Guest Post: Best New Drugstore Makeup of 2014

HI! My name’s Jenna and I’m so happy that Jennifer is letting me guest post today on her blog. It’s nice to meet you all. Big shout out to the Canadian Beauty Bloggers Network for setting up some amazing guest posts this month!

Over at my own blog, Northern Beauty, I’m a big advocate for affordable and simple beauty, so when the theme of “the Best of 2014” was announced, I knew I’d write about the best drugstore products. Instead of the same old list I seem to be seeing anywhere (I swear, just search Pinterest for “best drugstore” and you’ll see a lot of the same items), this is the best drugstore releases of 2014: products that are fairly new from the drugstore that I think are the best of the year.

Urg, it was all I could do not have soooo many runner-ups because there have been some really great cosmetics that I’ve tried this year!! In fact, my first list had a runner-up area. But, in the spirit of being minimalistic, I was cut throat in the end and just went with my number 1 picks:

1) Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation: This is pretty new, and I’ve tried some pretty great foundations this year (yeah drugstore brands!), but this one takes my top prize. The color range is good, it spreads on evenly, and for a matte finish, it makes my skin glow in a natural, non-oily or highlighting way. I LOVE IT!! And it glides on so quickly. Quick application means me happy.

2) Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder: I have to admit: my first impression of this product wasn’t the greatest. The lightest color shade was too dark for me. I did use it as a light contour/bronzing powder and have to admit I really liked it. While there were other powders I liked more (probably because the color was better for everyday), I was overwhelmed with friends telling me how much they loved it and, after some research, the beauty community seemed to agree.

3) Rimmel Stay Blushed Cream Blush: I love, love, love this stuff. I really think I need to get all the colors, I’m that obsessed (and I never do that!). It glides on well with fingers or brush, the colors are varied which means a shade for any occasion or skin tone. And a little bit goes a long way so they will last a long time. I have a post, “Don’tForget to Blush: Rimmel Stay Blushed!” about my favorite shade, Peach Flush.

4) Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick: These lipsticks are awesome! The main gimmick with them is that they feel like a lip butter, all soft and smooth and moisturizing, yet has the color payoff of a vibrant lipstick. I love it, it feels great on and the lipstick clips in to a lock position when you twist it down. My favorite so far is Poinsettia, a great little holiday red.

5) Maybelline The Nudes Palette: This palette got some mixed reviews, mostly because the consistency and pigment doesn’t quite compare to some high-end brands. However, a lot of people love this and I’m one of them. Because they aren’t quite as potent, it’s great for beginners: easy to blend out but not so potent that one swipe will deposit a bunch of unwanted color. You can do so many looks, I lived off this palette for at least a month straight when I first bought it and it’s still a go to!

6) Maybelline Pumped Up Colossal Mascara: Okay, so if you’re a fan of subtle, natural lashes this might not be the one for you. I personally love a long, full lash look and was blown away by this formula and brush. I’ve tried almost every single mascara from Maybelline and this is the one I went to repurchase out of their many releases in 2014. It doesn’t clump up, it lengthens and it really boosts your lashes!

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A huge thank you to Jenna for sharing her picks! What drugstore products have been your favourites of the year?