Get your wallets out! It's the Best of 2012 from yours truly!

2012 has been an exciting year for beauty. I got to try many different products I love and some I didn't care much for. This is a collection of some of my favorite products of 2012. I couldn't list everything I liked, so this is a solid list of everything I use and will continue to buy! 

Some honorable mentions that I would love to point out that didn't make the list or I didn't have a category for are: Skinfood's Rice Washoff Mask, Fresh's Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, Natura Bisse's The Cure Serum, and Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate.  If you do a search on my blog, I've written a review on all the honorable mentions in the past. :) 

Happy and goodbye 2012!

May 2013 be even more exciting for beauty! Thank you all for being here with me. It's been great to share my thoughts with you all! 

Noted: Prices might change. The price listed is reflected at the time of the blog post.  

Favorite Toner

SKII Facial Treatment Essence $195

This not only acts as a hydrating toner, it is also a treatment for the overall face. It will brighten your entire complexion and lighten any spots or acne scars. I call it the holy water for the face!

Favorite Day Cream

La Mer Moisturizing Lotion $230

It’s hydrating even for the most sensitive skin. My skin tends to react to a lot of products and whenever I get a reaction, I always put this on to calm my skin. I actually have this and also the Oil-Absorbing Lotion (also $230) to switch back and forth depending on the weather. The Oil-Absorbing Lotion is the only lotion that has been able to prevent my nose from being oily. The Moisturizing Lotion is great to use all year long. Stop doing your research on La Mer and just buy it!

Favorite Night Cream

Givenchy Le Soin Noir $380

Why it’s the best? It’s a black facial cream! You will not find another cream like this on the market (actually, it’s kind of hard to find this in the US). It is extremely hydrating and it plumps and firms the skin. Everytime I stay on this for a few days, people start commenting on my skin asking what I use. It’s on the pricey side, so I only use this at night and also although it goes on clear, some people have said it does leave a greyish film on their face. The texture is almost like gelatin or pudding. It’s a great anti-aging product that is worth investing.

Favorite Serum

La Mer Regenerating Serum $260

I’ve noticed a lot of people don’t know what a serum does and often times they skip buying a serum. From my experience, a serum is a very important part of skin care. It is a treatment that targets your skin concerns, such as fine lines, wrinkles, or sun spots. It is not a moisturizer, however, I know some people use a hydrating serum and skip a moisturizer altogether.

A serum goes on before your moisturizer and after your toner.

You can almost see the difference in your skin in one day while on this serum. The overall texture of the face is more even and smooth. It encourages collagen production to fill in wrinkles and lines and gets rid of acne scars and imperfections. I tend to breakout at times and this serum has been great at preventing break outs. This is one product I always ask people to buy and everyone loves it. 

Favorite Eye Treatment

La Prairie Illuminating White Caviar Eye Serum

It is very hard to find an eye cream that works. I've tried many big brands and I am always hesitant to recommend an eye cream to anyone, because everyone's skin is different and often times eye treatments don't always work for everyone. However, I have been dealing with dark circles and this has been the only eye treatment that I saw a noticeable different. I do recommend it for people that have dark circles. It is expensive so get a sample first.   

Most Luxurious

Givenchy Le Soin Noir Lace Mask

Why it’s the most luxurious? Need I say more? Just LOOK AT IT!

Favorite New Product

Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Serum $150 or $200 for the larger size.

I haven’t used this long. I got a sample of it when they launched it and I remember loving how my skin feels and look when I used it. It smells amazing as well. I'm sure they will expand on the line next year! I also really like the unique design of all the bottles. I wasn't sure I like it at first, but they all look very stylish.

Favorite New Line

Guerlain Abeille Royale

The power of royal jelly and honey! I love this new line. It’s a great anti-aging line that is not too harsh or active. I wish they would come out with a body cream that has the scent of this line. My favorite thing from the line is the toner! it's absolutely fantastic! 

Best Brand Design

Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford always goes above and beyond with its branding and marketing. His beauty line is no exception.

La Prairie's White Caviar Illuminating Cream Review

 White Caviar Illuminating Cream

From their site- This blissfully light and luxurious cream drenches the skin with moisture as it lightens, brightens, and lifts, giving you a more even skin tone, with improved firmness. Pearlescent powders in the cream give immediate illumination while a complex of brightening ingredients works to control age spots and discoloration on the skin's surface.

• Promotes even skin tone by slowing down production of excess pigment
• Lifts and firms with Golden Caviar Extracts and wrinkle-reducers
• Hydrates intensely with Rare White Honey and a Deep Moisturizing Complex
• Helps prevent future signs of aging with antioxidants, including White Truffles, White Wine Extract, and a White Flower Complex

This was the last product I tried from this line. I thought it would be a lot richer and creamier from the jar, but it's actually a very light cream that absorbs very quickly into the skin and it kept my combination skin shine free in 90+ degree weather. I do feel a slightly reaction to the cream like I've experienced with their other facial creams, but nothing major enough to make me stop using the product. La Prairie's products are usually pretty active (but good!). 

After 2 days of using this Day and Night, I've received many compliments and even strangers asking me how I keep my skin so perfect. Personally, I would like the cream to be a bit richer for night, but clearly it's doing its job and made my face, especially my forehead a flawless canvas. The only downside is the scent. It smells like most of their facial creams, a little bit of a chemical smell, but it's not strong enough to bother anyone.

It's great to keep your skin from getting sunspots. I think it's a great cream to prevent and correct. Definitely would recommend. 

For the price of $470. It is pretty steep. If you have the money and in desperate need of a product to correct discoloration, this is a great line.

La Prairie's White Caviar Illuminating Cream is $470
Verdict: Try it/Buy it!

Dr. Brandt's "Pores No More" Pore Refiner Review

From their website- Dr. Brandt’s quick fix for flawless, photo-ready skin fits seamlessly into any individual’s regimen – skincare or makeup – because of its incredible ability to instantly hide the appearance of pores and mattify shine. This silky, smooth formula glides onto clean skin or on top of makeup leaving an un-tinted, powder finish. Tea tree and flaxseed extract provide continuous pore refining benefits, while micro-spheres diffuse light and have a high oil absorption capacity so skin looks and feels smoother, more uniform and shine-free. Also available in a tinted formula.

• hides & refines pores
• instantly mattifies shine
• absorbs excess oil & helps regulate oil production
• smoothes & evens skin’s appearance

I have always been a fan of Dr. Brandt's products. I think they were the first serious skincare brand I tried and loved when I was dealing with breakouts. I loved this one product they had called "Pore Effect" it was a rich moisturizer that refines your pores and hydrates your skin without making it greasy, but for some reason they got rid of that product and have since gone through so many changes. 


Dr. Brandt came on the scene and was so popular with their microdermabrasion. It was before Microdermabrasion was considered mainstream or common. I still think they have one of the better microderms on the market. They have since launched so many different lines that I think it's kind of hard to keep up, and sometimes it does make me feel like the brand has kind of cheapen its brand position in the luxury market overtime. I don't really consider it as high-end anymore, it's more high performance. They are also now on QVC. 


Anyhow, let's talk about Pores No More. I use this on my T-zone, and it does a good job at diminishing the look of your pores and keeping it matte. I have tried to use it all over the face, but it flakes off like eraser for some reason, and i've only had this problem with some sunscreens, so it must be some of the ingredients they are using. 


It doesn't keep the shines away from my nose throughout the entire day, but nothing really does. The only shine mattifier that worked on my skin was Laura Geller's Welcome Matte, but since they pulled that from Sephora, I haven't found it anywhere. 


I think Dr. Brandt's Pores No More is decent, I haven't found anything that is better, but I definitely think there are better products out there to keep the shine away, but for now, I will always have a tube of this in my bathroom. It also has a light tint to it, which I like. If you want more of a full tint, they just came out with a version that is tinted. 


Verdict: Try it
Dr. Brandt's "Pores No More" Pore Refiner is $45
Read more on their website- http://www.drbrandtskincare.com/product/pores+no+more+pore+refiner.do?sortby=ourPicks