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!

Review: The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Foundation Brush

So sorry for the long absence, guys. This was brought to you partly by the shutdown Blogger had a few days ago and partly because I had an incredibly busy week. Will tell you more about the latter in another entry as I have a few things to finish concerning that. ;) For now, I have another a review post for you all.

The weather these days is such a makeup mojo killer. While I still need to do a full face for work, most of the time I just do away with everything and go for powders with less coverage, but at least they don't feel like they're melting on my skin. The sponge that comes with my Skin Food Carrot Pact applies the powder a little too heavily for my liking, so these days I prefer using brushes. Thankfully I already found my brush best friend (BBF? :p) a couple of years ago:

Photo credit: The Body Shop Philippines

Description: A high-density foundation brush, designed to ensure just the right amount of The Body Shop® Nature's Minerals™ Foundation SPF 25 is captured between the bristles, providing a smooth, even application.

Price: Php1095, available in The Body Shop stores.

Review: The Body Shop Flawless Skin Protecting Concealer

When I started to get more into makeup, I first had a Body Shop phase. I would save up my allowance so I could spend the minimum of getting my voucher stamped every time I bought something. It didn't hurt that their makeup is of very good quality and that their choices were not as dizzying as their skincare ones :p I still count myself lucky, though, that all the makeup I've ever gotten from them has worked wonderfully for me. I first shared the All-in-One Face Base with you girls (click here for the review), and next up is their Flawless Skin Protecting Concealer.

Photo credit: The Body Shop UK

Description: A stylish cream-to-powder concealer enriched with baobab oil, naturally rich in vitamins and moisturising agents to care for your skin and zinc oxide to help combat impurities. The product features a sophisticated delivery system with clear active essence suspended in a special core structure.

Price & Amount: P695 for 2.3g. The Body Shop has regular sales, though!

Packaging: Shiny silver plastic stick with the TBS logo on top and a sticker with the shade number and color at the bottom. The case is very fingerprint- and scratch-prone, but it clicks closed pretty well. I've never had problems with this accidentally opening in my bag.

Review: This concealer is available in four shades and I have it in shade 01, which is very yellow-based.   The concealer comes in stick form and is moulded around the "clear active essence", which I suppose is the medley of moisturizing ingredients meant to help your skin. The core reminds me a bit of a glue gun stick, haha :) There is a bit of a crayon/wax-like smell, but isn't very strong and is hardly noticeable once applied.

Concealer swatch (L) and how it looks when blended (R). Click to enlarge!

The concealer is creamy and easy to use, though it tends to dry up if I've left it in an airconditioned room or when the weather is cool. For times like these I roll the stick between my palms several times to warm it up. Coverage is light to medium. Putting more layers or a thick layer all at once might look a little too patchy, so gentle patting/blending is a must. To apply, I first make a thick layer at the back of my hand (this warms it up as well) and use my finger to pick up some of the product. This allows me to control the amount used. When I'm in a hurry and the concealer doesn't look too dry I dab it straight on and pat it in. I find this a little too drying for the undereye area, but it does a decent job of covering blemishes and redness.

Writing this entry made me remember why I like this concealer so much. :) The combination of this plus the Face Base gave me a flawless, matte look that held up well throughout the day. I recommend this, but I also recommend moisturizing very well before applying the concealer. This will allow a smoother, more even base for it, and hopefully that will help you avoid the patches. You will only need a little at a time as well, so the price is pretty fair.

Review: The Body Shop All-In-One Face Base

Photo credit: The Body Shop Philippines

Description: This combined foundation and powder gives a velvety, matte base. Use this product dry for a light matte finish or wet for higher coverage. Includes sponge and detachable mirror. Dermatologically tested.

Amount & Price: 1,295 pesos for 9 g / 0.3 oz. TBS regularly has sales though, sometimes they give 40% off on this product. Or you can go for the "buy 1 at regular price, get 50% off on your next" promo which is still good value depending on what you buy.

Packaging: Plastic case in silver (lid) and TBS' signature green color (everything else). The silver lid is scratch & fingerprint heaven and isn't as easy to wipe off as a glass surface, I think. When you open the case the first thing you see is the sponge compartment, and right underneath it is a decently-sized mirror. The "detachable" part in the mirror description means that you can flip the mirror up, not completely remove it as I thought when I read it, haha. The product is found in the bottom compartment. The case overall is a bit bulky but it's still a nice size for my small hands. Ingredients may be found by peeling off a sticker underneath the compact.

Review:

I remember buying this on my birthday, when it came in a gift pack of sorts with a blush. Coverage is medium when applied dry, which I found to be enough for me. I never tried it wet, because I would usually try to use up my BB cream and top it with this when I wanted fuller coverage. I don't need much oil control but this provided for that as well; I only had to blot once during a workday. The velvety matte finish is something I particularly liked, and I never realized how much I liked this product until I started using other powders. Now I'm anxiously waiting for another 40%-off promo so I can stock up! Used everyday, this powder will probably last you anywhere between 6-9 months. There are 6 shades to choose from but they all lean on the fair-medium side, so morenas might have to look for another alternative. I have this in shade 05 and I was matched as NC20-25 (!! will have to reaffirm this) on my only visit so far to a MAC counter. Speaking of MAC, I think this Face Base is TBS' answer to MAC's Studio Fix Powder Plus foundation, which I've personally never tried. If you've tried that, this just might work for you too, and it's a bit cheaper as well. I will definitely repurchase as I really like this, and I'm glad there's a powder foundation I can come back to if my other purchases don't work out.