Ok so I have finally compiled my list of my favourite products from 2011! Some are those I have used constantly and some are those that were mega exciting and just simply amazing!!
In no particular order
Nail Varnish:
FashionistA Magnetism Nail Polishes in Notorious Silver, All Fired Up Red, Ego Green, Forever Is Blue and Purple Me Up - so great I purchased all five colours. So easy to apply, perfect manicure in minutes - not expensive either!
Nail Product:
Rebel Nails in Pink Leopard Print - nail foils applied with heat, work in a similar way to Minx (view my blog post
here) but in my opinion are cheaper but work just as well. These lasted me four weeks and I only removed them because I was bored of having the same design on my nails for four weeks!!
Mineral Make Up:
Bare Minerals Get Started Medium Complexion Set - I know everyone bought this set way before me, but I purchased it in duty free at the airport and used it the whole time I was on holiday - was much kinder to my skin and it didn't dry out in the sun. It makes my skin looks almost perfect without me having to cake myself in product!
Foundation:
L'oreal True Match Liquid Foundation in Golden Beige - When I first tried this foundation I was instantly impressed by it's velvety touch and appearance and the colour match. I guess thats what the aim of the product was, but so often you get a product that doesn't meet your expectations its nice when one does! This is also a foundation which doesn't necessarily require powder on top to set it in place all day.
Powder:
I have to include two here; No.7 Perfect Light Loose Powder in Medium and Max Factor Pressed Powder in Medium Beige - They both leave my skin feelin and looking smooth and flawless but the Max Factor powder has a bit of shimmer in it and is slightly darker so suits me perfectly for Summer whereas the No.7 loose powder is definitely my go to for the Winter!
Bronzer:
New Cid I-Bronze Compact with Mirror in Rio - I just love the different shades included in this baked bronzer (thats why I had to photograph it above open!) I think it gives the perfect bronzed look with a slight shimmer. I've used bronzers in the past which have too much glitter it just gets everywhere! I also love looking at all the swirls, I'm such a fool for pretty things!
Blush:
Rimmel Powder Blush in Santa Rose - This has been my favourite for a number of years, I think it goes back to when Rimmel used to be the brand I bought as a teenager with very little money! Great value brand. However the colour really suits me in summer when I have more of a tan. I also love the hint of shimmer in this, there's nothing like shimmery skin in the Summer!
Face Primer:
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - Another purchase at the airport when I went on holiday last year, which really keeps my make up in place for well over 12 hours! It lasted really well in 30 degree heat on holiday too which is a bonus, a lot of make up tends to smudge in these kind of temperatures! It really helps me get that flawless look too as it fills in some gaps and creases in my face before applying my foundation, unfortunately we all have inmperfections!
Eyeshadow Primer:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - I am sorry but I have to hand it to Urban Decay, this primer is amazing. I first got to try it out when it was an addition to the first Book Of Shadows they released. Brilliant way to get new customers interested in a great product. It really does prevent my eyeshadow from creasing, even my liquid/cream eyeshadows! It also helps with keeping the glittery eyeshadows on your eyelid rather than everywhere else on your face, but of course the best product for this is Pixie Epoxy which I tried because of
Sirvinya's blog advice.
Concealer:
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat - There is a reason that this is one of the most popular concealers, it really does help diminish the appearance of bags/dark circles under your eyes! Another purchase I made in duty free which made all my big brand purchases more worth while, it ended up being around £15 I think. I use it all the time and it would definitely be something I'd repurchase even at a higher price. You don't have to use a lot of it either as its so easy to use with the brush.
Eyeshadow (Palette):
Urban Decay 15 Year Anniversary Palette - I didn't want to choose this because I know so many other bloggers have but I haven't stopped using it since I got it. The colours included are perfect, there is a lovely mix of brights and neutrals which makes it easy to create lots of different looks. The eyeshadows in the Urban Decay Palettes really are amongst the best I've ever tried. They also have the prettiest packaging I've possibly ever seen and they really do try hard to accomplish fun designs for us!
Lip Liner:
Rimmel Vinyl Jelly Lip Liner in Sorbet (004) - I don't own many lip liners (probably something I should invest in this year) but this liner is a great colour for a nude lip for me, which is what I wear quite often. It isn't too matte either so to me it doesn't look boring, I love gloosy lips!!
Eyelash Curlers:
Shu Uemura - I purchased these after reading a lot of people blogging about how great they were and found them on eBay for about £5. They seem to curl and hold my lashes in place for a long time and they are so easy to use. I have only ever used one other pair of eyelash curlers which were probably a little more childish as they were plastic...so this is probably a biased opinion!
Lipstick:
The Body Shop Lipstick in Soft Sienna - as mentioned previously I love a nude lip colour, this is probably because I enjoy brightening up my eyes so much. This lipstick is the perfect nude lip for me, every shade suits people differently but I think this could be a shade for everyone! Its also very soft and moisturising, I hate it when lipsticks dry out your lips!
Eye Pencil:
Rimmel Kohl Eye Pencil in Jet Black - Again this is one of my long time favourites from my teenage years, I think I have replaced this 3 or 4 times. In my opinion it is almost as good as the Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencils but a lot cheaper! It is very creamy and stays all day. Its really easy to apply to the waterline and sometimes I find this isn't always the case for eye pencils.
Mascara:
No.7 Lash Adapt in Black - This mascara is probably one of very few that exceeded my expectations. They advertised you could build up the number of coats and it would increase the volume and length without clumping, meaning its the perfect product to alter your day look to an evening look. It really does work wonders and I have tried 7 coats and it still didn't clump!! Amazing, I've never experienced that before - not that you often need to apply 7 coats of mascara haha!!
Liquid Eyeliner:
Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner in Perversion - Now this wasn't something I was expecting to feature on my list because it was just something that was included in the Book Of Shadows IV. I have not previously got on well with liquid eye liners as I haven't had much practice so I used to go for lighter or glittery shades so it wouldn't notice so much if I wasn't applying a line right up to my lashes. However this pen makes it so easy even I could create a perfect line. It really impressed me and I will be looking to purchase more colours this year (after my wedding of course!!)
I hope you have all enjoyed reading and that I didn't bore you half way through xoxo
