I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas/Hannukah/Festive Period and that you aren't being too harsh on yourself when it comes to the inevitable New Year's Resolutions!
For myself, I think I will simply go with an old classic - be healthier. This seems to me to be kinder than 'lose weight' and more realistic than 'hit the gym every day'. Weight loss and exercise will, inevitably, be par for the course if I try to be healthier in 2013 (that feels weird to write!). However, I can also include some beauty related factors in that resolution - drink more water, for example (my skin will love me!). I have also bought myself some Fish Oil and Vitamin E supplements to start taking, which will have some radiance boosting and skin clearing benefits.
However, I'm going off topic here!
It has been difficult to whittle down all of the products of 2012 into the favourites included here and I thought I'd impose a limit on myself or this would have been a never ending list - there is a total of 15 products! I have also split this into 2 posts as i began writing and realised it was becoming a book!
So here is part one of my 2012 Favourites - products I have reached for time and time again this year, some of which I have discovered in 2012 and cannot imagine living without now!
YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (1)
This has been my favorite mascara for quite some time, ever since my dad bought it for me in duty free on his way back from a business trip abroad. I was quite thrilled, as it came in a set with YSL Touché Éclat and that was my concealer of choice at the time.
I don't use this mascara religiously, as at £23 a pop it's hardly purse friendly, but it is one I go back to once my drugstore interim mascara has dried up. 2012 happens to have been a year when I, very luckily, had a couple of tubes of this baby in my stash so I've been using it for most of this year.
Never clumpy or flaky, this gives the best volume I've experienced from a mascara.
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair)
Hands down the best concealer I've ever used. As I mentioned above, I used to be a Touché Éclat devotee, but this budget friendly beauty (gives far better, longer lasting coverage. It's easy to blend, matches my skin tone perfectly and just...works. I'm not convinced on their 16 hour promise, but a whole day at work is no match for this little tube and that's good enough for me!
They have now rebranded themselves as Collection, but my tube and the Boots website (link above) still say Collection 2000, not sure what that's about...Anyhow, this retails at £3.69 in Boots and I believe around £3.99 in Superdrug (it's not listed on their website though!).
Me Me Me Cosmetics Blush Box in Coral
This was actually sent to me as a gesture of goodwill after my Me Me Me online order was shipped incorrectly, meaning I ended up with the wrong products. However, their lovely customer services team sorted it out and sent me this product free. I'm so glad! I *think* I also bought their face base, a bronzer and a tinted moisturiser, but really this is the only product I remember using this year!
It's just such a lovely, peachy shade. It looks quite alarming in the box, but on the skin this translates into a nice healthy flush. The staying power is also excellent and it blends wonderfully.
NARS Blusher in Deep Throat
As you can see, I've hit pan on this one - surely a testament to how much I love it and have used it since purchasing in February.
A hint of sparkle and a natural pink glow, perfect for perking up my skin in the winter months. Now, considering how abysmal the weather has been this year, I've probably used this product far more than I normally would have - the cold and rain tricked me!
This is £21 so, I may not be able to justify an immediate repurchase. However, I may have found an almost exact dupe for this one, so watch this space!
The Body Shop Lipstick, Shade 42 Dusk Pink
This tends to be my go to day-to-day lipstick. It's a perfect nude shade, that looks like my lips, but more...polished. I'll wear this one if I'm not feeling like working a bold (or even shy for that matter!) lip.
The texture is creamy and it glides on very easily. It's not drying or sticky, which is always a plus! I believe this is one of their sheer formulas - however, there is no 'sheen' to it (I know they do a line with a kind of frosted look, this isn't part of it).
This'll set you back £10.
The Body Shop Born Lippy Lip Balm in Plum
I love this.
Very subtle plum colour, lovely plum scent, moisturising lip balm. Constantly in my bag.
It's £3, so very purse friendly! Other flavours/scents/colours available are: Lychee, Raspberry, Strawberry, Pomegranate, Watermelon, Toffee, Satsuma Shimmer, Pink Guava, Passionberry and Pink Berry (whatever that is!).
Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm
This is one of the products I discovered this year, which I now cannot imagine living without.
The best lip balm I have ever used. Ever.
It feels almost grainy at first, but this melts away very quickly. The scent is citrusy, like orange and lemon peel and it stays put for aaaaages. I put this on at night before bed and its still on my lips the next morning. Super moisturising, it fixes chapped lips, cuts etc. overnight. I love it.
I got mine from a little pharmacy near my parents' in London, but it is available via Feel Unique (link above) for £9.50.
So there you have it, part one is finally over! I tried to group the products as best I could - part two is skincare, haircare etc.
