2022 Wrap Up: My Favorite Beauty Products of the Year

 We've made it, kids! We're nearing the finish line of a weird, turbulent but fun year. 2022 was a lot; it was exhausting, sad, strange, challenging but in the same breath, it was fun and interesting. I might do a 2022 wrap up post for my personal life next week but for now, it's all about STUFF.

I've been doing these yearly wrap up posts for a number of years now and I'm excited to continue the tradition for 2022. 

All year long I try and buy a lot of items, in a lot of different categories. I am a self proclaimed shopaholic who loves her stuff and gets bored pretty easily; I am always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to any and everything out there.

That being said, if something ends up on one of these lists you know that I really love it.

First up is my favorite beauty items of 2022. This year was mostly about fragrance and skincare-like-makeup for me; I became obsessed with being a fragrance girlie and collecting scents that made me feel my best. When it came to makeup, everything that was being released or talked about had that skincare like flair, or better yet, a more natural leaning look.

Either way, I loved so many different beauty products this year and I think it might've been my favorite year for beauty yet! 

Dior Backstage Concealer

If you've been around the block with me, you know that I love concealer more than anything else in the world. It is my desert island beauty product, my ride or die, and that's mostly because I have dark circles that Wednesday Adams would be jealous of. I think the circles are getting worse so I've needed to up my game when it came to concealer.

Enter a luxury concealer to end all luxury concealers... Dior Backstage. This concealer was released early in 2022 and I immediately purchased it, mostly because the applicator is incredibly unique. It looks like a paint brush or more notably, a flat paddle foundation brush which is something we have not seen yet. 

The formula is even better than the brush; it is radiant finish (which I think leans a little more natural than most) and is described as medium coverage though I think it's buildable to full coverage. It blends out like  a dream, is very hydrating and is the best at covering my dark circles. This is a concealer that I reach for daily - even when I don't want something that is overly 'done up'. It works as an everyday 'bare minimum' concealer but also is my go to for nights out. 

If you've been struggling to find a good concealer, I cannot recommend Dior Backstage enough. It is the standout product of the year for me. 

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

You know I love something when I include it on this list two years in a row. Rare Beauty has become one of my favorite beauty brands...it might be #2 just under Charlotte Tilbury. The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid blushes had their moment this year and with good reason... it's one of the best blushes on the market. It comes in a variety of shades, you only need a dot or two to get the payoff you want because of the insane pigmentation, and it blends out seamlessly. It's a unique formula that is very liquid but dries down radiant and almost powder like (in my opinion). It gives the perfect flush of color to your cheeks and is one of the few blushes I could wear with only concealer and mascara on my face. 

I wore this blush so much this year it was actually criminal; I ignored most of my other cheek products in favor of them. If you have not tried them yet, please do yourself a favor and order a few shades ASAP. 

Josie Maran Argan Apothecary Body Butter

This body butter saved my life in 2022 so I had to include it here. I was sent the new Argan Apothecary Body Butter by Josie Maran when it launched earlier this year and I was so impressed. My eczema flares up so badly during the winter months and nothing helps - not Cerve, Cetaphil or prescription strength lotion. However, this thick, nourishing and luxurious body butter does help. It's made with colloidal oatmeal and Josie Maran's iconic argan oil. It's approved by the Eczema Association and is fragrance free, along with being free of a lot of other junk. 

It heals my skin, moisturizes it and calms it down. My flare ups and the itchiness that comes along with them seemingly vanish. If you don't have eczema or sensitive skin, I still think you'd love the way this body butter makes your skin feel. 

Merit 1980 Brow

I was introduced to Merit when the brand first launched and they decided to send me some products in PR but the 1980 Brow has been such a standout product. I can't stop talking about it or repurchasing it; it has become the only brow product I reach for in my strangely large collection of tinted brow gels. This sleek, gold tube of magic provides the perfect amount of color and hold to your brow hairs, while adding volume... which sounds so strange but it gives me those fluffy Brooke Shields brows even when my hair is lacking. I think this would be great for someone who doesn't have a ton of brow hair and wants to create the illusion that they do, or if you're looking for something with a little more pizzaz. It might be my favorite brow product of all time! 

Makeup by Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum

I would trust Mario with my life so I trust him with my beauty products, obviously. This was the one product this year that I couldn't stop talking about. I recommended it to everyone - on the blog, on social media, to people IRL... it is so good. The Moisture Glow Lip Serums are the perfect mixture between a balm, gloss and lipstick with an added plumping effect. They glide seamlessly onto your lips and leave you with a true glow versus a glossy finish. The glitter/sparkle particles (which don't feel gritty or annoying) make your lips look so shiny and plump... though the plumping effect helps with that as well. They are just the most gorgeous, unique and comfortable lip products to wear and are the perfect finishing touch to any makeup look.

Replica Bubble Bath Fragrance

I first used Replica's Bubble Bath last year when it was released but I bought (and am halfway finished) with the full size this year and it definitely was the standout fragrance for me. I wore it all spring and summer, and even now will spritz a bit when I want a fresh scent. It is almost an indescribable scent; it's fresh and clean, yet gives a slight cozy vibe. It is one of the best smelling fragrances I've ever used and if you have never smelled it, you need to ASAP. Your life will never be the same.

What were your favorite beauty products of the year?

xoxo
B