Running short on time here, so let's just cut to the chase LOL.
Happy New Year!!
Last year I ranked my yearly favorites... this year... in no particular order. Let's start with skincare :)
1. Albion Skin Conditioner
Really the most conditioning toner I've ever used. My skin feels so calm and comfortable every single time after I use it. Stopped using it for a while cuz I got distracted by the SK-II Clear Lotion, but when I went back to it again, I was like OMG I FORGOT HOW GOOD IT WAS!!!! It's very expensive but I definitely recommend :) By the way it's just a very conditioning/comfortable feeling... if you're looking for something more it might not be for you.
A shout-out to the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. Unfortunately this did NOT make it to my Best of 2015 list. I was OBSESSED with it for months, but after a while I feel like I stopped feeling/seeing effects from it. You can read about my initial thoughts about it here. I ran out of it but still have a second bottle. Maybe after this little break I will be able to see if it makes any difference again?
2. Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil
Last year I raved about the Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. This year it was replaced by this XD Now I just use this whenever I cleared out my blackheads. Not only it keeps the pores tight, it also nourishes and reduces the peeling process to a minimum. I mean the Mask is still great... it works through a different mechanism (ie, drawing things out) so it depends on what you're looking for. Personally, the oil > mask because the mask is such a hassle to wash off. Before I was willing to put up with it just because the results were phenomenal, but after discovering this oil does the same... I haven't touched the mask at all lol. Prob will save the mask for the summer. I also use it all over my face once in a while. Personally can't use it every day-- too much exfoliating/breaks me out.
Here are my most used skincare from 2015
Cetaphil is awesome.
Still loving the Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum.
First Aid Ultra Repair Cream is awesome.
When I had that peeling problem around my mouth, Luca's Paw Paw Ointment helped with the healing process a lot (that and it's a great lip balm in general). Not as much as Carmex though :) Seriously, Carmex is the cure/godsend for any lip problem O_O
Want to give a shout out to the Origins GinZing eye cream. Used to think it was just okay but not only it's great for dark circles, it's also awesome for reducing puffiness.
And of course, the Diorsnow UV Shield is still the most amazing base makeup I've ever used =)
3. Innisfree Smart Foundation Super Moisture
Best liquid foundation award of course goes to this! Although.... it might be discontinued already O_O I have no idea. You can read my review here.
Want to give a little shout out to the Too Faced Born This Way foundation. Although I only tested out that foundation briefly... still thinking about it lol. Review here. Although I heard they expanded the color range... I might be able to find a better match?
Most used base makeup...
Clinique Air Brush Concealer-- Don't use it as a concealer cuz I just can't place anything underneath my eyes =_= so was just trying to use it up by using it to highlight my forehead, between my brows, my nose bridge, around my mouth, and under my chin. It's grown on me =D
Too Faced Chocolate Powder Foundation. Review here. Now I actually really like it since moving to Cali.
Lancome Teint Miracle Powder Foundation (Asia edition). Talked about it LONG LONG time ago here.
SK-II Auractivator CC Cream. Reviewed here. It was only most-used because it's sheer coverage + sunscreen in one... I used it a lot when I was lazy. But it's not something I would repurchase... I'm kind of over the super glowy look and plus it doesn't last on combination skin.
4. 廣源良菜瓜水 Luffa Water Facial Mist
Favorite mist of the year LOL. So cheap, yet the spritz bottle is so nice! Super portable and light. Also the mist it gives out is pretty fine. Pretty damn impressed. Did I mention it's so cheap??? LOL. Been enjoying my Jurlique Rose Water Mist but this is something I definitely will go back to. Thumbs up! Hmm... not sure where you can get it, bought it when I was in Taiwan. If anyone is interested let me know I'll look into it.
5. Lunasol Beige Beige eye shadow quad
Favorite eye shadows award no doubt goes to this quad =D
Really, can't find fault with any of the colors. Still obsessed with the glitter shadow, and the brown shadow. Really want to try out more Lunasol eye shadows. Pretty sure if I ever run out of this palette I would repurchase (or at least I would buy another quad from Lunasol). See here for details/swatches.
Of course... you guys know it by heart now, the only eyeliner I use is by Milani Infinite eyeliner in 06 unlimited.
My best advise for long-lasting eyeliner is...
1. Avoid liquid foundation over the eye area. Or if you must, at least set it with powder. Just use a powder foundation
2. Do your eyeliner first with an eye shadow. My favorites are the brown one from Lunasol Beige Beige and L'oreal Infallible eye shadow in Bronzed Taupe. Those two seriously make EXCELLENT eyeliner base. Helps my eyeliner stay on super long... and gives my eyeliner and much more softer and blended look.
3. Then layer this eyeliner over the eye shadow
Years and years of wearing makeup and these are my best tricks to long-lasting eyeliner =D Seriously, give this a try. Don't do liquid eyeliner first then layer with eye shadow, that doesn't do anything. Do eye shadow as eyeliner first THEN the liquid/gel eyeliner.
Trusty and beloved Shiseido eye lash curler, and Majolica Majorca mascara and mascara primer.
6. Neuve eye brow pencil
Faaaavorite eye brow product this year!!! the Maybelline one and everything else fell out of my favor. And this is so freaking cheap too.
Favorite blushes
If I have to pick a favorite one, it will have to be the THREE blushes. However, I feel like these all got equal amounts of love from me... the formulation for all three brands are amazing. Check them out!
THREE- Sweet Thing-- LOVE THIS for spring/summer.
THREE- Into the Aether-- OBSESSED for colder months. Currently reaching for only this LOL.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes-- Mood Exposure and Luminous Flush are my favs. Mood Exposure is just an amazing all-year-round color.
For these blushes you can see my swatches here.
Discovered the Bobbi Brown blushes like in mid-year and they have amazing formulation. I love both colors that I got-- Coral Sugar and Peony, but I prefer Coral Sugar :)
I actually made a little dent!!!!!! I've never made a dent in a blush before!!! *Le PROUD*
Favorite lip products
3CE lip laquer in Dahlia. Formula is VERY drying, me no like. But I love the color and the matte finish so I'll deal with it LMAO
YSL volupte shine in corail intuitive. It's a nude pink... I seldom use it on its own, but it's the PERFECT nude pink to layer over :))) One of my fav combos is to layer the Clio Lipnicure in Revenge Pink over it to create the gradient lip.
YSL glossy stain in #29... an all-around favorite now lol don't think I can live without it. It just goes with EVERYTHING.
Favorite lip tint/stain award goes to the VDL Triple Shot Tint Bar. It's not gimmick at all lol. Cannot say enough good things about it. Staining is decent, but the formula is impeccable-- super moisturizing!! I would really really love love LOVE to collect all of the colors... but... calm your panties now Frances =_=
Shout outs to Rouge Dior Nude in 169 Greige. No idea if it's still being sold, but at one point was obsessed with wearing nude lips hahaha.
Aritaum Honey Melting Tint deserves a shout out too... great great formula. Would've made it to the best if I have different shades I guess? For some reason even though these two are super cute shades... I don't always feel it.
Fav brushes awards go to...
SUQQU cheek brush. Yes. It's love! Awesome for small face girls lol. And I mean it's pretty multi-functional too... for powder, highlight... etc :)
And a surprising favorite... SUQQU eyeliner D brush. Funny thing is I kind of hated this brush for a while LOL cuz it felt so scratchy. Was about to give up on it. Took me 3 months to break it in I'm not even exaggerating =_= not sure if the turning point was when I decided to clean it with my cleansing oil?? Maybe that helped. And yes, I prefer this over eyeliner C now, simply because I like a softer look.
Of course... additional shout-outs.
Well actually the Bubbi multi-function brush isn't a shout-out, it's an all-time favorite. Why is it discontinued??? I don't get it. SO GREAT for traveling, and honestly sometimes I just use it even when I'm not traveling cuz it's so great. So soft and applies powder SO WELL and so portable. Love love love.
SUQQU Face Brush... okay I would NEVER travel with this thing. Too expensive and I'm too scared to lose it. It's a luxury brush and it's super soft... but it's not a must. Still, a pleasure to use so here it is lol!
Eyeliner C also deserves a shout-out. Good brush =)
Only one favorite hair product from this year (aside from my old standby-- Aveda shampoos). Bumble & bumble Surf Infusion hair spray. Already talked about it on Instagram so not gonna elaborate.
Favorite perfumes!
Jo Malone Nectarine & Blossom. Still going strong =P Might get a full size one... Although I want to buy the Blue Agava & Cacao next... hmmmmm....
Chloe... the perfume?? LOL too lazy to look up the name...
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Beauty resolutions for 2016 =)
This might be shocking to all of you XD But I want to stop using liquid foundations. For good. I will continue using up what's already been open on hand (or I might not... still deciding), but I think I will get rid of the rest and just use powder from here on out.
The reason why I made that decision is that being a pharmacist (yayy I can say that now) you learned that your skin ABSORBS a lot of stuff. A lot of medications work by being absorbed from the skin into the blood stream (like gels, patches, etc). I don't want my body to absorb anything unnecessary. These days I sometimes only apply skincare at night... or I haven't been wearing my Dior sunscreen at all just because it's been very gloomy and I just got lazy with the sun protection. Interestingly my skin got better O_O so even skincare products are just full of chemicals. Feel like my skin does better without most of it. I mean of course I'll still continue to use them LOL. But just trying to keep them to a minimum and just back to the basics. I think even though the Dior sunscreen is great, but because it literally fills in all the pores, it adds burden to my skin without me even realizing it.
Second resolution... take off my lip products before I eat. Don't want to swallow all that shit LOL. I still forget a lot of times. Working on it!!
Third... keep gyming/be physically active
Fourth... eat only till when I'm full. My new thing is to eat whatever I want and whenever I want (preferably only when I'm hungry or really really craving for something... or just if it feels really good/fits the mood :D) but to never be too full. NEVER stuff myself!! lol. Been doing really well on this. I no longer do cheat days... I feel like that kind of mentality actually made me have very unhealthy relationship with food. Cuz you're constantly restricting yourself and thinking about what you should reward yourself with at the end of the week you know? lol! I just want to eat and enjoy food and not think/obsess about it.
Fifth... cut down makeup expenses. Hahaha. Feel like such a hypocrite saying this cuz obviously I'm sharing things I like and therefore "promoting" stuff (in the sense I make my readers want to buy stuff XD) but I really just need to get away from YouTube and all that so I won't get "triggered". These days I mostly watch vlogs and just try to put my energy elsewhere. Time to move on to bigger and better things??? Can I save up for a house please??? LOL!!
Alrighty, if you've stuck around for this far, thank you =) thanks for reading my blog and just put up with my general ramblyness haha. Not sure where the direction of this blog's headed... I mean I love reviewing stuff... but since I want to actively distance myself from the makeup world so I won't get triggered to always wanting to buy/try new stuff... not sure what kind of content I will be able to bring you guys. Any thoughts?
Again... happy 2016 to you all! I'm really excited to see what 2016 has in store for me ^__^
Much much love,
<3 Frances
