cream blush made the grade for awesome, affordable beauty booty this year. And my favorite powder blush has been and probably always will be Pla (I love the Peek-a-Boo and Power Pla hues).
Foundation/BB Cream: Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream + Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick. Per the suggestion of Atlanta makeup magician Julie Benecke, I paired these two and love the results, plus the foundation stick is so handy. HOWEVER, I still use and love Garnier’s Miracle Skin Perfector BB cream (seriously flawless finish), and the most surprising drugstore discovery of the year was Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation. While these are awesome (and cheap), they’re not recommended for super sensitive and/or acne-prone skin.
Hair Products: Recitals. This line was developed by my hairapist Bill Murphy and I cannot express how incredible it is without grabbing your hand and forcing you to feel my hair after using the products. My favorites are the Maestro Mud Masque (serious love for dried out locks) and Ovation Volumizing Spray Oil–use before blowdrying and you will notice a difference in shine, body, and overall beauty, I promise. It’s magic.
2022, you better bring it.
LYLAS,
Ashley