Hoot-worthy finds of 2011!

Given that my small giveaway (click here!) asks your top makeup or skincare product, it's only proper that I show mine! 2011 was quite a year, and personally, it was a year where things finally started to pick up. I'm ending this on a happier note than I have the past two years. I'm excited for and not dreading 2012!

I'm ready for you, 2012!

So before the year ends, here are my best beauty and fashion-related finds for 2011 in no particular order. Consider these as mini-reviews as well!

The Moonleaf 2012 Planner Giveaway

Hi, I'm alive. Just really busy, but I had to put this one up! :)

Are you a planner person? Planners and organizers have been in my life since highschool, when a friend (hi Makee!) gifted me with one. It was one of those planners with cute images and designs on the pages, much like the Korean or Chinese planners we see around stores today. I've never gone without one since.

My planners since college, most recent at the top.

Office-Appropriate Nail Polish

An obsession with pretty nails has plagued me the past month or so. The string of jobhunting activities required a little more put-together look, and a quick rifle through my cabinet revealed only a couple of work-appropriate shades. That is how, in the span of a month, I have managed to amass these:

Ok so the last one is a bit of a cheat in terms of work-appropriateness, but it was still fun to try! Let me explain that after the jump, mm?

A One-Hour Entry

I have exactly an hour between lunch and heading out once again for some errands, so I figured I'd challenge myself to come up with an entry in that time and let y'all know that I'm not dead. :p The past month or so has been challenging, with my mom's hospital trip, recovery period, work and jobhunting coming one after the other. I do update quite often on Twitter, though!

So, one hour. What can I tell you in one hour?

I've been trying to finish up the stuff from my skincare routine, and then some. From left: Pure Beauty Super Brightening toner, Mary Kay Velocity facial cleanser, my HG Neutrogena Ultra Sheer, the top half of my Etude House Happy Teatime cleansing foam, and Asian Secrets lulur scrub. I've reviewed most of these except for the last two, but both are decent in their own right. I'm still trying to scrape out the bottom half of the Etude cleansing foam--I could not believe the amount left after I squeezed it almost flat. Plus I don't think I can let go of that milk tea scent just yet.

I've also been blessed, beauty and fashion-wise, lately. I took these blessings as a sign that I should probably start blogging again, haha.

First, an e.l.f. palette from Lady E's recent giveaway--can't wait to play with it! (Yes, it's upside down. A downside to my one-hour timeframe.) I was able to meet her at the recent SuperSale bazaar which I will write about soon, in the meantime see her entry about it here. I forgot to add the NYX Fig lipstick she gave me then in the picture. Also, my lovely friend The Stepford Witch sent me samples! I've been wanting to try out the Shu Uemura cleansing oils for the longest time and she was sweet enough to send these along with a few others, thank you so much :) You might notice the yellow one is already open, hee. I transferred it to another container so I could make the most out of it. Thank you, dear! :) 

I was a good girl for the most part during the SuperSale bazaar, and I went around the tent three times before deciding to purchase this satchel. Isn't she just gorgeous? I fell in love with her color, and her secrets--she has not one, but two main pockets hiding under that flap. I'm the type of person who carries her house in her bag, and this baby is serving me quite well. We've been inseparable, except for the times when I had to leave her home since I'd be taking a laptop.

I was also a good girl when I met up with Kira in Trinoma, and as luck would have had it, Accessorize was on sale! Normally I would look at the jewelry but then the scarves and shawls caught my eye, and I almost never left the display before purchasing something. I ended up taking home this oriental-themed scarf for only Php 270. It has been my constant companion while jobhunting this week. I usually wear it around my neck, and when it's too humid I tie it around the old rose satchel as a pretty bag accessory.

This is exactly how I look while making this entry. Featuring my new scarf love and MAC Speed Dial lipstick.

 

Last but definitely not the least, a sneak peek from my upcoming off-topic posts--that is, something not wholly related to either beauty or fashion. These Off-Topic posts will be about stuff that I just want to share, and they can be about anything--food, issues, and pretty things. Lots and lots of pretty things.

So, hello. I'm back. :D Your turn to share! Any new hauls? Did you recently hit pan or are about to hit pan on something? Let me know!