Yearly Archives

2014

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Tatcha Okasan Mother’s Day Gift Set

May 5, 2014

Tatcha has designed a special Okasan Mother’s Day Gift Set ($135) this year containing a full-sized Gold Camellia Moisturizing Lip Balm, Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, and one sheet of their Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask and a small box of Japanese candy from Kyoto. It comes in a beautifully packaged white box and indigo/gold wrapping paper. As usual, everything from the contents, design, personal note are true to Tatcha form – exquisitely packaged with no detail missed.

My mom fell in love with beautiful design and packaging of the Gold Camellia Lip Balm when I purchased it back in January. Although Tatcha kindly sent this set to me for review, I thought it fitting to gift this set to my mother as an introduction to the brand since I have already tried 2 of the 4 items in the set. As a quick intro, I’m in my early 30’s with normal but sensitive skin prone to occasional break outs. My mother is in her mid 50’s and has normal but flawless skin. She describes her skin as normal but oily in the T-zone. I’m fortunate to live only 10 minutes away from my mom so we spent a few days playing with this set on a few occasions. Our thoughts below (we both loved the Japanese candy).

Deep Hydration Lifting Mask
comes in individually at $28 each or a set of 4 for $95. I’m really happy this came in the set for my mom to try. I received a sample several months ago with an online order (Tatcha has really good samples with online orders) and it’s an amazing sheet mask. It comes with two mesh linings on each side that you remove and then leave on the face for at least 15 minutes. It has a cooling sensation that hydrates and makes the skin feel like you just had a spa facial.
  • My thoughts: This is a spa in a packet, my face is left feeling fully refreshed and hydrated.
  • My mom’s thoughts: It has a nice soothing light scent, it has a slightly tingly feeling, my face does feel nicely hydrated after use.

Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm is an exquisitely packaged lip treatment with gold leaf.

  • My thoughts: You can read my review here, it has a nice soft sweet scent.
  • My mom’s thoughts: It’s too pretty to use, I don’t want to ruin the gold leaf but I like that it feels lightweight and non-stick on the lips.

Camellia Beauty Oil
is one of those oils reaching cult-status. It’s a light and rich beauty oil designed for the face, hair and body. It has Licorice Extract to calm the skin, lightly scented with young Bamboo and Green Tea fragrances. We both adore this oil.
  • My thoughts: This was my first time trying the Tatcha Beauty Oil, I was pleasantly surprised that everything my readers have been telling me about this one is true. It has a sweet fruity scent upon first application but the scent and oil both absorb quickly into the skin. I love the light feeling moisturizing feel and it leaves the face feeling hydrated – perfect for summer.
  • My mom’s thoughts: This is a really nice oil and makes the skin feel like the hydration has been restored. I like that it’s really lightweight and absorbs into the skin, it’s perfect for the warm weather.

____________________
This set is hands-down winner in both our books. (I have the face mask replenishments and camellia oil on order for myself already.) If you want to order this set, you can find it now online at Tatcha.com. Individual items are also available for purchase via Tatcha.com and Barneys New York. Be sure to follow Tatcha on Facebook – they have a fun interactive contest/giveaway for the Mother’s Day Set.
Have you tried Tatcha yet? What are your favorites so far?
This post contains items sent courtesy of Tatcha for review. All opinions are our own. For more information refer to my Disclosure Policy.
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Uncategorized

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

May 5, 2014

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if you’re like me, you have a mother who already has everything she wants, rarely thinks about herself because she is always thinking about those she loves around her, and usually says “you don’t have to get me anything, how about just make me a nice card?” Each year I try to find something special she can incorporate into her wardrobe or home as a gesture to show how much I appreciate everything she does. If you’re in need for some gift ideas, here are a options I hope will help with some gift inspiration. From top left, clockwise:
  • These colorful Ombré ($38, Nordstrom) and Flower Bud Print ($59.50, J.Crew) scarves are perfect for spring and will go well with spring-to-summer crisp white blouses or tees
  • J.Crew has some really fun and chic-looking Textured Summer Straw Hats ($34.50) perfect for the upcoming warm weather days
  • Kate Spade has these delightful Basket Pave Studs ($68, comes in gold, silver or pink) that are classic and add a bit of glamour
  • J.Crew has a variety of cute Ceramic Trays ($19.50 each) can add a lovely accent to her dressing table for her jewelry (other affordable options at Pottery Barn)
  • Esteé Lauder has a lovely Modern Muse Fragrance Set ($85), there’s also a Gift With Purchase at Nordstrom going on now (this is almost a no-brainer/no-fail option since almost every mother I know is a loyal Esteé Lauder fan)
  • Tory Burch has a number of chic sandal options, according to my local store, one of their best sellers is the the Cameron Patent Thong Sandals ($150)
  • Jo Malone Peony Blush Candle ($65) is a luxurious option that you can pair with a nice bouquet of flowers
  • L’Occitane has a Delightful Hands ($28) hand cream trio that makes a nice add-on that won’t break the bank, this one has the Classic Shea, Cherry Blossom and Velvety Rose
  • Gigi New York has a creative way of packaging their gift cards in a chic printed card holder
  • Tatcha has a great set with their Okasan Mother’s Day Set ($135), it’s a steal that contains one Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, Camellia Gold Lip Balm, Camellia Beauty Oil, Japanese candy from Kyoto (I gifted this to my mother early, but it’s so awesome I want one for myself), check out their contest they are running on Facebook
What have you found for Mother’s Day this year? Do you have any traditions? Be sure to check each shop’s shipping policies and deadlines, most are offering rush shipping options but with certain cut-off dates.

For fun, check out this really cute video (and maybe send this via e-mail to your mom) from Elle.com Great Thing of the Day: Is This the #WorldsToughestJob? – I guarantee it will make you smile!

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Mirage, New Moon and Utopia

May 3, 2014

This summer Chanel brings us three new stunning shades of Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Shadow in Mirage, New Moon and Utopia ($36 each for 4g/0.14oz). All three colors are breathtakingly gorgeous. I think all are universally flattering colors, each with a stunning mix of shimmers. Both New Moon and Utopia are listed as limited-edition, while Mirage is listed as permanent. As with all other Illusion D’Ombres, these are semi-sheer but layer able with intense shimmer.

Swatches:

More pics and swatches:

Mirage is a luminous warm bronze. It seems to have been launched to replace Initiation from Holiday (which is now discontinued, but still available at Neiman Marcus). If you compare the two shades, Mirage has a more refined shimmer while Initiation has more visible silver flecks of sparkle. Both are similar on the eyes.

It was a bit difficult for me to capture the differences with a flash, the shimmers blinded my camera so I have two sets of swatches. The one with flash is more accurate with color.

This one is without any flash, under artificial light, it makes the colors look a bit green, but shows the difference in undertone and texture better.

New Moon is my favorite of the three. It’s a complex burgundy, gold, brown, red mix. It can appear reddish when swatched on the arms or hands but it applies much more neutral on the eyes.

Two sets, same items in each, just different lighting include MAC Constructivist, Bobbi Brown Velvet Plum (review here), Chanel Ebloui, Chanel New Moon, Armani Eyes to Kill 28 (swatches here) and Chanel Fatal (review here).

Utopia is a gorgeous lavender sparkle. It’s one of the few lighter pink/purples I can actually pull off without looking like I have pink-eye. Medium or dark purples are easy for me to wear (as long as the red in them is minimal), lighter purples tend to clash with my olive skin and make me look sickly. Utopia has the perfect mix of pink and purple.

Below comparisons swatches to Armani Eyes to Kill 30 (hard to find but swatches/review here), Bobbi Brown Cool Lilac, Chanel Utopia, Chanel Illusoire, Chanel Impulsion (review here) and Armani Eyes to Kill 8.

These are must-haves for summer in my book – especially for Chanel fans. For those who avoid dupes/similar colors, I think you’ll find these shades particularly unique. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with these over the last week. They are extremely versatile and easy to wear for any occasion (day or night). Lasting power is quite good as long as you’re not one who rubs your eyes frequently throughout the day.

The Illusion D’Ombres are $36 each, now at all Chanel counters in the US. Currently online at Nordstrom, Saks and Chanel.com.

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Uncategorized

Sneak Peek – Summer Reflets D’Ete de Chanel

May 2, 2014

More to come this weekend – Chanel Summer Beauty for 2014 has arrived in stores and online at Nordstrom, Saks and Chanel.com. My picks:
  • Le Vernis in Sweet Lilac, Pink Tonic, Tutti Frutti, Mirabella (Eastern Light also repromoted)
  • Illusion D’Ombres in Mirage (bronze), New Moon (plum gold), Utopia (gorgeous lilac)
  • Glossimers in Glaze, Hello, Sexy, Happy and Sunny (such fun names)
  • Stylo Yeux in Ambre Dore (not pictured)

 A couple items in the collection that I passed on:

Did you pick anything up yet at your local Chanel counters? Or did place an order online already? If you haven’t seen it the Illusion d’Ombres are TO-DIE-FOR! If you’ve checked it out tell me if I need the Blush Creme, I keep going back and forth on it. Happy Friday!

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Fragrance

An Introduction to Lumira | Soy Luxury Candles in Persian Rose and Tahitian Coconut

May 1, 2014
image via Lumira

I’m very excited to introduce Lumira today. My readers know I am an avid fan of luxury home candles. A well designed and crafted candle can add that perfect little accent to your home or office decor as well as make your entire room smell amazing. I’ve been following several Australian candle designers on Instagram loving the beautiful decorative imagery and inspiration from their Australian followers. I was ecstatic when Lumira reached out to provide an introduction.

For those new to this line, Lumira is a luxury lifestyle brand based in Sydney, Australia that specializes in hand-made soy candles. The line made it’s debut this year by founder Almira Armstrong. The first products in the line include a range of eight scents including Oriental Jasmine, Tuscan Fig, Persian Rose, Tropical Gardenia, Tahitian Coconut, Sicilian Citrus, Cuban Tobacco and Balinese Ylang Ylang.

The Signature Candles currently come in two sizes:

  • A large elegant, ebony hand-filled glass with beautifully scented creamy soy wax, $55 AUD for 450g/15.8oz, approximately60 hour burn time
  • A compact travel tin with a twist-off lid, perfect for travel, on your desk or on-the-go, $19.95 AUD for 100g/3.5oz, approximately 15 hour burn time

image via Lumira
The line is currently available in Australia and select international locations. You can purchase items online at Atelier Lumira (they ship internationally). According to Lumira they plan to expand their line into the US at more locations later this fall (stockists listed here).

Lumira kindly sent the Persian Rose Signature Candle and Tahitian Coconut Travel Candle for review. Readers know I am extremely particular and very selective with scents (my husband calls it “super picky”). I am pleased to report Lumira Candles are extremely well made. Both scents are high quality with an amazing blend of luxurious oils. I’ve been burning these for over a week now and everything is quite exquisite.

Persian Rose comes in a heavy black glass container. It’s the largest candle I own at 450g/15.8g. Persian Rose has a mix of rose absolute, blended with subtle notes of Jasmine, Soft Musk and
Bois de Rose. This one is designed for turning any home into a relaxing sanctuary. It’s a relaxing soothing rose that isn’t too floral and far exceeds my other rose candles in composition and blend. Yes, this is my new favorite rose. It has a really clean burn that fills up the entire room.

Notes:
Top: Sparkling Mandarin, Bergamot Zest & Sweet Orange
Mid: Budding Persian Rose & Geranium Essence
Base: Soft Musk, Patchouli & Dark Amber

Tahitian Coconut was sent in a travel size. I’ve been smitten with the Henri Bendel Travel Candles for their convenience, compact size and portability. Often times these candles are strong enough that you don’t have to burn them to enjoy the scent (I often just leave one opened). I like the concept of the travel candles with lids by Lumira. Tahitian Coconut is similar in concept to Henri Bendel’s Beach in the sense that it takes you away to a tropical getaway vacation. Tahitian Coconut is a blend of Coconut, Frangipani and Mandarin. It’s described as a scent that gives the feel of a mini-escape to be enjoyed all year round. It truly does. I find Lumira Tahitian Coconut to have a more rounded creamy feel, while Henri Bendel Beach is a bit sweeter and sharper.

Notes:
Top: Mandarin
Middle: Magnolia, Jasmine, Coconut, Orange Flower
Base: White Musk, Vanilla

The Lumira collection is available online at Atelier Lumira and within a handpicked selection of retailers across Australia and Internationally.
Lumira candles can be enjoyed as a full-size Ebony Glass Jar candle or in a convenient Travel Tin perfect for the office, when traveling, or in smaller spaces.
Have you tried Lumira? A shout out to my Australian readers! I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences 🙂 I can’t wait for the line to be available at more US locations. I’m already panicking about what I will do once they are finished burning.
You can find out more about Lumira on their website. Also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (to see beautiful home decor ideas) for the latest news and to find out where they are launching.
Samples were provided by Lumira for review. All opinions are my own. Photos of Persian Rose and Tahitian Coconut all taken by me.
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NARS

NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette

April 30, 2014

The NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette ($79 for 0.03oz x 15 shades) is a glorious palette of 15 neutrals. It comes in a large mirrored compact and includes a wide range of colors, textures and finishes. I’m late to the party with the NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette (it launched back in January). I thought long and hard for months about purchasing this one because I already owned many of the colors individually and also thought the Urban Decay Naked eye palettes might be duplicates. The Sephora VIB sale earlier this month pushed me over the edge. I put it to the test for several weeks. It was also the only powder eyeshadow palette I brought with me on my recent trip to Dallas. I’ve been really happy with this palette, the versatility is impressive. This one palette has all the colors you need for a multitude of looks: natural, smokey, bronzey, etc. It will take you from day to night.
The colors in the NARSissist Eye Palette include (from left to right, from top row to bottom)


All About Eve (1 side) – shimmery champagne
Madrague (both sides) – matte cream and matte tan
Fez – shimmery copper
Bali – matte soft brown
Coconut Grove – matte brown
Nepal – shimmery peachy pink
Ashes to Ashes – soft grey shimmer
Brousse – shimmery soft plum
Mekong – dark blackened brown with gold flecks
Bellisima – white base with gold sparkle flecks
Lhasa – shimmery light grey mauve
Bad Behavior – shimmery gunmetal
Dogon – darker blue-grey metallic
Pandora – matte sheer black

There have been mixed reviews about the palette, some have reported a different quality and texture of the palette shades compared with individuals colors. Overall I found the palette to be very good quality on par with the individual colors. There were a couple shades I found to be sheerer in texture and harder to work with (my personal experience). Colors I found to perform different in this palette included:
  • the matte colors of Madrague (the regular duo applies smoothly, this palette’s version was a bit chalky)
  • Ashes to Ashes (the singles I have are more pigmented and smoother in texture, but the palette applies ok, just different texture)
  • Dogon (individual is creamier in texture while the palette is drier)
The palette still worked well with no issues for application from what I tested. The colors I noticed differences for still applied well, it just took a little bit more work for me. Close ups and swatches below of the NARSsissist Eye Palette:

Many have asked how this compares to the Urban Decay Naked and Naked2 Palettes. There are similarities in the concept – all have a mix of shimmer and matte neutral-ish colors. I find that my Naked Palettes (1, 2 and 3) are the ones I reach for the most frequently out of any of the eye shadows that I own. The differences between NARS and Urban Decay are mainly in packaging and texture. Both brands have distinct shadow formulas, I can’t say one is better than the other, they are just different.

I’ve swatched them below for your reference. There wasn’t enough room for labeling the swatches but the colors are in the order of the palettes. (To have enough room on my arm, I skipped one of the Madrague shades from the NARS palette because it didn’t show up on my skin in the photograph.)

Overall love. As you can see above there are similarities between the NARSissist and Urban Decay Nakeds. Your preference will depend on a number of factors, such as packaging preference, if you own a lot of the individual colors already, texture preference (Urban Decay is softer and more buttery, NARS is more like traditional shadows in texture with more complex shimmers).

I believe the NARSissist Palette is limited-edition. It may take a bit of hunting to find it in stores, but you can still find it now online at Sephora, Beauty.com and Saks.

Did you buy the NARSissist Palette? What did you think?
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