favourites of the last months.

i haven't done a "favourites" post in ages, so this one not only features recent loves, but also some long time faves from the last 3 to 4 months or so.

__________skincare__________

i've been through a wild skincare journey this year. my skin was totally bonkers from the stress of my exams (resulting in an unhealthy diet and sleep circle and capricious hormonal activity), the last weeks i enjoyed this simple combo:

1 - Kosé Medicated Sekkisei - 360ml/71$.
is a good toner that i use as softener (dabbed/slapped on with the hands rather than used as a after-cleanse with a cotton pad) to bring extra moisture to the skin. i used it the last 6 months or so, some weeks of experimenting with other softeners inbetween. i didn't notice a big whitening effect, but it adds a lot of moisture to my skin, making it lush and bright. i prefer it to other softeners i tried (with hyaluronic acid for example) since this one sinks in completely free of any residues or film (unlike those mentioned before) and feels fresh and clean. the herbal scent needs to get used to. surprisingly my skin got along with this really well, although it does contain alcohol while it couldn't cope with heavy duty softeners such as Clinique's or Neutrogena's. i sometimes combine with moisturising serums or just use it as hydrator alone under a silicone based serum or facial oil.

2 - La Roche-Posay Effaclar K - 30ml/12€.
a moisturiser/treatment i started few weeks ago out of despair, i use this morning and night. my skin was just in a horrible state and for many people, this seems to be a big help. well, it's not moisturising enough for my skin oily skin, even in the summer, but i wanted to stay consistent and loyal to this product for at least 2 months to see full results. my skin seems to have regulated itself, it produces less sebum, i get less break outs, the pores became smaller.

3 - Olay Regenerist Resurfacing Night Elixir - 50ml/25€.
this product was sent to me by PR for consideration.
a gentle chemical peel with glycolic acid. this is my current overnight-exfoliator (i used Paula's Choice before but ran out), i use it about 4-5 nights a week. dark scarring from bad pimples fade quicker and my skin is softer and brighter overall.

__________base makeup__________

1 - Louise Young LY34 Super Foundation Brush - £24.
the incredibly flawless finish this brush gives in combination with the Le Métier de Beauté Classic Flawless Finish Foundation is simply amazing. i just fell in love with it after i tried it with said foundation few months ago although i own the LY34 for over 2 years now. this brush is not as perfect with other foundations than the LMdB and vice versa, the LMdB is not as perfect when applied with other brushes.

2 - BeautyBlender - 15€.
what more to say about this long term staple of mine? was it ever not in my faves? anyhow, love it for the lighter foundations. feels fresh, is easy. better than any dupes.

3 - Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 30ml/£12.
once again, my skin got to a weird state when most foundations don't want to melt nicely into it but just sit around on the surface looking grainy and cakey. luckily in Bourjois' Healthy Mix i've found one that looks amazing on. it's exactly the amount of moisture my skin needs at the moment, so it evens out and refines my skin texture and has this healthy shine that makes me look like i had a good skin day. it has sufficient coverage but feels lightweight. even without setting powder it looks nice on me for about 6-7 hours in this hot weather.

4 - Le Métier de Beauté Classic Flawless Finish Foundation - 30ml/68$/£55/~70€.
i reviewed this foundation just a few weeks ago. it's big love, guys. flawless finish, great shade (the peachy undertone flatters my complexion so much!), longlasting. i can't wish for more.

5 - Dior Capture Totale High Definition Radiance Loose Powder - 11g/60€.
very fine powder that merges beautifully with the foundation (especially with the LMdB - together with the Louise Young brush these might be my holy trinity foundation-wise for 2012) and the skin. it has nice blurring qualities and smoothes your skin surface right after application. but about an hour later, the skin looks purely stunning. lush and healthy, as if you had 100% perfect skin and just applied a moisturizer. almost impossible, i even had to look twice into the magnifying mirror. glad that i rediscovered it after forgetting about it for a long time.

6 - Chikuhodo Z-1 Powder Brush - ~205€.
this is not just expensive, it's insanely expensive. but i don't regret it at all. honestly, i even prefer this to the legendary SUQQU Face Brush for face powder application. i owe the few of you, who are seriously thinking about purchasing one of these, a detailed review.

__________bronzer/blush/highlighter__________

1 - Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel - 30g/41€.
sparingly used, this is perfect to bronze up the skin while giving some coverage at the same time. i like it for "cream-products-only" days when my skin feels dry, it has a very authentic glow.

2 - Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer in Daydream - 8.5g/£36/~45€.
great bronzer. natural result and so easy to use since it almost blends on its own.

3 - Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Blush Kit - 14g/£75/~95€.
i've been playing with all the different layering possibilities of this one. it's fun and the results are lovely. more on that in a future review.

4 - Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Bucolique in Bucolic Blossoms - 11g/43€. LE.
i showed you how i use this finishing powder as highlighter in my ulzzang makeup tutorial. it contains different pale pastels to antagonize dullness, redness or sallowness in the skin. i just love that it's basically a correcting powder palette, you can use the colours mixed together but also each on its own for a selective effect. and it looks so gorgeous! i always fall for Givenchy's sprinkled powder designs.

5 - Burberry Light Glow No.07 Earthy Blush - 7g/38€.
p.e.r.f.e.c.t. cheek contour shade for me, the texture is divine.

__________cheek brushes a.k.a. the black beauties__________

using over 750€ worth in brushes only for the cheek area - that's brush decadence, condensed to the highest level. but please don't judge, i just live once ;)
i'm an extra bad evil blogger since i often declare my love for these treasures but even haven't given them a proper review on here yet, oops ^^
these brushes are soooo good. *pets Chikuhodo Z-9, tilts head back, rolls the eyes and sighs...* you can imagine that i have this typical brush-reviewer orgasm right at this moment. no seriously, it's that good.

1 - Chikuhodo Z-9 Powder Brush - ~205€.
i apply powder bronzer to the perimeters of my face with this brush. it replaces the Paula Dorf Powder Brush i always used, but is like 10 times better (not to defame the Paula Dorf brush, it's an amazing tool!).

2 - SUQQU Face Brush - ~230€.
this icon is degraded to occasional contouring or blushing work now. need to find a bigger task for it but the shape is awesome for first-layer-contouring (--> ulzzang makeup tutorial).

3 - Chikuhodo Z-2 Highlight Brush - ~100€.
this is both perfect for contouring (when i used the SUQQU Face Brush, this does the second layer.) and highlighting. 

4 - Chikuhodo Z-4 Cheek/Highlight Brush - ~100€.
my first Chikuhodo, i'm lucky to have snatched it at bargain price & perfect condition in a blogsale (forevermore, i'll be thankful that Kate is so minimalistic and reasonable). i've never not-used it for blush since its first wash at my home.

5 - SUQQU Cheek Brush - ~110€.
my former blush brush love plays the role as layering brush now. it puts a beautiful sheer veil of fine shimmer over already blushed cheeks.

__________eyeshadows__________

1 - Maybelline Cream Eyeshadows in On and on Bronze and Permanent Taupe - 8€.
very good drugstore cream shadows, the colours are lovely (On and on Bronze) and unique (Permanent Taupe).

2 - Rouge Bunny Rouge Longlasting Eyeshadow in Periwinkle Cardinal - 2.4g/£22/28€/34$.
my favourite summer-colour for this year. a bit out of my comfort zone but still super wearable and easy to combine.

3 - Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in No.22 Pale Barley -2.5g/25€.
this must be one of my favourite eyeshadows of all time. so pretty. sooo good.

4 - L'Oreal Color Infallible in Magnetic Coral - 3.5g/£7. LE.
very out of my comfort zone, it's not only not-neutral but colourful, it's even a red-tone. makes it all the more exciting!

5 - MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack - 3g/19€.
i've tried a few other ones but still always come back to my trusty, old (literally, i need a new one.) Blacktrack. i only use it for the upper waterline&tightlining. on the lids, i have some transferring issues with this.

6 - Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Silk Eye Shadow in #28 - 4g/30€.
well on the way to become an all time fave. love the almost glossy, complex pinky-bronze glimmer.

7 - MAC Nail Lacquer in Soirée - 10ml/13€.
i really enjoyed the contrast of foil shimmer and smooth creme finish in a half moon ruffian manicure (like here), this was my favourite base to go with deep navy, black purple and so on.

8 - K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyeliner - ~12€.
best black liquid liner i've ever used. very precise, very easy to manoeuvre, very good staying power.

9 - K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow - ~16€.
this liquid brow pen was like an epiphany to me. made my brows look neater than ever.

10 - Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in #52 Génie - 8g/30€.
great peach gloss for soft colour and sheer, but even coverage without creeping into lip lines. i really like the texture of these.

__________eyeshadow palettes__________

of course i loved my eyeshadow palettes as well, the stars amongst them are SUQQU Blend Color Eyeshadow and Guerlain Écrin 6 Couleurs, of each i own 4 (wouldn't mind to get the whole range, though!).

still need to review these SUQQU gems! i have:

01 Kakitsubata
03 Matsukasa
04 Keshizumi
06 Ginbudou

each 6.5g/£45/~57€

at least i have reviews for these ;)

#2 Place Vendôme
#29 Rue de Sèvres
#68 Champs Élysées
#93 Rue de Passy

each 7.2g/74€

__________eye brushes__________

1 - Chikuhodo Z-5 Eyeshadow Brush - ~65€
so smooth, so soft! it's unimportant what colour it applies, this is a treat for the lids.

2 - SUQQU Eye Brush L - ~65€
same here as above. as good as it gets.

3 - SUQQU Eye Brush M - ~65€
again, incredibly luxurious feel. amazing for the outer corner/other detail work.

4 - Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush - £32/~40€.
this is also one of my all time favourite tools. i haven't found a better (in terms of effectivity) blending brush than this. everyone needs an Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush in their life.
♪♫ i wanna be a billionaire, so f*cking bad. buy all of my readers Edward Bess... ♪♫

5 - Hakuhodo G5529BkSL Eye Shadow Brush round  - 21$.
for a long time, i didn't have a proper use for this, but now it's my Aegyo Sal brush and i'd never want to miss it again! i was lucky to already own the right tool when i started contouring my Aegyo Sal (--> ulzzang makeup tutorial). and what's nicer than a blue squirrel brush extra for this 0.2cm² of skin?

6 - Hakuhodo K005 Eye Shadow Brush round and flat - 18$.
is there a step up from perfect? because only that could describe how this brush relates to the upper waterline/tightlining.

__________honourable mentions__________

there are some other products that i liked or haven't used long enough to include with the real favourites ;)

1 - Louise Young LY31 Angled Brow Sable - £13.
trusty brow brush. i'm so used to this brush that i haven't even looked around for a better alternative. will get the Chikuhodo Z-6 though.

2 - MAC 242 Shader Brush - 27€.
workhorse lay-down brush. handles those hybrid eyeshadows like Giorgio Armani or Chanel Illusion d'Ombres very well. however, i must change to Shu Uemura's Sable and Kolinsky brushes as soon as possible. (The Black Panties' arguments are mouthwatering)

3 - Trish McEvoy #29 Tapered Blending Brush - 32$.
perfect shape for a quick and easy outer V/crease shading, it does all the work for you.

4 - Le Métier de Beauté Concealer Brush - £42/~53€.
haven't used it often enough, i always forget to about it (it's so short and gets lost in my brush stand) and quickly blend with my fingers or Hakuhodo 212. the times i did, surprisingly i really enjoyed this classic shape. it's almost something new to me since i already started out with the fluffy brushes back then.

5 - MAC 181 Small Kabuki - 40€. LE.
this is the old version of this brush (not the scratchy crappy SE version that came with various Mineralize Kits). exceptionally soft (for MAC) and good quality. its only use is for the Chanel cream bronzer, but this job it does quite well.

6 - Hakuhodo G5552 4mm Powder & Liquid Brush round/angled - 45$.
this is like your-fingers-but-heaps-better for cream blush. loved the combo G5552 ♥ Nars Cactus Flower on those "cream-products-only" days.

7 - Yves Rocher Watercolour Effect Blush in Corail Nude -7ml/3€. LE.
i was on the stain-train for a while, then proceeded to the Glossy Stains and the sort. but the simple liquid/gel stains are still best for a natural, fresh look --> ulzzang makeup tutorial.

__________special favourites__________

i love my new layout! i'm so happy that everything looks like i wanted and i did it all myself. still want to change the appearance of the search box and email-subscription box, sigh... (can anyone help?).
i'm so relieved that blogger now includes the "open in new tab" function in the editor when one includes links, so i don't need to insert target="_blank" into the html code every time! (have i mentioned that html is my hate of the month?)

on another note:

♥♥♥ THANK YOU! ♥♥♥

you're awesome. LEGEN...wait for it...DARY.

a big, big, BIG love: my new camera set up. i got it as small reward for graduation (i chose camera over iPad). not only does it push me to get creative and finally make good use out of the functions of a DSLR (i was always to lazy and reluctant to look into such stuff when i used the 500D from my brother), it also is a big help for blogging. the tripod, the RC release and the tilty-swively screen make self-portraits and eye makeup close-ups so much easier.
i really enjoy photography now. downside: lenses are far more expensive than makeup/brushes. therefore the photography budget rivals with my makeup budget. only loser: me, because i want it all.)

for those who are interested, i use a Canon 600D/Rebel T3i.
RC release: Canon RC-6
lenses: Canon EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm 1:1.8 II, Sigma DG 70-300mm 1:4-5.6
tripod: Joby Gorillapod Hybrid

my biggest favourite of the year (or maybe the last 7 years? ^^) is to finally graduate from med school. woohoo! i treated myself to the Chikuhodo brushes if you wondered XD


what made you happy?


EDIT: quick note on the short RSS feeds issue: it seems like email-subscription still gives you full feed length. maybe that's an alternative to normal RSS?

2011 - these brushes & tools were THE BOMB.

B-R-U-S-H-E-S...  the unrivaled category.
since my affection to these products is that gigantic - it doesn't allow any competitors. with the right brushes, a mediocre product can appear as if it had amazing texture. good tools will apply an elaborated makeup look effortlessly and lets you enjoy the process of creating it, not only the result.
i love my eye brushes to be effective to save time and product, but face brushes should be as soft as possible to pet and pamper my skin and allow me to appreciate the fine texture of my blushes and powders.
this year i have discovered SO many incredible brushes, first of all were the ultimately sohoft blue squirrel hair brushes as overall theme for the year, secondly the amazing japanese brush brands (such as RMK, Lunasol and of course i ventured even more into Hakuhodo) but also the great less commercial western brands (such as Paula Dorf, Trish McEvoy, Le Métier de Beauté and my so much loved Edward Bess) and last but not least the super luxurious brushes by SUQQU.

my little collection of SUQQU brushes stays outside the competition but gets separately honoured for extravagance and unbelievable softness. i don't expect any non-brush-aficionado to understand or even pay for these ridiculous amounts, though. i will review them soon, i know many are very curious but i still have some installments running on here that i have to finish first for the sake of organization.

for FOUNDATION i've been loving the fluffy brushes to apply in swirling, circular motions. the Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Airbrush #55 and the Essence Blush Brush (old version) are amazing synthetic ones, but over the last months i especially enjoyed my goat hair Le Métier de Beauté Blush Brush to apply my liquid foundation.

the Lunasol Powder Brush N is fantastic for POWDER. it feels heavenly soft and dense and fluffy and luxe. the best for the price!

for BRONZER i adore the Paula Dorf Powder Brush and the Trish McEvoy Bronzer Brush #37 for even and effortlessly blended application. both these brushes are soft, but well structured and with great resilience.

in terms of CREAM BRONZER (like the Chanel Bronze Universel or the NARS Bronzer Multiple)  which i newly discovered and much enjoyed this year, i found the MAC 181 mini kabuki to be the best. it's the perfect size and of impeccable quality. very soft (even softer than its big brother the 182) and dense and doesn't shed.

for application of a CONTOUR powder, i've been using my trusty big tapered brushes like MAC 138 or the more luxurious version, S103 by Hakuhodo, all the time with much enthusiasm. it's just the easiest way with this shape.

for my HIGHLIGHTER i have discovered the Hakuhodo G5537BkSL. lovely fluffy white goat hair for a sheer result.

in the past year, the most outstanding brushes for BLUSH to me were the Cheek Brush by RMK (great price!) and the G5519BkSL by Hakuhodo. both are exceptionally soft while the RMK is fluffier and the Hakuhodo denser.

 for CREAM BLUSH i have found an amazing duo fibre brush, the Hakuhodo G5552.

over the last year, i have figured out my key brushes for EYE MAKEUP application. these are the best of the best:

for CONCEALER, nothing beats the Hakuhodo 212. effortless application, smooth and even result. handles all kinds of textures.

my favourite BLENDING BRUSH of all time is the Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush. it just works better than any other and can blend the most complicated shadows beautifully.

the best one for quick and even application of CREAM EYESHADOW with an instantly blended result is the MAC 217 (and other 217-type brushes like the Sigma ones, Estée Lauder #25 or Paula Dorf Eyeshadow Brush).

my favourite brush for a defined CREASE/OUTER CORNER colour was the Hakuhodo Kokutan Brush T. it has the perfect size and is very smooth and soft but still defined.

hands down the best LAY-DOWN BRUSH for intense eyeshadow colour still is the MAC 242. it's easy to work with, not too stiff like some weasel-only-brushes may be since it has a nice hair-length-to-width-ratio. it doesn't absorb too much product but transfers it all onto your lids.

my favourite LINER BRUSH is the MAC 231. it's not only very good for gel or powder liner along your lashline but also amazing to push the liner/dark shadow right between your lashes and smooth it onto the upper or lower inner rim. i actually find the rounded edges much easier to work with than an angled liner brush. this is also a fabulous lip brush.

my best TOOLS of the year.
by far the most appreciated is the BeautyBlender. despite the dupes i tried, i still prefer the original version. it's the best for a quick and effortless, flawless application of liquid foundation and i have used it for that purpose most days of the year.
secondly the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers. still my favourite, but i need to replace mine very soon.
another amazing but not often mentioned tool is the Tweezerman Lash Comb. it's made of sharp metal needles, so you must be careful when using it, but the round edges of the close needles create the most natural feathered lashes effect without clumps because they smooth the mascara onto your lashes instead of ripping clotted lashes apart like plastic combs do.

a last much enjoyed makeup gimmick which i didn't know where to sort are false eyelashes, very outstanding because they have been something i absolutely disliked...
now i truly appreciate them, but only when applied underneath the natural lash line with this method.



well, these were my makeup-highlights of 2011. it was a good year, and i'm looking forward to the next, may it be at least as fun.

i hope you enjoyed this favourites parade! do you want another favourites-post particularly for the month of december or are you saturated?

2011 - these lip products & nailpolishes were THE BOMB.

LIPSTICKS

i'm not an avid lipsticks-user, i tend to go for subtle colours and finishes that are easy to wear and flatter many different looks. they should just let my lips appear fresh and healthy instead of dominating and directing the overall look.

gold medal - Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in #54 Boy, the universally flattering, and #57 Aventure, lovely for the summer. i like the sheer pigmentation, the glossy finish and the hydrating formula.

silver medal - Dior Addict in #343 Miss Dior, a juicy peach colour and #564 Model, a fresh summer-pink. the packaging and extensive colour selection are amazing, but the formula is not as moisturizing as Chanel's.

bronze medal - SUQQU Creamy Glow Lipstick in #06 Umegasumi and #12 Hiwada. these are amazing lipsticks, but i don't own them long enough to push them onto the throne. will review them soon!

LIPGLOSSES

gold medal - Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in #52 Génie and #56 Imaginaire. i highly enjoyed the semi-opaque, non-shimmery colours, the creamy texture, the great finish.

silver medal - Essence Stay With Me Longlasting Lipgloss, all 7 of them. reviewed here and here. these are fabulous drugstore alternatives to the Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss. super affordable (makes trying out the more striking colours much easier ;)), great consistency and lovely colour selection. they all are shimmer-free and semi-opaque, just like the Chanel version. i love the half balm, half gloss finish.

NAIL POLISHES

i have been loving the unusual pearl shimmer effects in my polishes, out of my whole collection i loved these the most:

gold medal - Estée Lauder Surreal Violet. i love love love this polish! it's a dusty lavender with copper pearl. i'm so glad that i bought a back up of this LE colour since i'm almost out of my first bottle. do you know of an affordable, high quality exact dupe for this? i'd feel weird to start my back-up-bottle without having another secured ;)

silver medal - Essence frankenpolish of VIP Appeal (i wanted to dupe Chanel Riviera). i loved how this frankenpolish turned out. too bad it's almost used up and i don't remember the "recipe" anymore, plus the base polish itself has been discontinued.

bronze medal - Rival de Loop #51. a neutral greige with gold pearl. it's a boring-but-not-so-ordinary-colour that goes with everything. i love this colour!

nominee - P2 Rich & Royal as representative for all my grurples.

nominee - Yves Rocher Taupe Grise the perfect taupe/greige. i love this colour but hate the micro-bottle and -brush!

special mention - fast-drying top coats. my top picks are Seche Vite (which i have stored a huge family-size bottle of) and Essie Good To Go (i'm on my 2nd or 3rd mini bottle of this).

now i'm almost through this series, stay tuned for the last episode on brushes and tools!

2011 - these eyeshadows were THE BOMB.

EYESHADOWS 

eyeshadows are my favourite product group out of all. during the last year, i have tried and enjoyed many exquisite brands but could also discover great drugstore gems! here is my favourite selection of eyeshadows in 2011.

individual shadows - high end

i was always a fan of eyeshadow palettes rather than single shadows, but i have developed a preference for unique and complex monos. i love smokey neutrals and rich jewel tones, and with individual shades i tend to go quite shimmery while i like my palettes to contain more subtle finishes. another big motif for this year was everything GOLD, but that is thoroughly discussed in previous postings like this.

bronze medal - Le Métier de Beauté True Color Eyeshadows in Chameleon, Corinthian (my fave) and Spicy. i only have 3 of them but love them incredibly for their texture and soft shimmer. they create amazing effects when used as a sheer layer over other shades.

silver medal - Rouge Bunny Rouge When Birds Are Singing...-Eyeshadows in Delicate Hummingbird, Bejewelled Skylark, Abyssinian Catbird, Mysterious Tinamou and Solstice Halcyon. i adore these eyeshadows! they have a soft and fine texture and great pigmentation. the colours are rich and brilliant.

gold medal - my NARS eyeshadows have to be on the throne, but especially two of them: Etrusque, epitome of the perfect gold eyeshadow in my eyes and symbol for my gold-eyeshadows-run of this summer and Mekong, the best deep brown you can find out there (and everybody needs one...).

nominee - Lancôme Erika F., the legendary non-US-available. but not only because it's hard to get it's great because Erika F. truly is. the glimmer of this is amazing. it's like a Chanel Illusion d'Ombre cream shadow in Épatant but in powder form.

nominee - Chantecaille Sel is a beautiful complex shimmering taupe, one of the prettiest i own.

special mention - Chanel Taupe Grisé is a plummy brown with lovely silky texture. it's a super versatile smokey eye or crease colour.

drugstore edition

gold medal - Catrice eyeshadows in Heidi Plum (new version) and C'mon Chameleon. these really are THE BOMB. beautiful colours and effortless texture. and soo affordable!

special mention - Flormar eyeshadows in #14 and #21. both amazing colours, quite unique for a drugstore range. the texture is not that great but these particular colours make up for that.

silver medal - L'Oreal HIP Metallic Shadow Duos in Gilded and Electrified. these are stunning colours (especially the gold in Gilded, looks quite like my beloved Etrusque by NARS) with nice pigmentation and texture and they're quite affordable. unfortunately not available in germany, i had to buy mine from the US.

bronze medal - L'Oreal Color Infaillible/Indefectible Eyeshadows (i have #4 Forever Pink & #5 Purple Obsession and #21 Sahara Treasure & #24 Bronze Goddess). good drugstore-knock-offs of the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Silk Eyeshadows with same amazing texture and almost as good of a staying power, i'm glad that the colour selection is quite different so i can have the best of both sides.

loose eyeshadows

i love loose shadows for their unusual shimmer effects, the ones i appreciated the most this year were:

gold medal - MAC Mauvement Pigment, a super shimmery complex taupe. i. love. it. it makes the perfect "effortless but still glam"-eye makeup.

silver medal - MAC Rose Gold Pigment, a surprise-gem on my hunt for the perfect substitute for NARS' Etrusque eyeshadow (when i thought it wasn't available anymore). very intense gold with great metallic effect.

bronze medal - MAC Vanilla Pigment, a perfect shade to blend sheerly over shimmery eye makeup looks for a complex pearl sheen, i also like it as a highlighter on the bridge of the nose and the cupid's bow. it's not too gold, it's not too pink and not too flat.

special mention - Barry M Dazzle Dust in #89 Oyster Grey: the most beautiful and polychromatic shade in the range. i absolutely adore this colour.

hybrids

the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Silk Eyeshadows are my favourite eyeshadows in 2011, they deserve an own category and gold medal.
these are cream/powder hybrids with high pigmentation, super intense complex shimmer and excellent staying power. see all of mine reviewed: #1 here, #2 here, #3 here, #4 here, #6 here and #9 here.

cream eyeshadows

gold medal - most loved and best launch of the year were the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre cream shadows. great shades, great consistency (bouncy/mousse-y/creamy) and OMG amazing high shimmer colours! the staying power is not comparable to MAC Paintpots, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows or MUFE Aqua Creams, but is very reliable when applied over a primer. and again, these colours!!!

i have five out of six shades (for now!): #82 Émerveillé, #83 Illusoire, #84 Épatant, #85 Myrifique and #86 Ébloui, my favourite is #83 Illusoire.

eyeshadow palettes

i am obsessed with good eyeshadow palettes (hence my initiated "i ♥ eyeshadow palettes!" - tag), particularly these ones:

bronze medal - SUQQU Blend Color Eyeshadow palettes in 01 Kakitsubata and 03 Matsukasa are relatively new to my collection (i only have them for over a month), but quickly became my absolute favourites. i haven't thorougly reviewed them yet so i won't say much other than including them into this post ;)

silver medal - can't praise them enough: NARS Artist Palettes. mine are Pleasures of Paris, Modern Love and Essential Eye. versatile colour selection and great quality textures apply to all three of them.

gold medal - Guerlain palettes. hands down my absolute favourite address for eyeshadow palettes in this year. they look & feel luxurious and are extremely soft and easy-to-wear colour combinations and finishes. i mostly love my Écrin 6 Couleurs in #2 Place Vendôme and #93, Rue de Passy (but also #68 Champs-Élysées and #29 Rue de Sèvres). from the Écrin 4 Couleurs i like Les Fumes the best. 

EYELINERS

this year i tried some "nicer" colourful eyeliners for the first time and have enjoyed the unique colours.

bronze medal - MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl is a soft golden bronze that i often wore on the lower lashline or waterline for a subtle warm highlight.

silver medal - Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in #47 Rose Platine is Chanel's prettiest liner to date, a shimmery light taupe with complex undertones, it's super pretty on the lower lashline. too bad it was a LE product so i already have to use it sparingly.

gold medal - K-Palette 1-Day-Tattoo Real Lasting Eyeliner has kicked-butt the L'Oreal Super Liner in that moment i only swatched it on my arm. super precise and smudge-proof liner. i will repurchase for sure!

BROWS

over the last year, i discovered a few brow products that really impressed me:

bronze medal - K-Palette 1-Day-Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow, a great liquid brow pen that i will introduce to you soon. i love it for an even more realistic full-brow-effect.

silver medal - MAC Copperplate Eyeshadow is my trusty brow powder with the perfect natural colour for my black hair and a great texture (Matte²).

gold medal - Shiseido Brow Pencil in GY901 Natural Black. it's a great shade and i love that it's rather hard and dry instead of soft and waxy.




what was your eyeshadow-treasure of 2011?
stay tuned for the next post about lips&nails!