2021 Roundup The Hails and Fails of the Year

Hi lovelies,

It’s our final post of the yer and what a bloody year it’s been. Ending on tradition with the yearly round-up of our Hails and Fails of 2021…boy we’ve got through a lot of makeup this year.

Welcome to the RachNevsBeauty Hails and Fails of the year: a selection of products that have delighted or horrified us. If you think we’ve missed something or you disagree with us make sure you add a comment. I actually think we have more hails than fails this year. Some of these products were released this year and some of them weren’t. However they have all contributed to my year of discovery.

Hails

Y’all know we love our P.Louise here so it’s hardly surprising that three products have made this years Hails list. First up are the Fresh Ink cosmetic paints released as part of the cancelled collection (see here). The black and white paints are pigmented, versatile, long lasting and don’t need to be set with powder. The Squad Ghouls duo-chrome pigments (see here) are a new addition to my collection but I’ve been using them regularly for my christmas series. I love em. They have the most amazing shift in pigment and last hours without creasing.

The first palette to make the list is the Sample Beauty Equalizer Volume 2 (see here). Surprising as the mattes can be a little difficult to apply evenly however using a gradual build and blend technique keeps them even and easy to blend. The shimmers however are what set Sample Beauty apart. Their shimmer formula is stunning; soft, smooth with amazing colour and shine. They never disappoint. To be fair I loved the Equalizer Volume 1 too but for different reasons (see here).

The NikkieTutorials x Beauty Bay Pressed Pigment palette (see here) is another recent addition to the colletion but again I’ve fallen in love. Everything from the packaging to the shades chosen screams Nikkie and the formula is stunning. The shades are pigmented yet apply evenly and are so easy to blend.

It’s rare I list a 9 pan palette on the yearly roundup however the Kim Chi Chic Beauty Virgin Mojito palette is so stunning that I had too (see here). Some of the best greens I’ve found. Now I just want more of them. They’re so pigmented and easy to blend without the patchiness often found in green eyeshadow. The shade range does allow for a fair amount of versatility too.

Final palette on the list I promise…there’s just been so many good items this year. The No More Nudes palette was part of the initial launch for Dramatique Boutique (see here). Great mix of shades that are fairly pigmented and easy to blend. They work well with other palettes too. The glitters are stunning although take care when removing them as the particles are quite chunky.

To finish off any eye look you’re gonna be needing some lashes. Personally, I think the Doll Beauty lashes are the best ones I’ve tried this year (see here). All the lashes have a thin, flexible band that makes for easy application. Even the thick fluffy lashes have a thin band. There are a range of styles available from natural to full lashes and all are lightweight and reusable.

For removing all your makeup, I’ve not found anything better than the Superfacialist Vitamin C Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (see here). Boy does this remove makeup. It’s perfect for around the eyes and breaks down most products quickly without being harsh on the skin. It’s also easy to wash away with soap or a cleanser and doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily after use.

So my final product isn’t makeup but it is definitely a highlight of the year. Leeds Candle Company launched last year with a range of scents however it was the Cherry Bakewell one that caught my eye (see here). Best candle I’ve smelt without a doubt although I’m probably bias to the smell of bakewell tarts. This smells exactly like a Cherry Bakewell and fills a medium room. It lasted me about half a year too.

Fails

It doesn’t seem as though we’ve come across many fails this year which is always a good thing. Same as last year I think the majority of this list came out of my monthly Glossyboxes.

The Daily Concepts reusable rounds weren’t bad as such but they weren’t great. Especially when compared to other reusable makeup remover products. These literally left lint all over my face as well as makeup. Not a good look really.

I just didn’t get on with the DWTN Paris liquid blush unfortunately. Tried multiple application techniques but it was patchy as hell and I struggled to blend it out.

One that didn’t come out of a Glossybox was the Makeup Revolution Skull highlighter in witches potion. Highlighter should not be that dark…ever! Great for other makeup effects but definitely not as a highlighter as it leaves you with a grey tinge.

So this one mostly made the fails list because of the hype surrounding it upon release. The Wishful Skin Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub. Massive hype on this product but honestly I’ve had better for much less…and this left my face dry.

The Sport FX Wipe the Day Away Wipes had and still have some potential. Duo wipes for eyes and face with different removal products. The ones for the eyes are horribly oily even for me and they don’t work as well as the Superfacialist oil. Plus the wipes are quite rough on the skin which can leave it tender especially on the eyes.

That’s pretty much it I’m afraid. There have been so many good makeup discoveries this year that I had to get real picky with my hails list. I can’t wait to see what’s planned for next year. Well I suppose that’s it for 2021…Happy New Year everyone. Let’s hope 2022 is better although that’s what I said last year and look where we are now.

Thanks for reading and for sticking with us for another year. I hope you will join us next year for more discoveries, trials and errors. Hit the follow button for updates or sign up to our newsletter for extra goodies.

Rach xx