Guiltless Goodies: End-of-year list of best of beauty products!

Hi all!

REDBOOK Magazine is the latest to publish its favourite products of the year in the Top Beauty Products of the Year feature in its latest issue. Click here to read the feature in full.


My favourite celebrity blogger, Lainey Gossip, recently blogged on the increasing number of lists we're seeing as we approach not just the end of the year but the end of the decade. I may be a list lover but I too see her point on how sifting through them all can take up some serious time! 


With this list I blasted through the animal testers and threw them out, leaving you with a list of the best and the kindest beauty products out there this year, so take a quick look through this list and feel assured in buying any of these as a treat for yourself or a gift for someone else this Christmas.


*NOTE: Each brand name is a link; if you click on it, it will take you to a website - usually the company's own - that states the company's policy on animal testing.

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

REVIVE...with products that offer instant gratification:


Benefit One Hot Minute, $30

The most flattering non-bronzer bronzer ever: This rose gold face powder adds a touch of warmth so your skin tone looks fresh and fabulous - not fake and baked.

Burt's Bees item removed - it is owned by Clorox


Avon Anew Wrinkle Zone Line Smoothing Duo, $12

Avon took a tip from Penn and Teller, creating a magical duo that makes things disappear. Fill lines in with the soothing balm, then top with the loose powder and...presto! Wrinkles vanish before (and around) your very eyes.


Jonathan Product Green Rootine Dry Shampoo, $19

Give greasy roots the brush-off. When you've skipped the shampoo, this hair powder absorbs oil and adds volume - even on the go, thanks to the clever brush applicator.

Sally Hansen item removed - owned by Coty, Inc.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff, $29.50

Since we all get the recommended eight hours of sleep every night, there's no need for this product. Hahahahaha. Well, thank goodness for this botanical blend that relieves irritation, swelling, and scary undereye shadows.

Too Faced Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer, $30

Take a shortcut to perfect skin. This velvety cream instantly preps skin for makeup (even powder formulas) by smoothing over large pores and fine lines. Meanwhile, skin-smoothing vitamin A goes the distance to repair skin in the long run.

RETOOL...with the best new gadgets and tools:

Sephora Brand Color-Dipped Brush Collection, $18 to $32

(Click on the above link and at the bottom of the page, in the Product Q&A, Sephora state that the hairs on the brush are synthetic, not animal. I have previously stated that Sephora Brand does not test its own cosmetics on animals, although it does sell some brands who do).

Twice as nice: These colorful brushes save space and cash. Each is double-ended so you get two uses in one. Shown in photo above: Every Day Eye Brush, Winged Eye Brush No. 5, Perfect Complexion Brush, Grab 'n' Go Brush, and Smoky Eye Brush.

RELIEVE...the burden on your wallet with beauty products $15 and under:

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipcolor, $11

Long-wearing lipsticks have earned a bad reputation for sucking the life out of your kisser. But this formula gets it right: The satin-finish colors (there are 20 to choose from) have a conditioning topcoat built in so the shades stay on your lips without flaking or caking. 

Nexxus Botanoil Nourishing Shampoo, $9, and Botanphuse Nourishing Botanical Conditioner, $15

This shampoo-and-conditioner duo is like a mini spa treatment for your strands with its fragrant rose hip, sunflower seed and grapeseed oils and other healthy hair essentials.

Nivea item removed - owned by Beiersdorf, which tests on animals.

REPAIR...your skin, hair and nails with the best treatment products:

Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment, $22.50

With this lip balm, it was love at first swipe. Its creamy texture, citrusy flavor, and sheer red tint made us swoon. But it was the antioxidants and SPF 15 protection that turned this into a lasting relationship.

Ellen Sirot Hand Perfection Nail & Cuticle Treatment, $22

Quit your nipper addiction: This pen releases oils as you push cuticles back, making proper cuticle care easy.

REJOICE...with pretty products that just make us happy:

OPI DS Mystery, $12.50

You can't always judge a polish by its bottle: We were perfectly pleased when we thought this shade was a dark, plummy brown but upon application, we were tickled purple to see a shimmering violet, formulated with flecks of diamond dust.

Laura Geller Beauty Ingenuity Baked Bites, $29.50

Just a touch of this baked powder coats lips with rich, moist, shimmering color. Wear the red and bronze-y colors separately or blend them together. Then top 'em off with the gloss for a little sheen.

Mary Kay Eau de Toilette shower gels in Exotic Passionfruit and Sparkling Honeysuckle, $15 each

Scent your skin with these luscious-smelling bubbles. They not only lather like crazy but also make a cheerful addition to your shower ledge.

Cargo Runway Kit, $49

This adorable makeup kit comes ready to wear with a palette of three bright blush shades in a cable-knit design and six jewel-tone eyeshadows in the shape of buttons. Fashion, meet function.

Estee Lauder item removed - it tests on animals

Emani Minerals Hybrid Color in Love Addict, $18

This creamy shadow trio, evocative of Van Gogh's Starry Night, is sure to make your eyes the star of any night: The shades blend together perfectly to create an instant smoky eye.

Stila Lip Enamel Luxe Gloss, $22

As if names like Happiness, Giggle, and Ecstasy (shown) don't make us giddy enough, these glosses are infused with a botanical extract meant to put you in a good mood. Now that's lip service with a smile!