Call It Beauty's Best Of 2011

Another year gone by... It's amazing how quickly time actually passes by when you start thinking about what has happened throughout the year and how much you've done (or in some cases, how much you didn't do). 

I always get a rush of emotions whenever the year ends... This year, what I feel the most is gratitude. I'm so thankful for all the friendships forged through blogging (Lipstick Bandits, I'm talking bout you :p), for general health/well-being, for a job that can sustain the blog :p... We have so much to be thankful for. Sometimes we forget when we are so caught up with the every day things. But we are all honest with ourselves, it's true. We have a lot to be grateful for.

Anyway, all of that aside, let's get to what I really came here to do, which is share with you my top picks for 2011. I feel like I probably picked too many things, but I can't help loving them all! The following products are the best that I've tried and my absolute favourite items to use in the year 2011.

Here we go...

FACE

The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Concealer
Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

CHEEK

Cargo Cosmetics Blush in Mendocino
MAC Mineralize Blush in Feeling Flush

Lancôme Star Bronzer in Èclat Bronze

EYES

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Prestige Cosmetics Brow Perfection Revitalizing Clear Brow Gel

Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner

Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen

LIPS

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Plum Jewel

Maybelline Shine Sensational Pop Stick in Fruit Punch

SKINCARE

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

L'oréal Skin Genesis Wet Cleansing Towelettes

Marcelle Essentials Soothing Cleansing Water *not pictured*
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic *not pictured*

NAILS

Revlon - Plum Seduction

Sinful Colors - Cream Pink

Revlon - Facets of Fuchsia

OPI - Steady As She Rose

Revlon - Tangerine

BATH & BODY

Lush - The Olive Branch

Lush - It's Raining Men

The Body Shop - Mango Whip Body Lotion

HAIR

Lush R&B Hair Moisturizer

Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Spray

TOOLS

Z Palettes

EcoTools Retractable Kabuki

And there you have it... My "best of the best" for 2011. 

I do hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve! Have fun and stay safe! And I wish you all a fabulous 2012. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for me and I hope that the upcoming year has nothing but the best for all of you, because you all deserve it!

HAPPY  NEW YEAR!!!
from Call It Beauty

  

Monthly Favourites - September 2011

Goodbye, September! Hello, October!

As I'm writing this, I am trying not to think about the stresses of work and packing for a month long trip (what makeup will I bring?!); but as you're reading this, I am currently thousands of feet in the air, cramped in a flying tin machine, not enjoying the scent of stale air and coffee. Can you tell I'm not much into flying? I'm really not... I might change my mind about it if I get to experience First Class, though :p. But enough whining! And really, why should I? I get to go to the Philippines for a month! #Hurrah

*Yes, I just used a hashtag. Don't judge me.

Well, you know the drill; this is the part where I tell you my September Favourites. Here we go!

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I can't believe how often I am using this palette! Typically I become a bit gung-ho about palettes and then I get tired of it... Not so with this one (at least not yet :p). It just goes to show how absolutely wearable these shades are because I've been using it nearly every single day since I purchased it in July.  My favourite combination is Sin all over the lid, Naked & Buck to contour the socket, and Virgin to highlight the inner corners and the brow bone (topped off with black eyeliner, of course). I've also taken to using Sidecar as opposed to Sin for more oomph. But my absolute favourite shade is probably Hustle, which is described by Urban Decay as a "mocha shimmer." It's such a gooorgeous shade!

2. Cargo Blush - Mendocino

This blush came with Cargo's Mediterranean Collection, which I purchased last month and it's my favourite piece in the collection. Cargo describes it as a "wildflower pink with a gold sheen" and it's absolutely lovely. It came out in the Summer, but it's totally wearable in the the Fall and Winter, as you can see from the swatch above. The texture is pretty soft and applies quite smoothly on the skin. The only thing is, I wish that it would last longer on the skin. I find that the shade is noticeably diminished after blotting. Although, the packaging is so lightweight, that it's no trouble bringing it with you in your handbag for quick touch ups.

3. MAC Blush - Feeling Flush

This has been my other blush of choice and has been featured in my Monthly Favourites list a before. It's a lovely blue-toned pink that I can actually pull off. The best thing about this blush is that it's pretty long wearing. I'll definitely be bringing this with me on vacation because I need something that's going to keep up with me.

4. eos Lip Balms - Honeysuckle Honeydew & Summer Fruit

I've been wanting to try these lip balms ever since I first saw them on a YouTube video. How cute are they? The formula isn't as thick as my favourite lip balm, Nivea Milk & Honey, but it still does a decent job of moisturizing my dry lips. It's not useful when my lips get really dry, but they're handy when my lips are behaving. The packaging is an adorable egg shape and clicks shut very securely. The flavours I got are Honeysuckle Honeydew and Summer Fruit; both smell lovely and both have a hint of a sweet taste. I love using this under lipstick, it keeps my lips from drying up throughout the day. 

5. Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen - Jet Black

Jet black, applies easily and smoothly, and absolutely long-lasting... Seriously, this stuff doesn't budge, even in the heat and even without primer. I haven't yet used any liquid eyeliner this good. The felt tip makes it super easy to create a thin line at the edges, too; which is something that I definitely need help with :p.

6. MAC Blot Powder - Medium Dark

I love how this powder just blends into the skin so smoothly. I've been using this after a quick blot with blotting paper and it leaves me looking so much fresher and more put together. It doesn't add any coverage though, which is a shame because I could definitely use a bit after blotting. Still, it feels lovely on the skin and makes me look and feel so much better! Because as oilier skinned gals know, it does not feel good!

7. NYX Eyeshadow - Root Beer

I love this colour so much, I bought it 3 times. 

"3 times?!" You ask? 

Yeah... Turns out, I'm really bad at de-potting. I bought one at IMATS Vancouver, ruined it while de-potting, bought one online, ruined that de-potting and finally was able to buy it at NYX's store in Surrey. Needless to say, I didn't even attempt to de-pot this one. Root Beer is a lovely taupey-brown shade that was absolutely welcome in my "stash" because I've been indulging in way too many brights lately. The texture is very soft and very easy to blend. Because it's so soft, it creates a lot of excess powder; even so, there is very little fall out. I've been loving applying this along the lash line after my usual Naked Palette combo's for a softer look. 

8. MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick - Bare Again

This has been my go-to lipstick in September. Bare Again is a lovely pinky-nude, MLBB shade that is completely versatile. It's appropriate for work but you can still rock with a smoky eye. I love the creamy texture and the fact that it doesn't dry out my lips at all. Seriously, the texture is amazing; it's such a pleasure to wear.

9. The Body Shop Lotion - Mango Whip

UH-MAY-ZING scent! It sinks into the skin really nicely, leaving behind soft, amazing smelling skin. I've been using this lotion religiously since I first bought it because it's light and doesn't take forever to absorb into the skin. And have I mentioned the scent? I have? Ok, fine...

What are your favourite products of September?

Cargo's Mediterranean Collection: More Bang For Your Buck

Scene: Dani at Sears.

Her Mission: To test her self control.

Mission: FAILED. 

No one is surprised.

But can you blame me? Look at that bag, just look at it! Isn't it adorable? It was the very first thing that caught my eye... And look, there's a dolphin! Who doesn't like dolphins? (deep breeeaaath)

That said, there was no way I was going to buy a whole collection because of a bag. I'm not made of money, yo! So I looked at the list of products, found the corresponding items on the counter, and swatched to my hearts delight. From then on, it was undeniable, I had to have this collection!

Eyeshadow Duo - Made In Italy

This Made In Italy duo has two gorgeous shades that compliment each other very nicely. My only gripe is that the gold shade has a very crumbly texture, so expect quite a bit of fallout. Both shades do blend nicely although the gold shadow is a bit more gritty so it takes a bit more work to smooth it out. It has regular wearability and didn't crease until much later. 

Blush - Mendocino

This blush sealed the deal for me. It looks a bit scary on the pan (and by a bit, I mean a lot), but it's really not overpowering once you swatch/wear it; it's important to use a light hand, though. Cargo describes this colour as a "wildflower pink with a gold sheen." The gold sheen just adds another, utterly gorgeous dimension to this blush. Also, it was nice to see it still visible after a crying sesh (don't ask :p).

Lip Gloss - Morocco

Another lovely shade, this lipgloss looks gorgeous with the Mendocino blush. As you can see in the swatch above, it has small glitter particles going through it; it's very pretty, but I prefer my glitter/shimmer much subtler than that. It has no scent, is a bit tacky, and feels pretty comfortable on the lips. 

Swimmables Eye Liner - Teal 

Along with the Mendocino blush, this Swimmables eyeliner is the star of the show. It is such a gorgeous shade, it applies smoothly (no tugging, at all!), and it lasts so long! I don't normally wear anything on my lower lash line because they disappear within an hour or two, but this eyeliner does not. Amazing, amazing, uh-may-zing product!

Better-than-waterproof Mascara - Black

And this is where Cargo missed the mark a bit, at least for me. Let's start with what I do like: the true black colour and the fact that it is, indeed, waterproof. What I don't like though is that the formula's too wet for my lashes, it doesn't keep the curl I've created with a lash curler, and it doesn't volumize (not that the mascara claims to)... The latter two are very important to me, so I can't say I recommend it. 

Go get it!

With only 1.5 of the product (the .5 being the gold half of the eyeshadow duo) being a bit of a disappointment, I would still wholeheartedly recommend this collection! The bag is adorable, the blush is gorgeous, and the eyeliner is amazing - those three alone are well worth the $38.00 (CAD with HST) price tag. Just to give you a bit more incentive: a full size blush (like the one in this collection) retails at $28 CAD (pre-HST). For $6 more (the whole collection retails at $34.00 CAD pre-HST), you get a super cute bag and 5 makeup products (3 of which, are full size). Amazing, no?

Cargo's Mediterranean Collection At Work

First, I applied the gold eyeshadow all over the lid (on top of already existing eyeliner) and blended the edge with the brown-bronze shade. Then I used the teal Swimmables eyeliner to line the lower water line and lash line. Finally, I curled my lashes and applied 2-3 coats of mascara on the top lashes and one coat on the bottom lashes.

(wearing Mendocino on my cheeks and Morocco on my lips. Apologies for the horrid base, it was a rather impromptu FOTD and I couldn't be bothered to touch up :p)

What do you think of Cargo's Mediterranean Collection?

Monthly Favourites - June 2011

We are officially half way through 2011. I know time flies, but doing these monthly favourites posts seriously makes it so much more apparent. Before I start, I just wanted to extend a big HELLO! to all of Call It Beauty's newest subscribers and a big THANK YOU! to everyone who reads and comments on my posts... I've been really struggling with blogging these last 2 months because I've started a rather demanding job and a bunch of performances have popped up; I was having difficulty finding the time blog.

That said, I've bought a whole whack of beauty products recently so expect I expect to have a lot to write about in the coming weeks =).

Anyway, without further ado, here are my favourites from June 2011...

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder & EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush

Vancouver felt some pretty high temperatures during June and working long days (6-8 hours of which were spent in an AC-less office, I might add) just made me feel like my makeup was melting off. So I started using my trusty Laura Mercier Mineral Powder again (applied with the EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush). This mineral powder has such lovely coverage and it feels amazing on the skin. I have a feeling this will be using this a lot over the summer...

Joe Fresh Style Cream Blushes, CARGO Blush & MAC Blush

The first half of June, I was wearing Joe Fresh Style Cream Blushes a lot (Bloom on the left, Melon on the right). They are so pigmented and blend beautifully on the skin. Then on the second half of June, I started using CARGO's blush in Tonga and MAC's Pinch O'Peach blush together (Tonga along the cheekbone and Pinch O'Peach just on the apples of the cheek) and have been absolutely loving that combination!

Bath and Body Works Body Fragrance Mist & Burberry Perfume

I've been using and loving this Burberry fragrance for around 6 years now, it's definitely something a fragrance that is close to my heart. I don't use it every single day, I go through spurts here and there and June was definitely a spurt. Wild Honeysuckle has been a godsend for me during my long hours. You sweat, you get sticky, you get gross and sometimes a quick spritz of a lovely scent is enough to make you feel like a woman again :p. This bottle doesn't weigh much and fits in a larger purse quite well so I make sure to always have it on me.

Lush Shower Gel

This is my favourite Lush Shower Gel, for sure! It doesn't do any fancy tricks, but it smells absolutely divine! It's like comfort food for me...

What are your June favourites?

Monthly Favourites - April 2011

Goodbye, April! Thank you for some pretty amazing weather and general good times. For some of you, you're looking forward to the warmer weather. Can't say I am since I'm a bit sensitive to heat, but I'm ready for the feeling of summer. You know, driving around with the music turned up high, summer sunsets, barbeques, et cetera.

Anyway, enough chit chat. Here are Call It Beauty's favourites for the month of April:

1. The Body Shop - Earth Lovers Shower Gel in Watermelon & Eucalyptus

A lovely scent, a great lather, and 100% biodegradable; I have used this shower gel the most this past April. It's sulphate, paraben, and colorant-free as well, so not only will you be helping the environment, but you'll smell good while doing it, too!

This shower gel comes in 5 other scent combinations if they are more to your liking. Or, you can purchase an unfragranced bottle and concoct your own blend. 

2. Revlon - Nail Polish in Tangerine & L'oréal - Nail Polish in Waters Edge

These nail polishes are gorgeous on their own but in April, I really took to combining them with other colours that are already in my arsenal (as you can see above). 

Unfortunately, the constant use of nail polish that month put my nails in rough shape, but I can't wait til I can don these colours again!

3. Sigma - F40 Large Angled Contour Brush

Whether applying contour or blush, this brush will do it perfectly for you. I love how soft it is and how wonderfully it blends whatever cheek product I may use. Since I've been really into blushes lately, the F40 has been my most reached for tool this month.

4. Cargo Cosmetics - Blush in Tonga

This blush is probably my favourite April purchase. It's such a gorgeous colour, the texture is amazing, and it blends so well into the skin. Because of it's neutral tones, it somehow acts as a contour as well which comes in handy when you want a bit more definition but don't really want to reach for another product. 

This blush really is amazing and since I've purchased it, I've been wearing it every time I wear makeup.

5. Clinique - Brush On Cream Liner in True Black

I purchased this product because Sam of Pixiwoo stated in one of her videos that the product doesn't dry out (unlike MAC Fluidlines). I've been using MAC Fluidline for some years and would continue to use it even though the products had dried out quite a bit because I hate wasting product. I figured if I bought this, I would eliminate that problem.

I have to say I really like the formula! It's applies smoothly and doesn't take much product to get an opaque line. Also, unlike my Fluidline, it doesn't migrate south as much throughout the day, which is always a bonus. I still get a bit of product down there, but nothing too obvious. It also applies and stays on the waterline better.

It comes with a brush, which is handy for traveling and touch ups, but the handle is so short, I find myself having a hard time controlling my application. But all in all, this is an amazing product by Clinique.

What are your favourites for the month of April?