Etsy Favourites 2012 and Wish List for 2013

As 2012 comes to a close, I thought I'd share with you what my favourite products were from Etsy! I've also included some items that I'm thinking of purchasing in 2013.

Vianne Mineral Eyeshadow from BadBitchCosmetics

I bought a few samples from BadBitchCosmetics earlier this year and it's definitely one of my favourite makeup brands from Etsy. The samples come in clamshells (about the size of a quarter) and come with enough eyeshadow for 4-5 applications (probably even more). They are very smooth and have great pigmentation. The lasting power is great, especially when used with a primer.

Shimmer Stick Cream Eyeshadows from Performance Colors

Another favourite brand of mine, Performance Colors has been an up and coming makeup brand on Etsy over the past year. These Shimmer Sticks (formerly known as ColorPots) are one of my favourite cream eyeshadows to use. In some cases, they surpass the quality of higher end cream eyeshadows. There are many colours to choose from and they work great as bases and on their own.

Black Open Crochet Knit Leg Warmers- Boot Socks from DesignerScarvesWorld

I just ordered these leg warmers for my sister for Christmas. They are a perfect addition to any pair of books and come in many designs and colours! These are great to wear in winter or whenever it's cold.

Pale Peach Blush from MadisonStreetBeauty

I'm looking forward to trying out this blush from MadisonStreetBeauty! This store has a lot of mineral makeup products and a huge following on Etsy (over 11,000 admirers!). Stay tuned this January for a giveaway from this shop!

Hotaru Mineral Eyeshadow from BadBitchCosmetics

This is one of many eyeshadows from BadBitchCosmetics that I'm definitely going to purchase in the new year!

Dark Matter Nail Polish from Spectrum Cosmetics

Hand-mixed nail polish has exploded on Etsy and the nail polishes from Spectrum Cosmetics will be the first ones I try. This one in Dark Matter caught my eye. It's black with holographic glitter.

Kanto Starter Pokemon Set Amigurumi from GeekyCuteCrochet

These are the cutest things I have seen on Etsy so far! I used to love Pokemon as a kid (and still do!).  I'll definitely be getting these for my family as birthday presents :)

What's your favourite shop on Etsy? Is there anything you've been meaning or wishing to buy? Leave a link to it in the description! I'd love to see what others are looking at :)

Summer Favourites and Fall Collections

Now that summer is nearly (officially) over, I thought I'd show you what my favourite products were from the summer and what I'm looking forward to this Fall.

Sally Hansen Give 'Em The Eye Eyelash Curler
$7 at WalMart
This was definitely my favourite eyelash curler this summer. It curls your lashes in two places so you only need to apply it to your lashes half as many times as you normally would. All other drug store eyelash curlers cannot compare to this one in my opinion. It makes me eyelashes look longer and definitely gives them a great curl. 

Almay One Coat Get Up & Grow Mascara in Waterproof
~$6 at Meijer
After curling my lashes, I usually applied this mascara. It not only didn't flake throughout the day, but it also held the curl of my eyelashes in place. It's not difficult to remove and doesn't clump your lashes together.

MAC Paint Pot in Indianwood
$20 at MAC Cosmetics
For a month straight, I only used this as my eyeshadow. It set almost instantly and didn't crease at all throughout the day. I wore it to my friend's wedding this past weekend and it stayed perfect all day. The texture is very smooth and the colour is best described as a satin-metallic golden light brown. I prefer it to Rubenesque which is also a great colour but when applied, looks patchy. 

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Hot Chocolate
~$3 at Shoppers Drug Mart
Indianwood and Hot Chocolate were best friends this summer. I used the both of them almost exclusively during August and September. It's smooth and the perfect matte dark brown.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Busy Signal
~$25 at Shoppers Drug Mart
On days that I wanted a darker look, I applied Busy Signal to the outer corner after applying Indianwood. This also sets very well and made for a great eyeliner when I couldn't find Essence's Hot Chocolate.

Organix Teatree Mint Conditioner
~$5 at Target
I'm not sure if I can wait until Spring 2013 when Target comes to Canada! I bought this when I went to the States and it instantly became my favourite conditioner. The smell is so refreshing and will stay in your hair for about an hour after you condition it. It leaves your hair feeling soft and hydrated. The only downside is that it doesn't come with very much so if you end up loving it like I do, you'll be purchasing it often!

As you can see, my summer was pretty simple (which also explains my lack of posts recently), but I'm confident that the release of Fall collections will bring some exciting posts. Here's what I'm looking forward to this Fall!

Photo from Nouveau Cheap
Fall 2012 Maybelline Color Tattoos
I really hope these come to Canada, but I haven't seen any hint of them being in stores yet! The bronze and the gold look similar to the ones in the permanent collection, but the swatches I have seen prove otherwise. I'm more excited about the other two colours but if Canada doesn't get this collection, I won't be too disappointed. These were released in Canada months before they were in the US so I'm hoping they'll have something exciting to release here for the Winter!

The L'Oreal Project Runway 2012 Collection
!!!! This looks amazing! Mostly because of how they photographed the collection, but the colours look great too. I like the right side more than the left side overall, but if I can find this collection in the US, I'll likely pick and choose from each group.

Wet n Wild's Pick Your Poison Nail Collection
This is likely another US-only collection, but I really hope I can find the green and gold colour online. 

Quo Fall 2012 Collection at Shoppers Drug Mart
I think these are already at Shoppers Drug Mart. Normally Quo products (especially sets) are hit and miss so I'll have to swatch these before I consider purchasing and then reviewing them. The colours look like standard Fall colours so it doesn't look like they put much thought into it. 

Annabelle Fall 2012 Collection
This is another Canadian brand found in most Canadian drug stores. Their quality has steadily improved over the years. Most recently they released their version of BB Cream (and other 'BB' products), which I haven't yet tried, but may in the near future. They've decided to release bright colours for fall, along with a bronzer. 

That's all for my Summer Favourites and anticipated Fall Collections! Are there any collections that you're looking forward to? I can't wait until Holiday collections are announced!

June Favourites

Laura Geller Balance N Bronze* $31 from Apothica.com
I intended on purchasing the regular Balance N Brighten in Medium but Aptohica was out of stock and I didn't know when they'd have it again. Instead, I went with this and I've only used the "Balance" side. It's a great powder foundation with light coverage which is great for the summer. The bronzer is a bit too dark for me, which you wouldn't expect from looking at it. I included this in my June Favourites because I've used it every day! It applies very nicely and evens out my skin tone. It's light and doesn't look powdery. 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle $34 at maccosmetics.com
Soft and Gentle is my first Mineralize Skinfinish product. I'd heard so much about it that I thought I would give it a try. I thought it would be more golden, but it's more of a skin tone colour, which makes sense. You can read my review of Soft and Gentle by clicking here.

PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel 5 for $5 from Bath and Body Works
I've been using these for almost two years. Though they're 5 for $5, it's still not a good deal if you just want a lot of hand sanitizer. However, about twice a year, I buy five of these and they last me quite a long time. They come in many scents and after you use them, the scent lingers on your hands for a little while. I don't recommend using them immediately before eating because their scent can mix with your food (which may be an issue for some). However, the scent will diminish significantly once the gel has evaporated. I think these are great to carry around as they are small and compact.

That's it for my favourites! It hasn't really changed much and I didn't think it would make sense to include ones I've already mentioned. If you'd like to check out my April and May favourites, click here and here!

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Summer Etsy Picks!

Check out my Spring Etsy Picks!

Summer Etsy Picks

Etsy is a great place to find handmade products. It's especially great when the vendors are local! This post is to help you discover products available on Etsy and vendors that may live close to you. None of these products were sent for review, but I would definitely consider purchasing them.

Stackable Summer Friendship Bracelets $33.50 from CarnivalLab

Summer Beach Wreath $38 from WreathinkGifting

 

Seahorse Bangle Bracelet $16.95 from FrostedWillow

Rich Brown Gold Eyeshadow $5 from CrushedBotanicals

16 oz Tropical Fruit and Cranberry Sangria Candle $15 from The Splendid Blend

Cream Highlighter in Golden Nude $4 from Chromatic Cosmetics

Summer Book 2012 $16 from MJBloves

Beach Necklace $26 from RevelleRoseJewelry

Summer Wreath $33 from WreathinkGifting

Summer Vacation Hawaiian Coconut Milk Soap Gift Set $20 from Maoli

Beach Sand Mineral Eyeshadow $4.50 from OpaleEssence

Sherlock Holmes Tote $49 from NerdyandHip

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May Favourites

May Favourites

Clean&Clear Morning Glow Moisturizer - $5.50 at Drugstore.com
I've started using this moisturizer because of the SPF 15. I haven't always used sunscreen because I don't burn easily, but that's not a reason to not use it. Though it does have that sunscreen feel to it, it's not thick, so the feeling and smell goes away quickly. It does have some shimmer in it which I suppose is the 'morning glow' aspect to it, but it's not very noticeable. This was the most inexpensive moisturizer with SPF that I could find and I think it's good for the money, but I might try a different one once this runs out, just to see what's out there.

Benefit Erase Paste in Medium - $26 at Sephora
I have this in a small sample size which I got in the Ready...Set...STAY! Set. I didn't get to choose the shade, but luckily it came with one in Medium. The texture of this concealer surprised me. It's very very creamy, but not oily. It's kind of a salmon colour which is good for colour correcting and it blends very well. However, it creases, and this may be because I am using a bit too much. This can be prevented by brushing over some powder on top.

Essence Gel Eyeliner in 01 Midnight in Paris - $3.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart
I've been using this eyeliner in place of my Buxom Lashliner (which I ran out of a while ago). It's doing the job and I like the consistency of this product and its longevity. However, the Buxom Lashliner was great for my lashes and I'll be purchasing it again once this Essence eyeliner is finished. I recommend the Buxom one if you want to grow longer lashes, and this Essence one if you're just looking for a good quality, affordable eyeliner.

NYX Single Eyeshadow in Golden Amber - $4.99 at BeautyJoint.com
This is one of my favourite eyeshadows. It's a warm dark brown with gold shimmer. I like to pair it with gold or champagne colours. It's a great go-to colour!

North American Hemp Co. Hemp Heel Helper Foot Lotion, 4.8-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) $16 at Amazon.com
I found this at a Rexall drug store. The entire line was on clearance so I picked up quite a few items. This is a great moisturizer for not only your feet, but your hands, too! I get very dry hands because I wash my hands often, so this lotion helps to keep my hands moisturized. It doesn't feel greasy and absorbs well into the skin. After a few days, my extremely dry hands were smooth again. I definitely recommend this product!

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - $22.50 at Sephora
I received a small sample size of this from Sephora on my birthday. It also came with a Tinted Lip Treatment in Sugar Rosé. I don't think I ever would have thought about purchasing this if I didn't get it for free. The packaging is very nice. It comes in a sleek lightweight metal tube. It applies nicely and is not sticky. After a while, you will notice your lips are softer and smoother. It smells like lemon meringue pie! This is a very good quality lip balm and if you have very dry lips and need something to keep them moisturized, this may be a good investment for you. 

E.L.F. Cream Eyeshadow in Bronzed - $3.00 at eyeslipsface.com
I have oily eyelids which worsen during the summer. In order to keep my eyeshadow from creasing, I like using both a primer and a cream base. The thicker consistency helps to keep my eyeshadow from creasing or melting. I like this colour because it's a great medium-brown with some shimmer, but not too much. It enhances darker neutral colours and makes them more intense. It comes with a lot of product, but the packaging is enormous. This makes it difficult to store, but you can't beat the price!

Covergirl Lashblast 24hr Mascara - $5.50 at Drugstore.com
This mascara is similar to the original Lashblast in that the packaging and  brush are the same, but the formula is very different. The formula is more 'wet' and it acts like a waterproof mascara. It will hold a curl very well and last as long as you need it to, but it is very difficult to remove. You'll certainly be able to remove most of it, but your lashes will hold onto a thin layer of it. I haven't yet been able to discover a way to remove it completely, but it does flake off by morning.

Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder in Medium Buff - $7.00 at Drugstore.com
There was so much hype about the Fit Me line when it came out last summer. I haven't heard many rave reviews about the line, but it must be doing well enough to still be sold in stores. I saw this line drop in price drastically after it was released and after some marketing, the price went back up. Luckily I got this for $5 at WalMart before it went back up in price. I just wanted to see if this line was any good and I was pleasantly surprised. Although this is the only product I've tried from the line, I'm tempted to try something else. This powder is finely milled and smooth. It creates a great finish and did seem to adjust to my skin tone.

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April Favourites

Pantene Aqua Light Shampoo and Conditioner
This is the best shampoo and conditioner I've used in a long time! I bought each for $3.96 at WalMart (Canada). The shampoo is silicone-free (as it states on the bottle) and both are advertised as "Weightless Nourishment". After using these both, my hair feels flowy and soft and generally better than any shampoo and conditioner have made my hair feel.

Freeman GoodStuff Organics Facial Moisturizer
This is a great moisturizer that I discovered at Zeller's (Canada) for $6.99. It advertises that it has Goji berry and Acai Berry and it will 'soothe skin & fight free radicals'. It also does not contain parabens, synthetic dyes or sulfates and the packaging is eco-friendly. The first thing I noticed was the smell. It is amazing! It smells fruity and fresh. It's lightweight and not oily, but will leave your skin with some shine. Because it is antioxidant-rich, it is good to use after you've been outside in direct sunlight.

Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil
I've been applying a small amount of this to my hair while it it's quite damp. It makes my hair easier to comb through and gives it a bit of softness. I've tried a few other brands which use argan oil in their products, and I am liking the Organix brand the best. The Organix brand uses few ingredients and this product in particular is sulfate  and paraben free. I bought it for $8.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart (Canada). This penetrating oil is not 100% argan oil, but it does contain argan oil. I have yet to try argan oil in its pure form.

Live Clean Professional Damage Therapy Split End Cream
I noticed I had more split ends than usual, so I decided to buy this at WalMart (Canada) for around $8.  The instructions say to leave it in your hair for 5-10 minutes, so I use it in place of my conditioner and leave it in for around 5 minutes. Most of the ingredients are extracts from different plants, which is great! After my first time using this product, most of my split ends had been repaired, and after my third use, almost all of them were repaired. I believe Live Clean is a Canadian brand and their products are made with up to 98% plant ingredients. 

Lush Cosmetics Colour Supplement in Dark Yellow
I've done a review on this product which you can read by clicking here.
I've abandoned all other foundations in favour of this one. It is advertised as a 'multi-purpose base colour' meaning that it can be used as a concealer, tinted moisturizer or a foundation. The colour Dark Yellow seems to suit me best. If you mix it with your moisturizer, it'll give you light coverage, and if you use it straight, it'll give you medium coverage. I use my fingers to apply it and a Beauty Blender to blend it in. I also use it in combination with my next favourite product.

L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer
I bought this at The Real Canadian Superstore during one of their No Tax events (it was around $12). No Tax events are a big deal for Ontarians because our sales taxes are so high! I'd heard great things about this primer and so far it's been living up to all the great things others have said. It really does add some 'glowiness' to the skin. I've heard a few people say they were having trouble using it, so I tried it a few ways. First, I applied it to before foundation and only in spots I wanted to highlight. Then all over my face and under foundation. Then mixed in with my foundation. I think applying it first gives a better look, especially letting it absorb slightly. Mixing it with foundation creates a different sort of consistency that ruins the effect of both. It may not mix well with other foundations, either mixed directly or applied on top, but it'll be different for everyone regardless.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub
I think this was about $5 at WalMart (Canada), perhaps even less. It's oil free and contains salicylic acid and, of course, green tea. The scrub has very fine granules that help to exfoliate the skin. It has a very nice scent, and while it does provide some mild exfoliation, I don't think it really clears breakouts and reduces redness. I've used it for about 4 weeks and I haven't really noticed anything other than nicely exfoliated skin. If anything, I'd assume the exfoliation would create redness because of the irritation. It works well as a scrub, but that's all it has really done for me. The granules also don't completely wash off, so I rinse it off with a face cloth.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
I've had this for a while, but I've been using it a lot. It was around $20 at Sephora and I've had it for 6 months now. It works really well as an eyeshadow primer and though I've tried less expensive versions, I always come back to this one. You only need to use a small amount, and then you'll get 6-8+ hours of crease-free wear, depending on weather and how busy you are. I do prefer this over the Urban Decay Primer Potion because I find this one to have a better consistency, though that's just personal preference. 

Lancaster Sunlight Palette in Sunny
I've done a review of this product which you can view by clicking here.
I like these eyeshadows because they are very smooth and shimmery. However, they are not extremely shimmery, but more of a mix of metallic and satin. Lancaster is a brand that I have seen for sale at one Shoppers Drug Mart location and their products have been on sale for the past few weeks. Originally, this was $35, but it is now $21 (as of the date of this post). These are great colours for summer and will work well with a tan. It can also be used as a bronzer, though I recommend using it sparingly because of the finish and intense pigmentation

Milani Liquif'Eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil
I bought this when I went over to the US. I think it was around $6 at Meijer. I've been using this in place of my Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Onyx which is $20 at Sephora. I switched mainly because of the price. The Milani pencil is not as opaque as the Stila one, and not as glossy, but it's close enough that I decided to switch to the Milani one. It sets well on the lashline, but doesn't last too long on my waterline. It's not as long-wearing as Stila, but will last for at least 6 hours. I've reserved what's left of my Stila Kajal for special occasions.

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