Sorry these photos aren't great, I didn't get a chance to take them earlier so all natural light was gone! :( Here are my top make-up picks from 2012! I thought long and hard about these and came up with my absolute must-have items.
Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear
This is my favourite long-wearing foundation. It covers everything, lasts all day, gives a totally matte finish and although it is very thick a little bit goes a long way. I wore this while giving birth and it didn't budge...I think that really put it to the test!
Concealer: Vichy Dermablend
This is also marketed as a stick foundation but I use it as a concealer and have loved it ever since I got a sample in one of my Glossyboxes last year. It covers all pigmentation, acne scars and spots plus it's very long-lasting! I did try to use this as a foundation as well but found it too oily for the whole face.
Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte
I absolutely love this powder! When used in combination with the foundation & concealer, this gives my face a perfectly matte finish which doesn't need to be touched up throughout the day. (I have oily/combination skin by the way!) It's super affordable too and works like a charm!
Bronzer: Sarah G Cosmetics Bronzer (Face Kit)
I am using Benefit Hoola now but I used my Sarah G one for the majority of last year and I would say it's the same in terms of quality, long-wear, pigmentation and tone. I use this as a contour, it's totally matte, matches my skin perfectly and lasts all day long! You can purchase it on its own here.
Blush: Nars Orgasm
I don't know why it took me so long to discover this cult product! I purchased this pretty late in the year but it's become a firm staple in my collection. It's the perfect shade of peachy pink with golden shimmer undertones that are subtle enough to leave your cheeks looking glowy rather than glittery.
Brows: HD Brow Kit Vamp
Moving onto eyes, another year meant another HD Brows kit! This time I got the Vamp one and ended up making a strong dent in the shade dark brown. This is by far the best brow powder I've ever used. It's highly pigmented and a little goes a long way! Very long-lasting and totally matte, matches my colouring perfectly!
Eyeliner: Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner (Black)
This is the best eyeliner I have ever tried! I even purchased the Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Perversion to see what all the hype was about but it didn't compare to this one. The Avon SuperShock is extremely pigmented, doesn't smudge, tear or budge throughout the day and gives a strong black line with even the lightest application. I love this!
Mascara: CoverGirl LashBlastVolume
This has not changed since 2011. It is the best mascara in my opinion! It gives your lashes tons of length, volume and is a real winner! If you can't get your hands on this, I do recommend MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara as a dupe/UK version of this.
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
I'm a total palettes girl and a big fan of the Naked 1! I was not disappointed when I picked this up in June. Filled with amazing quality shadows that last all day, a big variety of neutral colours that suit all skin types and a selection of both matte & shimmer shades. My personal favourites were Bootycall, Verve and Pistol.
Lipstick: FYF Coy & Chanel Rouge Coco Superstition
Sorry about the awful state of my Coy lipstick, this particular one actually melted and got smushed at some point...ha ha ha! It's also about my 3rd bullet, as this is possibly my favourite lipstick shade of all-time! It was my wedding lipstick and I even wore it when I gave birth in September!! It's the perfect mix of nude & pink - very Brigitte Bardot! Superstition is a beautiful shimmery summer nude with gold flecks in it.
Lip Butters: Revlon Lip Butters Creme Brulee and Cotton Candy
I couldn't just pick two lipsticks as I had quite a few favourites last year! These Revlon Lip Butters were big hits especially over the summer. Cotton Candy is a frosted pink which looks great with a tan and Creme Brulee is a buttery nude. Both are super moisturising and soft. Love them!
Lipgloss: Revlon Bellini and Chanel 297 Sweet Beige
Revlon Bellini is a surprisingly opaque creamy nude which can be worn alone without a lipstick and still looks great! Sweet Beige looks best paired up with Superstition in my opinion, as they're a perfect match! Again it's a nude gloss but with gold shimmer in it.
Nail Polish: Zoya Barbie & Essie Fiji
I sort of stopped painting my nails after I had Emilia because I found myself with no time, but when I was pregnant I wore it a lot and changed up the colour about twice a week! These were my favourite summer shades (only because I stopped wearing polish in the autumn/winter, otherwise I'd have some darker shades in here too!). Barbie is the perfect barbie pink (go figure!) and Fiji is a gorgeous opaque marshmallow colour.
Brushes: Sedona Lace Midnight Lace Set
These are actually pink synthetic brushes which are looking rather dirty as I had just used them this morning! In fact I use these everyday. I absolutely love the flat-top brush for applying foundation and the rounded one can be used to apply cream blush but I use it for concealer/ to get into any corners or crevices. The kabuki has been a firm favourite since the year before, and I use it to apply my powder blush! You also get an angled brush in this set which is not pictured. I am giving away the Midnight Lace set on my Best of Beauty video so keep a look-out for that! ;)
I hope you found this post helpful! What were your beauty faves of 2012?
Stay Stylish!
