My 2010 Top Ten

Hi there!

I saw this kind of tag-post in many beauty blogs, as in Simona’s one, and I decided to do it. I think you may find interesting to know which are the best Ten beauty products of this 2010. It’s not easy to pick only ten, because I had the luck to try many good products…but here’s the list!

1) Herborist Hydrating and Moisturizing Eye Gel

(image from http://www.herborist.com)

Amazing product. I have very dry lids and deep dark circles, so i need a good eye cream. This is amazing: I like the fact it’s a gel and not a cream, so it hydrates without being oily. It reduce sensitively the puffiness, too.

2) Make Up For Ever HD Powder

Do I have to say anything? I freakin’ LOVE it.

3) Sugarpill Pressed Eyeshadows

You know my feelings about them from my review: highly pigmented, easy to blend, they’re probably the best bright coloured eyeshadow I ever tried. And yes, they’ve got a lovely packaging, and they are cruelty free, which makes them much cooler!

4) Urban Decay Primer Potion Original

I know, nothing new, but its effectiveness never cease to surprise me. Great in summer, but also all the times I had to go to concerts and I want that everything stays in place. Essential in my kit!

5) Helan ApeLab/L’Erbolario Nutrilabbra ai 4 burri

My constantly dry lips say hurrah to these lip balms, and also animals. Cruelty-free and, this applies to the Helan one, made by organic ingredients. And they do properly their job, no cheat! I like both, but the Helan one has an awesome smell of honey which drives me crazy!

6) MAC Brulé and Mystery Eyeshadows

This was my perfect duo for a quick and easy everyday make-up. Brule all over the lid, Mystery in the crease and in the outer V, and it’s done. In add to this, I use Brule as a highlighter when I do strong or complex make-up, and Mystery for many smokey eyes. When I stay out for a night or more, I take these with me, because of their versatility.

7) MUFE Smoky Lash Mascara

This is a mascara which you love or which you hate. Personally, I love it, and I’m at the second tube right now! It doesn’t provoke me allergy, as many cheaper or even more acclaimed mascaras do. I found the way of obtaining the perfect lenghtening, volume and curvation without glueing lashes together, and even if my lashes are quite thin, I feel the need of putting fake lashes only when I do super-dramatic looks.

8 ) MAC Blooming Lovely Lipstick

(photo from Accidental Beauty.com)

I wasn’t particularly fond of Give Me The Liberty Of London Collection until I had a free makeover and I fall in love with this lipstick. Unluckily, it was sold out! I did a desperate chase to find it, but I made it, in the end. I love pair it with black smokey eyes or with heavy, dark eyes in general. It matches perfectly with my odd colours and my fair skin. The only fault? It was a Limited Edition, and for what I see there are no clue of a repromotion in future collections.

9) MAC 217 Brush

I admit: I literally snob it for months and months, convincing myself it was not so fundamental to obtain good blending. Well, since I bought it (or better, since a friend of my mom bought it for me in London) I’ve used this brush every freakin’ single day. I can’t imagine blending/living without!

10) Sleek Palettes

Among their many pros, what i mostly appreciated it’s they are small sized, which means they are perfect to carry on travel without renouncing at having a wide range of colours. And for this little money!

That’s all! What are your favourite products of 2010?
All my best wishes of a great 2011!
xoxo

Articolo su MAC Cosmetics Italia Blog

Ciao a tutte/i,

chiedo scusa per l’assenza ma sono stata travolta dalle lezioni e dallo studio. Gli esami di gennaio incombono, purtroppo. Prometto che non trascurerò troppo il blog!
Vi segnalo questo articolo che ho scritto per il blog di MAC Italia, cui seguiranno altre due puntate, tutte dedicate agli Shader brush, ovvero i pennelli per l’applicazione dell’ombretto.
A fra pochissimo con nuovi post!

Hi there,
I’m sorry for the prolongued absence: I had a lot to do at university. I promise you I’m going yo write more often!
I wrote an article for MAC Cosmetics Italia blog which is going to be the first part of a “trilogy” about shader brushes: it is obiviously in Italian, so here is the translation and the photos!

I’m starting this overview of MAC Shader Brushes by the most famous of them, the 239.
239 brush has a flat, rounded tip and white hair (they’re made by goat): the tip is medium size, not too big, not too tiny, just the same size of the lid, which it means it suits even small lidded eyes.
Bristles are dense and quite solid, so they take a good amount of product, but without the unpleasant effect of trapping it all into theirselves, as many of similar shader do because of their fluffiness. Because of that, there’s only a minimum part of shadow which remained on the bristles.

There are two fundamental applications 239 ensures you: the first one is intense, by packing the colour, the second one is more subtle, and it can be gained by blending the eyeshadow while applying. I use both, according to the effect i intend to reach: choice is only on your taste.
Quick tip: if you’re going to use three or more different colours, you have only one shader (as I have) and you don’t like instant brush cleansers (as I don’t), don’t be panic. After you used both sides of the brush, clean it off simply by rubbing the bristles on your hand. Quick and easy!

Another use of 239, which to be honest I rarely do, is for putting some colour under your lower lashes. The line you obtain it’s quite thick, so be careful.

Final considerations: I think there are many dupes for MAC 239, but what makes this brush “undupeable” to me is the fact it is the only brush which doesn’t literally devour all the colour I take.

Let me know what do you think about it!
Take care! xoxo