The Best of 2011: Nail Polish, Nail Art, Makeup, Skincare & Fragrance

Swatch And Learn The Best of 2011It’s been quite a year, hasn’t it?

I’ve tried all sorts of new beauty products including nail polishes. And I’ve had tons of fun coming up with nail-art designs!

Now that it’s the last day in 2011, it’s time to reflect upon the year.

I’d like to share with you my Best of 2011 list! I still have a ton of favourites from last year, so these picks are strictly new ones that I’ve blogged about in 2011.

You’ll see it broken down into the following categories: nail polish (duh), nail art (double duh), fragrance, makeup, and skincare. All lists are in no particular order. (It was difficult enough to whittle down my picks for the nail polishes!)

Feel free to click on the links – they’ll take you to the blog post with the swatches, reviews, and tutorial (where appropriate).

Now I’m so curious about what you think!

Is there a lacquer that you feel I sorely missed including? Have you found your Holy Grail facial cleanser? What nail-art design have you worn in 2011 that you would consider wearing again in 2012?

Please weigh in with your picks! We’re all different, but our love for beauty products brings us together. :) Continue reading

Philosophy Purity Cleanser Review & Pictures

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One Step Facial Cleanser ReviewI’m like a moth to a flame when it comes to trying out new products. And this is especially the case when it comes to facial cleansers because I seem to always be on the hunt for one that removes all my makeup without leaving my skin as tight as hipster jeans.

Naturally, I tried drugstore brands like Cetaphil, Spectro, Neutrogena, and Clean & Clear because they regularly go on sale and they’re easy to find.

All of these did cleanse my skin, but y’know that dry, tight feeling your face gets when a cleanser strips your skin of its natural oils? That’s what I got, and I don’t even have dry skin to begin with!

When Sephora had their Beauty Insider sale a few weeks ago, I pounced at the chance to try the Purity Made Simple cleanser. It was touted as being gentle yet strong enough to remove even eye makeup, and other people claimed it didn’t leave their skin parched.

So I put it to the test. And I didn’t let my wallet hold me back, either. As much as I crave scoring a real deal, I know that healthy, clean skin is worth the investment. You can skimp on a lot of things, but you shouldn’t skimp on skincare.

Had my skin agreed with a cheaper cleanser, well, I’d be happy! However, turns out my skin favors a little luxury. Continue reading