My beauty Holy Grails

1. 1.  Clarisonic Mia: I begrudgingly bit the bullet and purchased this expensive tool after much rave reviews.  And after a failed try at the Olay Pro-X cleansing brush, I half expected this brush to be all hype and no results.  But, surprisingly this brush actually does do good things for my skin - nothing dramatic or life changing, but I do notice that when I don't use it, my skin has more whiteheads.  This brush along with the replacement brush-heads is the most expensive beauty item I own, but I do think it was worth the investment.
2. Woman by Banana Republic: My first perfume I fell in love with.  It took years for me to finish this, and I loved spritz it gave.
3. Olay Foaming cleanser: Cheap, gentle, and efficient.  Not much else I can ask for in a product.
4. St. Ives Apricot scrub: This picture was taken at a time when I hadn't realize how abrasive this stuff is on the face. This stuff is great for the body though.
5. Eyelash curler:  My stick-straight Asian lashes need to be curled and curled and curled.  This curler happens to be a fancy Shu Uemura one that I bought years and years ago before I even knew what a fancy eyelash curler is.  I haven't used any other one, but I assume any curler will work fine.
6. Cream blush: This palette was Stila's Empowered in Pink for October's Breast Cancer Awareness edition complete with a pink cream blush and four eyeshadows.  I don't really care for the eyeshadows, but the cream blush is fantastic.  Cream blush is great for lasting power and adds great life to the cheeks.  Blush in general is my makeup weakness; I can't get enough of it!
7. Essence gel liner:  Smooth, blackest black, lasts and lasts, and cheap as dirt.  A beautiful combination in my book.
8. Gel liner brush:  I got this brush in Michael's craft store - it was the only thing I could find with the smallest tip to make the finest line on my Asian eyelids.  And only $2.
9. Covergirl Lash Blast mascara: Adds great volume, doesn't smudge, and cheap.
10. Physician's Formula powder: This is the compact that I was working on all year long to finish, and I never really did - it lasted and lasted for so long!  I've come to find that I hate liquid foundation - it's mask-like and heavy, and it just feels weird to put it on, like I'm putting a layer of paint on my face.  So though powder foundation doesn't cover all of my imperfections, it's light and feels natural, so I love it. 
11. ELF powder brush: Soft and great at applying my powder.  The quality of the handle is a bit shady as the ferrule of the brush is flimsy and comes off easily, but at $1.50 I can afford to have it replaced every few months, though I've not needed to for the past 2 years. 
12. Clinique City Block SPF 40: I've come to really understand the importance of daily sun protection, but it's so friggin' hard to find a sunblock that doesn't turn me into a greaseball.  This sunblock is great for being too greasy, and it lasts a really long time too - with daily use all summer long this tube still feels very full.
13. RoseBud lip salve: I am addicted to lip balm - I always need some sort of slip on my lip.  And this is great for my bedside.
14. Tarte LipSurgence in Enchanted: Again, my addiction of lip balms.  This feels like a lip balm but puts a great berry tint on my lips and livens up my face.
15. Tarte eyeshadow sticks: These are quick and easy to use, adds great color, and lasts all day long. I love these for travel.
16. Pointed-tip tweezers: This is my absolute must-have item.  I love it so much that when I forget it during travel, I get so anxious and irritated.