Birthday Wishlist

My birthday arrives right before the start of spring and the combination of these two always gives me an excuse to go on a rampant beauty shopping spree! Here's a list of some of the things I'm craving:

Stila Contouring Trio: Contouring was big in the 90's and now it's back on the beauty trend forefront, but of course much softer and prettier! I've never ventured into this beauty area and I think Stila's Couturing Trio is the perfect way to start!

Shu Uemera Rebirth Collection Eyeshadow in Pristine Green: I love everything about this eyeshadow! From the elegant packaging to the shimmer quality. Out of all the colors, I'm most interested in Pristine Green because it's the one color I don't have much of! Plus, it's perfect for spring and one of the best iridescent shades I've tested.

Benefit Erase Paste: I'm always on the hunt for a good concealer because I've yet to find a perfect match. This product has me interested because it claims to brighten and camouflage at the same time. Not to mention, I love the purple packaging!

Lancome Pink in the Limo and Rock On Fuschia: Lancome's Color Fever collection has some amazing shades. I'm especially loving 'Pink in the Limo'. I could definitely see this becoming a spring makeup staple!

MAC 182 Buffer Brush: I've been using powder brushes to blend, but I realized recently I need a good buffer brush. I keep deterring from buying one because it is so expensive!

Trend Alert: Cream/Gel Eyeliners

Not to boast, but I love it when I realize that I had spotted a trend before it went mainstream. While gel/cream eyeliners have been around for a while, they hadn't been widely used until recently. I've been hooked onto it for quite a while now and here are some of the best ones I've tried and tested:

MAC Fluidline

This gel eyeliner comes in an array of colors and is relatively easy to put on. The formula is smudge-proof and long-lasting; the two reasons why gel eyeliners are so great in the first place.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner

When the girl at the BB counter at Macy's vowed to me that this eyeliner dries fast and doesn't come off without makeup remover, I privately rolled my eyes and played along just to please her. I was astonished when thirty minutes later, I was still walking around the mall with a sample of the liner on my hand, which wouldn't come off, no matter how hard I rubbed. Since one of my beauty woes happens to be smudged eyeliner, this one quickly became a personal favorite.

Benefit's Creaseless Cream Liner/Shadow

This two-in-one formula is great for when you don't want to spend too much time creating definitive eyes. Used as a eyeshadow or a eyeliner, this creamy formula is a good deal.

Smashbox Creme Eyeliner Palette

Apart from the ultra-chic and slim packaging, this palette contains all the eyeliner colors you could ever want. Perfect for creating a sweet smokey eye; by the time you finish this palette, you'll know exactly which color is ur go-to product.

Shiseido Accentuating Cream Eyeliner

You can always trust the people at Shiseido to come up with a sophisticated product, no matter what it is. This liner comes in two smoky colors and with a it's own separate brush. Not the dinkly little eyeshadow brushes that true makeup lovers never use, but it's a live one that is actually good to use, folks.

Stila Smudge Pots
This unversal favorite is one of the first gel 2-in-in eyeshadow/liner combos that made it big. The royal blue sheen of cobalt is my personal favorite among the colors.

Application advice: A little goes a long way with cream or gel eyeliners so use accordingly. Line eyes as close to the lashline as possible, using a Smudge Brush or Angeled Eyeliner brush.