Ending the year with a bang

The year 2012 is almost over and I can't wait for a new year to start. My 2012 was very fruitful, with a whirlwind of ups and downs and I really just wanna start anew already. 

With that said, I'm beginning a new blog and my New Year's resolution is to update this blog frequently to document all the things going on in my life. I promise to bring my camera with me too to capture moments and help create lasting memories. 

Alright! Now, on to the makeup part of this post :)

My Makeup Bag Must-Haves

I've always been very conscious of my physical appearance. Probably because I have been always on the heavier side of the spectrum. But maybe it's also because early on in my childhood, I loved watching my Mom get ready for the office putting on her pretty dresses, one of her many, many pairs of high heels and try to sneak a peek at her vanity table while she's doing her hair and makeup.

It's not that we're vain people. For me, I think taking care of your outward appearance doesn't necessarily mean you care what other people say about you. I love dressing up and makeup is a channel of art for me. Mixing colors and using different techniques with your brushes is basically the happiest part of my daily ritual.

But I digress.

Here are the things I can't live without (or would die trying not to live without):

1. Eyelash Curler - not very particular about eyelash curlers because I've yet to discover the actual use of this instrument. Or maybe I'm just doing it wrong. Anyway, this one is from Fanny Serano. I've read online that this is a great dupe for the Shiseido Eyelash Curler--one of the two HG curlers in the market. 
2. Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil - this one is in a Dark Brown/Gray shade because I have really dark brows and hair. I love that this product is retractable and comes with a spoolie on the other end. Really nifty.
3. Clinique All About Eyes Serum - can I just say how much I love travel sized products? And samples, at that. So easy to carry around everywhere without lagging all that weight! It's enough I carry my fat butt everywhere already. This serum contains caffeine which instantly de-puffs eyes from late night study seshies (or late-night Revenge marathons) so you'll look fresh faced the next day. I don't understand how other eye products don't have cold metal rollerballs on them like this baby.
4. Clinique Color Surge Eyeshadow Trio and Blush - soon enough you'll figure out my intense obsession for all things Clinique. I have mad, mad acne breakouts so I'm bound to love you if you're anything non-comedogenic. Anyway, this one comes with two strawberry pink and one matte charcoal eyeshadow, one soft pink blush and brushes that I do not have any use for because they're too scratchy.
5. Lancome Color Design Cream Lipstick in Natural Beauty - I almost always go with smokey eyes so nude lips combo to go with it. This lipstick isn't the best because it's really waxy and dries up in about an hour but I still love it because the shade matches my skintone when matched with item 7 and goes on really opaque.
6. Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation in Beige Ochre 2 - mineral foundation is good for acne-prone skin because it lets the skin breathe and doesn't expire easily. This one from Maybelline alright enough for me. Coverage is medium to heavy and lasts a good 4-5 hours in outdoors and around 6-7 hours indoors. I just don't like that this has micro shimmers that make my oily skin looking like a slick mess after a few hours.
7. Estee Lauder Lip Liner in Pink Writer - since I have a sharp, mature-y face, I try to soften it by adding pops of pink in my makeup. And this really makes my face look younger. Sometimes I pair this with clear lip gloss and viola, instant hot pink lips!
8. Maybelline Crayon Liner in Dark Brown - very creamy, easily smudgeable pencil liner I use to tightline on light days, eyeshadow base for smokey eyes and sometimes eyebrow filler. When set with powder, this baby holds up all day with very minimal smudging too even hot days.
9. L'oreal Extra Volume Mascara - I'm not a big fan of mascaras because my peepers are pretty darn sensitive (bummer). But when the situation calls for it, I do (sometimes) give in and endure the heavy feeling on the eyes. This baby does NOT hold any curl but gives va-va-voom lashes. But I'd still rather stick to falsies.

Sooooo there. Done, done, done. Sometimes, I use my trusty cherry Chapstick in sweater weather too but not all the time that's why I didn't include that in the list. I promise to make a review of makeup soon again. 

Happy holidays.