As a beauty blogger, I read a lot of different beauty blogs. It can be difficult to resist buying a hyped-up product, and it's so disappointing when it doesn't live up to the fuss around it. After many trials and errors, I've scraped together the best of the best (in my opinion) of products that are worth the hype.
For eyeshadows, the most hyped-up palettes are without a doubt the Urban Decay Naked Palettes. I have the Naked2 and Naked3 Palettes and absolutely love them both. But the Naked2 will always have a special place in my heart, as it was the first fancy makeup product I ever bought. Urban Decay has some of my favorite eyeshadow formulations - you can't get a better combination of intense pigmentation and buttery soft textures. Another eyeshadow palette worth the hype it gets is the Lorac Pro Palette. This has such a great range of colors in it that if I really wanted to get rid of all but one of my palettes, this would be the one I would keep (I'm sorry, Naked2). These shadows are intensely pigmented and also super soft and buttery, however they kick up a little more powder than the Urban Decay shadows. One last eyeshadow favorite comes from Charlotte Tilbury - her Luxury Palettes are perfectly coordinated quads. I have two, the Dolce Vita and the Fallen Angel and I don't think I could ever go without them again. I'm probably sounding a bit like a broken record here, but these shadows are also extremely buttery - probably the softest of the three I've mentioned. They aren't as pigmented as the Urban Decay or Lorac shadows, but they build up beautifully, so you can customize the amount of pigment you want, from a sheer wash of color to a more intense smoky eye. (Side note, I can't believe how well these palettes photographed - they certainly don't look this unused in person!)
For brows, you really can't get better than Anastasia Beverly Hills. Ever since I tried the Brow Wiz pencil, I was completely converted and convinced that brows are important. I've since moved on to the Dipbrow Pomade because it lasts longer without fading and holds my brows in place without needing a separate brow gel, but I still always keep a Brow Wiz in my stash for days when I'm really in a rush. Both can be used to produce an extremely realistic brow look, or a more intense, sculpted brow. I myself go for a more natural brow, but I'm always in awe of those perfectly drawn on brows (I'm not that skilled - teach me your ways!).
For face products, all the hype around the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes is true. The NARS concealer is honestly the best one I've ever used - it gives great coverage without being cakey, and it's creamy, but not so creamy that it melts off halfway through the day. It's got great longevity - my face is infamous for eating all my makeup but this just stays put until I wash it off at night. As for the Tarte blushes, I only have the shade Exposed, but it's the one blush I have that I reach for the most. It's super pigmented, but it's really hard-packed in the pan so it's really hard to pick up too much product - it's practically foolproof. I don't keep my makeup on for 12 hours so I don't know if it lives up to that claim, but it certainly lasts all day on me without fading. I'm dying to add some more colors to my collection, especially Natural Beauty.
Lastly, for lips the products I've seen given the most hype have been MAC lipsticks, of course. MAC makes some of my favorite lipstick formulas (the Lustre formula is my favorite of theirs), and their shade range is the absolute best. Whenever I'm killing time at the mall I'll always make sure to swatch a few new lipsticks from the MAC counter. I've only got six in my collection now, but I'm constantly adding more to my wishlist. I'm also obsessed with the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments and the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors. Both get a lot of hype that's totally deserved. The Fresh lip balms feel so nourishing on the lips and smell delicious. I have the Tulip and Plum shades, which take me through the entire year - Tulip is perfect for spring and summer, while Plum is great for fall and winter. The Lip Perfectors have quickly become one of my favorites because they're the most moisturizing, least sticky glosses I've ever tried. They also gently plump the lips because they're so hydrating. I love the sponge-tip applicator and the sheerness of the tint to allow your natural lip color (or whatever you have on underneath) show through.
What are some products you think are worth the hype that surrounds them?