The Beauty Launches That Blew Our Minds In 2016

It’s been a pretty wild year of beauty. Month after month, we hear of new launches that get us freaking out, and just when we think we can’t get more impressed, the following month something newer and better hits us. From 100-shade lipstick ranges to Harry Potter-inspired makeup brushes to unicorn makeup, here are the 2016 launches that stood out the most.
 
Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks
Ruby Rose Announcement
We first caught a whiff of some very exciting Urban Decay news way back in March, when the brand let on that they had just signed our favourite badass NYLON Singapore cover girl Ruby Rose as a face of the brand. And the first order of business for Rose was to launch the Vice lipstick collection, basically the entire UD lipstick range revamped, into a jaw-dropping 100-shade range. Like… where do you even begin to choose?
Read about the most popular Urban Decay Vice Lipstick shade here, and see our incredible Vice Lipstick Vault here.
 
Kat Von D Beauty 
kat von d beauty banner
It was the launch that many had been begging Sephora for for the longest time, and finally, this July, it happened. And now, we can easily stock up on the cult Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks and Tattoo Liners at local Sephora stores and online at sephora.sg, and it’s great.
Read more about Kat Von D Beauty’s best products and our interview with Kat Von D herself here.
 
Storybook Cosmetics Harry Potter Makeup Brushes
storybook-banner
God bless the indie makeup brands of the internet, for bringing to us makeup inspired by our favourite fandom to get the geek and makeup lover in all of us excited. Everyone’s riding on the whole Harry Potter wave again with the recent release of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, and one of the most magical things to come out of this has to be these makeup brushes made to look like magic wands. Back then, they were still in prototype stage, but they’re now a reality, and available for order.
Read more about the Storybook Cosmetics Wand Makeup Brushes here
 
Laneige Milkyway Fantasy Collection
milkyway-banner
Laneige is no strangely to extremely lustworthy special edition collections – see their annual Laneige Meets Fashion collaborative collections – but this holiday collection sure ended the year really nicely for the brand. After all, who can resist a cosmic BB Cushion?
Read more about the Laneige Milkyway Fantasy Collection here
Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light
hourglass-banner
Terming a makeup launch “the most beautiful palette yet” is a tall order, but we went ahead and gave that accolade to Hourglass Cosmetics’ holiday launch. The marble-patterned case was enough to make us fall instantly in love, but even if you’re not convinced, the colours inside will surely seal the deal.
Read more about the Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light here.
 
Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Sparkle Clash Rouge Pur Couture
ysl-banner
This one completely came out of nowhere. Yes, these sparkly lipsticks are definitely very collectible indeed, but never did we (nor the people over at YSL Beaute, apparently) expect it to launch overnight queues and a literal stampede, and sell out completely within half a day.
Read more about the Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Sparkle Clash Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks, and watch a video of said stampede, here
 
I Heart Makeup Unicorn’s Heart Highlighter
rainbowhighlighter
The obsession with rainbow highlighter started sometime early this year, taking strobing to a whole new level. Not sure that they’re entirely wearable on a regular day basis, but heck, they’re so pretty to look at. So when a brand markets their own rainbow highlighter as a “Unicorn’s Heart”, you know people are going to lose their sh*t over it.
Read more about the I Heart Makeup Unicorn’s Heart Highlighter here
 
Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Unicorn Tears
toofaced-1
It’s evident that to instantly make girls everywhere lose their minds over a makeup launch, you just have to colour it in the shade of unicorn. Continuing the unicorn colours trend of this year is the new Too Faced range of La Creme Lipsticks, in particular the shade Unicorn Tears, which appears a slightly shimmery light blue in the tube, but a holographic pink on the skin.
Read more about the Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Unicorn Tears here
 
Can’t wait to see what 2017 will bring us already.