My 12 Best/Favorite of 2012!!!

Wow I can't believe 2012 is already over and in a few hours we'll be welcoming 2013!!! So I figured I'd do a 'Things I really liked in 2012' post before the 1st comes. Thanks to everyone who took the time this past year to visit, read and comment. I appreciate it more than words can express. I hope 2013 brings the best for everyone. So in no particular order:

1. Best buy of the year - the Muji 5 drawer acrylic case. I love this thing and it holds so much.

 2. Best Eyeshadow- the L'Oreal Infallible Shadows, need I say how much I love these and although I don't have the entire line I'm pretty happy these. These are perfect alternatives to the Giorgio Armarni Eyes To Kill shadows (both brands are owned by the same parent company). You can see reviews and swatches here and here.

3. Best overall makeup product - Pencil Eyeliners!!!! 2012 saw my new found love for pencil eyeliners. I got rid of all my liquid and cream liners (with the exception of a Lancome Artliner). A few I had for years - Jordana Kohl liners which sadly they no longer carry so I have to hang on to those. I have Sephora, Urban Decay, WetnWild, Estee Lauder etc.

 Best budget eyeliner- Beautique Eyeliners. I found these on sale for $1.79 each at Sally's by accident, I actually went to buy another eyeliner but those were too expensive and not as pretty as these. They are every soft, pigmented and long lasting. I will be reviewing these sometime in the future.

Best high-end eyeliner - MUFE H2Oproof Eyebrow Corrector in #4 dark works amazing as a 'liquid' eyeliner and I used this almost everyday until I found out it has been discontinued. See my thoughts here.

4. Best Face Powders: top - MAC Blot Powder in Deep Dark (love this although it has a strange reaction to Revlon's ColorStay Foundations, I get the 'grey' look) and Ben Nye's Translucent Face Powder in Chestnut. No foundation here I'm still looking for one that works with my extremely oily skin. I just purchased a few from different brands.

5. Best Lipstick - Dior Addict High Shine #680 Catwalk Mauve. My lips but better, I only got a deluxe sample and then found out they no longer carry it. WHY??!!! I must find either a dupe for this.

6. Best LipGloss- Lise Watier Rose Aquarella. I won this gloss a giveaway earlier in the year and OMG I am in love with this gloss (not sticky, gives a lovely shimmery lilac finish) and smells 100% like a rose. A review of this will be posted soon since I am now scraping the sides to get every bit out.

7. Best Fragrances - These three tie for most worn this year: Kate Spade Twirl, Jennifer Anniston and Chanel Chance de Tendre. I will repurchase these as long as they make them.

Best Fragrance Purchase - Tom Ford Voile de Fleur (100ml) I love this, I love wearing it on rainy days or on cool summer evenings. Violet Blonde is next on my list.

 Overall Favorite Fragrance - Burberry Burberry. I am almost out and will be repurchasing the largest size soon. I love this so much that I have no words but you can see my review here.

8. Best Blush

Drugstore - Sleek Pomegranate so pretty and my default blush.

Highend - Rock & Republics Seduce more mauvey in natural light. Love this but I try to use it sparingly since it is discontinued but I can't stop using it.

9. Best in Skin I am still looking for my perfect moisturizer

Favorite daily face wash and scrub - Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser and Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub

Favorite Mask - Skin79 Rose Moisture Mask

 Best Makeup Cleansing Oil - Boscia Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil. A serious review of the awesomeness of this product is in the works.

 High-end luxury scrub - Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub. I swear this is a scrub and cleanser in one. I never feel like I need to follow up with a cleanser when I use this and it smells divine.

Favorite Toners - I go back and forth between Michael Todd Organic Lemon AHA+DMAE and Korres Pomegranate Toners. After my jumbo Clinique toner (all time fav) was finished, I tried a Clean and Clear toner. It was horrible and I was so traumatized; it burnt, smelt horrible, too much fragrance etc I tried to use it up but couldn't so I threw it away. Then I got these too and I have no complaints and would repurchase although I want to try ones from Bobbi Brown and Origins next.

10. Best Lip Liner - NYX Natural

11. Favorite Eyeshadow Palette 

The Body Shop Lily Cole Shimmer Cube. Simply divine you can see my review and looks here, here and here. NOTE: I will be giving away one or maybe two of these palettes in early 2013.

Favorite Beauty DIY Project - Depotting all my Stila Travel palette shadows see the process here.

Most Fun Makeup Purchase - Hello Kitty Palettes I got on sale at Sephora. I stalked these until they went on sale between $11-$17. There is one palette currently on sale but I'm waiting for the price to go lower. These are the only Hello Kitty related things I own. You can see them more here, here and here.

12. Favorites in Nail Polish

OMG!!! I have so many bottles of nail polish I have over 300. I'm in the process of purging. But this year saw my addiction was out of control. This is one of the boxes I have and 2012 saw my purchase for the first time of Butter London and Deborah Lippmann, 2 OPIs turning into 22; 2 Orlys growing to 14, so many Julep Mavens I have skipped a few months and gave away a ton and still have a dozen. But to note I paid full price for maybe 3 polishes in this entire box. Always buy on sale or when an awesome deal is available or blog sales. The DLs were on clearance on HSN - $5 each (normally $18), butter's I got for about $6 each normally $14 from butterLondon.com. Orly's none full price I got them mostly from Sally's. I love them all. Another nail polish highlight of 2012 was the China Glaze Hunger Games collection.

Other brands in this box: Urban Decay (see review of my all time fav polish Super Freak here), Essie (were either free via TOMS/Essie annual collaboration or on clearance at Walgreens) and Borghese (Rite Aid and blog sales, ranged from $1-$4) love these.

My most viewed post was on a Barielle Nail polish haul with over 2000 visits, see post here.

Most complimented manicures were achieved with Orly Sashay My Way, Orly Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, OPI Save Me and OPI Jade is the New Black. There were many other manicures that I loved but these got the most compliments from random people I met.

Best 'Value for Money' Purchase

Ole Henriksen (very high-end) Cyber Monday deal.

I got all this $150 worth of full size products (with the exception of two things) for only $50!!!!! plus free shipping. Oh the wipes were free too. I have wanted to try this brand forever but it was just too expensive but I scored big time. This is one of my fav and best purchases of the year.