Beauty Bits: Brands You Need To Know About

I have said this time and time again – one of my favorite aspects of blogging is having a reason and subsequently a platform to experiment with products and brands that I may not have otherwise tried or been exposed to.  Even as avid a beauty lover as I am, I used to get myself stuck in a beauty rut and didn’t explore brands that were unfamiliar to me.  Blogging has forced me to take more of a (for lack of a better term) guinea pig approach to trying new things, so that hopefully I can share my findings with others, and take away the guess work for them.  The selflessness just abounds on this blog if you didn’t know ….it’s a wonder I haven’t received a Nobel peace prize yet.  But goodwill acts aside, there have been 4 brands that stood out to me over the past year and that good news must be shared with all of you.  You. Are. Welcome.

1. Koh Gen Do – It began with the Cleansing Spa Water, a cult classic, and the love affair has blossomed from there.  After trying a few other skincare items (Gommage spa gel and Macro Vintage Essence Mask just to name a few) and being blown away, I ventured over to the makeup side and never looked back.  Their Aqua foundation was the immediate stand out with a finish and wearability like no other – I always say that if I had known about this foundation when I got married, I would have worn it for my wedding.  It deserves that high of an honor.  In the winter I reach for their Maifanshi Moisture Foundation to keep my skin looking hydrated and protected, and recently discovered their Triple Lighting Powder Foundation and rarely go a day without it.

2.  Le Metier de Beaute – Another makeup brand, another holy grail foundation.  I was introduced to this brand a few months ago after admiring them from afar for years.  I have watched them grow and expand their product line, to the accolades and praise of beauty insiders and experts.  My first love from the line was the Classic Flawless-Finish Foundation in shade 2 – a product that felt like it was made for me – both in color and in texture.  Perfect skin all day is inevitable when wearing this makeup.  Coming in at a close second were the eye palettes with colors so rich, pigmented, butter soft and effortlessly easy to blend that I understand why they are such a hit. Experimenting with their skincare has yielded just as astounding a result, with their Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo redefining decadent and products like their Replenishing Daily Solution give new meaning to the words luxury skincare.

3. Tatcha – If you have been reading my blog for a while now, it should come as no surprise that I included this skincare brand.  Inspired by the beauty secrets of the ancient Japanese geisha, these products are some of the best investments you could ever make.  Their Deep Rice Enzyme Powder (my favorite product and one that I will never live without again) is one of the best out there and allows for a daily exfoliation that will leave your skin neither irritated or stripped, but rather soft, smooth and glowing.  Also included in the range is an eye cream worthy of the splurge, a cleansing oil that is superior to all others and a range of creams and serums that will leave your skin looking the best it ever has.

4. Hourglass Cosmetics – Now it may seem odd that I included this brand, since it has gained so much momentum over the past few years, but I still feel like it deserves more attention and needs to be in the hands of everyone!  Their Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick was my gateway product, and it only snowballed from there.  Between the Ambient Lighting Powders which are some of the most unique and alluring products on the market, to the luxurious Lip Treatment Oil that has made my lips softer than ever, to my recent discovery of the Nude Lip Stylos that give great color and coverage – there is not one product that this brand doesn’t knock out of the park.