Well friends, another year has been completed and we're mere days away from ringing in 2025. It sounds like a fake year, something you hear in an episode of The Jetsons, but believe it or not, it's real. I don't really know how I feel about 2025 yet -- I think it's going to be a great year for me personally but for the collective world, I think we're in for some trouble. I hope I'm wrong! 

2024 was an interesting year, and I need to make the time to really reflect, but I think I had a good one. My mental health was better in a lot of ways, I traveled, I celebrated, I rested and I conquered some fears. Maybe I'll do a blog post or substack about my year, but for now we're here to talk about beauty products. 

2024 was the year of hair & skin for me; I went through some struggles with both but I think I'm ending the year with a decent rotation of products. While I still hit VIB Rogue this year (and pretty early in fact), I don't think I bought a lot of unnecessary products; the products I did buy became quick favorites and I also realized that most of my favorites were in my collection all along and I didn't need to try something new.

2025 is going to be a year of less stuff, so figuring out what I love and sticking with that. I don't always need something new to satisfy a craving and I need to get comfortable with wanting things versus immediately letting myself have them.

All of that being said, let's get into the products that made up most of my 2024.

*I think it's important to say that everything that I mentioned in my 2023 beauty favorites are still used on a daily basis for me...aside from maybe the Bobbi Brown foundation stick which I still love but found something I like even more. 

I have been so into beauty lately and it feels amazing! For the past few years I haven't really been inspired by anything on the market and was sticking to my old favorites, but something happened recently and I've been loving trying new things. 

Beauty is so fluid, the market and industry is always changing, trends come and go and as someone who has a career in beauty, both professionally & as a side hustle, I'm really interested in how those trends ebb and flow. It's so interesting to watch brands follow suit to what is popular, what editors and influencers are talking about and what new innovation is on the market. That's why I'm a sucker for everything and anything new! 

Right now, I'm all about skincare and so is the industry. Between the change in seasons and maskne, people are more concerned about taking care of their skin, probably because we all are having massive breakouts. That being said, I've been trying a lot of different skincare to help keep my complexion looking healthy, glowing and spot free. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise that there's a lot of skincare products in this post, however a post about a full routine is coming soon.

I've also been super obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury, though that isn't new, but I can't stop using her products. They're the best! 

Let's dive into it, shall we?

Maelove Serums

Fresh Soy Cleanser

This is an oldie but goodie that I restocked during the Sephora VIB Sale. If you haven't tried the Fresh Soy Cleanser you are missing out. It is the most gentle yet effective face cleanser I've ever used. It deeply cleanses without being too harsh or stripping your skin... my face never feels tight or overly clean afterwards. I usually use this at night when I'm not exfoliating my skin with a scrub or I love to use it with my Foreo Luna Mini. It adds a nice gentleness to the exfoliation process that the Foreo gives you. Whenever I use this I'm reminded at how much my dry skin loves it and I really need to stick with this face cleanser because there's nothing better! 

Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Lip Balm

I purchased this Glowgasm lip balm a few months back and have been loving it ever since. It's very reminiscent of the Dior Lip Glow balm as it leaves your lips with the slightest pink tint that matches your pH balance. I don't think this is as creamy and soft as the Dior and I do feel as if leaves behind more color. The packaging is to die for, as usual and I love how the actual lip balm is glittery but doesn't leave behind any glittery residue. It's perfect for throwing on during the day to add a touch of color to your lips without it being overly opaque and sticky. I'm very interested in picking up the red shade too! 

Gua Sha 

What are your current favorite beauty products?

xoxo
B

This was not the year of beauty for me. For the first time in 6 years, I did not obsessively spend money on beauty products... yet I still became Sephora VIB Rouge and Ulta Beauty Platinum so I guess my wallet begs to differ. 

For the majority of 2020, I did not wear makeup. I think I applied foundation five times throughout the past 10 months. At the start of quarantine, I tried to get ready every morning but somewhere around June and July, I couldn't be bothered anymore. 

Aside from not going anywhere where makeup was necessary, no makeup got left behind quite like lipsticks. What is the point of wearing lipstick if you're going to put a mask on top of it and then have it get all over said mask? 

While makeup took a major backseat in 2020, skincare and haircare were on fire... for me and for the beauty industry in general. While I might have one or two 'makeup' items on this list, you'll see more hair and skin care products than ever before. 

I tried a lot of new beauty products this year; I made some big purchases that paid off and others that weren't. I splurged on the Drunk Elephant product that I've been dying for and incorporated new types of products into my routine. Beauty was weird this year but I still had my favorites!

My Favorite Beauty Items of the Year

Drybar Double Shot Blowout Brush

Supergoop Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40

Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Treatment

Charlotte Tilbury Vanish Magic Corrector

Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Push Up Lashes Mascara

Honorable Mentions: 

What were your favorite beauty products of the year? 

There was a moment in time where I wasn't buying a ton of beauty products. I had taken a massive break after being consumed by my collection and I knew I didn't need any more items. I also was less than impressed with whatever was happening in the industry.

However, with the end of winter and the start of new seasons, my love of beauty has been reinstated. Maybe it's because the warm weather brings new and innovative products; everything from hair lighteners to SPF hybrids. It excites me and instills something new in me.

There are so many beauty products I want to try and that's a post for another time but right now, there are so many new beauty products I'm loving and simply cannot stop using.



1. Ouai Sun of a Beach Spray: Something came over me when I saw this product being teased on Ouai's Instagram. I don't know if it was the 11-year-old inside me that desperately wanted blonde highlights or if I was drawn in by the name and packaging. Either way, I scooped it up and have been loving it. I've used this a handful of times, spraying in my hair after a shower, and it smells like a beautiful beach. Is it doing anything for my hair? No, but I love it anyway. Maybe once I sit in the sun (if it ever gets warm in NYC) it'll make a difference to my dark locks.

2. Milk Watermelon Brightening Serum: This was another product I bought on launch day and I have never looked back. My skin is pretty decent but I deal with a lot of discoloration and dullness. Sometimes it looks like my skin is lacking and I just need something to oomf it up. That's this serum! I love the fact that it's a solid serum and it absorbs into your skin super fast so there is no greasy mess to deal with. It's also one of the few beauty products that I notice an immediate difference with; I wake up the next morning and my skin is a little brighter and looks a little evener. It's magic!



3. Trader Joe's Rose Oil: I have a new obsession with Trader Joe's and a continuing obsession with rose scented items. Those two loves have combined to give me this delightful oil. It's not too heavy, sinks into the skin immediately and smells pretty damn good. I don't notice a huge difference but I feel very pampered when I use it -- it's a nice little pick me up and is a lightweight moisturizer for the warm months.

4. Drunk Elephant Baby Facial: My curiosity about Drunk Elephant products is growing by the day and I owe it to the magic Baby Facial. I've never gotten a facial before but using this once a week (or even once every two weeks) has made a huge difference in my skin. The texture has disappeared and discoloration has faded -- this is magic in a bottle and there is a reason it has a cult following. DE is the real deal and Baby Facial is something everyone should have in their skincare routine.

5. Benefit Roller Lash: This is an oldie but a goodie. I've been using Laura Geller LashBOSS for a while but wanted something different. I picked up Roller Lash after using a sample I had and haven't looked back. I've gone through a handful of these in the past few years but rediscovering it was heaven. It has a really unique brush, the perfect wet/dry formula and is truly my favorite mascara of all time.

6. Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealer: If you've been reading the blog for a while, you know how much I love concealers. I was itching for a new one a few months ago and bought the newest Laura Mercier one. It took me a few tries to really like it because I think I got the wrong shade, but now I'm in love and haven't touched Shape Tape in weeks. It's the perfect medium coverage and blends out like a dream. It's not super tacky but is long wearing; it's really everything you could want from a liquid concealer.

What are your current favorite beauty products?
xoxo
B