Welcome to BirkinBagBeauty's Best of 2013!
I'll be starting off with all pretty and functional 'paint': the warpaint, peacepaint, coverpaint, enhance-paint and the funpaint of makeup.
"eyes are the mirror of the soul" (and a dent in my wallet)
I have been rekindled in my love for makeup in 2013 and the eyes were the focus. I was one of the 1st to get Le Metier de Metier Bauhaus (see here) and I still love the boldness & versality of the palette.
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I refound an older love too: Coffret d'Or Shine Accent Eyes in 01 Orange Spring I bought here.
It is like a more subtle version of my latest Charlotte Tilbury palette in Golden Goddess, and has peeeeeaaach in it.
“Lips are the fingerprints of love.”
~Tyler Shields
Lipstick:
Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Boudoir is the one I reach for the most: often after experimenting with newer colours/textures in the shops. It is velvety without being too matte; it doesn't compete with a strong eyeshadow, but isn't too boringly neutral either. Overal, a nice pop of flush for the lips in that sublime Givenchy texture.
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Lipgloss:
I loved YSL Rouge Pur Couture before most-famous-face-of-'13 Cara became face of that brand too: actually seeing a tomboy-type glam up with the right lipgloss is a good salepoint for me. I really like how the lipgloss glows without going into tacky territory; how it last long enough without feeling obtrusive; and the way it fades into a pretty stain. As for the colour: This reddish pink is vibrantly present when I want to have a stronger definition on the lips and a softer focus on the eyes.
“As beautiful as woman's blush, as evanescent too.”
~Letitia Landon
This has been a difficult vote, as my infatuations in blush is as evanescent as described in the quote above. Good thing I could nominate the different textures...
Blush/Bronzer hybrid Michael Kors Bronzer Powder in Flush 02 has already gotten my stamp of approval in December (here) and it has gotten the top vote for this category. Runner up is Rouge Bunny Rouge at Goldcombe Bay for a contouring bronzer hue without blushtones.
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For days that I love to have everything organic, I vote for Josie Maran Cosmetics Color Stick in Petal Pink: it is slightly shimmery and in a rosy hue. It blends quite nice and the scent is delightful.
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I haven't forgotten about my early 2013 blush-infatuation Kose Addiction Cheek Polish in Tadzio 06 (review here). It is a fresh & cooler pink that lightens up the face and I love it when all other features (lips/eyes) take a step back.
Yes, and a special mention for cheek/lip multitasker
Rouge Bunny Rouge Decadent Duo in Rumba Cubana:
This one has been my purse-favourite. The blush-side is always the right colour with a multitude of lipcolours and wonderful for the mid-day perking up. The lipgloss has the quality to plump lips without too much drama, and feels like a dream. The above Rumba/Cubana is as good as empty and I have a backup for future uses ♥
"The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural"
~Calvin Klein
Full Cover: Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheatgrass
I'm a complicated person about my base foundation: I'm often too sensitive for the likes of Chanel or YSL (hello fragance), I have to cope with winter-patches and I want to look younger. Enter RBR latest foundation: scentless, with plenty of goody ingredients and I get "your skin looks good"-compliments when wearing it. My only pet-peeve is the colour: it looks dark in the swatch but applies quite light: But it's a good match when not on selftan.
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Light Cover: Koh Ren Do Maifanshi in 123
Revieved here: a perfect colour and dewy complexion. Now if it only was sold at more places than Barneys.
“Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.”
~Aaron Levenstein
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| yes, that's the Game of Thrones actress (the one with the white wig) |
So we're not talking bikini's yet, the ones in Australia and Brazil probably are, but a good concealer should be as invisible as it wizardy strengths to what it has to conceal. So the same story about my skin, [problematic], and I get the occasional pimple between what we the lovingly can call 'living lines'.
Eyes:
Givenchy Mr. Light in Mr. Toast 03 is as buttery as you need for under your eyes. It diffuses dark circles in a wonderful way without getting topsy-turvy panda look. It photographes nicely too, without flashback. It doesn't settle in the lines and it is wonderful for shadows around the nose, and that bit of extra light to optically plump lips.
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Organic:
I discovered NVEY Eco Foundation thanks to blogger Emma. I love organic products on days when I want to detox from the non-organic stuff I put on my face. It is somewhat similar as RMS uncover, only without the heavy/pasty feeling RMS has. Peach 875 is actually a bit too light for me, but it works wonderfully on red/flaky patches as the creamy consistency smoothes without irritating.
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Pimples & Eyes
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla is my multitasker for eyes/pimples. I think you've encountered several raves and I can only say that I love it as well.
That is my Best of '13...Makeup-list for now: I could extend by listing the pencils etc, but I wanted to focus on the ones that really stood out for me in 2013, not the whatever rotation ones.
So, what have been your faves and why?