2012 in Beauty

Wow, I can't believe it is already the beginning of 2013! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday a good start to the new year! Time just flies, but I am so glad to be making this post about my beauty favorites of 2012. In beauty and makeup terms, 2012 was a great year for me. I was able to try out so many products and my makeup collection definitely grew a lot! I learned so much about new application techniques and about makeup itself as well. Here I will share with you my favorite discoveries of 2012 and why I am in love with each and every one. I will also share with you some of my most used products that have received a lot of love from me in the past year. Most of these products are drugstore products. Without further rambling, here are the products!

Best Discoveries: 

Face: 

Revlon ColorStay for Combination/Oily Skin in 310 Warm Golden

I finally tried this product as a result of it being one of the most loved drugstore foundations of the YouTube community. I did not know what to expect because the last foundation I have tried was the Revlon PhotoReady, which I hated. I am not a foundation user; I generally just stick to my beloved BB Creams. But after trying this one out, I am definitely joining the band-wagon. This foundation is great. I would say it has medium coverage but build-able to full. It does not cake up, applies really smoothly and evenly with a damp sponge or a brush, and it lasts all day. It makes my skin look flawless without making it look unnatural. I love this foundation and I am so glad I picked it up this year. I also can't wait to try out the ColorStay Whipped Creme Makup, for I heard some great things about that too!

Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi Highlighting Concealer

I did not use this product as much as I should have, but I definitely think it is great. This is a concealer in a click-pen form and it has a range of shades to choose from. The shade I ended up getting was the illuminating shade with no color, but I really love using it as a highlighter. It as nice coverage with a thin consistency. It does not have loads of shimmer so the finish is very natural. I will definitely try out the a skin shade of this concealer in the new year once I run out of my Garnier under eye roller. 

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in Light

This powder is hands down the best drugstore pressed powder I have ever tried, and I have tried a lot of drugstore powders: the Rimmel Stay Matte, the Maybelline Dream Matte, the Neutrogena Healthy Skin, the Cover Girl True Blend, etc. I don't have anything great or bad to say about these powders, the Revlon Nearly Naked, however is so different! It is so smooth and silky and it blends like a dream. It is finely milled so it doesn't feel too powdery once applied onto the skin. The only downside to this product is that it has a poor shade selection. I am in the shade "Light", which is the second lightest shade, and I don't consider myself to have fair skin. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hr Blush in Exposed

I definitely went a little crazy for blushes this year. This one is my favorite new discovery. Jen Frmheadtotoe on Youtube talked about this blush a lot and I finally gave in and spent the money because I was just so curious. I absolutely love this blush. The color is perfect for any look. It's so pigmented and smooth and it lasts all day. The packaging is cool as well, it actually sits on a magnet inside the case so you can easily take out the pan itself and pop it in a palette. I want to try out the other colors in this line, but the only downside is the price! $25 is a lot for a blush!



Eyes:

(Photo Credit)

Wet n' Wild Eye Shadow Trio in Silent Treatment 

Wet n' Wild eye shadows in general were such hits this year. They really reformulated their products and this products is non other than one of the amazing results. This trio became an essential for me in the later months of the year. I used this trio almost every time I did my eye makeup. The shadows are soft, pigmented, and very blend-able. The bottom shade is a taupe with a slightly purple undertone. The middle is a very dark brown, almost black shade, and the top is a light pink shade. The middle shade is almost matte with a bit of shimmer specks which don't show up much on the skin. For around $3.00 a trio, you really cannot go wrong with Wet n' Wild!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Shadows

These are the reason I stopped using eye shadow primer this year. Since I ran out of my Too-Faced shadow insurance, these have become my bases for every look. I have them in two shades: Bad to the Bronze and Tough as Taupe. These are so pigmented and so long lasting. Tough as Taupe is matte, so it is great for a darker, more dramatic look. Bad to the Bronze is a great everyday neutral that makes any eye shadow look great. The only downside to these, I would say, would be that they are not as soft and creamy; they are a bit the dry side. But a little goes a long way for these shadows! 

Mac Eye Shadow in All That Glitters

I actually just started using this shade this month, but I absolutely love it. This shade is a shimmery light pink-champagne-y color that is almost, I would describe a light rose gold. I apply this to the inner corners of my eyes and it instantly brightens without it being too overboard. I also like to apply this to the middle of my lids to really add dimension to my eyes and brighten them up. I have always been looking for a shade like this and I am glad I finally found it. 

Lips:

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters

I cannot say enough good things about the Revlon Lip Butters. I have the shades Pink Truffle, which a nice everyday neutral nude-pink, and Lollipop which is a bright plumy pink. These are creamy, moisturizing, smooth, and on top of all that, crazily pigmented. They are not very long lasting as a consequence to their creaminess and moisture, but I love them nonetheless.  

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

These are quite possibly my favorite lip product ever. These are way more pigmented than I had expected and they are very long lasting. I have the bright orange shade called Rendezvous and the deep red with a brown undertone and also some gold shimmer called Adore. I love them because they are super easy to apply, they are moisturizing while at the same time I would say they have a very crayon like consistency, which means they are dryer than typical lip sticks, and the lip butters for sure. I love them a LOT and I want every shade! 

Most Used Products:

Face:

Hanskin Smart Total BB Cream in #2

I picked up a full size of this product when I was in Korea this summer with Julia (:]). I have been using this every since the summer of 2011 and I absolutely love it. It has a light consistency but amazing coverage. Very blend-able and lasts all day, even through my work outs. The only downside is that it is quite dewy, so I have to set it with a powder, which is fine with me. 

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

This was my go to setting powder for most of the year. I really like the finish and the color. It is just an overall basic item to have and I really like it. This is actually my second time purchasing it and I am already hitting pan. 

Garnier Roll-On Under-eye Concealer

I really enjoyed this concealer. This is perfect for those of us with dark circles that are not too dark. It has great coverage for such a thin consistency. Its hydrating and feels nice when you apply it. I highly recommend this. 

ELF Studio Blush Contour Duo

This duo is so convenient. It has my go to bronzer and the blush in it is nice as well. It has a huge mirror, so I often use that for my eye makeup. I definitely got a lot of use out of this little $3 product.

ELF Studio Blush in Candid Coral

I used this blush a heck of a lot during the past year. This is the only blush that I  have hit pan on so far. It is such a wearable color that gives me a healthy looking peachy glow. 

Eyes:

Mac Satin Taupe Eye Shadow (right)

This is my go-to shadow. It is a taupe color with a slight plummy undertone. It is very wearable and with this one shadow on my lid, it could look like several. I really really love this eyeshadow, it might just be my favorite of all time. 

Lancome Mochachinno Eye Shadow (left)

Also one of my go-to eye shadows, but this one is matte. It is a versatile color that I sometimes use for my brows as well. It is a matte grayish brown that will go well with I would say medium or lighter skin tones. It might look a bit ashy on darker skin tones.  

Maybelline Master Drama Eyeliner in Midnight Master

I really enjoyed this eyeliner. I have actually used it all up and haven't repurchased it yet because I am trying out something new. This eyeliner is really black; it's creamy and smooth and on top of that it is retractable. I definitely prefer retractable eyeliners over pencil and this one is a great basic eyeliner. 

Tarte Lights Camera Splashes Mascara

This is probably the only high-end mascara that I have tried and actually liked. I have tried Clinique mascaras and Estee Lauder in the past in sample sizes and for some reason, I could not find one that I liked. This one is amazing, it makes my non-existing lashes look luscious and thick; Because it is waterproof, it holds my curl very well. And on top of all that, it has the cutest packaging ever. I have actually already used this up, but I just can't throw it out! 

Lips:

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Petal

Very nice neutral peachy shade. It is my "my lips but better and peachier" shade. It is my go to lipstick if I don't want a pop of color. Sadly, I believe this line of lipstick is now discontinued. :(

(not pictured)

Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick in #21

I think I mentioned this in my favorites last year. I still really enjoy this lipstick. The texture is so creamy and the color is gorgeous. If I want a bit more color than Petal by Revlon, I go for this shade. It is a bit darker than my lips and it gives a nice finish.


I have made a list of products that I wanted to try in 2013. I will keep updating on new hauls and reviews in the upcoming year :-)

Have a great year! and thanks for checking this out!


What were some of your 2012 favorites?