Dior has several new beauty launches this month and I am loving them so far! I picked up the new Forever Blush Soft Filter ($49 each, out now at Dior and Nordstrom) from my local Dior Beauty Boutique and really love the formula. These are soft matte liquid blushes with a whipped texture. They do take a little bit more extra work to blend out but once blended with a brush or fingers you get a very smooth almost airbrushed look.
Since liquid blushes tend to darken on my skin, I decided to pick up the lighter neutral shades. I am happy to report that these don’t oxidize or darken – they stay true to color, but once blended they have a very soft look on the skin. You can layer for more pigment or color without it looking or feeling heavy.
Lasting power has been pretty good. They stay put and look fresh for hours without budging from the skin. I haven’t put them to the full outdoor humidity test for extended periods since it’s too hot right now to be outside long (unless you’re in the shade). It did last remarkably well through a couple hours at dinner outdoors though, so I’m really happy with the performance.
I swatched them all in store except for one (they were missing the tester). Even though they are very pigmented and opaque, I really love how they blend out on the skin.
I picked up six shades and I think the shade range is really good. They have neutrals and bolder shades in a diverse range of colors. I still wear the Dior Forever Perfect Foundation Stick in 3N.
Lip + cheek pairings below:
01 Petal is a soft neutral warm pink, wearing it with the Rouge Dior in 100 Nude Look Velvet
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02 Peony is a cool-toned rose, pairing this with Rouge Dior in 100 Nude Look Velvet + Addict Lip Maximizer in 204 Nude Mania – swatched right on the skin
05 Lily is a pastel pink, I think this one is a little too pale/chalky on its own for my olive/golden skin, but I think it would look beautiful on neutral-cool tones, wearing this with the Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Shine in 758 Blushing Pink
Overall really happy with these splurges. I’m not usually a matte blush or liquid blush fan but I really love these. I’d say my top three favorites are Petal, Bloom and Orchid.
I’ve been a little MIA on the blog here but hope to post more often here in the near future. I still share new beauty reviews and discoveries nearly every day on social, but I do really miss writing here. I’ll have a Q&A here soon but in the meantime I have a roundup with July’s Top 12 Favorites. Here’s what I loved the most this past month.
Best Scents
Phlur Vanilla Nectar is the best summertime vanilla. This comes in a Hair and Body Mist and I love that it’s not too heavy and it has just the right amount of sweetness! Vanilla Skin is very similar but I love the slightly fruity notes of Vanilla Nectar making it fun for warm weather.
Parfums de Marly Valaya and Valaya Exclusif are my most complimented scents. I gave both a little break for a few months because I felt like I was wearing it too much. I love the Parfums de Marly Trio from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (August 3rd is the last day of the sale). I love having the minis to carry in my purse for on-the-go! Valaya is the stronger variation while Valaya Exclusif has a softer feel with powdery notes of almond. Both are very good.
Loewe Tomato Leaves Candle has been on my mind for quite some time but I really didn’t want to splurge. I finally did on the Candle and the Room Spray. The candle in the Medium size is best candle splurge I’ve ever made. It smells like a fresh garden and it’s pure love. The Room Spray is also exceptionally good.
Skin
Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads have made the list again! I’ve been really struggling with texture this year and clogged pores from sweat, sunscreen and makeup. Even with double cleansing I still really think a good exfoliator is essential. It did take me a couple weeks to adjust to these but I love that they don’t make the skin feel like there’s a film on it. I started out with 1x per week, then 2x per week. Now I use them every other day at night. They are truly a game changer for clearer better skin. I have my eye still on the Facewear Pro Set with the LED Mask (the set price is a pretty good deal) but since I already own 3 other LED masks that I really love from Foreo and CurrentBody I’m hesitant about splurging on another one.
Hair
T3 Aire IQ Hair Dryer has been another favorite and it’s still on sale for $100 off at Nordstrom for the Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives (prices go up August 4th). I love the stand, the attachments and the customization options. You can use the pre-sets based on your hair type and the settings will change with each attachment. You can also pick manual settings for intensity of air flow and temperature. There is a cool shot button too. 10/10 love this. You can see it in action here.
Accessories
Eric Javits Squishee Tote has been a favorite and the design is pure love. It has the best pockets and it’s the perfect size to carry everything I need. I’ve had the Black Mix color for years and it has still held up remarkably well. The team recently gifted the Peanut one and I love the colorway. Both are on sale at Eric Javits. The Hamptons Hat and Squishee Pith Hat are also musts for me.
I’ve been searching for a classic tennis bracelet for what seems like forever. Finding one in the exact size and length I wanted has not been easy as I have small wrists. I will say that after searching tons of reviews on TikTok more and more brands are offering better selections or resizing options these days.
I had narrowed down my options to Mejuri or James Allen and ended up splurging on one from James Allen. I loved the Lab Diamond Earrings I bought from them and found they had a Lab Diamond Tennis Bracelet in a 6 inch length. They have pretty good sales and promo codes if you sign up for their newsletter so I was able to buy one at a very good price.
The one I bought is 6 inches, 4 prong setting, 14k gold in the 5 carat option. It’s so well made. Since it was made to order it did take nearly a month for them to make and ship it but I am 100% happy with the splurge. They have lots of options for length, carat size, metal and settings! They also offer ones with natural diamonds but they are priced quite a bit higher than the lab diamonds.
Another favorite this month was the Tom Ford Penny 55mm Sunglasses. These were my favorite splurge from the Nordstrom sale. I bought the tortoise color.
The Away Clear Travel case is also another favorite. It comes with a removable strap and is technically a stadium bag, but I use it as a mini clutch. It’s perfect for the pool or beach to carry just the essentials. I love the clear option so you can see what’s inside.
Makeup LOVES
The NARS Afterglow Lip Balm is in heavy rotation again. I love these for the formula and color. They’re so comfortable on the lips and add just the right amount of hydration and color. I’ve used up all the colors I bought in the past, but right now I have Orgasm and Fast Lane which are part of an Afterglow Lip Balm Duo at Nordstrom.
Bobbi Brown Easy Neutrals Palette is the perfect everyday quad. Texture and pigment are phenomenal. Shades don’t look as exciting in the pan, but they apply beautifully and blend easily for an effortless look. I am really happy I decided to pick this up, I almost passed after seeing it instore, but I love every single color. It also comes with a gel liner in the set. You can see them both in action here.
OPI Stunn N Done is the most complimented nail color this year. It’s the RapiDry formula so it dries very fast. I wear this shade with 3 coats, but you can definitely wear just 2. It almost makes the fingers glow!
There are so many great sales going on right now. I shared a summer beauty look with Ulta Beauty earlier in the week here on Instagram and thought I’d highlight the sales here on the blog too. They’re having their Big Summer Beauty Sale and it ends July 19th. Lots of great summer beauty finds are marked own with buy one get one 50% off and up to 40% off too.
Here are the best deals on my radar, starting with RMS at 20% off! RMS Beauty is now at Ulta Beauty and the entire line is 20% off. I love their ReDimension Hydra Powder Blushes and Bronzers. I just noticed they added one of my favorite shades Crystal Slipper to several other formulas so I ordered the Luminizer, Lip2Cheek, Eye Lights and Legendary Lip Oil all in the same shade to try. I won’t get them before the sale ends but I’m still very excited to try it all.
This week there are lots of hair straighteners that are 30% off. To this day I still swear by the ghd Platinum+ Styler. It goes with me on every trip too. I gifted one of these to a friend and I was also thrilled to see she packed it one one of our trips together.
A huge selection of nail products are BOGO 50% off. The shade I’ve been wearing lately that everyone has been asking about is the OPI RapiDry Stun N Done (pearly champagne). I love their Cuticle Oil and ordered a couple of the ones in the tube to carry in my purse.
A few of you mentioned the Blushed Metal Gel Couture Top coat to me as an iridescent color-shifting topper so I added that to cart and can’t wait to try it!
July 19th is the last day of the sale! If you had anything on your radar I hope you catch this post in time!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to the public through August 3rd. I shopped the early access for the second day and found some really fun things. Here is everything I picked up starting with my favorite buy.
Every year I love looking at the sunglasses because they have exceptionally good markdowns and it’s something I can wear year round. They tend to sell out quickly but I was able to find the Tom Ford Penny 55 mm Polarized Geometric Sunglasses ($344.99 on sale, regular price $515) in Havana/Polar Green. They have a cat shape with a flattened base. I still wear the ones I bought from past years all the time.
I love looking at all the fall fashion but cannot pull off 90% of it because of where I live. Even when I lived in San Diego most of the fashion was too warm to wear and after living in Central and Southern Florida for the past 8 years, San Diego weather almost seems a little chilly! I did find some cute activewear from Zella including the Racerback Seamless Sports Bra ($27.99 on sale in MEDIUM) and Sunburst High Waist Pleated Tennis Skort ($49.99 on sale, regular price $79 in a SMALL).
I really loved the Open Edit Luxe Sculpt Rib Sweater Tank ($38.99 on sale, wearing a SMALL) because it’s stretchy and very soft. Based on how SOFT this is I think I might pick up one of the other styles called the Luxe Sculpt Rib Tank (not part of the sale) but I think the cut looks flattering! I also picked up the Pleated Miniskirt ($45.99 on sale, regular price $69.50, wearing an XS) which I think is cute for the fall to winter season, at least in Florida.
I skipped the shoes because the sandals I had on my radar were not in store. The sneakers I had my eye on were tempting but I decided I already own enough right now.
For my beauty finds I found everything I had my eye on in store before anything sold out. The Hourglass Brush Set Trio ($136 on sale) sold out so quickly. My SA told me instore she predicted this would sell out the first and it really surprised me but she was 100% right! The brush quality is excellent – just as good as the individual ones although the concealer brush isn’t quite as dense as the individual ones.
The Prada Beauty Lipsticks ($37.50 each) in the Soft Matte Formula Limited-edition brown packaging also sold out in the blink of an eye. All the colors are permanent, so if you have your eye on them, don’t fret – you can still buy the shades. I still think the Prada lipsticks are 100% worth the splurge but if you can wait, I would recommend waiting until holiday when retailers have their friends and family sales.
Westman Atelier had a few sets for the sale and they kindly sent them over for review! The Lip Edition Set ($79 on sale, $122 value) has three full sized permanent shades in the Lip Shape Liner in Petal, Lip Suede in Petal and Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Chou Chou. I’ve really been enjoying the lipstick lip suede more than I thought I would. I did want to note a few of you mentioned yours went rancid with an off smell. I smelled every single one I own and luckily nothing has turned yet. I think the Lip Shape Lip Pencil is an exceptionally good formula. I picked up a few other shades and will review soon.
She also launched a Mini Baby Cheeks Duo ($35 on sale, $52 value) with existing Shades in Chou Chou and Petal which surprisingly sold out quickly too. If you missed out I wouldn’t be too upset, I actually think her seasonal holiday launches are much more exciting. I can’t wait to see what she launches this year.
A few MAC items caught my eye. I decided to try the Nightmode Lipglass Air Lip Gloss Duo ($35) which has an ultra lightweight smooth formula. It’s not as thick or sticky as the original lipglass and I think the colors are really beautiful.
Nordstrom also launched a few lipstick shades for the sale and I thought Cafe Mocha was a really pretty neutral to try.
For bodycare I picked up the L’Occitane Showered in Almond Jumbo Set ($52 sale price, value is $91) for Andrew. He loves the shower oil although he misses the Shower Shake they discontinued years ago.
Also picked up the Osea Cleanse and Glow Body Set ($62 on sale, $104 value) as I really love the shower gel and body oil and I do not mind having a backup.
For skincare I picked up the La Mer Travel Essentials Set ($98) with the Moisturizing Soft Cream for a friend. The minis are REALLY tiny but I still think it’s a nice way to try the items without splurging on the full sizes.
Fragrance sets and hair tools have some of the BEST deals this year, although I will say I suspect the holiday season will also bring us some really good deals too.
Byredo has some exceptionally good sets and if I didn’t already have the full sizes I would have bought all three. I picked up the Eau de Parfum Travel Essentials ($198 on sale, value $294) has three minis in scents each (0.4 oz) and I really love with a leather atomizer case. They also have some great sets with a Mojave Ghost Trio ($250 on sale) and a Blanche Absolu Trio ($290 on sale).
I am finally the owner of Parfums de Marly Delina and Delina Exclusif with the Signature Fragrance Trio ($485 on sale, value is $720). I am already well stocked on Valaya so I’m trying to decide who I should give it away to, but I could not resist getting the set for the other two.
Diptyque has a few sets for the sale. I picked up the Iconic Candle Gift Set ($92 on sale) which has 3 small sizes in Baies, Figuier and Tubereuse. I think these make great hostess gifts so I try to have one on hand.
I didn’t pick up any hair tools since I own a lot that are part of the sale but I wanted to give a mention to T3 since the Aire IQ is on sale. I was gifted T3 Aire IQ last summer and I love it. The Blush Pink is currently on sale for $100 off at $299.99 (regular price is $399.99). I think you can find lots of great deals on T3 throughout the year but if this is on your radar I can confirm after using this for nearly a year I really love the design and the features. You pick your hair type in the initial setting and it will generate the ideal heat and strength setting for your hair type depending on what attachment you use. I don’t use the diffuser, but I do use the others on a regular basis. You can also switch to manual mode for both settings and there is a forced cool-shot option.
I’ve actually been using this more than the Dyson to blow dry. The T3 has more options for heat and strength. I also love the design and the stand that comes with this is beautiful! I feel like all dryers should come with a stand like this.
That wraps up my Nordstrom sale haul! I hope you found some great finds this year! If you want to share anything you picked up please let me know in the comments!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2025 starts now for Icon Card Members! The sale runs from July 8th through August 3rd. Nordstrom Cardmembers shop the sale early depending on your Nordy Club Status:
ICONS have early access July 8-11
AMBASSADORS can shop starting July 9-11
INFLUENCERS have early access July 10-11
The sale opens to everyone from July 12
I’ll be shopping this week and will share my haul picks. Since Nordstrom launched an online preview of all the sale items early I was able to browse by every category and I pulled some things that caught my eye to put on your radar.
Since we just moved to a new apartment earlier in the spring I am in the market for some new home décor and cookware (still searching daily!). There are quite a few good beauty exclusives this year too. There are lots of great value sets and value sizes. Tons of bundles at marked down prices. Even if you’re more in the market for new beauty launches (rather than sets or value sizes) I still think there’s something for everyone.
Here’s what I have my eye on by category. I will be narrowing down my picks substantially as I browse and sort through the sale in person. For beauty shoppers don’t forget to check out the GIFT WITH PURCHASES online first! Some of the gifts are online only and in store a lot of the associates don’t know about all the gifts available outside of their specific counter or brands.
I’m hosting a giveaway to celebrate this sale! There will be several throughout this month (also check my Instagram for more giveaways there too). The first one is going to be a $250 eGift Card to Nordstrom. Open to all readers and all you have to do to enter for a chance to win is enter through the widget below and complete ALL THE STEPS. I’ll pick a winner and contact them via email this Friday!
Chanel launched new shades of the Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color ($36 each). I ordered these from a local Chanel beauty boutique and I believe they are currently exclusive to Chanel.com and individual boutiques.
There are six different shades of radiant shimmers and I am 100% in love with every single one. I think they are all incredibly beautiful and fun for summer. I also appreciate that the ones that pull a little more metallic are smooth and free of any visible brush strokes.
Some of these have a jelly finish so there is a slightly transparent quality to them. I am wearing each one with 2 coats except for the bright pink one which I have with 3 coats.
401 Beach Icon is an iridescent pearly sparkle, this can also be used as a top coat on top of other nail polishes
The Afterglow Lip Shine Lip Gloss* is one of the smoothest glosses I’ve tried and they added new shades which I think are beautiful. The shades run on the sheer side for a barely there kind of tint but they still show up on the lips. I prefer a little more pigment in my gloss but these wear very nicely and feel so smooth and hydrating I really don’t mind them being so sheer. (Other shades reviewed + swatched here.)
Wear time is pretty good if your lips don’t touch anything else. They aren’t the longest lasting though so you will have to reapply after a few hours. New colors are all 10/10 pretty. They are on the deeper side so if you prefer lighter shades these might be too dark for you.
NARS also recently launched a new addition to their Light Reflecting line with a Light Reflecting Luminizing Powder. These are high shine shimmers with a highly reflective finish. The pigment is easy to control but they do pull very metallic on the skin. The shimmer is a little chunky, but if you apply with a finger or dense brush it will smooth out. If you have texture or large pores you might want to pass as these will emphasize them.
I received Heavenly* at a NARS event in Miami (quick peek here in case you’re curious!) and I purchased the others from Ulta. I still think Heavenly is the best one, it’s a really stunning pink.
Eros is a soft cool toned ivory
Electra is a light champagne
Ophelia is a golden champagne
Heavenly is a metallic pink
Total Eclipse is a warm copper shimmer
Since the shimmer and glistening effect is on the intense side I don’t know that I can wear these everyday. They do make for a really beautiful special glow, but I prefer the subtle glow of the newer Prada Highlighters. Also I know the Chanel spring highlighter quad is sold out, but I am still reaching for that one on a regular basis.
Looks wearing each highlighter with a different lip. For skintone reference I wear the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in either Vanuatu or Barcelona right now and the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. (My lighter spring time foundation shade is Sahel).
Overall love the lip shines, I am really loving the Heavenly Highlighter. The other shades are stunning but I have some skin texture issues on my cheeks right now so I have to go easy on the highlighter.
