My Top 27 Beauty Products Picks of 2011

As we wave adieu to 2011 and shake hands with 2012 I look forward to trying out some of the new and upcoming products that will be hitting the shelves this year. Although there are a ton of new beauty products on the horizon, below are my top 27 picks of 2011 in no particular order...

Urban Decay
Naked Palette

Naked is definitely my go-to palette each morning before work. I like a natural look for work, so my daily shadow routine includes Virgin for my highlight, Naked for my brow and Buck for my crease. Sometimes I add in a bit of Toasted or Hustle in to mix things up but I try to stay away from frosty colours during the day.

pürminerals

Pür Polish & Correcting Primer 

Pür Polish has done wonders for my skin. I started using this exfoliator late September/early October and have been using it ever since. You can read more on my 30-Something Skin here. The Correcting Primer is better than any other primer I have ever used, it works great with all concealers and foundations that I have tried it with and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. I use the neutral primer but there is also a Colour Balancer and a Redness Reducer that both serve different priming purposes. 

Sephora

Sephora Makeup Palette and Makeup Brush Shampoo

The top of the palette has 33 different eye shadows and 3 eyeliners. On the left side there are 12 different lip glosses/lipsticks and the right side has 4 blushes and 2 bronzers. I really like that this palette includes 10 matte shadows. I also like that the colour pay-off on my skin is great. I had never tried Sephora's brand of makeup prior to this so I like that this cutsie little palette has given me the opportunity to try many colours at once and is absolutely perfect for travelling. This exact palette is Limited Edition so if you're looking to grab one you should purchase it quickly here. The Sephora brand Makeup Brush Shampoo is definitely a fav of mine. I find that many brush shampoos are heavy and I don't like washing my brushes with olive oil and soap because I feel that the oils hold bacteria. This shampoo is anti-bacterial, weightless and leaves my brushes with a squeaky clean brand new feeling.

L'Oreal Visible Lift

Smooth Absolute Foundation & Concealer

Honestly, when I hit 30 my skin started doing crazy things. I have never suffered from breakout's or anything of that nature but it seemed like the year leading up to my 30th birthday my skin started to change. I never wore foundation in my teens or 20's because I always felt that it was heavy on my face and looked completely un-natural. Foundations can be nice and flawless in photo's and on video but in person, I find that many look cakey, crumbly and just plain gross. I much prefer a natural look which is why I have fallen in love with L'Oreal's Visible Lift Foundation and Concealer. They are both soft and smooth, have amazing coverage and are both still in place at the end of the day when I am done work regardless of the temperature or weather outside. If you try them out, don't be alarmed when you look like you're 19 again!!

Maybelline

Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation & Concealer and Express Finish Nail Polish

Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind is almost an exact dupe to L'Oreal's Visibal Lift products except I find the Age Rewind to be a bit thinner. Although I love both of these foundations and concealer's, if I had to choose between the two I would go with L'Oreal's Visible Lift Foundation and Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer. The Age Rewind Concealer is amazing! Babygirl and I are always trying out new brands of nail polish and I must say that Maybelline's Express Finish polishes are my absolute favourite. I much prefer them over any other high end brand. Not only are they cheaper than other high end polishes, the Express Finish polishes provide perfect coverage with 2 light coats, are quick to dry and can last me over a week without chipping. My favourite colour to wear is Sheer Pink #90 - It looks great all year long, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. A definite must-have in my polish collection.

M.A.C.

Mineralize Skin Finish & Blush and Satin Lipstick

MAC's Mineral makeup makes me so happy! I use the Skinfinish (the larger of the two pods in the colour of Soft and Gentle) for highlighting after I bronze. I often shy away from blushes because much like foundations I sometimes feel that they look un-natural but MAC's Mineralize Blushes are gorgeous giving off the perfect amount of colour. My favourite lipstick colour has been Spirit in Satin Finish since I was about 18 years old. I can't even tell you how many of these lip sticks I have gone through. Not only are the satin finishes hydrating but they last for hours even after countless lip gloss applications.

NYX

Eye/Eyebrow Pencil, Jumbo Eye Pencil and Felt Tip Liner

I'm new to the world of NYX. One night when I was browsing the makeup aisles at a Rexall drugstore I stumbled across their little NYX display. The NYX makeup was ridiculously cheap, I'm talking cheap as in all three of the above cost me less than $20. I have to admit, the prices scared me lol. I couldn't help but wonder if I would be wasting my money. WELL!! Was I terribly mistaken!! Where did this NYX stuff come from?! It's amazing! The white eye liner glides on so smooth, the jumbo pencil is so creamy and perfect for blending and the felt tip eye liner is brilliant! The tip is perfect, the colour is perfect and the lasting power is more than perfect. I don't go anywhere without eyeliner. Ever. So you can imagine how many liners I have gone through in my life. I have to say that these three NYX liners are the best I have ever used over any brand I have ever purchased, and I have used every liner made by every company that you can imagine. Amazing.
Givenchy
Hot Couture

Hot Couture by Givenchy. To me it has soft scents of vanilla, magnolia

and I have no idea what else. It smells so good. It's sophisticated. It's sexy. And it lasts for hours and hours and hours. Nuff said.

eos

Lip Balm Smooth Sphere

eos lippies are hard to find but I came across the two that I purchased at the same Rexall that I found my NYX cosmetics at. The lippy above is in the scent of Honeysuckle Honeydew. I also purchased the Sweet Mint lippy at the same time. Love! eos lip balms are 95% organic and 100% natural. I love that they glide on completely smooth and have absolutely no shine. Oh and they smell and taste so yummy. My lips need a lot of hydration in the winter so along side my 800 little pots of blue blistex you will now find my eos lippies.

Bourjois Paris

Effet 3D MAX

Bourjois's Effet 3D MAX lip gloss is very pretty. I love applying it over my MAC Spirit lipstick when I'm going out at night. I have colour #62 in Rose Gold which is a translucent soft pink with tiny little flecks of gold in it. I like it because it's not sticky. I can't stand it when my lips feel like they are covered in sticky goop. Not only does this lippy smell lovely but the shine is gorgeous and long lasting. A definite must-have if you love a shiny lip.

Rimmel London

Glam Eyes Mascara, Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Pencil and Natural Bronzer

I don't have a lot of Rimmel products but I love these three. Glam Eyes Mascara is by far my favourite mascara. The wand bristles are all plastic and spaced perfectly. My lashes aren't very long but with this mascara they double in length. The 1000 Kisses lip pencil is colour #47 in Cappuccino and it lasts all day long. I am a chronic lippy applier so that fact that I can apply this pencil in the morning and still see it after all of my gazillion balm applications throughout the day is saying something. I love the Natural Bronzer because it isn't powdery and it's completely matte which means no fakey mcfakerson sparkly tanned nonsense. #21 in Sun Light is beautiful. I use it all year long to set my foundation and for a pretty sun kissed glow. 

ZINN Beauty Collection

Argan Oil

I mentioned ZINN's Argan Oil in my 30-Something Skin post back in October. This oil is truly phenomenal. I apply it at night and when I wake up in the morning my skin is completely hydrated and looks so fresh and alive. It's like a little bottle of youth. Not only is Argan Oil good for your skin but it is excellent for your hair as well providing immediate shine, frizz control, colour protection and a plethora of nutrients. Love this stuff!

So, these are the top beauty products that I fell in love with in 2011 (minus my Spirit lipstick which I have used for years). I love each of these products and if I don't use them every single day I use them at least 2-3 times a week.

Do you have any favourites? Tell me about them!

xTx

Full Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

Five ★ Sunday - Hello Autumn, I Have Missed You xo

Five ★ Sunday is dedicated to Autumn this week. Truthfully, I will more than likely drive you crazy with my love for this season but since it's my favourite time of the year I can't help but talk about it. Below are a few things that make me Autumn-happy.

www.beso.com

So, remember back in the day, like, prior to a few months ago when I was terrified of eBay because my identity was stolen? Well, I'm not so terrified of shopping online anymore. Actually, I think that I am now borderline addicted. Maybe acrossline addicted. Maybe just completely addicted. I am loving me some eBay and online shopping. I suppose that my identity crisis caused me to be a bit more leery but I love searching the online aisles for super cheap deals on things. When I'm bidding on eBay, I don't make big purchases at all. I always refine my searches to free shipping and start with the lowest prices listed. I have bid on and won some super cool things for less than $2.00. I love chunky cocktail rings and have scored quite a few for only $1.00. Scarves, makeup, bracelets and beret's are all in the running under $2.00 too. Deals are ridiculously exciting - which leads me to my first fav of the week.
Through my stumbling for good deals I have discovered Beso - Every online shoppers dream! Beso is an easy navigation site that links to hundreds of stores and brands which makes your shopping super fun and super easy. No matter what you are looking for, type it in the search box at the top left side of the page and a listing of the item that you are looking for will come up for purchase available from all online stores. I love that once your search results come up, there are tabs that you can click on which provide all of the deals and free shipping related to the specific item you are looking to purchase. You will also find tabs along the top of the page linking to various items on sale from 20-80% off, a brand and store directory, the Beso Blog, and quick link categories for women, men, home, kids, jewelery and beauty. Obviously this isn't one of my Autumn-ism's but I think that you should check it out!

Revlon ColorBurst™ Lipstick

I don't wear a lot of lipstick. Actually, I only own one lipstick (M.A.C. Spirit) which I rarely wear but absolutely love. I know that may sound crazy given my obsession with makeup but I've never really worn a lot of lipstick. I am a lip gloss junkie (you will find various lippies all over my house, vehicle, purses, drawers and office. I am literally the Hansel & Gretel of lippies - I leave them where ever I go) but I just don't wear lipstick.
I have full lips and I love the voluptuous look of them but I don't like to enhance them with colourful lipstick (lip gloss, yes, lipstick, no). I definitely don't wear lip liner (I don't even own one) because it adds so much definition to lips. Collaborate a bright coloured lipstick with those lined lips and you have my nightmare.
I think that this is a psychological thing. When I was 10 years old and in grade 4 I knew this girl that used to occasionally wear pink lipstick to school. When she wore it she always applied it over top of her philtrum (the area between your upper lip and your nose that has those two little vertical lines). I always thought she looked silly when she did this and one day I asked her why she wore it above her lip. Her response was: "because it is a part of my lip and I want to make my lips look big and pretty". I wasn't allowed to wear makeup until I was 16 so at 10 the thought of "big pretty lips" was nonsense to me and I thought she looked like a clown. Anyway,  I think that this may be the main reason that I don't wear a lot of lipstick.
A couple of weeks ago while I was at Shopper's Drugmart browsing the makeup section, I came across the Revlon ColorBurst line of lipstick's. I am a huge sucker for matte packaging (odd, I know) and I loved the grid pattern of the lipstick shell (odd again). Clearly I only purchased the lipstick because I liked the package (obviously my sudden urge to make a purchase based solely on the packaging is every marketer's dream) but I was actually surprised when I got home and tried the lipstick on. I paid about $13CDN (tax included) for my #70 Soft Nude purchase. It has a very smooth and creamy consistency which I like and the colour doesn't bleed onto my philtrum which means that I don't have to wear a lip liner with it (bonus). The top of the lid is the colour of the lipstick so I imagine that this would come in extra handy if you had a plethora of lip stick's in your collection and wanted to find a colour quickly. I find this lipstick has a very similar feel to the one M.A.C. lippy that I own and it is rather moisturizing. The colour that I chose is neutral and also perfect for Autumn. I give the Colorburst 5 ★'s because it has made me want to try other lipstick's. What is your favourite lipstick brand? Do share so that I can try them out!

Calgon Refreshing Body Mist - Marshmallow Scent

Another thing that I love is body spray. I have plenty of perfumes but I like that body sprays are soft and don't linger everywhere that you go for 15 minutes - because a scent that you enjoy may not be a scent that other people enjoy. For example, I am not a fan of patchouli and I can smell it from a mile away. It has to be the muskiest smell in the world, it lingers FOREVER and it kicks all of my senses in the face. Just thinking about it as I type this is making my nose hurt! So, again, my point is that what you think may smell lovely may not be so wonderful to someone else - which is why during the day I only wear body spray. My signature scent is Victoria's Secret - Vanilla Lace which I wear all of the time but I have many Calgon spray's as well. My favourite from Calgon is the Marshmallow scent. Although it doesn't really smell like roasted marshmallow's to me, it is soft and sweet scent that has notes of brown sugar, vanilla and sandalwood. Very pretty and also nice for Autumn.

Kings & Queens - Queen Isabella, Cinnamon Orange Body Milk

It is the time of year that you want to start preparing your skin for Winter weather. All skin varies, but if you are like me, I don't have to use a lot of lotion during the summer because the weather is moist with humidity but come Winter when the air is crisp and dry, my skin requires a lot of TLC. Last year around this same time, I purchased a bottle of Queen Isabella's Cinnamon Orange Body Milk by Kings & Queens - I couldn't get enough this Body Milk. It smells amazing; very spicy and warm - something you want to put on after a hot bath to cuddle up next to a fireplace sans comfy clothes and a good book. Because it is a body milk, it will not leave your skin feeling heavy; it's light, goes on smooth and soaks in quickly. Made in Greece, all Kings and Queens products are free from mineral oil and parabens and are beautifully enriched with pomegranate (which we all know is amazing), blue Egyptian lotus (which was used by Ancient Egyptians as a natural aphrodisiac) and malachite extracts (which is a strong detoxifier and antioxidant). You can conveniently purchase these lovely products (with equally lovely packaging) at Shopper's Drugmart for $10-$20CDN. Additionally, each product comes bearing a story about Royal's and Noblemen during Ancient and Medieval times who each played a part in bringing herbs and spices to the New World.

BeaverTails

I love the Byward Market in Ottawa because there are so many great shops and restaurants to be had. One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon in the Autumn is to stop by the BeaverTails shop at the corner of George St. & William St. in the Byward Market. 

BeaverTails' are a thin pastry made in the shape of a, you guessed it, beaver tail. They are each made fresh at purchase, can be ordered with various toppings and are so yummy on a cool day. Babygirl and I always order the Cinnamon & Sugar flavour - delish!

What are some of your favourite things to use or do in the Autumn?

xTx

It's Righteous, Oh So Righteous

The Righteous Butter is the distant (something like, 5th or 6th) cousin of the infamous Sexy Mother Pucker. Both are made by Soap & Glory and can be purchased at any Shoppers Drugmart across Canada.

I really only have two things to say about this lavish body butter...

1. The price of $14.99 is well worth it for this pink jar of wonderful.

2. It's a must-try - Your skin will adore you when it's all said and done.

Elizabeth Grant Skincare - Caviar Night Crème

I was shopping at Winners a few months ago and found Elizabeth Grant's Caviar Night Crème on a shelf near the checkout. At the time I thought that I had seen caviar cream on the MTV reality show Rich Girls with Tommy Hilfigers' daughter (which is why I bought it), but now I think that I am completely wrong. Either way, I bought the cream because the caviar made it sound luxurious and it came in a really pretty gold and black package.

For some reason I had envisioned night creams as really bad pore cloggers so I never used them but I was really excited to try my new little jar of fish eggs...

I used it religiously for one week and the results were actually shocking. I don't have acne but I do get small blemishes under my cheek bones sometimes. The cream made the colour of my face completely uniform and literally cleared up anything unpretty. I thought that it was a fluke, so I stopped using the cream for a couple weeks. As soon a new blemish formed, I started the cream again...and then they were gone.

Before bed, I cleanse my face with a toner and apply the cream. It seems a bit wet and oily when it is first applied but it soaks in quickly, leaving your skin feeling soft and silky. The difference that you will see and feel after using this product is truly remarkable. I can't say enough good things about it.

I tried to find the exact product on Elizabeth Grant's website but I was unable to - which is possibly why it was being sold at Winners; however, I did find it on Ebay selling for $44. Or you can try to find it at Winners for $8.99 like I did.

If you are able to get your hands on a jar of this cream, I highly suggest that you give it a try!!

I la-la-love it!!

x T x