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Best beauty products of 2015 in the makeup, skincare and nails categories 🙂 These are products that I adored over the year, leave a comment and tell me your 2015 favourite products! Let’s chat 🙂

Some posts and videos that you might find helpful 🙂

Updated Skincare Routine

My Favourite Matte Eyeshadow Formulations

Undereye Concealer Smackdown #3, featuring Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Favourite Foundations featuring Koh Gen Do Aqua

Nail polish I’m wearing in this tutorial

OPI Substantially Tan

Complete List of Products Mentioned

Hourglass – Mineral Veil Primer*

Koh Gen Do – Aqua Foundation in 213*

Urban Decay – Naked Skin Concealer in Light Neutral

Rouge Bunny Rouge – Highlight in Sea of Clouds*

Laura Mercier – Translucent Powder

Australis – AC On Tour Palette (used here)

Urban Decay – Chill Makeup Setting Spray*

Kat Von D – Shade & Light Eye Palette*

Sephora – Outrageous Curl Mascara*

House of Lashes – False Lashes (Iconic, Pixie Luxe, Noir Fairy, Tigress)

Glam by Manicare – False lashes, most notably the Alessandra Lashes* (used here)

Surratt – Brow Pomade

Charlotte Tilbury – Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk

Sunday Riley – Good Genes Treatment

Simple Skincare – Micellar Water

Acrylic Nails

I had a real ball filming this and I hope you love it too <3

xxkarima

* Denotes products sent for consideration. I’m always honest when reviewing products 🙂

Complete list of products mentioned

Good Genes Treatment
Good Genes Treatment
Micellar Cleansing Water
Micellar Cleansing Water
AC On Tour Palette
AC On Tour Palette
Glameyes Lash
Glameyes Lash
Loose Setting Powder
Loose Setting Powder
Naked Concealer
Naked Concealer
Lip Cheat
Lip Cheat
Expressioniste Brow Pomade
Expressioniste Brow Pomade
Shade & Light Eye Palette
Shade & Light Eye Palette
Outrageous Curl Mascara
Outrageous Curl Mascara
Aqua Foundation
Aqua Foundation
Setting Spray
Setting Spray
* Denotes products sent for consideration. Iā€™m always honest with my reviews :)

Leave your comment (31 comments)


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  1. Great video and I love your makeup look here Karima! New look for a tutorial? Also how about a ‘festival’ makeup look or beach for future tutorials sometime?
    I may try out Good Genes, first testing out Alpha-H liquid gold. Charlotte Tobury lip pencil is to die for!
    X

  2. ALL THE HUGS.

    2015 was such a good year for new discoveries for me. My faves…

    * Conscious Skincare Neutralize Face Wash (my skin is normal-to-oily, but I do get breakouts, and this has helped with regards to getting them under control. My daytime cleanser.)

    * Balm Balm Little Miracle Rosehip Serum (I don’t remember if I first tried this in 2014 or 2015, but whatever! It’s a fave! It’s an oil serum that has also been great to my skin. For most of last year I used this twice a day; these days, I use it at night only. You can get it through Feel Unique; US readers can also order it through Beauty Habit.)

    * Simple Micellar Water (I agree; better than the Bioderma ones. I also prefer it over my previous fave, Caudalie’s Cleansing Water.)

    * MUFE Ultra HD Foundation (love this stuff! I may have to order a slightly darker shade or something because I encountered a problem I usually don’t: the lightest shade (Y205), which I have, is actually too light for me!)

    * MUFE Step 1 primers (I own the Mattifying (t-zone) and the Smoothing (across the nose where I’m very porous), and I want the Hydrating one; the little sachet of it that came with Ultra HD is what convinced me to try the other two.)

    * MAC Eyeshadows in Malt, Omega, Copperplate, and Typographic (see my comment on your Best Matte Eyeshadows post ;))

    * Kiss Trio Lashes (♥ It’d be nice if they sold a pack of X-Short clusters, though!)

    * NARS Satin Lip Pencil – Rikugien (lovely!)

    * NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil – Cruella (nnnngh!)

    * beautyblender (after all these years it’s been around, I finally gave it a go, and I Get It.)

    * Chikuhodo T4 (bought it in December, love at first use!)

    * Hakuhodo J142 (of the three Hakuhodo brushes I bought back in June, this is the one that I reach for the most.)

  3. Hi Karima! Loved this video – you are flawless, as ever. So glad to see KGD Aqua has not yet been de-throned. And those nails!! āœ”ļø

    Deep tear troughs – yes!! This is a thing!! Any other tips for how to camouflage them?

    Thank you for all your work, and happy new year! xo

  4. I want to try koh gen do and the urban decay concealer so bad. Do you know if they have any matches for NC15 skin? I really loved many of the Tom Ford collections this year. I really love the highlight nd bronzer duo, the ss15 palette and a matte lipstick in first time. Have you heard about the new Hourglass strobe light powders? I’m quite excited about that launch.

    1. I think the Urban Decay in Neutral Warm would work well for an NC15, but it is a more neutral yellow tone (as opposed to a peachy tone, which you might prefer). Love Tom Ford Matte Lipstick in First Time! Haven’t tried the Hourglass Strobe powders yet but I’ll keep an eye out šŸ˜‰
      x

  5. Love your recommendations Karima. I have tried more than half of your recommendations and love them too, particularly Koh Gen Do. Allow me to share a few of my favourite things:
    1. Ren face cleansing gel – light and effective.
    2. Neal’s Yard Frakincense Refining Cleanser – removes makeup thoroughly and gently.
    3. Tata Harper Replenishing Nutrient Complex – a face oil that feels luxurious and so nutritious on the skin
    4. Aesop’s Fabulous Face Oil – granted it has some undesirable ingredients and smells queer but it really plumps up the skin.
    5. Oceopin Maritime Pine Seed Oil – available only from France (order online). A single ingredient oil that feels beautiful, moisturises and heals parched skin.6. Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense – not matte and not oily, sits well beneath most foundations.
    7. Laura Geller Baked Balance in Brighton Color Correcting Foundation – bought on a whim but astounded me. Applies like a powder but is a foundation with superb blurring and brightening effects. It’s so skin like too, beautiful finish.
    7. Revlon lipstick in Rose Nectar – peach with a hint of pink so it goes with any makeup/blusher look. Perfect for when you want some colour without thinking too hard.
    8. RMS Beauty Lip Shine in “Sacred” – the perfect red that applies with a finger and is not too intense. A fuss free red.
    9. Laneige Serum Intense Lipstick – Korean lippie with great colour payoff that moisturises so well
    10. Korean cushion foundations – these sit so well regardless of what you have underneath in terms of serum, moisturiser or SPF. Some liquid foundations just don’t agree with your skincare and their textures but that’s never a problem with cushion foundations.
    11. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara – I judge a mascara by how easily it is removed. Hate those that continue to cling to your lashes. This one removes like a dream and performs well too.
    12. “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo. Believe the hype. This book is life changing. I got rid of 50% of my stuff (including makeup) without any guilt or regret.

  6. Hi! Great vid! Do you think the brow pomade here is good for sparse brows? Or do you think it would be better to use the Suqqu brow pen or Anastasia brow wiz?

    I feel I’ve been chained to a brow pencil for many years now, so I’m now in the process of growing my brows out (and I’m taking your advice to leave them alone for at least four months). šŸ™‚

    I’ve been using the brow duo (pencil and gel) from Pixi and some days I’ll just use the gel. Do you think the brow pomade here would be better? I really like natural-looking textured brows and lately the pencil I use just looks so…warm and unnatural. Boo. It bothers me when eyebrows look fake.

    Last question–I know you love the Suqqu brow pen (in moss green), but I’ve read it can oxidize and can begin to give off an algae tint by the end of the day. Has this ever happened to you?

    1. Hey J,
      The Surratt Brow Pomade is a clear gel, not a substitute for a brow pen on pencil. I do think the Surratt Brow Pomade would work well on sparse brows, but over your regular colour product.
      SUQQU Brow Pen in Moss Green – yes on some skintones, it can pull a touch algae. Take a look at It Cosmetics Brow Pencil in Universal Grey – it’s a new favourite, a straight grey.
      xx

      1. Awesome! Thank you! Just watched your new vid on the It Cosmetics Brow Pencil. That looks like a winner. I just want to let you know you have totally changed the way I use, see, and buy makeup. Yippee! You make such a positive impact on so many people!

  7. Hey Karima,
    I’d be really curious to hear your thoughts on the new Illamasqua contouring palette. It’s really pricey compared to other contouring palettes, but it looks like there are good colours in there for pale skin. Have you tried it out?

  8. Really liked your favorites list – it’s succinct but thorough! I shall now list my 2015 favorites and demand you read them šŸ˜‰ 1. Sonia Kashuk neutral mat eye palette 2. Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 500 3. Milani Luminoso (thanks to you) 4. MAC Blacktrack (an oldie but a goodie) 5. Diorshow mascara (oh my god esspensive but so good) 6. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation 7. Shiseido cream eyeshadow in leather – WHY DON’T WE TALK ABOUT THIS CREAM SHADOW?! IT’S AMAZING. A very under-rated and talked about product in my humble opinion.

    Happy 2016! Looking forward to your next video šŸ™‚

  9. Karima – Great video! I always go to your blog for makeup reviews because I am really fussy! I’m looking for a concealer to cover acne scars. I know you don’t have them – but would like to know if you have any favorite one that you used on clients? I have tried the Laura Mercier secret camouflage – but it doesn’t work for me and cause outbreaks. I also tried Cleu De Peau concealer – but find that to be too creamy that it will melt after a few hours. I have also tried Nars Creamy concealer – nada.. If you have some advice or have any favorite to cover acne scars. please.. pretty please share?

  10. Regarding nails, have you tried “instant press-on nails” (a name I totally made up BC the actual term escapes me)? A brand called Kiss makes them. They’re slap-and-dash press-on nails. They’re made out of hardish but flexible plastic so they look like acrylic nails but they’re really just stickers. I have a friend who says she has difficult nails and buys boxes of these and they come in all sorts of different sizes and designs. And for the longest time, I just thought she found time for manicure appointments. She says the nails need to be clipped as short as possible or won’t adhere correctly

    1. Yes! They were in my 2014 favourites if I remember correctly šŸ™‚ There was only a handful of styles that fit my nail bed well and in the end, acrylics require less work (one salon visit every six weeks or so) but the Press-On nails are fun šŸ™‚
      xx

  11. Hi Karima! I’ve been a fan from the beginning and love your critical eye for refined beauty. I love most things on your favourites list – except for one thing… I tried the Surrat brow pomade and it left a white cast every single time. I have dark brown/black brow hairs so that could be the reason. Am I doing something wrong?

    1. One other subscriber mentioned this issue. I have dark brows and haven’t experienced any white cast, is it possible that you’re applying too liberally? Maybe try combing with a clean spoolie afterwards?
      x

      1. I tried running a clean spoolie through but that didn’t work. Maybe I was applying too liberally since I was like VOLUMEVOLUMEVOLUME! It definitely does delivers in the volume department like no other. I returned… Just so I could use the money to buy the KGD aqua. I’m working my way through allz your favourites muahahahaha. Much love from Canada.