Favourite Make Up Products from 2012.

Following on from yesterday's favourite skin, body & hair care products from 2012 this is the, slightly more exciting perhaps, make up version! It's no secret that I love make up, I love talking about it but hopefully this won't be too long - I narrowed it down to 12 products otherwise I feel like we'd be here until 2014!

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation. // Liz Earle Signature foundation♦ // Benefit They're Real mascara. // Lily Lolo Mineral foundation.

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation is one of those products that I know I can rely on. It's a gel based foundation which I find works particularly well with my dry skin because it seems to smooth over dry areas and not cling to them. The coverage is medium to full without feeling heavy or looking cakey and the colour is an absolute perfect match for me (I use NC15) which I'm very grateful for because I don't have to worry so much about blending it into my neck. Oh and it's ridiculously easy to blend. Perfect! 

Another stand out product for the year is the Liz Earle Signature foundation, I absolutely love this and it's making me want to try more Liz Earle make up. This isn't one I can wear when my skin is incredibly dry because it can cling to dry areas ever so slightly, but otherwise this has become my go-to. It's one of those foundations that makes your skin look so good but super natural. I've got a whole post about this product which you can find here.

Benefit They're Real mascara is a product that I really really really wanted to hate because it's SO expensive. But I don't. I love it. Damn. Now, it's by no means perfect - I find that it can smudge a little under my eyes but for my top lashes all I can say is wow. This makes my usually pathetic lashes look long, full and curled. It's too expensive though. But hey, that's Benefit for you I guess.

Lily Lolo Mineral foundation has been in my make up collection for many years. When I had acne I used this as my foundation because it felt really light and it allowed my skin to breathe, and because my skin is too dry to wear this as a foundation and I love it so much I still want to use it, it's now my go-to setting powder. If you like mineral make up, I highly recommend the entire Lily Lolo range, it's a really lovely brand!

Illamasqua Promise Cream Blush. // Dior Rosy Glow. // NARS Penny Lane Cream Blush. // Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow. // Benefit Hoola Bronzer.

Illamasqua will always be my favourite blush brand I think, I love both their powder and cream blushes and my all time favourite shade is Promise cream blush. It's the most beautiful light pink shade and the formulation is perfect for me. It stays dewy on the skin which I love, perhaps not one for particularly oily skin but I think that if you have dry skin, you will love these as much as I do. They're not cheap but they are incredibly pigmented and will last a long time. I use this all the time and it looks like I've barely touched it.

Ah, the Dior Rosy Glow is a product that brings a touch of luxury to my make up collection. I mean, it even comes with its own velvet pouch. Hello posh! This is a blush that is supposed to react with your chemistry, I suppose, to create the perfect pink shade for you. I'm not exactly sure if that's really true but either way, I love how this looks on me. It's the blush I reach for when I feel like going for a super girly make up look and I can't fault the quality, which is good because this little baby was pricey!

NARS Penny Lane is the blush I reach for either when I'm not sure what to wear (which is all the time) or if I want to go for a sculpted cheek look. I even use this underneath other blushes because I find it makes a really lovely base and doesn't fade throughout the day. This is a real staple for me and one that would suit so many different skin tones. The NARS cream blush formula is really lovely & suitable for all skin types. They're pricey but if you find a colour you love, it won't let you down!

I won't talk too much about the Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow highlighter because I'm not sure that you can find it anywhere anymore but I had to mention it because I love it. It's the perfect, natural looking highlighter that gives you that healthy lit-from-within glow. If you can find it, I would say snap it up! It's gorgeous.

Benefit Hoola has become my go to bronzer this year, even replacing my beloved Bourjois chocolate bronzer. I use it both to contour and to give my complexion a little bit of colour and I think it does both of those things perfectly. It's not orange at all and even though I do have to be careful with it because I'm super fair, I think it suits pale skin wonderfully. Again, another pricey cheek product, but you get so much in the pan I think it's worth every penny.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. // Revlon Lip Butters. // MAC Lovelorn Lipstick.

The Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors have been my favourite lip products of the year, in fact I would go so far as to say they're my favourite lip products ever and I have all three shades! They give a hint of colour to the lips while doing exactly what they promise, making your lips look perfect. They smooth over any dryness making your lips look plump, full and glossy without being sticky. If you've been lusting over one of these, definitely try one - and buy from escentual.com because they're much more affordable there!

I couldn't not mention the Revlon Lip Butters here either because I have loved these little beauties for a long time now! I'm all about the sheer tinted lip products that offer a bit of moisture and hide all signs of dryness because my lips are always chapped. I have four shades and I think my favourite this year has been cupcake because it's a super wearable baby pink shade that looks beautifully girly and pretty. I also love lollipop for a brighter lip!

I'm not a huge MAC lipstick person, I think they're quite pricey and when I have a look at all the shades I find it a little overwhelming. A must have for me though is Lovelorn which for me is the perfect mid-toned light rosy pink and it's one of those shades that looks pretty with almost any make up look. It's glossy, it goes on smoothly and I love the signature vanilla MAC lipstick scent. Lovely!

What were your favourite make up items from last year? 

Are there any you think I should try out this year?

xoxo

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