Best of 2011: Wild Card

Last, but by no means least I have my final 'best of 2011'.... the wild card. By wildcard I don't mean I'm going to award it to something totally random like false nipples or a merkin or something. It basically just leaves this open for me to choose - and it's actually a really easy choice.

My best of 'wild card' for 2011 is Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh perfume. From first sniff I absolutely adored it, I have made my way through half of a large bottle and stocked up on the roller ball purse version from America. It is my new number one fragrance (well, joint number one with Chanel Chance the fresh version) and I can't get enough of it.

Without a doubt, this is probably my overall 'Best of 2011' product, from all the things I tried - this is the one I will buy over and over and over (and over).

Best of 2011: Nail Colour

This is another one that I feel like it's a bit of a cheat as I haven't blogged it yet, but it's a nail colour that was love at first sight (and first sight was in 2011, so it counts).

Pink Sparkle!

The colour I am talking about is 'Bling' from the new Look Beauty range. The Look range over all is something I feel really excited about, I love the core collection and look forward to seeing what they release in terms of seasonal trends, but back to the nail colour. Bling is a beauty, it's a muted pink glitter that is just beautiful. I don't know how to describe this, but it's the colour that made a girl who is certainly not a pink glitter fan absolutely love pink glitter.

I have worn this once but failed to take a nail of the day picture for it (I wore it as a statement nail with a creamy muted nude/pink colour on the other nails FYI) but I will do very soon. Until then, please take my word for it  - this is a gorgeous, gorgeous colour and even pink-glitter haters (I was included in that camp) will fall for it.


This was a PR sample. I will feature 'on nail' in a NOTD very soon.

Best of 2011: Beauty Basic

My top beauty basic of 2011 is a face scrub from Soap and Glory, a brand I am a huge fan of.

The scrub is called ' Scrub Your Nose in It' and is absolutely lovely. It has a mentholly freshness to it and can be used as a scrub or applied a bit thicker and left on as a mask - it's not one I have blogged about here for some reason (you know when something almost becomes such a staple that you forget to blog about it as it doesn't feel like a discovery you want to rave about, just something you always use?) but I did talk about it in my skincare diary over on Skinnipeach.com

Actually re-reading that post reminds me that another beauty basic well worth a mention is the No7 eye make-up remover that I go back to time and time again (I have a stack of £5 vouchers from my cheeky sale shopping that I will be using to stock up on this...)...

But anyway, beauty basic of 2011 for me has to be Scrub Your Nose in it from Soap and Glory. With an honourable mention going to No7 Eye Make Up Remover....

Best of 2011: Foundation

Erm, this is a bit of a fail I'm afraid as of all the foundations I've tried in 2011 - none of them have really blown me away to call them the 'Best of' - I think Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua has to be up there, but even that I haven't gotten around to reviewing, so can't have been that impressed since I bought it in the summer.

So instead of foundation I decided I wanted to give it to another face product so I chose Nars Multiple in 'G Spot' from the Christmas collection. This multiple is gorgeous, especially on winter skin - it's a deep red with a golden shimmer running through it and since I reviewed it back in October it has been a number one blusher choice for me (and occasionally for a bit of lip colour too) it creates a gorgeous healthy flush, with a bit of a glow thanks to the gold shimmer. Because it's creamy it helps keep winter skin looking a bit healthier and I absolutely adore it.

The big pinky/red swatch in the middle is Nars G Spot - gorgeous!

It's one that when a friend was over and we were obsessively cooing over make-up she swatched it and fell for it immediately. Writing down the name to order as soon as she got home. It's that good.

Despite the colour looking a bit scary, it really isn't - it would suit a whole range of skin tones as it blends easily but can be built up for stronger colour if wanted.

So no winners for me in terms of foundation this year (boo) but love this Nars multiple instead.

Best of 2011: Eye Product

My favourite eye product of the year is one that I go back to almost daily for a quick and easy make-up look, the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Cream Shadow in 'Cafe Au Lait'.

Cafe Au Lait is on the bottom left....

This browny/bronze shade is a dream to apply (it hasn't dried out like my MAC Paint Pots have) really lasts and is a gorgeous colour. I also really like the Gold Dust shade and Ivory Lace as an eye shadow base but Cafe Au Lait is without a doubt my favourite.

To read more and see swatches check out my original review here.

Best of 2011: Beauty Gadget

This was a tough one, last year was easy as it was the year I fell in love with power plates (I'm still taking classes now) but this one needed a bit more thought and for me to decide when was something like a hair tool not really a gadget... if that makes sense.

But I finally decided to name the Boots Smooth Skin Plus my gadget of 2011. I have done a first impressions and a second impressions review of this little hair-zapping gadget and each time I have been increasingly impressed. But to be totally honest, what impressed me most about this is the fact that despite being a bit slack with the sessions - I still saw results. That's in as little as three weeks.

My only wish with this one is that I could just use it every day for a week and then be done with it - once a week is too easy to forget!

Best of 2011: Face Moisturiser

My favourite moisturiser has to be Olay Aqua Physics Night that I discovered back in October. Not really because it works wonders or anything spectacular, but because it smells amazing. A lot can be said for amazing smelling products! Plus it leaves my skin feeling nicely moisturised of course.

It's the night cream that I have loved the most, I like the eye cream but it doesn't wow me quite as much. You can read my full review here, but Olay Aqua Physics is my face moisturiser of 2011.

Best of 2011: Hair Styling Product

This was actually a really tough category to decide on a winner for, as I don't think I've really fallen for any stand out styling products this year, so I decided to give it to a styling tool that I've really liked. The Cloud Nine 'wand' - a conical wand that helped me get beachy waves in a way that was easy and quick.

The other reason I love these is because I feel like there should be some sort of dramatic unveiling music playing every time I unbox them, they are gorgeous! So hair styling product of the year for me is 'the wand' from Cloud Nine.

Best of 2011: Mascara

I started using No7 Lash Adapt back in August and other than the YSL Shocking mascara (which I love, but is a tad dramatic for every day), I've used nothing but. It's a bit funny choosing Lash Adapt as my mascara of 2011, because it's really not a flashy, big claim mascara - it's basic premise is that you can build coat after coat. But that's why I love it, it's simple, it works and you can build it so you have natural or dramatic lashes - without the need for vibrating/rotating/brush twisting wands.

I love the fluffy brush, it's big but not huge and the formula just works. I'm on my second tube of this now and love it just as much as when I first used it - it's going to take some serious mascara skill to take over from this as my favourite I think! If you haven't tried this, then definitely do - it's simple, but it really works.

If you want to check out my original review then click here to see how each coat looks different...

Best of 2011: Lip Product

This is kind-of a dual favourite, but it's Rodial Glam Balm and Glam Balm Lip... I have been using Glam Balm as an amazing moisuriser for undereyes/lips/hands for about two years and recently Rodial launched Glam Balm Lip, as the name suggests...especially for lips.

I suppose the 'Best of 2011' should go to the new product, but I can't mention Glam Balm Lip without giving a little mention of the original Glam Balm, definitely a hero product for me -I love the moisturising/plumping effect it has on skin - as an overnight treatment on dry areas, it's amazing and Glam Balm lip adds to that as a nice daytime version that's a bit 'prettier' to use than the original tube thanks to the slight pink tint and the tub style packaging. So best lip product of 2011 for me, Glam Balm Lip.

Best of 2011: Haircare Product

I first discovered the Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask back in January of this year and it's been an absolute life saviour for me - definitely deserves best haircare (or scalp...) product of 2011 in my eyes. If you have a sensitive, dry or flaky scalp then I really can't recommend this product enough. It's like a refreshing exfoliating face mask, for your scalp.

I love how refreshed both my scalp and hair feel after using this - just so un-irritated and clean! Very happy with the results and will continue to stock up on this in 2012 and beyond! My only tiny request is that Philip releases larger tube sizes, this would be good for repeat users like me rather than buying lots (I always buy them 4 or so at a time) of the single-use tubes - a large would be much easier!