2016 has been a crazy year, and depending on who you ask, it was
either amazingly good or horribly bad. But for us beauty fans, it was a
year of discovery in terms of finding products on the health &
beauty front that took our makeup or skincare routine to a whole new
level. Since 2016 is mercifully almost over, I thought it’d be a great
idea to do a roundup highlighting my “game changer” health & beauty
product picks for the year from everything that I either reviewed or purchased on my own this year.  Some of these items were given to me from
the brands, and some of them I bought (and I’ll be sure to share with
you which items I’ve purchased). But if you’ve been curious to try some
new goodies or are just a self admitted beauty product junky, you’ll
love today’s post!1. Morphe Set 503 12 Piece Beautiful & Bronze Set (gifted)Although not open in this pic, the 12 piece set is pretty much an essential “must have” item for any beauty aficionado or beginner. It features an array of brushes that you’ll need for everyday and special occasion makeup application. Brush composition ranges from synthetic and natural but since I received it back in August/September, I use them every day. 2. MUA Lighted 10X Magnifying Mirror (gifted)Although tiny in size, this 10x mirror features suction cups on the back – which makes it perfect to attach to a wall or your medicine cabinet. I use this to clean up my brows and it really helps me get those fine hairs. 3. Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder (purchased)This setting powder is a game changer specifically for women of color. If you’re obsessed with baking, this happy alternative to Ben Nye Banana Powder ensures that you won’t end up with ghost or flashback when you use flash photography. Although I would recommend if you travel often to opt for the pressed version versus the loose powder I have – which has a tendency to overfill the upper sifting tray and create spills upon opening. :(4. Jeffree Star Skin Frost (King Tut – purchased)Controversial as he may be, this MUA turned online influencer turned cosmetics brand makes an amazing highlight. Whether you literally want to look like King Tut or want to experience that “yaaassss mama” glow, you can’t go wrong with Jeffree’s highlight. 5. Bioré Self Heating One Minute Mask (purchased)First these little pouches are travel friendly – so you can never go wrong. The charcoal in them helps to draw out impurities and these babies really do heat up upon contact with water and your skin. With 4 individual mask pouches to a package, it’s a great value buy. 6. ColourPop Eyeshadow (Luckfully – purchased)I actually have more than just this color but Luckfully is a gorgeous cobalt blue. Anywho, these creamy highly pigmented color pots are a must buy and can double as luxe eyeliner and a rich all over eye color. Be sure to keep the pots closed tightly otherwise air may dry them out prematurely! P.S. With the fab price of $5 per pot, how can you not stock up?!7. Artistry Brush (purchased)So this is not an official “Artistry” brush but a nice replica I picked up from TJ Maxx. Although I have no need for the entire brush set, the foundation brushes (as featured above) are a must have. I find that I use less product and it applies foundation far more evenly. 8. ELF Cosmetics Flawless Finish Foundation (Coco – gifted)Now I rarely wear full coverage foundation, but on the rare occasions when my skin is fully out of wack, this is a go to. Full disclosure, I’m an ELF brand ambassador. Having said that, my only gripe with this product is the lack of color range. Coco is the darkest shade (boooooo!). 9. NYX Cosmetics Love Contours All Palette (gifted)Although I’m not cray cray about the contour colors in here, I’m in love with the chestnut brown eyebrow shade and the eyeshadow mini-palette. On more than one occasion, I’ve taken this palette with me as a primary go-to when I’m on the road. And I use the palette daily for my brows. You can do smoky eyes, neutral barely-there makeup and everything in between. 10. Pixi Beauty Skintreats Rose Oil Blend (gifted)First of all, I love rose oil – or anything containing it. Full disclosure, I’m a Pixi Beauty brand ambassador. For a scent averse person like me, Pixi Beauty’s oil is comprised of essential oils, meaning gentle scents that won’t trigger a migraine in my case. But also, this oil is extremely hydrating and I use it as a before bed moisturizer and as a pre-makeup moisturizer as well. 11. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist (gifted)Again – rosewater! But this hydrating mist is fantastic for immediately spritzing after washing your face. What I love most is that the mist is actually gentle – unlike many facial sprays which can feel like the mist is actually attacking you!12. ELF Cosmetics Aqua Beauty Blush & Bronzer (Bronzed Violet – purchased)Now the truth is I originally was gifted this item when I attended the #elfringsthebell event back in September. But I used it so quickly and loved it so much, I literally just went back last week and bought another to replace the original that’s almost gone. Billed as an “aqua infused” powder, it’s really a lightweight cream product. I don’t use this as a bronzer, and truth – I don’t use the blush at all as it’s too pink. But I love the “bronzer” for contouring. At $6 per palette, I don’t feel badly about not using the blush at all. 13. Chapstick Total Hydration Lip Scrub (gifted)This pot version of a lip exfoliator is everything – literally. Normal lip exfoliators can be dry and quite frankly painful. But this one has a higher concentration of oils in it along with the sugar scrub, making it a gentle and effective scrub. 14. Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Wipes (purchased)Once again, this was originally gifted to me, but when I noticed I was running out, I ran off to Target and bought more. These detox wipes also pull double duty as makeup removers while still being gentle and hydrating. You need these in your life. 15. Amarte Overnight Express Therapy (gifted)Now my long time The Anti Bridezilla readers know I brake for Korean skincare. I’m a longtime fan of Amarte, but this is a great hydrating overnight sleep mask that you don’t have to wash off. For best results, after washing your face at night and applying a light moisturizer, follow up with this product before bed and wake up to soft smooth skin. 16. The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask (gifted)I love this mask because it is ultra hydrating and super easy to rinse off. Full disclosure, I’m also a brand ambassador for The Body Shop. Unlike other masks which have a tendency to dry and stubbornly refuse to rinse off your face, this one is like a jelly consistency and leaves your skin feeling amazing. And of course, that rose scent doesn’t hurt either!17. Pixi Beauty Skintreats Nourishing Cleansing Balm (gifted)Pixi makes my list again because this balm is ultra hydrating. Unlike a lot of the other makeup removing gels, this one is infused with shea butter and a host of other oils to ensure your skin feels well hydrated after cleansing. If you read my article on makeup melting products, you’ll know this one is messy to apply and remove. However, the results are well worth it! Honorable Mention – Baby FootSo, I don’t have a physical pack of Baby Foot to feature in my flatlay but this gentle foot exfoliator is everything. It’s a gross process, but so worth it. Your feet are like caterpillars emerging as beautiful butterflies after the exfoliation process!

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