ATB Beauty Awards Makeup of the Year 2012

This year has been a little slow in blogging. I was travelling quite a bit, dealt with the loss of some loved ones, as well as with the fact that as we grow older our friends seem to be drifting away as they get busy with their lives - careers & family. Sometimes the distance was physical, sometimes just a change in priorities. 

But I hope to be blogging a lot more in the coming year. And as always is the tradition here at ATB, here are my makeup products of the year 2012!

Foundation

Medium to Heavy coverage:

Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Foundation: I’m sticking with Bourjois. I really feel they make the best formulas in foundations for drugstore brands, and they are gentle enough for daily use with no clogged pores but with the recent increase in rates, it is beginning to pinch. But I don’t have a drug store replacement to be honest. Most other brands are too yellow for me.  This one has plenty of bad reviews online. And I admit, it is a toughie to work with. But once you master it, it looks like real matt skin. Only not everyone may have the patience to blend like a manic every morning.

Light coverage:

Ponds Age Miracle Tinted Moisturizer with spf 15 – It has been discontinued. I tried the Maybelline BB one as well as the Garnier BB cream one, didn't like either enough to replace this. This stays.

Concealor

Undereyes:  I generally use Bourjois Detox Foundation itself after warming it up a bit.  I tried a couple in stores which included Maybelline Illuminating one – I found it to be too light for me & too sparkly.

For spots: Colorbar Instant cover up concealer Stick - I use #1, and it suits me very, very well. It is soft enough to blend but dry enough to stick on to my acne spots. The only issue is with sharpening it. It won't sharpen nicely in my Lakme sharpener, and I don't wanna pay so much for that overpriced Colorbar one. 

Loose Powder Lakme Rose Powder. Nothing really comes close to it in terms of price v/s quantity & performance.

Compact Powder

MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark: Although not really a compact, and more of a touch up powder for oily skinned girls, this was my go to compact this year. This was amazing on my oily skin. It instantly mattifies without making me look powdery.  Tip: buy this in a shade darker than you think you need, it does seem to go very light even in the darker shades. (For reference I am C1 in MAC Face & Body, but here Medium Dark is what suits me)

Primer

L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base – I stuck to this, as I didn't see any good primer launches this year.

Eyeshadow

Powder

L'Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadows: My favorites are Endless Chocolate & Burning Black (a deep purple – black). These are really, really awesome. Very pigmented, excellent color pay-off and they last a good 5-6 hours without primer on my lids. They are a bit troublesome to blend, especially mixed with other more powdery shadows. But they look so beautiful by themselves also that I actually don’t mind it.

Cream

Maybelline 24 hour Tattoo Eyeshadow: The delicious price allows you to indulge, the free brush is really quite good, and while the color selection is not good enough to rival MAC and neither is the staying power (on my oily lids without primer, I get only 2 hours wear) you’ll definitely find a shade you like. I personally like Bad to the Bronze best.

MAC Paint Pots: I love these! I have around 4-5 of these, but out of those, it is Bare Study on a daily basis (makes me look less sleepy!) and Genuine Treasure was my eyeshadow of the year! It is the most unique eyeshadow I own and gorgeous to boot. Unfortunately this was LE, but if it comes out again, run & get it.

Eyeliner

Liquid: The only one I tried this year was Maybelline Hyperglossy. It is glossy, but the brush is terrible. It is soft and bends all over resulting in a very uneven line. I wish the brush were more stiff. So no winners in this category.

Pencil

Faces Pencil Eyeliners – They’ve increased prices now to 325, but I still like Soft Brown, Metal Brown & Black Sparkle a lot.

MUFE Aqua Eye Pencils: I love the color range, they stay put on the waterline, and did I mention the gorgeous colors? My particular favorite is 1L, a soft charcoal grey black!

Colorbar eye pencil in Coal Mine: I’m yet to experience wearing this, and not be asked “What are you wearing on your eyes?”. A pretty grey-blue with shimmer. This is a super interesting shade that you need. Yes, it is a need, not a want!

Gel
Maybelline Gel Liners: I finally found a way to work with them. All I needed was a super fine Vega eyeliner brush, and kitten flicks, here I come. I also liked that they launched a pretty, swirly, brown one. The staying power isn’t as good as the regular black one, and neither is it as pigmented. But at a price point of 300/-, I’ll take it.

Kajal

Lakme Absolute Kohl Ultimate: I generally don’t wear black kajal, but when I do, it is only this. It is so soft, it glides on beautifully, the smudger is quite good at the end of it (it’ll be gentle if you are gentle with pressure) and it sets after a minute or two & lasts well in humid, hot conditions. And the color is an unapologetic deep, dark black. Not that grey tinged black kohl that I’ve seen all too often (Lakme Eyeconic Kajal – you are one of those offenders!). It is a bit pricy, but I think it is worth it.

Mascara
Max Factor: I have tried 3 of their mascaras now, and am convinced that they make the best mascaras (for office / day wear) in drugstore arena. They have shades other than black, like brown which is perfect for me for office. And yes, I like them better than Maybelline.

Lakme Eyeconic Mascara: Lazy (read: Scared) like me to curl your lashes before mascara? Well, Lakme finally combined the two to moderate success. It does curl & it does the job of a mascara well enough too. Not as awesome as Max factor, but then it is priced almost half as well.

MUFE Smoky Lash Mascara: You want va va voom lashes? Get this. Tons of volume, some lengthening. But this is a loaded gun, go overboard & it is clumps, ahoy! But I still love this for night-time. The most intense mascara I have tried.

Eye Base / Primer

MAC Paint Pot in Nubile: Released as a part of the MAC Posh Paradise Collection, this is a neutral beige with a hint of pink. It looks natural blended in, unlike Painterly which was too beigey for me. This is perfect for my skintone, and it does make the eyeshadow last really long.

Blush

Powder:

Bourjois #33 Lilas D’Or: This NARS Orgasm dupe is the one I vote for.

Cream

Ben Nye Cream Rouge in Sandy Rose: These were *almost* my find of the year.  If you like Cream Blushes, you will love these!

Bronzer

Colorbar Blush in Cinnabar – Nothing looks as good on me. But this has been discontinued now, and Colorbar has launched pricier versions. I don’t know if this figures in the new line up.

Lipstick

MAC Lipstick: From one lipstick last year, to more than a dozen this year. And now I finally understand the hype around their lipsticks. I eat my words, and will say that they are worth it. I love the huge selection and that the MUAs are patient while you keep oscillating between shades like crazy, wanting to try them one more time. My favorites amongst the ones I own are Ruby Woo (a cool toned red which is just awesome), Hot Tahiti (pretty raspberry pink red), Retro (a very under-rated shade according to me), Rebel (a burgundy purple), Diva(burgundy), Viva Glam I (cool toned red with a hint of brown), Viva Glam Cyndi & Lustering (a clean, vivid pink). My favorite formula is Satin, followed by Matt. Amplified Cremesheen, I dislike.

Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks: This was the year I finally tried Revlon SL lipsticks. And Boy, was I hooked. I love the formula, the colors, the price. Everything. After MAC, these are my go to lippies. One doesn't need thick layers for coverage, and it stays on long enough. It won’t dry out the lips as well. My favourites here are Berry Rich, Mulled Wine, Rose Velvet, Rose Passion, Cha Cha Cherry, Certainly Red & Blackcherry (If you be like me, and are into deep burgundy shades, this is an absolute must have!)

Lipliner

Inglot AMC Matt Lipliner – I have three of these now, and I like them. The mattness doesn’t bother me, but if you have very dry lips, stay away.

Gloss

Jordana LOL (Lip Out Loud) Lip gloss: I love these! They go on non-goopy and last long. Plus they are priced right at 300/-

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss: They are good, I’ll say, with some very unique & gorgeous shades. But too pricy according to me, I can’t indulge. And that, makes me sad.

Tinted Balm

Maybelline colorbloom lip balm in Peach: It is a white stick that changes color to a very pretty, natural looking pink. Light enough to look natural, but not light enough that you look like you have nothing on your lips. It also is very moisturizing. Leaves behind a tint that is buildable with more layers. Just a warning: Don’t drink citrusy drinks after applying this. As it changes color with pH, it once turned fuchsia pink on me.

Jordana Easy Shine Glossy Lip color: A better dupe for Revlon’s Lip Butters, these are priced at Rs. 239/- and are more pigmented. I love these. Berry Colada is my #1 choice.

Revlon Lip Butters: Overated! I tried Berry Smoothie. It’s nice, but not worth the hefty 600 price tag! Better invested in a bunch of shades from Nivea or Maybelline. I didn't like these at all. 

Lip Primer:
MAC Lip Prep + Prime: 3^rd tube. Enough said.

Nail Paints:

Lakme Fast and Fabulous One Stroke Nail Color: You say they will dry in 40 seconds? I’m sold. These are amazing for clumsy, always rushed for time people like me. Because all said & done, we know that most nail paints take an hour to set 100% (Don’t tell me you haven’t spoilt your paint with fabric marks). The nail paint lasts at least 3 days without chipping with a top coat and the range has some very amazing colors as well. My favourites are Aqua Blaze & Popping Pink.

Jordana Nail Paints: They are the Big 3 free, last long and the formula is easy to work with. I like ‘em a lot!

So those were my hits (and some misses) of the year 2012, when it came to makeup. 

Which products make it to your best of 2012 list? What were your "best buys" of the year?