Top 12 for 2012

I am majorly honoured to be tagged by the impeccable and gorgeous Irene from Blushingloves to feature the 12 favourites of 2012.

That is going to be a tough cookie, as I found a variety of favourites and not-favourites at all (subtly tagged into the "craptastic". However, I will features some newbies too or some 'secrets' I haven't shared to you yet.

1. Beam me up, Scotty:  

Baby Quasar Laser Red light

Never featured it on the blog but I have it since March 2012 and it's a wonderful device that actually helps me "prolong youth" a bit better.

2. Stroke me skin: The Oils...

Darphin Tangerine & Roques O'Neil Therapy 

Serum-wise, I have been quite consistent with my earlier favourites and the odd sample to try out. My greatest curiosity went towards oils. This has been caused as my skin is going through a dry phase lately, or since the end of 2011 and oils are one of the better tools to alleviate dryness. (there's a different between dehydrated or dry skin, read about it here and here).

Those two blends feel the most conforting to me in terms of penetration and scent, but there have been some good others that I should feature in a future post. The Roques O'Neil is actually an oil for the body, but it works wonderfully on my sensitive facial skin too.

3. Inner Peace: 

Neom Candles

Of all the new candles and my new love for Cire Trudon, I picked Neom, although it was a close call. This is based on the price, the travel size handiness and the cleaneliness of the air that comes from their natural oils and waxes.

4. Shower Power: 

 Borghese Fango Detox Soap

I wanted to try to photograph a soap that has been used consistently since buying it in April. Fact it, it's still quite beautiful and also really large for it's useage. I think 30% has been used from it's original content (see here) and that's a supervalue when you think it is my main shower soap from the moment I bought it. I love the fact it easy on my skin when sensitive, doesn't dry out, smells herbally fresh and it feels like a step into detoxing.

5. The Cellulite scare-team:  

Vichy Aqua Destock

Isn't it just funny I try to get hydrated at some parts of my body (face) and am eager to remove all excess water retention from other parts (thighs and...in Forest Gump words..."the Butt-Okss")?

Does it work? I don't use this all year. I use this in phases I work out more strenuously, or simply when I find my little thighs not being little anymore.
As most cellulite-releaving products it contains caffeine that can aid the process of water-retention (the stuff that causes dimply exterior or "floated thights") and in combination with a heck-lotsa dry body brushing, herbal teas, other blah blah health stuff....So it's not gonna do anything specific when sitting in the sofa like a blob, at least not to me. It doesn't give me anything close to model legs but I can go down one size when using this in combination with the other heavy duty thigh-diminishing acts I described above: that's resonable enough for me to be on my 3rd tube!

6.  The travel pal (lette):

Jemma Kidd Catwalk

 Not the best, but one of the handier and thinner varieties out there that can make eyes appear sultrier. More travel pals featured in this post.

7. The Trauma Topic: HAIR 

"I am not going to talk about my hair....I am not going to talk about my hair...ok, I'm gonna talk about my hair".  

Officially the meaning of trauma is when an experience has harm you so much you cannot find the words or means to express it. I basically had too many words to express the frustration about my hair that I have hardly any friends left and my relationship stranded (ok, that had some other reasons).

I shouldn't whine: it's still long, it's only dry for a reason I have no clue about. I did the layers, the highlights (and got them out when I was like "blah"), the red rinsing and the upteenth-superduper-supermask-new-improved-better-heaven!  

the "cure my hair-trauma" team

So I only want to say that I kinda approve upon the healing qualities of warmed oils such like Camelia Oil, Argan Oil and Macademia Nut Oils. They have to penetrate for at least 3 hours before washing. I sometimes combine them with Kerastase. Then I wash with the gentliest shampoo (often ABBA) and still continue to go for the supermasks, who then finally help a bit (not without the pre-oil treatments, btw)

8. The Health topic: Fem-tamins

Femergy 

Having a womb needs different vitamins...(available here)

9. The LOVE topic: brows:

Kose Esprique Liquid Eyebrow pen

After this babe (review here) I've been trying Laura Mercier Brow Definer in Fair, which is quite good too. What I love about this is it's travel friendliness, the tiny brush for preciseness and the colour.
Oh, and my girlcrush I featured in the review post, Cara Delevigne has done quite well this year too by winning the Elle Style awards of Model of the Year: That's why I love brows!

Brow-sing online

10.  The Perinneal Fascination: Blush!

Kose Addiction Cheek Stick in Revenge

I would normally be hesitating and doubting, but this year the ultimate favourite has been Kose Addiction Cheekstick in Revenge. Particularly this colour, as Rose Bar seems to have a different consistency, or a lighter colour. Not completely sure but Revenge has been the total Cheek/lip hybrid. Read about the hybrid cheek/lip battle here

11. The Holiday-in-a-can:

Collistar Face Magic Drops

So did you really think Mattel gave me this tan?

 I've tried the St. Tropez Naturals for face after finding my close-to-HG Collistar, but I found it's effects close to zero. I just gotta fake some tan when on holiday, because my face is always protected by the superior Japanese or French sunblocks that I often end up with moonface on a tanned body. Original review here

12. The Final Find: Red Lipstick

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense in 98 Coromandel

I have soooo many red lipsticks that I actually never us. This one is actually a red I sometimes reach for. And sometimes is a whole lot better than almost never.

Ok, now I'm going to tag 12 bloggers and ask them to do a similar post of their 12 faves of 2012:

The Unknown Beauty Blog

Beautifully Glossy

Beauty Blog

Insideout Elle

Get Lippy

Welcome to my Everyday, 

as she gives us so much post-to-do so I could return the favour ;P

Pretty Beautiful

Vanity Fashionista

Williewingy

 Beautymoogle

Citrine's Blog

cl2425

Goodluck with all the writing and finding out what really were your faves! It's fun to look back and see how your beauty year has been ;-) 

So I hope you'll join in

trial and error: Mac Pro Blush in Cantaloupe

Isn't it funny how sometimes the slightest difference of colour makes the difference between looking good or looking off...?

Most us my readers will know this, because we are trained in seeing that little bit of difference between a mauvy nude or a nudish mauve colour.

For me, I had a new quest on the field of looking good. I often make the combination of a really subtle bronzer, and top up the cheeks with a bit of blush. I also noticed that a corally blush brings out the spark in my eyes.

So, logically I sought for a colour that would be

1. matte, or at least without shimmer sparkles

Oh, that has to do with the fact that some 'sisters' (aka other girls or sometimes gay men) are so wonderfully nice (ahum) to comment me on my face when there is a sparkle on it....you all know these girls, they are the smug times who always want to let you know that they are able to see you wearing makeup. Well, keep it for you, because I can see your makeup (or lack of it) as well.

Ok, so I know they might see my matte blush/bronzer hybrid as well, but at least I will not get that "owww, there is a sparkle on your cheek/lip/whatever" remark so fast

    2. A combination between a neutral brown and a coral colour.

I thought I would hit the jackpot with MAC blush in Cantaloupe.

It is a PRO blush, so I had to go the extra mile and go to the pro-shop in  Amsterdam (the city of doom...ha ha, well it is a boring city, people, especially when you are sober like me).

After being served by a subtly mean way by a male SA, * ehm...giving you so-called compliments that are actually meant as an insult * ("at least you have beautiful eyes" - hinting that the rest is total shit, "well, thank you, mr or ms Sales Assistant"), I sauntered off with my new blush/bronzer.

At least, I hoped that the trip to our 'city of boringness' Amsterdam would satisfy my craving for that hybrid product I described earlier.

Ehm...NO

I tried it on, and...oh dear....

I reminded myself of the colour my mum used to wear in the eighties.

Well, in the eighties that was a brilliant colour. She always wore the cream blush from Max Factor in an orangy colour. I think they still have that one!

And on her, it looked quite ok. She was that bottle blond (but a convincing bottle blonde that looked like a real one, my mum knew what she was doing!) look with that sunbed complexion. I know, sunbeds are EVIL, but those were the eighties and my mum thought there was nothing wrong with sunbeds. So, that bit of orangy bronzer cheek look looked good for her time, and her personality.

Anyway, that colour never looked good on me, and in its MAC pro powder blush, it still doesn't.

Let's compare with one of the most flattering coral blushes in my assortiment: My Jemma Kidd cream blush in Paw Paw (top of the picture)...The MAC Cantaloupe in beneath that...

top: Jemma Kidd Cheek Colour Paw Paw; Bottom: Mac Cantaloupe

You can even see the difference on my arm! It is that little bit of colour difference that makes me look
a. glowy and healthy (and a couple of years younger)
b. overtanned and aged, made up and unnatural.

Moral of the story:

I shouldnt' have strayed from you, Jemma Kidd Paw Paw!