Favorite Things 2006
I'm very excited to participate in "Favorite Things 2006" with my fellow beauty bloggers, organized by Annieytown at Blogdorf Goodman! It's also a special time for me to reflect on the last year, since earlier this month, I celebrated my 1-year "bloggiversary". So without further pomp and circumstance, I present to you the best of what I tried, discovered and lusted after in 2006.
Best Innovation: Freeze 24/7 Ice Shield
I am still blown away by the idea that you can wash ON your sunscreen. It's like a whole step forward in cosmetics! I'm all for multi-tasking and ease of application.
Best Sunscreen: Clarins UV Plus SPF 40 Protective Day Screen
This is a daily-use sunscreen that is a pleasure to use because it's thin as milk, silkily spreadable and leaves no sticky film. It has won tons of awards from the big magazines and love from bloggers too.
Best Fragrance Line: L'Artisan Parfumeur
With every new fragrance, the artists at L'Artisan Parfumeur continue to surprise and inspire. Whether it's an overripe fig, crisp mandarin zest, the incense from Bhutan or Middle Eastern spices, the inspiration for these fragrances seems limitless and has the power to transport me.
Best Entertainment: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Years ago, I received the book Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind as a birthday gift. I loved its main character's dark obsession with scent. I was thrilled to hear it was being made into a movie (released just this week, absolutely gorgeous - review to come!). The soundtrack is hypnotic as well. If that were not enough, Thierry Mugler has developed a coffret of 15 scents inspired by the book. I can't imagine anything better for fragrance lovers.
Best Pick me Up: Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Face Mist
Full of antioxidants and refreshingly but lightly scented, this face mist gives you a burst of hydration whenever you need it - before moisturizer, while traveling, or when battling drying winter air.
Best Skincare Treatment Category: Serums
2006 was the Year of the Serum for me. I went from a cleanse & moisturize gal to a cleanse, treat and moisturize woman. Frankly, I tried so many (including Obagi Professional C Serum, Wexler Skin Regenerating Serum, and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic) that I can't say which one worked best for me - BUT I am a believer that giving my skin a nightly dose of vitamins, anti-aging agents and antioxidants has improved my skin's radiance and dimished those little fine lines.
Weirdest Concept I Got Around to Liking: Cleansing Oil with Oil
I guess if you can fight fire with fire, you can rid your skin of dirt and oil by applying... more oil. Yes, it seems to be true. I enjoy using Shu Uemura's High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil. Even though it seemed weird to me to slather oil on my face, it removed my makeup and left my skin clean but not tight. In a similar vein, I have recently been trying Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. This product looks like candle wax in the jar, but smoothes over skin and rinses away with all your makeup and the day's impurities.
Best Makeup Innovation: YSL's Perfect Touch Foundation
I'm sold on the idea that using foundation brush to apply foundation provides a more flawless look with less product. But it's easy to be in a rush and forget. So it was a stroke of genius when YSL took their Touche Eclat concept and created a foundation with a brush attached.
Best Hair Product: Mizani Spradiance High Gloss Serum
There are lots of shine and de-frizzing serums out there, but this one is lightweight, smells amazing and imparts shine without looking greasy. Although Mizani is designed for African hair, this product is great on my super-fine blonde locks, so everyone should give it a try.
Best Hair Appliance: CHI Flat Iron in Pink
This submission is from my sister, who complains that her hair's natural state is "Bad 80s Perm". I saw before my very eyes how this flat iron tamed her frizz into straight, silky hair. Pretty impressive, and the pink color makes it fun too.
Most Gorgeous Packaging: Besame Cosmetics
Channeling retro Hollywood boudoir glamour, Besame presents the prettiest compacts, lipstick tubes and jars out there - all decked out in gold and red, they are precious and sexpot all at the same time.
Best Multi-tasker: NARS The Multiple
Perhaps the most fittingly-named product out there, the Multiple comes in at least a dozen shades designed to bring color and light to eyes, lips, cheeks - even body.
Most Desired Beauty Item: A Vanity Table
Needless to say, I have tons of beauty products and it's very hard for me to part with (or sometimes even find) them! I would like to find a cute vanity table with lots of drawers to organize my stuff, a petite chair and magnifying mirror. What I have seen available is often frou-frou, childish or doesn't have enough storage. So the quest continues.
Best Overall Discovery: Sniffapalooza
A NY event that brings passionate perfumistas together to sniff, discover and share new fragrances, Sniffapalooza exposed me to new scents, new friends and an understanding of what can happen when a few people combine their passion with organization and dedication!
I could go on and on... but truly, the best part of The Year in Beauty for me was writing this blog and reading other blogs. I have learned a lot and enjoy all the comments you all leave, so please keep it up. Thanks for reading!
Check out my fellow bloggers' favorites of the year! Among their product lists, you're sure to find some old friends, new discoveries, and new obsessions... happy browsing!
posted by Beauty Chick @ 1:00 AM
26 comments
A Ring-Form Lip Gloss. Cute and wearable on finger. Captures light and makes your lips look shiny. Long lasting effect. Many colors available at Amnazon.com. $13-17.60
