Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts For the Guys

December 9, 2017

It’s a countdown to Christmas which is just around the corner. I can’t believe how fast this holiday season has flown by! I have a few more gift guides to share before the shipping cut off times for Christmas delivery. Today’s gift guide is a roundup of gifts for the guys. For me the guys in my life are the easiest to shop for. They tend to be very loyal to a few small handful of brands in each category, so I know what skincare, body care or fragrance to look for. They don’t mind repeats because for grooming they prefer to stock up. On the flip side for those who don’t know what to try starter and travel sets are a great way to nudge the men in your life to up their grooming game without being too pushy.

I’ve already given these gifts to the guys in my life (Christmas came early for them). Cologne can be a tricky one to give. I feel like it’s something you should only give if you really know their taste or if that person is close to you. However Andrew has tested a number of colognes I’ve bought him and I do think the ones in this post are ones you cannot go wrong with.

Kiehl’s First Class Essentials Collection $30 – this has a little bit of everything perfect for traveling and quick trips, there are a number of other men’s grooming sets to pick from as well
Chanel Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette Set $123 – this one is is a classic for everyday wear
Leica Sofort Compact Instant Camera $299 – such a fun gift and it works better than other instant print cameras I’ve tried
Apple iPad Mini starts at $399 – perfect size for on-the-go
Away Mini Suitcase $35 individually, sets start at $45 (see the inside and review here)
Creed Aventus $375 for 75 ml, this holiday if you order direct from Creedboutique.com, with any 75 ml or larger purchase you receive complimentary engraving on a gold medallion which adds a personalized touch!
Creed Travel Atomizer $175 is a perfect way to travel with colognes or perfumes
Penhaligon’s Gentleman’s Fragrance Collection Gift Set $59 – something Andrew picked himself to sample as he’s a huge fan of the Blenheim Bouquet Shaving Cream (he says it’s THE best shaving cream he’s tried)
malin+goetz Grooming Kit $40 – another great starter set with a little bit of everything to try, my brother really likes this line
Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker $109 – I’ve bought Andrew multiple Bose speakers for his office, for his work space at home and this one is perfect for bringing along to the beach or if you’re outdoors
Kiehl’s Age Defender Eye Repair $30 – this is what Andrew is currently using
Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb Set $120, is a classic date night scent, also in a square gift box here
Jack Black The Jack Pack Set $49 – they have the best men’s grooming body care, I also borrow the Jack Black items from Andrew
Jack Black The Balm Squad Set $25 – a great manly looking lip balm option
Ray-Ban Chris 54mm Gradient Lens Sunglasses $143 – not shown because I forgot to add them to the photo, but sunglasses are always a good idea and you can’t go wrong with Ray-Ban, I just bought these ones for Andrew which are a nice more trendy variation of classic aviators

That wraps up my Men’s Holiday gift guide! If you have any questions or need recommendations let me know, I’ve had both my husband and my brother test out a lot of product to see what works for them!

Press samples featured from Creed and Chanel.

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Barneys New York GWP

Barneys New York Holiday Beauty Bag Gift Event

December 8, 2017

Barneys New York is having a great Holiday Beauty Bag event going on now through December 10th. With any $175 purchase on cosmetics, skincare or fragrance you’ll receive a bag filled with deluxe samples. As always, the contents of the Barneys GWP bags are top notch and a cut above all other beauty GWPs (at least in my opinion). The minimum spend is usually on the high side but the samples you get are well worth the splurge. It’s a nice way to try expensive skincare and hair care items to see if you like things before buying the full size.

What’s inside the bag I received listed below (some of the scent options are assorted so you may receive a different scent):

Silver zip cosmetic pouch
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray (37 ml/1 oz)
Diptyque 34 Eau de Toilette (2 ml/0.06 fl oz)
Byredo La Selle Extrait de Parfum (2 ml/0.06 fl oz)
Malin+Goetz Advanced Renewal Cream (7 ml/0.24 fl oz)
Carthusia Mediterraneo Eau de Toilette (2 ml/0.06 fl oz)
Sachajuan Dry Powder Shampoo (75 ml)
Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema Supreme Reviving Cream (5 ml/0.16 fl oz)
Revive Intensite Les Yeux (3 ml/3 g)
111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask (1 pack, 6 ml/0.2 fl oz)
lilah b. Divine Duo Lip and Cheek sampler with b. real, b. fearless, b. sassy
Eve Lom Cleanser Packette + Cloth (5 ml/0.16 fl oz)
Atelier Bloem 1614 Perfume (1.5 ml/0.05 fl oz)
rahua Body Shower Gel (12 ml)
Molton Brown Body Wash (30 ml/1 fl oz)
3LAB M Serum (3 ml)
Route Du The Eau de Toilette (6 ml/0.21 fl oz)
Marvis Whitening Mint Toohpaste (10 ml/0.5 oz)
Tiziana Terenzi Cassiopia Extrait de Parfum
Le Labo Face Lotion (3 ml/0.10 fl oz)
Baxter Paste Pomade (5 ml/0.17 fl oz)
Mediterraneo perfume vial
Antica Farmacista Room Fragrance in Prosecco (mini)

A few recommendations in case you need ideas. The Barneys Beauty department is literally beauty heaven so there are plenty of brands and sets to browse. They have a lot of great options for gifts – especially if you’re shopping for someone who you feel already has everything. You’re bound to find something at Barneys New York.

Barneys Beauty Box in It’s What’s Inside that Counts ($325), other options and price points here
111Skin Multi-Masking Planner Collection ($130), this is on my Christmas wishlist, I’m obsessed with their sheet masks!
Aesop Elaborate Body Kit ($112)
Eve Lom Perfecting Ritual Set ($165)
Diptyque Baies 3 Wick Candle ($165)
By Terry Preciosity Baume de Rose Trio ($75)
Aesop Geranium Leaf Duo ($125)
Tatcha Camellia Kisses Trio ($85)
Sisley Paris Scented Candle Set ($195)

The gift with purchase is available online now through December 10th or while supplies last. Valid on US orders only with orders $175 or more. If you’re shopping a specific brand also check out their Gift With Purchase page as some brands have extra goodies.

Many thanks to Barneys New York for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions my own.

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Holiday Gift Guide Skincare

Holiday Gift Guide: Skincare Sets

December 6, 2017

Happy Wednesday and hello from Miami! We are here for a few days and I’m thrilled to be visiting for the first time. I have another gift guide today rounding up some skincare gift sets for the holiday. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I have personally tested everything featured here and can vouch for them as great sets. Of course finding the right one for you or someone you want to gift something to depends on their skin type. With the holiday season it’s nice to try sets out or stock up on favorites because there are often value deals.

Top Shelf

Kate Somerville Intro to Glow Trio ($50)
Eve Lom Perfecting Ritual Set ($165) the Brightening Cream is one of my favs!
Kiehl’s Coriander Hand Duo ($26), also love this Hand Cream Trio ($35)
First Aid Beauty Tales of Fab Skin ($52)

Shelf #2

By Terry Preciocity Gift Set Baume de Rose Duo ($55), also available in a Trio Version for ($75)
Omorovicza Discovery Set ($95)
Tatcha Joyful Discovery Set ($115, sold out) similar options here, I love the Starter Rituals

Shelf #3

Diptyque mini candle ($34), not skincare but makes for a great gift!
Kopari Coconut Melt Mini ($18), also available in this cute Multi-Tasking Set ($40)
Caudalie Activating Glow Trio ($52)
MAC Snow Ball Fix+ Trio Minis ($20)
Chanel Sublimage La Brume Intense Revitalizing Mist ($200) the ultimate luxury face mist
Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist ($20)

Bottom Shelf

Glamglow Let it Glow! Supermud Set ($69), also love this Let it Glow! Volcasmic Set ($39)
Eve Lom Kiss Mix Duo Cracker ($35)

What are your favorite skincare sets or skincare items these days? I’m really loving the Caudalie items and Kate Somerville for affordable skincare that still works. Let me know if you have any sets on your wishlist! Right now I’ve got my eye on some 111Skin sheet masks and more things from Sisley. I keep putting things in and out of my online shopping carts!

Other gift guides for this holiday:

Best Travel Beauty Cases

Beauty Gifts Under $50

NARS Man x Ray

MAC Snowball

Tatcha Holiday Gift Sets

Press samples featured from First Aid Beauty, Tatcha, Eve Lom.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty Gifts Under $50

December 4, 2017

Happy Monday! Today I’m rounding up some holiday gift guide ideas on beauty gifts under $50. I feel like beauty gifts in this price range tend to go fast! A few of these have already sold out online which I’ll note below but you may be able to find them in stores.

Palettes and Color

There are a lot of great sets this year under the $50 price point from the MAC Snow Ball Collection. Their lip sets are the cutest with different color themes for pink and nudes. They also have some great face sets.

Bobbi Brown Evening Glow Eyeshadow Palette ($49)
Bobbi Brown Soft Smoky Shadow & Mascara Palette ($42)
Cover FX Perfect Highlighting Palette ($39, on sale for $25 at Ulta)
NARS The Veil Cheek Palette ($49, review here)
NARS Man Ray Love Triangles ($24, other options available at Sephora and NARS)

Lip Gifts

The lip sets are everywhere this holiday! For some reason I think these are the most fun and with the winter season you can’t go wrong with any lip balm set.

NARS NARSissist Velvet Lip Glide Set ($45, swatched here)
Kopari Coconut Kiss ($30)
Bite Beauty Agave Kisses Set ($20, BACK IN STOCK! individual full size items under $50)
MAC Snow Ball Nude Lip Bag ($39.50, all three swatched here)
Fresh Sweet and Sporty Lip Set ($39)
Fresh Nourished Nude Lip Duo ($19 sold out, similar option with the Nourishing Naturals Lip Duo $25)
Kat Von D Saint Lipstick + Fragrance Travel Duo ($27)
NARS Man Ray The Kiss Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Set ($49, on sale for $39 at Sephora swatched here)

Holiday Crackers and Ornaments

These are always fun because they’re like little surprise gifts. Fresh has some of the best lip sets this year both under and over $50 – I’d recommend you act quick on those if you see any you like because a lot of their sets have sold out.

Jo Malone Christmas Cracker Set ($48)
Eve Lom Kiss Mix Duo Cracker ($35)
Omorovicza Cracker with Refining Facial Polish and Moor Cream Cleanser ($30)
Fresh Sugar Lip Lovelies ($26)
Fresh Pretty in Pink Lip Trio ($25, sold out online in US, still available at John Lewis)
Tatcha Kissed with Gold Set ($32)
By Terry Preciosity Tree Decoration Baume de Rose Lip Care ($24)
L’Occitane Holiday Ornament ($14)

Others

A few other cute gifting options. Perfume can be a tricky one as scent is so personal, however as long as you’re pretty certain of your friend’s taste and preferences, sampler sets can be a great option.

JinSoon Flapper Collection Trio ($42)
Away Mini Suitcase ($35)
First Aid Beauty Mask Diaries ($38, marked down to $25)
First Aid Beauty FAB Trilogy ($28 marked down to $20)
Juliette Has a Gun Discovery Set ($18)
Elizabeth and James Choose Your Nirvana Coffret Warm and Spicy ($28, also available in Floral Trio)

That wraps up my roundup of beauty gifts under the $50 price point! If you are in search of ideas I hope this guide helps you:) How far along are you on your holiday shopping? Have you already bought all your gifts or do you still have a ways to make through your list?

This week’s giveaway is going to be a mix of 4 products/sets featured in today’s post! I’ll select 1 winner at random through the Rafflecopter widget below and they will win all 4 sets. Giveaway is open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter. Simply complete one of the tasks in the widget. Giveaway will run from 12/4 to 12/9 11:59 PM EST. I usually pick a winner within 48 hours. If selected you must respond via email within 48 hours or another person will be selected. I typically ship prizes within 1 week. Not affiliated or sponsored.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press samples featured include the Cover FX Palette, Fresh Sweet and Sporty Lip Set, NARS Man Ray Lip Pencil Set, NARS The Veil Palette, Tatcha Kissed with Gold, Away Mini Suitcase and the JINsoon Trio.

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Chanel Highlighters

Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion

December 3, 2017

There are new Chanel highlighters that come in two formulas. One is called Poudre Lumiere Highlighting Powder ($58 for 8.5 g/0.30 oz, made in Italy) and the other is called Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powder ($70 for 9 g/0.31 oz, made in Italy). Both are listed as Chanel.com exclusives and limited-edition. At this point I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like the world does not need another highlighter. I still love these and think they are quite stunning. That being said if you already own a lot I don’t think any of these will be must-haves as I do think you can get a similar effect with other Chanel launches or even ones from Dior. I would have liked to do a handful of comparison swatches, however if you have followed along on @beautylookbook you know I’ve been traveling! We made a quick stop to Los Angeles for a wedding and up next is Miami for Art Basel. Due to the traveling I didn’t have time to search for dupes or swatch them. Notes and thoughts below. As a die-hard Chanel lover there would have been practically nothing to stop me from buying these four. First a look at all four Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion and side by side swatches:

Poudre Lumiere

Up first is the Poudre Lumiere formula. This is one of Chanel’s more sparkly options. Chanel describes this as an illuminating face powder that captures and reflects light for a sheer radiant finish. I do think it’s light reflecting and radiant, but I didn’t find these sheer. You can definitely apply with a light hand or fluffy brush for a sheer finish, but I found these fairly pigmented. The texture is stiffer than a traditional powder. I find they have a similar feel in texture to the Dior Nude Air Luminizers but the Chanels have tiny flecks of sparkle. They are really pretty for holiday, I don’t mind the shimmer but if you want more of a glow, opt for the other two. Ivory Gold is a golden champagne and Rosy Gold is a deeper pink/peach version. Lasting power is really good. On me they don’t emphasize pores or texture. I actually think these are amazing as eyeshadows.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Chanel Le Rouge Crayon in Rose Violine.

Le Signe du Lion

The Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powders have a more creamy smooth feel to them. I absolutely love these! They give the skin a lovely soft sheen. Pigment is medium and easy to blend or layer. On my tan complexion they look similar – Or Blanc is a white gold and Or Rose is a peachy pink. If you’re light to fair these will most likely look darker on you. Lasting power is also really good, even in humid weather. They stay put all day without getting dewy looking or greasy.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Hourglass Confession Lipsticks in If Only + I Woke Up.

Each powder comes with its own brush. They’re nice for touch ups, but as usual I prefer full sized brushes to apply makeup. The Le Signe du Lion ones come with a red compact and the other comes in a classic black one.

One last look:

Overall the four are excellent in quality, pigment, smoothness, lasting power and texture. I think that the Poudre Lumieres are more sparkly and inline with the current shimmery more intense highlighter trend. The Le Signe du Lion is smoother and has a softer glow. After testing these I don’t think it’s necessary to own all four but they are beautiful. My favorites are the Le Signe du Lion out of the bunch, I really like Or Rose. While they are quite the splurge I think they are worth the price. That being said if you already own a lot and are looking for something unique, you may find these too similar to what you already own.

You can find the Chanel Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion highlighters online now at Chanel.com, both are limited edition.

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Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST 007 Skin Show

November 28, 2017

I ordered the Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST 007 in Skin Show ($75) sight unseen which features new liquid lipsticks, a clear gloss and a micro glitter pigment. After falling in love with the Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipsticks I decided to try this set. There are two shade options and I went for the nude one. Quick takeaway is I still prefer her regular lipstick formula but for liquid lipsticks hers are pretty darn good. I feel like I’m pretty much the only one who is in general anti-liquid lipsticks because they just don’t work with my lips, often look dry and shriveled. I usually have to add gloss or balm to make them work.

The LiquiLUST 007 is part of her limited-edition Lip Labs Collection. This set comes in an iridescent sealed pouch stuffed with lavender colored sequins. It’s definitely eye catching and fun but I have no idea what I’m going to do with all these little bits of iridescent purple sequins. Andrew was worried the cat would jump into my flatlays because he likes shiny things and get glitter all over the place. In reality he should be more concerned that I’d get it everywhere – there’s something about glitter and sequins that makes me think it would be super fun to just throw toss up in the air everywhere in the house.

Inside the set you have:

Liquid Lipstick in Divine Nude which is a neutral nude pink
Liquid Lipstick in Possessed which is a medium rose
Liquid Lipstick in Slay-OMI which is a deep wine brown
Clear Vinyl Gloss (comes with a slanted applicator)
Gold 007 Cristalline Micro-Fine Pigment

Swatches:

Lip swatches:

Some comparison swatches next to her 1995 Matte Trance, Realness LuxeTrance, OMI MatteTrance, Beautiful Creature LuxeTrance:

Comparison swatches next to NARS Power Matte Pigment in American Woman, Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Slow Burn, Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquid in Chutney, Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips in Platinum Blonde and Dolly Bird (these two aren’t dupes or similar, just added them to show how deep the other shades are), Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Hot Cocoa.

Back labels, ingredients and info:

Overall thoughts on the set are positive. The Liquid Lipsticks have no detectable scent, full smooth coverage that is 100% streak-free and feels remarkably comfortable for a matte. They do have a matte finish and drydown but don’t dry out to the point they make my lips look shriveled. Divine Nude is almost identical to the MatteTrance Lipstick in 1995 (I prefer the lipstick version). Lasting power is really good – they stay put for hours without budging.

The gloss is also unscented and has a slightly tacky feel. On the lips it doesn’t feel too sticky – it actually feels really comfortable, almost hydrating on me. As I’m really not a fan of matte lips, I find if I apply the gloss first then apply the liquid lipstick on top, it’s almost like an opaque gloss like the Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Cremes.

The only color I felt was too dark was Slay-OMI but it’s really nice for a deep lip. I didn’t try the gold glitter except to swatch. It’s a yellow gold and as I don’t like to wear yellow or glitter I don’t see how I’ll get any use out of this (it’s being regifted to one of my friends).

Bottom line a solid win, but I still think her LuxeTrance and MatteTrance Lipsticks are better for me. At this time I don’t know if her Liquid Lipsticks are going to be launched individually or in more colors outside of her sets. There’s another LiquiLUST 007 Duo available with another new gloss formula but I’m probably not going to order it as it has Divine Nude and I now have it from the kit I bought.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST 007 set available at Sephora and Pat McGrath Labs. While supplies last. Have you tried or seen these yet? What did you think?

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Bronzer + Blush Chanel

Chanel Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche

November 27, 2017

There’s a new Cyber Monday launch from Chanel and I’m thrilled to give you a first look at the Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche ($48 for 3 g/0.1 oz, made in France, limited-edition, Chanel.com exclusive). This is a beautiful soft silky peach and pink blush with an embossed camellia flower design. According to the description it has a mix of blush shades in Espeigle and Malice intertwined. As a peach-obsessed makeup lover I think is just stunning.

The description online describes this as a Joues Contraste formula featuring baked powder technology. Long-time Chanel lovers know that there are different formulas across countries. This one appears to be softer than the non-US baked formula – it’s delicate and soft, just like the Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Rose from 2014 (pink version, scroll down lower for a comparison).

Shown below, Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche:

Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche mixed has a soft peachy pink tinge with a satiny sheen. It makes the skin glow in a natural way with sheer to medium coverage. It has the signature soft floral scent that Chanel powder blushes have but is non-irritating and isn’t overpowering to me. Lasting power is pretty good – it stayed on for several hours before it started to fade. Overall pigment is natural but you can layer it for a bit more color.

Each shade swatched individually and then mixed together. It looks softer and smoother on the skin than it appears on the swatch below. It’s suddenly incredibly dry here now that fall/winter has arrived in Florida and my skin has definitely felt it.

Shown below, on the left it’s layered with a heavier hand. On the right it has just a couple soft sweeps. Also worn on the face:

Base and Foundation – Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Cushion in 30 + Saturday Skin All Aglow Sunscreen Perfection Cushion in Goldie 06, for those curious I fluctuate between Chanel 30 and 40 in Foundations and MAC NC35 in the Studio Fix Fluid
Powder – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour in No 20 to set all over
Blush – Chanel Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche
Brows – Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Eyeshadows – Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Rivoli
Lips – Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in Rose Violine No 2 + Rouge Coco Gloss in Subtil 744

A quick comparison to the 2014 Blush Camelia Rose, I can’t believe I still had a backup of this! Both have the same soft texture so if you tried the Rose version know that the Peche version has the same finish and soft satiny sheen.

Swatches, side by side – I have to emphasize that these blushes aren’t dry-looking on the skin, it’s just my arm that’s dry due to weather changes here. I’ve been applying lip balm like CRAZY for the last week. I’ve also started using coconut oil again on the body. Hoping it will help with the weather changes.

You can find the Chanel Jardin de Chanel Blush Camelia Peche starting today exclusively at Chanel.com. It is limited-edition. Do you love peachy blushes? If yes what are your favorites?

Many thanks to Chanel for sending this as an early preview for me to share.

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Sabrina