Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case vs. Anya Hindmarch Inflight Cosmetic Case

July 16, 2018

I’ve owned and loved the Anya Hindmarch Inflight Cosmetic Case for several years now. It was quite the splurge for me and I’m thrilled at how well it has held up over many trips. It’s been a travel companion across the world. The Anya Hindmarch Inflight cases run from $275 to $425 depending on color and material. Due to the high price tag many of you have asked for a recommendation for a cheaper dupe. I’ve finally found one for $70 from The Daily Edited. I spotted and hauled a couple of their Transparent Cosmetic Cases in Black and Taupe during my summer New York Trip while visiting their beautiful store on Bleecker Street. I wanted to give it a proper test before reviewing it and I’m happy to report it’s every bit as good as the Anya Hindmarch one. As soon as I got home I ordered a few more online from The Daily Edited. I like to have some on hand for last minute gifts and have also decided to try and have an on-the-go bag packed with a few staples so I’m not frantically scrambling at the last minute for trips. By now a few of the colors have sold out and are on pre-order again. If you have your eye on these I highly recommend doing a pre-order if you can. They are perfect for travel and in my experience they are really efficient and timely. They have always shipped product by the pre-order date listed (from my personal ordering).

I’m going to give you a side by side comparison of the Anya Hindmarch Inflight Cosmetic Case and The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case. First a few details and specs:

Anya Hindmarch Inflight Cosmetic Case
- Price range $275 to $425ish (I’ve been told some have spotted these in airports at duty-free for less)
- Color options – mine is a Black Patent, color options are often seasonal, most on the Anya Hindmarch website
- Materials – clear plastic and various leather finishes and colors
- Dimensions – approximately 4.7″ H x 3.2″W x 8.7″D
- Compartments – two, larger zippered top and smaller zippered bottom
- Where to buy: Anya Hindmarch, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman
The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case
- Price – $70
- Color options – Taupe, Pale Pink, Black, Ink Navy
- Material – PVC and saffiano leather
- Dimensions – approximately 4.5″ x 3″ x W 8.5″
- Compartments – two, larger zippered top and smaller zippered bottom
- Where to buy: The Daily Edited online, NYC Bleecker Street Store also available inside the Saks Fifth Avenue Store in NYC

Both brand options are really close in size. By now with regular use and wear the Anya Hindmarch Inflight case isn’t quite as rigid and has become a little squishy but still retains its shape pretty well. Both also have two zippered compartments with the smaller end having an elastic band to hold things in place (I rarely use this function). The logo and detailing are different with The Daily Edited only having their branding on the interior. The exterior portions on the top center are left blank so you can custom monogram them with initials or emojis! You can have the print be gold or blind. For lettering you can also customize font size and type options. I usually leave mine blank or opt for the blind initials.

Some side by sides:

Side detailing:

What they look like opened:

Black, Pale Pink and Taupe:

Below is a look at what I was able to fit inside my Daily Edited Transparent cosmetic case. It takes some playing around to make items fit as efficiently as possible to waste as little space. I was able to fit all this without any bulging. Since the material is a clear plastic I try not to over stuff it as prolonged stretching could possibly stretch and ruin the material. I haven’t had any issues with the plastic shifting on either the Anya Hindmarch or The Daily Edited but do take care of my leather goods.

Everything I was able to fit inside with some stacking and maneuvering:

3 Tom Ford Compacts
NARS Large blush in Orgasm
NARS Highlighting Powder
4 Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks
2 Laura Mercier Velour Extreme
Tom Ford Skin Illuminator
Eyelash Curler
Armani Face Fabric
Diorskin Forever Undercover
Jo Malone small perfume
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc atomizer
NARS Orgasm Lip Balm
Glossier Lash Slick
Chanel Les Beiges Tint
4 Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss
Dior Lipstick
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick
Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight
Becca Be a Light Palette
Flat comb
A few skincare minis wedged in the nooks

A couple other mentions of similar alternatives. One is from Mecca which is an Australian company and they have launched a couple colors of their Jet Set Travel Bag. I really wanted to try this last holiday but the problem for me is that purchases from the website can only be delivered in Australia. Any international orders have to be done over the phone which was a hassle for me. The next is the Truffle Clarity Jetset Case ($85) which I own a few colors of. You can buy these on the Truffle website but this style is also now available at Nordstrom! This style has a clear top and base with leather but only has one compartment and is also smaller measuring 2″ H X 7 1/2” W X 5 1/4” D. If you need something smaller or more compact this is a great alternative. Truffle has been a long-time favorite for their flat clear pouches. I carry them constantly. I’ve bought every one of my close friends and family one and it always makes me happy when they send me pics of them using them!

Quick peek at some packing things I did for Miami recently (plus one newly hauled item). I’ll have a full Miami recap soon as many of you have been asking me about food recommendations! We found some really great new places and I’m putting everything together in a roundup. Also shown is the Away Bigger Carry-On Suitcase, hat from Lack of Colour, Chloe Mini Marcie Bag (will also review this soon), Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Atomizer (back individually!), Kate Spade Sunglasses (on sale at Nordstrom), Tom Ford Firelust Skin Illuminator, Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealer, Armani Neo Nude Powder, Chanel Les Beiges Tint, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (just hauled, will also review soon), Tory Burch Sienna Sandals, Celine knot bracelet.

A look at some of other items from The Daily Edited that I own. I purchased all of these myself. I’ve reviewed the Large Cosmetic case a number of times before. You can see it in a few travel packing posts like this one here.

Left to right: Transparent Cosmetic Case in Black, Taupe and Pale Pink, Travel Case in Taupe, Large Cosmetic Case in Black. One last look below of The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case vs. Anya Hindmarch Inflight Cosmetic Case and one tip on how to clean the plastic. As with any clear material it’s going to get finger prints if you have oils on your fingers whether it’s from makeup, skincare or dirty hands. I use the Novus Plastic Clean and Shine Spray or the Fine Scratch Remover to clean my plastics and acrylic containers. You can find it at places like on Amazon or The Container Store. It’s pretty versatile but before you use it on anything ALWAYS make sure you do a patch test first!

One thought on how to store these and keep their shape. The ones I ordered online came with foam cut stuffing shaped perfectly to the interior of The Daily Edited cases. This seemed to help keep their structure. The ones I bought in store did not but I could have probably asked if they had any on-hand to put inside. As with any soft material, it’s going to have a little bit of squishing if it’s not propped up with some kind of hard stuffing material. I’m going to keep the cases stuffed when not in use. As you can see with the Anya Hindmarch, it’s softened a little bit around the edges where the plastic sides are, but I’ve never stuffed it and it has still retained its shape nicely.

Overall I’m really loving The Daily Edited Transparent cosmetic cases. At $70 each I think they’re reasonably priced for the quality and design. I especially love that they have regular metal zippers rather than the tassels. The extra tassels can be fun but when you’re trying to pack and get everything to fit inside a suitcase they can get in the way because they’re a bit bulky. I’ve only used The Daily Edited Transparent cosmetic case on one trip so far so I can’t report on how long it will hold up compared to the Anya Hindmarch which I’ve had for around 3 years now. I have owned some of the other Daily Edited products for over a year, they’ve gone through some travel and lots of moving and have held up 100%.

Hope this review helps! Do you have any favorite clear makeup bags or clear travel case favorites? If you have any other questions let me know in the comments below.

56 Comments

Charlotte Tilbury Nordstrom

Charlotte Tilbury Glowing Pretty Skin Palette + Pretty Pink Lipstick Set Review

July 14, 2018

Charlotte Tilbury has a few sets and palettes available for this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and I hauled two of the items! I picked up the Glowing Pretty Skin Palette ($75) and the Pretty Pink Lipstick Set ($60). As a long-time Charlotte Tilbury fan I was thrilled to find some new color options for the sale and think both picks are worth checking out.

The Glowing Pretty Skin Palette is a mirrored compact with six powders. Each powder is 2.8 g/0.09 oz and the texture is very soft but pigment is visible and smooth. If you’re familiar with her Instant Look Palettes you know they tend to have sheer/natural color payoff. For many of you her first Natural Beauty was really nice in concept but didn’t have enough pigment or color to show up on your skin (it didn’t show up on me). The good news is that this Glowing Pretty Skin Palette is MUCH better and has everything I want in a face palette.

In this palette you get:

Airbrush Powder #2 – a neutral skin-tone matte powder that covers very well
Pretty Blush – a soft peachy flush satin
Illuminating Glow – champagne soft pink shimmer
Bronze and Contour – neutral-cool soft grey tan matte
Summer Blush – a peachy coral with a hint of sheen
Highlighting Glow – a soft yellow gold shimmer

Both blushes swatch almost identical on the arm. At first glance I felt it was almost a waste to have 2 of the same color in a palette. You will notice a difference on the face though. The bottom one is more shimmery and a tad more vibrant while the top one is more matte. The overall effect is soft but still noticeable on my medium tan skin. By comparison to the Becca Be a Light Palettes this Charlotte Tilbury one runs more neutral in undertone for the powders and the blushes have more color. Texture and finish of course are completely different.

Swatched next to the Filmstar Bronze and Glow and Filmstar Blush and Glow (reviewed here):

Quick side by side comparison for size reference to her Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow Palette and the Beauty Filters Compact Duo:

Next is the Pretty Pink Lipstick Set which has three full-sized products in a K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Blushing Dream, Matte Revolution Lipstick in Rose Kiss and Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Pillow Talk. The lipsticks are new and exclusive shades but the lipliner is a repromote of one of her best selling colors. Texture and formula of everything is really good.

I’ve reviewed her lipsticks many times before but in case you missed the reviews or are new she has a few different formulas. The K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick is a full coverage, super creamy and very opaque lipstick formula. It can pull on the thick side but all you need to do is blot. They have a natural shine finish and stay put really well. Blushing Dream is a pretty soft pink. She also has a Matte Revolution formula which is one of the few matte lipsticks I love. They’re a luminous matte in the sense they have a matte finish but it doesn’t look or feel dry and they don’t make the lips look like shriveled raisins like some mattes do. I absolutely love them! Rose Kiss pulls very rosy on my lips and on the warm side.

Swatches:

Swatch comparisons to some of her other lipsticks below:

One beauty look wearing:

Foundation – MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC35 (swatched here) + Hollywood Flawless Filter in #4 to highlight and add glow to the face (all of them reviewed/swatched here)
Powder – Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder #2 all over
Brows – Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Eyeshadow – Urban Decay Palette in Naked2
Mascara – Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme
Cheeks – Glowing Pretty Skin Palette, all shades
Lips – K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Blushing Dream
Top – Madewell Boxy Sweater Tee (lighter weight alternatives here, here and here)

Overall thumbs up. I have medium-tan skin and the palette still shows up on my skin in a natural way. If you are lighter than me it will for sure show up and is neutral enough that it won’t pull orangey on your skin. If you are 1-2 shades darker I think it will still show up on your skin but it will definitely be a lot more neutral/flesh toned. I hope she makes more of these because I love the soft natural texture and finish.

For the lips nothing would have stopped me from buying the set, but I do think Blushing Dream is really close to The Duchess (reviewed here). Rose Kiss is warmer than I’m used to but I still think it’s a very wearable pretty romantic shade that has color without being too bold. I already own a few of the Pillow Talk Lip Liners, I would have preferred a new shade but the set is priced at a value price. I’m gifting the liner to a friend.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Glowing Pretty Skin Palette ($75) and the Pretty Pink Lipstick Set ($60) both exclusively at Nordstrom for the Anniversary Sale. Early Access for the sale is going on until the 20th and then it opens to the public.

There is also a set called The Gift of Glowing Skin Set ($75) and Supermodel Body XL Shimmer Shape, Hydrate & Glow ($75). Her body shimmer is one of the prettiest ones I’ve tried but since I rarely wear body shimmers I did not buy this one. Also be sure to check the Beauty Gift With Purchase page!

Have you checked out these sets yet? Are they on your radar?

31 Comments

Nordstrom Sales

Quick Look: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Haul Picks

July 12, 2018

Hello from Miami! We are currently traveling for a mini summer getaway but per request I have a quick preview of my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale haul picks and a giveaway! I will be reviewing and swatching everything as soon as I get back home to Tampa so stay tuned. This sale is usually one of the top events I look forward to every year for fashion deals and beauty finds. I shopped in store while on my vacation for early access as a Level 4 card holder.

Quick recap of details, Early Access for the sale officially starts for all card holders today. The sale opens up to the public on July 20th and ends August 5th.

A few notes and thoughts. The catalog gives a small sneak peek at what they offer and this year I have a feeling that a large chunk of the sale is online only. This particular year I was really surprised to find the in-store clothing selection very limited. Different stores of course might vary on inventory and brands but the selection wasn’t quite like I remember it being in past years. For the Beauty Exclusives I found most of what I had on my wish list, however were a few beauty items I was told were online only and GWPs were a bit sparse in store. Whether you’re shopping in store or online I’d highly recommend you check out their Beauty Gift With Purchase Page first so you don’t miss out in the event you’re spending a lot for yourself or gifts.

Full reviews and swatches to follow in the upcoming days but here is a look at my in-store haul. I’ll most likely be adding a few more things from online that I couldn’t find in store. The beauty sets for the home are really nice to stock up on for housewarming gifts! Some of the associates told me they bought some of the tools as gifts for their nieces or grandchildren going to college in the fall which I think is super sweet. There are some really good prices for simplehuman, T3 and Clarisonic.

My fashion and shoe picks:

Rebecca Taylor Tie Neck Silk Top (also available in black)
Treasure and Bond Print Pleated Top (line runs big in my experience, I’d recommend sizing down, had to order an XXS online)
Leith Sweater Tank (wish this came in more colors!)
7 For All Mankind b(air) Denim High Waist Ankle Skinny Jeans
Madewell Off the Shoulder Eyelet Blouse
Tory Burch Marsden Flat Thong Sandal in Calf Leather (Tan, also available in white and black) – I took my regular size in 6.5
Robine Piccone Halter Bikini Top and Tie Bottoms (separates)
La Blanca 1-Piece Swimsuit

Quick look at the Madewell top which I wore last night! Also wearing non-sale items including the STS Blue Distressed Denim shorts and Tory Burch Sienna sandals.

My beauty haul picks:

Shown above numbered:

Charlotte Tilbury The Pretty Pink Lipstick Duo with Matte Revolution Lipstick in Rose Kiss, K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Blushing Dream and Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury Glowing, Pretty Skin Palette – I’m dying to wear this but am trying to wait and photograph before I swatch it!
YSL Tint in Balm Set with Volupte Tint in Balm #9 and #13
Diptyque Assortment with three mini candles in Rose, Baies and Tubereuse and three spray perfume minis of Eau Rose, L’Ombre Dans L’Eau and Do Son
Jo Malone Travel Candle Trio with Lime Basil and Mandarin, English Pear and Freesia and Peony and Blush Suede
Le Labo Body-Hair Hinoki Travel Set – 2.5 mls of the Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Shampoo and Conditioner, both Andrew and I are obsessed with this scent!
Tom Ford Iris Bronze Set – has an Iris Bronze Eyeshadow Quad which has the same formula as their regular quads (not like Nude Dip or Honeymoon), and two mini lipsticks in Casablanca and Spiced Honey
Beautyblender Blend, Cleanse and Carry Set – LOVE this idea and so excited to have it for travel now
MAC Lip Trio in Nude – has three full-sized lip colors with Love Drought, Pretty Natural and Bodycon Lipglass
MAC Lip Trio in Pink – has three full-sized lip colors with Metallic Lipstick in Pink Addict, Matte Lipstick in Petalhead, Lipglass in Sweet as Pie
MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Palette with a Technakohl Liner in Graphblack and Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara
Moroccanoil The Ultimate Hydration Collection – Best set ever with the large pump size of Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner along with minis of their Body Souffle and Moroccanoil Hair treatment
NARS Undressed Liquid Lip Set 1
Chanel Rouge Coco Set Coral Trio has Rouge Coco Lip Blush in Corail Naturel, Rouge Coco in Adrienne, Rouge Coco Gloss in Sibylla
Glamglow x Becca We Know Glow Duo – has a mini Gravitymud and mini Becca Rose Glow Shimmering Skin Perfector Powder (can’t find this online at the moment but will update with link once I do)

Other things I bought and ordered:

Kiehl’s Exfoliating Body Soap
Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap
Jack Black Supersized Deep Dive Glycolic Facial Cleanser (284 g)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting (ordered online)

Also on the review list are the NARS and Sisley options. I have the Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown palettes on my maybes list. The colors are SO good this year but I really don’t need anymore palettes! La Mer sets are always such a great value as well but I have individual items I’ve been wanting to try that aren’t in the sets this year but they’re always so expensive.

Quick in-store look at some of the other beauty exclusives, Charlotte Tilbury Palette and quick swatches of the Pretty Pink Lips Trio:

Super value on simplehuman sensor mirror and skincare sets, Diptyque and Jo Malone.

Under $50 section:

Quick side by side of the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic vs Matte and cute Kopari Set!

To kick off the sale I’m giving away 3 $100 eGift cards to Nordstrom to 3 different blog readers. It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older. Simply complete at least one of the tasks in the widget below. Giveaway runs through July 16th 11:45 PM EST. I’ll pick a winner within 48 hours and e-mail them. They must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected in their place. Selected winners are going to be announced on the widget below. I’ll also be hosting more throughout the rest of the month so be sure to follow along! Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tell me what’s on your Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Wishlist! Are you shopping in store or online?

225 Comments

Chanel Eye Makeup

New Chanel Eye Makeup Review

July 10, 2018

Chanel has some new eyemakeup out right now as a mini-release. I ordered some things from Nordstrom and Chanel including some eyeshadows, a lash primer and new eyeshadow base. After testing I think there are some hits and misses. By now their Fall-Winter Collection has already launched online with the Le Mat de Chanel. What I hauled:

Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Shadow in High-Profile
Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow in Ultra Flesh
Stylo Ombre Et Contour Eyeshadow-Liner-Khol in Nude Eclat, Electric Brown and Rouge Noir
La Base Ombre Paupieres Longwear Eyeshadow Primer
La Base Mascara Nourishing Mascara Base

There were also two new Eyeshadow Quads which I passed on because I didn’t love all the colors in each palette and knew there was a good chance they would be neglected.

Up first are the two eyeshadows in the Ombre Premiere Powder High-Profile and Ombre Premiere Cream Ultra Flesh. I reviewed the Ombre Premiere formula nearly a year ago. The formulas are indeed long wearing, the creams are particularly good to last in hot humid weather. With this launch High-Profile is a soft satiny nude gold that looks like skin but just a tiny bit lighter. The shimmer is ultra soft, a lot softer than Flesh or Ray (both of which pull more pinkish). Ultra Flesh has a pink peach shimmer finish. I was worried it would be too pink but it actually is light enough in color that it works for my skintone to give a soft peachy wash. Color is shimmery as well but in a natural way. To me these are both hits although High-Profile matches my skin so closely it almost looks like nothing on my lids.

Next are the Eyeshadow-Liner-Khols which I think are both hits and misses. I expected these to be like their previously launched twist up shadow sticks. They’re still twist up but a lot skinnier than I expected. Also there’s no sharpener and as many of you have commented in the past, this kind of packaging isn’t ideal for long term use. Once you wear down the tip it’s going to be difficult to line with the same precision as you can with a pointy tip. It has a smooth creamy texture that glides on the eyes like a liner. The lighter shade Nude Eclat (shimmery champagne) is easier to blend over the lid, but the other two Electric Brown (soft shimmery brown) and Rouge Noir (deep reddish plum) are best used if smudged slightly along the lash line. You can apply more and blend but blend quickly as they set fast. The best thing is once they’ve set there’s no smudging. My solution for when the tip wears down is to use a detail brush and swipe it along the top then apply on the eyes with the brush. I appreciate the design intent to be an all-in-one kind of product but I think it’s not going work well as both a liner and shadow if you can’t sharpen the tip.

Next are two base products. The Longwear Eyeshadow Primer seems to be only available at Chanel.com right now. It’s a pink tinted cream but applies to a clear finish on the lids. It dries down to a smooth soft matte and is designed to improve wear of shadows. This is one product I could not tell if it worked to improve wear or not. My shadow stayed put the same. What it does do is smooth out the lid surface and makes it stay matte all day. For me I prefer cream shadows as a base or liner because of the emollient texture. Since this is matte it doesn’t really help shadow apply richly like other bases. But it did keep my lids matte all day so if you have oily lids this is worth a look. The La Base Mascara also launched. I am not 100% sure if this is a new formula or relaunch. It’s labeled on the bottom as Volume and Care which to those aspects it does both. It’ a white base you coat onto the lashes and it does indeed add volume but nourishes them as well. The only downside for me is that once applied it straightens my lashes immediately even if I curl them. For me almost all mascara bases have straightened my lashes.

Overall some nice additions. The most interesting things to me were the two bases but I think your mileage will truly vary depending on your lash type or eye primer preference. I have difficult straight lashes so most formulas are hard to work with for me. The eyeshadow base is something I’m going to continue to try – right now I’m not convinced it improves my shadow but at the same time I do like how it smooths the entire eye area without adding any color.

You can find the new Chanel Eye Makeup Collection out at all counter right now. I bought mine from Nordstrom and Chanel. Have you checked these out yet? What did you think?

11 Comments

Becca Highlighters

Becca Be A Light Face Palette Review + Swatches

July 9, 2018

Becca Cosmetics has launched the perfect natural contouring and highlighting compacts called the Be A Light Face Palette ($46 each 0.52 oz/ 15 g). There are two shade options Light to Medium and Medium to Dark. They have powders Becca calls their Sheer Glow Filter Powder and they’re skin-enhancing powders to smooth and blur the complexion. I’ve never been a huge fan of contouring because it’s been tricky for me. Powder colors are often too sharp or grey for my skintone, shades are often too light or too dark for me, and I’d rather just use a soft bronzer to add depth. Now that these Becca Be A Light Face Palettes have launched I’ve finally found a natural looking contouring and blurring palette with enough options to brighten, contour and add color.

The Be A Light Face Palettes come in huge mirrored compacts with four shades per palette. I love that the shades are separated so you can easily pick up one color at a time. I tested these with a few different brushes and to me really any powder brush will work. The texture is soft and smooth with a natural finish. It is medium to sheer but you can definitely build either the blush color or deepest contour color. Since the powders are soft there will be powdery kick up/debris from the brush. On the face it will stay put.

Color-wise I am the skintone right now that I could wear either. If I had to pick one I would probably pick the Light to Medium for everyday because the lighter shades are sheer enough that I can use them as a finishing power on certain areas of the face without adding too much color. For me it has the perfect amount of warmth to work for my olive skin tone. Wearing Light to Medium below, it’s really natural in the photo – everything shows up a lot better in real life. On the lips is the Becca Glow Lip Gloss in Opal.

A closer look at Light to Medium where you have a pale champagne beige highlighter powder to brighten, a peachy shimmer blush, a deeper beige to blur and even out complexion and a darker contour powder.

Medium to Dark has the same concept but colors are all a lot deeper.

I tested both of these on a few different occasions. It is natural looking but stays put on the face, even in heat and humidity. The Medium to Dark one stayed on my face all day and even lasted through a 12 mile bike ride in humid 90+ degree weather. My face was completely sweaty and was 100% dewy and then some but the color remained on the face and everything looked like it stayed put. Just in case you are wondering, I don’t usually wear makeup for exercise or bike rides. I had everything put together because I thought we were going to have a quick and easy weekend bike ride but my husband had something else in mind. He decided we were going to test some bikes out from a rental shop and bike back and forth across the Courtney Campbell Causeway from Tampa to Clearwater. I was really surprised everything except my foundation lasted through the sweat – I also wore the Sunday Riley Influencer Foundation in 190, Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink mixed with Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Copper and the Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight in #3. I was really surprised that even though most of my foundation/base had sweated off my forehead and chin that my cheeks and eyes still looked like color stayed put. Granted everything was glowing with sweat but surprisingly was still there.

To me these are perfect. It has just the amount of glow it’s not 100% matte but at the same time there’s not really a lot of shimmer, except for the blush. They have a similar vibe to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders but the colors of the Becca brighten, blur and contour options are more skin-like for me vs. color correcting like the Hourglass ones. I think you can also say they are similar to the Laura Mercier Candleglow Powders but softer in texture. If you prefer something matte, the best ones to me are still the Marc Jacobs #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Duos (reviewed a few years ago here) although those are completely matte and therefore not the same as the Becca palettes.

Bottom line love.

You can find the Becca Be A Light Face Palettes out now, available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics. Have you tried these yet? What did you think? More beauty reviews to follow from NARS and Chanel later this week. Also the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for Early Access starts as well, I’ll be sharing my haul picks for the Beauty Exclusives. In case you missed it you can see a sneak peek of the beauty offerings, dates and details on this page here.

Becca palettes provided courtesy of Becca Cosmetics for review.

148 Comments

New York Packing Travel

What I Packed for a Week in NYC

July 6, 2018

Happy Friday! I have my packing post for what we packed for a week in NYC during the summer. Most of the time I’m a carry-on traveler and bring my suitcase onto the plane with me, but this round Andrew and I checked two of them! We had one more with us as well for a total of 3 suitcases in the Bigger Carry-on Size from Away (our shoes took up a lot of space). It would have been more ideal if we had larger sizes but we tend to pack last minute and by the time we realized what we needed it would have been to late to order a bigger suitcase.

I’ll be doing a separate updated review on the Away Luggage soon so if you have questions leave me a comment below. For now here are some answers to some frequently asked questions from you. I’m so thrilled to see how Away has grown over the years and am always looking forward to seeing their new launches! I first wrote about them when they only had 1 product in their line which is the Regular Carry-On back in 2016. I truly believe this is the best luggage I’ve tried which is why I continue to use them. They’ve since expanded their line and continue to improve their products. Some FAQs I’ve received:

What makes them so good? So many reasons why, but my top three include the design (sturdy, streamlined, no frills, wheels are AMAZING), interior fits a lot, and price point. Mine were gifted but since I discovered them I’ve purchased close to a dozen on my own as gifts for family.
Which size do you recommend? I recommend the Bigger Carry-On if you’re flying in the US. European airlines often have different luggage restrictions so if you’re traveling through Europe I’d recommend the Regular Size.
What’s the size difference? They have all the dimensions on their website along with weights. The difference is slight but enough to be noticeable when you’re trying to fit more stuff inside!
Which size do you carry with you? I’ve carried both, but usually the Bigger option.
Does the exterior get scratched if you check it? Yes, it will get scuffed and ours have a few scratches. But they hold up remarkably well.
Can you clean the outside? Yes, if there are markings you can use a Magic Eraser + warm water or a little dish soap. Away often has more tips on their Instagram stories!
Where can I find the mini Away case and what does it look like inside? It’s not available right now, they launched them during the holidays so I’m hoping they will be back again later this year. What it looks like inside in this post here.
Quick notes about the charging battery – Some airlines have changed their policy about having charging batteries on the plane. We’ve flown Delta and they stopped my husband at the gate, asked him to take everything out to unscrew the battery because he had the older style that doesn’t have a pop-out battery. We’ve also flown Jetblue and they didn’t stop or check anything! Check with your airline to see their policy. If you have an older style Away suitcase they have a page with some information you might want to check out. They’ve also launched a battery switch program with a few options.
Where can I find previous reviews? You can click my Travel – Packing Tag. You can also see a few below:

Onto what I packed for a week in NYC. I’m usually pretty good at editing what I bring. This round I didn’t pack enough sweaters or warm clothes. Summers in NYC are pretty warm but this year has been a really odd year for weather all along the east coast. During our stay in New York, we had some really cold rainy days mixed in with super hot days. I thought about buying a proper jacket, but decided to make what we had work! Living in South Florida there are very few days where I actually have to wear a jacket. I have my packing split into two parts: clothes and beauty.

Clothes I packed for the entire trip below! Outfits are laid out in the collage below. I didn’t get actual outfit photos of everything in the city but we did snap most of them! I’m going to try and be better about getting more for you in the future as some of you have mentioned it’s helpful to see them. Some of the shoes I changed mid-day. The only things I didn’t wear were the dress and heels. We tend to travel casual style so I often don’t pack anything formal or dressy.

My outfit packing list:

Button Pink Camisole by Topshop
Short-Sleeve Tie-Front Shirt from Madewell
Embroidered Side-Tie Tank by Madewell
Texture and Thread Wrap Tie Shirt from Madewell
Blue stripe Tie Back Shirt from Treasure and Bond
Distressed white shorts by STS Blue
Denim skirt by Free People
Le Skinny Jeans Frame
White denim skirt by Free People
White ankle jeans by Paige
Wallet on Chain by YSL
White sneakers Converse
Chloe Ballet Flats in Nude
Chloe Ballet Flats in Black
Hermes Oran Sandals
Boucle shell stripe from Banana Republic
White ankle jeans by Paige (on repeat)
Short sleeve button up from J.Crew
Joie Dezra Jacket (old style)
Stripe ruffle dress from Splendid
Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM
Black V-Neck Sweater from J.Crew
Tory Burch Sienna Sandals
Stuart Weiztman Nearlynude Block Heels
Nike Free RN Running Shoes
Bella Dahl Peplum Tank (not shown)

Also packed but not shown included a Goyard tote, Lululemon clothes for working out (which we didn’t get to), for sleeping this cute black lace camisole + shorts night set from Flora by Flora Nikrooz.

Four of my vacation outfits we snapped out and about, I’ll try to get more next time! Some of the days we just had too much fun eating, exploring and meeting with people to take photos.

Beauty packing packed into my Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case, Away Mini Travel Case, Anya Hindmarch Inflight Travel Case and clear Ouai Mini Pouch. FYI full review coming soon, but as mentioned in my previous post this case is a cheaper dupe of the Anya Hindmarch! It’s also available in Navy, Taupe and Pale Pink.

All the things laid out. Yes, I overpacked on lipgloss. I almost always do. Full list below:

Beauty breakdown (checked my bag!):

Lips:
- Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Tendresse
- Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in several shades
- NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Swing
- Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Pink
- Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk
Eyes:
- Pat McGrath MTHRSHIP Sublime Bronze Eyeshadow Palette
- Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold and Copper
- Glossier Lash Slick
- L’Oreal Lash Paradise
- Hourglass Arch Brow Gel
- Sisley Phyto-Khol Star Eyeliner
- Diorshow Brow Styler
Foundation/Concealers/Powder:
Blush/Cheeks:
Skincare:
- Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist
- Chanel Le Creme Main
- L’Occitane Roll-On Deodorant
- L’Occitane Aqua Reotier
- Glamglow Supermud Mask
- Drunk Elephant Baby Facial (mini)
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask (mini)
- assorted mini samples
Hair:
- Dyson Supersonic Dryer
- Mason Pearson brush
- Byredo Mojave Ghost Hair Perfume (now available in a mini trio)
- Ouai Hair Oil
- Moroccanoil light
- T3 Vent Brush (not shown)
Perfume:
- Creed atomizer with Love in White for Summer inside
- Tom Ford Soleil Blanc mini atomizer
Tools: My Laura Mercier brushes and a beautyblender sponge, MAC eyelash curler

One last look (this was taken pre-trip, so a few of the things in this shot didn’t make the cut):

What I would have done differently: I think I always have a warm weather state of mine, I often don’t pack enough warm clothes. Weather prediction is tough but for most trips I’ve always needed a warmer jacket. I would have packed one this trip. I also often forget to carry a tote with a zipper. I need to be better about doing this. I have been really lucky that I’ve never had anything stolen but Andrew is always reminding me to not carry my tote behind me as it’s easy for someone to slip their hand inside. Either a closed tote or cross body for city sightseeing or shopping will be safer.

Hope you enjoyed this packing post! Do you have any tips or tricks you want to share for packing on week-long getaways? Do you travel with carry-on’s or smaller suitcases or pack a lot? Now that I’ve done a few packing posts let me know what you find most helpful. Sometimes I list everything out, others it’s a more general list. Let me know which version you like the best!

Press samples featured include Away luggage, Pat McGrath Lust Gloss, L’Occitane Aqua Reotier, Laura Mercier Concealer, Sisley eyeliner, Hourglass brow gel.

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New York Travel

Summer NYC Travel Diary

July 3, 2018

June flew by so quickly I cannot believe it! It’s already been a month since we went to NYC for a quick trip and I can’t wait to go back. As promised I finally have a NYC travel diary post and will have a separate packing post soon. We spent about a week in New York City and had so much fun. There’s so much to do in the city – I mapped out nearly 50 places I wanted to see, eat and shop. Of course we did not get to everything (not even half!). Looking back on our photos I can see that I was clearly most excited about the food. I had my fill of really good coffee, espresso, pastries and avocado toast. We walked nearly everywhere and had the best time exploring. (Top photo, embroidered tank is from Madewell, wallet on chain purse is by YSL, denim is by Frame, jacket is from Joie – old style).

Where We Stayed

For this trip we decided to try The Ludlow Hotel located in the Lower East Side. I picked this hotel because of the beautiful views and dreamy bathrooms! I always check Hotels.com and Trip Advisor first for prices and reviews but in terms of reserving a room, I’ve found booking direct is sometimes the best for customer service. I’ve learned the hard way using travel booking sites that often times I cannot make changes easily after the fact. Hotels are often happy to price match and in this case they did! I initially booked a Loft King but changed at the last minute to the Loft Queen because it had a bathtub. You can check their website to see all room descriptions. We were lucky to get a room on the 19th floor with some amazing views! The room we booked was very small at under 300 sq feet. It came with a windowed bathroom, separate soaking tub and shower. We had to request a separate clothing rack because the closet would only fit Andrew’s clothes. We had a pleasant stay, everything was really cozy and clean and quiet. They had a nice gym and terrace on the roof. We were planning to work out each night but were too exhausted to get any dedicated exercise in. We’d definitely stay here again. We liked the location and the rooms were nice. We would probably book a larger room next time though.

View from the roof:

Sunglasses are from J.Crew (old style called Irving), top is by Madewell.

Where We Ate

The food stops were the highlights of my trip. I almost felt like I missed my calling as a food blogger but then realized I’m really not the most adventurous when it comes to trying certain kinds of foods. NYC truly has some of the most amazing pastry shops and really amazing coffee and espresso. Based on my food wish list I think it would most likely take at least a month to try all the places I’ve bookmarked!

Above clockwise from left:

ABCV – We ate here because the lovely Gothamista booked us reservations for breakfast! I was so thrilled to be able to meet her in person, she is truly a beautiful person inside and out. We clicked instantly and if you don’t follow her on YouTube definitely give her videos a look! She’s a skincare expert and whatever she uses I need to add to my routine. Her skin is glowing! ABCV has really incredible food. I wish we snapped a photo but we ate it all too quickly. Everything was phenomenal. We’d absolutely go back. ABC Kitchen is next door – hope to try this next time!
Sweet Chick: Lower East Side – This was right next to our hotel. We could not resist chicken and waffles. I ordered one of their kale salads to try and balance out the chicken, waffles and mac and cheese. LOL. Everything was delicious. We stopped by when there was no wait or line. Service was great and quick for us.
Katz Delicatessen – This was also next to our hotel. Andrew picked up a Pastrami Hot Sandwich late one night and brought it back to the hotel room for us to share. It was every bit as amazing as we had imagined after seeing this on a few food channels.
La Mercerie – I had a meeting here for lunch and the food was delicious! I ordered the Salade Verte and it made for a perfect light fresh kind of meal.

So happy to meet Renee aka Gothamista!

Yet more eats below:

Above clockwise from left:

Dominique Ansel Bakery – I made Andrew wake up extra early so we would arrive when they opened. The wait for us was only about 5-10 minutes – no long lines like I had read about. I finally tried a Cronut and it was amazing! We also ordered a Little Egg Sandwich and Coconut Chocolate Croissant. Everything was really filling so we ended up taking most of it to-go back to our hotel. We went back again on our last day to buy some pastries to take home. I highly recommend this! Also the line is usually only for Cronuts. You can also order things to pick up in advance but double check the turnaround time as it will take some planning.
Ippudo Ramen – One of the best ramen places I’ve tried. We had a 20 minute wait but this wasn’t too bad considering the first time we tried the wait was 2 hours and we decided to try it another day. Glad that we did!
Eataly Flatiron – We stopped by one of the pizza counters and it did not disappoint!
Rubirosa Pizza – This was the most recommended pizza spot, we had about a 45 minute wait but it was 100% worth it. We shared the mini rice balls and a small Rubirosa Supreme pizza. There was nothing mini or small about any of it but I had no complaints!

Other eats we enjoyed included multiple cookie stops at Momofuku Milk Bar, two stops at Prince Street Pizza, quick lunch at Shake Shack, coffee and avocado toast at Bluestone Lane Coffee, a meeting Blank Slate Tea and a couple meetings a few different Maison Kayser places around the city. Andrew also stopped by Levain Bakery without me while I was in a few meetings. He brought me back part of some kind of chocolate fluffy kind of cake. He said he went to two different locations because the first one he went to had a long line, but down the street there was another location that had no wait. Someday I will finally make it there in person.

Places We Stopped to See

A few touristy things we did included a walk around the Flatiron Building – so many fun places to see around the area, not to mention Eataly is right next to it. We went to the Top of the Rock which I’ve always wanted to do! We definitely want to go back since we went during a busy time. I’d recommend going early if you can and also buy your tickets online. During our stop we bought tickets at the digital kiosks but found we had to select a viewing time and the closest option for us was 45 minutes out. We picked something a couple hours later so we could walk around Rockefeller Center and grab a snack then go back. Mornings or early times in general are probably best if you want to get photos without crowds. A stop at Grand Central is always fun although it’s often really busy. There are lots of boutiques inside including a Diptyque store which I adore!

We took a nice stroll through Central Park on Memorial Day and it was so packed! We did some fun people watching and enjoyed the view. We walked by the Loeb Boathouse and Bethesda Terrace and Fountain which has some nice places for photos.

Top from Treasure and Bond (I’d recommend sizing down), denim by Paige, Louis Vuitton Neverfull is the MM size.

Where We Shopped

I never plan enough time for shopping during my trips. There is so much to see and everything is spread out. Most of the time it’s a quick stop to take a super quick peek and then off to a meeting! I did have some time to walk along Bleecker Street and made a couple stops.

Top photo from left, clockwise:

NARS 413 Bleecker – finally stopped by! It’s so cute inside the store!
Diptyque 377 Bleecker – such a beautiful interior
The Daily Edited – They have a pop up shop in NYC and the interior has given me major organization inspo!
Bond No 9 and Amore Pacific – I didn’t have time to stop inside but I’ve book marked it for my next trip.

I did make a full dedicated stop at Sisley at 343 Bleecker Street and they treated me to a luxurious facial! If you ever have a chance to stop by their stores I highly recommend it. Beauty boutiques often have a more intimate feel to me with less sales pressure (at least in my experience). I wish I had more time to play with their foundations. I use their Tinted Sunscreen Cream and have been dying to try more of their foundations. Next time! This was the first time I experienced a lymphatic drainage massage and it was truly amazing at how much of my face swelling was reduced!

Everything in Soho opens up a bit later than most retail stores, often around 11ish. We walked through in the mornings when everything was still closed but it was fun to explore without any traffic!

I had two facials in one week which is something I’ve never done before. My second one was later in the week at the L’Occitane Flatiron Flagship store. They used their Divine Collection which I already adore and my skin was left glowing. This was a completely relaxing experience. It’s been over a year since I’ve had any facials. I need to look into trying more of these. Another lymphatic drainage massage technique was used – I think from the weather changes and travels my face was extra prone to swelling. The massage definitely helped!

On my priority list was a stop at Diptyque Grand Central. They have a super cute small space and it’s literally decor goals! I have yet to try their diffusers but am going to pick one to order soon. If you’ve tried them let me know what you think of them compared to the candles!

Last but not least was a stop at the Saks Fifth Avenue new beauty floor. I was completely overwhelmed so I didn’t buy anything. They seemed to have almost everything from Sisley, Aesop, Creed, Chanel, Armani, Tom Ford, Penhaligon’s, L’Artisan, Decorte and so much more.

A few more snapshots:

Above top by Madewell, skirt by Free People.

Overall we packed a lot into five days but I don’t think we overdid it and we had a lot of fun. The weather was unpredictable from humid highs to pretty low colds while we were there. It rained on and off a couple of our days but we were expecting it so we had our umbrellas. With a busy meeting schedule and lots of walking I got sick by the end of the trip and it took me a couple of weeks to recover at home. There’s still so much on our list to see, I’m hoping to make another trip soon. Thank you to everyone who messaged me food recommendations! We loved everything we tried. Each trip I’m partially torn between going back to favorite spots and trying new places. There’s usually not enough time to do both! I know many of you were expecting a mega haul post. Aside from pastries I bought two things: a Diptyque New York City Candle and The Daily Edited Transparent Case which is a $70 dupe for my Anya Hindmarch Inflight Case that cost me over $200 (reviewed here)!

Two things I would have done differently. The first is that I would have packed a couple more sweaters and also made sure to bring a tote with a top zipper. I had left my Longchamp Le Pliage Small Tote at home but this would have been more ideal and safer for city travel. The second thing would have been to be a little more organized with my purse swapping. On one morning I was rushing out the hotel to get to a meeting and decided to bring a small bag instead of the larger tote I had been using. I grabbed some cash, my ID, phone and metro card. I left my credit and debit cards in the hotel as I did not realize some cafes in the city are cashless! I stopped by one and sat down for a quick bite in between meetings but luckily realized it was cashless before I ordered.

Hope you enjoyed this NYC travel diary! If you have any NYC favorites let me know in the comments. Also hotel recommendations would be immensely appreciated! We are planning to go back and I want to know from you where I should stay next!

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