1.) Best Eyeshadow: Mac Satin Taupe
A gorgeous brown satin color with warm plum undertones. It's so versatile---wear it lightly swept over the lid for a simple daytime look, or smoke it out into the crease for a sexy, smoky night time look. It retails at MAC counters for $14.50.
Runner Up: Stila's Kitten
A shimmery, extremely pigmented eyeshadow from Stila cosmetics. It is wonderful on the lid or even on the brow bone and inner corner as a highlight. You must buy the refillable single pan compact ($2) plus the eyeshadow ($18) if you want it potted, so it's very pricey at $20. However, it's a larger pan than MAC eyeshadows and will last forever. It's worth the price.
2.) Best Eye Shadow Primer: MAC Paint Pot in "Painterly"
I seriously love this, and use it every single time I wear eyeshadow. It glides on smoothly and prevents my shadow from creasing. My eye shadow stays put until I remove it with eye make-up remover....sometimes up to 20 hours (college students don't get a lot of sleep!). The pinky-beige flesh color covers up the dark discoloration around my eyes and covers veins. I much prefer this over the Urban Decay Primer Potion, which is transparent on the lids. Painterly is about $17 at MAC counters and at www.maccosmetics.com.
Runner up: Benefit "Stay Don't Stray"
I purchased a deluxe sample size of this is a trio of Benefit products at Sephora a while back. (The full size version is pictured). It is also a flesh color and conceals darkness around my eyes. The unique thing about this is that it is also formulated to help concealer stay in place, so you apply on the lids AND under your eyes. It really works! It helped my concealer not crease and my shadow didn't budge. The reason that this isn't as good as the MAC paint pot is that it doesn't apply as easily---it's a liquid and tends to be goopy, in my opinion. It also made my eye area look dry, where as the paint pot does not. It's also more expensive that the paint pot, retailing for $24 at Sephora. Still a great product and I would consider buying the full size.
3.) Best Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste in 02 Medium
I am so happy I discovered this product this year! The peachy color corrects bluish under eye circles, which I am unfortunately plagued by. It's a miracle worker for me. It's so creamy and easy to apply, I simply use a Laura Mercier concealer brush and apply it to the back of my hand to warm it up, then apply it to the under eye area. I have to set it with powder as it does have a tendency to crease, but I always set my make-up with powder anyways so it's not a problem. Erase paste is $26 at Sephora.
Runner Up: Clinique Quick Corrector
This is also a corrector concealer, meant to cancel out the blue and green undertones of dark circles. This one has less coverage than Erase Paste, but I like the doe-foot applicator, it's easy to swipe under the eyes, gently blend with your ring finger, and be ready to go. I use this if I'm in a hurry or I'm just having a minimal make up day. It is available from Clinique for $14.
4.) Best Powder: Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Powder
This translucent setting powder is ideal for any skin tone. It makes skin look and feel velvety soft with a natural matte finish. It's a mineral silica-based powder, so it hides perfections and leaves skin looking airbrushed. It can be a little messy as it's very finely milled. I apply this with a soft, dense kabuki brush to set my foundation. It retails for $35 at Sephora.
Runner Up: MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in Light-Medium
A very versatile power that can be used to set make up, for touch ups, or as a sheer power foundation. It leaves a more glowy finish than the MUFE HD, but doesn't have that same "airbrush" effect. Still a very lovely power, a must have in anyone's collection. About $26 at MAC counters.
5.) Best Primer: Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer
This primer is lightweight, absorbs quickly, and is oil and paraben free. It minimizes pores and holds make up on longer. It's moisturizing but doesn't break me out. It is lightly scented, a smell that I think is really fresh and clean. It makes your make-up seems to glide onto the skin, and it seems like I use less foundation when I apply this primer. I have the "TO GO" size but it has lasted forever, as you only need a small amount. Hands down the best primer I've used.
Runner Up: Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer
This primer is sliky and lightweight, but seems to not minimize pores as well as the MUFE primer. It has a stange smell...almost like paint thinner, but that quickly diminishes once it's applied to the skin. Still a great primer that makes my skin look better under make up and holds make up on my skin longer. It retails for $30 at Sephora.
6.) Best Highlighter: NARS Albatross
This silky white powder leaves a golden sheen on the skin, illuminating and brightening the face. It is beautiful on the cheekbones and makes them look more defined. It's also great on the bridge of the nose (to make it look thinner), on the cupid's bow (to make the lips look fuller), and on the inner corner of the eyes to make you look more awake. It retails for $26 at Sephora.
Runner Up: Benefit High Beam
This is a liquid highlighter that is creamy and dries to a natural finish on the skin. It's a pale pink color but when applied leaves a subtle sheen. I love the effect it gives, and it is more noticeable than the NARS Albatross; however, my only problem with this is that if I have on liquid foundation, it seems to take off my foundation where I apply it. I use this if I have a tinted moisturizer on or powder foundation. $24 at Sephora.
7.) Best Blush: NARS Orgasm
A lovely pinky peach blush with gold shimmer that is perfect for my light skin. It makes the cheeks look so natural and gives a healthy looking glow. I was afraid the gold shimmer in it would be too much for me but it doesn't look like chunky glitter on the skin, just glowy. The pigmentation is great and it lasts all day. It lives up to all the hype about it in the beauty community! $26 at Sephora.
Runner Up: Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy Glow
This blush looks so DARK in the tube, but when applied with a stippling brush, is the perfect shade of rose. I have tried Revlon, Tarte, and Stila cream blushes, but they don't compare with this one---which is relatively inexpensive, only $18.50 (Tarte gel blushes ar $30 a pop!). The Clinique website describes the color as a "yellow pink rose," and I think the yellow undertones in it may be why it looks so natural on my skin, as I have yellow undertones. It's creamy, long-wearing and just gorgeous.
8.) Best Eyeliner: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Eye Pencil in Onyx
The absolute best eyeliner I've tried. It is a rich black that stays in place, even on the water line, until you remove it. The Urban Decay 24/7 liners which are so popular just slide off my water line, making me look like a raccoon. The tip isn't too soft like the Stila eye liners so you can get a precise, clean application, but it isn't hard either---the perfect happy medium. I love that is has a smudger on the the bottom, it's great for creating a smoky look. These last me forever even though I use them religiously. $19 at Estee Lauder counters.
Runner up: Clinique Brush on Cream Liner in Black
This is extremely similar to MAC's Blacktrack Fluid Line. I use this to create winged eyeliner alone the upper lash line. The tiny brush it comes with is kinda worthless, so I use an inexpensive angled liner brush and it works perfectly. The formula is long-wearing and waterproof, so this cream liner is great for the summer. Retails for $14.50 at Sephora.
9.) Best Mascara: Diorshow
A cult classic in the beauty world (and for a good reason!). This stuff is phenomenal. It lengthens and adds volume for stunning lashes. The wand is super huge but is still maneuverable enough to get those tiny baby lashes. It smells like lemons to me but the smell dissipates upon application. My lashes look ultra thick and intense with this mascara. It's pricey, $24 at Sephora, and I love the product but HATE how quickly it dries up! A month and it's gone. As much as I love this stuff, and bought multiple tubes of it in 2010, I hate how much it costs to just dry up in a month. It's definitely a luxury item for me, and now I use my L'Oreal Voluminous in it's place.
Runner Up: Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black
This is a great lengthening mascara and it really separate lashes to make them look fanned-out and full. I use this alone for everyday make-up or as base coat for volumizing mascaras that may not lengthen well. Retails for $24.50 at Sephora.
10.) Best Foundation: Clinique Even Better Makeup in Alabaster
The formula of this foundation contains ingredients that visibly diminishes dark spots or hyper pigmentation from acne scars (I have the latter). It seems to brighten my skin when I put it on and is so lightweight and fresh feeling. My skin looks dewy and luminescent with this on. It covers redness and evens out my skin tone. I set this this a light powder and it stays on for about 12 hours. Not as long as my Revlon Colorstay but still a good while. It's $24.50 at Sephora, a great price for a foundation that has the ability to transform your skin.
Runner Up: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinter Moisturizer in Nude
While this is technically a tinted moisturizer, I consider it a foundation because it covers like one. It is so moisturizing, it seems to melt into skin and covers imperfections. I use an under eye concealer with this and cover up spots I may have. It's great to use in the winter when skin is dry and patchy, since this stuff will make it feel soft and won't highlight dry patches like a foundation might. It just looks like you have naturally dewy soft skin, and doesn't look like you have foundation on at all. Expensive at $42 dollars a bottle but worth investing in.
That's all of my favorite high end products of 2010! I hope you enjoyed. Please request reviews of any products that you're curios about!
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