Favorites of 2013

The first real blog post! Are you excited? I am. 

I figured the best way to start this off was to end the previous year, so a top 13 for 2013 was in order. And I promise the 13 items were an accident- I only just counted them. 

First things first, foundation. I feel like I tried a million foundations in 2013 and exaggeration aside I know I tried too many. But, ever since I bought one for my mom in October and picked up a sample for myself, I've been in love with the Chanel Perfection Lumiere. Like I said, I was buying my mom a bottle for her birthday and got a sample for myself. Our makeup counter lady didn't think twice before picking out my shade in 30 Beige and she was right on the money. So mom bought me my own for Christmas, which was way too long after my sample ran out (I milked that thing for all it was worth). 

I love this stuff. It's amazing. It never feels heavy on my skin, but I can build it up depending on what I need (my skin's been doing pretty well though). The color blends beautifully, it lasts all day, and a little goes a long way. It's the best, I swear. I've really not had the best of luck with foundations this year, but this little baby here is all I've needed. Also, you can see my multi-colored heart robe in the reflection. 

In that same vein we now move on to powders. I did try a few good ones this year, like the Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder and the Rimmel Stay Matte, but by far my favorite has been the NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat powder in 05 Soft Beige . I keep this in my purse all the time and, while I don't ever touch up (even if my foundation is crap), it's great for those days when I legit just didn't bother to put anything on. It's got a light bit of coverage on top of keeping you oil-free. The real draw is how natural you still look. I live in Florida, it gets hot and everything sucks, this stuff has been put through the ringer. 

I haven't been using concealer as much toward the end of the year, but earlier on it got quite the work out. I think this is my second or third tube and it's definitely my favorite any blemishes or spots that might pop up. The name has long since rubbed off but it's the Revlon Photoready Concealer in Light Medium. I definitely don't use this under my eyes or anything like that, it's too stiff for that, but it's great on the rest of my face. It's so creamy. 

Now, for under-eye concealer I use this baby here. It's super worn, as you can see, but in case you can't tell that's the Maybelline Dream Lumi in Radiant. I have tried sooooooo many different concealers for my awful dark circles, and I've liked a few, but this has been my favorite for months. It just does a little something extra. Nothing short of pasting on a super thick concealer is going to cover of my dark circles (seriously, I was born looking like I hadn't slept in a week), but this highlights pretty nicely. That's really what it ends up being, a highlighter for the tops of my cheeks and my under-eye. 

And on the subject of my awful dark circles, I've been using the Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Eye Cream every night. I don't even know if it's actually doing anything, but I sure feel better after I've put it on. Okay, I'll admit, if I don't wear this for a week it definitely looks worse. It might just be my imagination, but if I think it looks good then that's all that matters. 

Jumping over to other eye related things lets talk about the MAC Paint Pot in Painterly. This is actually my mom's and she's always yelling at me for stealing it, but I don't care. It's the only eyeshadow base I use and it's the best. I know I could use one of my Maybelline Color Tattoos, but the lightest one, Barely Branded, has shimmer in it where this is matte. I know I need to go get my own so she can have hers back, but I've just been too lazy to go down to the mall. I might try a different color too. Painterly is such a nice color though, just a shade lighter than my actual eyelids. 

And on top of that bad boy I love to use these lovely eyeshadows. You've all seen it before, don't lie, it's the Wet N' Wild ColorIcon in Comfort Zone. I have a lot of eyeshadows. A lot, I say. But, these are the ones I reach for the most. Partly because it's so easy to toss these into my go-bag and take them over to my boything's house without limiting my options, but also because they are just so nice. They glide on just right and are so pigmented. I don't actually use the Painterly paint pot every day, and I generally find it's not really necessary with most of these. My favorite is that bottom right duo-chrome definer shade and that one I will wear with the base sometimes to make it stronger, but it comes off so nicely alone. It's just subtly but interesting enough. 

This eyeliner. THIS EYELINER. I picked it up on a whim one day after having a chat with my friendly Sephora lady and oh my god. I use this all the time. I could probably just use this every day with some mascara and not bother with eyeshadow at all. It is the Sephora Contour Eye Pencil in Blonde Ambition. I thought maybe I'd use it every now and then, but this is certainly my second favorite thing on this whole list. I've bought a few other colors since this one, but nothing compares. 

Now, I'm a dumb butt and forgot to take a picture of my mascara and then I left it at the boything's house, but I'm sure you guys have seen it. Now, I've got the Benefit They're Real and the Tarte Lights, Camera , Flashes among a number of other drugstore ones, but nothing compares to the Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. It gives them just enough length and a small bit of volume, but they never clump and the formula is not too wet, not too dry, just right. I'm not usually super happy with my mascaras, this guy though, I'm happy with him. 

We're nearly to the end, I swear. Blush was a little difficult to pick because I wear my MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul really often and I love it. The Milani Baked Blushes won because I use several off them and consistently like how it looks. That one up there is in Berry Amore, but I've got Rose D'oro and Luminoso too and they're all beautiful. I don't use bronzer a whole lot, hence why there isn't a favorite, so blush really gives me a little pop of life I sometimes lack, especially in the winter months. I have olive skin, but I get sooo pale in the winter, it's sad. 

You are purposely not getting a picture of my favorite makeup tool because it's dirty and I'm too lazy to go wash it, but it's the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. This hasn't been out very long, but I'd been trying to find something comparable to the Beauty Blender for a while and this is it. I can't say it's a dupe by any means because I have not and will not be spending $19 on a sponge. It's not happening. It's against my moral code. But, from everything I've seen they appear very similar and even if they aren't I love it. I'm going to buy a second one to leave at the boything's house because it's hard to go back to a brush for my foundation now. It makes me so pretty. 

I mentioned somewhere up there that my skin has been doing really well, and I'd say my new moisturizer has a little something to do with that. It's the Loreal Ideal Moisture Day Lotion, but I use it day and night. It leaves my face feeling so nice. My last moisturizer had these very fine bits of shimmer that was nice but not always wanted, so I really wanted to find something very plain and simple. This stuff makes my skin feel all refreshed after I wash it and I feel like my foundation goes on better if I remember to put it on before. And it doesn't make me all oily, so definite plus. 

And last but by no means least! It's my favorite lip product! Nay, my favorite product period for the whole year of 2013! My numero uno! It's the Maybelline Color Whispers! I swear to you, in between me starting this post and finishing it, I went and bought another. I'm just so pleased with all the colors. Every one. Even colors I don't normally like. And they're so hassle free. I keep at least one in my purse (usually three) at all times and just throw it on like it's no big deal. Some of these are really subtle, but some are crazy pigmented. Berry Ready is not joking around, but Rose of Attraction and Made-it Mauve among lots others are just... well, a whisper of color. I want every single color. And I will have them. 

AND THAT'S IT! That was long. Goodness gracious. Did you stick through that whole thing? I promise it won't always be like that. I was trying to cover a whole year! Now we can focus on 2014. 

See you again soon.