The Musings of a Working Mom

Happy New Year!  And what a year it has been?  It's been a year since I started my blog and one of my first posts was a list of my 2011 favorites...and here we have come round full circle to my favorites list of 2012.   But first off I want to thank all of you for your continued support and for coming back to read my blog posts, commenting, and subscribing to my blog.  This blog has been my side project and my baby (outside of my real babies).  I have had so much fun writing for this blog and doing my "research" (i.e. having a great excuse to buy makeup and beauty products).  I have done quite of bit of "research" this year and have found a lot of great low-end and high-end products that have become my favorites for this past year.  This blog has also allowed me to try beauty products outside of my beloved MAC brand and I have found some amazing products at all price points.  It has taken me quite some time to compile my list but here are my fav...

I say it every month but it's true - the month flew right on by.  I can't believe that November is over and Christmas and New Years are right around the corner!!  Not to mention that my twins will turn 6 - what what??? Here are my favorites for the month of November: 1.   EcoTools Brush Set :  I purchased this set from CVS ages ago and they have been pushed to the back of my brush stash until recently.  I forgot how much I love these little brushes.  My favorite is the "smudge"brush - it's perfect for smudging out color or liner on the upper and lower lash line, as well as applying a highlight color to the inner tear duct area.  Quite honestly, all of these brushes are great and best of all, this is an inexpensive set - quality brushes for a drugstore price!  Not only can you use this set on a daily basis, but it's small enough to travel with. 2.   Blushes:  NYX Mosaic Powder Blush in Rosey and Tarte 12-hour Amazonian Clay Blush ...

And to continue on with our Beauty on a Budget series...here are my favorite drugstore lip products: NYX Lipsticks and Mega Shine Lip glosses - I absolutely love these!  I keep them in my makeup bag, my purse, my car...you name it and I have one stashed there.  These products are amazing!  This line can be found at Ulta or online and their price point is at the drug store levels (if not better).  The quality of the NYX lip sticks and glosses are amazing.  They are highly pigmented, creamy in texture, and overall good quality for the price.  They come in a wide range of colors and finishes.  My favorite Mega Shine lip glosses are Salsa, Sweet Heart and Beige. Revlon Lipsticks and Lip glosses - These are great quality lip products.  The color payoff is great IMO and moisturizing.  I especially love the Lip Butters - my faves are Gumdrop and Creme Brûlée.  I love Gumdrop so much, I have 2 back-ups! I also love the Co...

To continue on with my Beauty on a Budget series, here are my favorite eye products from the drugstore: The new Color Tattoo cream shadows by Maybelline are awesome! These are a great dupe for MAC paintpots, MUFE Aqua Creams, Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadows, etc. These cream shadows are really pigmented, last all day and don't crease. I love wearing them as a base for my shadows or as an all over lid color blended out with a fluffy crease brush and that's it! These are great especially for busy mom's on the go. I also like the L'Oreal Infalliable Eyeshadows.   The formula of these shadows are buttery and soft and remind me of pressed pigments. They are very richly pigmented and last all day as well without creasing (of course I always use a primer before I apply any eye makeup).  They come in a great range of colors, and in a shimmery finish as well as matte finish. Wet n Wild also have great eyeshadow palettes for super cheap. T...

I love a great deal - especially when it comes to makeup since I spend so much on it anyway (well I try not to but sometimes I don't have the willpower to resist the temptation and well...you know the rest of this story!  Well, recently NYX Cosmetics was on Hautelook  and so of course I decided to take the plunge and purchase a couple of sets to try out at up to 40% off their retail prices.  Normally, I would wait until there is one of those buy one get one 50% off sales on NYX products at Ulta but then I get lazy and I don't make it to my local Ulta and then I lose my chance to pick up some NYX products (for that time anyway).  Anywho, my point is that NYX Cosmetics are a great value makeup line!  I have some of their eye shadow singles, jumbo eye pencils, lipsticks, lipglosses and eyeliners and I have to say that I am not at all disappointed with the quality of these products.  They have great pigmentation and color payoff.  The eyeliners are...