Favourite Makeup in 2010

I'm finally getting around to doing my favourites post, just when everyone else is probably sick of looking at them! I decided to break them up a little, so I'll have a category of makeup, skincare/body products and perfumes. I'm starting with my favourite makeup, which was really hard, because I've fallen in love with so many things this year. I haven't been strict about these being products I actually started using in 2010 or anything, just my particular favourites of each category for this year.

 

Concealer
Physician's Formula Concealer Twins. I have yet to find another green concealer for my cheeks that works as well - everything else I've tried either does nothing, or is too thick and greasy and sinks into my pores (yes, Coastal Scents Camo Quad - I am looking at you). I use the light end in the corner of my eyes to diminish the shadows there, but it's really the green end I'm wedded to.

Foundation
Oh, Chanel Mat Lumiere - where have you been all my life? This is definitely my HG foundation, and I used it for most of the year. Occasionally I sauntered off to try something else, but I kept running back. It gives excellent coverage and a smooth matte finish that doesn't look at all cakey. The cost is horrendous, but you don't need much so it lasts a long time. I'm on my second bottle now, and I intend to keep on buying it.

Powder
I don't really use powder all that much, but I always have my Chanel Poudre Douce handy for touch ups, so I'll just go with that.

Eye primer
I don't know... I don't really think any of the ones I've tried are all that fantastic. I will go with Urban Decay Primer Potion, but only because that's what I use the most. I'm not really that jazzed with it. This year I'm going to try Too Faced Shadow Insurance, as I've heard a lot of good things about it.

Eyebrow product
My eyebrows have been hideous all year. I spent months trying to grow them in thicker after years of overplucking, and then when I finally went to have them tidied up, the girl waxed them back into oblivion! Since then I've just been plucking them, and they never look right. They don't really ever get any thicker - just messy. And the lesson here kids: don't overpluck your eyebrows. When it's no longer the 90s, you will definitely regret it! Anyway, I discovered recently that the middle color of the NYX Rock and Roll Eyeshadow Trio (you can see a swatch of it here) is the perfect colour for my eyebrows - it's one of the few matte browns I have that doesn't throw any red. I'm still not happy with my brows, but since I discovered this, I can live with them.

Eyeshadow
I tried so many different eyeshadows this year! It's really hard to pin down my favourite, but the two I continually went back to were Urban Decay Toasted and NARS Ondine. Both gorgeous neutrals ( you can see swatches of them here), and both look great just swiped on the eye with no other faffing about.

Eyeliner
I'm not really an eyeliner person anymore. When I was young I wore liquid eyeliner every single day (I had a Doris Day/Grace Kelly thing going on), and I had no trouble with it. But I gave it up for years and I've never been able to get the hang of it since. Too many years of partying have given me very unsteady hands! One that I did like quite a lot this year was the Wet'n'Wild Gel Liner (I have Aubergine). (Relatively) easy to apply, and long-lasting. What more can you want from an eyeliner?

Mascara
My all time favourite HG mascara is Chanel Inimitable, but I keep ending up with tons of other mascaras so I've banned myself from buying any more of the Chanel one until I've used what I have. Unfortunately, what I have is about two years' worth, and none of it's been that fantastic so far. I did get a sample size of the Clinique High Impact Mascara in a GWP, and I quite liked it, so let's go with that. To be honest though, if I'd had the Chanel one at all this year, that would definitely be my pick.

Blush
I was just going to go with Milani Luminous, same as last year, as I use it all the time and it's a great all-rounder. However, about a month ago I pulled out my much-neglected MAC Honour, a light beige with slight gold shimmer. Loving myself sick! It's so easy to wear, and it helps tone down the redness in my cheeks. I just reviewed it a couple of days ago so I won't say any more about it here.

Lipstick
Sooo many to choose from. I was really impressed with the Maybelline Color Sensationals, the Revlon Colorburst, and the NYX Black Label. I still only own a couple of MACS, because although I really like them, I just flat out refuse to pay the inflated price for them here. I think my favourite would have to be Maybelline Color Sensational in Born With It, a lovely neutral pink. I paid about $7 from the US rather than $17 or whatever it is here, so that made it even more loved.

Lip Gloss
I'm not a lip gloss person. I do own a few, but I rarely wear them. However, I am quite partial to the ELF Liquid Lipsticks (you can see swatches of mine here), which cost me about $1.10US each from Nonpareil. Bargain! The colour I would have worn most is probably Bark, a nice cool brownish neutral that goes with pretty much everything.

Nail Polish
I have always owned nail polish, but never all that much of it - maybe a dozen bottles at a time, some years old. It's not that I don't like it - I really do. It's just that nail polish does not last on me - it always chips within a day and it's a complete pain. Also, although my nails grow quickly, they're very soft and peel easily. Having said that, this year I discovered the joys of buying cheap nail polish online, and went a bit crazy for a while. My favourite would probably be Essie's Angora Cardi (you can see a swatch of it here). Colourful enough to be interesting, but neutral enough to be work-friendly. And one of the better of the Essie formulas, which can be annoyingly hit and miss.

Special mention
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner. Oh, these little beauties are a dream. I used these constantly this year, and I don't think I ever stopped raving about them. I finally got around to reviewing them recently (if you're interested you can see my little collection here), and I think I hooked at least three or four other people on to them. AND I FEEL NO GUILT FOR THAT.