Best of the Best 2012

So now that 2012 is thundering to a close, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on all the wonderful products I have discovered this year. I have really broadened my horizons brand wise and have really enjoyed trying out many new treasures. Every day became a new opportunity to reinvent myself with either a bright slick of Tom Ford Narcotic Rouge, or a strong contoured cheek compliments of Chanel Notorious! It really has been a whirlwind of iridescent shades and buttery textures affording me the chance to embark on many fanciful jouney's.
I have compiled a list of my favourite products that have defined 2012:

The best cleanser:

• Eve Lom Cleanser

My favourite eye treatment:

• Strivectin SD for eyes

The best innovation of 2012:

• Giorgio Armani maestro foundation

The best creative product of 2012:

• Chanel  Notorious for cheeks and eyes

The best tinted moisturiser:

• Chantecaille Just Skin

The best sheer foundation

• Giorgio Armani Maestro fusion makeup

The best medium founadtion

• Nars sheer matte founadtion

The Best primer:

• By Terry Hyaluronic face glow

My favourite eyeshadows of 2012:

• Tom Ford
• Runner up - Rouge Bunny Rouge
• Runner up - Nars
• Runner up - Addiction by Ayako

The best cream cheek colour:

• Becca
• Runner up - Addiction by Ayako cheek stick

The best powder blush:

• Burberry
• Runner up - Bobbi Brown

The best highlighter  :

• Becca shimmering skin perfector 

The best body cream :

• Kiehl's creme de corps soy milk & honey whipped body butter

The best makeup remover:

• Bioderma

The best skin treatment product

• Dr Perricone Formula 15

The best moisturizer :

• Dr Perricone Deep Moisture Therapy

The best contour product:

• Tom Ford shade and illuminate

My favourite hair care products:

• Kiehl's rice and wheat volumising shampoo and conditioner

The best pencil eyeliners:

• Urban Decay 24/7  glide on eye pencils

My favourite mascara:

• Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Excess
• Runner up - Estée Lauder sumptuous lash extreme

My favourite under eye concealer:

• Chanel correcteur perfection 
• Runner up - Nars concealer duo

The best sheer lipstick :

• Burberry Lip Mist
• Runner Up - Chanel rouge coco shine

The best matte lipstick :

• Burberry velvet matte

The best creamy lipstick:

• Tom Ford

All these products I have loved using and are my personal  favourites. 2013 is sure to be a year of many more exciting collections and amazing new breakthroughs in skincare. I cannot wait to discover them with you. Happy New to you all!

 

Inglot Brights in Turquiose and Purple

Inglot arrived awhile ago. I had not heard much about it other than there brushes were being compared to their MAC counterparts. I recently bought two of there bright eyeshadows as I had heard positive comments about them.
Here is what I think. The packaging is functional, nothing to exciting, except if you are buying and filling their larger palettes. as part of their freedom system. You can custom fill these palettes as I did with this duo or in some cases the bigger palettes come already filled. They have a dizzying amount of colours that come in many textures and shades. When I was choosing my colours, I did feel that some colours were definitely better that others in terms of pigmentation. The colours in the freedom palette are numbered. I chose two colours that I do not have many of, 491DS is deep grape and the other 480DS,a fresh vibrant turquoise. Both these were extremely pigmented and really went on well. On my eye they were easy to blend. These really feed my need for fun crazy colours, but I'm not sure if this angled at a more youthful market. I would probably pop in to Inglot  from time to time to look for a specific colour to create a particular look. With that said I really do like the colours I chose and used carefully can be used as accent colour to create a more sophisticated look. They are very well priced, so that would be a drawcard for many people.

Are there any Inglot fans out there?

Tom Ford in Aphrodisiac 19 - wallflowers need not apply!

This bright fuchsia lipstick came with the Fall/Winter 2012 collection. It forms part of their permanent collection as well. Aphrodisiac (#19) is well pigmented, creamy, long wearing and hydrating. This pink will work on all skin tones from pale, olive to dark. It reminds me of Miami, drinks with umbrella's and breezy dresses. Yes, I know it formed part of the fall/winter collection, but this colour will work all year round. As with all Tom Ford lip colours, Aphrodisiac is so comfortable to wear, as like all other TF lippies it contain soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru, chamomilla flower oil. So, I guess besides the gorgeous packaging this is where your money is going - top notch ingredients. With one swipe you get maximum, even intensity which over a few hours wears down to a stain.

Tom Ford loves for both his eyes and lips to have impact. Aphrodisiac stays true to this ethos.
This is my second Tom Ford lip colour and I love it.

Do you have a favourite Tom Ford Lip Colour?

Tom Ford are available locally and exclusively at Stuttafords - cannot wait until the whole Tom Ford line becomes available as Tom Ford has just hit Hong Kong- so holding thumbs!

Urban Decay Ocho Loco 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set - Holiday 2012 - get it before it's gone!

Urban Decay's 24/7 glide-on eye pencil sets are eagerly awaited each holiday season. They are my favourite long wearing liners. This set is so amazing as it as an array of colours from neutral to brights, and Perversion has been included, which will be a spare as this is my go-to 'blackest black' eyeliner. This is the best time to get these liners as the set was about 40 pounds and each liner individually sells for 12.97. So you are getting a set valued over 100 pounds. A perfect sharpener is also included which works well will these soft liners, and gives them a sharp, crisp point. A few of these shades are also limited. The picture below was taken in my hotel room, so please excuse the poor quality, as I need to discard the packaging for my trip home.

The liner is a soft kohl type which does not tug or pull, not dissimilar to Makeup Forever liners. These colour go on intense as the colour you see in the pencil. They blend like a dream, then set for all day wear. These are perfect for your waterline as they are waterproof. This set offers a mix of finish as some have micro-glitter while others are matte.

From left to right here are the shades:

• Stash - olive bronze with gold sparkle
• Mushroom - warm gray shimmer - limited
• Rockstar - matte aubergine
• Junkie - Teal sparkle - limited
• LSD - midnight blue with turquoise sparkle - limited
• Hustle - Bronze shimmer - limited
• Psychedelic sister - matte violet - limited
• Perversion - matte intense coal black

Grindhouse Sharpener with two sizes

 This set is a must. These liners will help you create so many looks with ease and you will be getting essentially four liners gratis. So Happy Holidays, make your eyes sparkle with these amazing liners from Urban Decay.

Which is your favourite shade of Urban Decay 24/7 glide on eye pencils?

Tom Ford in Golden Mink - Divine and Decadent

I have really come across some impressive products this year, Tom Ford being one of them. If you are a frequent reader of beauty blogs you will be aware that some adore and some are really adverse to the brand. Ok, so I am definitely on the adore end of the spectrum and for many reasons.
 Before I review Golden Mink, here are my thoughts on the subject. Many have stated that the price versus the quality is just not there. In my personal experience I have found these shadows to be have the modern edge of Nars together with the texture that exceeds that of the best. The quads come in interesting colour combinations, with different textures and effects. I have only received compliments when wearing my Tom Ford Quads. They are expensive and not everyone can afford such a luxury or choose not to indulge. However, you are getting four large size pans in a compact. I think if you had to compare this to a Bobbi Brown filled 4- pan compact, you would be surprised how comparable in price they would be. I feel that the quality of these shadow are one of the best, with them being long-wearing and well pigmented. I love the burgundy brown compact which is elegant and well made. There are two double ended brushes inside with 3 various sponge tips and one brush. I used them successfully to create a basic everyday look. I have to keep reminding myself that I have other good brands in my stash, as I have continually worn them since I got them about four weeks ago. Please excuse the pictures with the product already been used, but I bought these in London and could not resist before getting home and photographing.

Cognac Sable

The top left shade is a champagne fine glitter, which is best applied with your finger in a pressing motion. This is to reduce fallout and get good adherence to your lid. This shade is pigmented and glittery all in one. The next shade on the top right, is an unusual gorgeous ginger shot through with glitter. It is very similar to one of the shades from the Shu Uemura Chocolate Donna palette.
The bottom left shade is a buttery, soft beige taupe, which is perfect for all over your lid. The last shade on the bottom right is a medium brown with a satin texture. this works well to line, deepen your contour, add depth to the outer corner of your eye.

As you can see from the swatches below, this quad takes neutrals and makes them fun again. My *ordinary* brown eyes now seem more alluring. I have shied away from neutrals, as I deemed them boring. This has peaked my interest in the beauty of a neutral eye. Brown eyes seem more luscious and inviting. This will frame both blue and green eyes as well. My feint green flecks seem...... MORE.

 

Overall, I can only sing the praises of Golden Mink. If you have any celebration coming up, this is would be on top of my wishlist. Golden Mink is also a good entry into the world of Tom Ford, as it is wearable for day and evening looks (glitter in the day- YES- just trust me).

Tom Ford- worth the money- I would love to hear your thoughts?

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2012 - Powder Pearl Eye Trio

The Bobbi Brown Holiday 2012 Collection came out in two sections. First Caviar and Oysters collection and soon after Choose Your Black. Since I have a few Bobbi Brown palettes I did not purchase one as they seemed too close in shades. The Caviar and Oyster palette has a beautiful highlighter, which I wish came on its own. The Choose Your Black had a interesting cake liner, but it was not as pigmented as my Addiction by Ayako one, and my Laura Mercier one is very similar. However, the loose shadow trio had me weak at the knee's. Bobbi Brown only brings these unusual (for Bobbi Brown) in limited collections, so I purchased these quickly.

Loose shadows are not my first choice as they are harder to apply and do not wear as well. Use short patting motions with a short compact brush like a Mac 239 to reduce fallout. Keep packing on for a more intense look or swap to a Mac 217 for a wash of colour. This trio has a lovely shade collection.
Moolight - Chocolate taupe- chunky, so watch for fallout
Pink Pearl - Peach shimmer
Black Pearl - Warm intense grey with gold reflects (the star of the show)

Pink Pearl, Moonlight, Black Pearl without flash

Pink Pearl, Moonlight, Black Pearl with flash, blurred to show shimmer

All 3 shades can be mixed and matched depending on the look you are going for.
The applicator is spring-loaded and does not sit in the product once the lid is screwed into place. I am still a bit hesitant to apply straight to my eye, just for long term hygiene reasons, but have done so and it placed product well on the lid. The wand is quite large so precision application might be difficult, so you might want to use the brushes suggested above. For a LOTD - I used MAC painterly over the whole lid, added a darker shade in the crease for contour. I then patted Pink Pearl over the centre of the lid and Moonlight on the outer corner. Blend. I then used an eyeliner pen for a winged line. Loads of mascara on the upper lashes!
This trio can all be kept for yourself (shouts "YES") or given separately to 3 of your lucky friend as gifts!

 

I found these shadows had staying powder and were extremely versatile. I will do a comparison to my Rouge Bunny Rouge loose shadows soon.

Are you a fan of loose shadows?

Rouge Bunny Rouge Fragrant Confections

These look a real treat and are available from Zuneta for all Rouge Bunny Rouge fans!

ROUGE BUNNY ROUGE ¬ FRAGRANT CONFECTIONS ¬ 3 NEW PERFUMES ¬ £81

We’re delighted to share Rouge Bunny Rouge’s new fragrance collection! Each shade is a complex blend of exotic scents, developed to transport you down the rabbit hole with each delightful spritz.

Buried deep below the Enchanted Garden, accessible only through a winding maze of caves lies the Vault of Captured Memories. Behind a multitude of invulnerable doors, the Connoisseurs of Scent work tirelessly over their luscious spoils. Gathering the mists of memories and emotions from baffled senses, they harness the vapours into innumerable falcons of glass.

There are 3 scents available:

Chatoyant, Vespers & Lilt!

Chatoyant

TOP: Bergamot, Lemon HEART: Orchid, Jasmine, Rose, TLOilPy: oBfertghaemoVta,llLeymon HEART: Orchid, Jasmine, Rose, Lily of the Valley BASE: Sandalwood

Vespers

TOP: Bergamot, Cinnamon Bark, Violet Leaves, Black Pepper HEART: Green Apple, Muguet, Rose, Violet

BASE: Cedarwood, Musk, Sandalwood, Vanilla

Lilt

TOP: Green Leaf Accord, Fig Leaf HEART: Peach, Coco, Violet BASE: Vetiver, Musk

Le Métier De Beaute Bauhaus Collection

Hello Everyone!

If you are a Le Métier De Beaute fan, head over to Zuneta, as they have just received the highly anticipated Winter 2012  Bauhaus Collection.

THE BAUHAUS WINTER 2012 COLOUR COLLECTION

As with all of LMDB’S color collections, Creative Director Mikey Castillo looked outside of the traditional beauty realm for inspiration. Bauhaus was a school in Germany that Combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It was founded with the idea of creating a ‘total’ work of art.

BAUHAUS KALEIDOSCOPE EYE KIT £75

Drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus movement that influenced famed runways of Caroline Herrera and Cynthia Rowley alike, Le Métier de Beauté unveils a ravishing, new Kaleidoscope Eye Kit for the Holiday season.

HOLIDAY NAIL LACQUER COLLECTION £16 EACH

Inspired by all things Christmassy, this collection takes a free spin on holiday hues. Shade Names (left to right)

Moons Glow ¬ A golden gleam lacquered overlay Tinsel Town ¬ Subtle Shimmer lacquered overlay with

crisp celadon undertones Christmas Town ¬ A rich emerald Dream Maker ¬ Vibrant navy blue

Chanel Holiday 2012 - Regard Signé De Chanel

Chanel Holiday 2012 is a real winter collection - all spicy berries and gold. While the colours are classic Chanel this collection is right on trend with the inclusion of a deep, dangerous vampy lip. This launches this collection into "gimme" territory. I honestly tried to refrain, as I had just indulged in Tom Ford. but this proved to be an impossible task, as the quad is one of the best formula's, I feel Chanel has offered. I have chosen (so far) only the eyeshadow quad Harmonie Du soir and the Rouge Allure Velvet in L'Impatiente.

What I love about Chanel quads is that they are universally flattering. This could be seen as boring, but Chanel really makes products that can be used from your twenties to more mature woman, a wide range of skintones and hair colours. This quad is great as it has a dash of seasonal colour. The texture of these shadows are buttery and can be blended as easy as 1-2-3. They have pearl like quality which adds a sexy ,bohemian sheen to your eyelids, bringing out your inner Serena van der Woodsen.

The quad has a beautiful gold, a taupe, festive berry, ballet pink. The berry  could be used as an softer alternative to the edgy red eyeshadow look that is popular at the moment.

The shadow wears for the whole day with some fading, but still looks good. I wore it with Urban Decay Primer Potion. This is the palette Suqqu should make with berry shades as the textures are comparable with each other. This is a must for Chanel lover's and for those looking for a Chanel quad with a twist

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in L Ímpatiente is a blackened berry. It has a drier texture than the Rouge Allure as it is more matte. It can be worn full on or tissued off for a stain effect.

Chanel L Ímpatiente

Tom Ford Black Orchid

Tom Ford Black Orchid (reviewed here) has a more pigmented, glossy finish. Chanel L Ímpatiente is more berry, while the TF leans more brown. Both are gorgeous examples of the vamp lip trend.

The Chanel Regard Signé De Chanel collection also has lovely mix of nail polishes, glosses, blush and some nude lipsticksand some other bits and bobs. It is a cohesive holiday collection which will help u achieve a polished, sultry look.

My Chanel products will be well loved as I feel this palette lends itself to everyday casual looks, as well as paint-the-town-red nights out!

What was your favourite product from the Chanel holiday collection?