Best in Beauty 2014

By IMAGE
29th Dec 2014

The end of the year is always a time for reflection. So before we rip the paper off this year’s festive beauty booty, let’s look back and be grateful for the bounty we’ve already received. 2014 was a brilliant year for Irish beauty lovers across the board – so what were the standouts that rocked this reviewer’s world?

1. In the #1 spot it has to be Charlotte Tilbury (read our interview here); when she launched her eponymous line into Brown Thomas this summer it sparked a full-blown obsession. Pretty much everything, from the presentation to the formulas and the shades, is on point – but if we had to pick out a favourite? It would probably be the Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette, which has taken the terror out of contouring. Respect.

Shop it here.

2. Access to our favourite luxury brands became dangerously easy when Space NK opened the doors to its Grafton Street store. We’ve also made several new discoveries – like Oskia Skincare, a lovely line of luxe, natural products that are packed full of innovative ingredients. The Renaissance Cleansing Gel is a new favourite.

Shop it here.

3. One of the best lip launches this year, Estee Lauder’s Pure Colour Envy lipstick feels genuinely different to any other we’ve tried. The gel-like formula is rich in hyaluronic acid, and glides on for a hydrating but long-lasting finish. ?The slick navy packaging, the brand’s first redesign in more than 20 years, is yet another plus point.

Shop it here.

4. At the other end of the budget spectrum, Maybelline’s Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils caused a serious stir. Inviting comparisons to far spendier lip crayons, they deliver richly pigmented, semi-matte colour that is comfortable to wear – and very easy on the pocket. We’ve bought every single shade.

Shop it here.

5. This was also the year that Chanel reformulated their iconic eyeshadow quads, Les 4 Ombres, which were the first four-shadow palettes on the market when they launched in 1982. Now more pigmented and finely milled than ever, the new formula is the brand’s best yet.

Shop it here.

6. YSL Fusion Ink foundation – or, to give it its full title, Le Teint Encre de Peau -? is the foundation that oily skin’s been waiting for. The formula is free from powders or bulking agents, resulting in a lightweight, natural finish that is still long-lasting and demi-matte.