My top 11 beauty picks of 2011

I hope everyone is having a good start to 2012. I meant to edit and post this weeks ago but better late than never right?
I don't want to say these are my 2011 'absolute favorites', because I literally have too many favorites to list right now. I'm calling these 11 products my 'top picks' because they are the most used products of the year out of all my stash. They are ones that I reach for every day or close to it.

Also, all of these products perform extremely well, and last all day long through work - which is most likely why I find myself using them most often.

Sorry for the not so great photos :/ I got a new camera and it didn't work out well so I'm back to using my glitchy crappy old one for the time being.


In no particular order, here is my list:

Make up forever HD invisible cover high definition foundation ~ Medium coverage water based foundation that looks so natural I can't believe it. In the summer 115 ivory matched my skin perfectly, but now that winter is here and my skin is totally white - it's a little bit too dark. It has a lovely flawless finish that makes me feel really confident about my skin while I'm wearing it.

Kat Von D painted love lipstick in lovecraft ~ My most used lipstick of this year. It's perfect for everyday wear, goes with pretty well any color of eyeshadow or blush. It also stays on really well, about 4 hours before I need to reapply. See swatches and photos of lovecraft here.

MAC paint pot in rubenesque ~ I grab this when I am in a rush but still want to add a little pop to my eyes. The golden peach color really brightens up everything, without being too bright. It also lasts all day long and still looks fresh when I take it off at night!

L'oreal HIP kohl in navy ~ Ever since I tried this I've been hooked. The smoky look you get from loose kohl liners is so unique and sexy. These are like Guerlain loose kohls without the hefty price tag. The navy color brightens the whites of my eyes and lasts all day on my waterline! Sadly, I think these have been discontinued :(

Bobbi Brown rich color gloss in naked ~ One of the best glosses I think I've ever used. It's so pigmented, it goes on like a glossy lipstick. Doesn't feel sticky at all. Lasts a decent amount of time, without drying out my lips. Naked is the perfect neutral nude, and it makes my lips look so plump! What's not to love?

Cover Girl lash blast 24 hr mascara ~ A really nice surprise, since I've tried all cover girl's mascaras in the past and didn't care much for any of them. This one is a real winner. It holds curl so well, better than anything I've used before. My lashes are long and defined all day without a smudge in sight. Removal can be a pain, but at least it really does last up to 24 hrs!

MAC her own devices beauty powder ~ My most reached for 'blush'. It's a barely there color, just gives my cheeks a little pop and glow without screaming 'your wearing blush!'. I've used it a lot, yet I've barely put a dent in it. This will last a long time! See photos and swatches of her own devices here.

MAC play it proper beauty powder ~ My new favorite highlighter! It's a light pink with silver pearl - really brightens up the face. It adds a little shimmer and sheen to my cheekbones but isn't too bright or glittery. I've literally been using this daily since I got it. It is LE but it's being repromoted in March with MAC's new collection by Chen Man.

Sleek oh so special palette ~ I love the unique color combos I can get from this palette. It has a great mix of shimmers and mattes. It's quite unique and I reach for it all the time! See more pics and EOTD's using oh so special here.

Kat Von D ludwig palette ~ This palette is such good quality! I used this for like 2 months straight and barely put a dent in any of the colors - all you need to use is a tiny bit since the shadows are all so pigmented. Love the colors, however now that I have the naked palette and wet n wild comfort zone I don't reach for it as much since there are so many dupes. Still, this is an awesome palette.

Urban Decay naked palette ~ I'm not going to lie, I use this palette a lot. It's just perfect for work. The shadows are all nicely pigmented, smooth and last all day. I know there is a lot of hype around it but I really do think it's a good investment if you wear a lot of neutrals.

Thats my 11 top picks :) Anything in this list you already have or want to try?

Here is what I want to try in 2012:

- MAC face and body foundation
- Urban Decay Naked 2 palette
- Kat Von D saint palette
- Make up forever smoky lash

What new products do you want to try in 2012?

MAC truth and light magically cool liquid powder review

I got the original release of truth and light magically cool liquid powder from MAC's venomous villains collection back in October. I figured I'd wait and do a review when the product became part of MAC's permanent line, which it now is! There are other colors available as well, including:

• honey rose (Sheer rosy beige with multidimensional shimmer)
  
• cajun (Sheer bronze shimmer with reflects gold)
  

Truth and light is described as 'Sheer shimmer with reflects of silver and pink'. I personally don't see much reflects silver or pink, it seems it's so translucent that it goes on pretty clear with very slight gold shimmer. That is just the way it looks on me.

Swatches of truth and light (layered heavily to capture the color) :

The powder itself is interesting, it's extremely sheer and light. It feels wet when first applied, then dries onto your skin leaving a nice 'soft focus' effect that diffuses light.

I will start by telling you I have very dry skin. This powder feels great when I first apply it, but after it sets my skin feels a lot drier than before I used it.
I realized that the water content in this powder evaporates off your skin after the product sets, and it takes the moisture right out of your skin.
I don't like it because it made my skin feel uncomfortably dry after a couple uses. It did, however, keep my makeup looking fresh all day. This would be most useful for those with normal to oily skin.

To give you an example of how this powder looks, here is a comparison photo of me without foundation, and one beside it with only truth and light powder on:

I just realized the photos are labeled wrong. oops.

On the left my skin is slightly shiny from moisturizer, and on the right the powder itself covered a little bit of redness and added a very nice even toned finish to my skin. It did not cover my acne scars on my chin. It's quite sheer.

Now, here is a comparison of how the powder looks over foundation. On the left I'm wearing L'oreal true match foundation only. On the right, I added truth and light over top. Both photos were taken in the exact same lighting. AGAIN the photos are labeled wrong. sorry!

You can see how this powder really sets the foundation, and adds a very matte finish. It's matte but very soft looking, and really does blur any imperfections or lines. If you notice, you can see it took the 'shine' from my skin, the flash did not reflect off my face in the 2nd pic at all. Well, that shine was more or less moisturizer, and the powder evaporated the moisture right out of it.

Overall, this is a great setting powder if you like the matte look. Also, if you have any fine lines this powder is great to diffuse them. I would stay away from this if you have dry skin, because your skin might start to look a little dehydrated with continued use.
I also forgot to add this does not make a good highlighter for pale skin, it barely shows up unless you really layer it on. It could be used as a highlight on medium dark skin tones, then it would show up more.

Repurchase? No, this is not right for me.

Price: $35.50 CAD

Rating: 4/5

NOTD: L'oreal high tide

This polish has been sitting untried since last summer. I have finally gotten over my grey nail polish craze, so high tide was tucked away in the back of my stash.

High tide is a light robin egg blue, but it looks very grey in certain light. I couldn't seem to capture the dull grey color, it's more prominent in low light.

I've heard this is similar to Chanel Riva nail polish, but from looking at swatches I don't think Riva has much grey in it.

The finish of this color is really dull, not shiny. I think it's alright but it looks nicer in the bottle. High tide was limited edition for summer 2010, but you can still find it online for decent prices.

NOTD: L'oreal pro manicure sand castle

Model wearing L'oreal sand castle in Allure's 2009 best of beauty issue

I was recently craving a nude nail color, and I discovered sand castle in my stash of untried nail polishes. I think this is one of the two nude colors I own.
I wanted to buy sand castle because I saw it on a model in Allure magazine ages ago (2009 issue) and it looked pretty nice on her.

It made my nails pretty much disappear.

I'm not a fan of the mannequin hands look, but it is a welcome change from all the vampy colors I've been wearing this season. It also made my nails look a lot longer and added that 'clean' look to my hands. I need to find a color like this that doesn't make my nails totally dissaperate.

What is your favorite nude nail polish color?

My 10 favorite beauty products of 2010

I had originally wanted to do this post as a youtube video, but came across major technical problems while filming.
Looks like I won't be able to start youtubing anything until I get a new camera. Hopefully early in 2011!
With the new year just around the corner I figured this is the perfect time to reflect on the new products I tried in 2010 that really impressed me.
It was hard to choose just 10, but I went with my gut feelings. Everything I chose I actually use all the time (some of them everyday) and would recommend them.

Seeing as I use mostly high end products, I was surprised that I picked a lot of drugstore items!
I have to remind myself that just because a brand is expensive or overpriced doesn't mean it's any better than cheaper brands that go on sale regularly.

~ My beauty favorites of 2010 ~

#1. Lancome Rénergie Microlift Eye R.A.R.E.
This eye cream is superb. I have tried so many, brands from Neutrogena to La Mer - and this one blows them out all of the water.
After 2 days of use the little lines under my eyes were gone (plumped out) and dark circles from lack of sleep completely banished. This didn't irritate my eyes at all (I always have this problem with eye creams).
It is expensive but totally worth it.



#2. NARS eyeshadow duo in Eurydice (see swatches here)

Out of all the NARS eyeshadows I own Eurydice is my absolute favorite. Of course the pigmentation is wonderful and blending is smooth. I just love these colors and the smoky sexy eye they create. The aubergine side is breathtaking. I reach for this one a lot.



#3. MAC Briar Rose beauty powder (see swatches here)

I know this is limited edition, but I just had to put it in. Honestly it's the prettiest most unique colored blush I've ever used. It gives a really pretty flushed cheek. Out of all my blushes this is one I usually reach for. I will let you all know if I find a dupe!



#4. Hard candy meteor eyes baked meteor eyeshadows (see my EOTD using lunar eclipse here)

I am so absolutely in love with these eyeshadows. They are really great quality for the price. There are so many colors to choose from, and some of them are great dupes for MAC mineralize eyeshadows. pictured above are the two I have, outerspace (right) and lunar eclipse (left).
I can't wait to try more colors, and some of the duos too!


#5. Gosh waterproof eyeshadow primer

If you thought pixi epoxy was good, then you would love this waterproof eyeshadow primer. I liked pixi expoxy and it worked well, but it was too sticky and it irritated my eyelids. Not to mention it creased. This primer comes in a tube just like MAC shadesticks. After blending it onto your lids you have a slightly sticky, pearly shimmery base that's perfect for patting loose pigments onto. It really makes your eyeshadow color pop, and it doesn't crease at all. love!


#6. ELF Eyeshadow 'C' brush

This brush is awesome! It packs on color so well, better than any MAC brush. I use it all the time and I want to get another one. For the price, I might get two. Trust me, you will love this brush.

#7. Hard Candy blush crush baked baked blush in living doll (see my FOTD wearing this here)

This color is so pretty. In the pot it appears pink with yellow veining. When applied it gives the prettiest cool shimmery pink glow. It's fairly pigmented and I only need to use a little bit. I can't get over the price of this line, so inexpensive and the products are sweet!

#8. Maybelline color sensational lipsticks (see photos and swatches of pink please here)

I'm totally impressed with these new Maybelline lipsticks. They are so nice I can't believe you can buy them from the drugstore. I love my MAC lipsticks but they tend to dry out my lips, and these don't at all. The color selection is superb as well. I am picking up more colors soon.

#9. Maybelline purestay powder foundation

Another winner from Maybelline. I was looking high and low for a good powder foundation to use when I'm in a rush. I adore MAC studio fix powder, but it broke me out. Maybelline purestay is just like MAC studio fix, only better. I say better because it doesn't break me out, and the color actually matches my skin perfectly! I use Ivory, which is nice and neutral unlike MAC NC15 which is just completely yellow on me. The coverage is great, it even covers acne scars!


#10. L'oreal true match liquid foundation

Out of all foundations I've tried, (MAC, NARS, Clarins, Clinique, etc.) I keep coming back this. I love how it blends so well into my skin I can't tell I am wearing it. N1 soft ivory is my absolute best skin tone match in any foundation I've used. It is light to medium coverage, so I use a concealer and powder as well if I need to. I've tried all the true match products, and I like this one the best. The cream to powder version broke me out (too much silicone) and the roller seemed to be a gimmick so that I would waste product (I ran out really fast) . I also don't like the true match pressed powder, it's really cakey and awful! But this liquid foundation is a total winner and I keep going back to it.


What was your favorite product of 2010?
I hope everyone had a nice holiday and got lots of makeup goodies!

L'oreal telescopic explosion mascara review

The brush is made of plastic- flexible, but sharp!

Here is a review for L'oreal Telescopic explosion mascara. Basically, it is a total rip off of Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara which retails for $29 USD and is only available at Sephora.

The unique brush is what really got me. It looks so cool! All spiky and evil.
I've always wanted phenomen'eyes so of course when this came out I snapped it up right away.
Well, it really sucks. When you take the wand out, the whole thing is totally covered in globs of the wet formula. You absolutely must remove some of the excess before applying, unless you like huge thick spider lashes *shudders*.
After carefully applying vertically to lift the lashes, then horizontally to grab every lash, I am not impressed. My lashes are weighed down by the thick formula, and the mascara does not distribute evenly using this medieval torturing device of a brush. I am left with clumping no matter what.
The extra time (and precision) it takes to apply this is not worth the mediocre results.
L'oreal's regular telescopic mascara is much better than this.
Into the trash she goes!
Price: $11.99 CAD
My rating: 1.5 / 5