Browsing Tag

Jo Malone

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Splurge vs. Save

November 16, 2015
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A few holiday treat ideas whether you’re looking for a splurge or something more affordable.

There are so many good sets this year, I’ll have holiday gift guide roundups of the best gifts I’ve found by price point and recipient coming soon. I love a good lip and hand duo – who doesn’t need an extra boost of moisture during the holiday season? La Mer’s The Replenishing Collection Duo ($75) is quite the splurge with a 1.7 oz of The Hand Treatment and 0.32 oz. of The Lip Balm. A more affordable option is the L’Occitane Shea Butter Hugs and Kisses Duo ($20 each) which is perfect for sensitive noses and skin. The Hugs and Kisses Duos come in a variety of other scented options (this one for example is to die for!!).
For the lips, matte full coverage lip colors are often in. They have bold color, rich pigment and matte formulas tend to last longer. Hands down the one of the best matte lipstick formula is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks ($32 each) because it’s a luminous long-wearing and hydrating matte. Very Victoria (swatched here) is an amazing nude. 1975 Red is a limited-edition color that’s a vibrant bright warm red (swatched here). Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick ($22) is a more affordable option. The Matte formula is pretty darn good and priced right (plus if you’re a Sephora VIB you can get 20% off until November 16th with code VIB20). Swatches of all the Buxom Bold Gel Lipsticks here. I found Buxom Sinful Cinnamon to be an almost exact dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Very Victoria. Also Buxom Wildfire is identical in color to Charlotte Tilbury 1975 Red. I will say though that the Charlotte Tilbury formula really can’t be beat (or matched).

For the holiday season, quick and easy gifts are candles. I’m a huge fan of Jo Malone and Diptyque candles for pine scents. Jo Malone Pine and Eucalyptus ($65) has the perfect Christmas-y vibe to it. A couple cheaper alternatives for holiday home scents are the Nest Birchwood Pine ($35) and Henri Bendel White Spruce ($35).

For the nails, I love a good sparkly gold, bright red or deep vamp, but for those who like a good neutral nude pink that will give your hands a polished look without making them look dead, Tom Ford Sugar Dune ($35, swatched here) is my holy grail nude pink cream. Dior Lady (review here) also reached holy grail status but was limited-edition and I’m so sad you can’t find it anymore. The closest dupe I’ve found is Essie Topless and Barefoot (swatched here). It’s a really good neutral that isn’t sheer and gives the hands a polished feel.

Last but not least for those who love flat zip pouches, the Tory Burch York Duo Leather Pouches ($195 for set of 2) is quite the splurge. Both are made of textured Saffiano leather and are very thick and sturdy. I own the Black and Light Oak duo, I really like both, but it was a big ouch to the wallet. A less expensive alternative but something still high quality is the Truffle Privacy Clutch ($54). It’s made of textured leather and is quite sturdy. With these two, you can’t compare them exactly since one is a duo and one is a single, but the function is similar. I use the Truffle Privacy Clutches more often – the shape, size and simple sleek design is versatile as a makeup bag, pouch for your purse or a clutch. For those who like smaller pouches Truffle launched the Privacy Wristlet ($48 in three colors).
Have a great Monday!

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New In Beauty / On My Radar

April 9, 2015

Today I have another roundup of new beauty items on my radar. This time of year is my favorite because all the pretty spring-summery colors and fragrances start coming out. The Sephora Beauty Insider sale starts soon (the 12th for VIB Rouge) so if you’re a beauty addict like me, you’ve probably started a wish list and have been moving things in and out of your online shipping cart.

1 / Last week I was lucky to get an early sneak peek at the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers ($50 each). You can see a little preview here and here. I’m hoping to have the review up this weekend but I can say right now they are amazing. They are currently available exclusively at Sephora.com for VIB/VIB Rouge Members, launch for everyone on 4/15 online at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics and hit stores in May.

2 / To celebrate the opening of the Diptyque Beverly Hills Boutique, the store has released a limited-edition Beverly Hills Candle ($70) exclusive to the store that has lemon + mint essential oils,  orchid and freesia accord. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to LA> a leading independent nonprofit contemporary art space in Los Angeles supporting artistic and curatorial freedom. The candle is exclusive to the boutique, you can order one by calling the Beverly Hills store at (310) 385-5941.

3 / Also new from Diptyque is the Florabellio Eau de Toilette (in a 50 ml is $90 and 100 ml is $125). It’s available starting this month and is supposed to be a mix of sweet, salty, apple blossom and apricot-scented osmanthus mist. The Diptyque South Coast Plaza Boutique has a promo going on if you pre-order the fragrance they will include a 12 ml mini of Florabellio as a gift with purchase. You can reach the store at (714) 850-9995, ask for Raven.

4 / Christopher Kane for NARS Summer 2015 Collection features some stunning beauty pieces. It launches online at Narscosmetics.com and Boutiques on April 15th, everywhere else May 1st. 

5 / Jo Malone has three newly packaged colognes that are special-edition versions of some previously released scents ($125 each for 3.4 oz). Plum Blossom comes in a purple cap and label, Osmanthus Blossom comes with a spring green packaging, Sakura Cherry Blossom comes with the pink packaging.

6 / Laura Mercier has released eight new shades of the Creme Lip Color Smooth Formula ($27 each). The new shades include a mix of nudes and rose and plum: Lychee Parfait, Biscotti, Milky Way, Crushed Pecan, Praline Cream, Rose, Audrey and Dry Rose. Some of the names look familiar to me from her older formulas. I think a trip to the counter is in order for me soon.

7 / Tarte has a new Showstopper Clay Palette ($38) which looks perfect for summer. It has six warm-toned shadows, blush, bronzer and highlighter all in one. It’s in my Sephora shopping cart right now since the store locator function shows it’s online only right at this moment.

8 / Caudalie has four new masks. I ordered all four on Monday since I’m on the verge of running out of my Glamglow and Aesop masks. I have high hopes for these and will review once I put them to the test. I like the concept of different masks for different needs. The four options include the Purifying Mask, the Instant Detox Mask, the Moisturizing Mask and the Glycolic Peel Mask ($39 each).

What’s on your beauty radar this week? Are you planning your Sephora haul like me?
What’s in your shopping cart?
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Jo Malone Cardamom and Moroccan Rose – Limited-Edition

January 30, 2015

I’ve been neglecting Jo Malone for a while because of my obsession with other lines but I couldn’t resist picking up the Cardamom & Moroccan Rose Candle ($70 for 7 oz, limited-edition) which is part of the My Wanderlust Collection mainly because the packaging looks quite stunning. Cardamom & Moroccan Rose is described as a Moroccan rose with a mix of honeyed spice. Straight out of the box it smells like a citrus orange rose with a hint of gingery spice. I wasn’t sure how it would burn because the mix of honey, citrus and rose seemed very odd. Once it you burn it, it warms up to a beautiful soothing scent. It smells of equal parts rose, ginger and chamomile. It’s floral but also earthy with a warm mix.

The packaging was a bit of a surprise when I saw it in person. I expected an orange and red tinted glass case, instead the outside is an adhesive sticker. I was worried how the sticker would fare after burning but so far I’ve had no issues. The packaging design is quite lovely and adds a festive accent of color to the home, desk or office. Still, I would have preferred a tinted glass jar rather than a sticker but it seems very sturdy and well made so for now, I’ll overlook it.

If you’re a fan of rose mix home fragrances, the Jo Malone Cardamom and Moroccan Rose is a good one to look into. The mix of rose, honey and spice is really quite unique and makes it a more unisex kind of rose (versus a girly and feminine rose). I find it’s been the perfect transition scent for winter to spring. It’s particularly nice on cloudy days to brighten one’s mood. On warmer sunny days here in Southern California I find it gives a soothing feel.

The Jo Malone Cardamom & Moroccan Rose Candle is a limited-edition scent. Available at all Jo Malone stores and counters while supplies last. I bought mine from Neiman Marcus. Also available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks and Jo Malone.

Have you checked out the Jo Malone My Wanderlust Collection? Did you pick up anything? If not, what’s your favorite rose home scent?

Fragrance Home / Interiors

Candle Care Tips

January 20, 2015

 

I’ve received a number of questions on candle care so today I’m sharing some simple tips on how I burn and care for your candles. Once you own a luxury candle you will want to burn it and care for it properly in order to get the most out of it’s life. I’ve burned quite a few candles in the past few years and didn’t realize until recently that I was burning some of my candles incorrectly.
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Question 1: Some of my candles don’t burn evenly and tunnel. How do you prevent this?
 

 

I just recently discovered the phrase “candle tunneling” which refers to an uneven burn where the wax of the candle near the center/wick melts but the edges do not. Some of my candles haven’ burned all the way to the edge for a smooth flat burn while others have – I did not know what caused this. I just found out at a recent trip to a Diptyque store that the first burn is extremely important to prevent tunneling. The reps at the store said that you want to make sure the first time you burn the candle you want to let it burn long enough to melt the entire surface of the candle which can take several hours. Depending on the size of the candle, they recommended about 1 hour per inch in diameter. I thought 30 minutes of burn time would be sufficient to melt the surface of my standard Diptyque candles so I timed it at a few intervals. At 45 minutes the surface was nowhere near being completely melted.

 

 

It took a full three hours for the surface of my standard size Diptyque candle to melt and liquify completely and evenly on the surface for the first burn. Jo Malone 7.0 oz candles and Diptyque 6.5 oz candles are very similar in size, after testing the timing for the initial burn, I found they both took about the same time for the surface to melt. Below is a Jo Malone Candle where the diameter is about 3 inches. So the 1 hour burn time per inch of diameter proved to be pretty accurate.

 

 

So what do you do if you burned the candle incorrectly the first couple of times? There are a lot of other resources online on how to fix it, but this depends on how deep the tunnel is. If the tunneling is minor I’ve been able to fix some of mine by burning for a few hours and scooping out the hard unmelted wax around the edges to even out the surface. Other recommendations on Scent Snob and Nouvelle Daily.

 

In addition to the first burn, to make sure you candle burns evenly, you also need to make sure the wick stays centered. It can migrate sometimes or burn at an angle. Use a sturdy object to re-center or straighten the wick – I’ve done this while the candle is burning with a small butter knife although I recommend you do this with caution to avoid burning yourself or anything else. It’s better to re-center the wick after you’ve blown out or snuffed the flame. Sometimes I’ll push the wick with the tip of scissors. Whatever you use, if you dip it in melted liquified wax, you’ll have to clean the item.
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Question 2: Why invest in a wick trimmer? Can I just use my regular scissors?

 

 

Trimming the candle wick after they burn is important to prevent them from smoking on the next burn or from burning the sides of the glass. It’s commonly recommended that you trim them as short as possible without cutting them too short. I trim mine after they’ve cooled just in case I don’t catch the end of the trimmed wick. Sometimes I accidentally drop it into the candle and it ends up getting the melted wax very messy or sinks to the bottom of the liquified portion.On wick trimmers vs scissors, I find they both work, but it is nice to have a dedicated tool just for trimming wicks. It took me a long time before I splurged on a Diptyque wick trimmer but I’ve found it well worth the investment and I use it all the time. Now I no longer have to worry about getting my scissors dirty. They also double as a decorative accessory. Wick trimmers are more aesthetically pleasing than basic scissors and I can leave them laying on the coffee table or desk. Also because of the beveled tip it cuts the wick straight versus scissors which will cut the wick at a slant if you have to insert it into the jar and a angled cut wick won’t burn straight.

 

 

Most wick trimmers have a beveled tip which makes it easy to catch the trimmed wick. This is perfect for people like me who find it difficult to balance tiny things on small surfaces.

 

 

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Question 3: Are accessories like lids or photophores really useful? Or worth it in general? What about candle snuffers?

 

 

Some candles come with their own lids. Henri Bendel Travel Candles and full-sized Jo Malone Candles come with lids. Diptyque carries candle lids you can purchase separately. I’ve received a couple Diptyque lids as gift with purchases before and also purchased several. I find that they work to keep out dust and debris and really help to keep the surfaces clean. Some have asked if it keeps the scent in the candle from fading – if you have input on this I’d be really happy to hear your thoughts. I have had several candles that I left open or in a box over 6 months and found they retained their scent and strength without a lid. With the lids that come from Diptyque, Jo Malone or Henri Bendel, they sit on top of the candle but it won’t seal them shut completely so air can still get in and out. I like my lids mainly to keep them clean and dust-free.

 

Photophores are decorative accents for me. They can be on the pricey side but I do think if you are willing to splurge on something to decorate your home these are very beautiful. I received one from Diptyque as a gift from my husband and really love it. Below is the Large Full Twist option.

 

One of the candle accessories I don’t own yet is a candle snuffer. I’ve looked at them numerous times at the stores but haven’t splurged yet.
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Question 4: How do you clean out the wax from the interior to recycle your candles?

 

 

If you google how to recycle or clean out candles, you will find a number of different methods. I’ve shared my personal candle recycling tips before. I don’t always get a completely clean burn and there is often remnants of wax on the sides so the freezer method doesn’t work for me. I don’t like using really hot water because it can impact the stickers on the sides of the jars. I like to use the warm water + dish soap with paper towels or a sponge to soften the wax and clean the interior.

 

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Question 5: What are your all time favorite candles?
I’ve purchased quite a few different candles, each time I go to a Diptyque store or visit Henri Bendel I discover something new. Personal favorites change depending on time of year. My most frequently repurchased candles include:

 

I also really like Frederic Malle, Byredo and Lumira candles as well, but for me they are harder to find so I don’t purchase them as frequently as I would like to.
I hope you found this candle care post helpful! If you have any tips you’d like to share please do so in the comments! What are your favorite candles or scents?
Beauty Tools

Favorite Makeup Tools for Face, Cheeks and Eyes

December 22, 2014

I’ve compiled several detailed brush guides this year but several of my readers have asked for a more consolidated list of recommendations. Like most of my beauty routine, when it comes to makeup tools, I rarely stick to just one brand. I think different lines have certain strengths in particular areas.  Some have a better shape while others are made of better materials. There is a lot to sort through in terms of brush shape, size, material and price point. For me, it’s really important that I am able to test a brush in person before purchasing it so I tend to stick to main stream brands. Today I’ve compiled a list of my most reached-for tools for face, cheeks and eyes.

My top picks for brush brands include MAC, Chanel and Tom Ford. In my experience, the overall best brand for quality and price is MAC. I own many MAC brushes that have lasted me over a decade. I like that the brushes have a simple and sleek design and the quality is consistent among all the tools regardless of material or type.

Chanel is also another great brand that I use a lot for brushes and tools. They recently redesigned all their brushes (I think in the last year or so) for a more modern look. The tools work really well with all brands of makeup. There are many similarities in shapes between MAC and Chanel although the material is very different in most of the tools. 

If price is no object, Tom Ford hands down makes the best brushes I’ve ever tested. All the brushes are super soft and plush and perform the best out of all the tools I’ve tried. The cream foundation brush is the only brush that gives me a streak-free application for foundation or tinted moisturizer. Tom Ford’s brushes are among the few brands I ordered sight unseen. I splurged on a brush set a few years ago and although it made a serious dent in my wallet but I have no regrets and it makes applying makeup a truly luxurious experience each day.

1 / Beautyblender ($19.95) is the best sponge I’ve used. I just discovered it this year and don’t know how I ever got along without it. There are multiple colors and types of beautyblenders but the pink one performs the best. Use it damp and it expands and applies foundation flawlessly.

2 / MAC Duo Fibre Face Brush #187 ($42) everyone needs a good skunk brush. These are fluffy brushes with two types of material mixed in. The uses for this are endless. I like to use mine to apply powder bronzer or highlighters to the face. You can also use these with cream products or to buff out powder foundation or to blend items. MAC also makes the Duo Fiber brushes in a number of other formats like the Short Handled #187 and a tapered Blush #159 version. I like the classic version the best.

3 / MAC Large Angled Contour #168 ($35) is super soft and fluffy angled contour brush. I use this for bronzer or blush (primarily powders). It’s also a good blending tool. The angled edge helps control application.

4 / Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush #02 ($72) is the best foundation brush I’ve used. It’s one of the most expensive tools I own but worth every penny. When I use this to apply liquid or cream foundations, application is flawless and completely streak free. I normally prefer to use sponges for foundation but often times they soak up so much product. This is the closest thing I have to getting a sponge-finish look with foundation but in brush format.

5 / Chanel Foundation Brush #6 ($45) is my most reached-for foundation brush. It’s not quite as perfect as the Tom Ford, but for me it’s the next best thing. I like this for cream blushes too.

6 / Chanel Blush Brush #4 ($54) is my favorite blush brush because of the shape and material. It’s medium-sized and compact but has just the right amount of density to pick up color and dispense it perfectly on the cheeks. MAC makes a lot of good blush brushes too which are very good quality, but I find myself reaching for the Chanel the most.

7 / Chanel Powder Brush #1 ($65) is my favorite dense but soft powder brush. I use this for loose powder, pressed powder and powder foundation. It comes out of the box tapered but once you wash it it fluffs up quite a bit while still retaining a round shape. I like that it’s sturdy with a substantial handle but still easy to hold and maneuver.

1 / MAC Blending Brush #217 ($24) is the best white fluffy brush you can find for $24. This is key for me in terms of blending shadows for a subtle gradient. I also like to use this as a regular eyeshadow brush when I want an all over lid color.

2 / MAC Eye Shading Brush #239 ($25) is in my top 2 picks along with MAC Brush #217. This is my all time favorite eyeshadow brush. It picks up color really well and blends powders together nicely. I like that it’s dense but super soft.

3 / Tom Ford Eyeshadow Contour Brush #12 ($56) is another favorite. This is my do-it-all kind of brush. It applies shadow on the lids, it will contour or smoke out darker colors and the tip is dense for a smokey eye.

4 / MAC Shader Brush #242 ($25) is what I like for cream shadows (or concealer too). This one has lasted me the longest, I think it was one of the first MAC brushes I bought for myself. It has a really nice round tip making application easy and smooth on the eye (so it doesn’t poke the skin).

5 / Chanel Large Eyeshadow Brush #25 ($38) is a medium to large eyeshadow brush that isn’t too big or fluffy. I do like a good fluffy brush, but these days I find myself reaching for this one because it isn’t as thick or dense making it easier for me to control color and application. If you want something fluffy, soft and more dense, the Bobbi Brown Eye Sweep Brush is one of my favorites.

6 / Laura Mercier Smudge Brush ($24) is a good dense detail brush. It’s stiff but not too stiff so it’s easy on sensitive skin or eyes. I like this one to smudge eyeshadow or eyeliner. I use this instead of a regular liner brush because I like a more smudged softer line to define the eyes. It offers precise application but if you are looking for something super precise, I’d recommend the Bobbi Brown Eye Liner Brush or the Angled Eye Definer Brush.

7 / Trish McEvoy Laydown #40 ($42) is one of my favorite multi-purpose brushes. I like this for powder eyeshadow, cream eyeshadow and concealer. I owned this back when Trish McEvoy had gold handles for the brushes (they are now lucite). It’s the perfect shape, size and density for creams to get a good smooth and even application.

8 / Charlotte Tilbury Eyelash Curler ($20) is one of the newest eyelash curlers I’ve tried. When I first tried it I wasn’t super impressed because it’s called the “Life Changing Lashes” eyelash curler and well, it simply didn’t change my life. I found it just as good as my Trish McEvoy and Chanel eyelash curlers but not anything super special. I’ve since tried a few others from other brands like Shiseido and Shu Uemura and have really come to appreciate the design and shape of the Charlotte Tilbury. It has just the right amount of curve to fit my eye shape. Many others are too flat or not curved enough. The wrong shape will either pinch my eyes around the corners or miss lashes making the curl uneven. I give the Charlotte Tilbury a huge thumbs up for the way it performs. 

9 / Trish McEvoy Eyelash Curler ($20) is a classic go-to for me. I have several of these right now and  it’s been my most-replaced tool (some recommend you change or the pads these every 90 days, I tend to use these longer replacing once every 6 months). It just works the way an eyelash curler is supposed to. It grabs all the lashes and curls them evenly and in a round flared up shape. 

I have some additional thoughts on brushes focusing on double duty or recycling. Based on the above guides, you might be wondering what I recommend for eyeliner, concealer, crease, bronzer, brows or lips.

I think a lot of tools can be used multiple ways which means you can stretch out the uses. Having multiple brushes can be extremely useful so you don’t have to worry about mixing colors or washing brushes frequently if you change from a light to a dark color for a certain tool. I do like brushes that will do multiple things though. For bronzer, I will sometimes use my blush or powder brushes. For the eye crease or contour I find the MAC #217 works just perfectly. For concealer I like blending with the fingers or a sponge.

For brow a lot of brow pencils come with a brush on the end to smooth out the color. I’ve bought a few brow combs before but find they don’t last me very long so I like to recycle my mascara wands after they are used up. Rinse the end with soap and warm water and you’ve got a lash comb and brow comb in one that you can toss whenever without worrying about throwing money away.

Lip pencils often come with a lip brush at one end so I don’t find the need to purchase a separate lip brush for gloss or lipstick. Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana have lip brushes which I find handy.

Last but not least, long time readers know I’m a fan of recycling candle jars. I use them to store brushes, pencils, lip gloss and office supplies. Diptyque and Jo Malone are my favorite to recycle. I just clean them out with warm-to-hot soapy water and a dish sponge. My candles don’t always have a clean burn so often times there are remnants of wax stuck on the sides. Some recommend freezing or using boiling water. I find that using anything too drastic with temperature changes can crack the glass or melt off the sticker (which I like to keep in tact).

If you’re just starting to build up your collection of makeup tools I hope you found this guide helpful. It can be overwhelming to sort through all the options so I have found the best way to start is to focus on one area at a time (i.e. start with eyeshadow brushes or blush brushes) and do your research. If you’re an in-store kind of shopper, I highly recommend bringing a small list of options you’ve found interesting or with high ratings. Having a list can be helpful in case you want to see different brands in one store. Some brushes go by number so writing the numbers down is handy unless you have a super good memory, I often have to look at the numbers on my MAC brushes when someone asks me “which brush is that?”

Building a good brush collection will take some time but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Brushes can be pricey especially when you add them up so I do recommend taking your time to research in advance to make sure you find ones that work best for your specific needs or wants.

I hope you found this guide on my favorites helpful to start!

This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All opinions my own. All tools my own. For more information you can refer to my Disclosures.
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On My Radar / New in Beauty

October 21, 2014

A few new items on my beauty radar this week:

Jo Malone has released the Cologne Intense Mini Collection (1) in a set for the first time this holiday. It has Tuberose Angelica, Velvet Rose and Oud, Saffron, Dark Amber and Ginger Lily and Oud and Bergamot. I was almost ready to purchase but have never smelled Saffron before. Have you? What do you think?

Edward Bess has released four new shades of Lasting Kiss Lip Stain (2). I will have swatches to share with you very soon but first impressions are they are to die for.

Tom Ford Beauty has re-released two of the Cream Color for Eyes (3) in Platinum and Spice. Those who missed out before will be happy to know you can purchase them now with the holiday collection (but take note they are limited-edition again).

L’Occitane never fails to get me with their Shea Butter Hand Cream releases (4). With the holiday season approaching, I’m excited to see what sets they will release this year. Three new ones on my radar are the Rose Heart, Vanilla Bouquet and Whipped Shea Butter.

NARS has several holiday gifting sets out this year. This Virtual Domination Cheek Palette (5) looks like it could be the perfect compact size to slip into your purse for touchups or application on-the-go.

I’ve been getting lots of e-mails about the new Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss (6). Chanel.com released three shades as a preview, but all the colors have finally arrived at Nordstrom in case you have been looking. I have five I’ll be swatching and reviewing.

Diptyque has some amazing holiday offerings this year. The packaging on their holiday candles are breathtakingly beautiful. There will be candle sets available as well. For the first time they will have one of their photophores available for purchase outside of Diptyque Boutiques in a Limited Edition Set with a Candle Holder + Feu de Bois, 6.5 oz. (7).

Dior Holiday is also stunning. There are two limited-edition quints in Golden Shock and Golden Reflection (8). (P.S. for a limited time, Nordstrom.com has these on sale with 10% off for their price matching, check out the Sale Section on their website under Beauty to see what else is on a discount.)
What’s on your beauty radar this week?
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On My Radar / New In Beauty

August 27, 2014

Happy mid-week lovelies! A few items that popped on my beauty radar this week. Fall collections look incredibly beautiful and there are a number of new foundation formulas on the market that sound promising.

  1. Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt has arrived for fall and it sounds amazing! This will come in a Candle, Body Cream,  are the the 1 oz and 3.5 oz Cologne Spray, I can’t wait to check it out this week
  2. Christian Louboutin will launch 30 new shades of nail polish at the end of the month, I have my eye on The Nudes Nail Colors (available for pre-order at Nordstrom)
  3. Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation has been on my radar for a while now, I received a sample packet (but in the wrong shade), it felt really nice on the skin, if you’ve tried it please let me know what you thought, I have friends that keep telling me it really is the best, but I can’t bring myself to splurge just quite yet
  4. Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation is another new formula on the market, I tested a couple samples I received at the store, it did feel amazingly smooth, evened out the skin and covered imperfections while looking natural, I had a hard time deciding on a shade
  5. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation is yet another new one, I’ve heard nothing but great things about this, it’s on my list to try out
  6. Giorgio Armani Fall has arrived, the Palette Yeux Organica Palette looks absolutely amazing, it’s on hold for me at my local Neiman Marcus counter and I hope to pick it up in the next few days
  7. Jin Soon Choi collaborated with designer Tess Giberson to create five new nail colors, I ordered two and will share them soon, the five shades are Heirloom, Farrago, Mélange, Pistache and Nocturne, available now at Nordstrom and Space NK
  8. Tom Ford Fall has started to trickle in stores and has been selling out at lightening speeds. Today, some items have popped up online at Neiman Marcus including the Contouring Cheek Duos in Stroked and SoftcoreBlack Cherry Nail Lacquer, and Lip Colors in Negligee and Twist of Fate.
I have the Tom Ford and a couple JINsoon polishes to review soon. I ordered the Tom Ford Fall Collection from Saks NY after calling around several stores to find they had sold out and had wait lists going. Many have been asking me to rush the review and post it stat. I took about 1/2 of the pictures to review and my camera broke (heartbreak!!) before I could do swatches, it will take 3 weeks to get repaired so I purchased another camera which is on its way. I have some other items photographed and ready to publish in the mean time. I appreciate your patience. If you’re thinking about the Tom Ford, I suggest you act fast. I’ve been testing it and the eye quad and cheek duos are a must if you don’t want to wait for online items to show up, call your closest Tom Ford Counter or Boutique to place an order.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?