MAKEUP
This category was the one I tried the most products in. It was a great year for me as I have discovered some of my holy grail products that I'll continue to use forever! In no particular order, here they are:
- Covergirl's Clump Crusher Water Resistant Mascara in Very Black.
I don't really wear makeup on a daily basis, but when I go out on errands or to hang out with friends, a little mascara makes the world of a difference for me. I've been trying to find a mascara that lengthens and volumizes my lashes while not smudging or smearing throughout the day. I also wanted one that was easy to remove as tugging or rubbing around the delicate eye area is a big no-no. From the drugstore, I think this is the one that does it all! It is very long lasting; at the end of the day, I don't end up with horrible panda eyes. I do have a bit of flaking going on but that is easily removed with a dry cotton bud. I don't know if it delivers 200% more volume but my lashes look thicker and longer. I do have short and sparse lashes so it's hard to find a mascara that can do that for me without clumping like crazy. No matter how much I layer this product, it does not clump, living up to its name. I also love the brush one it as I find that the plastic wands work better on my lashes, giving them length and volume without clumping. It is also curved so it hugs my lashes. The wand isn't so big that I get smudges on my eyelids or the inner corners when I'm trying to get the inner or outer lashes. Its also pretty easily removed with eye makeup remover. Since it is a drugstore mascara, the accessibility of this product combined with its cheap price but amazing performance makes the Covergirl Clump Crusher Water Resistant Mascara my holy grail mascara. I also have a full-review of this mascara here if you're interested.
- Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer + Treatment in Medium.
This has got to be my favorite concealer of all time! I've never worn concealer much until I went to college. All of those late night study sessions and all-nighters really took a toll on my skin. To combat the pesky under eye circles I had, I tried this out due to the rave reviews it was getting on YouTube. When I first tried it out, I liked it but it wasn't something that I felt like I needed every day, if that makes sense. I mean, the dark circles were still there but I didn't feel like this product was the best for them. Relegated to the makeup graveyard that is my makeup box, I forgot about it. When I started to clean my box because I wanted to make room for other products, I picked it up again. To my annoyance, the applicator was broken. A quick email to Maybelline resolved the issue but I didn't want to throw a practically full product away as I found it wasteful. Depotting it into a plastic jar seemed the best bet. Since then, it has been a product I've been using every day! I love the coverage it gives while being light on the skin. Before, I felt the sponge applicator was troublesome (as I can't stand my tools looking gross), I couldn't control how much product was dispensed and I felt wasteful because the unused product would just sit in the sponge until the next time you applied the concealer. Depotting it into a jar doesn't seem to be all that sanitary either but it allows me to control the amount I applied. A little bit of it goes a long way and I am very happy with this concealer. Of course, I make sure my fingers are clean before I dip my finger in the jar, close the jar tightly, and smell the product to make sure it hasn't gone off. Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer + Treatment is an oldie but goodie in my book! If you want to find out more, I have a full review here.
- Rimmel London's Show Off Lip Lacquer in Aurora
Being the lip junkie that I am, I had to try Rimmel's Lip Lacquers. I'm not the type to reapply or touch up my makeup often so whatever products I use has to be long lasting. At first, I didn't like this lip product. Sure, it had amazing pigmentation and smelled nice but staying power was so so. When i decided to apply it sheerly and rub it in with my finger, I got an amazingly pigmented stain that lasted for hours, even through all the eating and drinking throughout the day. This isn't the most moisturizing lip product out there but it didn't dry out my lips like other stains and didn't get patchy either! I've even used it as a blush just because I was curious and a tiny little dot goes a long way (I went a little crazy and ended up with a strong stain on my cheek like someone slapped me >.<). I bought six or so colors but I'm thinking of purchasing more, especially the Out of this World and Solstice. I've only tried the cream finishes but I hear there are shimmers in some of the other colors. My favorite shade is Aurora because it is a great strawberry red color that looks great when applied full-on color or sheered out for a more natural, "I've been sucking on a popsicle" red. Coupled with the cheap price and versatility, Rimmel London's Show Off Lip Lacquer is my favorite lip product that I've tried this year! I have a review on it here if you want to see some swatches of the colors I've picked up.
Skincare
- Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Corrector
- Eclos Anti-Aging Instant Radiance Facial Scrub
I love this scrub! Even though physical exfoliators may not be the best as they create mini scratches in the skin, but they work the best for me. The one by Eclos is really great as it rejuvenates, exfoliates, and renews. Using it two to three times a week really improved the texture of my skin. It is a salt scrub and creates a warming sensation when rubbed into the skin. At first, it was a bit scratchy but I got used to it. The salt dissolves as you rub it in, which helps me from over scrubbing my face. I got it as a sample from Ulta and repurchased a full size. The scent is herbal-y but doesn't bother me. There's not too many ingredients either, meaning that there less ingredients to irritate your skin. The Eclos Anti-Aging Instant Radiance Facial Scrub is definitely my favorite exfoliator.
- Etude House AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot
This has got to be my favorite anti-acne product ever! I prefer using preventative care rather than treating the aftereffects so this was a gem for me. I'm not sure what's in it but this reminds me of the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion with the clear liquid on the top and pink powder on the bottom. You don't shake it up or anything--just dip a cotton bud into both parts of this solution and dab it onto the offending blemish. I find that it works on all the blemishes I get--the angry red papules, the under the surface ones that take forever to come to a head, and more! I have really been on a skincare overhaul and this is one of the products I found this year that has helped me achieve clearer looking skin. I will definitely by repurchasing! I have a first impressions on the Etude House AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot right here if you want to see more :) I got mine from eBay but there are many places that sell this with a quick Google search.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Batiste Dry Shampoo in Paisley
I'm not a hair girl but dry shampoo is a must-have for me. I have very fine, thin, straight, and oily hair so dry shampoo is a must for me. I've tried a couple of brands and I just feel that Batiste gives me the best results. My hair doesn't get a white or gray cast from this, it absorbs the oil quickly, and it gives me a bit of lift at my roots while still feeling like clean hair. Sometimes, dry shampoo works really well at first but throughout the day, my hair gets sticky and matted, which is a huge no no since I'm trying to achieve clean hair in the first place. No matter how many times I use it in my hair throughout the day, I can still run my fingers through my hair and it looks like I've just washed it. I've tried three different scents and Paisley is just my favorite so far. The only thing I dislike is that the scents are very strong and perfume-y so it is not for people who are sensitive to strong scents. There are six scents to choose from so there is a scent for every taste. The Batiste Dry Shampoo is definitely a staple in my haircare routine!
- Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
I love doing my nails. It's a great way to change up my look and accesorize. I really liked art class when I was in high school so I feel that it lets me express myself on a new canvas. I really love Sally Hansen nail polishes and so when I discovered this miracle in a bottle, I've been doing my nails religiously. I'm not exactly impatient but I used to get smudges on my nails from the polish not drying completely yet. I like to do my nails at night right before bed but when I woke up in the morning, my nails looked horrible! Applying this after waiting 2 minutes for the polish to dry a little really speeds up the drying process while protecting my nails for the rest of the week from chipping. My nails are glossy for about 3-4 days but I can just reapply it to lengthen the longevity of the manicure. I'm more than halfway done with this bottle and I've had it for almost a year now so this one bottle lasts a really long time! This isn't the cheapest topcoat out here but it saves you a few bucks from the other popular ones by Seche Vite or OPI. The Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat is a reliable topcoat for all my manicure needs!
- Crest 3D White Vivid Radiant Mint Toothpaste
This one is kind of random but I really like this toothpaste. I've been using it for years and find that it helps my teeth look whiter. Of course, this cannot whiten your teeth to the extent that the dentist or whitening strips can, but I feel that it does lift stains from tea, dark sodas, or coffee. My teeth used to be really yellow but now they aren't as yellow. I love the scent and taste and it doesn't burn like other toothpastes I've used. The packaging is really sleek and the flip up top is handier than the screw tops of regular toothpastes. It comes in many different sizes and I go through the biggest one in about 3 months, around the time I should change my toothbrush so that is a nice reminder. I usually get mine from Target but you can find it at most drugstores.
NOT WORTH THE HYPE (IN MY OPINION)
- Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion
So I might get a lot of flack for this but I just wasn't feeling this product. I saw some really good deals on Ulta for this and so I picked up all four formulas. I've used the Original and Sin the most and just found that while my eyeshadows were more vibrant and lasted longer than they would on their own, they still creased and bunched, especially in my inner corners with my hooded eyes. Sin looks especially pretty on its own and when I layer shadows on top, it gives my shimmer shadows extra sparkle and my matte shadows a luminous but not shimmery or glittery effect. On my oily eyelids, I find that the Original lasts longer than Sin. I've used cheaper ones that worked better on my eyes but will continue to use the Urban Decay ones. After that, I don't think I will be purchasing them again.
- Revlon's Grow Luscious Plumping Waterproof Mascara
This has got to be one of the worst mascaras I've tried for my lashes. It does add length and mega volume but it clumps my lashes together like crazy! I don't have the most thickest or longest lashes so I really need my mascara to give me that without making my lashes look like spider legs. To top it off, it wasn't even waterproof, smudging on me in less than 3 hours after application. Truth be told, I do have oily eyelids and I tear often but I make sure to apply powder under my eyes to absorb any oil and if I'm not wearing eyeshadow, a primer at least to absorb oils from my eyelids. The brush is also not the best I find for my wispy lashes as the spiral, traditional brush seems to clump my lashes together, something I don't find with the spiky, rubber kind. It is also a bit too big for my smaller eyes as I accidentally touch my skin sometimes when trying to apply it, making messy black smears everywhere. The formula is a little too wet for my tastes as well. I'm hoping that it'll perform better when it dies up a bit but I'm not holding my breath for any improvements. The name is also misleading as it does not cause new lash growth, something I had not checked too closely beforehand. All in all, I definitely would not recommend this mascara to people who have thin, sparse, and short lashes. I also have a review of it here if you want to check it out.
*Update 03/0514* So I've had this mascara for a while now. I recently took it out to give it one last try and lo and behold, it works pretty well for me now!I guess it's just one of those mascaras that you have to let the formula dry out a little before it becomes usuable. It doesn't smudge much on me, while thickening and lengthening my lashes at the same time. It does hold a curl but I feel like my curl eventually drops. I'm very glad that it works for me now and I retract some of my negativity against this product!
- Maybelline's Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer
In my quest to find the perfect under eye concealer, I decided to pick this up. The packaging is pretty cool in that you twist the bottom and that dispenses the product. The applicator is a brush kind that sweeps the product onto your skin nicely. My biggest drawback about this concealer is that the color I picked up, Beige, was a tad too pink. It had good coverage considering its liquid texture but it just did not cover my dark circles, which was what I intended to use it for. I was going to try using it as a highlighter, as the name implies, but it is way too pink for my skin tone and too thick for a sheer look. The twist up pen thing is also not my favorite packaging as I find that product gets stuck in the brush and that grosses me out. Sometimes, it spits out a glob of product and I don't know what to do with the extra. There isn't much product either so it is expensive for a drugstore concealer. The brush and cap start to look disgusting after a while because of the product build up and I wasn't sure how to clean and disinfect the brush tip other than wiping it down with a makeup wipe. I'm sure it works liek a dream for some people, but for me, the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer was a bit more of a nightmare.
So that's concludes the first ever MWAH's Most-Loved Products of the Year or MWAH's MLPY ( try saying that ten times fast!). I had a hard time compiling this list for y'all but it has really helped me reevaluate what needs to stay and what needs to go. Hopefully, y'all found this very helpful and informative and stay tuned for a comparison between the Lorac Unzipped Palette (which I've just received a couple of days ago) and the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. I hope your 2014 is getting off to a good start and here is MWAH, signing off. :)
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Disclosure Statement: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Links are not affiliate links and are provided for the readers' convenience. Products marked with an asterisk (*) were given to me as samples or gifts with purchase.
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