Best of Beauty 2013 ~ Makeup Edition

January is the month of awards ceremony. The SAG, Golden Globe, and Grammy's had past and the Oscars is coming March 2nd. There are many predictable and surprise winners. Nevertheless, the awards are handed out and the chapter is closed for 2013.

Let's switch gears to Makeup shall we. This is my 2nd year for my annual "award" series. Click here for last year's award. It's getting harder and harder to decide on a "winner" as there are so many good quality products out there. The "winners" do not necessary launched in 2013, but products that I've used and enjoyed in 2013 and have consistently reach for. 

Let's begin!

Face category:

Best Sunscreen: Biore UV Tint Milk SPF30 PA++

This is a favorite over and over again. It's lightweight, non-greasy, absorbs quickly and has no scent. Added plus for it's affordable price!

Best Primer: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

This is a luxurious face primer. I've only have a sample size but I was able to get a lot of uses out of it. You'll only need very little product to cover the entire face. It very lightweight, smoothes out your skin, soften the looks of pores, and creates a beautiful canvas for your next step. Also, it's not silicone base like most primers are. 

Best Foundation: Cover Girl Stay Fabulous 3 in 1

I have a feeling this is everyone's favorite and I totally agree. I used this on days when I'm in a hurry It's primer, foundation and concealar in 1 product and shortens my "get ready" time by 3x. It's also long lasting and has good coverage. 

Best concelar: Maybeline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer 

It's easy to use and blends beautifully.

Best Setting Powder: Maybeline Matte Powder

This helps my face to stay matte longer (I have oily skin). It's not "cakey" and gives a nice finish. 

Best Setting Spray: UD De Slick Oil_Control Setting Spray

This is a major must have when I'm going out for a long time and want to have a long lasting makeup. It helps my makeup from "sliding" and "slipping" and definitely help with my oil control. 

Best Blusher: Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

I had such a hard time choosing a winner. Blusher has a special place in my heart and there are so many gorgeous blushes out there. So, I went with picking the blush that I used most often through the year. I love that it gives a beautiful peachy glow on my cheeks. 

Best Bronzer: NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny *2nd time winner

I need to try more bronzer this year as I keep purchasing the same one every time it runs out. However, it's great, it's very affordable and it works well for contouring.

Eyes Category:

Best Eye Primer: Milani Eyeshadow Primer

It goes on easily, doesn't crease, and makes my eye makeup last longer.

Best Cream Eyeshadow: MUFE Aqua Shadow 

This glides on buttery, stays on and has pretty colors. 

Best Eyeshadow Palette: LORAC Pro Palette

This is an amazing palette with 8 matte and 8 shimmery shadows. So versatile, great color payoff, buttery, great color variety. This palette is able to give any kind of looks from neutral day time to smoky night look. I love the garnet and deep plum as a slight branch off from neutral. 

Best Liquid Eyeliner: Physician Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum *2nd time winner

I'm still sticking to this liquid eyeliner as it's easy to use, sets quickly, doesn't smudge, and easy to remove. Not sure about the lash boosting serum part though.

Best Pencil Eyeliner: Rimmel London Scandaleyes

This is great to line my waterline. It stays on and doesn't smudge

Best Gel Eyeliner: CAILYN Line-Fix Gel Eyeliner

It comes with a brush which makes it great for traveling. The formula is great as well. 

Best Mascara: Maybeline the Falsies Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara

My lashes are very fine and they point straight down naturally. This mascara keeps the curl and gives volume to my lashes. 

Best Brow Product: None

Lips Category:

Best Lip Balm: EOS Lip Balm 

They're easy to reach for and moisturizing with delicious fruity flavor. I have one on my work desk, my vanity, and my bedside table although I don't carry it with me on the go because it's too bulky for my purse.

Best Tinted Lip Balm: Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment
Cult Favorite! It has spf, very moisturizing and comfortable on the lips. The rose tint gives a quick pretty color on your lips. 

Best Jumbo Lips Pencil: Neutrogena Moistore Smooth Color Stick

The scent is delicious and it's very moisturizing.

Best Lipstick: Maybeline Color Whisper

I love these more than the Revlon Lip Butter. It feels better on the lipstick and I prefer the thinner packaging.  

Best Lip Gloss: Nyx Butter Gloss

Great color selection and it doesn't feel sticky on the lips. 

I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us makeup "junkies."

Excited for fall

The weather starts to cool. The sun sets at 7:30pm. The thicker comforter is out. Fall is here!

Are you excited for fall? I'm ready and equip for fall arm with these items.

Thrifted chunky sweater. Don't you love those eyes staring back at you?

Sam Edelman flats from Nordstrom Rack. I'm a flats girl. It gives a pop of color on a neutral fall outfit

Too faced romantic eyes palette. I got this at ulta during their 21 days of beauty. The shadows are so buttery, smooth and pigmented. It comes with 3 instruction cards to create 3 different looks. I'm obsessed with the shimmery olive green shadow.

Jewelry haul from piperlime clearance. I a bit disappointted by the quality of the necklace. It's very lightweight and feels cheap. Anyhow, I'm keeping it since no returns on clearance items :( the stud earrings feels much more well-made.

Sharing an outfit from the past weekends. I finally got to dress up and hang out after working day and night and weekends for the past month (explains the lack of posts)

• Sheer navy blouse: Taiwan
• Lilac corduroy pants: old navy (their $19 now. Size runs small)
• Black ankle boots: old
• Birdcage necklace: Taiwan
• Gold necklace: estate sale
• Earrings: eBay
• Wayfarer: charming Charlie

Follow me on instagram cushy or twitter cushytweets, if you want!

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Mini Drugstore haul ~ Revlon

To US readers, this week is the prefect time to pick up Revlon just bitten kissable balm stain and Revlon nail polish. CVS is having amazing deals. The balm stain is $6.49 with $4 extrabucks and the nail polish is $4.99 with $3 extrabucks. There's also $2 off Revlon coupon on the display. Make sure you look out for the coupon and get almost free makeup (happy dance).

I got the kissable balm stain in darling. It's a sheer mauve pink with purple undertone. My lips are pretty pigmented and the stain barely shows up. This is a miss for me, but I like other colors especially honey. The formula is the same across all the colors. They stay on for a long time (a plus for me since I'm always too lazy to reapply throughout the day). They're fairly moisturizing and the minty scent is refreshing.

Swatch In tungsten light

Swatch in white light

The nail polish is in bonsai from the new Revlon colorstay range. I'm excited to try as it has gold shimmers within the greens. Generally, Revlon nail polishes are inconsistent. Some colors even within the same range have better formula than others.

I'm planning to use my extrabucks for the limited edition Maybeline color tattoo in barely beige and gold shimmer. CVS is having bogo 1/2 off on all Maybeline this week!

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