My Single Eye Shadow Top Picks from 2012

In looking back over the products I've reviewed in the past year, I wanted to do some best and worst of 2012 lists.  I've decided to break them up into categories. and today I'm looking at single eye shadows.  So, here are my picks for the best single eye shadows that I reviewed in 2012!  A bit of a qualification before we start - best for me boils down to products that I return to over and over again.  Full reviews for each are hyperlinked.

• Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-HR Cream Gel Shadow in Bold Gold

I've collected a lot of the Color Tattoo cream shadows, and this one remains my favorite.  It is such a wearable gold and is one of the better Color Tattoo's IMO when it comes to ease of application, smoothness, and non-patchiness.  I'm so glad this is part of the permanent collection and I don't have to stock up like I did for the following.

• Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-HR Cream Gel Shadow in Barely Beige

Barely Beige was part of a LE Color Tattoo collection released in the fall.  It makes for a great highlighter shade or shadow base, and I purchased a backup since it was limited edition.  I know a lot of people had a hard time locating this one!

• L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Shadow in Golden Emerald

I've collected a lot of the Infallible shadows as well, and there were 2 standouts for me.  The first is Golden Emerald, for both the color and the complexity.  I think this picture pretty much says it all - I mean look at those gold flecks amidst the glorious green!

• My second favorite of the 2012 Infallibles was Liquid Diamond, a cool blue gray that was another great performer.

•  Buttercup by Beauty from the Earth (BFTE):  Something about the loose mineral shadow Buttercup really captured my heart.  Perhaps it's because it's a great neutral matte and perhaps because it's a bit of a color morpher. 

•  Urban Decay's Melt, exclusive to one of the BYO 4 pan palettes.  This one was a sleeper, in that when I first got it, it did not really stand out to me.  I did a look with it last week that changed my mind, however, as it is a really pretty base shade with a delicate shimmer.  Sometimes it's the quiet ones you have to look out for!

It's no surprise to me that several neutrals were among my favorites, as I find them so easy to incorporate into multiple looks.  Any favorites for you from 2012 that I should have on my radar? 

Disclosure:  I purchased these.