My 2021 Beauty Favourites & Lifestyle Highlights

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A Year of Holy Grails and Big Milestones

Happy New Year! We are officially stepping into 2022, which means it is finally time for me to look back and share my ultimate 2021 beauty favourites.

This round up is a little more streamlined than last years post, because I have been heavily focusing on a project pan mindset. I’ve been really committing to using products completely up before replacing them. Because of that, many of my everyday makeup staples remained the same. However, a few standout beauty discoveries absolutely stole my heart this year, alongside some incredible personal life milestones.

Let’s look back at the best of 2021.

Charlotte Tilbury | Pretty Blushed Beauty

Limited Edition

The Verdict: This is, without a doubt, 100% my absolute favourite beauty purchase of the entire year. It is a complete surprise to me, considering that not too long ago I was publicly declaring that I was totally done buying all in one face palettes. However, this formula is unlike any face palette I’ve ever tried. Usually, there are one or two shades in a palette that simply don’t work for my skin tone, but in this one, every single powder sits perfectly. The blush is the absolute standout of the palette; a gorgeous, glowing peachy pink that leaves behind the most stunning, natural sheen.

Natasha Denona | Glam Palette

The Verdict: This one definitely snuck up on me! When I first swatched and used it, I liked it, but it didn’t completely blow me away. However, come October, I decided to give it a proper, dedicated go, and it is pretty much the only eyeshadow palette I have reached for ever since. Cool and neutral tones completely have my heart, making this colour story an absolute dream for my everyday looks.

The deep metallic shade in the bottom left corner has gone a little bit textural in my pan, but I think that’s entirely my fault for using a wet brush.

Revlon | Colorstay Foundation

The Verdict: I am seriously kicking myself for not trying this sooner. How on earth did it take me this many years to pick it up?! It is incredibly affordable, and has been my go to base ever since the day I bought it. I use the Normal/Dry version, and it suits my skin texture beautifully. It never emphasises dry patches, it doesn’t cling to texture, and it lasts flawlessly all day long.

Fenty | Pro Kiss’ R Luscious Lip Balm

Discontinued

The Verdict: I first picked this up in August in the shade Latte Lips (a gorgeous sheer neutral pink). But shortly after, I bought the shade Hint Hint, it is described as having a pink tint, but I haven’t noticed one. It’s just a stunning high shine clear gloss. The formula isn’t greasy in the slightest, feels deeply hydrating, and is incredibly easy to reapply on the go.

St Tropez | Ashley Graham Ultimate Glow Kit

Limited Edition

The Verdict: I picked this up completely on a whim when I ran out of my usual self tanner, and it instantly shot to the top of my list. In fact, I am genuinely sad that this was a limited edition collaboration because the colour payoff is absolutely beautiful. I will say that the included green application mitt isn’t my absolute favourite quality, but it definitely does the job. The actual tan lasts a full week on my skin, fades down completely evenly without going patchy, and gives the most natural glow.

Iced Coffee

This might feel like a incredibly weird addition to a beauty favourites post, but ever since I tried my very first iced coffee back in August, I haven’t looked back! I have never liked hot drinks and I always assumed I just hated the taste of coffee entirely. One sip of a caramel macchiato changed everything. This inclusion might speak volumes about the kind of year 2021 has been, but let’s not look too deeply into that

A Few Days in York

In December, Jake and I decided to take a much needed little winter break and visited the city of York for a few days. We originally had grand plans to travel abroad, but with all the changing travel restrictions, we decided it simply wasn’t worth the stress. It turned out to be the best decision ever! We completely fell in love with York. We wandered through the gorgeous Christmas markets and ate an unbelievable amount of amazing food (which you will know all about if you saw my Instagram stories) It felt so wonderful to finally do something that felt like a real holiday after being stuck at home for so long.

Moving Into Our First House!

We officially packed up and moved into our house on the 29th of January. I honestly cannot believe a full year has already flown by. The time has gone incredibly fast.

Don’t get me wrong, it has definitely been tough at times. It was my very first time moving out of home, and to top it all off, the UK was still in a strict lockdown when we moved. It meant we couldn’t go out to celebrate or shop normally, which was a bit strange. Luckily, we had the foresight to purchase most of our big furniture items before moving day. Over the last twelve months, we’ve made so many changes, and the space is slowly but surely starting to feel like us. We still have a massive to-do list, but watching it come together has been the best part of the year.

Over to You!

Looking back, 2021 was a year of settling into a new home, discovering some absolute holy grail beauty formulas, and falling in love with iced coffee. It wasn’t the year we originally planned, but it brought some beautiful memories along with it.

Let’s chat in the comments!

What were your absolute standout beauty favourites of 2021? Did you discover any hidden drugstore gems like the Revlon Colourstay, or did you make any big life moves too?

Thank you for reading!