Suzy Griffin speaks with some of Ireland's top beauty creators to suss out their favourite product of last year.
From chic latte looks to 'mob wife’ glam, the past year has seen an explosion in beauty tips, product launches, and trending aesthetics.
The 12-step skincare days that some of us adopted during lockdown are long gone, and we are ready to embrace the handiest tips and time-saving tricks.
I have my own hits and misses from 2023, but one hit that stands out in my mind is my new all time favourite tan: Vegan Tan.
Not only is this tan a beautiful hydrating formula with the most perfect olive tone, it is also on a mission to reduce plastic in our oceans. The bottles are made from sugar polymer and reclaimed plastic from the ocean. What’s more for every bottle sold they remove eight bottles of plastic from the ocean. A beautiful stance from an incredible Irish-owned brand.
I recently put a question box on my Instagram story to gauge people’s favourite purchases of the last year and it was amazing to see some of the same answers spring up over and over.
One of which was Hydratint, the skincare-makeup hybrid launched by the incredible Irish success story, Sculpted by Aimee. Some of the other more popular answers included Smooth Stick, the hair taming wand that’s gripped the nation (literally!).
Poco Beauty’s debut product Universal Glow Treatment was also popular. It’s a beautiful luminous skin primer which can be worn alone or under foundation.
Another favourite was the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, not only does this keep your entire face in tact all day long, the scent is simply heavenly.
So what are the absolute go to favourites from those testing and trialing them like no one else? I decided to ask the makeup artists and beauty creators, the ones who make a living from all things beauty!
Paula Callan
Not only is Paula Callan a household name in the Irish makeup world, she is the MUA of choice for the presenters of the glitziest show on Irish television right now: Dancing with the Stars.
So, what is her number one product of choice? Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Ultra-Blur (€55), a new take on the iconic setting powder that promises 16 hours of weightless wear with an ultra-blurring, soft-matte finish.
Given Paula’s experience as the country’s leading bridal makeup artist and working in television this setting powder has already got one heck of an endorsement.
Niall Casey
With a TikTok following of 1.3million, Niall is famous for his breathtaking otherworldly looks and his impossibly flawless skin. As someone with a finger firmly on the TikTok pulse, it comes as no surprise that Niall chose one of the most viral products ever: the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops (€38).
Niall swears by this Gen Z favourite because they are "so versatile to use with skincare or makeup". The only slight problem is due to their viral popularity they are rarely in stock.
Terrie McEvoy Fitzpatrick
Given her huge following online, Terrie will be known to many of you as a founder, businesswoman, mum, working nurse and absolute glamazon!
McEvoy is a woman who knows how to get glam in seconds. I noticed Terrie using Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation (€53) in some of her ‘Get Ready With Me' content, so wasn’t surprised when she told me it was her number one beauty product of last year.
With so many options on hand, I had to ask her why this particular base product: "It’s a beautiful light weight buildable foundation that gives the most incredible dewy finish to the skin! It’s been my go to foundation for quite a few years now!"
Karen Constantine
The one who tells it as it is and never minces her words, Karen of ‘Lovely Girly Bits’ fame is known for her thorough and honest reviews, so I simply had to know her beauty product of the year. It turns out, Karen feels so strongly about her top product that she would crown it her purchase of the year, for two years running!
The product in question is none other than the same one that popped up repeatedly in my Instagram reply box, The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray (€35).
"I use it as a primer and to lock my makeup in place," she said. "I love that it doesn’t change how my foundation looks on the skin and it keeps my makeup in place all day and night without needing any touch ups. No other setting spray I’ve tried so far has come close to the staying power of this!"
Ciara O’Toole
Ciara is one of the most talented and in demand makeup artists in the country, I’m forever in awe of how easy she makes the most incredible glam looks appear and as for her Halloween looks, they are a must watch.
I was very excited to hear what Ciara’s product of the year was, I wasn’t familiar with it but having checked it out must agree, it looks like pink glowy gorgeousness.
"My top beauty buy last year was Kash Beauty x Charleen McKenna’s Doll Beauty Glaze Blush (€19.95), it’s the perfect shade and makes your skin look so glowy"
Ciara Ryan
At over 222k followers on TikTok Irish Makeup artist Ciara is the queen of the ‘Clean Girl’ aesthetic. Ciara’s skin is like nothing I’ve seen before, and is the star of every single look she creates, so I wasn’t surprised when she listed a glow-based product as her number one pick.
The one and only Charlotte Tilbury ‘Hollywood Flawless Filter’ (€49). It must be the one makeup product from Tilbury I’ve yet to try but after this literal ‘glowing’ review from skin queen Ciara it’s on my list.
"It gives a gorgeous fresh glow to your face that makes the skin look alive and awake, it just looks like your own skin, but better!’
