Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm: First Impressions

Happy Friday! Today I have a new product that I'm kind of excited about.  It's Stila's almost-BB Cream, the  stila stay all day 10-in-1 HD beauty balm! 

The first surprise I got in playing with this product is that it's intended to be worn under tinted moisturizer.  Normally I'll slap on a BB cream over tinted moisturizer, as my foundation.  Clearly, this isn't intended to be a BB cream at all so that misconception was my bad.

So exactly what is this? A primer?  A tinted moisturizer? Well, I think it is sort of both (hence the reason one could mistake this for a BB cream).  There are some percentage (%) claims, but I usually ignore those.  Let's start with the general idea of benefits:

1- microspheres to hide skin imperfections.  This isn't a new concept - apparently this is why they are calling this product "HD" like Make Up For Ever's famous foundation.  At this time with only one wearing I can conclusively state that the microspheres in the product are definitely there and working to blur imperfections!
2- skin protecting emolients.  This is how the product is like a tinted moisturizer.  Now, I have combo skin so I found this to be adequate without tinted moisturizer on top.  My neck, however, is really dry right now because of my acne treatment, so I put some Dermalogica Active moist on top of the beauty balm on my neck.  I think someone with dry skin would probably need a moisturizer but my dry-ish combo winter skin is fine without.
3- tripeptide-37, bamboo and pea extracts - what?  Obviously I can't verify the anti-aging claims with one use, but I do feel like pore and fine-line visibility are diminished :)
4- long-wearing formula (I'll have to update this post once the product has been on my face all day, but this is just a first-impressions post) UPDATE (8 hours later): I wouldn't exactly brag that this product is long-wearing.  The coverage hasn't completely disappeared at the 8-hour mark, but my combo skin is definitely showing shine and some redness that was covered up initially.  Not a total failure but not particularly long-wearing, in my humblest.
5- helps reduce pore size and provides oil and blemish control. I do feel that this left a nice, matte finish in spite of its creamy texture.  This works the way I had hoped Benefit The Porefessional would (but didn't really, for me).  My pores are not anywhere near as visible as they usually are!  So far this is the most successful part of this product for me. UPDATE: 8 hours later, you may need to blot (see photos below).
6- reduces redness and skin irritation.  I'm not sure if it's because of the tint or not, but I don't feel this irritates my skin at least and the redness is lessened. But I don't consider my skin to be particularly sensitive so delicate ladies should obviously get a sample of this first!
7- smallest size of coated pigments for seamless coverage.  While the coverage is only light in my opinion, I do feel this was smooth and very easy to blend into my skin (I used my fingers and rubbed it in like a lotion, which worked fine).
8- luxurious glide and silky, powdery finish... absolutely true!
9- ideal for all skin types and tones.  Well, this works for my NC25 skin but I can't imagine this working for dark skintones.  I think this claim is a bit iffy.  If you used this as a foundation primer, though, the tint might be subtle enough that it wouldn't make a darker lady look strange.
10- oil-free, paraben-free and dermatologist tested.  In my casual research, the claim "dermatologist tested" is often used but essentially meaningless!  I do like that this is oil-free because I have acne-prone skin, and I like that it's paraben-free :)

I bought this myself from Ulta for $38.  I think that price is kind of ridiculous, but they had a special on where I got a free Waterproof Sparkle Liquid Eye Liner in Electric ($22 value), and that was on my to-buy list since I saw it made the 2011 favorites list of Danielle at Bloomin' Beauty.  It was a good deal for me, but I don't know whether I'd pay $38 for this beauty balm without some other purchasing incentive. 

The next surprise - No SPF!  I think this might be the #1 reason you can't really call this a BB Cream!  Oddly, though, it does have titanium dioxide listed as an ingredient, which often provides some sun protection. Perhaps the amount of it is only for pigment and doesn't provide enough measurable SPF.  This could be a good thing, though, because SPF notoriously can cause flashback face in photos.  If you don't have many blemishes to cover up this beauty balm could be an amazing alternative to foundation that feels light and silky and photographs well.

 You can see my red spots through it, so I'd definitely call this coverage "light"

 I have really large pores on my nose and cheeks, but I think they're blurred quite nicely!  Even though I can see all those spots, the finish on my skin is so velvety and pretty I almost don't mind.

 I should have put some concealer on the red spots, but I didn't. 

Everything on my face: H20+ Sea Results Eye Mender eye cream, La Roche-Posay Effeclar Duo, stila stay all day 10-in-1 HD beauty balm, Revlon Photo Ready concealer just under eyes and around nose with Essence powder just on those areas to set the concealer, Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake (this applied over the beauty balm like the two were meant for each other!), Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee, Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

UPDATE PHOTOS: 8 Hours Later

Oh, hai pores... and shine.

I didn't do any kind of touch-up.  This isn't a long-wearing product but I'd say its longevity is average.
My chin has been kinda red from my acne treatment, and the redness is showing through by the 8-hour mark.

Overall, I'm really digging this product and it's giving me a really great first impression.  It would be an amazing go-to for rolling out of bed and running out the door on a no-fuss day.  If you don't have any blemishes like you see on me, this gives skin such a lovely finish that  I *almost* don't mind that my old red spots are showing through.
What do you think? Is this beauty balm for you?

REVIEW: L'oreal infallible 24HR Eye Shadow in 997 Eternal Sunshine

Hanukkah starts tonight, and I had planned to do an elaborate blue-and-gold EOTD.  Unfortunately, I got some sad news yesterday and it's not a good time for a party eye look.

I was cheered up on my grocery run last night when I spied the L'oreal Infallible eye shadow display and I selected a festive, liquid-gold shade, "Eternal Sunshine."  Here's my first-impression:

The pot is a slim affair, and I think it's quite elegant (though the shade sticker makes this blatantly a drugstore item).  You can see the color easily through the bottom window, which I also like.  Inside, there is a sort of plunger just like Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense (ETKI) shadows. 

The texture is more creamy than the ETKI shadows, but still has a powderiness that is very similar.

I couldn't capture how stunningly metallic Eternal Sunshine is in a photograph... it kept appearing kind of margarine-colored in my crummy photos!

Applied to lids with my index finger, NOT over primer. If you'd like to know, my mascara is Majolica Majorca Expander Frame Plus... it is an AWESOME fibre-mascara!

It's not cheap at about $8.49, but L'oreal will of course go on sale at drugstores so that'd be the time to load up on several shades of this.

I am really liking it - it seems to me they are an awful lot like my two pots of ETKI without the ouchie price tag!  The only thing I can't yet speak to is the longevity of it, but I'll update this post with a wear-time evaluation later tonight.
UPDATE: I didn't see any creasing until the 8-hour mark. I bet they'd go much longer with a primer underneath. I'm really impressed!

Have you seen the infallible eye shadows display near you yet?

REVIEW: Blinc Liquid Liner

This one will be short 'n sweet.  As you may have seen, I got blinc's liquid liner in my December Birchbox.  I was excited to try the liner because I found it rather entertaining to pick off the little rubbery bits of blinc mascara back when I tried it, even though overall I thought the mascara was a fail.
Blinc liner doesn't disappoint in this area.  When you wash your face with your regular cleanser (it doesn't require makeup remover, but water is not enough.  It will stick around until you remove it), blinc liquid liner balls up into little rubbery bits just like blinc mascara did (photo here).  That's really all this liner has going for it, sadly.

Top, blinc liner.  Bottom, K-palette liner for comparison.

The brush (here, compared to the K-palette liquid liner nib) is too thick and doesn't taper to an effective point.  It is a bit floppy and just a bit tricky to control.  You won't have the option of a nice, super-skinny line.  The liner may have fared better with a thinner brush, but...

If you look closely, you will see that as this liner dries striations form (basically, it gets a stringy look).  The directions state you must apply all necessary coats before it dries, which I managed to do. In spite of that, the liner still dried with this glue-like appearance.
No, thanks.
My experience with the blinc line thus far suggests a fun little science project but as "innovative makeup products" they fail.

REVIEW: NYX Highlight and Contour Powder

When I first opened up my compact of NYX Highlight & Contour Powder, I groaned.  I thought it would either go to waste or have to be sent back.  It looks like one of those giant Black&White Cookies from Manhattan:

Yum, but not so great for my fair-to-medium skintone!

Or so I thought.  When I swatched I was relieved to find both of the powders to be silky, sheer and *nearly* goof-proof.  I found them easy to both apply and blend with a regular blush brush from Eco Tools.  I got mine from cherryculture.com for $8.50 (heads up; they're having a 20% off Thanksgiving sale with code TGS20 if you want to try your hand at contouring!).

There's a handy basic contouring guide on the outer packaging:

I applied according to these directions for the result below. What do you think?

Without Nyx Highlight & Contour Powder

With NYX Highlight & Contour Powder

Revlon Holiday 2011 Colorburst Lip Glosses - Swatches

After a short hunt I finally located the display for the latest Revlon Colorburst Lipglosses!  Revlon has come out with some of my favorite lip products this year, and I'm so psyched they've released more shades of these awesome glosses.  I think the packaging is so nice and elegant, reminiscent of Chanel Glossimers at a fraction of the price <3
Revlon Colorburst Lip Glosses also don't really have any flavor or fragrance, are non-sticky, and are often on sale, yay!

Left to right: Ignite (shimmery), Cheers (not very shimmery), Decadent (not very shimmery), Glitz & Glam (shimmery but not very pigmented), Eggnog (no shimmer, sheer), Cocktail Dress and Chilled (surprisingly similar when swatched!)

Left to right: Glitz & Glam, Eggnog, and Cocktail Dress. I was a little disappointed with the pigmentation of these three.  In spite of their sheerness, they're all quite lovely!

I was hoping Chilled would be a dupe for MAC Dazzleglass in Pleasure Principle (they really look it in their tubes), but as you can see from my swatches here the Revlon isn't nearly as nice.  The shimmers are far smaller and more subtle in Chilled (it really just seems very shiny, rather than shimmery, in person. Some people will probably really like that!).  What a bummer, because the Revlon glosses are non-sticky whereas the MAC glosses are infamously sticky! It would have been awesome to have a cheap, non-LE, non-sticky version of Pleasure Principle, but no dice!

Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Chilled

I got all but one of the colors. I skipped Spice it Up because I just couldn't see myself using such a browned, deep red much.  I'm sure there are lots of women that color would flatter, but I thought it would just make me seem pale. I didn't see any indication that these are limited edition; however, their Holiday-friendly names make me think there is a good chance they're only limited edition. Has anybody heard otherwise?

REVIEW: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation

Hello, gorgeous girls! I apologize for my inactivity (reading your blogs) lately. I've been feeling a little under the weather and unmotivated to do much with makeup (besides shop for it... somehow that never gets old!). So, I've managed to acquire a lot of cosmetics recently but haven't felt up to blogging about them or reading every blog in my blogroll.  I hope you'll forgive me.

What I have been managing to do is put this $55 Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation in Beige 30 through the paces! I've worn it over regular moisturizer, tinted moisturizer, silicone-based primer, silicone-free primer, and bare skin.  I've worn it with and without powder. I've applied it with the Sephora Airbrush #55, beauty blender sponge, and good old fingers.  How did it fare? Read on!

The colormatch is awesome, probably the best I've ever had.  This is essential because this is a medium-to-full-coverage foundation and you don't want any lines.  The foundation blends beautifully with any application method (brush, sponge, fingers), but I do have this complaint: it dries quickly so you'll want to apply it a bit at a time rather than dabbing on each facial region like you might with other foundations.

Applied over tinted moisturizer with fingers:

From this angle, the coverage looks great in the photo but it seems my neck and face don't match (in person they do, I promise.  I actually applied the foundation all down my neck so the issue must be with the light).

I feel that the appearance of foundation was lightest and most natural with the Sephora #55 brush, medium with the damp beauty blender sponge, and heaviest-looking applied with fingers.  What's unexpected about this is I needed 6 pumps for brush application, 4 pumps with the sponge, and less than three pumps with my fingers!  It goes to show that the brush provides the best look, in my opinion, but wastes the most product.  You'll want to consider that with this foundation's $55 price tag.

Applied over non-silicone primer with the Sephora #55 Airbrush, topped with Rimmel Stay Matte powder in 001 Translucent:

It's actually a great match in person, but I believe the powder and lighting throw off the color slightly.

Even though it wastes the most of this pricey product, I much prefer the brush application with Perfection Lumiere because the coverage looks the most natural in the end and it's the easiest to work with.  I think I'll alternate days using this and Boscia BB cream applied with the beauty blender (my favorite application method with that product) so I don't run out of Perfection Lumiere too quickly.

One thing that must be mentioned about Perfection Lumiere in regards to the feel on the skin is that it is nearly weightless with any application method! There is slightly more "non-existence" to its feel with the brush application, but even applied the heaviest with my fingers it feels much lighter than Revlon Colorstay or Photo Ready, or MUFE HD.  It can transfer but I found it to be much more transfer-resistant than those foundations as well.  Of course, if you put a primer underneath you'll feel the weight of that which is kind of a bummer.

I could nearly wear this foundation over bare skin in the warmer months. I wouldn't call it "moisturizing" by any stretch of the imagination, but my skin can pack enough oil to make it possible to wear with nothing underneath when the weather isn't drying it out and causing flakiness. 

If you have normal-to-dry skin, of course you will want to apply a moisturizer underneath.  I saw no difference in wear-time with any kind of moisturizer I tried (I used Dermalogica active moist, which has no tint and supplies the most moisture of those tested; My HG, Origins Vitazing which gives the most "dewey" appearance of moisturizers tested; and Stila Illuminating Moisturizer, SPF 20, which is the least moisturizing but on its own imparts a slight shimmery glow to the skin).

Not only did I not see a difference in wear-time with the different moisturizers I tried, but I also did not see ANY difference in coverage or finish! This is quite unusual for me.  Most of the time my foundation is affected by what I put underneath but I just didn't find that to be the case with Perfection Lumiere. It really stands alone.  I think if you use a really heavy moisturizer underneath, as needed, it also will not sheer the foundation out or leave you greasy in a few hours.  I think this foundation would be wonderful for any skin type!

I find this lasts about 12 hours, which is as good as anyone could hope, and its lasting power seems unaffected by any tricks to elongate it (primer under or powder over).  Actually, when I wear it with powder it seems like my skin gets shiny far more quickly than without (strange, I know, but it happened a couple of times with different moisturizers and primers underneath!).  I have therefore concluded that this foundation lasts best on its own without a setting powder. As you can see from the photo in which I'm wearing powder, I also suspect the color is affected by the powder as well.  The finish is nice enough that I don't think it needs a finishing powder for aesthetic reasons, anyway.  It gives a kind of natural, fabric-like finish that has no visible shimmers, even though it blurs imperfections to the naked eye, but...

MAJOR FAIL:
I've noticed this foundation doesn't photograph well on acned skin. If you have smooth skin with discolorations, it shouldn't be a problem for you because I find the coverage wonderful for any redness or dark spots. 

Applied with a beauty blender sponge over Dermalogica Active Moist:

I couldn't see these zits in person, but when I took the photo they re-appeared!  To be fair, though, there are more zits and discolorations on this cheek than the photo shows.  It's dependent upon the angle of light, like those HD translucent powders, I suspect. Also, that zit-looking bump by my mouth, about an inch away, is not a zit but a mole... sigh.  I'm brave to show this, right?

I, however, have active acne bumps and some pitted scarring, and this foundation doesn't hide those from the camera at all.  Even my husband was suprised, saying my skin looked great and then looked at a photo and was shocked you could see all the bumps again!  Maybe there aren't any foundations out there that can successfully hide bumps from a camera in every photo, but if I'm attending a picture-heavy event I'd MUCH prefer to wear a different foundation... maybe dermablend?

I can highly recommend this foundation for a lightweight-feel, excellent discoloration coverage, lovely scent, non-irritating formula, luxe packaging, blendability, every-day wear for those not stalked by paparazzi... I just wish I could call it my HG, but my bumps on view in photographs is a deal-breaker.  I LOVE how it looks in the mirror but I'm scared of catching an unflattering angle in a photograph.

REVIEW: Kate Spade New York Supercalifragilipstick in Pop Art Pink

It's been a long, long Wednesday for me, girls! I'd rather not get into the office awesomeness, but instead I'm excited to bring you my review/photos/swatches of the first Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick to arrive at my door: Pop Art Pink! ($24, katespade.com, but I paid about $17 for it during their F&F sale).
It came in a huge, non-descript mailing-box with lots of pretty beige-and-brown striped tissue paper and air-filled plastic mailing bags, but the pink-and-red cardboard box (remniscent of Victoria's Secret packaging) still got a little crushed. Over-package much?

As soon as I removed the tube itself, I was surprised by how large it is.  It's light-weight but still manages to feel luxurious. I haven't seen this type of packaging before, either.  The bullet-side sits upside-down in the cap and you push on the little spade "button" to pop it out.  So, the lipstick is actually smaller-looking than the large cap/base suggests.  I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the spade "button" because it's actually the bottom of the bullet-side!

With a Fresh Sugar Passion Lip Treatment and MAC lipstick for size comparison

If you're a fidgety person, you'll have a lot of fun fidgeting with this. It could make a good conversation piece for a girls'-night-out! (LOL yes, I've noticed my abundant hyphen-usage in this post. Please don't hold it against me - it's been a really long day at work!)  The lipstick seems to have no fragrance but if I sniff at it really hard (as I do love to sniff products I'm reviewing... weird), it smells a bit waxy. Not pleasant, but you won't detect it unless you literally try to inhale the thing through your nostrils.  It wouldn't fit through most, but my nose... ok, I'll stop trying to be funny now :-P

Left is one stroke (sheer, no?) and right is many strokes

The "Pop Art Pink" color itself instantly reminded me of (Almost-dupe-alert?) CoverGirl Lip Perfection in Temptress, one of my favorite lipsticks of the year which got me wearing bright lips to the office in the first place.  It's a watermelon-pink, though the Kate Spade is quite a bit sheerer and doesn't stain like the CoverGirl does.  This makes the lipstick last an average amount of time, around 3-4 hours.

Far right is CoverGirl Lip Perfection lipstick in Temptress. They're very similar but Temptress clearly has more blue in it.

Like the CoverGirl lipstick, it has a slick, moisturizing feel that resembles a balm (though I would say the Kate Spade is lighter-feeling). It has a weight to it but it's not uncomfortable or sticky. I like to feel a lipstick on, personally, because that means I can usually tell if it has migrated as I wear it without having to check a mirror (nice when you're wearing a bright color). 

Why does it always rain on me?

I don't really love the sheerness though it is buildable, and the cheaper dupe is still my preference.  I do adore the packaging, though!  Ideally, you'll have both and put on the CoverGirl Temptress in the morning.  Later in the day when the CoverGirl has shifted into a lipstain, you could whip out this Supercalifragilipstick button-tube and touch-up, and all the girls will remark how cute and clever the lipstick is!

I wanted to do a lip swatch, but you can see I have lots of flaky dry skin going on right now! How embarrassing!

Makeup Graveyard Vol. 3: The Good

I hope you've got a nice cup of tea handy, because the short 'n sweet reviews of my favorite items that have come and gone empty or expired (but I haven't tossed out yet, obviously!) are going to add up to quite a lengthy post, I'm afraid.

Several of these aren't truly expired, but I try to cycle out makeup on a frequent basis to avoid irritating my skin.  Besides, I buy new colors often enough that even favorites wind up pushed aside or buried in a drawer. 

Eyeshadows

Wet n Wild Trios in I Dream of Greenie, Spoiled Brat, and I'm Feeling Retro: These are the makeup-lovers go-to for drugstore pigmented color! They're raved all over the internet so I won't bother elaborating here.
Wet n Wild single eyeshadows in Brulee, Nutty, and Sugar: Go-to neutrals, great pigmentation, unbeatable price.  Brulee should be owned by everybody, like MAC Brule
Physicians Formula Matte Collection Quad Eye Shadow in Canyon Classics: Pigmented, smooth, surprisingly soft for drugstore, and in neutral, highly wearable colors for a polished look.
Smashbox Eye Shadow Trio in Vanilla, Champagne, and Brazilian Bronze: Another neutral eye that can't fail
Stila It Girl palette #2: the real quality Kitten, a chocolate with gold sparkles, and warm matte in the vein of UD Buck. More neutrals! So velvety smooth :)
Lorac baked eyeshadow duo in Tease Me: The metallic blue is just stunning, and it's as soft as all high-end eyeshadows should be
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush baked eyeshadows in Pink Sand and Green Goddess: by far the most pigmented and nuanced VS eyeshadows I've tried to date. 
NYX trio eyeshadow in Baby Pink/Cotton Candy/Spring Flower: The least expensive, smoothest, softest, most pigmented light pinks you could find anywhere
Stila Going Green Trio: if you love green eyeshadows like I do, with a shot of chartreuse, you'll love this trio with it's metallic kelly-green, limey-chartreuse, and sparkly black with great pigmentation
Maybelline Eye Studio Quad in Copper Chic: Metallic heaven, these unfortunately don't have high-end lasting power.  But they are gorgeous while they last! I've used the metallic pink-toned copper for my brows when I have freshly-dyed red hair.
Maybelline Modern Metallics Quad: A nice, but sheer, budget natural quad eyeshadow choice. It's got the sheer sisters of UD Naked and Buck, and MAC Woodwinked.  Easy to work with for a novice.
L'oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments in Intrepid: A MAC Club/Too Faced Label Whore dupe in loose form.
Smashbox Softbox eye palette: The three looks included are gorgeous, the shadows are soft and smooth (though they kick up too much powder, imho), the cream liners were great before they dried out (a packaging flaw). I got this on sale, which I'd recommend, because while awesome these aren't the best eyeshadows out there.  Still, the palette is foolproof.
Sephora Palette: I just love the ingenious snap-out design, though the eyeshadow and blush quality definitely feels lower-end.  They work fine if packed on and it was fun to experiment with the trickier colors (like primary yellow and blue!).  If they notched up the quality but kept the price at about $25 (on sale? forgot) this would be a must-have.

Eye Liners and Mascaras
YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils: Awesome mascara, too pricey
MUFE Smoky Lash Extra Black Mascara: Great mascara but dried out too quickly
MAC Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoomblack: Love it, nothing bad to say <3
L'oreal Double Extend Mascara Eye Illuminator: I just loved the sparkly bronze side!
CoverGirl Lashblast Volume in Very Black: volumizes, but separates and lengthens. I don't think it gets any better for the price!
Aya Fairy Drops LE HbG Mascara: Just as good as the one I reviewed here
Wet n Wild megalength mascara: I've tried a few (horrible) $2 mascaras, but this one is actually decent and lengthens well for the price! It flakes a bit but not bad for the bargain.
Maybelline Volum'Express the Falsies Flared in Blackest Black: give a faux-lash look though it goes clumpy-dry too soon
Physcians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Enhancing Mascara duo for Green eyes: A pretty good green mascara! You could definitely see it on the lashes, while other colored mascaras disappear.
Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Excessive Black: Reminds me a lot of the Maybelline Falsies Flared, actually. The price is high but it doesn't clump or dry up like the Maybelline.
Fresh Supernova Mascara: HG if not for the price, but only $10 for a mini with Firebird mascara as a duo from Sephora. I'd re-buy this one, Maybelline Falsies, Covergirl Lashblast, or MAC Zoomlash.

Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner in Blackest Black: the pigmentation is great, the lasting power is decent
Smashbox cream liner in midnight brown: dark, subtley enhancing, solid all-around good product
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Creamliners in Brown eyes, Green eyes, and Blue eyes: Once you've tried one set (three for $11), it's hard not to collect them all. They're as good as any of the best gel/cream liners I've ever tried.
Kat Von D Autograph Eyeliners in Proud Peacock and Turbo Lover: I got these for a song on sale, but the colors are amazing.  Wear is great, only the brush got a bit clumped. I'd buy again (for sale price)!
Harajuku Lovers (GWP) Black Eyeliner: The shape is annoying because it's tapered at the bottom, but this was a great black pencil liner, soft and pigmented
Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Bora Bora: Got me sooo many compliments this past summer
Stila stay all day waterproof liquid eye liner in Carbon Black: A great, super-black liquid liner pen. Pretty easy to use!
Cargo Eye Pencil in Khaki: Gorgeous color, great on the waterline, long wear-time, soft, smooth, and pigmented
Sephora retractable waterproof eye liners in brown (my wedding liner, gold sparkles!) and turquoise (a lot like the Stila Bora Bora): These are great and reasonably priced. I keep buying my "wedding liner" over and over! It's my go-to brown/bronze and makes my green eyes really sparkle.

Primers and Skin
Too Faced Shadow Insurance: Obviously!
Urban Decay Primer Potion: Liquidy and I heard the newer formula isn't any good, but I like it all right
Stila Prime Pot: Just like MAC paintpot in Painterly. Rocks!
Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow/liner in RSVP: I really love this as a base but my lids are just too oily not to put a powder over any cream products

Dior Hydra Life Skin Energizer and Pro-Youth Sorbet Eye Cream: I love these but they're overpriced.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid and Vinexpert Night Infusion Cream: I felt like these gave a luxury experience but I just don't know how to make them fit in my regime so I haven't purchased.
Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish: I enjoyed this scrub but I can't use it with my current acne treatment.
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer: I rotate this with...
Origins VitaZing: HG!
Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer: Not bad, but I don't love it like I love VitaZing
Tarte Smooth Operator amazonian clay illuminating serum: More a primer than a serum, imparts a nice glow (but I haven't repurchased because I'm not aching for another step when I do my makeup!)
Boscia BB Cream: Best BB I've tried
Almay Clear Complexion Concealer in light 100: I've bought this a million times since high school!
Sircuit Skin Cosmeceuticals molecular mist: I felt this really did help with moisture retention in my skin, but I haven't purchased it because my skin took a turn for the greasy not long after this sample ran out

Face and Cheeks
i.d. bareMinerals original foundation and mineral veil: I love these but I use E.L.F. a lot more because the price is better (though the product is not as good)
e.l.f. mineral foundation, booster, and blemish powder: solidly good mineral makeup for a super-cheap price
Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl, Beige Pearl, and Light Bronze Pearl: A few decent face powders that help touch up shine while imparting a nice BE mineral veil -type of glow
Stila illuminating finishing powder in rose gold (discontinued): This is the best glowy finish of a powder I've ever tried.  A long hunt for a dupe has been fruitless. If you know of a dupe, please PLEASE let me know!
Physcians Formula Happy Booster Light Bronzer: The bronze is natural and only slightly pearly so you can use it as a contour or cheek color, the pink heart can function as a blush, and the overall product and packaging is just insanely cute. I've bought like 4 backups!
NYX Tango with Bronze Powder When Leopard Gets a Tan: FAR, FAR superior to the disappointment that is Too Faced Leopard Love palette, this is just the softest touch of shimmery bronziness for the cheeks.  It is the pink version of Dior Aurora, I do declare!
Victoria's Secret Holiday 2010 LE Face Trio in Head Turner: So cute, looks like a giant bow on a little bum! I'm a sucker for cute powder pressings.  The glow is pretty nice, too. I wish VS would make this permanent.
Twilight Beauty Mortal Glow Blushing Creme in Swoon: I love the swirly design in this cream highlighter, and it gives the most lovely, iridescent glow. It's overpriced, sadly. I want to buy it again so badly!
NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Boho Chic: I bought this because I heard it's a dupe of MAC lipstick in Hue, actually! It isn't on me, but it makes a nice natural pink cheek.
Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-on Cheek tint in Quickie: Gorgeous bright, clear yellow-pink cheek cream. I wore it in my first post FOTD.
Stila Convertible Color in Camellia: Makes a great base for cheek bronzing.
Lancome blush subtil in Shimmer Mocha Havana: A sample for me, but a nice bronze shimmer for cheeks.  I'm always getting these as GWP so I've never bought but I really like Lancome's blush subtil line.
Smashbox Soft Lights in Tint: A good hint of color and flattering, wearable shimmer for cheeks
Rimmel Lasting Finish Blendable Powder Blush in Santa Rose: A dead-on dupe of the Smashbox Soft Lights in Tint! And way cheaper.
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl: The best creamy highlighter I've used second to the Twilight Mortal Glow Blushing Creme in Swoon.
Lorac 3D Liquid Lustre: This is just stunning. I've used it on eyes over shadow, lips in the center like a gloss, and on cheekbones. It is awesome and I just wish they didn't package it with this lame dropper. It BROKE! This is way too intense and you need so little you can't really pour it. Sigh.

Lips
EOS lip balms in Sweet Mint, Summer Fruit, and SPF 15 Lemon Drop: I love the packaging, I love the moisture level (my lips aren't very dry, FYI), I love the feel, I love the price, I love the scents/flavors. I can't taste the SPF in Lemon Drop. Rebuy forever!
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Natural Mint:  It's a man brand and my husband does like its matte finish and scent/flavor. I like the SPF which you can't taste. I think this should be cheaper.  But it deserves its raves on the blogosphere! I don't like any other flavors I've tried at ALL, though.
H20 Lip Mender Hydrating Complex: similar to the Jack Black without SPF. You can kiss a guy with this on.
Cargo Lip Gloss in Serengeti: A pretty, sheer coral but lasting power is non-existent
Harajuku Lovers red lip pencil with g red pot gloss (GWP): The best out of the GWP set (parts seen in previous Makeup Graveyard volumes), makes a perfect, glossy true-red! Can't actually buy them again, though.
Lancome Juicy Tubes in Raspberry Ice: I love this on top of MAC Creme Cup! It has gold sparkles and nice flavor. Sticky, though.
Wet n Wild Speed Gloss in Frenzied: Cheapo, beautiful shimmery-beigey duochrome that flashes light green (from the drugstore!)
Sugar Rose by Fresh: I love this color, SPF you can't taste, smooth texture, nice lemony scent, and screw-closed cap. Too pricey.
Stila pearl shimmer gloss in south sea coral: a pretty peach gloss with a nice flavor. Lasts pretty long for a gloss that feels so light.
Kat Von D gloss in Gun Shine: Good to adjust a lipstick a touch darker and I love the packaging.
Stila Long Wear Liquid Lip Color in Caprice: A fab matte fuchsia
Hard Candy Glossaholic in Chill Out: Nice vanilla scent, lilac and multi-glass-fleck glitters that are more subtle than chunky glitter (you can see it on my lips here), fun large tube.
Lorac Multiplex 3D lip glosses in 4D and 3D: Amazing. See 3D on me here.
Twilight Beauty Luna Twilight Femme Fatale Lip Glossi n '53 Chevy: I love the packaging, the name, and the color. Fragrance is nice as is lasting-power. Price is a bit too high.
Buxom Lips Big & Healthy Lip Polish in Sugar: Duped here, but I love this and probably will repurchase anyway.
Buxom Lips Lip Polish in Julie, Blanche, Tonya, and Gabby: Can't go wrong with these, I love them all!
Philosophy Lip Glosses in Have a Cherry Christmas and Chewy Chocolate Lollipop: Yum, yum, YUM! Shiny. Sticky but tasty so hubs doesn't mind if I smooch him.
Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lipgloss SPF15 in Endless: A good plummy MLBB color, and you can't taste the sunscreen. Lasting power isn't really any different than other glosses, though.
Milani Rose Hip Lipstick: Gorgeous color, nice scent, lasts and lasts.  The tube looks lame, but the bullet it pretty and kind of faceted. Price is great for this pigmentation!
Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Oh My!: A very shimmery (but not frosty) beige. If other brands are any indication, it's difficult to get a color like this right.  This is probably one of the most-used GWP freebie lipsticks I've ever had. It looked great under Raspberry Ice Juicy Tube.
Guerlain Rouge G in Bella: Okay, you got me; I bought this for the Twilight name Bella! It's a lovely plum that I think is sheer and neutral enough to suit most anybody.  The packaging is to die for but a fingerprint magnet.  I probably wouldn't repurchase this shade because it's so dupeable, but if I was loaded I'd buy many other colors.  The feel is so luxurious!

Other
Duo Clear eyelash adhesive: I'm afraid to try anything else after nearly burning my eyes out with another glue!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel: I love how this worked but I can't be fussed with an extra step most days so I haven't repurchased yet.
Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit in Ash Brown: Such a great little bargain brow kit! I don't do my brows often, though.
Ojon damage reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum: smells so delicious and softens my hair while controlling frizzies <3

Phew! The end.  For now...