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Sabrina

Beauty Favorites Fragrance

Favorite Perfumes of 2024

December 18, 2024

Best Perfumes of 2024

Out of all the beauty categories this year, perfume and fragrance has been my favorite. I tried quite a few new brands this year with discovery sets and some of your recommendations and found some new loves.

Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, I’m rounding up my Top Favorites starting with perfume by scent category.

Citrus Scents

Celine Parade

Celine Parade Perfume

Citrus perfumes are my favorite, and this is the category I usually gravitate towards. Celine Parade remains a favorite. I think it’s one you can wear year-round but the citrus notes definitely give it a fresher vibe for spring to summer.

NOTES: Bergamot, Neroli, Vetiver, Musk, Oak Moss

Chanel Paris-Biarritz

Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Biarritz

The Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel is still my favorite line in the Chanel fragrance lineup. I love the fresh feel they have. Paris-Biarritz remains my most-worn from them.

NOTES: Sicilian mandarin and lily of the valley accord

Fresh & Clean

Cologne Celeste – Celine

Celine Cologne Celeste and Huile Celeste

I love fresh and clean scents but ones that aren’t too soapy-clean. Celine Cologne Celeste is a clean citrus and this is in a different format than their eau de parfums. The bottles for this line are in a larger and taller bottle format for an Eau de Cologne, Perfumed Body and Hair Oil and Bath Milk. I bought the body oil and cologne and love both. They both have a very clean vibe, almost like a fresh body wash, but it’s not too soapy.

NOTES: Angelica, sweet lemon essence, petitgrain, neroli accord, ambrette butter and orris butter

L’Eau Sezane

Sezane L'Eau Sezane perfume review

Sezane L’Eau Sezane was a scent I bought blind just in the last week. This scent was spritzed all over the box for one of my orders and I fell in love with it instantly! I thought about it for several weeks but couldn’t get the scent out of my head. It’s very fresh, clean with an almost green feel to it. Lasting power isn’t the best with this one but I still think it’s worth checking out and it’s one I don’t mind reapplying throughout the day.

Top notes: Essence of Italian Mandarin, Essence of Italian Lemon, Essence of Petit grain Bigarade
Middle notes: Neroli, Water Jasmine, Peony
Base notes: White Musk

Soft Skin Scents and Musks

I love the idea of a skin-like musk scent, but musks can be tricky for me. Some pull too powdery and it doesn’t wear well on my skin, so the ones I lean towards have a warmer vibe.

Phlur Missing Person

Phlur Missing Person Perfume

Phlur Missing Person remains at the top of my list for Phlur. I think it’s going to either be hit or miss for you depending on how it works with your body chemistry but I think it’s one of the best skin-like musk scents I’ve tried. Sephora has their Fragrance for All Event now thru 12/24 so if you’ve had your eye on any perfumes at Sephora you can save 20% off full-size perfumes with code FRAGRANCE20.

NOTES: Top: Skin Musk, Bergamot Nectar, Sheer Jasmine
Heart: Fresh Cyclamen, Neroli Blossom, Orange Flower
Base: Sandalwood Australia Oil, Blonde Wood, White Musk

Guerlain Musc Outreblanc

Guerlain L'Art and La Matiere Musc Outreblanc

Guerlain L'Art and La Matiere Musc Outreblanc - personalized

Guerlain Musc Outreblanc Eau de Parfum is one of the prettiest clean smelling musks I’ve tried. It does have a powdery feel but isn’t too powdery to me. Lasting power is exceptionally good with the L’Art and La Matiere line. I really love that you can customize and personalize the bottles when you order directly from Guerlain. You can change the plate on the cap, ribbon color, seal and also have it engraved. This has been on my wishlist for several years now and I’m THRILLED to finally own a full size.

NOTES: Orange blossom absolut, Bulgarian Rose, musk, ambrette, iris Pallida butter.

Parfums de Marly Valaya

Parfums de Marly Valaya

Parfums de Marly has been pure love this year. My favorite has been Valaya. It’s very potent and has a mix of bergamot, vetiver and mandarin mixed in with the musk. I bought this in both the full-size and travel-size and I love the mini to carry with me or travel with.

NOTES: Bergamot, Mandarin, White Peach, Orange Flower, Nympheal, Vetiver, Akigalawood, Ambrofix, Musk

Glossier You Doux

Glossier You Doux

Glossier added two new scents this year and I decided to pick up Glossier You Doux. I only just recently picked it up but it’s very unique and it’s easily become a favorite for winter. It has a cozy creamy skin like vibe to it. It’s earthy and skin like. The notes list violet which I’m usually not a fan of but it sweetens this scent in a really beautiful way and somehow gives it a fresh vibe. Travel 8 ml size is available at Glossier if you want to try it out first. For the full size you can save 20% off at Sephora now thru 12/24 with their Fragrance For All Event with code FRAGRANCE20.

NOTES: Sweet Violet, Palo Santo, Frankincense, Myrrh and Ambrox

Fruity Floral

Creed Spring Flower

Creed Spring Flower Perfume new launch

In looking at the scents I wear I realized I don’t have a lot of fruity florals that I love. Creed Spring Flower is the one exception and their revamp is 10/10 pure heaven. It’s floral but also fruity with exceptionally long lasting power on me. It’s bright and youthful. A travel size is available in this beautiful 5-Piece Women’s Set.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Green Notes, Lemon
Heart Notes: Apricot, Jasmine, Peach and White Flowers
Base Notes: Ambroxan, Cedarwood and Musk

Vanilla

Celine and Phlur

Best Vanilla Perfumes Phlur and Celine

I’m not a huge fan of most vanilla perfumes. They usually pull a little too strong, gourmand or bitter on my skin and in hot humid weather it doesn’t usually wear well on me. There are a few exceptions that I really loved this year. I used up a few travel sizes in their entirety before deciding to splurge on the full size bottles.
Phlur Vanilla Skin is a solid win for me. I love it in both the perfume and hair and body mist versions. It’s cozy and sweet without being too sweet. I love the mix of sandalwood in it to help give it that cozy gourmand vibe.

Top: Pink Pepper, Pink Apple, Sugar Crystals
Heart: Lily, Jasmine Petals, Cashmere Wood
Base: Benzoin, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Agarwood

I think Celine makes excellent vanilla scents. Black Tie is the one of the best vanillas that’s sweet and slightly smoky. It’s rich and dense without being too heavy. Lasting power is very strong.

NOTES: White orris butter, cedar, tree moss, vanilla and musk

They added a new one this year called ZouZou. I bought this in a travel size to try and while I really like it, I think Black Tie is a better one. ZouZou pulls more powdery.

NOTES: Benzoin, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Labdanum, Vanilline and Musk

Unique Stand Outs

Creed Virgin Island Water

Creed Virgin Island Water

Last two mentions are for Creed. Virgin Island Water remains the best summer time vacation scent with the coconut and fruity vibe. It’s a classic and 100% worth the splurge.

NOTES: Lime, Bergamot, Tropical Fruits, Coconut Milk, Coconut Water, Jasmine, White Flowers, Tonka Bean and White Musk

Aventus for Her

Creed Aventus for Her

Aventus for Her is another unique find and one I feel is more dressy and sophisticated. It’s crisp and floral and fruity all at the same time. I don’t think there is anything else quite like it. There are some woody notes to it which adds a very unique twist.

NOTES: Green Apple, Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Rose, Lilac, Ylang-Ylang, Blackcurrant, Pineapple, Peach, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Musk and Ambroxan

Celine Fragrance Collection Review Parade

I had quite a few other loves this year but these are my top favorites. I can’t wait to see what will launch this upcoming year. Please share your favorites with me! I love hearing about your signature scents.

Dior Holiday Gift Guide

Dior Beauty Holiday Launches 2024

December 16, 2024

Dior Beauty Holiday 2024

above: mirror, gold huggies and tray

I picked up some Dior Holiday launches and quite a few things are still in stock! They have some really beautiful gift sets too although this year I focused on the Holiday Makeup Launches. I’ll list where I’ve still found things in stock right now online, although you might also want to check your stores too. FYI right now Saks is having 15% off the Dior items (and other beauty as well). Here is what I picked up:

Forever Couture Luminizer

Dior Forever Couture Luminizer 001 Or Lumiere review via The Beauty Lookbook

There are two Forever Couture Luminizer Highlighters this holiday. I opted for the golden champagne one in 001 Or Lumiere which still seems to widely available at a lot of retailers. It’s a pale champagne gold with a complex mix of shimmers but still applies smoothly on the skin and on me does not emphasize pores or texture. Although I have a multitude of other golden highlighters this one pleasantly surprised me. I think it’s worth the splurge but it is one of the most dupeable items in the holiday launch.

Dior Forever Couture Luminizer 001 Or Lumiere swatch via The Beauty Lookbook

Dior Forever Couture Luminizer 001 Or Lumiere swatch via The Beauty Lookbook

Above, also wearing: Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick 3N, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder, Blush in Charnelle + Highlighter Or Lumiere, Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequins 100 (sold out), Nails Dior Lumiere

Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette

I opted for the warmer pink Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade. It is a show stopper for holiday and I love it, although if you’re one who can’t wear pink or cranberry tones on the lids I would say pass.

Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade

The texture is very soft and pigment pulls on the sheer to medium side. You can layer for more pigment but the overall look is still soft. It has a cool rose pink with tons of silver sparkles, a soft off-white-pink pearl, a soft gold shimmer, pale silvery mauve with a hint of taupe shimmer and a deeper reddish matte.

Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade

Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade swatches

Dior Vernis in 114 Lumiere

I haven’t bought a Dior nail polish since they reformulated them so this is my first purchase in the newer formula. Dior Vernis in 115 Lumiere is a sparkly gold which is SO pretty for the holiday season. It’s on the sheer side and I’m wearing it with 2 coats but I love the subtle polished effect it gives. I haven’t worn it long enough to test wear time but the sparkles adhere very well to the nails.

Dior Vernis in 114 Lumiere

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipstick

Last I have a look at two of the Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks.

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks

I picked up 100 Dreams (currently sold out) and 323 Dazzle (still available at Saks and Neimans). These are liquid lipsticks with incredibly long-wear time. They have a matte finish like the regular Rouge Dior Forever Liquids, but these have a sparkle in them! After it dries if you press your lips together more sparkles appear for a glittery finish.

These are super fun and I’m glad I picked them up! I will say though they do look a little dry since it has a matte finish. They don’t necessarily feel dry and I’m happy to report they did not dry out my lips though. I swatched the Sequins next to the regular Rouge Dior Forever Liquid in 100.

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks

Sequins 100 Dreams

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipstick 100 Dreams

Sequins 323 Dazzle

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks 323 Dazzle

That wraps up my Holiday Review. I know it’s very late since these launched months ago but if you had any of these on your Christmas wishlist or radar I hope you found this helpful!

Shop The Post

If you’re looking for last minute gifts:

  • Dior.com is offering free 2-day shipping with orders $150 more if you order by 12/19
  • Sephora offers Same Day Delivery for select items and locations, or the Buy Online Pick Up in Store Option
  • Ulta Beauty also offers Same Day Delivery for select locations and they also have the Buy Online and Pick Up in Store Options
  • Nordstrom holiday cut-off shipping is 12/18 for standard shipping

Dior still has a number of cute holiday gift sets and bundles. I don’t think they are offered at a discount value price but sometimes it’s nice to have some beauty staples packaged in a festive pouch.

Shop Holiday Makeup SETS

Dior has started to launch bit of Spring 2025 Beauty. There are already some new shades of the Addict Lip Maximizer at Dior and Sephora (Pinkmania, Bluemania, Peachmania, Glowmania, Nude Mania) – I ordered all the shades I could find and will be swatching them when my package arrives!

It also looks like they are reformulating the Dior Addict Lip Glow again or changing the colors. I have to admit I’m a little confused why they keep reformulating or changing this balm. This version says they now have “warm and cool” tones. I don’t know that I’ll order any of the new ones but if you try them in the near future let me know your thoughts!

Beauty Favorites Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Ideas for the Fragrance Lover

December 11, 2024

Best Perfume Discovery Sets Byredo, Creed, Guerlain, Glossier and more

Christmas is just around the corner! Time during this month seems to move so quickly I can barely believe it. If you’re still looking for some holiday gifts I have a few more roundups for you.

Many of these discovery sets offer a voucher towards the purchase of a full-size perfume (I’ll note which ones have them below). There are still lots of ways to save on beauty sets this month. Some sales on my radar:

  • Sephora’s Gifts For All Event is happening now – save 20% off your order with code HAVEITALL (one time use) and 30% off Sephora Collection now thru 12/15
  • Ulta Beauty has lots of sales and promos each week, right up save up to $20 off in store and online – get $10 off $40 qualifying purchase with code CHEER24 or $20 off $100 qualifying purchase with code JOY24, they also have their Big Holiday Beauty Sale going on (my last minute gifts all on sale shared here and here)
  • Saks Fifth Avenue has their Spend More, Earn More event with code WNTRGCSF
  • Bluemercury is offering 20% off purchases $200+
  • Bloomingdale’s has their Beauty Treats Event to take $25 off every $150 you spend on beauty (some exclusions apply)

Onto today’s gift guide! I think Perfume Discovery Sets are such a fun gift idea whether you’re looking for something for yourself or a gift. There are quite a few brands I do not have in-person access to and the sets allow me to try perfumes without having to buy blind. I will admit that some sets have been a total fail in the sense that I didn’t end up liking any of the perfumes or notes, but it was still fun to try. I have a few friends who have completely different tastes in perfumes so I can usually find someone else who will gladly take any of them off my hands!

Celine

Celine Discovery Sets

Celine makes some of my favorite scents. Right now they’re only sold online at Celine or in Celine boutiques in the US so they can be a bit hard to find. I bought the Coffret Miniatures a year ago when it had 10 perfumes and absolutely loved trying the scents. You can see my review of each one in this post here.

They’ve since updated this Coffret Set to include 12 scents including Zouzou (new) and Bois Dormant (10 ml each). They’ve also increased the price to $445 for 12 minis versus $385 for 10 minis (the older variation).

A more affordable option is their Discovery Set with has 11 mini vials each 2 ml for $48. This one comes with spritzers.

Guerlain

Guerlain Holiday 2024

Guerlain Holiday is stunning this year! They have some beautiful discovery sets I’ve reviewed in depth here. I think these are among some of the best high quality perfumes I’ve ever tried. These are quite the splurge but I know some of you are die-hard loyal fans to this perfume line and I think the sets make for the most beautiful luxury gifts.

The Iconic Eaux de Parfum Set has three minis ($190, three 10 ml minis) from the L’art and La Matiere Line in Neroli Outrenoir, Angelique Noire, and Musc Outreblanc.

They also have two eight-piece Perfumers Sets in the Iconic Harmony and Floral Harmony ($395 each). This year they launched a six-piece discovery Exceptional Set with the Extracts and it is STUNNING ($630).

You can view all the Fragrance Gift Set offerings here.

Creed Fragrance

Creed 5-Piece Men's Discovery Set

Creed is another beautiful perfume line and I think their Discovery Sets are stunning. I gift one to Andrew every year and he uses every single scent. Creed has a lot of variations including 3-piece sets ($250 each) or 5-piece sets ($345 each). They have variations for men and different ones for women. Right now at the time of this post Nordstrom is offering a discount on the Creed Sets.

The Creed Refillable Atomizer is another beautiful gift option. They have different colors to pick from and both Andrew and I own and love these.

Byredo

Byredo Discovery Sets

Byredo offers the biggest selection of discovery and travel sets. I love that they have SO many options!

This year they’ve launched a stunning 24-piece discovery set called La Grande Decouverte ($250). This set comes with a $225 voucher to use towards any Eau de Parfum and they give you 6 months to redeem it. Each vial is 2 ml.

Byredo La Grande Decouverte 24 piece set

Byredo also offers several smaller 6-piece Discovery Sets ($60) and these also come with a $60 voucher to use towards a perfume. This one has a shorter window to redeem of 4 weeks but I think it’s still a great way to try them. The sets this year include:

Byredo 6 piece discovery set with voucher

The 3-piece Travel Sets ($174 each) are still widely available at multiple retailers like Nordstrom, Saks, etc. I picked up La Selection Boisee with Super Cedar, Mojave Ghost and Black Saffron but there are multiple variations available with different combinations.

Byredo Perfume Trio La Selection Boisee

The Les Miniatures 5-Piece Set ($210) is available at Byredo with mini bottles in a dabber style.

Glossier Trio

Glossier Travel Size Perfumes

This year Glossier added two new scents to their line and they launched a Glossier You Discovery Kit ($82) for the holiday with travel sizes. At the time of this post there are a few left at Sephora.com but it’s sold out at Glossier. The good news is you can find the Travel Editions (8 ml each) individually now in Glossier You, You Reve and You Doux for $32 each. Glossier is offering 20% off online until 12/15.

Parfums de Marly

Parfums de Marly Discovery Sets

Parfums de Marly is a new-to-me brand this year. I bought the Feminine Discovery Set ($50) from their website (comes with a voucher to use towards a full-size fragrance). The line is more widely available at retailers like Nordstrom, Saks, Neimans etc. and they carry it near me but I really liked having the discovery set to try them at my own pace.

I also love their Discovery Collection ($230, Saks) with four 10 ml sizes perfect to try or for your purse. It has Delina, Delina Exclusif, Oriana and Valaya. I’m a huge fan of the Delina line for the prettiest rose scents but my heart still belongs to Creed Spring Flower so I haven’t bought any of the Delina scents.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

Victoria Beckham Beauty Hand Cream Set and Discovery Perfume Set

I’ve been a huge fan of Victoria Beckham Beauty for the makeup and was super curious when they launched perfumes. I ordered the Original 3-Piece Discovery Set ($30) when it launched (this comes with a voucher). Out of the three I liked Portofino 97 the best which has notes of Bergamot, Amber and Vetiver (all my favorite notes) but I didn’t like it enough to buy any of the full sizes. It pulls unisex but slightly more on the masculine side on me.

They’ve since added a new scent and updated the Discovery Set ($40) to include the new one Reverie which has notes of Vanilla, Cedarwood and Plum. I haven’t tried the perfume but the PR team sent over their Hand Cream Collection Set ($144) which has all four scents in a hand cream and I really love Reverie. It has a similar vibe to MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 which I actually don’t wear anymore. I think the VBB Reverie is a much better variation. If you like vanillas I think it’s definitely worth checking out.

The Hand Creams are very smooth in texture without any sticky residue. I think they’re really nice. You can purchase them individually and they also launched a Hand Cream Tube Key ($12) to twist the end of the tube.

The Harmonist

The Harmonist Discovery Perfume Set

I discovered The Harmonist line this year and fell head over heels in love with Moon Glory and Yin Transformation. They’re truly unique with exceptionally long lasting power. There is a Discovery Set ($85) I’m working my way through. I think it’s a truly special line.

Linking a few more Discovery Sets. There seems to be one for almost every perfume line!

Best Perfume Discovery Sets Holiday Gift Ideas

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Best Perfume Discovery Sets Holiday Gift Ideas

SHOP THE POST

 

If you’ve been looking for some last minute beauty gifts I hope you found this roundup helpful! If you have any favorite perfume line you’re loyal to please let me know in the comments. I am always looking for more to try.

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Haul

December 10, 2024

Charlotte Tilbury Holiday launches, Treasure Chest, Pillow Talk Beautyverse Palette and more

I did a mini Charlotte Tilbury haul last month but finally just got around to playing with the things I picked up. I picked up the new Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette along with a few other things I restocked. The Charlotte Tilbury team gifted one of their Advent Calendars and it is so cute. I shared an unboxing on reels but thought I’d share swatches of the beauty items here.

Advent Calendar & Gift Sets

Charlotte Tilbury Treasure Chest of Love

There are two major gift sets this year from Charlotte Tilbury and I think either would make for the ultimate beauty gift. I was gifted the Treasure Chest of Love 12 Door Beauty Advent Calendar ($220, Charlotte Tilbury, Kohl’s x Sephora, Beautylish and Revolve) and it comes in an impressive heart shaped box with drawers. The handles are shaped like jewels and it really is just so beautiful. It has a good mix of skincare and makeup. I swatched the makeup items below which include the Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk (mini), Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk (mini), Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk (full size), Eyeliner in Pillow Talk (mini), Beauty Icon Lipstick in Vixen (mini) and the Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm (full size).

Charlotte Tilbury Treasure Chest of Love makeup minis

Charlotte Tilbury Treasure Chest of Love makeup minis swatches

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk

Also wearing: Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick in Shade 7.5, Beautiful Skin Foundation in Shade 6, Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Medium, Hollywood Glow Glide Blush/Highligher Duo Light/Medium, Pillow Talk Beautyverse Eyeshadow Palette, Nail Polish Hermes Rouge H, Sweater Madewell

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk

Pillow Talk Lip Cheat + Matte Revolution

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Icon Lipstick in Vixen

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Icon Lipstick in Vixen

There is another gift set called the Pillow Talk Dreams Come True Makeup Kit ($390, available at Charlotte Tilbury, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s x Sephora). It’s quite the splurge but looks incredibly beautiful in the quilted pink case and compartments filled with 13 full-sized items from the Pillow Talk lineup.

Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

The Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette ($69, Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s) is a nine-pan palette with pink, cranberry and fuschia tones. It pulls very berry-like on the eyes and I thought there might be a chance it wouldn’t work for me but the sparkles were SO pretty I decided to give it a try. It has 3 different finishes among the shadows. The mattes are super smooth and have an almost creamy cushiony texture. There are some very sparkly toppers and then a couple shades that have a more refined shimmer.

I think it’s beautiful. I don’t think the tones will be for everyone but I think it gives a very pretty holiday glam look. I really hope they make another palette with this formula and texture in a neutral version in the future.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette

I purchased the Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette ($29, Sephora and Nordstrom) and love it. The pink blush is very soft and has a medium neutral undertone. I really love the highlighter because it’s ultra smooth, isn’t too sharp in the shimmer and has a really pretty finish. Although I will say that it’s nearly identical to the Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter in Pillow Talk Glow.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette

I added some more swatches to her Matte Beauty Blush Wands, Beauty Light Wands and Cheek to Chic blushes in pink tones for comparison.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette swatches

Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick

I picked up the Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick ($46, picked mine from Sephora) based on the feedback and recommendation from many of you. I had shared some initial thoughts in a shopping story a while back and thought it was going to be too dewy and glowy to wear, even as just a highlight.

Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick 7.5

Most of you also said you passed but a few told me to give it a second chance. Many of you wear it as a glowy base just on a few areas on the face underneath regular foundation much like the Hollywood Flawless Filter but the stick isn’t as shimmery and has a slightly more sheer/balmy finish. Many of my dry-skin readers said it added the perfect amount of glow and hydration and when blended it actually did not look as dewy or shiny as they expected.

I am glad I gave it a chance. I ended up picking Shade 7.5. I don’t know that I could wear this come spring or summer in Florida, but it has been exceptionally dry this winter which means it’s more like regular weather that most of you experience. My skin has been very dry lately and it has been LOVING all kinds of cream products and extra rich moisturizers.

I have been wearing it as a base all over. Sometimes I’ll just add concealer on areas I need more coverage and set with a powder. Other times I’ll layer my regular foundation on top (I recently repurchased her Beautiful Skin Foundation in Shade 6). I really love it. It’s unlike any other foundation stick I’ve tried and for me it has the perfect amount of glow without being overdone and it does not accentuate fine lines or pores.

Overall I give the Foundation Stick a solid 10/10. I do love the Blush Duo although I do think you could dupe the colors with other products. I ended up really liking the Pillow Talk Beautyverse Palette but if you can’t wear berry or pink tones on the eyes then I’d say skip it and opt for something different.

Charlotte Tilbury Haul Beauty Lookbook Picks

You can find all of these still available now. Many retailers are still offering holiday promos so you may want to shop around for an extra discount.

Sephora has their Gift For All Event with 20% off using code HAVEITALL (one time use, ends 12/15)

Ulta Beauty has 20% off (some exclusions apply) – check your email if you have a Members account for your personal online code (runs through 12/24) and they just added a 20% off deal on 190 brands when you buy online and pick up in store with code HOLIDAY24

Bloomingdale’s has their Beauty Treats Event, take $25 off every $150 you spend on almost all beauty (ends 12/17)

Sales

Best Black Friday Sales 2024

November 29, 2024

Best Black Friday Sales

above Jenni Kayne sweater on sale 25% off

Black Friday is here! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We had an early Thanksgiving lunch at our home and then went to see Wicked in theaters. It’s been forever since we’ve been to the movie theater and we all thought the movie was very cute. Loved it!

The sales this year are some of the best I’ve ever seen. I already shopped some early sales and wasn’t planning on shopping more, but the sales are SO good I can’t help but keep browsing. Here’s a roundup list of the best ones I’ve found to save you some time from clicking and searching around.

BIG RETAILERS

Anthropologie Gleaming Primrose Vanity Mirror

Anthropologie – 30% off fashion and home and gifts, my favorite Gleaming Primrose Mirror and Vanity Mirror are both included!

Bloomingdale’s – take 25% off lots of select regular-price items, plus Loyallists get a $25 reward for every $100 spent

Neiman Marcus – save $50 to $500 off regular-price collections with code THANKFUL, includes beauty

  • Spend $250 save $50
  • Spend $500 save $125
  • Spend $1,000 save $250
  • Spend $2,000 save $500

Nordstrom – thousands of new markdowns save up to 60%, all sale here

Saks – Black Friday spend $150 and earn a $75 gift card with code BFGIFTSF

Sephora – Lots of Black Friday Gifts marked down to 50% off (including one of my favorite Natasha Denona Palettes) and all Fenty Beauty is 30% off today only

Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix + Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner

Shopbop – 25% off with code HOLIDAY

Target – top Black Friday deals added

Black Friday ulta beauty sales 2024

Ulta Beauty – new Black Friday deals added everyday

  • 30% off Urban Decay
  • 20% off Estee Lauder
  • $12 select mascaras
  • 30% off select MAC Lipsticks and Foundations
  • 30% off Olaplex
  • 20% off Supergoop! (just added)
  • $12 select lips
  • 30% off Too Faced Eye
  • Up to 30% off select Shark Beauty

BEAUTY SALES & Gift With Purchases

Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar 2024

Bluemercury – Black Friday special 20% off no minimum purchase, 25% off $800+ and 30% off $1,500. Lots of luxury brands included like La Mer, Augustinus Bader, Osea, The Harmonist, Hourglass, Chantecaille, Sisley and more

Bobbi Brown – 24 hours only 30% off sitewide and 50% off select favorites, plus create a 5-piece mini set bag when you spend $80+

Byredo – Complementary 70g candle with orders $225 or more. Your choice of Cotton Poplin, Bibliotheque, Tree House or Burning Rose. In addition, orders $320 or more will receive a 12mL Eau de Parfum with Travel Leather Case. Select your fragrance at checkout.

Chanel Beauty – new High Points Makeup Set launches today with a fluffy pouch, Baume Essentiel in Lilas, Rouge Coco Baume in My Rose and Noir Allure Mascara

Charlotte Tilbury – up to 30% off everything (Treasure Chest Advent Calendar and Pillow Talk Advent also included)

  • 30% off orders $160+
  • 25% off orders $110+
  • 20% off everything

Creed – complimentary Creed Leather Sample Wallet with purchases of $400+

Dyson – Black Friday save up to $300 on Black Friday deals

ForeoBlack Friday deals still going strong, 35% off Bear 2, 40% off UFO 3, 39% off Luna 4, Black Friday Bundle on the FAQ202 and more, plus use code SABRINAS10 to save an extra 10% off (can stack on top of the sales)

Guerlain – Special gift with purchases and step up options thru 12/2

  • Spend $100 and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml)
  • Spend $275+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Gift Set with Abeille Royale minis and pouch with code THANKS24
  • Spend $500+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set with code MERCI24
  • Spend $1,000+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set + 3 wick luxury candle with code MERCI24

Hourglass Cosmetics – 20% off sitewide

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked EVIL EYE 2024 via The Beauty Lookbook Blog

L’Occitane – 20% off full priced items with code FRIDAY

Kerastase – 20% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY24 plus a complimentary bag and 3 samples on orders $100+

Kerastase Nutritive Hair Care Line

Olive and June – 25% off everything plus up to 3 free gifts with code 25OFF

Sephora – Lots of Black Friday Gifts marked down to 50% off (including one of my favorite Natasha Denona Palettes) and all Fenty Beauty is 30% off today only

Summer Fridays – 20% off with code CYBER

Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint

Tarte – 40% off for Tarte Perks, 30% off for everyone else and up to 80% off palettes

T3 Micro – 30% off plus free gifts on purchases $150+

U Beauty – 20% off best sellers and holiday sets

Victoria Beckham Beauty – 20% off

Victoria Beckham Beauty travel favorites

Westman Atelier – 20% off sitewide and their Lip Suede Trio is still in stock!

Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick Trio

FASHION, ACCESSORIES and HOME

Alo Yoga – 30% off sitewide, the Foxy Sherpa Jacket is my favorite cozy jacket

Alo Yoga Foxy Sherpa Jacket in Camel

Anthropologie – 30% off fashion and home and gifts, my favorite Gleaming Primrose Mirror and Vanity Mirror are both included!

APL – 30% off sitewide + $50 off your next order, my favorite styles are the Zipline, Techloom Dream and Techloom Breeze, I also love their slides (close up of two favorite styles I just ordered here)

APL Techloom Dream and Zipline

Aritizia – 20 to 50% off everything

Away Travel – save 25% off everything

Calpak – up to 60% off

Free People – 50% off select styles

Jenni Kayne – 25% off and $50 towards your next purchase when you spend $125 or more, I really love their Cropped Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan (eyeing the color Shadow for my next splurge) and also have the Cashmere Half Zip and Cashmere Fisherman in my cart

Lululemon – tons of items included in their Black Friday Sale selections

Madewell – 50% off with code MADEBETTER, I bought this soft Wedged V-Neck Sweater (wearing it here), Alpaca-Blend V-neck in grey, and LOVE this Cashmere V-Neck (bought it in Heather Oat)

Mejuri – 25% off, my favorite pieces linked here including their huggies and hoops and travel jewelry case

Mejuri Travel Case

Reformation – 25% off everything

Theory – Up to 50% off Sitewide

Varley – 30% off select styles

Vince – 25% off sitewide with code HOTELVINCE

Happy Shopping!

Gift Guide Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide Edit 2024

November 27, 2024

Holiday Gift Guide 2024 via The Beauty Lookbook

Happy Thanksgiving week! I’ve put together a series of gift guides for the beauty lover, fragrance lover, fitness aficionado and for the home. I hope you find some inspo and ideas if you’re still looking for gifts!

For the Home or Hostess

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Home

Baies Room Spray / Diffuser / Candle Lamp Warmer / Catchall Tray (also love this one) / Aesop Home Set / Cozy Blanket / Dutch Oven / Knife Set / Mugs set of 4 / My Favorite Hand Wash + Hand Lotion / Match Cloche Holder / Hamper Basket

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Fitness & Wellness Gifts

Fitness Wellness Gift Ideas Holiday Gift Guide

Scuba Zip Sweatshirt / Joggers / Leggings / Slides / Pink Belt Bag / Velour Belt Bag / Puffy Tote / Puffer Zip Pouch / Alo Yoga Mat / White Puffer Belt Bag / Burgundy Cap / Cream Cap / On Sneakers / Yoga Mat / APL Zipline / Tumbler / Post-Workout Hair Mist / Yoga Blocks / Chocolate Puffer Tote / Puffer bag, pouch + micro pouch

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Perfume Discovery Sets

Best Perfume Discovery Sets Holiday 2024

Diptyque Set / Glossier Trio / Guerlain Iconic Harmony / Guerlain Extracts / Creed Discovery Set / Celine Discovery Set / Celine Perfume Coffret Miniatures (reviewed here) / Byredo Discovery Set x6 / Juliette Has a Gun Sampler / Replica Sampler / Phlur Trio / Jo Malone Set / MFK Minis

Best Holiday Perfume Discovery Sets

Byredo La Grande Découverte (comes with a voucher to use towards a full size) / Byredo Mini Case + Travel Sizes (multiple scents available) / Jo Malone Perfume Set / Gucci Minis / Valentino Minis / Sephora Favorites Sampler / Diptyque Set / Parfums de Marly Discovery Set / Hermes Minis / Phlur Discovery Set

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Luxury Beauty Ideas

Luxury Beauty Gift Ideas

Dyson Airwrap Styler / Diptyque Baies + Star Topper / Guerlain Lip Oil / Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar / YSL Lip Duo / Hermes Lip Duo / Westman Cheek Trio Minis / Foreo LED Face Mask use code SABRINAS10 to save 10% / Creed Candle / La Mer Advent Calendar / Chanel Active Beauty Set / Guerlain Extracts Mini Discovery Set / Mini Prada Lip Trio / Dior Luxe Set

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Travel Gift Ideas

Travel Gift Ideas

Cuyana Travel Duo / Calpak Vanity / Calpak Mini Clear Case / 111Skin Mask Set (also love this one)/ Hair Sampler Set / Summer Fridays Lip Balm / Best Hand Cream / Laneige Glowy Lip Balm / Osea Body Set (love this!) / Scrunchie and Mask Silk Set / Luxe Brush Set (I have and love this) / Jewelry Case (also available in a mini) / Longchamp Tote / Mini Brush Set / Mini Body Wash / Black Quilted Vanity Case / Face Mist / Away Suitcase (still love this brand)

I’ll be hosting a giveaway on my Instagram page @beautylookbook so be sure to check it out on Stories this week! My Guerlain Giveaway is still running a few more days here too!

Sales

Early Black Friday Deals to Shop Now

November 24, 2024

Early Black Friday Deals to Shop Now 2024

Black Friday has arrived early and tons of retailers have already launched their Black Friday and Cyber Week sales early. My inbox has been overflowing with alerts so I’ve put together a roundup to help save you some time! Here’s what has caught my eye. We already did a little shopping yesterday in person at our local mall. I found lots of cute sweaters and jackets at Madewell. Lots of bigger retailers like Nordstrom also have limited-time markdowns on a wide selection of items like Vince, home decor and more. The Dyson Airwrap (and other hair tools) is currently marked down $100 off at a wide range of retailers. Definitely a lot of places to save this year!

BEAUTY SALES

Bluemercury – Holiday Shopping Party with major savings, 20% off purchases $200, 25% off purchases $800+ and 30% off purchases $1,500 (love these two scents I recently tried, part of their sale!)

Bobbi Brown – Early access with 30% off sitewide for BBAcess members (no code needed)

Charlotte Tilbury – Save up to 40% off Charlotte’s Beauty Kits

Foreo – Save up to 50% on Early Black Friday Deals and use code SABRINAS10 to save an extra 10% off (can stack on top of Black Friday deals), absolutely love the LED Face Mask

Glossier – Save 25% off and unlock 30% off orders $100+ (sets and kits are excluded)

Guerlain – Special gift with purchases and step up options thru 12/2

  • Spend $100 and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml)
  • Spend $275+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Gift Set with Abeille Royale minis and pouch with code THANKS24
  • Spend $500+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set with code MERCI24
  • Spend $1,000+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set + 3 wick luxury candle with code MERCI24

Kate Somerville – Save 30% off with code CYBER30

Kiehl’s – save 30% off sitewide plus a 6-piece gift set with orders $135+

Kosas – Save 25% off sitewide

L’Oreal Colorsonic – Special $99 price on Colorsonic Device 11/24 thru 11/27 with code SABRINA99

Natasha Denona – Black Friday Sale deals and major savings

Necessaire – 25% off sitewide

Summer Fridays – 20% off with code CYBER

T3 Micro – 30% off sitewide with code SAVE30

Tarte – 30% off sitewide 11/24 through 11/28

Tata Harper – 20% off orders $175+ with code HOLIDAY20 (sets and kits excluded)

Tatcha – save 25% off sitewide and mystery gifts (2 gifts on orders $100+ and 4 gifts on orders $200+) with code CYBER24

BIG RETAILER SALES

Bloomingdale’s – take $25 off every $100 you spend on items labeled BLACK FRIDAY 11/24 only

Nordstrom – Black Friday Deals are live! Beauty Sale here

SephoraCyber Week preview, dates and brands listed on their Cyber Week page

Target – Black Friday deals live now

Ulta Beauty – early major Black Friday Deals now (stay tuned for more launching Tuesday!), a few highlights:

CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES

Adidas – early Black Friday sale savings up to 70% off

Anthropologie – extra 40% off sale items

Aritzia – Warm Up Sale up to 50% off

Away Travel – 25% off everything!

Beyond Yoga – 25% off sitewide

Calpak – up to 60% off limited time sale, my favorite Clear Cosmetics Cases in Small, Medium and Large all marked down

Jcrew – up to 50% off almost everything, prices as marked

Jenni Kayne – 25% off Black Friday Event

Madewell – 40% off with code MADEBETTER

Mejuri – early Black Friday sale for Mejuri+ members with 25% off orders $150+ (you can join for free)

New Balance – up to 40% off select styles for Members

Paige – Extra 30% off already reduced styles

Rag and Bone – 25% off sitewide

Rails – 30% off with code BFCM24

Shopbop – early access for Shopbop members 25% off storewide

Theory – 25% off sitewide

Vince – 25% off with code HOTELVINCE

HOME SALES

CB2 – up to 50% off early Black Friday deals, plus free shipping on orders $99+ (excludes furniture and oversized items)

Crate and Barrel – early Black Friday sale up to 30% off and Christmas decor ships free on orders $49+

Dyson – save up to $300 off select items, Airwrap Multi-Styler $499.99, Supersonic $329.99, more hair care deals here

Wayfair – save up to 80% off area rugs, save up to 55% off seasonal decor and more

West Elm – up to 50% off, early Black Friday Deals

Let me know what sales you’re shopping! I’d love to hear about your buys.