Meg O.'s Best in Beauty 2012 - Eyes & Lips

For the last installation of my Best in Beauty, I'm going to focus on products I've loved for eyes and lips. I was thinking of doing a skin care and hair care one as well, but I don't think it would be as interesting of a read. My skin and hair care is pretty simple and I typically don't go through tons of products like I do with makeup.

Anyway, let's get this party started!

EYES & LIPS

MAC PAINT POT IN PAINTERLY

I have tried many an eye primer, and there are some amazing ones out there. I also really love Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Urban Decay Primer Potion. But, the MAC Paint Pot in Painterly does something that the others do not - really neutralizes the color of the eyelid area (I don't know about you, but my eyelids can be a little darker than the rest of my eye area) and brightens it up. Not only does it do that, but it is a fantastic eyeshadow primer. Some days when I don't wear eyeshadow, I'll just dab this on my eyelids to neutralize and brighten. MAC Paint Pots are made for multiple uses, but I love it the best for my eye primer.

L'OREAL VOLUMINOUS FALSE FIBER LASHES (WATERPROOF)

To say I am a mascara junkie would be putting it lightly. I am always buying and trying new ones in search of my "holy grail." I've tried high end and low end -- and, in my experience, I have found the best luck at the drugstore, so I have stopped looking at high end brands. I have absolutely fallen in love with this mascara this year, and I have since repurchased it multiple times! That is monumental for me since I tend to move on to something else rather quickly. I prefer waterproof (I use extra virgin olive oil as makeup remover and it gets it off easily), but they also have a non-waterproof formula. This mascara is seriously the bomb. I really can get false looking eyelashes that are so feathery and full.

ELF CREAM LINER

I thought about doing a favorite liner for each type of eyeliner (gel, pencil, liquid, liquid pen, etc.), but that is just too much work. This is my favorite of them all. It is identical to my beloved MAC Fluidline but for only $3. I use my own liner brush with it (the one that comes with it sucks, quite frankly) and it stays put all day. So smooth and easy to apply, and I don't have to worry about it smudging ever.

URBAN DECAY NAKED 2 PALETTE

This was a tough one -- to pick one eyeshadow palette is a hard decision for me! I use multiple palettes, even daily, because I am a huge lover of eyeshadow. When it came down to it, I thought about which one I have consistently used and loved this year, and it has definitely been my Naked 2 Palette. I think why I like this one so much is that it has the gold tones in there (Half Baked), but I have loved using the gunmetal colors and I really appreciate the matte black shadow. The Naked 1 is definitely worth getting, too. I have hit pan on a few shadows in this one (Suspect & Pistol), and I consistently use almost every single shade. That's why this wins.

WET 'N WILD COLOR ICON PALETTES // WET 'N WILD COLOR ICON TRIOS

Okay, can I cheat here? This is going to go into the category of "eyeshadow in general as a whole"! I have gotten a bunch of these Wet 'n Wild palettes and they are absolutely fantastic. The quality and pigmentation of the shadows are amazing! $4.99 for the 8 color palette and $2.99 for the three color palette makes it an even sweeter deal. I seriously have been so so so impressed with these this year. My only complaint about these are the packaging - it isn't very travel-friendly and the shadows can crumble if they bounce around too much in your makeup bag. But I'm willing to forgive that for the price, quality and absolutely amazing color selection. Go get you some NOW!!!

L'OREAL COLOUR RICHE CARESSE STICK - ROSE TAFFETA

I'm not a big lipstick user, although I do have quite a few. These L'Oreal lipsticks are so buttery, glide on smoothly, and have amazing colors. My favorite shade is Rose Taffeta. I like that it almost feels like a lip butter, but it has more pigmentation. Overall, a superb lipstick and my favorite of this year.

STILA LIP GLAZE

I have this in so many different colors -- it just is awesome! My favorite color is Kitten, however. I think the gloss goes on smooth, and I love the color selection. They are pretty expensive if you buy them individually, but you can always find the sets of them on sale. Grab them that way.

MAYBELLINE BABY LIPS

I just love love love these! Every color is beautiful, and I like the one with SPF for days I know I'll be out in the sun. They are extremely moisturizing and make my lips super soft! Not to mention, they're super cheap. Holla!

AQUAPHOR LIP REPAIR

I keep this baby in my night stand and apply it every night before bed. It is very basic with no fragrances or extra ingredients. It really provides the nourishment my lips need (my lips are always chapped it seems). It's not sticky. It feels great. My lips look great in the morning. Bam.

So there you have it! All of my beauty favorites of 2012! If you need to go back and check out my favorite face products, you can do so by clicking here.

Meg O.'s Best in Beauty 2012 - Face

I decided that I would dedicate this week to all of the amazing beauty stuff I have discovered and loved using this year! You probably have heard me talk about many of these products before, but the thing is, I have chosen one product per category (with one exception). If I have loved it since before 2012, then that's okay. If I use it and love it and consider it a "holy grail" item, it's going to be on this list. It'll be on this list until something else de-thrones it! I figure it's a waste of time and effort trying to go through and say "Which products have I loved since the beginning of this year?" Rather, I'm just going to list my ultimate favorites. So, let's see if this list changes any next year, shall we?

First up, all of the face products!

FACE

URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN

I am a bit of a foundation junkie. I am always trying new ones. I've tried tons of BB Creams this year, and suffice to say, I just don't think they're much to be glorified. They're pretty much tinted moisturizer. While that is all lovely and good, I like coverage and lasting power in my foundation. The Naked Skin has seriously blown me away. I need one pump (or less) to cover my entire face and then if I am having a breakout, I will use a tiny bit of concealer over. And that's it. What I also love is that I've tried all sorts of ways to apply it but the best way I've found is just with my fingers! This stuff is so incredibly easy and fail-proof to use, even the most beginners will have success! I just love love love this stuff.

MAC STUDIO FINISH CONCEALER // BOBBI BROWN CORRECTOR

Let me explain why two win this category. The MAC concealer is for around the face, while the Bobbi Brown Corrector is strictly for underneath eyes. I find that the MAC Studio Finish pretty much can cover anything without it looking cakey. I have yet to find a concealer that even comes close. And as far as the Bobbi Brown Corrector goes? Seriously there is nothing else like it out there. It's perfect for undereye circles. It's no joke. Just make sure you get the proper color, otherwise it won't do anything for you. I recommend heading to the Bobbi Brown counter and have them color match you instead of trying to buy it online and guessing your color. 

SEPHORA COLLECTION BRONZER IN LOS CABOS

This bronzer has popped up a few times on my blog and it is still my reigning champion of bronzer. See, I've told y'all time and time again I like a matte bronzer, and this really does fit the bill for exactly what I want. My runner up in this category is the NYC Bronzer in Sunny. It's $2.99 so I had to throw that out there if you wanted a super cheap option. And Sephora always discontinues their store brand products, so that will be my go-to if it happens.

BOBBI BROWN BLUSH IN PEONY

I have loved this blush for a long time. And guess what? This blush has lasted that long. I have no idea if this is a bad thing that I have been using it for so long, but it is seriously the most perfect blush on me. Ever. I know I could go out and buy a dupe of this hot pink blush, but I haven't. I just love this one so much.

BENEFIT WATT'S UP

This highlighter has quickly been in my rotation ever since I got it! I love High Beam, too, but I feel like I have been using this one a lot more. It's a great shade and it provides just the right amount of highlight to the areas I want to highlight!

E.L.F. HIGH DEFINITION POWDER

I have previously talked about how I am not that big of an E.LF. fan. I have found it is sooooo hit or miss. I either love it or hate it. This, my friends, is one I just love!! I find it to be very similar to the Make Up For Ever powder. Check out my post here reviewing the two.

So there you have it!

UP NEXT: EYES

"Silent Night" - Sung by Meg & Shelley!

A very Merry Christmas to you all!

Today, as a celebration of Christmas, Shelley and I bring you a duet! I won't take credit for this idea, as Shelley told me we should do a duet! So, how amazing is it that we can sing with each other while being thousands of miles away? Today, Texas and California come together in harmony, quite literally!

So, give us a boost in confidence and tell us how much you love us! I know I'm no professional at sound and video editing (or lighting in my own house -- I had to film at night in one of the guest rooms, otherwise a babbling baby would make an appearance), but it was fun to put together. And be sure to go follow Shelley's blog. She's one of my bloggy BFFs.

I hope that you all have a very blessed and beautiful Christmas with those that you love the most.

Source: freshlycompleted.blogspot.com via Meg on Pinterest

p.s. Lindsay, you're up next.

Brunch with Amber Boutique Giveaway

I am so excited about this giveaway! One of my blogging besties, Amber, offered to give away something special for you guys! She is such a doll, isn't she?

Amber just launched this gorgeous boutique called "Brunch with Amber" (just like the name of her blog). According to her website:

"At Brunch with Amber, you'll find stylish new accessories from emerging designers and trendy house brands. All items are hand-picked by me, and all at up to 60% off."

So, today, Amber is giving away a beautiful necklace! The Shae Black Neclace, to be exact. Why hello there, pretty!

ENTER BELOW USING THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Surprise! A celebratory Sephora giveaway!

There are so many lovely things to celebrate around here!

For one, I recently reached 1,000 followers! Thank you to everyone who has been reading. I remember being super excited three years ago when 20 people read my blog, so you can imagine how excited I was when I hit 1,000. Also, of course, Kennedy just turned one. That calls for a celebration in itself, that I was able to take care of a baby for a year! Go me! And go miss Kennedy for being the best baby ever! Finally, it's Christmas! I love giving, first of all, but it means so much in the Christmas season. 

So, since I want to give back to you - I've got one $25 Sephora eGift Card up for grabs! And, as a bonus, I'll give you three months of ad space for free!

Need some help deciding on what to get? Here are a few suggestions from yours truly. These are all staples in my makeup collection!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Silence.

One Year

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KENNEDY MICHELE!

Dear Kennedy,

One year ago at exactly 7:27 a.m. (which also happens to be the publish time of this post), you made your grand entrance into the world weighing 7 pounds and 15 ounces. After a very long labor and delivery, you arrived with that cute cry and healthy as can be. It's incredible how fast this year has flown by. We have done a lot together, and we have had a memorable year with you.

You have changed our lives for the better. Watching you grow this past year has been an amazing experience. Your Daddy and I love you so, so very much. Your life is so precious, and you remind me every day of that. You are the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen. Ever since you were diagnosed with your coloboma, I knew you would be different, but in an amazingly good way. We are thankful your vision is 100% normal, and everything you do has been developmentally on target.

Kennedy, you have been such an easy baby from the start. You have slept well (albeit with a few rough patches), you have successfully breastfed, and you have transitioned well when I had to go back to work, and then this fall when you started in your mother's day out program. You have even flown four roundtrip flights around America with zero problems!

It's awesome to see what a great little person you are growing to be. You have the sweetest personality. You have a hilarious sense of humor. You have a pretty good vocabulary (dada, mama, Dexter, uh oh, hey, ow, book, thank you). You even have a sense of musical rhythm (only a musician would notice this, right?).  You love trying new foods. You love a routine. You have even taken your first steps, granted you have only made it three steps so far.

As you're learning to take those steps, I will admit, sometimes I don't want you to grow and I wish you could stay a small baby forever - never having to worry about growing up in this cruel world and so I could protect you all of the time. But other times I feel so proud of you and I just know that you will be able to succeed in life. I will always be here to protect you, no matter what, and I can't wait to see where your journeys in life will take you.

Kennedy, being your mommy brings life new meaning. Thank you for making this year so incredibly special. Thank you for blessing my life so richly. 

And thank you, God, for my absolutely beautiful baby Kennedy.

Love,

Mommy

Silence and Support for Sandy Hook

To the Blog World and Anyone Else who Wants to Help,

Yesterday, tragedy struck so many of us in ways we did not foresee. An elementary school and small town in Connecticut was shattered by a mass shooting. We knew we wanted to help. As a side note, I would like to take this time to thank Neely and Michelle for helping organize and be so quick to come together and think of something that we could do as a blogging community. After some planning, we came up with this:


<img src="https://sites.google.com/site/megoblogdesign/files/sandyhooksupport.png" />
On Tuesday, December 18th, there will be a blogger day of silence. We will post the button and that's it. Please try to not post anything else that day if possible.

 We are also raising money that will go to an organization in the memory of this tragedy. The organization is called The Newtown Family Youth and Family Services. Here is the official description of the support service we are donating to:

"Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc. is a licensed, non-profit, mental health clinic and youth services bureau dedicated to helping children and families achieve their highest potential. NYFS provides programs, services, activities, counseling, support groups and education throughout the Greater Newtown area.

ANY DONATIONS MADE TO NEWTOWN YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE DONATED DIRECTLY TO THOSE EFFECTED BY THE SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING."

Please visit THIS PAGE to make your donation.

 We can't imagine how they must be feeling, especially this close to the holidays. We would love for you to spread the word on your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Let's make a difference and use blogging in a positive way. Thank you in advance for participating.

 Love,
The Blog World

p.s. Please share this post with your followers! If you leave me a comment on this post asking for the HTML to post on your own blog, I will be happy to reply via email and send it to you.

Miss Kennedy's First Birthday Party!

Now that I've had some time to go through the pictures and edit them, I am so excited to share some photos from Miss Kennedy's first birthday party! Are you so excited to see?!

 Her actual birthday is on December 17 (so be prepared for more birthday gushiness and photos then), but we ended up having her birthday party on the 8th in order to work around other parties and the holiday season.

Let me just say before I dump all these photos on you - we had an amazing time and we are so thankful for such amazing friends and family who came from all over (my inlaws and Greg's grandmother drove 4 hours just to be there for the afternoon!) to celebrate with Kennedy! We love you all!

So, let's talk about all the decorations. I ordered a few things online (the balloons, favor bags, instagram prints and popcorn boxes) but a lot I made myself (the Minnie heads, the banners and the instagram garland). I think it had a personal touch without it feeling overly decorated and "OMGMINNIEMOUSE." I took my inspiration

This is our dining room and what you saw right when you walked in We kept the food and cake in there and the drinks in the kitchen. Thank goodness this color scheme worked well with our Christmas decorations! 

Aren't the way the plates laid out just awesome? Ha! Instead of confetti, I used some of the mini instagram prints of Kennedy. We'll talk more about that in a second. And I made the banner in Photoshop. I sorta copied something I found online because I knew I could make it myself! I printed it on cardstock, punched holes in it, and strung it up using red and white striped baker's twine.

Here are some of the details I did. I made all those Minnie heads by printing them out onto regular white cardstock. I then cut them out, but they didn't look that great because there were some white edges. So I colored over them using a big black sharpie, and I colored the back of them as well. I then hot glued ribbons on. I put some of the Minnie heads on skewers via hot glue and then some went on my garland. I ordered those paper straws and favor bags online. I got the stickers at Party City and drew the labels myself. The favors were snickerdoodle cookies!

Probably my favorite and our guests' favorite detail was the homemade "Instagram Garland." I used this website, Prinstagram to get 2 inch square prints of all the pictures I've uploaded of Kennedy since her birth. There were tons, and you know that if you follow me on Instagram. I strung up the baker's twine all over the house, securing the ends with little clear 3M hooks and hung up all the pictures and some of the Minnie heads using mini clothespins (found at Hobby Lobby). I had tons left over, so I used them as confetti, as previously mentioned. I plan on making a scrapbook with all of the prints and decorations almost as a 1 year baby book, so that these decorations have multiple uses!

Can we talk about how amazing these cakes turned out (particularly the big one)! Some even joked it was elaborate as their own wedding cakes! It was pretty awesome. Jenny's Bakery did an amazing job of bringing some pinterest inspiration to life! We ordered a cake for 30 but the bottom layer ended up being enough for everyone! So we are saving the top layer for her actual birthday on Monday. And how precious is that smash cake?! Let's see how Kennedy enjoyed it...

(Aren't you impressed I learned how to make an animated .gif?)

Unfortunately, I don't have many other pictures of the "goings on" during the birthday party. I was running around non stop! I'm sure all of the guests took pictures for me. One thing I wish I had was a photographer (or someone designated to take pictures), that's for sure. We did get some amazing portraits afterward outside (thank you to my sister!) for our Christmas card (you'll see that soon). 

One thing I do have is my Kennedy kissing another Kennedy (among a crazy mess of presents).

Okay, maybe it was more like wanting to bite faces.

All in all... it was a great time!

Mary Kay, Oh My! (Plus Sweepstakes!)

When I used to think of Mary Kay, I have to admit I conjured up ideas of pushy ladies wanting to host makeup parties and give free facials. Admittedly, I didn't have the best image in my head. I wasn't really familiar with much of their products, although I haven't ever heard anything bad about them. Let me just say - I totally have had the wrong picture in my mind!

I had since used a few more products since then, some of which I won in a blog giveaway. The mascara I used was fine enough but I didn't repurchase since I just buy most of my mascaras at the drugstore. I just didn't know enough about the brand to really form an opinion, and I have to admit, I should have given it more of a chance.

When BlogHer and Mary Kay sent me a loot of Mary Kay products to review, it seriously felt like Christmas! I couldn't believe I actually got selected to review such an extensive line of products, and I was so excited to give this brand another chance. Here's what I got:

Three lip glosses, a microdermabrasion set, a compact with six eyeshadows and one blush, three mascaras, and one lash primer.

Now that I've had about two months to use and get familiar with these products, I am happy to report that I have really enjoyed using them! Let's talk in detail.

THE SKINCARE: TIMEWISE MICRODERMABRASION SET

The two products in this set include the Refine and the Replenish. The Refine is the exfoliator, and I find it to be very exfoliating and one of the best I've tried. It does an amazing job and instantly smooths my skin. The Replenish is meant to be used afterward. It has a serum-like consistency and I noticed that in the morning, my face definitely looked brighter. Love this stuff!

THE EYES AND CHEEKS:

I received six eyeshadows and one blush. They are all able to be removed from the compact (they are magnetized on the back). I don't ever throw blush or eyeshadow in my purse, so I don't find it more convenient for "on the go", but could be convenient for traveling. The eyeshadows are Midnight Star, Sweet Plum, Black Pearl, Golden Vanilla, Lavender Fog, and Truffle. The coral blush is Shy and reminds me a lot of Nars Orgasm.

Here they are all swatched on my hand. I love the pigment in the shadows. The only one that probably isn't suited well for my skin tone is the Golden Vanilla. I have created some great eye looks with these. The blush doesn't have a lot of sparkle, but a great shimmer. It is quite beautiful.

THE LIPS: NOURISHINE PLUS LIP GLOSS

The lip glosses I received were such fun colors! Definitely something I probably wouldn't have picked for myself, but I'm glad I received these colors. I got Rock 'n Red (classic red), Cafe au Lait (neutral nude), and Mango Tango (orange red). The Nourishine Lip Gloss is extremely moisturizing while also being long-lasting. I have no idea how they do it.

As you can see, they are very pigmented! Those red colors have really given me a confidence to wear a red lip without much fuss. So easy to apply to get a polished, classic look. Love love love these!

THE LASHES

I received three mascaras and a lash primer. The mascaras are the Ultimate, Lash Love, and Lash Love Waterproof. I generally only use waterproof mascaras because I like their staying power, but I have really really enjoyed every single one of these mascaras. The Ultimate mascara has a classic bristly brush which coats perfectly, and the Lash Love mascaras have one of the rubbery type brushes. I find that I like the Lash Love a little more, and the waterproof one my absolute fave. Let's talk about the lash primer. Oh dear. Why have I not used a lash primer before? I'm telling you - the curl in my lashes lasted MUCH longer than without primer. This is monumental.

BOTTOM LINE:

I have really had a fantastic time trying these products out and have gained such an amazing respect for the Mary Kay brand. I feel like each of these products are very thought out for things that women look for in cosmetics. They are beautifully pigmented, high performing, and have sleek packaging. I will probably repurchase a few of the items and I definitely recommend every product in this post without reservation!

The great news is that you can win a Mary Kay gift basket to try out some of these great products for yourself. Just tell me the greatest beauty tip you've learned for an opportunity to win!

Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 19 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 12/5/12-12/31/12.
Be sure to visit the Mary Kay page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

I was provided with Mary Kay products to use and review, and was compensated for this post, however all opinions are my own.

November Beauty Favorites

Say what? It's December?! I need to get a move on with everything going on! From planning Kennedy's birthday party (it's this Saturday!) to Christmas shopping, it will indeed be a busy month. There have been a lot of new things that I have tried and loved (mostly drugstore items, at that!) and I'm very excited to share them with you!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

1. L'OREAL COLOUR RICHE CARESSE STICK IN ROSE TAFETTA
I picked this up this past month and I have just loved using it! It provides great pigmentation, while also going on smooth. I love the rose color, which I think is a great neutral. I am a sucker for neutral and pink lipsticks. L'Oreal is really hitting it out of the park with their lip products lately!

2. WET 'N WILD COLOR ICON EYESHADOW PALETTES IN 'SILENT TREATMENT', 'SWEET AS CANDY', AND 'KNOCK ON WOOD'
I am pretty much obsessed with any Wet 'n Wild eyeshadow. I picked these three up, and they seriously are amazing. The pigmentation is beautiful, they go on super creamy, and the best part is they're only $2.99! I am serious when I say they are just as good as any Mac or Urban Decay shadow I've owned (and no insane glitter fallout like UD is notorious for). The only complaint I have with these shadows is that they don't travel well. I'm not sure if it's the packaging or how the shadows just crumble easily. But that is forgivable for such a cheap price! Out of these three, I think my favorite one is the 'Knock on Wood'. I think those colors are so unique and beautiful! If you haven't picked up some Wet 'n Wild eyeshadow, get yourself to the nearest drugstore immediately and grab you some. The eight shadow palettes are only $4.99! You can see my review of the Comfort Zone palette here.

3. YBF BEAUTY UNIVERSAL EYEBROW PENCIL
If you know me, you know that filling my brows in is an essential step of my makeup routine. I used my Birchbox points to purchase this eyebrow pencil. I was out of my beloved Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil (I had it for over a year and sharpened it down completely!), and I was afraid nothing would come close. Luckily, this pencil is pretty amazing. I don't think it's going to last as long as it is an automatic pencil, but the universal taupe color is really perfect! I was worried about that it would be too light, but it really is a great match. The only thing is YBF products are not widely available. I believe you can get them at Ulta, but I can't find this product online on their website.

4. ELF EYELASH CURLER
For a dollar, this isn't much of an investment, but by golly, this is a great eyelash curler. I think my Sephora brand one is the overall better eyelash curler, but it is $16. I think this ELF one is a fantastic competitor.

5. COVER GIRL LASH BLAST VOLUME MASCARA
I have no idea why it's taken me this long to jump on the orange Cover Girl Lash Blast train. But it's a fabulous train to ride. I love the wand, and I love the volume and 'feathery-ness' that this mascara creates. I prefer a fiber-y dry mascara, and this completely fits the bill. Not my holy grail, but among my favorites.

6. JULEP NAIL POLISH IN KEIRA
I received this polish in one of my Julep Maven boxes and all I want to do is wear this polish. The color is so on trend, and it is seriously beautiful on me! I never thought dark colors looked good on me, but this polish proved me wrong. Not to mention, Julep is a fabulous brand with superior quality polishes.

What beauty products have you been using and loving lately? Leave a comment so I can add it to my wish list!