2016 went by so fast, and now we are half way through Jan 2017! For the "New Year New Me" resolution, I have decided to limit my monthly makeup purchases 😰 .

The first week of 2017 was a little crazy, with me constantly checking the DTDC/DHL/USPS website on an hourly basis to ensure my packages reached me safely. I would like to highlight few standout products for 2016 that just blew my socks away.

Sephora Contour 24hr Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil l $10

Colossal/Eyeconic Kajals, please make way for my current favorite eye pencil{UPDATE: I think I have commitment issues, guess what, I found NEW LOVE!}, that is blacker than my soul and doesn't give me not-so-pretty raccoon eyes. The creamy, sharpenable pencil costs 10 dollars a pop in the US, and 890 in India. I was so in love with the staying power of this kajal on my waterline that I got myself two backups during the VIB sale. This pencil doesn't budge and is very easy to remove using an oil-based cleanser.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows l $12

Let's be clear, the breakout brand for the year 2016 was ABH. They knocked it out of the park with their innovative branding and releases. First, it was the Modern Renaissance palette that set the trend for red/warm palettes, then the Master Palette by Mario. In 2016, I had the good fortune of trying their single shadows and I can assure you, they are 💣.com . ABH shadows are available in 8 finishes, namely, Metallic, Ultra-Matte, Shimmer, Velvet, Satin, Titanium, Matte, and Duo Chrome. The mattes are very creamy and blendable and the shimmer/ titanium shades are very metallic and sparkly.

ABH Liquid Lipstick Kathryn l $20

A lip favorite, not exactly the formula, but the color is the hero here. The shade is a pretty strawberry pink that is extremely flattering on the tan skin.The formula is very drying and thick but stays for 9+ hours. A little tip, apply lip balm every 4 hours, this would prevent dry and cracked lips.

Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soleil Bronzer l $30

A matte chocolate bronzer perfect for medium to tan skin tone. It does not appear patchy and blends out like a dream. I also use this product to contour with. Comes in a very sleek golden packaging with mirror and smells like cocoa.

Loreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation in 108 Caramel Beige l $ 12.99

Last but not the least, favorite foundation for 2016. I did try quite a few foundations last year and as much as I love my MUFE Ultra HD foundation, it makes me look like an oil slick in a matter of hours. The Loreal Infallible foundation in Caramel Beige is a perfect match for my NC42 skin tone (probably a hairline lighter). The finish is satin and it doesn't wear out throughout the day and stays put for 6 hours in hot and humid climate. This version is not available in India.

So what were your 2016 beauty favorites?

Products I Love, But Refuse To Use

I have hoarding tendencies, especially, when it comes to eyeshadow palettes. There is always a new palette that catches my fancy, there is always that limited edition product. The "self-control" struggle is real. Today, I am listing down 5 products that I love with all my heart, but refuse to use for various reasons.

The Original BeautyBlender l $20

I love a good blender sponge, as blending my foundation is the only cardio I am used to. Sponges revolutionized the way makeup is applied and literally, forced brushes out of the market. I have a love-hate relationship with the RT beauty sponge, and my dislike gradually evaporated once I tried the PAC Beauty Blender (*open AMAZON and buy that pink beauty, you will thank me later). I purchased the OG on a whim from BeautyBay, but have never used it in full glory.

Reason: Cleaning. I am perpetually scared of the sponge growing mold. Also, cleaning the sponges can be a bit tricky, especially, getting the soap out of it's inner soul.

NARS Audacious Lipsticks l $32

I own three NARS Audacious lipsticks, they are the best lipstick formula I have tried, opaque in one swipe, creamy, yet, 5+ hours of wear time with greasy/oily food. I can't seem to stop talking about them, and then, they are the least used lipsticks in my collection

Reason: Cost, at 32 Dollars a pop, I have a crazy heart pull each time I take it out of my of the drawer.

ABH Modern Renaissance Palette l $42

The most raved about palette of 2016 is nothing less than a superstar. As much as I love the warm colors, I hardly use them on a day to day basis.

Reason: Most of my office wears clash with the colors and I find them a little too bright for a non-makeup friendly workplace like mine.

ABH Dipbrow Pomade l $18

Brows from the gods, that's the effect this product gives me. The product is an absolute favorite, but I refuse to use it for the following reason!

Reason: Inconvenience. My usual office routine is less than 5 minutes long and to include a product that comes with an additional brush and one that requires a lot of patience is a con.

MAC Painterly Painpot l $ 22

On days when I feel like walking an extra mile, I apply the paintpot as a base for my shadows. This, in turn, increases the longevity and improves the eye shadow vibrancy, as per the textbooks, but I don't use a base whatsoever with my eye shadows!

Reason: I forget! I forget to apply an eye shadow base every freaking time.

So what are the products you love, but refuse to use?

November Favorites

So now that we are officially in the 12th month of 2016, HO!HO!HO! 🎄

I did have an eventful November with the Sephora VIB Sale, Goa Trip and Alapuzha house boat trip all jammed packed into 30 days. Presenting to you, my favorites for November:

Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soleil Bronzer l $30

I got the Too Faced bronzers as samples and instantly fell in love with the matte bronzy/contoury (makeup experts, pardon me for using the terminologies interchangeably) effect it gave. I had my heart set on the Medium Chocolate Soleil for a subtle effect, but in turn ended up purchasing the darker deeper one. The Chocolate Soleil is cool toned as compared to the Dark Chocolate Soleil that pulls warmer. The powder comes in a whimsical and retro classy packaging with a good sized mirror like every other Too Faced packaging. The bronzer is finely milled and infused with the goodness of cocoa, and added bonus - smells like cocoa too.  

Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer l $32

Too Faced much? This again was a sample I received during one of my purchases from the Too Faced website and I absolutely loved the feel of the product on my skin. It has a clear, balmy consistency and goes smoothly on my skin. The product instantly rehydrates the skin and lets the foundation glide on smoothly. The ingredient list is also impressive - Coconut Water, Probiotics, and Skin Revivers. It has a faint coconut smell that might be a problem if you have a sensitive nose. 

I don't plan on using this as a primer as I have quite oily skin, instead, on days when I don’t want the hassle of a full face makeup, I would apply this face primer as a moisturizer by itself. I love it so much so that I ended up buying the full-size product during the VIB Sale.

Sephora Contour 2hr Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil l $10

The blackest eye pencil I have ever tried, even blacker than my soul; this one is a major threat to my favorite Lakme Eyeconic Kajal. Though creamy, it stays put on my very watery-waterline like a needy and clingy girlfriend. You have to sharpen the pencil and hence carrying a sharpener in your vanity bag is a must.

ABH Liquid Lipstick Kathryn l $20

The shade Kathryn is such an amazing warm-pinky brown color that instantly brightens my face. This stays on for 9++ hours. This liquid lipstick would have been perfect if not for the dryness. When I first apply the liquid lipstick, it clings on to all the dry patches on my lips and after few minutes starts to dry out the lips. If you can apply a transparent lip balm in frequent intervals, this shit won’t go anywhere. 

PAC Solid Brush Cleanser l INR 595

An Indianized version of the Beauty Blender solid cleanser, this affordable dupe cleans the brushes quickly and effectively. I used to use Johnson's baby shampoo, and with this, the cleaning time is significantly reduced. Not a big fan of the smell, though. The product comes in a black box and is effective in removing all the dirt and grime from the brushes. I rinse my brush under running water once and then swirl it over the cleanser bar, finally rinsing it again to ensure there is no residue. I air dry the product along with my brushes. 

So what products are you loving lately?