The Best Of A Very Sweet Blog 2017

Grab your popcorn! Save this post! I had a lot of favorites for 2017! Let's get started!

IT Cosmetics

Towards the end of 2017, I was invited to an IT Cosmetics ULTA Masterclass and IT Cosmetics L'Oreal Happy Hour at The Saint Hotel here in New Orleans. These meetings also led to a collaboration with IT Cosmetics, where I was able to try pretty much the entire IT Cosmetics makeup & skincare collection. Below are some products that just WOW'd me! I LOVE their entire Confidence in a Cleanser, Moisturizer and Eye Cream Collection. I've been using it since October! I just finished the cleanser last night. My dry skin has really done well with this. I also love their Miracle Water. It really adds hydration and plumps up my skin. I'm really into cleansing balms to remove makeup. If you love Clinique, I ask you to try their Bye Bye Makeup Cleansing Balm. Again, I usually detest fragrance in skincare, but this is the most delightful pina-colada scent. I look forward to removing my makeup with this cleansing balm. I just finished this jar as well (I scraped the edges LOL). IT Cosmetics made me aware of the difference between chemical and physical sunscreen! I'm now making the switch. I've never filled in my eyebrows before and I love the ease of their Brow Power! It looks so natural. Plus a portion goes to a great cause (Look Good Feel Better). I love their Confidence in Your Glow and also their IT Cosmetics Vitality Gloss. I got to meet Jamie Kern Lima. She was so personable, nice and sweet. I want to thank IT Cosmetics for everything. It truly made my 2017.

REN Skincare

You guys know, I LOVE REN Skincare. Nearly everything I've tried is OUTSTANDING! Well, three more products you can add to your list is REN's V-cense Revitalizing Night Cream, Instant Firming Beauty Shot (literally a face lift in a bottle) and their Invisible Pores Detox Mask. I plan on trying more from REN in 2018. The have a vast amount of skincare products.

Kiehls Skincare

Three products that really dazzled me from Kiehl's Starter Kit was their Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. It felt so nourishing to my undereye area. Their Midnight Recovery Serum. It has a soft lavender scent that is so soothing at night. Plus you wake up with super soft skin. I was also very impressed with their Ultra Facial Cream. It provides continuous moisture! Love it.

Super Impressive Skin and Body Care Products

The beginning of this year, I was asked to try a brand called Mad Hippie. I was super skeptical, but let me tell you... Their creamy cleanser and vitamin A Serum really impressed me! I don't think I would've tried this brand on my own (at least not right away) and it is good! Another skincare brand that I was impressed with (and was asked to try) was Lumene. It's an affordable brand (Walmart) that works super duper well! What I tried was their Klassikko (classic) line and my dry skin loved it. So 2017 for me, presented other options in skincare besides my beloved REN (IT, Mad Hippie, Lumene). It's good to have options. I was very impressed with Tatcha (but I need to try another kit more suitable to my skin type). For night time, I LOVED Drunk Elephant's Virgin Marula Oil + Glycolic Night Serum DUO! OMG'd, you wake up to super soft fabulous skin. For your neck decolletage area, I love MURAD's. I have to try more Dr. Dennis Gross! His daily peel pads are absolutely amazing! You FEEL the difference after using just one. I love Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. A pr person sent me some Kat Burki Marine Collagen Gel that plumps up the skin. Take care of your hands! Deborah Lippmann's Marshmallow really does a great job exfoliating and softening hands. I got to try Paul & Joe's makeup primer. Usually pretty doesn't equal effective. That is not the case with this primer. I was sent a blendSmart 2 rotating mechanical makeup brush. I loved Doll 10's and this was is even more effective. Aveeno sent me their new body yogurt the beginning of this year. It's really moisturizing and feels so good to the skin. Put it in the fridge to chill. Feels great. Oh how I love Lush's Yummy Mummy! I wish they made it year-round! Now I see why everyone scrambles for it around Spring. Last, Bath & Body Works came out with an At The Beach Collection. It smells so good! I hope they release it again. My mom is still holding out to the last bits of the spritz. She loves it. That's how good it is.

Colourpop

I'm late to the party, but I jumped on the Colourpop bandwagon (Sand Collection, Yes Please, I Think I Love You) this year. Affordable and even better quality than some well established makeup brands. I love their shadows, blushes, super shock shadows and highlighters. The only negative is towards the end of the year, they started revving up collections. A little too fast in my opinion, and a couple of palettes suffered. So I hope they don't become greedy like some other brands (ahem).

Too Faced Cosmetics

I love Too Faced, but they had too many collections this year. LOL But then I have to stop myself and correct what I just said about them (and what I learned this year as a beauty enthusiast). Remember this ... NOT EVERY COLLECTION IS FOR YOU! If a brand comes out with 20 collections, you don't need to buy them all. BUY what works and speaks to YOU! For me, it was their Sweet Peach Collection and Peaches & Cream Collection. It compliments me and works with my complexion. I super duper loved Kandee Johnson's x Too Faced party! I loved her party, the packaging, and the pr packages. The makeup didn't work for me. I loved the makeup bag Too Faced made while collaborating with Skinny Dip. I loved Gingerbread Man and On Point which was a Sephora VIB Rouge exclusive. I'm no longer VIB Rouge. I am now VIB and I'm ok with that. I purchased only what I wanted, but I think I'm going to be an ULTA Diamond next year. The have superb perks and give you money off purchases (points).

Tarte

There were four products that really impressed me with Tarte! The beginning of the year, they came out with Tarteist Pro Glow. You can highlight & contour with this palette. I really feel it works with all skin tones. I get the hype about Shape Tape! I haven't found another concealer comparable. I loved their Tarte Toasted, but I love Urban Decay Naked Heat better. I really loved their Double Duty Beauty blush/highlighter duos.

L'Oreal

L'Oreal is just a staple in great makeup! I was asked to collaborate with them & Rite Aid the beginning of this year. If you want a great drugstore but not drugstore quality lipstick, purchase a L'Oreal lipstick. Excellent quality! Their Infallible eye-shadows are superb. I love these metallic ones. I was also impressed with their eyeliner.

Becca

Oh Becca! I went bonkers over two of their palettes this Summer. It's the PEACHY vibe done right! I loved the way their Sunchaser and Chrissy Teigen palette looked on me. They gave you the bronzer, blush and highlighter in ONE palette. Their blushes are really cool as well.  

Urban Decay

I had put Urban Decay on the back burner. They came out with stuff that didn't impress me. But when they released Urban Decay HEAT, my eyes LIT UP! Such a gorgeous palette. It is a beautiful thing. I was overwhelmed by all of their Vice Lipsticks (are there 500?), but I took a deep breath, said to myself I love metallics and picked one. The quality is excellent. My blog buddy Ashley sent me one of their Afterglow blushes in Fetish and it's an everyday staple for me.

Pixi Beauty

I've collaborated with Pixi for about two years now. Three products really impressed me this year. Aspyn Ovard's blush highlighters. I'm smitten with Rome Rose. I also love their Vitamin Wake Up Glow Mist. Great morning pick me up! Their Beauty Sleep Cream is a very dreamy night cream. Soft skin when you wake up. Pixi Beauty PR sent me a huge personalized Glow Tonic! I don't want to open it. LOL

Benefit Cosmetics

I have two new loves from Benefit. They came out with Galifornia (blush) and Dandelion Twinkle (highlighter). Watts Up is an oldie but GOODIE! It's such a pretty highlighter.

Sweet Perfumes & Even Sweeter Events

I will be reviewing more perfumes in 2018. I love Viva La Juicy Sucre. It smells like cake & icing ;) New York City is THE BEST! There's always something to do. Whipped Cream performed by The American Ballet Theatre at The Metropolitan Opera House looked so delightful. It was only there this Summer, but I hope it tours. Would love to see it! I purchased an older cd (so 90's) to hear the songs and it's wonderful. Also in Japan, All You Eat Is Love! I always look forward to seeing what Harbour City comes out with during their annual Chocolate Trail.

Highlighters and Illuminators

My highlighter draw is filled to capacity! LOL If you are looking for an excellent GOLD highlighter go with Anastasia Beverly Hills So Hollywood and MAC re-released Oh Darling. If you're not big into highlighters, I loved this affordable beauty from Makeup Revolution (Ultra Pro Glow) that gives you a lot selections.

Lipsticks and Other Makeup Goodies

I miss cute MAC makeup collections! Are you listening to me MAC? Love this Betty Boop lipstick. Cute packaging. Pretty red lipstick. MAC just makes great lipsticks. I love their intensity. I also fell in love with the quality from Bite Beauty, Marc Jacobs, and Lipstick Queen continues to impress me. I love Lime Crime's Perlees, NYX Intense Butter Glosses and Gerard Cosmetics Metal Mattes. Jouer's Skinny Dip Collection was superb. Her makeup bags are fabulous. Mally came out with a really cool muted eyeshadow palette. Butter London is now back on my radar. Their bronzer clutch is really good. And Deborah Lippmann came out with a beautiful bed of roses nail lacquer collection the beginning of this year, with colors that were right up my alley.

Home Fragrance, Soaps & Candles

Bath and Body Works always knocks it out the park with their Fall home fragrance collections. But let me tell you! They don't keep a big stock anymore! I thought I could go back for some of their things and they were GONE! So now you better get when you can! I was sent a LAFCO candle in Daffodil. It's huge and I still have 1/2 of it left. It is SO GOOD in the kitchen! It's great while cooking! It absorbs and eliminates all odors. Everything smells so fresh. Aveeno sent me this Replica Candle the beginning of the year. Oh God! I have to check out the Replica line because it smelled so good. It's also a very CLEAN burning candle.

Halloween and New Orleans

I think Halloween is my favorite holiday. LOL I love showing you guys how homes (here and here) are decorated each year here. I love dressing up. I was a waitress this year. My local Baskin & Robbins has a local artist to decorate their windows through the holiday season. I also collaborate with local brands such as Community Coffee, that do so much for the state of Louisiana.

Fashion

I dabbled in fashion this year. Oh Concept Collection Sent me this fabulous tie-dye skirt. eShakti sent me a beautiful accordion pleated dress. And a cool company called Life Is Good which benefits kids in need sent me this tshirt. I plan on showing you more out of my own personal closet in 2018. Whew! I didn't realize I did so much in 2017. That's why I always like this end of the year post :) See you guys in 2018!

A Special Thanks To All My 2017 Sponsors & Collaborators

L'Oreal, Rite-Aid, IT Cosmetics, ULTA, Mad Hippie Advanced Skincare, AVEENO, Pixi Beauty Ambassador, MURAD, Lalicious, Lavanila, Paul & Joe Beaute, blendSMART, Lumene, Kat Burki, Kerstin Florian, Colgate, Models Own, The Beauty Crop, Rimmel London, LAFCO New York, eShakti, Oh Concept Collection, Community Coffee, Behrman Communications, Click Intelligence and Media Buzzer.