my top 10 beauty products tag

Thanks to the lovely J at Lil Lady's Life for tagging me to do this! I had a really tough time deciding on just 10 (I was veeeery tempted to cheat!), but I actually did it. ;) In reality, what I love most about makeup is the variety and the different looks you can create everyday... but if forced to choose only 10 things to take with me if I were going to be stranded on a (very glamorous) desert island, here's what I'd choose. ;) I didn't include brushes, but I'd sneak those in, too...

Chanel Mystic Eyes eyeshadow quad 

I love this quad for the multitude of looks you can create with just four shadows, and each shadow is very good quality. I like the use the bottom right shade on the lid, with the top left in the crease, the pink shade as a highlight, and a little of the bottom left shade in the inner corner of the lid for depth. I love the Urban Decay Naked palette as well, but I chose the Chanel because I don't love the packaging of the Naked palette, and some of the shadows have glitter fallout, which is one of my pet peeves!

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

At the moment, this is my favorite highlighter.  Not only do I love it as a cheek highlight, but for the browbone as well. My other faves are Dior Amber Diamond and YSL Metallic Colorama, but I've talked about both of those so much already, and this one doesn't get enough love! Besides, as I mentioned in my June Favorites post - I actually squealed when I swatched this in the store! Not many products have pulled that initial reaction out of me.

NARS Douceur blush

Don't get me wrong, I am all about peach blush, but I chose this NARS gem because it looks beautiful paired with a smokey eye. It's a dusty rose/brown that looks really natural on my fair skin. Blush is one of my biggest weaknesses, so if I could choose a few more, they'd probably be Illamasqua Tremble (a peachy pink that looks amazing paired with Dior Aurora bronzer), MAC Instant Chic (another peachy pink that runs more peach), and, um, all the cream blushes I own? ;) 

Dior Aurora bronzer

I know this is a big statement for me, but this could be my favorite new product that's been released in the past year (YSL Rouge Pur Couture came out in 2010 - they'd be my fave for that year!). It's just the perfect bronzer shade for me. It really does make my skin look glow-y, and not at all muddy or fake. I can't sing this beauty's praises enough. Put it this way - my mom tried mine and loved it so much, she bought one of her own the next day. :) I'd call this a must-have for fair-skinned ladies, and I've seen it look gorgeous on medium skintones as well.

YSL Touche Eclat in Luminous Radiance

This is my favorite undereye brightener. I don't have really dark circles, and I hate the cakey feel of concealer under my eyes, so this is perfect for me. I love, love, love the packaging - the clicking pen feel is so chic and simple to use. Though this is not a heavy duty concealer, I really can see the difference when I forget to use it. I also like using this as a lip eraser before applying lip products. It's a pricey product, but for me it's absolutely worth it. I'm on my third tube. >_<

MAC Lingering brow pencil

Another product that I've purchased over and over again and can't stand to be without for even one day. This is my favorite eyebrow product ever. No look is complete without filling in my brows with this. The only thing I hate about it is that it's a twist-up pencil, and I don't know it's time to repurchase until I can't twist it up anymore, and at that point I can't even get one more use out of it.  I try to have a back-up on hand for that reason. 

LORAC Front of the Line Pro liquid liner pen

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I love a cat eye flick. I do one pretty much every day. I've tried many a liquid liner, but this one is my fave that I've tried - a glossy black that's foolproof and doesn't budge.

Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara

My HG mascara (and I've tried LOADS of 'em!). Nothing gives volume and length like this baby. I can't wait to try the new Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara that Lancome is releasing soon. ;) My other fave mascaras: YSL Mascara Singulier and FairyDrops Scandal Queen.

MAC Glamour Check eyeshadow

This is sadly a limited edition shade - boo, MAC! I've used this shadow so many times that I'm just completely shocked I haven't hit pan on it yet. It looks perfect in the crease paired with pretty much anything, and I also like it on the lid with Black Tied in the crease for a smokey eye. I'd have a fit if I lost this!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6 Rose Bergamese

This is my favorite lipstick of all time. Lipstick is my favorite beauty product, and I definitely own too many, but if I had to choose only one to use everyday, it'd have to be this one. It goes with every look, is work-appropriate, and is the PERFECT consistency - creamy and never cakes or dries out my lips. It's also long-lasting and tastes/smells amazing, and BONUS: the case can be used as a mirror to make reapplying a cinch. I'm on my third tube of this baby, and I rarely finish a lipstick tube!

And there you have it, my top 10 beauty products. Oh, man,  I completely forgot about foundation - UGH! I'd probably choose either Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or NARS Sheer Glow. There ya go.So, top 11 then? ;)

As usual, I had help with this post...

I think I can guess Sammy's favorite brand.... He has good taste for a kitty!

I tag anyone who'd like to do this - no pressure! :)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

<3 Jess