Favorite Makeup Products of 2011!

Hello, Everyone!


Long time no talk...I'm going to dive back in with my favorite makeup products of 2011.


2011 was an amazing year for me, the best I've had in a while. I got to see and experience so many different aspects of the world that I never imagined existed when I went to Europe with my boyfriend for six weeks. It was truly an eye-opening trip and I am so glad we were able to go.


Now, on to the products. At first I found choosing only a select few products quite a daunting tast. However, I found I was able to really narrow what products were my true favorites by assessing what I took with me to Europe as well as items I used up or re-purchased.


And so (in no particular order)........


1) Bare Minerals Original Foundation     $26
I am forever indebted to this foundation. I have others, none worth mentioning, that I attempt to use purely because I feel bad about letting them go to waste. But I always find myself going back to Bare Minerals. It's amazing for my skin, which likes to break out, and provides the perfect amount of coverage for me. I have been using Bare Minerals for over 5 years and it is genuinely a product I couldn't live without.


2) Urban Decay Naked Palette      $48
These were the only eyeshadows I took with me to Europe. I'm planning on clearing out some of my makeup soon in order to make room for new storage (and lets be honest, to justify buying more!) But I have honestly considered throwing out everything else and just keeping the Naked palette. I find myself using it every single day, even though I have a lot of other palettes and singles to choose from. The colours are perfect for me, the quality is amazing and it is just the most versatile palette I own or have ever seen! I'm in love.


3) The Body Shop Brow and Liner Kit      $18
I stole my Mum's about 3 years ago and finally ran out this year. I bought a new one and love it just as much as I did when I used my Mum's. I have pathetic eyebrows and this kit gives me a choice of 2 colours to fill my brows in. It's pigmented and a little goes a long way, as I have had mine for almost 6 months and barely made a dent.


4) NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer      $2-4
Another long time favorite. Just a good, everyday bronzer with the right colour, texture and price! Everything I've mentioned up until now has been expensive but this is only about $4. It is my favorite bronzer I've ever tried and so easily accessible.


5) Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Pink Please      Discontinued
Once again, I have loved this for a long time. I got my first tube of this about a year and a half ago and I still have that same tube. Only because I have been trying to conserve it because it was discontinued! I actually bought 4 tubes on Amazon because I can't imagine life without this lipstick. It is a beautiful light pink with a gorgeous texture. I don't have enough good things to say about it, I literally wear it everyday and for any occasion. I'm just so sad that they discontinued it!


6) Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer      $5-7
Another cheap one! I have re-purchased this 3 times in 2011, which is not only a testament to how much I love it, but to how long it lasts! This is such a user friendly concealer, with a doe-foot applicator it really couldn't get much easier. It's quick and effective for under eye circles as well as blemishes.


7) Covergirl Lashblast Mascara      $6-8
I have 2 favorite mascaras, this is one of them. I have used this for years and have loved it ever since. I don't like the waterproof one but the regular one is perfect and I use it pretty much everyday.


8) Barry M Extreme Black 3-in-1 Mascara      Available in the UK
This is available in the UK. I got it the last time I was in England and now have another tube of it because I loved it so much. It is very lengthening but can also be volumizing if built up enough. A little bit of a wetter formula as opposed to Lashblast which is drier. I like them both for different reasons but couldn't live without either.


9) Rimmel Kajal Pencil Eyeliners     $3-6
I have the black and the white ones, and I use the black daily without fail. They are pretty creamy but not so much so that it goes everywhere when applying (an issue I have with Urban Decay 24/7). I use the black for my waterlines as well as upper lash line and the white for water-lining only. This was the first eyeliner I ever used which was years ago so I can't say how many times I've re-purchased but I currently own 3 pencils, if that says anything!


10) NYC Liquid Eyeliner     $1-3
This was the year that I really got into winging out my upper eyeliner. I had been doing it for a couple of years but really perfected it in 2011. That was thanks to gel liners in general (used with angled brush) and the NYC liquid eyeliner, which is a very fine tipped liner that allows for precision and intensity. It is so cheap, an amazing buy and great quality product that I reach for almost everyday.




And thats it! I didn't mean for it to be a top ten but hey, a nice, round number is never a bad thing. I didn't include skincare or hair products because they are limited and ever-changing. I might do a separate post about those later in the year if they accumulate.


I'm hoping to blog a lot more in 2012. I have a lot of ideas that I, of course, have started to make into a nice, neat list!


Stay tuned...


Jade