2011 Beauty Favorites

Hi everyone! Here is an overdue post on my favorite beauty products for 2011. I'm astounded that 2011 is already over, but I'm excited to start anew! I have so many goals set for 2012, one being to be less neglectful of this blog. I'm going to try to post on a consistent basis, although I predict that I may go on a hiatus once optometry school begins in August.

Skincare/Body:
-Basis Cleaner Face Wash: leaves my face feeling squeaky clean and is great for sensitive skin (soap free, oil free, etc.)
-Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream: diminished my dark under eye circles in just a week of consistent use.
-Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover: always removes every trace of eye makeup.
-Tree Hut Brazilian Nut Body Wash: smells amazing!
-Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towlettes: removes my face makeup without irritation and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Makeup:
-Urban Decay Naked Palette: my go to palette for any neutral or smokey eye look.
-Milani Liquid Eyeliner: is budge-proof throughout the day and has a sharp tip for drawing precise lines.
-Revlon Lip Butters: comes in a variety of colors, cute packaging, and really moisturizing. My favorite color is Fig Jam (pictured). It looks really dark in the tube, but is much lighter on the lips.
-Loreal Magic Souffle Foundation: provides good coverage, does not look cakey, and stays put throughout the day.
-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation: provides good coverage, does not look cakey, and stays put throughout the day.
-Amazing Concealer by Amazing Cosmetics: conceals blemishes very well
-Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Pearl: my favorite eyeliner to use in the inner corners of my eyes. So creamy, bright, and stays put all day.

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May Favorites

(warning: long, run-on sentence to come) I know I have been neglecting this blog for a while now, but I have been extremely busy working on my 60 page thesis, studying for my final exams (with online shopping breaks that consisted of putting hundreds of dollars worth of clothing and shoes into the cart, and woefully clicking the x on my browser... while simultaneously redrawing the amino acid structures in the back of my mind), graduating, and starting full time work. Whew! Perhaps, I will write a separate entry on everything that has happened this month. Anyway, I still found time to try out a few beauty products this month, and have found some worth sharing!

MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl: I swipe this down my nose, dab a bit on my cupid's bow, and apply it to my cheekbones. It gives me a healthy, bright glow without making my face look excessively shiny.

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation: I am in the color Natural Beige #40, and it is the perfect shade for my skin. The coverage is moderate, but it is easily buildable. I am going to do an in-depth review on this foundation in a few days.

Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller: I don't think the caffeine in this product makes my eyes look more awake, nor do I think the roll on packaging stimulates microcirculation. However, the color of this concealer matches my skin really well. It's quite sheer, but I don't have too much pigmentation under my eyes. If you have very dark circles, I would recommend a peach toned concealer over this one.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Sore Pimple Gel: This isn't a miracle product, but if you are consistent with application, the pimples will disappear after 2-3 days. I get cystic acne--those large zits that are painful to touch--every time I'm on my period. Even if I refrain from popping them, they tend to leave scars. This product has effectively diminished those pimples without leaving scars behind.

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt: I love this color. It looks really bright in the tube, but gives my lips a natural looking flush. I do have pigmented lips, so the color may appear a lot brighter on those with paler lips.

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April Favorites!

Hi, lovely readers. I bought a lot of beauty products this month because Ulta had pretty sweet deals throughout the month, and Sephora recently had a code that took 15% off the entire purchase. The swatches are on the bottom of the post, as usual.

Sonia Kashuk Makeup Remover $9.99: I found my HG makeup remover. This is it. Best makeup remover EVER.

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer $42: I got this from Ulta when these were 50% off, which makes me love this even more. The consistency is very similar to MAC's pro long wear concealer. It's primarily liquid, but slightly creamy. It is really easy to blend, conceals well, matches my skintone (I bought mine in medium beige, and I'm a NW25) and does not turn cakey on the skin.

John Frieda Flyaway Tamer $8.99: It comes in a tube with a mascara-like wand. The product is clear and unscented. I have a lot of "baby hairs" and flyaways, especially after I blowdry. I've tried using dryer sheets to calm my flyaways, but it only keeps them tamed for a few minutes. This product is really effective, and it doesn't make your hair turn stiff, oily, etc.

NYC Bronzer in Sunny $2.32 (not pictured): I applied this like a blush, and it gave my face a healthy glow. I haven't had much luck finding a bronzer that suits my skintone, but this bronzer is definitely flattering on me.

Mememe Pussycat Cheek & Lip Tint: My friend got me two of these when she visited the UK. I'm pretty sure you can't find this in the U.S., but can be ordered on Ebay. This is the perfect dupe for Benefit's Benetint, but at a fraction of the cost! Benetint is $28, and the Pussycat tint is around $14 on Ebay. This gives my lips a nice flush of red, almost as if I applied a cherry red lipstick and gently wiped it off with a tissue. It looks nice with a neutral or simple eye. I also tried it on my cheeks, but the color was a bit too bold against my somewhat fair complexion. I think it will look nicer on a darker skintone, so I'm excited to wear it on my cheeks during the summer. It is also pretty easy to blend.

TokiDoki Lip Stain in Cactus Friends $10: I'm not usually a fan of lip stains since they tend to dry out my lips. However, this lip stain doesn't dry out my lips and I love the color. It's a coral, orange color, which is one of my favorite lip colors to wear year-round. Also, I'm pretty content with the staying power of this lip stain. It doesn't stay on all day, but the color stays put for a couple hours.

Swatches:

L to R: Mememe tint and Toki Doki lip stain

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March Favorites

I feel guilty that I bought enough beauty products to write, yet again, a favorites post. But, I have some [legitimate] excuses: there are more days in March, I didn't have as many exams, and I had my spring break this month. Yeah... I feel better now. So, onto my favorite beauty products! (swatches are towards the bottom of the post)

L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation $13.97: I love the texture of this foundation! It's feels like whipped cream. It is really easy to blend, and I don't need to use a brush or sponge to apply this. I'm going to do a more thorough review on this product, including pictures and application tips because this foundation deserves its own entry. That's how awesome it is.

Stila Crush Lip and Cheek Stain in Mango $24: I bought this at Ulta because they are having a special deal where you can get the Make Me Blush Cheek Color (item below) for free with any Stila purchase of $30+. Actually, I had originally bought this stain in the shade "Coconut", but it did not complement my skin tone. Mango is a bright coral color with a shimmery gold base. I love the color, especially with Stila's Make Me Blush Cheek Color on top. The combination of these two products give me a nice, rosy glow and helps the color stay put on my cheeks for several hours. I used this on my lips, but the stain was barely noticeable. Also, these stains are supposed to smell like their respective names. Coconut smelled great, but mango smells odd... fortunately, the scent isn't too powerful and fades pretty quickly.

Stila Make Me Blush Cheek Color $22.99: I've been eyeing this blush since it came out around Valentine's Day. I think the hearts are adorable, and the shade is a nice, coral color when all the colors are combined. It is a bit shimmery, but I found that I can easily dust most of the shimmer off my cheeks with my fingers. You can get this for free with any $30+ Stila purchase at Ulta. I'm not sure when the deal ends though.

Rimmel Lipstick in Kiss $2.64: I think this color is really cute for spring and summer. It's a slightly bright, watermelon pink color. I also love the moisturizing formula of the lipstick.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Ultra Darling $14.50: I love this color. It's slightly darker than the Rimmel lipstick in Kiss, but I would still describe it as a watermelon pink. I also love the formula: creamy, moisturizing, and gives a nice, wet sheen.

Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist $14.05: This mist claims to nourish and improve the strength and flexibility of hair, banish frizz, and enhance shine. It is also a heat protectant. First off, I must say that I am kind of obsessed with the scent of this mist. I love the fact that it is also a heat protectant because I don't like applying more than one product onto my hair. I can't say if this product has improved my hair because I feel that my hair is pretty healthy. I've never colored it, and only use heat on my hair on rare occasions. In fact, I am extremely low maintenance when it comes to my hair. In terms of frizz and shine: yes, I have noticed that my hair isn't as frizzy and is shinier. I also like the fact that this doesn't leave my hair looking or feeling oily.

Swatches:

From L to R: Stila Make Me Blush; Stila Mango Crush; Rimmel Kiss; MAC Ultra Darling

Thanks for reading!

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February Favorites

Aside from the fact that February was a month of many midterms and lack of sleep, I still managed to buy tons of beauty products. *sigh* Go figure :3

These were my favorite beauty/health related items that I purchased and/or used several times during the month of February:

• Nivea Visage Alcohol Free Toner $5.44: I've used toners in the past, but never considered them to be a necessity in one's skin care regimen. This toner is, by far, the best toner I have ever used. It is alcohol free, so it doesn't sting when I apply it. My face doesn't feel tight, dry, or irritated. The downside is that this product is difficult to find in stores. I've checked my local CVS, Rite Aid, and Target, and none of them carry this product. :(

• Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser $4.99: This cleanser removes almost all traces of makeup. I know this because my toner picks up very tiny amounts of foundation/concealer residue after I cleanse. It's a foamy consistency, so application is quick and easy. Best of all, the cleanser is gentle and non-irritating.

• Milani Mineral Blush in Luminous $5.99: I love the color, but the packaging is crappy. The clear, plastic part popped out when I tried to open the lid. I want to do an exchange, but every time I go to my local Target, this blush is sold out. The color is gorgeous though. It is a rosy, peachy pink with gold reflexes--similar to Nars Orgasm, but this blush is a more subdued pink.

• Sonia Kashuk Creme Blush in Rosey $9.99: I love cream blushes, but I haven't had much luck with them. They are usually too solid, so the color is difficult to blend. This one, however, has a very creamy consistency, so it is easy to blend. I also love the coral color. On the other hand, I have to be careful when applying this blush because it is quite pigmented.

• Wet 'n' Wild Brow/Eyeliner Pencil in Taupe $0.75: This is a brow pencil and an eyeliner. I still love my Physician's Formula brow pencil, but I have been using this one from Wet & Wild almost everyday since I bought it. The color is practically a perfect match for my natural brow color. I also like that it contains beeswax to help pat down my brow hairs and keep them in place.

• Avon Glazewear Lipgloss in Apple Cinnamon $2.99: This is such a pretty color. The color is a nice, toned down mauvy red with shimmers. The lipgloss is also quite moisturizing, and it stays on for a long time. Best of all, this lipgloss is not sticky at all.

• Green By Nature Lip Butter in Banana Shea $4.99: I love this lip balm. It glides on smoothly, protects my lips from the bitter cold, prevents my lips from becoming chapped, and smells delicious. It is 100% free of parabens and contains 95% natural ingredients. This pwns Burts Bees. Seriously.

Swatches:

Please excuse the crappy 2.0 megapixel quality. From L to R: Avon Apple Cinnamon, Milani Luminous, & Sonia Kashuk Rosey

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