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
26 Comments:
I am with you on L'Artisan and Perfume the movie! Happy New Year!
My lemmings from your list are:
Ole Henriksen's African Red Tea face Mist, Freeze's Ice Shield and Mizani Spradiance High Gloss Serum.
This was a fab list. Many Many Many lemmings will be inspired!
Wonderful list - I agree with lots of them - especially the oil removing oil concept. I hope you have a wonderful New Year!
Very informative - especially the wash on sunscreen. I would like to try it. Sunscreens often make me break out or have some kind of problem, so I end up avoiding them. But this must be very sheer...
I loved reading your list and will be checking out Besame - too many bloggers love it to pass it up.
Could you please correct my blog address? The Life of a Ladybug can be found at http://lifeofaladybug.typepad.com.
Thanks!
I am a cleansing oil fanatic. I'm going to have to try that Shu one (I use the DHC). Love the Besame packaging!
I'm with you on L'Artisan. Such a wonderful, inspired line.
My beauty resolution for next year is to find a really good serum and start using it regularly.
Happy New Year!
I love face mists, I can't wait to try the red tea! I'll be checking out a few others on your list too.
Thanks! Happy New Year! - Victoria
Great list!
I want to try the Obagi C Serum - I have read about it's wonders.
Happy New Year!
Ok I have got to try that freeze sunscreen. That is amazing. And that YSL foundation with brush is GENIUS! xoxo
Love, love, love the Shu cleansing oil! I'm trying to figure out which Vitamin C product I'd like to try -- and you've just helped me narrow my list down. Thanks!
I've never even heard of Mizani! Will have to investigate this one - I HAVE to use some sort of silicone serum of one type or another in my hair, and this sounds promising.
I'm with you on the L'Artisan... there's some really exceptional stuff to be found in that line :)
It's so funny: I mentioned in my list today the Leslie Kenton dictum 'Only grease removes grease'.
Wonderful list and blog! I will be back. :-)
Happy New Year!
The Freeze 24/7 Ice Shield sounds amazing and what a great concept. You have so many wonderful things on your post.
Great list! I do have a question though...does the YSL foundation require additional use of a sponge/ brush for blending? And how lightweight is the coverage? :) Just curious since I'm looking into foundations...for those days when I need a bit more coverage.
Lovely list! I must try the Besame line!
You are a girl after my heart! I found I was chorusing, "yes!" after reading many an item on your list! LOL.
L'Artisan is my favorite perfume house, I cannot go a day w/out using a serum on my face, I swear by cleansing oils, AAANDDD I have been searching for the perfect vanity table for the past 8 years! (One day...!)
Now I can't wait to try the other goodies on your list! =)
happy new year!
Perfume hasn't come out yet here in Boston, but I went to an advanced screenings. One word - ridic! Happy New year!
Great list! I must try Nars the multiple.
My full review of the B&B hair powder with tips on how to use it can be found here - http://whereisgoodservice.blogspot.com/2006/10/bumble-and-bumble-hair-powder.html#links
I hope that helps.
Happy New Year!
Hey Mary - those are great tips! Thanks so much.
Great list! I love touche eclat and can't wait to try YSL's Perfect Touch Foundation!
love the nars multiple ...must try freeze's ice shield!
Great List!! I'll have to try the Freeze product.. sounds great, I've never heard of being able to wash on your sunscreen!! Genius!! :)
Wow! Thanks for your kind words about Sniffapalooza! We feel honored to be mentioned on your "Favorites" list. We truly enjoyed having you (and Mom!) join us, and look forward to seeing you both on our future fragrance adventures!!
RE Cleansing Oil - try DHC Skincare line. Their cleansing oil is fabulous. I was skeptical too but it removes every bit of makeup (including eye) and leaves skin silky soft and actually feeling clean! Their other products are great too.
It appears Aqib Talib pulled a Plaxico Burress.
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