My 12 favorite beauty products of 2012

Happy 2013 everyone!
Shockingly, I have found a bunch of HG or 'holy grail' products this year! It makes me happy to find amazing things that suit me, but at the same time it takes the fun away from hunting for something new.

Everything in this post are products I use daily or a few times per week.
You might recognize some of these items from my summer favorites post.
Sorry, I didn't take individual pictures of everything, I wanted to get this posted before 2014 ;) So; here are my top 12 beauty buys from 2012.

 

12. Clinique take the day off cleansing balm  $34 CAD

This was a recent discovery and I am so impressed with it. I've wasted so much money trying to find a 'gentle' cleanser that completely removes makeup.  I can't use foaming cleansers or wipes anymore, they make my face red and irritated. This balm easily takes off every single trace of makeup, even waterproof mascara - and it rinses off completely. No oily residue at all! I love this stuff so much.

11. Essence volumizing lash powder $3.99 CAD

I was skeptical, but this stuff works so well. I found that using wet mascara with it is best. Covergirl lash blast (orange tube) worked magically with it. It gave me fake looking lashes. The fibers won't irritate sensitive eyes, just be careful when applying and you will get amazing lashes.

10. ELF liquid eyeliner $1.50 CAD

I grabbed this back in the summer when I ran out of MAC penultimate liner (which dried out within 3 months of use :( And I don't think I will look back. I can get a thin dark line in one swipe, and it stays put all day. So cheap too!

9. Maybelline color tattoo cream shadow bad to the bronze $8.99 CAD

I use this all the time. It's one of my go-to shadows because it is so quick and easy to get a gorgeous taupe shimmery eye. Just apply to lids, add a few coats of mascara and then put on some more for a little more color intensity.

8. Wet n Wild color icon palette vanity $6.99 CAD

I think this is what I would consider my HG eyeshadow palette. I recently purchased a back up. It's so pigmented and gorgeous. The colors blend like a dream. I was using MAC blanc type as an all over base shadow before, but when I started using the matte beige in this quad I realized that it was even better than MAC! I will never be without this palette.

7. NARS larger than life lipgloss Tiber $30 CAD

I love NARS larger than life glosses. I think they are the best out there. They are shiny, long lasting and hydrating. No stickiness at all. Tiber is my favorite color, a nice neutral beige. I am going to buy more.

6. MAC lipstick blankety $18 CAD

This is my HG lipstick. It is the perfect mix of pink and beige and I can wear it with anything. It tones down the redness in my lips but it doesn't make me look like a corpse.

5. MAC paint pot constructivist $20 CAD

I love this as an all over lid color or as a liner. It's a nice rich brown with reddish pearl. It makes my green eyes pop. Genius color. Another item I will never be without.

4.  MAC eyebrow pencil lingering $18 CAD

This has become my HG brow product. I have tried lots. This is IT. The color is perfect, it looks totally natural, it defines and helps shape and fill in brows where needed. Most importantly, it stays on all day and it keeps brows in place. I couldn't ask for more. I have heard that maybelline has a dupe of this product so I will be checking that out too.

3. MAC mineralize skin finish light year (limited edition)  $34 CAD

I'm sorry I had to put an LE product in here, but this has become my everyday blush. I mix all the colors together and it gives me a luminous pink/beige/peach glow that I haven't got from anything else. It's exactly what I want in a blush. A little glow without looking overdone. All pale girls need this in their stash!

2. MAC play it proper beauty powder $34 CAD

This is my HG highlight product. It is a light pearly pink and it gives my cheekbones an amazing glow. I've hit pan and already have a backup because I use it pretty well every day. 

I highly recommend light pink highlighters for pale skin, I think they are the most flattering.

1. Make up forever face and body foundation $44 CAD

My number one favorite? MUFE face and body foundation. I love it. I haven't found any other foundation that gives such a youthful look to skin as this. It's dewy but it is so light feeling, and it lasts all day. I tried shade #20 and it was very dark on me, I ended up going for #38 porcelain ivory and it is a pretty decent match. It's expensive, and hard to get here but I will keep using it until I find something similar.

I hope you liked my top 12! What were your favorites of 2012? There were so many great things this year it was hard to pick!

Clinique fresh bloom all over color swatches

I don't use very much makeup from Clinique, but one of the cutest things they sell are the fresh bloom all over color palettes. They are shaped as a flower and contain two colors, one light and one a little deeper.
They can be used to add some shimmer on eyes, and highlight or blush on cheeks.

There are a few colors available, I have almond blossom and posy.
I used to have peony too but I didn't like it as much. It's a light beige with a pink flower. It was too dark to highlight with and too light to use as a blush.

Posy :

Mine broke in transit, in case you were wondering what happened. Even though it broke I repressed it and I am still able to use it as a blush.

Posy is a shimmery mauve pink brown color.

wearing posy on my cheeks:

Almond blossom:

Almond blossom is a warm shimmery bronze brown

Wearing almond blossom on my cheeks:

These function the same way MAC mineralize skin finishes do. Of course they look a little prettier, with the flower pattern. They are also a lot less glittery than MSF's.
They aren't a must have product, but nice to have if you like shimmery highlighting powders.
They are a bit expensive at $38.50 CAD but I guess pretty designs/packaging always seem to cost more!

Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm 09 Ultra Violet photos and swatches

I've wanted to try Clarins color quench balms for a while, and recently picked up my first in ultra violet. The color is crazy bright purple in the tube, but looks really pretty and sheer on the lips.

The slant tip applicator makes for easy application and no messy wand. The texture is more of a gloss than a balm, but feels nice and moisturizing on.
This reminds me of Clinique's superbalm only it smells delightful like berries. Clinique's had an awful chemical scent to it I couldn't stand.

ultra violet looks very cool purple:

It sheers out to a nice cool rose color:

It's quite sheer and looks nice and glossy on. The color is just a bit deeper and cooler than my natural lips.

This is a color that would make your teeth appear whiter!

I wasn't impressed with the lasting power, maybe an hour or so for me. It is a gloss. Not a bad product, but not amazing either.

Have you tried color quench balms? did you like them?

Clinique totally neutral palette photos, swatches and EOTD

If you like neutral eyeshadows, Clinique totally neutral trio is one you must have. Initially I only bought it because I loved the slate color, and I couldn't find an eyeshadow that was similar.
After trying this a few times I developed a love for the ivory color as well. I now have to say it's in my top 5 go-to palettes.

The colors are absolutely perfect to pull off a work safe look for day time. They are also wonderful to use when doing a retro pin up look, I often use it for this.

The texture of these are really smooth and satin like, with very subtle shimmer. I love that they aren't completely matte.
The ivory color is practically the exact same tone of my skin (how pale can one be!?), so it didn't show up well in the swatches, but I assure you it's there.

The middle slate color is awesome on it's own for a smoky look. It's a green based Grey that I really liked from the start, it's hard to find that sort of color.

The last color on the right is a pretty boring taupe, I use it to define the crease a little bit.
My EOTD using all 3 colors. I applied the ivory color all over the lid, the taupe color in the crease and the slate color to further define and add depth in the crease.




Other products used:
- Chanel inimitable mascara
- Marcelle waterproof eyeliner metal green

Urban Decay Stash 24/7 liner and Clinique Egyptian creamshaper comparison

I adore my Clinique creamshaper for eyes in Egyptian, it's such a great color to use when I am sick of plain black. It's a very dark blackened green with golden shimmers.
When I first got my Urban Decay 24/7 Stash eyeliner I had a feeling it wasn't an overly unique color in my stash. It's a deep olive green with golden glitter.
Since I recently realized that they are quite similar, I thought I'd swatch them.

Here are comparison pictures:

Left: UD stash Right: Clinique Egyptian

Left: UD stash Right: Clinique Egyptian

Left: UD stash Right: Clinique Egyptian

It does seem that Egyptian is slightly more blackened green than Stash. It also seems that Stash has more noticeable golden glitter.

When I look at them both in direct light they look identical. I can't tell them apart. I also did a shower test to see which one would stay on better. They both stayed on well until I completely scrubbed them off. They are equally great liners.
Clinique creamshapers cost $17, while Urban Decay costs $19.

Although they are dupes and I use both, I think I prefer my Egyptian creamshaper.
When I apply it I only have to go over twice to get a very intense line, but with Stash I end up using more since it's a lot softer and doesn't go on a deep enough color or create a sharp line.
I own 4 or 5 different creamshapers and I really love them. They go on really smooth and intense, and they last a long time.

Clinique high definition lashes brush then comb mascara review

My first thought when I looked at the 'brush then comb' wand was 'maybe I should have picked a different mascara!'. Similar to MAC plush lash (see my review here) the wand is a hybrid with one regular brush side and the other side a lash comb. Not just any lash comb, but a big one, with little jagged teeth, kinda like a piranha!

Beware the comb is sharp!

The brush side delivers natural looking definition, without any clumps. Not anything special. But once you use the comb and stroke it through (which can be difficult to master!) the end result is pretty nice. The comb really defines each lash, adds on some length and packs a punch of volume. I find it also gives my lashes a nice lift.

Overall, I really like the end result I get with this mascara. Long, separated and almost fake-looking! What I really don't like is the time it takes to apply. You must be very careful with the wand, so you don't poke your eye (I've done it a few times) and it takes a while to build up a dramatic effect.
I like the concept but really *thumbs down* for the cruel brush.
Price: $18 CAD
My rating: 3 /5