My Top 12 Makeup Products from 2012

This has been a very difficult post to write. I must have tested hundreds of products and brushes over the past year, so to narrow it down to only 12 was a very difficult task. This list is not about products that were released in 2012, but products that were new to me in 2012. Some of my most used of the year were actually repurchases, so I tried to keep the list to only products I purchased or used for the first time this year.

These twelve items have made some sort of a lasting impression on me, and more than likely have showed up in past posts. I did not include skin care products, and tried to keep the list only makeup and makeup tools. 

Without further delay, here are my top 12 makeup products from 2012 (in no particular order):

#1 Tarte Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette - This beautiful palette includes 6 eye shadows, 2 blushes and a mirror all housed in a faux snake skin clutch.  Why it made the list: This was my first introduction to Tarte blush in Exposed.  This matte nude blush has become an everyday staple for me and looks incredibly natural on my skin.  All of the eye shadows in this palette are very wearable, and I love that this palette could easily take your look from day to night.

 Above: Swatch of Exposed Blush

#2 Stila In The Light Eye Shadow Palette - Anyone who knows me knows brushes are my thing. However, if I had to choose a second love, eye shadow palettes would be it! After testing tons of palettes this year, I keep coming back to this one. I have even recommended this to others, who have purchased it and love it just as much as I do. Why it made the list: Kitten is one of the most famous eye shadows of all time. It's the shade I use most from this palette. Stila did such a nice job choosing the colors for this collection that I find myself reaching for this palette more than so many others. Bare works amazingly well as an allover base color.  Bubbly is a beautiful champagne shade that looks amazing as an inner corner highlight.  All of the shadows are smooth and pigmented, plus they included a waterproof eye liner in the color Damsel.

#3 Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup - This was my favorite foundation of the year. I tried so many this year, and none make my skin look as flawless as this does. Why it made the list: It's oil free so it doesn't break me out.  Plus, it contains an SPF of 15 for added sun protection. For swatches you can check my prior post here: http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/12/spotlight-hourglass-cosmetics.html

#4 Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm - When I first mentioned this in my Beautylish Haul post ( http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/12/beautylish-haul-featuring-too-faced.html) I talked about the coverage. As I continued to use this product, I realized the coverage can actually be sheer, but it is very buildable.  My first application was a heavy one, leading me to believe the coverage was heavier than it actually was. However, the more I use this product, the more I love it. Why it made the list: The coverage is not only buildable, but it contains light reflecting pigments, which help make the skin look perfected. This two in one has been a time saver for me in the morning, and I really like that it comes in multiple shades, unlike so many other BB creams on the market. 

#5 Royal & Langnickel Revolution Brush BX-30 - You know I can't possibly write a post about favorites without mentioning brushes. This synthetic brush picks up powders so beautifully, yet still works well at blending out creams. This is an amazing brush for professional use and it yields professional results every time. Why it made the list: The size of this brush is ideal for blending blush along the cheekbone. So many blush brushes are too long, or the wrong shape. This one is just perfect.  Full review here: http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/11/spotlight-royal-langnickel-revolution.html

#6 Bdellium Tools 925 Green Bambu Duet Fiber Fan Brush - Dewy, glowy skin is part of my signature look. One of the best ways I've found to apply highlighters is with this handy little fan brush. Why it made the list: This is a professional grade eco-friendly brush with a bamboo handle and soft vegan bristles.  This little brush has so many uses for me. It's great for sweeping away eyeshadow fallout, adding a light application of liquid or powder highlight to the face, or even polishing foundation. 

 #7 100% Pure Cosmetics Cruelty Free Contour Brush - Everyone knows the key to blending eye shadow well is good technique, and a good brush. This white bristled favorite is an absolute lifesaver when it comes to blending out crease color. Why it made the list: I know so many people who have all synthetic brushes, except for their eye shadow blending brush. It's hard to find a synthetic brush to do the job. This one does it quite well. Full review here: http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/09/spotlight-100-pure-cosmetics-vegan.html

#8 Ecco Bella Shimmer Dust in Moon - To see my original review, click here: 

http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/10/ecco-bella-review-giveaway.html 

This product is so versatile. It can be used as a face highlight or as eye shadow.  Why it made the list: It is very hard to find a good quality highlighter that is not only cruelty-free, but also vegan. These come in 4 colors, and easily pop into a Z-Palette, or the Ecco Bella Paperback Duo Compact. 

#9 Milani Nail Lacquer - Nail polish is not my thing. In fact, I kind of suck at doing my own nails to be honest. However, this nail polish from Milani is absolutely amazing. It's one of the first polishes I've used that really lasts on my nails. The colors are true to the bottle, and these are super affordable. Why it made the list: I really like the color choices and how they are executed. Milani Signature Gold the most amazing metallic polish I have ever used. This product is made in the USA and is DBP Free.

#10 Armour Lip Gloss - The shade Diana was sent to me as a sample by the good folks over at Beautylish. I was immediately impressed with the opacity and shine of this product. Original thoughts and to view shade click here: http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/12/beautylish-haul-featuring-too-faced.html

Why it made the list: Never before have I been so impressed with a lip gloss that I ran to order more immediately after trying it once. This gives the lips the most full, sexy appearance you can imagine. I have tried countless glosses in my lifetime, and this one really blows me away. 

#11 Too Faced Lip Insurance - Another gift from the folks over at Beautylish, this product truly improves the staying power of your lip product without drying out your lips. Why this made the list: While I've always been a big advocate of primers for special occasions, I never used anything more than a concealer or concealing type lip primer before this product.  Lipstick feathering is a huge issue, especially with mature ladies and this product prevents that from happening.  For more on primers, click here: http://makeupmattersbylnc.blogspot.com/2012/12/primer-primer-primer.html

#12 Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Playful - I have several shades from this line, and love them all. Pure is a great everyday shade, Bold is an amazing bright coral. However, Playful was my go to lipstick shade this fall. I recommended it to everyone and anyone who would listen. Why it made the list: Even without priming the lips first, this long wear formula lasts all day without drying out the lips. This is my favorite color out of the 8 available shades. This applies so smoothly, and the packaging is super cute. 

Above: Swatch of Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Playful 

That's it! I hope you enjoyed this peek into my personal favorites for the year. I wish everyone a wonderful rest of the year and a great start to 2013!  I want to give a special thanks to my readers, followers and all those who supported me this year.  There will be many new exciting things to come from Makeup Matters By LNC in 2013 including a new look to the site, more reviews and maybe even some giveaways!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @MakeupMatters1

*Some of the products in this post were sent for consideration. This in no way alters my review. All of my thoughts and opinions are 100% honest, and I only share them with you in hopes of helping you make informed purchasing decisions.

Primer, Primer, Primer !

My very first blog post was about wedding makeup.  In that post I wrote about the importance of wearing primer on your big day. In the makeup world, primers available to the general public are a relatively new thing. I remember when they weren't available, or at least not as readily available as they are now. Today, nearly every brand makes one, and you can prime everything from your lashes to your lips.

What is a Primer?
Like painting a wall, primer is the base coat that goes underneath your makeup (or paint in the case of a wall).  It increases the wear time of your makeup and in many cases makes the makeup you apply over it appear brighter or more intense. In addition, some primers have added benefits to them such as moisturizing, mattifying, brightening, etc.

Here is a look at some different types of primers, and brands I recommend:

Face: As we age, primers can help to fill in the fine lines and wrinkles on the face, sort of like spackling does on a wall.  Face primers can help create a smooth surface for your foundation to adhere to. This step should be done after your moisturizer, but before foundation or concealer. 

As I've mentioned in previous posts, my holy grail face primer is Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.  In the winter, or when my skin is feeling a little dry, I mix it with Hourglass N28 Primer Serum. 

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer helps create a smooth matte finish on the skin.  Their N28 Primer Serum is very moisturizing and can be used as a skincare treatment, or a face primer. 

Another primer I love is from Too Faced. Their Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer does exactly what the name implies. It's lightly tinted, so can help even out the skintone of those with slight redness.  Like all good face primers, this will help your makeup stay longer, but can also be worn alone.

While available in full size, Tarte currently sells a limited edition Deluxe Primer Trio. My favorite from the pack is their Clean Slate Poreless 12-Hr Perfecting Primer. This travel size primer helps create a flawless appearance on the face, and is ideal for those who have noticeably large pores.  This primer does not contain any parabens, sulfates or synthetic fragrance. 

If you are looking for a primer that goes the extra mile, try one of these problem solvers from CoverFx. Their Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment is ideal for those with acne prone or oily skin. Their BritePrep FX is a great primer for those with a dull complexion  or hyperpigmentation.  This formula has an instant brightening effect on the skin.  Both apply smoothly and work well on those with sensitive skin.

If none of these fit into your budget, there is a great drugstore option available. Nuance by Salma Hayek,which is available at CVS works amazingly well. It's a cross between a gel & cream consistency.  This will leave your skin looking instantly perfected and smooth as well as keep you matte

 all day.

Eye: Aside from face primer, one of the most commonly used primers is eye primer. While I don't always wear face primer, I do always wear eye primer. Eye primer is a must to help prevent my eyeshadow from creasing.

My holy grail eye primer is Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  This is the formula I wear everyday. It's a silicone based product that comes in a squeeze tube and can be applied directly to the lid with your finger or a brush. I use this product under both powder and cream eyeshadow, and a tiny bit is all you need for it to work. 

For those with more mature lids, you might want to try Tarte's Clean Slate 360 degree Creaseless 12-Hour Smoothing Eye Primer.  This primer does everything you expect an eye primer to do, but is also formulated for the under eye area and meant to help smooth out the apperance of wrinkles. This shade works on all skin tones and is/ formulated without parabens or synthetic fragrance.

If your lids are particularly oily, I recommend Tarte's Amazonian Clay Waterproof Shadow Primer.  My lids are not overly oily, so I find this formula a bit drying. This also has a slight pink tint to it, so I don't recommend it for those with darker skin tones. However it works well on fair skin.

For a more budget friendly version, I suggest E.L.F. Eyelid Primer or NYX Eyeshadow Base. Both work well, and NYX offers their eyeshadow base in white, which is ideal for really making your eyeshadow colors pop if you are going for a bright look. I prefer this creamy white base to their famous eyeshadow pencil in Milk. 

Lashes: I never used to prime lashes, and if you are going to skip a primer, this is the one to skip. Honestly, most mascaras these days are long wear and will last you all day. However, if you are attending a special event, or a wedding, I do recommend priming the lashes. 

Tarte's version is my favorite lash primer. When worn under mascara, it actually does make the lashes look longer and fuller, in addition to increasing the wear time.  This doesn't contain any parabens and is available in both travel size (pictured) and full size tubes.

Urban Decay's Eyelash Primer Potion is both lengthening and volumizing.  It actually contains tiny fibers that cling to the lashes, which may not make it ideal for contact lens wearers. This formula is vegan (though the company is now owned by L'Oreal). 

Lips:  The newest addition to my primer family is Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer*. Prior to using this product, I used to prime the lips with a bit of concealer. E.L.F. also makes an inexpensive lip primer, but their version is basically a concealer. 

Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer is surprisingly creamy. It's just like their shadow insurance, but for the lips! I was really shocked at how this prevented my lipstick from feathering, yet didn't dry out my lips at all. This was sent to me as a sample by the good folks over at Beautylish. Since I got it, I've been testing it under lipstick, glosses and stains. I am happy to report, that not only did all of my lip products stay put, but my lips felt smooth and I didn't have to reapply my lip color all day. I'm really impressed with this product and intend to buy the full size for personal and professional use.  

The Too Faced products can be purchased at www.beautylish.com or anywhere Too Faced products are sold. 

*Some of the products in this post were sent for consideration. This in no way alters my review. All of my thoughts and opinions are 100% honest, and I only share them with you in hopes of helping you make informed purchasing decisions.

Concealer

Finding the perfect concealer is kind of like finding the perfect swimsuit. A daunting task at times, many women are on a never ending quest to find the perfect one.

What Makes a Good Concealer?
To find your holy grail concealer, you must first know what properties in a concealer you like. For me, it's good coverage and a creamy consistency. Some use a different concealer for under eyes, vs on blemishes. Some women, want an all in one product that will cover and conceal dark circles, blemishes and sun spots all in one. Before purchasing a concealer, decide what it is you need the product to do.

Like foundation, concealers also come in many different formulas including; liquid, cream, mouse, stick form and powder to name a few.

While I don't claim to have tested every concealer on the market, I have tried my fair share.  Here is a sampling of some concealers that I would repurchase. I've included a variety of different price points and brands, so hopefully there will be something for everyone.

Budget Friendly/Drugstore:

The first product isn't a traditional concealer. It's actually marketed as a Blemish Kit. The brand E.L.F. created this mineral powder with acne fighting ingredients intended to treat and prevent breakouts. However, because I'm so fair, the powder, which is pigmented, acts as a concealer as well and even comes with a concealer brush for application.  I'll reach for this if I have a blemish I want to treat and cover at the same time on days I'm also wearing mineral foundation.

Another affordable brand is Physicians Formula. I was first introduced to this brand through their corrective concealers. When I was younger, I used to have a blue tinted scar on my face.  To cover it up, I used a yellow based correcting concealer from this brand. This brand offers many different types of concealers and correctors. One that I particularly like for under eye circles is from their Mineral Wear Talc-Free line which comes with a corrector, concealer and highlighter in three connecting bottles.

 Step 1 is a yellow based corrector, to hide any blue or purple tones under the eyes.  Step 2 is the concealer and Step 3 is a pink highlighter that can be used under the eyes or on the high points of the face.
The quality of this product is excellent. It's creamy and light.  My only complaint about this product, is that I don't think it would work on darker skin tones.  I would like to see more variety added to the line for those with a deeper skin color such as a peach base corrector, a darker cover and other shades of highlight.

My favorite of all the drugstore lines is Nuance by Salma Hayek. In my opinion, this is a high end brand that just happens to be sold at the drugstore. The quality of these products if phenomenal. This is actually a double ended concealer. One side is a concealer stick, ideal for covering blemishes, or other spots on the face, and the other end is a creamy brightening concealer, ideal for use under the eyes. I have this product in shades light and medium. What I like about it, is that there are some correcting properties to it. For example, the medium version has a slight peachy undertone to it which is ideal for correcting under eye circles.

 Pictured above: Stick side of concealer on the left, and liquid side on the right

High End Concealers: 

Per-Fekt Eye Perfection Gel is a primer/concealer hybrid. It's mousse like texture fills in fine lines creating a smoothing appearance to the under eye area. The formula is tinted providing coverage to the under eye area. If you have really dark circles, this won't do the job, but still acts great as a base or primer if you want to put a fuller coverage concealer over it.

A popular concealer, especially for those with under eye circles is Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer. While I don't believe any concealer is truly creaseless on it's own, this does crease less than many other concealers on the market. This is definitely a full coverage product, and excellent for covering both dark circles and blemishes. It does have a dewy finish, but I recommend setting all concealers with a powder.

While I am not happy about Urban Decay selling to L'Oreal, I happened to have one of their 24/7 Concealer Pencils in my stash, so I decided to include it. This is the older style packaging as I purchased it a while ago. The pencil format is nice for concealing blemishes, but I find this formula a little too drying for the delicate under eye area.

My personal favorite of all the concealers listed here is the Christopher Drummond Beauty Duo-Phase Hydrating Concealer. This product also happens to be vegan. I own this  in a couple of different shades, and the old and new formulation. I was a big fan of the original formula.  However after chatting with the brand's creator on Twitter, who is also a makeup artist, and hearing about the creamier texture of the new formulation I just had to try it.  This is my favorite concealer because it provides full coverage, yet is very creamy and has a nice slip to it. I recommend this brand to others, and everyone I know who has purchased it has come away satisfied.  You only need a tiny amount to get full coverage.

In my personal opinion, this is the best concealer on the market. The texture and coverage are unsurpassed. Not only does this product perform well, but it is also 100% natural.  This products works great for under the eyes and allover the face to cover blemishes or spots as needed. 

Here are swatches of all of the products side by side in my shade:

Pictured Above From Left to Right: Tarte, Christopher Drummond, Per-fekt, Urban Decay, Physicians Formula Corrector, Cover, Highlighter, E.L.F.



I would love to hear from you if there is a concealer you think I should try!  Drop me a comment in the box below, or email me at makeupmatters3@gmail.com

I'm also on Twitter @MakeupMatters1

Spotlight: Hourglass Cosmetics

Today's post is about the luxury brand Hourglass Cosmetics. This brand was founded by Carisa Janes who noticed a need in the market for a luxury cosmetic line that bridged "style and substance" while focusing on ingredients that were good for the skin. First available at Barney's, this cruelty-free brand made it's way to Sephora in 2007*.

I'm thankful for this brand, because while most people have an image of animal lovers and vegans as non-makeup wearing hippies, that is not always the case.  Animal lovers and vegans come in all forms, and yes, even animal lovers and vegans want a little luxury in their lives sometimes!

While I admit this brand is pricey, that is the market they serve. I personally love the line, and their Mineral Veil Primer is a holy grail product for me. 

Here is a closer look at some of my favorites from the brand:

My introduction to the brand was (of course) their brushes. True to the brand, these brushes are extremely luxurious.  The bristles are soft, yet functional, and the sleek metal handles are as much a work of art as they are a makeup application tool. They are nicely weighted and feel comfortable in the hand. I've also found these extremely easy to clean. These hold their shape nicely, even after many washings.

 Above: Hourglass Brush #2: Foundation/Blush Brush

 Above: Hourglass Brush #2: Foundation/Blush Brush and Brush #4 Crease Brush

Above: Hourglass Brush #8: Concealer Brush

The Hourglass Foundation brush is unique because it is neither a flat paddle foundation brush, nor a flat topped buffing brush. Instead, I use it in gentle patting motions on the skin.  The concealer brush, I actually use to apply my primer. 

The primer I can't live without is Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer (vegan). However, in the winter my skin tends to be on the dry side, so I mix it with Hourglass No 28 Primer Serum, a little trick I learned from Makeup Artist and YouTube Guru Josh Collier.  You can view his videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/JoshCollierMUA

The Foundation I wear from Hourglass is their Veil Fluid Makeup which is completely vegan. I wear shade 0 Porcelain or 1 Ivory depending on the time of year. This foundation comes in several different shades

Here are swatches of both shades. You can find your shade here: http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/index.php?type=complexion&item=complexion_fluidMakeup

This foundation does run a little on the darker side, so if you are unsure between 2 shades, go with the lighter. Pictured above on the left is Porcelain, and on the right is Ivory.

Good quality matte eyeshadow can be hard to find.  The Hourglass Vol. 6 Neo-Classic Eye Palette contains 5 high quality matte shadows and 1 shimmer shade.  The eyeshadow palette is a little smaller than a smart phone and comes with the Hourglass signature 360 degree swivel top lid.

Here is a closer look at the palette, including swatches:

 The colors are not named, but they are (from left to right above): champagne shimmer, matte bone, matte brown, matte coral, matte navy and matte black

In the summertime, I was looking for a waterproof bronzer. I decided to try this one from Hourglass called Superficial Mirage:

I tend to use a self tanner in the summer, so this bronzer worked well for me. However, if you are super fair, I recommend you skip this one, or use a super light hand. I think this would work better on medium to medium dark skin tones. The brush it comes with is excellent.  I honestly toss most of the brushes that come with compacts. However, this brush is of the same quality as the rest of the brushes in their line and is made with the same PETA-friendly synthetic fibers.  I also really like the shape of this brush for contouring. It's the perfect size and shape for hitting the hollows of the cheek.

Hourglass also makes some beautiful glosses in a variety of finishes. they are pigmented and moisturizing, never sticky. These can be worn alone or layered over you favorite liner or lipstick.

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Gloss:

 Pictured Above (From left to right): Child (nude), Imagine (metallic gold), Reflect (clear pink with shimmer), Primal (oxblood)

The gloss pictured above on the far left is a mini version of the new packaging. The three glosses pictured on the right above are the old packaging.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my Hourglass collection. I understand not everyone can afford this line, but if your budget allows it, or you are looking for a splurge then I highly suggest checking out this brand.








*Source: http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/about.php
All products in this post were purchased by me

Beautylish Haul! Featuring Too Faced & Armour

I am completely addicted to Beautylish.  If you haven't explored their site yet, I suggest you do. Beautylish.com is a must see site for makeup lovers. It features amazing beauty articles, inspirational photos, and a "talk" section for people to ask questions about makeup and skincare.

They also have specialty boutiques set up for certain makeup brands where you can shop to your heart's content. In fact, it is this shop where I first purchased eyeshadow from the cruelty-free beauty brand Sugarpill Cosmetics.  I've e-mailed with Beautylish, requesting to see more cruelty-free products in their shop, and they have certainly come through!  They plan on having many more cruelty-free brands in the future, so please support their shop if you want to see more cruelty-free choices! 

Today's haul from the Beautylish shop features the much loved brand Too Faced. I'm sure all of you are familiar with this popular brand. I've used many products from them and even gifted their Love Sweet Love gift set this holiday season. Too Faced is a cruelty-free brand, meaning none of their products are tested on animals. In addition to this, they offer many vegan options.

The three products I purchased from Beautylish are Too faced Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow, Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder in Milk Chocolate and Candlelight Illuminating Translucent Powder.

To date, I have not been much impressed with the American versions of BB Cream on the market. The Asian versions offer much fuller coverage than many I've seen here in the United States. However, the Asian BB creams are not cruelty-free. Luckily, Too Faced has made me extremely happy, by offering a cruelty-free BB Cream that offers great coverage! FINALLY! If you are a busy woman like me, products that multitask can be a life saver.

My shade is Vanilla Glow. However, I happened to have a sample of Nude Glow as well, so I swatched them both for you in the above picture. Nude Glow is the swatch on the left and Vanilla Glow is on the right. I also want to thank Too Faced for offering their BB Cream in 4 shades. I've seen many companies put out BB Creams without considering those with a darker skin tone. Although I am pale, I like to see companies that include something for everyone in their cosmetic lines.

I already had Too Faced Candlelight Glow, which is a lovely two sided highlighter (pictured below).  Too Faced Candlelight Illuminating Translucent Powder, can be used allover the face, or strategically in areas you want to highlight.

 Pictured Above: Too Faced Candlelight Glow (2 sided highlighter)

Swatch of Too Faced Candlelight Illuminating Translucent Powder (above)

I also had a mini version of Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer.  I believe everyone should own a good matte bronzer.  Milk Chocolate is the perfect shade for those with fair skin.  This bronzer is made from real cocoa powder and smells so good, you'll want to eat it! I swatched both the regular version and the Milk Chocolate version so you could see a side by side comparison.

 Milk Chocolate is on the left (above) and a mini version of Chocolate on the right

Beautylish was kind enough to include a complimentary tube of Armour Lip Gloss in Diana for me to try as well. With it, they wrote me a note that it's not tested on animals and paraben free. I am absolutely in love with this gloss, and intend to go buy more colors!  It has the most unbelievable shine, and looks like your lips are wet, yet it feels like I have nothing on. This gloss is not sticky at all and their package clearly states, "NO ANIMAL TESTING EVER." 

The gloss comes in many different colors.  It comes with a traditional doe foot applicator and a clear tube so you can see the color of the gloss.

Thank you Beautylish for sending me the Armour gloss. Thank you for keeping your word to carry more cruelty-free products in your shop. I really appreciate it!

To shop any of the items seen here, please visit www.beautylish.com 


*Some of the products seen here were sent to me for consideration. I do not get paid to write reviews, and only write them in hopes of helping my readers make informed purchasing decisions. All of my reviews are 100% honest.