Inside My Bag Archives - Page 2 of 7

Effortless Beauty For Spring to Summer

May 23, 2017

I’m all about the natural makeup look and with the warm weather here I’ve been into items that are easy to apply and effortless to touch up on-the-go. I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share a few new makeup bag finds along with some previously launched staples that I’ve been loving lately. I’ve always been a sheer glossy lip or tinted balm kind of person and right now I have tons inside my bag. I featured some of my favorite neutrals last week. Today I’ve rounded up some items that will give a bit more color and life.

First, as a lover of flat pouches, I’ve found that Nordstrom just launched some great simple pouches from Delfonics. Sometimes I just want a no-nonsense basic streamlined pouch and these small PVC zipped pouches are exactly what I needed. Right now there are two sizes available online – I ordered a couple colors in both sizes because sometimes multiples are necessary depending on what you carry. The exterior is on the thin side so I’d try to keep these for smaller items or flat products but the larger one is quite roomy so you can fit a lot in the pouch. The Large Pouch measures 10 1/4”W x 7 1/4”H x 1/2”D and the Medium Pouch measures 7 1/2”W x 5 1/2”H x 1/2”D. (Sandals below by Joie.)

Warm weather beauty loves, makeup beauty details and swatches below. With hot weather I’ve been using more dry shampoo simply to refresh and touch up. The humidity levels are increasing here and so I’ve been experimenting with more. The Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo has been a long-time favorite. For touch ups I also really like the Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation. It sounds like it could be heavy based on the product name but it’s one of the most lightweight powders I’ve tried and I use to set my makeup and also for touchups. It looks natural and doesn’t cake up.

Bronzer has always been a must for me. I’ve reviewed quite a few luminous bronzers, like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers which double as a bronzer and highlighter in one. Some of you prefer a matte finish and the one I reach for the most is the Tom Ford Small Bronzing Powder in Terra. It’s sheer to medium and one of the lightest colors I own making it wearable and effortless. Another great option is the new NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer in Seaside. It’s the lightest option and looks peachy in the pan but wears beautifully on the face for a natural wash of color. Also I know some of you prefer the no-shimmer look, but the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow is one of the prettiest glowy bronze shades I own. I wear it on both the cheeks and eyes. Anytime I wear it on the face I always get asked, “what’s that pretty glowy highlight you have on your face?” and it’s usually this one.

These look dark because I swatched them with a heavy hand but I assure you they can sheer out on the face for a more natural look.

Lip products are my weakness. I always carry so many with me even though I really only need 1 or 2 products max at any given time. The Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfectors are the definition of effortless beauty when it comes to tinted balms. I have and love all the shades, Apricot Shimmer is a light sheer peach. You can just add a bit of liner like Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk for color and you’re all set. They’re really easy to touch up too.

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Melted Honey is a great sheer gold shimmer to add a nice soft glow. It’s sheer so if you need more color there are others to look into like Douceur or Amuse Bouche. They’re moisturizing and add a pretty shine to the lips. Louboutin launched new Meatlinudes Loubilaques and I’m OBSESSED. All the colors are amazing! Detailed review on the entire collection to come soon but the first one I’ve put on is Bronzissima which is the prettiest flawless bronze shimmer. 100% worth the splurge.

Clarins added new shades of their Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil and two of them transform in color to your lip pH to create a unique color. Tangerine is the best kind of juicy peach red for summer.

Tom Ford launched their Clutch Sized Tinted Balms early spring and I’ve been obsessed for months. There’s a light peach shade for the neutral lip lovers in L’Odissea but I adore the sheer brights like Fathom.

Last but not least the Tom Ford Cream Powder Eye Duos have been a staple since they first launched and Naked Bronze and Golden Peach have been favorites. They’re so easy to apply even if you’re on the go. I can apply these with the fingers and it’s pretty much goof-proof. This year they launched three new shades in Young Adonis, Sun Worship and Paradiso. I’ve already reviewed these new launches but re-swatched them side by side for reference. Paradiso is indeed different from Golden Peach but they are very similar so I don’t think you need both. I prefer the cream in Paradiso and the glitter in Golden Peach.

That wraps up some of my favorites for warm weather beauty! With the heat I’ve been experimenting with different bases and will have a roundup on those in the upcoming weeks. For now I hope you liked this post for ideas on effortless beauty. I included some non-neutrals but colors that are still easy to wear and natural looking. As always I’d love to hear your favorites. What are you loving these days as we transition from the spring to summer season? You can find all my picks at Nordstrom.

Shop the post:

Many thanks Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. Press samples include lip items from Clarins and the Tom Ford Clutch Balm.

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What's In My Bag

What’s In My Bag

April 9, 2017

It’s been a little over a month since we moved to Florida and I cannot believe how fast time flies! I’ve been sharing snippets of our weekly explorations of Tampa on Instagram Stories and I’m touched by those who’ve sent kind words of support and even restaurant recommendations. This move has been such a huge change for me as I’ve lived in California most of my life. Living in the south is such a new and different experience but change can be good and my husband and I are loving it so far. Yesterday I shared a quick what’s in my bag video on Instagram – I received so much positive feedback I thought I’d do a post on it in case you missed it. One thing that has surprised us about Tampa is that the city seems a lot bigger and more spread out than we expected. On days (primarily weekends) where we are out and about it feels like we are out for extended periods of time and because of this I’ve found it necessary to pack an extra set of clothes in the trunk since temperatures can change a lot. I’ve also had to pack some extra things in my bag since making a quick trip home isn’t always an efficient option time-wise.

I do switch up my bag contents frequently and I don’t always carry this much with me but let’s call this my weekend out and about edition of what’s inside my bag. A look at what was inside my Neverful MM bag yesterday:

So up first are some tech things. By popular request I’ll be doing an updated camera post on what I use to shoot my blog photos. I did one a few years ago but have since acquired a couple more cameras. My long-time favorite was the Sony NEX-6 but it was discontinued. It has held up for a long time and I love it but unfortunately dropped it and broke the lens. It is an easy replacement but since newer models have come out, I decided to try the Sony Alpha 5100 because it has a flip screen and a slightly smaller body. Review on this soon, but first impressions are that I like the design and features of the NEX-6 a lot better because of the viewfinder, dial and option for external flash. (The current version is the Alpha 6000.) Another camera I’ve used for a long time is the Canon G16, another model that has been discontinued. The more popular version which is the closest equivalent is the G7x Mark II which has the flip screen option for vlogging or selfies.

So inside my bag yesterday I carried two cameras to test outdoors. For my Sony I have an older leather camera case, similar options here and here. For my Canon I never bought a proper case. It usually stays in good condition if I put it inside my purse alone, but since I’ve been carrying more sunscreen and mini perfumes (to reduce swelling for bug bites if I get them), I try to protect it a bit more. I’ve found the Glossier bubble pouches are a cheap quick fix for now. Also inside my bag is a Gucci Card Case, iPhone case is from Gray Malin, sunglasses are by Marc Jacobs (currently 25% off at Nordstrom).

For body, skincare and makeup, I find that clear Truffle Pouches are essential to keeping everything organized. I tend to prefer open totes and have found that things can get cluttered and messy without dividers. I should invest in a separate purse insert/divider but for years I’ve loved the clear pouches for almost anything and everything.

I have an older style of the Truffle Small Clarity Clutch (older ones had the red trim, current version has a white trim) to carry hand creams, skincare and sunscreen. In this weekend’s bag I had the Molton Brown Hand Cream in Pink Pepperpod, Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve (mini from this set), Fresh Sugar Sport Sunscreen (for my husband) and the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Spray with SPF50. I’ve still been putting a number of sunscreens to the test. I’ve found Shiseido comes highly recommended by a lot of my readers but I’ve never found a sunscreen I could convince myself to buy because the creams have a white cast. The spray version is clear and today it did a pretty good job at protecting me and by the end of the day I had no reaction or bumps like I get with most brands of sunscreen.

I also like to use the Truffle Mini Pouches because they’re more compact. Other items include the Commodity Travel Spray in Bergamot (thanks to some readers who recommended I try this brand!), Tatcha Blotting Papers, Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation (I’m still shade #4), Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade, YSL Tint-in-Balm (swatched here), Tom Ford Lip Balm (review here) and Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist (travel size).

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my bag! So many of you were so sweet on my Instastories I wanted to share it in a blog post. If there’s anything else you want to see on Instagram let me know. I’m new to taking video clips but I’m having lots of fun with it. Some quick notes on what’s coming up soon on the blog: an updated skincare routine (since my skin has become a lot drier since moving to Florida), sunscreen roundup (might be another week though), some more Tom Ford goodness (new fragrance, a look at the Paradiso Eye Duo and thoughts on one of the body sprays), thoughts on the new MAC Next to Nothing foundation and some loves in body care/home. Basically a little bit of everything!

Since moving to Tampa from San Diego, both my husband and I have experienced dryness in skin and hair. We’re not really sure what the cause is as we expected to be more oily with the heat and humidity. We’ve both been drinking plenty of water, we’ve made an effort to have as little sun exposure as possible, but this is kinda impossible in Florida, we’ve been eating healthy – if you have any insight on what could be the cause let me know in the comments. I suspect it could be the difference in water, but we’re both baffled!

Press samples featured include the Tom Ford Lip Balm, Truffle Clarity Clutch (small, older style) and Molton Brown hand cream.

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What's In My Bag

What’s In My Bag

March 20, 2017

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend 🙂 I have a quick what’s in my bag post today. Since moving to Florida I’ve made a few changes in my bag contents. With stronger sunshine I now carry some kind of sunscreen with me to reapply. For some reason I’ve found my skin feels a bit more dry, especially with the hands so I carry more hand cream. I also carry more perfume with me on-the-go. Our first days here we got a lot of bug bites and since I usually swell up with any kind of bite I was in a bit of a panic. With bites I spray perfume on the bite as soon as I feel something swell or see a tiny dot. For some reason spraying perfume immediately helps stop the itching and swelling for most bites (at least on me). We did some research and found that the bugs usually come out at dusk so we’ve tried to avoid the outdoors during that time and haven’t had another bug bite since.

What I’ve had in my bag lately:

Full list of what I have in my bag:

I like to carry flat zip pouches to keep things organized and separated. If you make an order online at Glossier their items usually come in a cute bubble zip pink pouch. I’ve found these to be great for storing things and you can also order a pack of 3 Pink Pouches for $12. I’ve ordered quite a few things online so I had a lot stocked up. They’re great to store nail polish if you’re going to the salon and bring your own colors (I usually do). I like that they have bubble wrap so it will protect items inside. They’re not going to last forever but I like that they’re functional and relatively affordable.
For something a bit more luxe Truffle makes cute clear zip leather pouches. I’ve written about these a number of times over the years and use them all the time. There are several sizes you can see the small version here. The one I’ve been carrying around a lot is the Mini Clarity Clutch which is shown above, also here and here.
Sunscreens have never been more essential for me. I have super sensitive skin so I can’t wear all kinds of sunscreens or else I get a horrible allergic reaction. I’ll have a sunscreen roundup in the next couple of weeks. We’ve been in Florida for less than a month and have already gone through several spray cans of sunscreen. I’ve also been trying a few more for the face and my husband has been testing a few new formulas as well. Two that I really like are the Coola Sunscreen Sprays and the Fresh Sugar Sport Stick. I’ve also been a huge fan of Supergoop! oils and just received a few items for summer including the AcaiFusion Lip Balm with SPF30. My lips are also sensitive so fingers crossed this one works for me.
Hand cream favorites right now are the Molton Brown Orange and Bergamot and any one from the Kiehl’s Scented Hand Cream Trio (Neimans exclusive). I had my husband try them too as he’s found his hands to be more on the dry side since we moved but he hates both of them. His go-to is the regular Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve which I also like, but I love the way the others smell.
Lip balm favorites are the Lano Lips in Strawberry (currently part of the buy one get one 50% off promo at Ulta) and Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade (both reviewed here).
I’ve been living for travel-sized mini perfumes as well. I’ve already used up several vials with all the spritzing and spraying I did on bites for the first few weeks we were here. I received the Christian Louboutin Miniature Perfume Trio as a gift over the holiday and absolutely love the minis. If you’re looking to splurge but want to try all three, the mini set is the way to go. Another great set is the Elizabeth and James Find Your Nirvana Rollerball Set which has all 4 in mini form. I bought quite a few over the holiday as gifts and kept one for myself. You can still find both at Sephora.
Makeup rotation includes the Tom Ford Clutch-Sized Lip Balms (swatched here), Chanel Le Rouge Crayons (swatched here), Armani Powder Foundation (I use Shade 4), Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss (744 and 722 shown, review soon), Marc Jacobs Slow Burn miniature lipstick (from this duo or this set), Sisley Phyto-Blush Twist (review here) and Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Bradley (best nude of the moment, swatched here).
Last but not least a few tech things. I carry around a charger with me for backups – I’ve gone through a few over the years and right now I have the Mophie Powerstation in White. For years I’ve used the regular Apple iPhone cords to charge but they inevitably get really dirty or break. My husband often does a lot of research on tech tools and gadgets – he told me to look at Belkin products. I found one from the line that has a braided cable exterior and is really short so it won’t get tangled in my purse. It’s called the Belkin Apple Certified MIXIT Metallic Lightening USB Cable and it’s just perfect.
For those curious the Card Case is from Gucci (I find it functional and well made) and iPhone Case is by Gray Malin (you can find them on his website and some styles at Shopbop).

That wraps up what I’ve had in my bag for the past few weeks. If you have sensitive skin and have any sunscreen favorites please share in the comments! Open to any brands or formulas, preferably ones that don’t leave a white cast on the skin!

What do you have in your bag right now?

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Fashion What's In My Bag

What’s In My Celine Belt Bag Mini

January 4, 2017

Happy Wednesday everyone! I have the first what’s in my bag post of the year. Lately the purse I’ve been carrying the most frequently is the Celine Belt Bag in the mini size (review of what fits inside plus thoughts on style in this post here). I own two of the same style, just in different colors. I alternate between the Light Taupe (shown) and Black. For the spring 2017 season they added another size called the Micro which is smaller, has a longer removable strap and can be worn as a crossbody. I took a quick peek while in LA at one a couple months ago and promptly walked away so I would not be tempted – but I will say it’s really cute!

I picked up some new sunglasses from J.Crew called the Irving Sunglasses in the Smoke Olive color. I love the ones that come in lighter colors because they’re fun and different. These frames are small enough for my face size and shape so I could not resist! The store near me only carried it in two colors otherwise I would have probably bought the light clear pink ones.

I’m currently carrying multiples of the Clarity Clutch in the mini size from Truffle. I ordered the Nude and White last fall during one of their sales and like that they are small enough to throw in most of my purses. They’re just the right size and proportion to fit what a few things and keep contents edited.

As usual I have one too many lip products carried with me. I have my two favorite balms of the moment the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade and Lanolips in Strawberry. I’ve used them repeatedly for weeks now. The weather has been on the cold side so we’ve cranked up the heater in our place which makes everything dry. Plus I’ve still been trying to get over a cold so my lips have been extra dry. These have kept my lips from peeling and cracking – I’ve been sure to apply on clean fingers instead of directly on the lips to keep them clean and free of germs.

Other staples for lips include NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight which I like to layer with MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare, Whirl or Dervish (neutral nude lip liners swatched and compared in this post here). The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme (c/o) in Truth or Bare and Slow Burn have been worn frequently the past week. The Chanel Gloss Volume is pretty basic but it’s one of my favorite clear lip glosses for the pretty shine it gives and cushiony feel.

For fragrance I’ve been reaching for Byredo options a lot, I’ve been loving Oud Immortel although I probably need to switch things up to something a bit lighter and more cheery to lift the mood. I’ve still been dreaming about splurging on the Unnamed Perfume. It’s one of those scents I spritzed at the counter back in August and it still haunts me even months later. However I have promised myself to save up for the Creed Virgin Island Water before I buy any other perfume. Right now I don’t think it’s quite appropriate for the current weather or season, but in a couple of months I think it will be perfect and by then it will be mine! It’s the ultimate dreamy tropical vacation kind of scent I want to wear all spring to summer.

Last but not least I can’t help carrying the Tom Ford Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette. It’s not really all that practical to carry around but I love the sturdy compact and large mirror makes reapplying lipstick so much easier compared to the tiny mirrors you get in most compacts. If you haven’t checked them out I recommend you do (review on both colors here). They are both 100% worth the splurge.

Hope your first week of the new year is going well! I’ll have some reviews on MAC Shadescents and the Louis Vuitton perfumes coming up next! They’ve been on the to-do list for weeks now – I know many of you have been waiting so thanks for your patience!

What’s in your bag right now?

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Fashion What's In My Bag

What’s In My Bag / Céline Mini Belt Bag Review

October 30, 2016

The Beauty Look Book - Inside My Bag Celine Belt Bag

I have a what’s in my bag and purse review today! Many of you have asked for a review on the Céline Mini Belt Bags that I have and I’ve finally feel ready to provide my thoughts about it today. To date there are two sizes of the Céline Belt Bag and I have the smaller version called the “mini” size. It comes in a variety of material finishes, I bought two of the grained leather earlier this year in February in the Light Taupe and Black. It’s one of my larger purses but it has good proportions so it doesn’t overwhelm my petite 5’3″ frame. Full dimensions and current color options can be found on the Céline website by season. Price will vary depending on material, size and season – mine were $2,400 each before tax. They were indeed very expensive purchases and I had thought long and hard about buying them for over a year before splurging. I could not decide on a color so I did what I usually do with clothing and shoes – I bought multiples. I did think the style would be classic enough even though it’s on the trendy side. It seemed like a versatile kind of purse for my lifestyle and taste so I decided it was worth the splurge.

The Clarity Clutch Mini is shown in this post and it now comes as a standalone item (without the gold card case). Click on the Truffle tag at the bottom of this post to see other features and reviews of their products. They really help with organization and also make cute gifts!

The Beauty Look Book - Inside My Bag Truffle Clarity Mini

Both of the Belt Bag I have has a grained leather which is very sturdy. It comes with gold hardware, a removeable strap, outer zip pocket and interior pocket. I usually take very good care of my purses as the ones I buy tend to be on the expensive side so I want them to stay in good condition and last as long as possible. I had placed my light taupe bag (seen here) on one of our sofas and our cat had a spurt of energy and went running and jumping over every surface he could reach in the house. He decided the bag on the couch would be something good to pounce on/attack. It survived and there is a slight noticeable scratch on the bottom front corner that you can only see if I point it out. I have since stopped putting them in areas where the cat can jump to.

The bag comes with protective studs/feet on the base so it helps keep the bottom corners looking better than if there were no studs. There’s still some contact from the way the leather bends at the base but the studs really help. The base measures about 12 inches wide by 7 inches deep so it can fit a lot of things and therefore can be easy to overload. The straps or handle are sturdy so it will carry a lot. Since I want to make sure this lasts as long as possible I try to limit what I carry so there’s not too much strain on the bag.

The Beauty Look Book - Inside My Celine Belt Bag

Mine looks slightly navy in some light, although it’s a black bag. One of my biggest concerns with bags is wear and sagging. I prefer bags that are flexible but don’t want them to lose their shape. Some bags like the Goyard St. Louis and Longchamp totes just aren’t designed to hold a structured shape so that’s understandable. But with bags like this I was worried it would lose it’s shape with wear. So far I have to say it’s held up remarkably well. It’s softened slightly after months of use but still retains it’s structure and the base is still solid without any sagging.

The one thing that took time to get used to was the clasp. The way the bag is designed there’s a round knob on the flap which latches onto a buckle as you can see below. To unlatch and latch it requires you hold the base of the bag with a hand, set it down on a solid surface or use your hip or knee to prop it open. At first it was extremely annoying as it’s not an effortless kind of bag to open/latch. I do think keeping it latched/closed keeps all your contents safe and prevents items from falling out so it’s necessary. Eventually you get used to it and for me it’s not a dealbreaker.

A look at the interior. It looks like the lining is velvet and leather. Mine is more on the navy side of black. Hardware is gold but the lighting here is a bit off due to the sunlight shining through tinted glass windows so it looks a bit greenish here.

What’s inside my bag: Tory Burch Makeup Bag, Truffle Mini Clarity Clutch in Black, Coach Clutch in Glovetanned Leather used as a wallet, Jo Malone Geranium and Walnut Hand Cream, baby Oribe Dry Shampoo

Onto what’s inside my bag. I mentioned the Coach Glovetanned Leather Clutch in a roundup a few weeks ago after spotting it in store. I decided to order it in the Black Copper/Black color and it is exactly what I had hoped for! For years I’ve had the Goyard clutches that come with the St. Louis totes but they only have one interior pocket and because of the stitching there isn’t much room for a lot inside. The Coach Clutch is part of their 1941 Collection and comes in a soft plush Glovetanned Leather. It measures about 7″ long by 4.25″ tall. There are plenty of pockets inside: a front pocket, a larger pocket behind to fit your cell phone, a smaller pocket behind in between the front and zippered section, a zippered pocket, a back pocket, two card holder slots inside and also one opening pocket in the back. There’s a removable wristlet strap (I removed mine as I usually don’t like those). I love the sleek simple design and the size is perfect. It’s a great wallet/clutch that you can use to grab essentials if you don’t want to carry your entire purse somewhere.

The leather is soft and smooth – at this time I don’t know how well it will hold up – but in my experience I’ve bought a lot of the smooth leather Coach wallets for my husband in the past and they’ve worn really beautifully.

The Clutch in Glovetanned Leather that I bought in the smooth leather has sold out in most of the colors, but is still available in Black, Denim Teal and Grey. It’s also available in a new Colorblock version for preorder. The Bordeaux color looks really pretty and on that product page you can see the side interior view.

The Beauty Look Book - Goyard Clutch vs Coach Clutch

For the beauty items in my bag, I had three of the baby sample size Oribe sprays in the 1 oz size. I don’t carry a lot of hair products with me but I had toted 3 with me to give to a friend. To date they are usually only found in sets like the monthly Birchbox subscription boxes or as gift with purchases but you can now buy them online at Birchbox in their Oribe Styling Kit (contains 5 minis!!). I photographed 3 next to the Travel Size (size you can buy individually) for reference. I’ll have a more detailed review on the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo but first impressions are WOW. It’s really good and leaves no white residue or dusty matte looking finish like most others do.

Next I have a mini First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream inside my bag that I use for quick fixes on dry patches. It works really well for dry sensitive skin and it’s been a long time favorite. I should review their line in more detail because it’s a great one. I’ve neglected featuring it because makeup has pretty much taken over my life. It’s a favorite among friends and family. Right now they have a super cute Ultra Repair Cream Minis Kit for holiday which has two 2 oz minis. They are small enough to carry one in a makeup bag. They also recently launched it in a Vanilla Citron (c/o) scent which is amazing!!

For hands and lips I’m always carrying way too many of these in my bag. I throw one in here and there every few days and before I know it I am carrying a ton of things with me. From left to right is the Dior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive System. It’s a travel-size nail care oil which is easy to apply without getting messy like their regular Creme Abricot. Since it’s a gel-like oil it won’t drip like regular oils and it has a brush tip applicator to control how much you dab. I’ve found it’s great for just the cuticles, especially in this dry weather. It’s expensive for the size but 100% worth the splurge.

For hands Jo Malone launched a Geranium Walnut Hand Cream for holiday and it’s incredibly emollient and hydrating. There is some slip and moisture so if you need a dry down, you may have to wait a few minutes with this one. The scent is to die for like a mini spa. The size is perfect for the purse.

For lips, my three go-to’s right now are the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade, Armani Him Her Lip Care (swatched here) and the Lanolips Strawberry Balm. All three are great for adding hydration and moisture for my sensitive lips. If I had to pick one it would be very difficult – I’m beyond impressed with the Lanolips and just ordered the Strawberry Peach Duo from Net-A-Porter.

The Beauty Look Book - Inside My Bag Oribe, First Aid Beauty, Laura Mercier

For the face, I’ve been putting the Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder (c/o) and Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter (c/o) to the test. I’ll have a full detailed review soon but I will say right now the powder is amazing. (Shade #2 shown for powder.) Also two other staples I carry frequently with me are the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Duo and short handled MAC brushes (168SH Large Angled Brush shown).

Last but not least, a collection of lip products I’ve accumulated in my bag:

MAC Liptensity in Gumball and Toast and Butter (swatched here) – c/o

Edward Bess Classic Beauty Lustrous Lip Color in Passion – c/o

MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl (swatched here)

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo in Script (review) – c/o

YSL Rouge Volutpe Shine #47 Beige Blouse (swatch here)

Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in Nude

Rouge Dior in Bal (review here) – c/o

That’s a wrap for my for my Céline Belt Bag review plus a peek at what’s inside my bag. On a few sale notes, the Space NK Explore Promotion ends today 10/30 (use code EXPLORE30 for $25 off orders $125 or more). The Sephora VIB Rouge 20% Off sale starts next week on 11/4 through 11/7 with code 20ROUGE 🙂

Hope you found this review helpful and enjoyed taking a peek into my frequently changing hand bag.

Press samples featured indicated with c/o next to the product names.

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What's In My Bag

What’s In My Bag

May 12, 2016

I’m spilling what’s inside my bag this week – as usual I have a couple small cosmetic bags or pouches to help keep makeup separated and somewhat organized from the rest of what I carry with me. Most of the purses I have tend to be open totes without dividers or pockets. I finally splurged on a Neverfull MM which has some pockets inside and comes with a flat zip pouch, but for the most part it’s one of those open totes. Shown above is the Tory Burch York Cosmetic Case (also cute in red) and the Truffle Small Clarity Clutch (also available in mini and large). iPhone Case is one of the Gray Malin Lisbon prints.

Face Products:

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in 20 which I just used up and repurchased, several of you asked if I tried the new Chanel Les Beiges Foundation and if I planned to review. I tried it at the counter and found it extremely thick and very pink. I could not find a good color match and even the sales rep said she did not recommend it.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure (reviewed here) is one of the prettiest neutral mauve pinks for the cheeks, I find myself reaching for it frequently these days.
The more I use Becca Champagne Pop (swatches here) the more I love it. If you follow them on Instagram @beccacosmetics you have probably seen a sneak peek of one of their upcoming launches and I cannot wait!
MustaeV Easy Go Brushes are among my favorite for on-the-go travel size, the Powder Brush is soft and fluffy and works for powder, bronzer and blush.

Skin care and hand care:

Tatcha Indigo Hand Cream (travel size) is a go-to for calming and hydrating, the full size one is actually compact enough to carry around with me, but the small one is best for those who prefer to carry smaller bags, the entire Indigo line is really good for sensitive skin and helps calm down irritation or flare ups, they have a four piece set called the Soothing Indigo Mini Set which I highly recommend if you want to try the line in smaller sizes
The Lotus Leaf and Camellia Mist from Peach and Lily was sent as a sample for me to try, it’s hydrating and refreshing with a soft citrus scent – the mist pump dispenses a fine mist which calms the skin. I’ve been playing with it for a few weeks now and am obsessed.
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist (travel size) is the best-designed travel sized mist – it’s been a go-to staple for a long long time, the packaging is really the best I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t tried this you need to!
Le Labo Santal is one of my latest discoveries (actually from a few months ago), it’s not really a spring scent to me since it has sandalwood, amber and musk, but I still love it. At this time I’m still working my way through a few of the mini vials – I don’t know that I love it enough to buy the full size, but I suspect it’s because I’m feeling the spring to summer vibes.
Molton Brown Hand Cream in Pink Pepperpod is probably my favorite scented hand cream of all time, I just can’t get enough of the scent – I’m seriously considering buying the perfume version. If you love Molton Brown hand creams, they just launched the Dewy Lily of the Valley Star Anise which is the ultimate floral lily spring scent (review on this one soon).

Lips:

I’m always on lip overload when it comes to what I carry in my bag, right now I have:

Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Mustique (reviewed here) is such a pretty baby pink that is on the light side but doesn’t wash out the complexion.
Glossier Cherry Balm Dotcom is one of three new flavored lip balms from the line, I ordered immediately and have been obsessed with all of them – if you click this link here you can save 20% off your first purchase.
Edward Bess Deep Shine Lip Gloss in Lover’s Desire is a pretty peachy pink with a rich shine, I love all the glosses I’ve tried from his line, they add the prettiest healthy gloss to the lips. I like using them on top of lipstick. If you like a cool-nude, Nude Satin is amazing.
Edward Bess Defining Lip Liner in Natural (swatched here) is my holy grail go with everything neutral, if I were forced to live with one lipliner color the rest of my life this would be it, although his newest shade Barely is pretty awesome too.
Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Goals is a pretty full pigment glossy warm pink (review soon).
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Eddie (on the lips here) is a a pretty shimmering cool beige neutral that’s easy to throw on for a neutral wash of shimmer.

Lip swatches with Anastasia Vintage as a comparison:

Eyes:

I have two items for the eyes in my bag, the By Terry Mascara is one of my favorites these days because it thickens and lengthens without smudging. Also in my bag is the Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Dune. These come with a twist click packaging and brush applicator at the end. The one I have shown is a brand new one but I keep multiples so I don’t run out. It evens out the lids and preps the eyes for powder shadow. It’s my holy grail and comes in three colors. Swatched below next to Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold which I use a lot as an eye base and also next to NARS Concealers in Custard and Ginger as a baseline (full concealer roundup from last fall here). The Edward Bess Eye Bases have a more pink undertone which is exactly what I want on my lids. Yellow concealers match my skin for concealing but on the lids the pink helps neutralize red a bit and evens out without making the face look sallow.

I hope you enjoyed peeking into my bag! Also hope the swatches helped in case you’re new to any of the color items I featured. What’s in your bag this week? Do you have any favorites you are carrying with you right now?

Press samples featured include the MustaeV Easy Go Brush, Tom Ford Mustique, Edward Bess Natural, Edward Bess Lover’s Desire, Lotus Face Mist, Tatcha Indigo Hand Cream, Truffle Clarity Clutch.

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What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag

March 1, 2016

February flew by so quickly, I cannot believe it’s March but I’m excited for spring. I’ve been working my way through swatching all of the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks and hope to have the post up by the end of the week (fingers crossed my lips can handle the swatching). A few of you have asked for a review of my Celine mini belt bags (seen here and here) – I haven’t really done purse or accessory reviews but will definitely do one on both in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned!

Here’s a peek of what I have in my bag right now. I’ve been loving my Prada Saffiano still – I think I’ve had it going on 2.5+ years now and it’s held it’s shape remarkably well, hasn’t shown any signs of wear or scratches and is extremely versatile for a number of different occasions and outfits. I’ve had my eye on the Saffiano Cuir Double Bag in black ever since I saw that they started carrying a small one on Extra Petite. She has a really good review and comparison (although my camel tote is a different style and has different dimensions compared to hers). It takes me months to decide on a splurge – I’ve been looking for a classic black leather tote for a long time, but cannot make up my mind because size and structure is really important to me.

Inside my Saffiano Tote this week: