2012 Beauty Favorites

I apologize I've been MIA lately. The morning sickness is gone, but I still feel a bit exhausted and tired now and then. I do hope to review more products in 2013 though.

For the meantime, here are some of my favorite beauty products in 2012.

Favorite High-End Beauty Brand

MAC Cosmetics: There were so many great collections from MAC Cosmetics this year. I was very happy to see great new formulas such Extra Dimension Eyeshadows, Extra Dimension Skinfinishes, and Electric Cool Eyeshadows as well as repromoted products like the Tendertones and Kissable Lipcolours.

Favorite Drugstore Beauty Brand

Revlon: This is a tough one, but I'll have to say Revlon has become a favorite of mine this year. I love my Revlon ColorStay Foundation and the ColorBurst Lipsticks, Lip Glosses, and Lip Butters.

Favorite New Product

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows and Skinfinishes: The texture is nice, soft, smooth, and creamy. They are well pigmented, easily blendable and buildable. I hope to see new shades in 2013.

Favorite Face Primer

Korres Vitamin E Face Primer: This creates a very nice and smooth canvas for my foundation, and it increases the staying power of my makeup. It feels lightweight, fast-absorbing, and somewhat moisturizing, making my skin feel nice and silky. It's a fantastic alternative to silicone-based primers.

Favorite Concealer

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer: This does wonders for my dark circles. It's a full-coverage liquid concealer that has a thick and opaque consistency but feels lightweight, smooth and creamy. I just use my fingers to apply, blend it perfectly using my eye kabuki... and it stays put all day!

Favorite Liquid Foundation

Revlon ColorStay Foundation: This beats any liquid foundation I have ever tried so far at half the price. It provides a medium-full coverage that looks natural and feels lightweight. It's long-lasting so it still looks fresh at the end of the day.

Favorite Powder Foundation

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural: I love this product and often use it. The texture is very silky and hydrating to the skin. It's great by itself on top of a moisturizer and/or primer when I'm in a rush or when I want a barely-there makeup look.

Favorite Setting Powder

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural: I love using this to set my foundation because it gives me a nice glow. It's finely milled, and it does not emphasize any flakiness when my skin is a bit dry during the winter.

Favorite Eyeshadow Base

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: There is nothing I could say that hasn’t already been said. I have tried so many eyeshadow primers, but this one stands out for me. I find myself reaching for it more than my Urban Decay Primer Potion. I still like and use UDPP, but TFSI seems to have better staying power on me and makes my shadows a bit more vibrant.

Favorite Cream Eyeshadow

Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams: These are my #1 favorite cream shadows. They stay on well without creasing or smudging (no primer necessary), and they offer a wide variety of amazing colors to choose from.

Favorite Pressed Powder Eyeshadow

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows: These are so soft and creamy. They have rich pigmentation, apply smoothly, and blend nicely. I was so impressed with these that I ended up purchasing every shade MAC has released so far.

Favorite Loose Eyeshadow

Fyrinnae Arcane Magic Eyeshadows: I’m a big fan of Fyrinnae! They have some of the most unique shades out there. The colors are so complex and multidimensional, and the quality is amazing!

Favorite Pencil Eyeliner

MAC Pearglide Intense Eyeliners: I love these eyeliners because they are very soft and creamy, so they glide smoothly across the lash line with absolutely no tugging or pulling. They last all day without fading away. I am so glad MAC made these permanent. I have quite a few eyeliners (from MUFE, UD, Tarte, etc.) but this formula is just the one that stands out the most to me because the colors look so rich and vibrant.

Favorite Cream/Gel Eyeliner

MAC Fluidlines: I have tried a few gel eyeliners in 2012, but MAC Fluidlines are still the best ones I have ever used. They go on smoothly, and they actually stay put all day without budging or flaking off. I've already acquired 14 of these, but I'd like to see more colors!

Favorite Liquid Eyeliner

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners: These are awesome because they are budgeproof, smudgeproof, and waterproof. Plus, there's a large range of colors to choose from. Love it!

Favorite Mascara

Lashem Double Trouble Mascara: This is still my favorite because it does lengthen, thicken, and separate my lashes at the same time without. I only wish it was waterproof.

Favorite Bronzer

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder: This stuff smells so good! Like cocoa powder! It's a beautiful matte bronze color without any orange at all. There is no shimmer or sheen, so it looks completely natural especially for contouring.

Favorite Blush

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes: These are highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way. They last about 7-8 hours on me (as opposed to Tarte's 12-hour claim), but 7-8 hours is good enough for me. The colors are all very pretty. The texture is very soft, so they apply smoothly and blend beautifully.

Favorite Highlighter

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinishes: There are tons of highlighters out there, but these are perfect for me. The texture is soft, smooth, and silky. These blend really well, giving my cheeks a glow without accentuating any flaws. It's a shame it's limited edition. Hopefully, MAC will re-release these.

Favorite Lip Balm

MAC Tendertones: These are not only moisturizing, but they are also glossy and provide a little extra color and/or shimmer. They feel nice and comfortable on. The bonus is that they have SPF 12 and a yummy strawberry kiwi scent!

Favorite Lipstick

MAC Mattene Lipsticks: I was very happy to see these repromoted in Styleseeker and Taste Temptation. This is my favorite lipstick formula of all time. The texture is light and creamy. They apply smoothly and provide an opaque color coverage. Plus, they last all day without drying out my lips.

Favorite Lipgloss

MAC Kissable Lipcolours: These are more like liquid lipsticks rather than glosses. They go on smoothly like a gloss but leave your lips a satiny finish that feels like a lipstick. They feel really comfortable on the lips because the texture is lightweight and creamy. They are long-lasting, but they're not sticky or drying at all. I hope MAC will continue to bring these back with new shades for 2013 (or make them permanent).

Favorite Makeup Brushes

MAC Brushes: I love nearly every single brush I've purchased from MAC. The only one I didn't really like is the 109 (Small Contour Brush) because it feels a bit scratchy and sheds quite a bit, but everything else is great. Overall, MAC brushes are a great investment because they are well-made and durable.


I'd love to hear some of your 2012 favorites!