2008 in Review: Makeup and Beauty Blog’s 20 Most Popular Posts

Hi, ladies. As 2008 draws to a close, I thought I’d take a look back at some of the most popular posts of the year. These aren’t necessarily my favorite products or posts, but they’re the ones that got the most attention from readers.

Without further ado, here are 20 of the most-read items of 2008! 🙂

MAC Makeup Fafi Tutorial: A Black and Gold Smokey Eye

“I finally got my paws on MAC Fafi yesterday, and all I have to say is MEOW! Love it. This morning I busted out a few things from the collection — Fafi Eyes 1 Quad, Nice Vice Paint Pot and the Not So Innocent Lipstick — and created this subtle gold and black smokey eye for work.”

18 MAC to School Makeup Tips

“If you love makeup, brand-sponsored classes like these are a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I found out about the MAC Studio Talk class through the Bloomingdale’s website. Ask in the stores, as well (check with the counter staff), because other brands offer similar classes.”

A Kryolan Makeover, aka Adventures in Theater Makeup

“Every girl deserves a makeover from time to time. My last one was ages ago. I’d been itching to try a new look, so yesterday I made the short trip into San Francisco hoping to find inspiration. I hit my usual haunts — MAC, Dior and Chanel — but I was in the mood for something, well, kinda different, so I kept looking. I was almost ready to throw in the towel when a sign on a building caught my eye: Kryolan Professional Makeup. Curious as ever and not wanting to head home defeated, I decided to check it out.”

Dior Goldrush Summer 2008 Collection: Swatches and Pics

“Who loves gold, khaki and coral? I do! I do! How ’bout Dior? Do you love Dior? Because I sure do. I got my paws on a few items from Goldrush, Dior’s new summer collection. It’s a limited edition being delivered to your nearby Dior counter as we speak. Dior has given us some new eyeshadows, lipsticks, lipglosses, a blush, a highlighter and nail polishes in coordinating tan, coral, khaki and gold.”

Chanel Fall, Holiday 2008 Makeup Collections by Chanel’s New Golden Boy

“In less than three years, the value of gold has more than doubled, now selling for more than $900 an ounce. Chanel must have noticed how much people have been lovin’ on gold lately because both of their upcoming fall and holiday makeup collections go after gold in a mad, crazy way.”

10 Fantastic Smokey Eye Tutorials

“One of my favorite things about makeup is that there’s always room to step up your game. I love to imagine all the tips and tricks that I’ve yet to learn. I’m always looking to get better at doing smokey eyes. I’ve come across hundreds of smokey eye tutorials, and I think these 10 are some of the most helpful ones. I hope you find them useful, too!”

MAC Makeup Tutorial: Russian Red, an Ode to Madge

“I’m not shy about my obsessions — Christian Bale (marry me!), the MAC 266 brush and the Terminator series (more on this later) — but by far the deepest of my frivolous obsessions is for our Madge-esty almighty, Madonna, an obsession I’ve harbored since the tender age of eight.”

Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers Fragrances: September 2008

“I ain’t no holla back girl, but I’ll follow the legions of Gwen Stefani fans to the Macy’s perfume counter this September to check out Harajuku Lovers, Gwen’s latest line of fragrances. I get fired up for everything Gwen does, so I’m looking forward to this release.”

Essie Fall 2008 Nail Polish Collection Keeps in Character for Fall

“Good morning, friends. I hope you’re having a good weekend so far. I’m sitting here at my desk, playing with nail polish and surfing the Net for beauty news. Check out Essie’s fall polish line ($8 each). Keeping in character for fall, the collection features deep plum, berry and cherry shades that look good enough to eat (I’m always hungry, LOL!).”

Chanel Summer 2008 Color Collection Now Available at Nordstrom!

“Pink, coral, khaki, bronze — Chanel’s summer 2008 color collection has arrived at Nordstrom stores nationwide, so yesterday I hustled my booty on down to my fave Nordstrom Chanel counter to take a look. Behold!”

Beauty in Time: 9 Things I Would Say to My Younger Self

“Last week’s What’s in Your Purse post was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? I get a kick out of making strange lists, and I take it a lot of other people do too. I was thinking last night about an article I read a few months ago where people talked about what they’d tell their younger selves, so I made a list of the things I’d tell my 22-year-old self (yikes! that was 10 years ago?!) if given the chance.”

Gaga for Gold with Chanel Fall 2008

“Would ya’ll like to meet the newest members of Chanel’s family? This here’s little Delight (she’s a sweetheart), and that over there is Gold Light. They’re both shining stars in Chanel’s fall 2008 makeup collection.”

Chanel Teint Innocence Compact Foundation, Retail Therapy

“Yesterday was brutal and I’m still sick as a dog, so after work I acquired goodies to bolster my immune system: a humongous bag of Ricola Cough Drops, Theraflu (blech!) and Chanel Teint Innocence Cream Compact Foundation, YES!”

MAC Makeup Tips: MAC Does Makeup for Music, Too

“You probably already knew that MAC provides makeup and makeup artists for fashion shows all over the world, but did you know that MAC does makeup for music tours, too? If you have tickets to rapper Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark North American tour (April-June, 2008), expect to see MAC in action. The MAC team is creating the looks for several of the dancers, backup singers and accompanying musicians on the tour.”

Fashion Week Runway Tips: Smokey Eyes 101

“Smokey eyes are all over the frickin’ place at NY Fashion Week. Check it: warm brown smokey eyes and neutral lips at the Boy By Band of Outsiders show.”

Now You Can Go Goth with Bobbi Brown Mauve Collection Lipsticks and Glosses

“Bobbi Brown’s makeup doesn’t always do it for me. My homegirl once described the brand as “colors for people who are afraid of color,” and I think there’s some truth to that. A lot of Bobbi’s makeup has that jury duty feel to it, ya know? — the kind of makeup you’d wear to court. But Bobbi threw me a curve ball with the lip colors in the Mauve Collection, her new fall makeup line.”

Shu Uemura Makeup Tutorial: Go Pastel for a Fresh Spring Eye

“Last week I posted swatches of the eyeshadows from Shu Uemura’s new Spring Rebirth collection. There were five Easter egg-esque pastel colors in the group, each with an oh-so-purty white floral pattern, that promptly disappeared after I swatched ’em!”

Outlet Mall Makeup: Big Discounts on MAC at The Cosmetics Company Store

“MAC rarely goes on sale, but if you live near an outlet mall you may be in luck. Legend has it The Cosmetics Company Store chain of outlet shops is one of the few places that regularly stocks discounted MAC makeup, brushes and skin care products, as well as discounted products from other department store cosmetics brands. To see for myself, I jumped on the computer this morning and pulled up Outletbound.com to find the nearest outlet mall with a Cosmetics Company Store.”

How To: A Purple Smokey Eye with Stila Convertible Eye Color in Violet

“I hate going to work completely tow’ up, but it seems like I’m always running late. What I need are makeup tools and tips to help me save time when I’m getting ready for work, and I think I found one: Stila Convertible Eye Color ($20). Part Transformer, part James Bond gadget, it delivers three great tools in one — a twist-up eye pencil, a smudging sponge, and, when you twist the middle of the pen, a coordinating eye shadow.”

Get Eyes That Pop: MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl

“MAC’s Cream Color Base in Pearl ($16.50) makes colors really pop, taking eyeshadow to a brighter, bolder, and more diva-superstar level. With Cream Color Base, your eyeshadow is like an A-list celeb; without it, it’s like Jen Bunney from The Hills. It’s one of those products that every eyeshadow junkie needs to have in her makeup bag.”

Happy Tuesday! What do you have on your plate today? It’s still raining cats, dogs and chickens out here in Kaneohe. Every morning it pours for a couple hours, like the jungle’s taking a shower. Hmm… How about that for the name of a shampoo: Jungle Shower? LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen