Best Of 2012: Eyes

In this last post, as the title suggest, I will show you my favourite eye products of 2012. Eye products are firm favourites of mine and are usually the first section I look at in a make-up stand. Here goes!

Mascara is a must for me and my favourites have been Catrice Glamour Doll* and Catrice Mini Max*. Although they both provide great length and volume, a little help is never a bad idea. Enter RevitaLash Volumizing Primer* which primes lashes to perfection and adds an extra volume boost. Pupa Vamp! Mascara in 300 Deep Night* has also been a firm favourite and the navy blue colour is a fun step away from the usual black.

With regards eye liners and eye pencils my favourites were the following...Essence Gel Eyeliner in 02 London Baby, E.L.F. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black, Catrice Eyeliner Pen in Carbon Black*, Catrice Kajal Designer in 150 Up&Brown&Up&Brown...*, and for added sparkle, Pupa Milano Deco Collection Diamond Eyeliner 03 in Copper Glitter Deco*.

As for eyeshadows, my favourite shades were mostly neutral but there are also some coloured ones too. Here goes! Catrice Absolute Eye Colour in 540 Rose Marie's Baby*, 560 I Like To Mauve It*, 580 Carrots Of The Carribbean*, Catrice Intensif'eye Wet & Dry Shadow in 010 Black or White Swan?!, Essence Eyeshadow in 02 Dance All Night, Essence Marble Mania Trend Edition Eyeshadow in 01 Seriously Mixed Up*, 03 Swirl It Baby!*, Pupa Milano Deco Collection Diamond Eyeshadow in 04 Emerald Glitter Deco* and lastly Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow in Brulee.

And that concludes my favourite products for 2012! I hope you enjoyed these posts, stay tuned for a revamped blog layout and more posts coming your way!

Part 1: Nails

Part 2: Skin Care

Part 3: Lips

Part 4: Face

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or else sent by the respective companies' PR for review purposes.

Best Of 2012: Face

For the penultimate post in this series, I will show you what my favourite face products have been throughout the year, starting with Catrice Ultimate Moisture Fresh Skin Make-up in 010 Light Beige*. Whenever I need a little extra coverage during the day, I opt for this foundation which has a light and very natural coverage. The colour is an exact match to my skin-tone and stays put all day. 

Another face product that I use everyday is E.L.F. Studio Translucent Mattifying Powder which I use both alone and to set foundation and the result is excellent each time! I cannot not mention my all time favourite concealer from Essence which is the Stay Natural Concealer in 01 Soft Beige. It conceals zits and dark circles beautifully even though it offers light coverage...perfect for both day and night! To make sure my make-up stays put all throughout the day/night, I have been loving E.L.F. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set* as a fixer.

This year I have become more acquainted with different shades of blush and consequently my favourites are E.L.F. Studio Blush in Candid Coral, Essence Marble Mania Trend Edition Blush in 01 Swirlpool* and Catrice Defining Blush in 060 Rosewood Forest*. They all offer excellent pigmentation and a healthy, flushed look to the cheeks :)

The last face product that will make this list is a recently discovered gem...Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette*. It has three components, a highlight, a blush and a bronzer and I am especially fond of the matte bronzer that is not too dark for me; on the contrary, it is the perfect bronzer! All three components are very pigmented albeit a little powdery.

 

Check back tomorrow for the last instalment in the series, dealing with eye products.

Part 1: Nails

Part 2: Skin Care

Part 3: Lips

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or else sent by the respective companies' PR for review purposes.

Best Of 2012: Lips

Next up in the Best Of 2012 series are lip products. Most of you know that I was in a love-hate relationship with lipsticks and favoured lipgloss more. Well, I am pleased to say that has changed! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful lipstick collection and I can't wait to share my favourites with you! However, I will start with other lip products and save the best for last!

First up are two products that proved to be lip saviours...literally! I forgot to pack a lip balm for my trip to Paris and the first thing on arriving was pop into a pharmacy and I got Bioderma Atoderm Levres. It soothed my lips in an instant and left them feeling smooth and supple. Definitely a repurchase if I can find a Bioderma stockist here. Product number two is E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator, a product I had been waiting for ages to be available on the UK website and I purchased straight away as soon as it was uploaded! I was so glad I bought it and I have been using it every other day to keep my lips smooth and it also improved the staying power of lip products on me.  I will need a replacement soon! I have also been able to try out Essence Kiss Care Love Lip balms* which provide the moisture and care of a regular lip balm with a sheer, pearly tint and I can confirm they work excellently!

My favourite lip liner this year has been Revlon ColorStay Lip Liner in Nude. It matches my lips perfectly and is great for use with any lip colour.  This year I have also discovered lip stains and my favourites have been Liptini Lip Liqueur in 4013 Pink Lady*, and Catrice Liquid Lip Tint in 010 Red My Lips*.

As for lipglosses, my favourites were E.L.F. Studio Glossy Gloss in Berry Blush & Merry Cherry, E.L.F. Studio Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine and Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 020 Wood Of Roses*.

As previously said, I left the best for last! Here are my top lipsticks for 2012! Chanel Rouge Coco in 16 Taffetas Rose, Givenchy Rouge Interdit in 20 Illicit Raspberry*, MAC Lustre Lipstick in Naked Paris, Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipsticks in 030 Ginger & Fred and 190 The Nuder The Better.  All these lipsticks have excellent pigmentation and staying power and I am also very pleased to say that I have found the perfect nude in the latter Catrice lipstick.

Moving on, these lipsticks have sheer to high coverage and although the staying power is not as good as the ones above, they still cut it for my 2012 favourites because of their moisturizing formulas. Here are Catrice Ultimate Lip Glow in One Shade Fits All*, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 206 Nude Pink, Kate Moss for Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick (matte) in 107 and Essence Lipsticks in 02 Sparkling Romance, 62 Rockin' Red*.

What were your favourite lip products during the past year?

Part 1: Nails
Part 2: Skin Care

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or sent by the respective companies' PR for review purposes

Best Of 2012: Skin Care

Time to reveal which were my top skin care products in 2012! Those of you following me for a while know that I have had some issues with my skin up to August of last year; for those of you who are new here, I basically started getting a whole lot of zits on my face and I thought it was all due to starting my job etc... turned out I was using too much products to try and eliminate the spots and I ended up making matters worse. That is until I only used La Roche Posay products.

So here are the winners in the Skin Care Category! La Roche Posay Effaclar Foaming Cleansing Gel...honestly, the best cleanser I have ever used that is specifically targeted for my skin type. It doesn't dry out my skin whilst doing an excellent job at cleansing away excess sebum; paired with La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturizer, they really do care for my skin and it has now become less oily and I am getting spots much less frequently and they tend do disappear quicker.  The moisturizer has a very nice skin mattifying effect and is also an excellent make-up base!

Roberts Rose Water has been my choice of toner this year as with its gentle action, it cares for my sensitive skin yet it refreshes my skin effectively with a light rose fragrance.  Nivea Visage Young Mild Exfoliating Scrub continues to be a winner with me as it is mild enough to use everyday to keep my skin peachy smooth!

As for make-up removal, besides the above products, I like to use Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Lotion and Lycia Make-Up Remover Wipes to remove eye make-up effectively without irritating my eyes. The wipes need no introduction and I am very fond of the cleansing lotion simply because unlike other make-up removers, it doesn't leave an oily residue.

Lastly, a little shout-out to this Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash that I have been using while in Paris because of it's compact size.  While the smell is definitely not pleasant, I like the fact that the product is of 98.8% natural origin and it didn't break me out or leave my skin overly dry. Since this was a freebie with Glamour magazine, I cannot get it in Malta so I will enjoy it while it lasts!

And those, dear readers, have been my favourite skin care products in 2012!













Part 1: Nails

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or else sent by respective companies' PR for review purposes.

Best Of 2012: Nails

As promised in the December's favourites post, I will be sharing with you my favourite products from the past year in a series of posts. Part 1 is going to deal with nail products for you know I am very fond of them. The products are listed in no particular order and they are not necessarily 2012 releases.

I will start with what is probably my most expensive polish... O.P.I. The Man With The Golden Gun 18 Carat Gold Top Coat. This was released in September as part of the Skyfall Collection to celebrate 50 years of James Bond and the latest movie that goes by the same name of the collection. The top coat lends a very sophisticated and expensive look to any manicure and is definitely a polish worth coveting! 2012 saw me try O.P.I. for the first time and I also liked The World Is Not Enough (also from the Skyfall Collection) as well as Nothin' Mousie 'Bout It from the Vintage Minnie Mouse Collection launched earlier in the year. I love the names the people at O.P.I. give their polishes and they quality of the polishes is second to none! They are a bit on the expensive side though. 

Speaking of new polish brands I tried last year, I also bought my first Zoya and my choice naturally fell on Lara from the Summer 2012 Beach Collection as it has the same name as me. It is a beautiful bright pink creme and the formula is a bliss to work with. There is also something about the bottles which I like and this definitely won't be my last Zoya polish.

Next, comes my all time favourite nail polish brand...China Glaze. I have accumulated quite a good number of polishes from the brand but my 2012 favourites are definitely Jungle Queen from the Safari Collection and It's A Trap-Eze from their latest collection, Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away.

I was also really keen on the magnetic polish trend as I feel it gives a beautiful effect in no time. I was able to try this trend thanks to Pupa Milano Magnetic Nail Kit in Red*. The kit comes complete with two magnets for different effects and the polish dries fairly quickly!

Moving on to the more budget friendly brands, I was really impressed with Essence and Catrice for the fabulous collections they came out with this year and also for improving on the Colour & Go Polishes* range in terms of finish, durability and size of the bottle. My favourite shades include Essence Vampire's Love Trend Edition Nail Polish in 03 True Love*, Re-mix Your Style Trend Edition Pop Top Coat*, Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer Brushed Metal Effect Nail Polishes in 900 Steel My Heart* and 905 Steel My Soul*. 

Two other polishes which have been favourites of mine last year are Essie Luxeffects in Shine Of The Times and Gosh 549 Holographic Hero*.

As for the random stuff such as base coats and the likes, these are the products that have helped me and many a client have stronger and more beautiful nails this past year, namely, Orly Nailtrition (the best, strengthening base coat I have ever ever tried!), AODL UV Gel Top Coat* (can be found at bornprettystore.com and makes nail polish last up to two weeks. The only downside is that you have to dry it under a UV lamp), Rimmel Cuticle Scrub and last but by no means least, Seacret Cuticle Oil* which moisturizes my cuticles and nourishes my nails. Moreover, my absolute favourite hand cream this year has definitely been La Roche Posay Lipikar Xerand* (not shown) that restores my skin's moisture levels instantly and protects my hands against the constant use of gloves in my profession. I have also found a new favourite nail polish remover...Essence Nail Polish Remover which smells of fruit and removes nail polish quickly and effectively. More importantly, it is an extremely good value for money product!

I cannot conclude this first post in the series without mentioning my winning nail art embellishments that I used over and over again in 2012. All of these products can be found at Born Pretty Store which has an extensive range of nail art embellishments amongst other products. So here goes! First up are the round 1.5mm gold stud rhinestones* for which there are only too many ways to use! They give an interesting edge to any manicure and are sure to make a statement! Next is the red brown flocking powder* for that much sought after 'fuzzy sweater' effect. Lastly, I am really fond of this little tray that comes with the rhinestone picking kit*. It has the ideal shape to contain rhinestones while working and makes it easy to transfer them back into the wheel after use!

And that sums up the Best Nail Products of 2012 for me! Have you tried any of them?

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or sent by the respective companies' PR for review purposes

Monthly Favourites: December

How are you all today? The year is officially at an end and as it so happens at the end of each month, here are my monthly favourites. I am also planning to do a series of Best of 2012 in terms of beauty products so let me know if you would like to see that kind of posts.

My most favourite item this month has been a fashion item, more specifically a pair of shoes, and even more specifically, a pair of boots. Enter the Nine West that my bf bought me for Christmas :)

They're the most comfortable pair of boots I have ever owned and I really like how they dress up an outfit effortlessly while at the same time lending it a bit of an edge. 

Now on to cosmetics, starting with lip products. If you have a look at my OOTD posts, I rarely wear a single lip product, but I tend to pair up products more often than not. My favourite pairs this month have been Liptini Lip Liqueur in 4013 Pink Lady which stains the lips a nice dark pink colour together with Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 15 True Love & Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in 190 The Nuder The Better and Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 08 Glamour To Go.

Moving on the eye department, I have quite a few products, most of which are new discoveries. With regards mascara, I have been reaching for Catrice's Glamour Doll Mascara mostly and when paired with RevitaLash Volumizing Primer, they give my lashes a whole new dimension. I also have a new favourite eyeshadow and glitter eyeliner, courtesy of Pupa Milano in Malta with which I did the NYE make-up in yesterday's post. You can also check out my full review on both products here. Lastly, since I have really been into neutrals this month, I opted for a brown kajal liner for everyday use and my favourite has been Catrice Kajal Designer in 150 Up&Brown&Up&Brown...

Next come the face and body products, namely Zadig & Voltaire Tome 1 - For Her La Purete and Burberry The Beat for perfumes and Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette.  The palette is definitely my favourite contour tool as the bronzer is matte and matches my pale skin tone without looking too obvious and the blush is a pretty pink colour. The highlight provides a delicate pearly finish, perfect to emphasise cheekbones and your lips!

What were your end-of-year favourites ladies? Happy New Year to all!