above: Marble + Brass Stand (how I put it together here)

Happy New Year! Wrapping up 2023 with my 2023 beauty favorites! A huge thank you to all of you for your love and kindness. Any kind gesture, no matter how big or small, has meant so much to me. I have appreciated it more than words can express! I’ve really loved connecting with so many other beauty lovers – I’ve loved reading your messages. Thanks for sharing your beauty loves, pictures of your fur babies, new discoveries and more!

This year’s favorites list has a mix of new launches and long-time staples. Here’s what I loved most in 2023.

Best base/face products

Here were my favorites in 2023:

Best skin tone: Too Faced Born This Way Healthy Glow Skin Tint (I wear Warm Beige)

Best Concealer: Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer (I wear Shades N6 to N9 depending on how bright I want the look)

Best Glowy Multi-Tasking Primer: elf Halo Glow Filter (rotate between shades 3 and 4, in action here and here)

Best Setting Powder: Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder (I wear Shade 3, in action here)

Best foundation: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick (I wear Shade VI or VII depending on how light/tanned I am) in action here)

Best Cheek products

So many new favorites in this category, I left so many out but tried to edit my list down to one in each group!

Best highlighter (powder): Chanel Symbols Oversize Highlighters (review here)

Best highlighter (liquid): Gucci Illuminateur de Beaute (review here), most underrated liquid highlighter, I don’t know, it hasn’t gone viral!

Best blush: Gucci Blush de Beaute in True Pink (new shade, on sale here and review here)

Best Cheek Palettes: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit face palettes, my favorite was Leopard (review here)

Best bronzer: Chanel Healthy Glow Les Beiges Cream Bronzer (review here)

Best eye makeup

Best Eye Palette: Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette (review + swatches here)

Best eyeliner: Sisley Phyto Kohl matte (swatches herestill a favorite!)

Best Mascara: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara (best formula that holds a curl)

Best lip products

Favorite lip gloss: Dior Addict Lip Maximizer reformulation (swatches herenew nuances in action here and also here)

Best New Lipstick: YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipsticks (Review herein action here)

Best New Lipstick Formula: Chanel 31 Le Rouge (the colors are very limited in shades, however the formula is one of the best I’ve ever tried! review + swatches here)

Next places: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump and YSL Candy Glaze (Review here)

Perfumes

Most used perfume: Celine Parade (also love Dans Paris, Black Tie and the new Cologne Celeste) – review of all fragrances in the discovery set here

Most worn perfumes: Phlur Missing Person (also loved Father Figure and Vanilla Skin)

New favourites: Guerlain perfumes are also big hits, but I only rediscovered them at the end of the year, I’m still working my way through the Floral Discovery set. I also think the iconic Discovery set has great options, and if you’re willing to splurge, the Advent Calendar Hive of Wonders also has a great selection. (More details in this blog post here).

Skincare & Body Favorites

This was a very foundational year for me in skincare. I pretty much stuck to my tried and tested staples. This year I hope to be a little more adventurous.

Favorite moisturizer: La Mer soft moisturizer

Go-To Moisturizer #2: Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

Best stain treatment: Bliss Clear Genius Acne Gel (Andrew also loves this, it’s strong enough to work as a good acid acne spot treatment but doesn’t leave red marks on the skin)

Best smoothing/refreshing treatment: Sunday Riley good genes

Best Cleanser Splurge: Chanel Sublimage L’Huile Cleansing Oil (feels so soft and smooth, this is the one I repurchase again and again)

Best things to keep skin clear/smooth: Eve Lom Muslin cloths (any muslin cloth will work), but using this helps ensure that all dirt, oil and any detergent residue is removed

Best Body Products: Chanel L’Huile is the best body oil I’ve tried (I love Vanille) and the Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Body Cream has been a lifesaver for dry skin flare-ups.

Best New Attempt: Botox! I did it for the first time in May and I really loved the results. We went to @marissathepa in Boca Raton (she’s amazing!) I got 40 units for the first time and it lasted a good 3.5 months. I fully intended to do it again but didn’t plan far enough in advance and when we were in Miami in December they were fully booked. Debating whether to find someone local or wait until we’re back (I think I’ll wait).

Hair care lover

Best Hair Tools: ghd Platinum+ Styler is my go-to for smooth straight hair or soft waves. I love this one because it turns off automatically, it’s set to a single temperature, plates have sensors to keep a constant temperature, the edges of the plates don’t touch the skin so I never burn myself with this. See in action here and here.

Most used hair care: Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo + Conditioner – I use these so much I ended up buying the liter pump bottles and have since repurchased the liter refills, definitely a huge OUCH for the wallet but the formulas are my favorite

Essential Hair Styling Product: R&Co Dart Stick for my baby flyaways, since my hair is regrowing this year, I usually order from Neimans or Amazon, it’s small enough to keep in my purse.

Miscellaneous

Best launch of the year: The Chanel Code Couleur mirrors, nail files, brush sets were so much fun, I wish I had bought all the colors, I hope they do something like this again! These sold out almost instantly, review here.

Most worn polish: Olive and June Quick Dry Nail Polish in Sandy (this is the best sheer baby pink that dries quickly and the one that got the most compliments this year). Many shades are available at Target, but it looks like this one is only available at Olive and June.

Thanks again for following along. I’m looking forward to the new year! I know New Year’s Day is really just another day, but I feel like it’s a good time to reset and get a fresh new start. The past 12 months have been challenging and incredibly difficult for me personally, so I really cannot express how much your kindness has meant to me.

Would love to hear about your favorites!