Nordstrom Anniversary 2017 Archives

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives Haul: simplehuman, Space.NK and Jo Malone

July 31, 2017

I have a roundup of three more beauty exclusives from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale today. There’s still approximately a week left for the sale, it ends August 6th.

One of the best value sets is the The Best Of Collection from the Nordstrom x Space.NK.apothecary line. The set is priced at $159 and for a $237.50 value and you get four full sized items and two travel sized items. Often times value sets have really small sizes which I don’t mind because it allows you to get a good sampling – this set has full sized items and really good travel sizes that will give you a really good sampling.

Inside the set you get a travel size Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray and Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment. For the full size items you get a Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara, By Terry Baume de Rose, Eve Lom Cleanser and Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick. This was my first time trying a green lipstick – it’s a color changing shade that adapts to your natural pH and on me it transforms into a deep pink within 5 minutes. On me it also left a stain so once it fades off the color still stays on like a pretty berry stain.

I picked up the Jo Malone Cologne Collection from the sale as I really like to keep travel sized mini perfumes with me on the go. The heat and warm weather have me wearing more perfume than ever – partly because I also use these on mosquito bites to stop the swelling. I’m super sensitive to bug bits and for the most part we’ve been able to avoid them except at dusk and night. There are two Jo Malone perfume sets, the one I picked includes Nectarine Blossom and Honey, French Lime Blossom, Orange Blossom, Nashi Blossom and Silk Blossom. I’ve shopped these sets for years and don’t remember ever seeing Nashi Blossom or Silk Blossom in the minis so this was a nice one for me. There’s also a Men’s Cologne set which is a little more expensive as it has some of the intense sets. If you’re shopping the sale – don’t forget to check the GWPs online. Had I known about it while browsing in store I would have picked up something else to take advantage of it. If you don’t think these are up your alley – I’d say wait for holiday which is just a few months away. Jo Malone always launches the cutest holiday sets and I can’t wait to see what they have this year.

Last but not least is the simplehuman round sensor mirror pro in Rose Gold. I already own the simplehuman Countertop Sensor Makeup Mirror and it’s probably the best beauty tool I own. I’ve had mine for years and you can read my review from 2014 here. It’s lasted since then and worked perfectly every time. I think it’s funny that with this mirror my male friends and family are the ones that were most impressed with this – funny as I think of it more as something women would use, but my husband uses this frequently and my brother was so impressed he bought one too. If you don’t own one the sale is a great time to save on it. If you want a comparison review of the two models I can do one in the near future, let me know in the comments. The Round Sensor Mirror Pro has the same size circumference but is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled with controls to change the lighting color, set timer on how long light stays on and also has a clock feature with an alarm. I’m not really the type to get ready every morning at the exact same time like clockwork to use the alarm feature – if you use it let me know! Also the pro version doesn’t have an adjustable base so you can’t make it taller like you can with the countertop version. I like both – the app feature is really neat as it also tells you how much battery life is left which comes is super convenient.

This version has a magnetized detail mirror and there’s a magnet on the back for you to store it when you’re not using it. Note – I just checked online and UPDATE Tuesday 8:23 AM it’s back in stock! You also might want to check your local store.

That wraps up my three more things from the Nordstrom Sale! In case you missed my previous posts:

Beauty Haul Part 1 here
Beauty Exclusives Neutral Lip Haul + swatches here
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Diffused Light Palette here
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow reviewed here
Tom Ford Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set here
Sisley-Paris Color Twist Set here

What have you hauled from the Nordstrom sale? Let me know in the comments! I want to live vicariously through your hauls – beauty and everything else 🙂

Space NK Set gifted for review. Other two purchased by me.

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Sisley-Paris

Sisley-Paris Color Twist Set

July 24, 2017

The Sisley-Paris Color Twist Set from Nordstrom has three items from the line that I’ve been dying to try but couldn’t bring myself to splurge on. It contains three full-sized Sisley items in the Phyto-Eye Twist in #1 Topaze, Phyto-Lip Twist in #2 Baby and the So Intense Mascara in #1 Deep Black. The set from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is priced at $100 which is steep, but individually the items retail at $167 so you do get a nice price break with this trio. The price break pushed me to splurge and I’m glad I did. I’ve looked at Sisley makeup for quite some time but the price points have deterred me from splurging sooner. Earlier this year I was able to get my first look at the makeup with the Phyto-Blush Twists and fell in love with them for the classic natural look they give. These items in this set were worth the splurge for me and I was happy to explore more of the line.

The Phyto-Lip Twist is a Tinted Balm. Baby is a light neutral-cool baby pink. It goes on a bit lighter in color compared to what I see in the tube itself but has a smooth very hydrating feel. The finish is like a rich cushion-like balm on the lips. Coverage with Baby is medium to full – one swipe gives a sheer-medium veil of color. A few more strokes gives full coverage. Compared to other tinted balms this one has a thicker feel. A more weightless balm for me is the YSL Volupte Tint in Balms. I think this one is the perfect baby pink color – it felt emollient but stayed put longer on the lips compared to other tinted balms. I usually don’t mind reapplying lip colors especially if it’s a balm or glossy formula. This one stayed on longer than most. There’s a very faint scent if you closely smell the product but I couldn’t detect it while applying on the lips.

The Phyto-Eye Twist is a one of those multi-tasking eye products. You can use it as a base, a shadow or liner. It’s a twist up formula so once the tip wears down I’m not sure how easy it will be to apply as a liner, but as a shadow I really like it. Topaze is one of those perfect neutral lid colors. If you blend it sheers out quite a bit but you can re-layer on top for more color. It glides on easily without tugging and on me it lasted all day without sliding off or fading. Topaze is the one color I had my eye on so it was perfect that it happened to be in this set.

The So Intense Mascara has also been on my radar for ages. When I finally saw the brush in person I was concerned it would not work for me as the ones with the super fine combs usually do nothing for my lashes. The applicator is not like your typical mascara wand – it has very tiny comb. The description says that it has vitamin-rich peptides designed to lengthen and thicken within two weeks. I have not yet had a chance to use it for that long, but I have tested it 5 times now and am extremely impressed. It is quite an impressive formula. It coats the lashes evenly without clumping and the tiny wand gets the lash even at the base easily without touching the skin. I find it gives volume, has an ultra black finish, dries relatively quickly and holds the curl. On me it did not smudge with regular activity, however there was one morning I was outside in extreme heat and sun for about 15 minutes and started dripping with sweat everywhere. It’s not sweat proof to that level of sweating, but on all other tests: dinner outside in humid weather, being indoors most of the day, and also being outside during the weekend for lunches/exploring – it held up remarkably well.

This was worth the splurge for me. Out of the three items I’m most impressed with the mascara. At the price points I don’t know if I’ll be buying more from the lip or eye formulas. I do think they are 100% worth it – but the price points are still very expensive. As much as I like the Phyto-Lip Twist formula I’m a bit hesitant to check out the other shades in person because I think I’ll have little will power to resist buying a couple. For now I’ll most likely be sticking with what I have for tinted balms. I may wait until the fall to splurge on a few more.

Bottom line, Sisley-Paris proves to be excellent in quality and finish again. If you are ok with splurging I think these are really good. The colors are great for that classic understated look in that natural Parisian kind of way. For those who have been wondering about the Phyto-Blush Twist in Glow I reviewed in the spring, it finally restocked online at Neiman Marcus! It’s one of those shades that was available and sold out immediately but it’s back! I don’t know if it will pop up other places but if you missed out keep checking 🙂

You can find the Sisley-Paris Phyto Color Set at Nordstrom for a limited time during the Anniversary Sale. All the shades are available individually as well in case you are only interested in one or two of the items.

Have you tried any of the Sisley-Paris makeup line? What are your favorites?

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set (Nordstrom Exclusive)

July 23, 2017

Tom Ford Beauty has a limited-edition trio for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year called the Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set ($91). It contains a miniature sample size Indian Rose Lip Color (0.03 oz), a full size Extreme Mascara in Raven (0.27 oz) and full size Cream Color for Eyes in Escapade. This set has colors and products I’d consider classic staples. They aren’t the most trendy or necessarily exciting shades, but they are truly perfect for everyday wear – ones I don’t think you can go wrong with for any occasion.

Long-time Tom Ford Beauty collectors will recognize Escapade as a repromote from several years ago. It was a limited-edition shade and if you missed out I recommend you give it a try this round. It’s a light champagne gold that flashes a tiny bit of pink/peach. It’s a great brightening shade for the lids that will enhance the lids with a pretty soft shimmer without looking frosty. This is the only color exclusive to the set.

Indian Rose Lip Color is one of the best everyday neutral rose colors that isn’t too light or deep. I’ve been a long-time devotee of Pink Dusk and Spanish Pink, but as I’m quite tan right now I’ve found some lighter lip colors aren’t as easy for me to wear without a bit of liner. Indian Rose is the perfect in between shade and easy to wear for a natural rosy hue. If you’re one who has yet to splurge on a Tom Ford Lipstick this miniature sample size is a nice way to try one – I think once you try one you’ll fall in love. You can buy the full size separately for this one.

Tom Ford Mascaras have been a staple in my collection. I’m super picky with mascaras and the Tom Ford ones never fail me. I actually prefer the Waterproof Extreme which I’ve featured a number of times here on the blog, but it is one of the more difficult ones to remove in the evening. In hot humid weather the waterproof has never smudged on me even with sweat. The regular version works well too to lengthen, volumize and hold the curl, it’s just not waterproof.

Swatches of the three items below:

In direct sunlight:

Comparisons and swatches below for reference, up first is Escapade next to NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Andromeda, Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Opale, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Norma Jean and Marie Antoinette.

The size of the lip color in this set is a sample size so it’s very tiny. I’ve compared it next to Lips and Boys and the regular size Lip Color as well. Swatch comparisons to other pinks below:

Lip swatch on bare lips, for skin tone reference I’m a Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Sable or Natural which is around MAC NC30 to 37 in Studio Fix Fluid.

Below Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lip in Chutney, Lips and Boys in Austin, Colin and Cary, Lip Color in Pink Dusk, Spanish Pink and So Vain, Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pepper.

One last look:

If you’re looking for wearable everyday kinds of colors this is a great set of staples. Indian Rose is one of the few lipsticks I’ve used up entirely and repurchased and I didn’t mind having another one in the mini size. I really love the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes so I was really happy to find that Escapade was relaunched. I do think you can get a similar effect with one of the other shades shown above or Laura Mercier’s Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold (I’ve used mine up so I couldn’t swatch to compare) – but I really love the Tom Ford formulas for an effortless kind of wash. It has a brightening effect on me and also doubles as a nice base for powder shadows.

You can find the Tom Ford Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set exclusively at Nordstrom for the Anniversary Sale. Have you tried any of these before? What did you think? Have you hauled any of the other beauty exclusives or are you picking new launches from other brands? I’ll have a couple more posts on my Nordstrom buys from the sale. Also coming up this week a lip haul with new formulas and a summer beauty launch review that has some really amazing highlighters.

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Hauls

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives Nude Lip Haul

July 17, 2017

Today I’m reviewing and swatching my lip haul from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I bought three sets in store from MAC, YSL and Dior for Early Access. After browsing some more online I decided to stick with what I bought for the most part (I ordered a couple more items) as most of the sets consist of existing colors this year. As usual my picks are all in the neutral category. Also since I already have some colors from other sets offered in the sale, check back later today and I’ll have swatches of those up for reference.

Up first is my favorite, the MAC Look in a Box Saint No Angel Mini Lip Kit ($26.50 for a $40 value). Every year the neutral lip sets sell out first so I’m hoping they stocked more this year in anticipation of that. This year has minis which is why the set is less expensive. I love these colors so much I wish they had made them full size instead – I wouldn’t have minded if it were double the price for bigger ones. There are two lipsticks and two lipglasses:

Love Me Lots Matte Lipstick is a medium nude pink
Dandy Apple Satin Lipstick is nude peach-pink
Saint No Angel Lipglass is a sheer shimmering light pearly pink
Totally Buff Lipglass is a neutral pink with a slight hint of mauve

The Dior Addicted to Nude Lip Set ($70) has existing shades and after I got home I realized I already owned one of the colors. There is another option Addicted to Pink (with Baby Dior and Lazy) but my local store did not have it. The price of the individual lipsticks is $35 each so with this one you’re getting the mini Lip Maximizer and bag for free. For the nude lip set option I believe you can get both separately. Inside the Addicted to Nude Lip Set:

Dior Addict Lipstick in Bobo is the perfect coral shimmer, the formula is just so pretty and smooth
Dior Addict Lacquer Stick in Underground is the perfect neutral-cool everyday mauve pink (also wearing it in this beauty look here)
Dior Lip Maximizer mini is a plumping lip product

Last but not least is the YSL Lip Set in Nude ($74 for a $106 value). I don’t own any of the colors in this set, one is a Nordstrom Exclusive for the sale:

Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-in-Stick in Decadent Nude 61 is a shimmery nude pink mauve, the shimmer doesn’t really show up on the lips (Nordstrom Exclusive Shade)
Rouge Pur Couture in Le Nu 70 is a peachy nude
Volupte Tint in Oil in Make Me Nude 9 is a sheer nude with a hint of shimmer that makes the lips look full and voluptous

Swatches of the Nude Lip Set compared to individual existing shades, it appears the Rouge Volupte Shine Oil in Stick 44 and 47 (reviewed here) are sold out almost everywhere online now except for Neiman Marcus and YSL Beauty (in store stock may vary).

Upate: As promised swatches of the Charlotte Tilbury, Chanel and Chantecaille Lip offerings from the sale. I didn’t buy the sets as I already own the colors, for reference in case your store doesn’t have these or if you can’t get to a store I hope this helps!

Chanel has two gloss sets in the Chanel Rouge Nude Mood Coco Gloss Moisturizing Trio with 774, 714 and119 and the Bright on Brights Trio has shades 728, 738 and 172. I’ve put the stock photo next to photos I took of the real live product for reference and swatched them below.

Chantecaille Touch-Up Essentials has a full size Brilliant Lip Gloss in Charm which is pretty much clear on my lips along with the Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara and a mini eye makeup remover.

Charlotte Tilbury has two lip sets. Day to Night Lip Set in Hot Lips Nude has KISSING Lipstick in KKW and Matte Revolution Lipstick in Super Cindy along with Pillow Talk Lip Liner. Day to Night Perfect Pink Lip Set has KISSING Lipstick in Kiss Chase and Matte Revolution in Between the Sheets (previously limited-edition and relaunched for the sale) along with Pink Venus Lip Liner.

For additional reference, the nude lips swatched in this post here. Pink lipstick shades are in this post here.

FYI, in all the swatch photos I’m wearing a mix of MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC25 and NC37 set with the Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Plus. To sum up the lip options – there are lots of repeats for existing shades. I picked two I could find that have exclusive or new colors. I’m really happy with all my purchases even though it turns out I already own one of the Dior lipsticks. If you’re a beauty junkie like me you might already own a lot of the colors as well and find this year’s offerings repetitive. I found some interesting sets and think a lot of these could make for great gifts later on in the year. I stocked up on some of the MAC ones.

Early Access runs through the 20th and opens up to the public on the 21st. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to check their Gift With Purchase page – it gets updated frequently!

Did you shop the sale yet? Any lip sets catch your eye?

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Hauls Nordstrom

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2017 Beauty Shopping Guide, Haul and Recommendations

July 13, 2017

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is finally here for Early Access! If you have a Nordstrom Card you can shop the sale starting today July 13th through July 20th. It opens up to everyone else on July 21st and ends August 6th. As a beauty lover this is one of my favorite events because this is when Nordstrom launches a ton of their Beauty Exclusives. They offer a little bit of everything from makeup, beauty tools like brushes, hair dryers, face devices, skincare, body care etc. My favorite items are their makeup beauty sets and exclusive colors. They also have a lot of their best sellers in large value sizes so you can stock up on your staples. I stopped by my local Nordstrom to shop the sale (secret tip, if you’re a Level 4 Rewards Member you get a 1 day early access to things like this sale). The Nordstrom here in Tampa has a decent selection however it’s on the smaller side and they didn’t carry all the items for the sale so I’ll be ordering a few things online. Also another tip is to check their Gift With Purchase Page whether you’re shopping online or in store. It’s a good idea to make a list, especially of the GWPs – when you’re in store there’s a lot to browse and you can easily miss out on some great extras especially if you’re stocking up for gifts or spending a good amount with a single brand. Do note some of the GWPs may be online only.

First a quick look at some of the exclusives set up in store. For those of you who don’t have a Nordstrom near you I hope this helps give you a visual idea of what the Beauty Exclusives section looks like. I didn’t get photos of everything in store – these are just some highlights. There are a lot of skincare options and value sets.

MAC Look in a Box Nude Lip Set // Supergoop! Forever Yound Hand Cream Set // Supergoop! SPF50 Anti-Oxidant Sprays // Glamglow Gravity Mud Firming Treatment set // Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment // Glamglow Your, Contour and Glow Set // Slip for beauty sleep Slipsilk

Mario Badescu The Icons Set // Ouai Hair Care Kit // Sigma Beauty Innovation Duo // Supergoop! Mist Duo // Ahava Special Size Hand Cream // Stila Stay All Day Liner and Lipstick Set // NARS Fox Dancer Mini Multiples Coffret

T3 Featherweight 2 Dryer // Beachwaver // T3 Single Pass Lux // simplehuman Sensor Mirror Pro // Clarisonic Mia1 and Mia2, accessories // Drybar Tressed to Impress

Clarins Value Size and Sets // La Mer Revitalizing Collection // La Mer Mini Miracles // Chantecaille Morning Must-Haves // SK-II Trio // Sisley Best Sellers

The Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Set in Nude Mood and Bright on Brights have existing colors, you can see swatches of all of them here.

Chantecaille Touch Up Essentials // Sisley-Paris Color Twist Trio // Tom Ford Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set // Armani Glow Duo // Armani Eye Set // Hourglass Diffused Light Palette // Dior Addicted to Nude Lip Set // YSL Pink Lip Set // YSL Nude Lip Set

I felt like the shoe and clothing selection in store was pretty lacking in the store near me so I’ll be shopping the sale items online. If I find anything I’ll definitely do a haul post on that. Here’s a quick look at some shoes I saw that were interesting including these Tory Burch Bryce Sandals and a lot of good sales on boots.

For now here’s my Beauty Haul Part 1. I will be reviewing and swatching everything in the upcoming days.

What I hauled from beauty, Part 1:

Diptyque Five Candle Set (1.2 oz each) with Baies, Roses, Feu de Bois, Tubereuse and Figuier $55
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Diffused Light Palette $62
Jo Malone Cologne Collection with Nectarine Blossom and Honey, Orange Blossom, French Lime Blossom, Silk Blossom, Nashi Blossom for $115 (there’s also a Men’s Cologne Set for $135 with a different variation)
Tom Ford Golden Rose Eye and Lip Set with Escapade Cream Color for Eyes, Indian Rose Lip Color and Mascara in Raven $91
MAC Look in a Box Mini Lip Kit with Lipglasses in Totally Buff and Saint No Angel and Lipsticks in Dandy Apple and Love Me Lots $26.50
YSL Nude Lip Set with Rouge Pur Couture 70, Rouge Volupte Shine 31 and Tint-in-Oil 9 for $74
Sisley-Paris Color Twist Set with Phyto Lip Twist #2, Phyto Eye Twist #1 and So Intense Mascara for $100
Antica Farmacista Jumbo Hand and Body Wash in Acqua for $36
Dior Addicted to Nude Lip Set with a mini Addict Lip Glow and full-size Bobo Dior Addict Lipstick and Underground Lacquer Stick $70

On my order wishlist includes the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Set, the Butter London Set, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, Glamglow Set, Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss Minis, and another Clarisonic Alphafit for my husband because his needs to be replaced.

My top beauty recommendations would also include the Diptyque 5-Piece Set, the simplehuman Sensor Mirror (I love it, I’ve had mine for around 4+ years), any Clarisonic device (I like the Mia Fit the best) and if you’re a fan of nude lips, grab the MAC Look in a Box Set as soon as you see it – it always sells out quickly every year. In previous years some brands also launch their fall beauty collections around this time at Nordstrom. I didn’t see anything out yesterday but it was the pre-early access so they might not have had a chance to put everything out yet.

In case you’re wondering, my Anniversary Sale fashion wishlist on this page here.

I’m hosting another giveaway and giving away five $100 eGift Cards to Nordstrom. This one starts at 9:00 AM EST today and will run through the 19th and it will be open internationally. You must enter through any of of the entry options in the widget below and be 18 years or older. Winners will be selected at random through the widget and announced in this post. Selected winners will be contacted by me via e-mail and must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected. Full terms and conditions in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for Early Access? What’s on your list?

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Nordstrom Anniversary 2017