The Best of 2012: Part 2

Hello lovelies, hope you're all well and are getting excited about the New Year celebrations ahead tonight! Whether you've got a big night planned or are hoping for a quiet one at home, I hope you have the most fantastic time!

As promised, here is part 2 of my Best of 2012 posts, featuring eight more fabulous products. I hope you enjoy having a look at what has impressed me this year.


Caudalie Teint Divin Tinted Moisturiser

I think what I like most about this stuff is that purchasing it coincided with my realisation that actually, I didn't need to wear foundation daily. This gem evens out my skin tone, as well as adding a hint of much-needed colour while still leaving my skin free to breath. A thin layer of this and a bit of concealer and I'm good to go - and not only that, but my skin looks pretty healthy too!

Maybelline 24 Hour Superstay Lip Colour
I haven't reviewed these yet, but keep your eye open as it's coming soon. These things are amazing!! If you read regularly then you'll know that no lip product stays on my lips for five minutes - well, at least it didn't, until I tried these babies! I literally put it on in the morning, and it'll still be there when I get home at night. I did leave it on overnight once to experiment, and yep - still there in the morning, although a little the worse for wear. I'm so, so impressed with these, and really glad I decided to give them a go.

Pai Camellia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

I absolutely adore this cleanser, and while I am currently tring out another one, I have no doubt that I'll come back to this one at some point. It's another one of those products that I know my skin will always be happy to see. Not unlike the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, this is also a hot cloth cleanser, a concept which I've come to adore. It leaves my skin feeling fantastically clean and soft, and is also gentle enough to use on my eyes - plus it removes every last scrap of makeup.

L'oreal Glam Bronze Blonde Harmony 
(not pictured as I don't currently have it)

I'm not even blonde, but the two shades combined are just the perfect contouring shade for my light skin-tone, and give me a really healthy holiday-type glow. It's also matte, which is an added bonus, as I feel that this makes it much more versatile as a product.

Benefit The Porefessional

I had always shied away from primers, mainly because I saw them as just the latest gimick designed to make us part with our pennies. I didn't imagine they'd make much of a difference, but when I got this free with Glamour magazine back in the summer, naturally I was intrigued and had to give it a go. I use this just on my t-zone, which tends to get slightly oily throughout the day, and I find that this really helps to keep that at bay. Something else which has hugely impressed me about this is that even with daily use, a 7ml tube has lasted me six months, and still isn't quite finished.

Origins Modern Friction

Hands down the best facial scrub I've used, putting paid to any areas of flakey skin immediately and leaving me with glowing, refreshed skin. Bit of a no-brainer really.

Redken All Soft Conditioner

An absolutely fantastic conditioner, which has helped breathe some life back into my damaged, distressed hair, leaving it much softer and smoother. This one really helped me out in a time of need, as at once point I was tempted to chop my entire mop off in frustration!

L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil

For much the same reasons as above. This has become a staple in my haircare routine, both on wet and dry hair. I run some through while damp for smoother, more manageable locks, and if I notice my ends starting to dry out or frizz up during the day then a pump of this soon puts them back in their place. This doesn't weigh hair down or make it greasy at all - mine just drinks it up. Plus, it smells amazing.

So, there you have it - my Best of 2012 products, done and dusted! I hope these posts have had you nodding in agreement with one or two of the products, and if not then that perhaps you have seen something you might like to try in 2013. Once again, I'd love to know what your hero products of the year have been, so please do link me up if you have done a similar sort of post, otherwise just let me know in the comments below - I'd love to know what's worth trying in the new year.

xx

The Best of 2012: Part 1

It's that time of the year again, and it's got me thinking about all the new beauty products I've tried this year, some fantastic and some...well, not so much. For me, 2012 has been a year of great discovery beauty-wise, and one in which I have tried out the largest selection of new brands and products to date. Blogging has enabled the uncovering of brands I would never have otherwise heard of, as well as giving me the chance to share some of my favourites with you. So, without further ado, behold - it's my favourite finds of 2012.

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

Before discovering this little beauty, I'd always found mascaras a bit lacklustre, promising the world and delivering little more than clumpy lashes that lost their curl within half an hour. But Volume Million Lashes is several cuts above the rest, in my opinion, giving me long, thick, voluminous lashes, sans spider effect - and what's more, they stay that way until I get home in the evening. Being the blogger that I am, I rarely stick by just one of any type of product, but I can honestly say that I have neither the will nor the inclination to replace this with a different one any time soon. Absolute HG.

Mac Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle

I am beyond certain that I will not be the only one singing this one's praises, as this has received much attention across the blogosphere since it's release. In fact, in the beginning, I only 'liked' this - I couldn't see that, as a shade, it was all that much more amazing than any of the others. But having branched out and experimented with other MSFs and powder highlighters, I can safely say that this one has become a definite staple - there's just no beating the healthy glow it gives me, and I do use this every single day. Even better, I've had it since March and am nowhere near hitting pan, making it fantastic value despite it's fairly steep price tag.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (not pictured - I've run out!)

Again, it's massively obvious that I'm not alone here, but I felt this deserved a mention because it was the product that not only marked the beginning of Mirror on the Wall, but also me getting sorted with a decent skincare routine! Oh yes, I used to be a face-wipes-and-go kind of girl, much as it pains me to say it now. I remember reading about this cleanser in one of the very first beauty blog posts I stumbled across, Liz being one of the afore-mentioned brands I never would have heard of otherwise. It wasn't long before I had ordered the entire three-step programme, and I was soon realising just what I - and my skin - had been missing out on. While I'm not currently using Cleanse and Polish (that old blogger experimentation again), it's definitely a cleanser I know I can come back to at any time, and my skin will love it.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Until I tried this, I think I'd been missing a trick with face masks. For me, it was more about the ritual, the relaxation and the sensation of being pampered, meaning I would reluctantly brush aside my disappointment with the actual results. But this little beaut has restored my faith, leaving my pores feeling as clean as can be and my skin in general feeling detoxed. I won't go as far as calling it  a miracle product - there's always room for improvement. But it's certainly the best face mask I've tried.

Benefit Coralista

What can I say about this blush? It's just the absolute perfect colour for my complexion, adding real warmth, and applies like a dream. Another product I'll always come back to.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Nude

I'm so glad I discovered the trick of using a nude liner on my waterline to brighten up tired eyes. I'd gone off using a white liner years ago, though mainly because of the complete lack of staying power offered by formulae back then, but having tried this I am a convert. Not only does this make my  peepers look more awake, but it also stays put all day.

Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner

This was the successor to my Caudalie Beauty Elixir, and still comes around in my handbag with me now. It's just a really refreshing facial spritz, which I use throughout the day as a bit of a pick-me-up as well as during my morning and evening skincare routines. It's also really good for relaxation, as well as helping to soothe and calm the skin thanks to the peppermint essential oil it contains - perfect for just before bed.

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-in Treatment

As I's sure you've heard me harping on about before, having my hair ombred left it pretty dry, damaged and brittle, but this gem has really helped put the strength back into it. I just run 2-3 pumps of it through my hair after washing, conditioning, rinsing and towel-drying, and it also helps to detangle my hair, making it easier to dry and style.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Definitely my favourite day-time lip product of the year, as they are just so easy to apply, even without a mirror. Personally, I have the shades Rendezvous and Honey, both of which I adore, and I love the wash of colour they give while still leaving my lips feeling nice and moisturised. These chunky crayons are also perfect for throwing in my handbag, and no sharpener is required as they twist up from the bottom.

Hope you enjoyed having a little delve into the first instalment of my hero products of 2012. Part two will be up tomorrow.

What have been the best products you've discovered this year, and which will be going with you into 2013?

xx