2012 favorite products!
Hello lovely readers!
I hope that you guys had a wonderful holiday and going back to school/work wasn't too harsh. For this year, I don't really have any resolutions hehe, Let's admit it, we never fulfill them and after 2 or 3 weeks we forget about them :P
(You can skip this part, it's just some random bla bla ;))
A short recap of 2012: hectic & stressful. As may know (or not), last spring, most of the university & cegep students went on "strike" because the provincial government was about to raise the tuition fees. For my case, the strike it lasted about 3 months and I had to return in class in mid-august to finish my semester at the end of September. 1 month and a half to catch up 3 months of class is... exhausting. The problem is, it was my last semester and I was already accepted for university but it order to start university, I had to finish cegep. So not only it was exhausting, it was very very very stressful because if I failed one class, I had to wait for next fall to start my program. Everything went smoothly and 2 days after I finished my cegep, I started university. LOL. I barely breathed and it restarted again. Instead of having 15 weeks of class, they condensed it in 12 weeks.
Even though it was the most exhausting & stressful year, it made me grow a lot & tested my ability to manage my time. I have to thank my employer to be so understanding and to be so flexible for the work schedule.
Ok now into the main subject! FAVORITES OF 2012!!! (Lenghty post!)
Dior Hydra Life youth essential concentrated sorbet essence: my current HG for serum, light, absorbs well and delivers. You can click here to read my full review.
Boscia purifying black cleanser: This is a 100 pts perk that I got at Sephora. When you first rub the black gel onto your face, it warms up for a few seconds (which I like). It doesn't lather much but enough for my liking. I feel that it cleans well my face without stripping the moisture out and it doesn't irritate my skin. I have replaced my Philosophy purity cleanser (which was my HG) by this because my skin reacted to the purity cleanser :( It works well with my Clarisonic mia too!
Boscia revitalizing black hydration gel: I love love love this! I've already gone through 3 of these and I will be purchasing my 4th soon! It's perfect for summer when my skin leans more normal/oily but also for winter when my skin is drier. It keeps my skin super smooth and supple and controls oil very well. For winter, I apply this all over my face and when I feel that my cheeks are not hydrated enough, I add a extra moisturizer. Definitely my HG! It makes my skin less red and gives a natural dewy finish too :)
Shiseido The Skincare Hydro-balancing softener alcohol free: I like to pat this on after my cleanser on days when I feel my face is dry. It's so gentle and makes my skin very supple and soft.
Laneige white plus renew eye serum (night care): Even though it says it's a serum, I use it on it's on like it's a eye cream. It absorbs very well and hydrates the contour of my eyes. I can see that the fine lines are minimized. No greasy residue and wears well under concealer!
Bioderma sensibio micelle solution: I decided to try this after all the rave reviews going on. Before ppl started to talk about this, I saw these in every drugstore. I use this in the morning to clean my face when it's very sensitive and irritated. It calms it and doesn't strip the moisture out. When I have a full face makeup on, I use this too and it takes of the makeup so well! Except for waterproof eye makeup... =P
Vichy Normaderm active anti-imperfection concentrate: I tried this because of Nic (Bang bang she shoots). I have white bumps on my forehead area and never seem to be able to get rid of them. I use the product on my forehead after I wash my face (am/pm). After a few weeks, I can see that the size of the bumps are smaller. It prevents breakouts too! ^_^
Caudalie Vinosource anti-wrinkle nourishing cream (for dry skin): It comes out as a thick cream but it spreads & absorbs so well! It really makes my skin really soft!! I didn't buy this for the anti-wrinkle effect but because of the good reviews on makeup alley LOL. I only apply this on my cheeks (the driest part of my face) in winter. However this one doesn't exist anymore because the company changed all the names & packages. Booo :(
Shiseido nourishing mascara base: I'm currently on my 2nd tube of this and I must say it's pretty amazing! I bought my first tube at duty free and it was love at first use. It strengthens my lashes and make them more healthy. I don't find any lashes anymore on my cotton pad when I remove my waterproof mascara & I use mascara everyday. It helps at holding the curl too & you can use it on it's own. Unless like other mascara "primer" it's clear. It's absolutely a must have for regular mascara user!
Lancome Hypnose waterproof mascara: I got this at duty free too and I'm pretty impressed by it! It holds my curl a lot better than any other western mascara I've tried! It gives my lashes some slight volume and defines them. It doesn't clump :) Definitely a repurchase!
Nars pro-prime smudge proof eyeshadow base: I find it way better than UDPP, hands down. I find way a lot less greasy! Plus, you can see how much product you have left (approx) in your tube by the opening hehe. After 1 year and 3 months, I can see that it is empty! :D
Shu Uemera eyelash curler: I don't know why I'm still adding this in every favorite posts LOL! You guys alreay know how much I love it :)
Heroine Kiss Me smooth liquid liner: I prefer this over the Dolly Wink one because of its precision. Over the time, the Dolly Wink tip became less precise than this one. It stays put all day and is easy to remove.
Ecriture de Chanel automatic liquid liner in brown: This was a compulsive buy but I really like the brown color of it and the way it dispenses the product, but I don't think I'll repurchase this because of it's price =/ Even though it holds well, it's not waterproof. Plus, I find it easier to achieve a cat eye look with the tip of this brush than the Heroine Kiss me one.
Sephora Jumbo liner 12hr wear waterproof in 04 taupe: I use this as a eyeshadow and I love how long lasting and crease proof it is! This shade is like a dupe for MUFE's aqua cream in #15!
Sephora retractable eyeliner waterproof in 10 matte brown/black and 14 matte moss: My current HGs in the pencil liner category. It doesn't crease, transfer, fade or smudge on me. They are more pigmented than MUFE Aqua liners and performs way better IMO.
Chanel eyeshadow duo in sable - emouvant: I love EVERYTHING about this eyeshadow duo. Especially the texture! It's so smooth and blends so well! I'm really in love with the brown shade too, I can use it on the outer corner for a soft smokey look (or more intense because it's buildable) or use it as a liner. They are very pigmented so you can achieve a very soft look or a more intense look.
Shu Uemura hard formula brow pencil in 02 seal brown (not pictures): I've been using this everyday to fill in my brows. It's very natural and mistake proof because the pigments only clings to the natural oil of your hair. It doesn't tug or my eyebrows or anything. If your brows are very sparse, I wouldn't recommend this.
Giorgio Armani lasting silk UV foundation: The search for a semi-matte LIQUID foundation is now over! This foundation has a light coverage, it goes on semi-matte (or matte for some ppl) and doesn't make my t-zone shiny after a few hours of wear and feels comfortable on my normal-dry cheeks. I tried a lot of liquid foundations that claims to mattify the skin, but my t-zone would still be shiny after a few hours and my cheeks would feel dried out. It's doesn't cake and even though there's a SPF 20, it doesn't reflect in pictures.
Hourglass mineral primer spf 15: This one made it to the favorites because it's lightweight, doesn't clog my pores & make me break-out (most primer do) & controls oil. The spf in it doesn't irritate my skin too =)
Yves Saint-Laurent glossy stain in #15 (rose vinyl) and #19 (beige aquarelle): I love the pigmentation + wear of this hybrid. It doesn't dry out my lips and leaves a stain after eating. I saw the dupes from l'Oreal so I might try them out and turn to them since they are less expensive!!
Dior Serum de rouge: These lippies are like hydrating serum (as the name says) for your lips! It's very lightweight, non sticky/waxy and leaves a nice sheen to your lips. Depending on the color, some are semi-sheer and other are opaque. It leaves my lips uber soft! The best lipstick for winter :)
Marc Jacobs Daisy oh so fresh: Favorite perfume! I've been wearing it all summer & even in winter, but I like to switch it up. I'm still debating whether I should buy the bottle or not when I finish with the rollerball.
Victoria Secret hydrating body lotion & perfume in Secret Charm: Out of all the scent available, I fell in love with the first sniff (yup I tried every tester LOL). It's light, fresh & airy. I find it more suitable for summer, so I switch between these and the Marc Jacobs one =)
Oh my that was a lenghty post! If you read through all this, high 5!
Please tell me what are your 2012 favorites!
See you guys soon!
Love,
-S
I hope that you guys had a wonderful holiday and going back to school/work wasn't too harsh. For this year, I don't really have any resolutions hehe, Let's admit it, we never fulfill them and after 2 or 3 weeks we forget about them :P
(You can skip this part, it's just some random bla bla ;))
A short recap of 2012: hectic & stressful. As may know (or not), last spring, most of the university & cegep students went on "strike" because the provincial government was about to raise the tuition fees. For my case, the strike it lasted about 3 months and I had to return in class in mid-august to finish my semester at the end of September. 1 month and a half to catch up 3 months of class is... exhausting. The problem is, it was my last semester and I was already accepted for university but it order to start university, I had to finish cegep. So not only it was exhausting, it was very very very stressful because if I failed one class, I had to wait for next fall to start my program. Everything went smoothly and 2 days after I finished my cegep, I started university. LOL. I barely breathed and it restarted again. Instead of having 15 weeks of class, they condensed it in 12 weeks.
Even though it was the most exhausting & stressful year, it made me grow a lot & tested my ability to manage my time. I have to thank my employer to be so understanding and to be so flexible for the work schedule.
Ok now into the main subject! FAVORITES OF 2012!!! (Lenghty post!)
Skincare
Boscia purifying black cleanser: This is a 100 pts perk that I got at Sephora. When you first rub the black gel onto your face, it warms up for a few seconds (which I like). It doesn't lather much but enough for my liking. I feel that it cleans well my face without stripping the moisture out and it doesn't irritate my skin. I have replaced my Philosophy purity cleanser (which was my HG) by this because my skin reacted to the purity cleanser :( It works well with my Clarisonic mia too!
Boscia revitalizing black hydration gel: I love love love this! I've already gone through 3 of these and I will be purchasing my 4th soon! It's perfect for summer when my skin leans more normal/oily but also for winter when my skin is drier. It keeps my skin super smooth and supple and controls oil very well. For winter, I apply this all over my face and when I feel that my cheeks are not hydrated enough, I add a extra moisturizer. Definitely my HG! It makes my skin less red and gives a natural dewy finish too :)
Shiseido The Skincare Hydro-balancing softener alcohol free: I like to pat this on after my cleanser on days when I feel my face is dry. It's so gentle and makes my skin very supple and soft.
Laneige white plus renew eye serum (night care): Even though it says it's a serum, I use it on it's on like it's a eye cream. It absorbs very well and hydrates the contour of my eyes. I can see that the fine lines are minimized. No greasy residue and wears well under concealer!
Bioderma sensibio micelle solution: I decided to try this after all the rave reviews going on. Before ppl started to talk about this, I saw these in every drugstore. I use this in the morning to clean my face when it's very sensitive and irritated. It calms it and doesn't strip the moisture out. When I have a full face makeup on, I use this too and it takes of the makeup so well! Except for waterproof eye makeup... =P
Vichy Normaderm active anti-imperfection concentrate: I tried this because of Nic (Bang bang she shoots). I have white bumps on my forehead area and never seem to be able to get rid of them. I use the product on my forehead after I wash my face (am/pm). After a few weeks, I can see that the size of the bumps are smaller. It prevents breakouts too! ^_^
Caudalie Vinosource anti-wrinkle nourishing cream (for dry skin): It comes out as a thick cream but it spreads & absorbs so well! It really makes my skin really soft!! I didn't buy this for the anti-wrinkle effect but because of the good reviews on makeup alley LOL. I only apply this on my cheeks (the driest part of my face) in winter. However this one doesn't exist anymore because the company changed all the names & packages. Booo :(
Eye makeup
Lancome Hypnose waterproof mascara: I got this at duty free too and I'm pretty impressed by it! It holds my curl a lot better than any other western mascara I've tried! It gives my lashes some slight volume and defines them. It doesn't clump :) Definitely a repurchase!
Nars pro-prime smudge proof eyeshadow base: I find it way better than UDPP, hands down. I find way a lot less greasy! Plus, you can see how much product you have left (approx) in your tube by the opening hehe. After 1 year and 3 months, I can see that it is empty! :D
Shu Uemera eyelash curler: I don't know why I'm still adding this in every favorite posts LOL! You guys alreay know how much I love it :)
Heroine Kiss Me smooth liquid liner: I prefer this over the Dolly Wink one because of its precision. Over the time, the Dolly Wink tip became less precise than this one. It stays put all day and is easy to remove.
Ecriture de Chanel automatic liquid liner in brown: This was a compulsive buy but I really like the brown color of it and the way it dispenses the product, but I don't think I'll repurchase this because of it's price =/ Even though it holds well, it's not waterproof. Plus, I find it easier to achieve a cat eye look with the tip of this brush than the Heroine Kiss me one.
Sephora Jumbo liner 12hr wear waterproof in 04 taupe: I use this as a eyeshadow and I love how long lasting and crease proof it is! This shade is like a dupe for MUFE's aqua cream in #15!
Sephora retractable eyeliner waterproof in 10 matte brown/black and 14 matte moss: My current HGs in the pencil liner category. It doesn't crease, transfer, fade or smudge on me. They are more pigmented than MUFE Aqua liners and performs way better IMO.
Chanel eyeshadow duo in sable - emouvant: I love EVERYTHING about this eyeshadow duo. Especially the texture! It's so smooth and blends so well! I'm really in love with the brown shade too, I can use it on the outer corner for a soft smokey look (or more intense because it's buildable) or use it as a liner. They are very pigmented so you can achieve a very soft look or a more intense look.
Shu Uemura hard formula brow pencil in 02 seal brown (not pictures): I've been using this everyday to fill in my brows. It's very natural and mistake proof because the pigments only clings to the natural oil of your hair. It doesn't tug or my eyebrows or anything. If your brows are very sparse, I wouldn't recommend this.
Face & lips
Hourglass mineral primer spf 15: This one made it to the favorites because it's lightweight, doesn't clog my pores & make me break-out (most primer do) & controls oil. The spf in it doesn't irritate my skin too =)
Yves Saint-Laurent glossy stain in #15 (rose vinyl) and #19 (beige aquarelle): I love the pigmentation + wear of this hybrid. It doesn't dry out my lips and leaves a stain after eating. I saw the dupes from l'Oreal so I might try them out and turn to them since they are less expensive!!
Dior Serum de rouge: These lippies are like hydrating serum (as the name says) for your lips! It's very lightweight, non sticky/waxy and leaves a nice sheen to your lips. Depending on the color, some are semi-sheer and other are opaque. It leaves my lips uber soft! The best lipstick for winter :)
Perfume/Scent
Victoria Secret hydrating body lotion & perfume in Secret Charm: Out of all the scent available, I fell in love with the first sniff (yup I tried every tester LOL). It's light, fresh & airy. I find it more suitable for summer, so I switch between these and the Marc Jacobs one =)
Oh my that was a lenghty post! If you read through all this, high 5!
Please tell me what are your 2012 favorites!
See you guys soon!
Love,
-S
So many people raves about the Bioderm! I have yet to see that in any store in NY. Or the Vichy concentrate :( Those would be two that I'd love to try.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear how the L'oreal lip stains compare to the YSL ones!
Everyone is raving the Bioderma, it is very hard to get. I just purchased the Avene micellar lotion too, i think it should be act like bioderma but not sure which one is better..... I adore this post :)
ReplyDeletei dont understand what any of this stuff is for LOLOLOL. Don't kill me T_T
ReplyDelete-why do you say you need to go HK and come back 20 pounds heavier? All the girls I know say they want to be lighter how come you need to be heavier my friend?
:)
Wow sweettie really interesting favorites! I´m your new follower i hope you follow me back!
ReplyDeletexoxo
http://sakuranko.blogspot.com/
I'm surprised to hear that Biorderma & Vichy are not easy to find in the states because these brands are carried by almost every drugstore in Canada! I've seen those L'Oreal lip stains in my local drugstore but I still don't know which shade I want XD
ReplyDeleteI think that the Avene micellar lotion does the same job :) Let me know how it works!
ReplyDeleteLOL It's ok that you don't really know what these stuff are for XD
ReplyDeleteI'm a weird person. I've been trying to gain weight since high school because I'm tiny and underweight LOL.
Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteOh no I can find Vichy products just not that one that you posted. Very strange :|
ReplyDeleteI LOVE these kinds of posts. I would do one too but I didn't venture much in 2012. Kind of out of it when it comes to the beauty world, but this year I want to try to touch roots again. I don't know how the YSL glosses are, but today I went to Walmart and got one of new L'Oreal glosses.
ReplyDeleteAs for the COD charge on my Gorjana order, I think you're absolutely right. It was totally the company that charged me, there is no way Canada Post would have. How are you doing these days? =)
Hi, i just followed you as i've been reading your blog literally the whole day. I really enjoy it :) If you have time, please check out my blog, i've only just started it:)
ReplyDeletehttp://seedsofdesire.blogspot.com.au
Xx