It’s finally December so that means it’s time for my end of the year favorites! I don’t mention my favorites throughout the year because I like to REALLY test them and then tell you about the best of the best. I break my favorites up into categories and today is for: primer, foundation, color corrector, concealer, powder and setting spray. I’m not going to do any kind of swatches for these products and I also won’t really be reviewing them. I’ll tell you the basic info about each product and then explain why it’s a favorite. I will also link to my previous review and where you can purchase said product. Let’s get started!

Primer:

• Catrice Aqua Fresh Hydro Primer– This primer has worked perfectly under every foundation that I’ve put it under, especially my matte ones. It doesn’t do anything for my pores but it does help to give my skin a smooth, hydrated appearance. I also think that it helps prolong the wear of my foundations and is just overall a great primer. It costs $8.00 and you can read my full review here.
• essence Glow Boosting Primer– This primer works almost identically to the Catrice Aqua Fresh Hydro Primer and I use the two interchangeably. This one is a bit cheaper at $5.00 and you can read my full review here.
• Pura d’Or Argan Oil– This is technically not a primer and I do use it as skincare BUT it has been my favorite discovery of 2019. I first tried it as a primer when I was testing out the Milani Stick Foundation. That foundation was very thick and would not blend so I thought an oil might help. Not only did it help, it made that foundation look so beautiful on my skin. Since then, I’ve tried it under all my foundations and it works great with every one of them. I also don’t get oily in my T-zone when wearing this. I’m assuming that my skin can tell that there is oil there so it doesn’t create its own. It is $20.00 and you can read my full review here.

Foundation:

• Hard Candy Glamoflauge Foundation– This has been a tried and true favorite for a couple of years now. I love almost everything about it from the finish to the wear time. It is a sticky foundation, which makes it hard to blend, but I was able to fix that by using either the Pura d’Or Argan Oil or one of the other two hydrating primers I mentioned above. It is $6.00 and you can read my full review here.
• NYX Born to Glow Foundation– I tried this foundation out a few months ago and initially, I hated it. This is another one that I have to use the Pura d’Or Argan Oil with but with the oil, I love it so much. It lasts on my skin all day, doesn’t sink into my fine lines and has a natural finish. It is $10.00 and you can read my full review here.
• ShopMissA Buildable Satin Foundation– This foundation is perhaps my most shocking favorite of 2019 because it’s ONLY $1.88. It is a gorgeous foundation that is right on par with the other two I mentioned. You can read my full review here.

Concealer & Color Corrector:

• e.l.f. 16hr Camo Concealer– This concealer is very polarizing, you either love it or hate it. I personally love it. I love it even more now than I did in my initial review but that’s probably because my skin has cleared up. This is full coverage on me and I especially love using it under my eyes. Once I set it with powder, this stuff doesn’t move or crease. It is $6.00 and you can read my full review here.
• Catrice Camo Cream in Wake Up Effect– This has been my go to color corrector for my acne scars and under eye darkness. I’m actually not going to link to my original review because I really hated this stuff when I first tried it. I am so glad I gave it another chance and realized that less is more when it comes to application. This CAN be a disaster under the eyes if you use too much but a thin layer works perfectly. It is $6.00.

Powder:

• J. Cat Beauty Luxe Pro Powder– This loose powder is seriously one of my best finds in 2019. You get a massive amount of product, 1.5 ounces, for just $7.00 and it has a great formula. I won’t say that it keeps me totally oil free all day but it does for a very long time. It looks beautiful on top of all my foundations, helps to blur my pores and even adds a slight amount of coverage. You can read my full review here.
• J. Cat Beauty Aquasurance Powder Foundation– Here’s another favorite from J. Cat Beauty; this brand does powder products very well. This is technically a powder foundation but I don’t use it as a foundation. I love using this to add a little coverage over my acne scars or to cover makeup mistakes. It is $14.00 and you can read my full review here.

Setting Spray:

• Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spray– This is another long time favorite. I like to use this spray after my skincare, to wet my eyeshadow brushes and as a finishing spray for makeup. I don’t believe this helps the longevity of my makeup, like a setting spray, but I do think it helps everything melt together and not look powdery. It is $12.00 and you can read my full review here.
• e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set– This setting spray has been my go to for a few years now. There is also a matte version that I like just as much. It does what it claims to do, sets my makeup and helps it last longer. It’s $5.00 and I don’t have a full review for this product but you can see where I’ve discussed it previously here.
• ShopMissA Setting Spray– This is a newer addition to my makeup collection but I love it. It works just as well as the e.l.f. Mist & Set but it’s cheaper at $1.88 AND you get more product. You can read my full review here.

Final Thoughts:

That is all of my favorite base products for 2019! I discovered some true gems this year. Next up will be my favorite blushes and highlighters… there will be quite a few. I’d love to know if we share any favorites or what your favorite base products have been this year! Thanks for reading and have a great day!