2011 - this cheek stuff was THE BOMB.

BLUSHES

ahhh, i just LOVE blushes. i can't resist the beautiful nuances of peach, pink and red. the girliest makeup product of all. i especially enjoy to collect many shades of one range/brand, i don't like the feeling of having to exclude particular shades out of my selection.
on my end-of-year-balance i find a big plus on the blushes-side, i loved to venture into some luxury brands and experience amazing textures and finishes.

gold medal - the favourite blush range in my stash was and remains the NARS blushes. lovely colours and textures, plus, it's still a quite edgy, attractive brand to me. i have the feeling like MAC is quite worn out... and NARS is my next MAC ;). here is the overview of my NARS blushes collection. out of the 15 i own, my favourites are Gilda, Orgasm and Luster.

silver medal - another passion of 2011 was collecting Cargo blushes. within this short time i've accumulated a respectable amount of them (Cargo blush collection/reviews) and am glad that i did as Cargo blushes have become one of my dearest. my favourite shades are Tonga, Siena, Rome and Echo Beach.

there are too many individual blushes i enjoyed in the past year, but my most precious acquisition that has completely fulfilled all my expectations and even more was Givenchy's Le Prisme Blush in Blooming Fuchsias. for that, it deserves the bronze medal.

the special mention has to be Burberry Earthy Blush No.7, a blusher that i don't use as that but is the perfect contour shade for me with an exquisite texture.

CREAM BLUSHES

i am glad that i have invested in stunning high-end cream blushes during the last year from which my most favourites were the Le Métier de Beauté Creme Fresh Tints (gold medal) in Coral Nymph, Ginger Lily and Poppy/Coquelicot.
Giorgio Armani's Blushing Fabric #3, a lovely natural guava flush, gets the silver medal.
but i also found a nice cream blusher in the drugstore: Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in #2 Peach is a soft glowing peachy cloud of colour and gets the bronze medal.

BRONZER

bronzers have been one of my newly discovered big loves of the year and i enjoyed so many of them last summer. there were some amazing releases but i also got to know some popular permanent ones that truly live up to their hype. my top picks of this year were:

gold medal - Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer in Daydream (old version) has the best texture, colour and finish.
silver medal - Dior Aurora bronzer of this year's summer collection is a blushing-bronzer in one. it makes me appear fresh and healthy.
bronze medal - Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel lives up to its hype. it's easy to apply and looks naturally flattering.


special mention - Givenchy Fleur de Frangipanier is my most desired Givenchy bronzer, it's not only beautiful to look at but also a great bronzer for fair skin. Paul&Joe Blue Horizon Bronzer has a beautiful texture and a stunning luminous effect.

HIGHLIGHTERS

i learned that chunky and frosty silver or pink shimmering highlighters don't flatter me at all and have separated from some MAC MSFs & co. i enjoyed the really subtle, fine shimmers in my highlighting products, my favourite ones were:

gold medal - MAC Beauty Powder in Too Chic is a great highlighter. very complex radiant effect, but still subtle and natural. it will be repromoted soon, you should take a look at it!
silver medal - Dior Amber Diamond is still a top highlighter. natural colour, a bit more intense effect than the MAC Beauty Powder, and also beautiful on the lids.
bronze medal - Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination Highlighting Liquid in Sea of Showers is super pretty as a soft highlighter but i like it best when mixed in with foundations for a healthy glow.

so what did you love in 2011 cheek-wise? have you tried any of the mentioned products?
stay tuned for the next post which will be about my top eyeshadows of 2011.