Friday, December 31, 2010

My favorite things for 2010

Ahhh, 2010. This year has had its ups and downs. In respect to this blog, this was the year I rediscovered makeup. I had worn make up here and there since I was a young teenager. As a young adult, I wore mainly Clinique cosmetics. When I got pregnant at 29, my face could no longer handle Clinique. I broke out like a 13 year old. I switched to Bare Escentuals and that worked for awhile, but then my skin just looked too oily. I never used moisturizer, never cared about wrinkles and basically wore some mattefying powder and maybe blush. I never wore eyeshadow as it would crease within an hour. Then, late last year I read about Urban Decay Primer Potion and everything changed. Many months later I did a search for mascara reviews and stumbled across Temptalia and Musings of a Muse and I was hooked for good. I now have tons of beauty blogs on my reader and finally took the plunge last month into blogging for myself.

So, my half a dozen readers, I bring you my favorite purchases of 2010. (beware, image heavy post following!)

I'll being with my biggest obsession - nail polishes. These are my favorites this year:

Chanel Paradoxal
Ahh, Chanel. Paradoxal was my first step into the world of luxury polish. I went to no less then 4 different stores to find it. I finally grabbed the last one at Neiman Marcus. (This was before they released more). It was love at first sight.

Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance (left) and Waking Up in Vegas (right)
Deborah Lippmann. These were my first two purchases. They went on so well and were such great colors, that I went on to buy all of the women in my family a different color for Christmas. I love how all the shades are inspired by song titles.

Dior Timeless Gold

Dior Timeless Gold and Czarina Gold. The brush, the formula, the colors, I loved everything about these polishes. The spring 2011 colors didn't strike my fancy, but I'll be keeping my eye out for the newest colors.

Orly Cosmic FX collection

The Orly Cosmic FX collection. The coolest, lovliest duochrome effect was just mesmerizing from the first time I saw them. I bought each color available at Ulta right then and there. I love these.

Butter London All Hail McQueen
Butter London. I scooped up 5 of these when I saw them at one of the Ultas I go to. I was surprised to see them stateside. Of the 5 that I bought, this was my favorite color.

Nfu-Oh holographic polishes and flakie polishes
Nfu-Oh holographics and flakies. I love the holos. Love, love, love them. Buying these was the first time I have bought nail polish online sight unseen - just from reading beauty blogs. I don't regret it.

China Glaze OMG collection
China Glaze OMG collection. Yes, I know these didn't come out this year, but after being exposed to holographic polishes, I had to have them. I found this group reasonably priced on eBay (I didn't love them enough to pay outlandish prices) and grabbed them. I am a sucker for holos.

Now we move into the cosmetics.

MAC Venomous Villians, L-R - Resort Life lipgelee, Bad Fairy nail lacquer, Darkly My Dear Blush, Wicked Ways lipglass
Venomous Villains collection from MAC. After frequenting the MAC store for a few weeks, my favorite sales associate (I think she's the manager) handed me an invite to the Venomous Villains launch and wouldn't take no for an answer. I went to the jam-packed store and hovered over the displays. I toyed with the idea of putting on the Evil Queen's cape and taking a picture, but just settled for buying some pieces instead. I still love this collection.

Boots Shine Control Lotion
I never moisturized my face. I always thought it was already oily, I didn't need to add any more. It took me nearly 35 years to discover that if I moisturize, my face won't produce as much oil. Hot diggety. Wandering through Target one day, I bought this Boots moisturizing lotion on a whim. I got lucky. I love it. It's light, non-greasy and actually works really well.

MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
I always used pressed powder on my face, but it always looked so cakey. The SA at the MAC store recommended the translucent Prep + Prime powder, and I've been hooked. 

Maybelline The Falsies Volum'Express mascara in Very Black
After using DiorShow for a few months and having it streak down my face. I tried Maybelline's The Falsies Volum'Express, and now I will never pay more than $10 for mascara again. It works. Well.

Chanel Mat Lumiere foundation in Ivory

Oh, Chanel. The love affair is torrid. I love you, my skin loves you, my wallet hates you. The wallet loses.

Urban Decay Naked Palette
The most sought after palette this year. A few months back, my mom got pink eye. She was most distraught about throwing out all of her eye makeup. However, after a costly trip to Sephora, she showed me this palette. I knew I had to have it, but by that time, it was already sold out and being sold for big bucks on eBay. At the time my shadow collection was already pretty large, so I didn't sweat it much. Then one day in November, I walked into the Ulta that is right across the street from my office (dangerous, indeed) and lo and behold - there was one Naked Palette right there on the shelf. I grabbed it. Then a woman came up to me with a sad face asking me where I got it because she's been searching for months for it. Thinking I didn't NEED it, I gave it to her. She thanked me profusely. The next week I walked into the same Ulta and there was ANOTHER one on the shelf! I grabbed it, put it into my shopping bag and knew it had to be fate. It was mine. And you know what? This is the best palette. There isn't a dud color in the bunch. I've only had it a month and it is well used.

Smashbox O-Gloss Gold
I admit it, I got sucked into the whole "color change to your perfect peach shade!!" hype. It actually works, and it is a flattering gloss! I would buy it again!

MAC Viva Glam V
Very universally flattering lipcolor. And, as a bonus, all $14.50 of the purchase price goes towards charities dealing with HIV/AIDS. Looking good and helping out a good cause, could you ask for anything more?

Clarisonic Cleansing System
Ok, I didn't actually purchase this. It was a gift from my mom. It is great. It cleans my skin like no other. Very happy with this.

If you're still with me, wow, you have some patience! Thank you for reading and I hope 2011 treats all of you very, very well.

6 comments:

  1. can I come over and play with your nfuohs and lippmanns? I NEED THEM! they are beautiful :)

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  2. Heh..
    I tend to suffer from "I need the WHOLE set" syndrome. :)

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  3. We love your list of favorites and cheers to your mom for gifting you the Clarisonic! Happy Cleansing:)

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  4. I do love it. My skin hasn't look this good since I had baby teeth!

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  5. Love my Clarisonic. Mine is white. Are you going to get Viva Glam Gaga II?!

    Check out my bloggy. =^0^=

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  6. I really like the colour Waking up in Vegas, but in Germany they don´t sell it yet! Unfortunatly!! The 3 lippmann colour I have I really like!

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