The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is finally here for Early Access! If you have a Nordstrom Card you can shop the sale starting today July 13th through July 20th. It opens up to everyone else on July 21st and ends August 6th. As a beauty lover this is one of my favorite events because this is when Nordstrom launches a ton of their Beauty Exclusives. They offer a little bit of everything from makeup, beauty tools like brushes, hair dryers, face devices, skincare, body care etc. My favorite items are their makeup beauty sets and exclusive colors. They also have a lot of their best sellers in large value sizes so you can stock up on your staples. I stopped by my local Nordstrom to shop the sale (secret tip, if you’re a Level 4 Rewards Member you get a 1 day early access to things like this sale). The Nordstrom here in Tampa has a decent selection however it’s on the smaller side and they didn’t carry all the items for the sale so I’ll be ordering a few things online. Also another tip is to check their Gift With Purchase Page whether you’re shopping online or in store. It’s a good idea to make a list, especially of the GWPs – when you’re in store there’s a lot to browse and you can easily miss out on some great extras especially if you’re stocking up for gifts or spending a good amount with a single brand. Do note some of the GWPs may be online only.
First a quick look at some of the exclusives set up in store. For those of you who don’t have a Nordstrom near you I hope this helps give you a visual idea of what the Beauty Exclusives section looks like. I didn’t get photos of everything in store – these are just some highlights. There are a lot of skincare options and value sets.
I felt like the shoe and clothing selection in store was pretty lacking in the store near me so I’ll be shopping the sale items online. If I find anything I’ll definitely do a haul post on that. Here’s a quick look at some shoes I saw that were interesting including these Tory Burch Bryce Sandals and a lot of good sales on boots.
For now here’s my Beauty Haul Part 1. I will be reviewing and swatching everything in the upcoming days.
What I hauled from beauty, Part 1:
Diptyque Five Candle Set (1.2 oz each) with Baies, Roses, Feu de Bois, Tubereuse and Figuier $55
Jo Malone Cologne Collection with Nectarine Blossom and Honey, Orange Blossom, French Lime Blossom, Silk Blossom, Nashi Blossom for $115 (there’s also a Men’s Cologne Set for $135 with a different variation)
My top beauty recommendations would also include the Diptyque 5-Piece Set, the simplehuman Sensor Mirror (I love it, I’ve had mine for around 4+ years), any Clarisonic device (I like the Mia Fit the best) and if you’re a fan of nude lips, grab the MAC Look in a Box Set as soon as you see it – it always sells out quickly every year. In previous years some brands also launch their fall beauty collections around this time at Nordstrom. I didn’t see anything out yesterday but it was the pre-early access so they might not have had a chance to put everything out yet.
I’m hosting another giveaway and giving away five $100 eGift Cards to Nordstrom. This one starts at 9:00 AM EST today and will run through the 19th and it will be open internationally. You must enter through any of of the entry options in the widget below and be 18 years or older. Winners will be selected at random through the widget and announced in this post. Selected winners will be contacted by me via e-mail and must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected. Full terms and conditions in the widget.
Sisley-Paris is one of those beautiful skincare lines with cult-status products and extremely expensive prices. I’ve tried a small handful of things to date and splurged on a few face masks which are really quite amazing. Due to the price points I haven’t looked at the line in detail even though many readers recommend the Black Rose Precious Face Oil. They launched a beauty subscription program which allows you to sample five things a month at a pretty reasonable price. The Beauty Subscription service is exclusive to the Sisley-Paris website in either a 6-month subscription for $60 or 12-month subscription for $100. The cost is like you are essentially paying for postage. I’ve been lucky to receive it for a few months now courtesy of Sisley. However since my move across country, other skincare projects, having to adjust to new surroundings and weather, and also other things happening in life I haven’t had a chance to try most of the items. The good news is that I saved up six months worth of boxes to be able to share with you today what 6 months looks like. Sometimes seeing more than one month’s worth makes it easier to decide whether or not to sign up for a subscription program.
Each month you receive a little black box, small drawstring bag, five skincare, fragrance or makeup samples, a little card explaining each product and a promo code for extra points if you purchase anything from the box. I’ve never ordered anything direct from their site as I used to buy my Sisley-Paris items from my Neiman Marcus back in San Diego, however they do have a rewards program. Gold and Platinum members receive the subscription for free. Here are the box contents from January through June 2017, US:
What was in each box by month. Each month has a different theme to add a fun twist. Notes on what I tested below:
January – The Detox
Ecological Compount
All Day All Year
Botanical D-Tox
Phyto-Blanc Buff and Wsh
Eau du Soir Shower Gel
February – The At-Home Spa
Buff and Wash Facial Gel
Facial Mask with Linden Blossom
Moisturizer with Cucumber
Energizing Foaming Exfoliant for the Body
Eau de Champagne Lotion
March – The Instant Beautifiers
Eau Efficace
Sisleya L’Integral Anti-Age
Double Tenseur
Sisleya Le Teint
Izia Eau de Parfum
April – April Showers
Phyto-Blanc Lightening Cleansing Mil
Hydra-Flash Mask
Hydra Global
White Ginger Contouring Oil for Legs
Restorative Body Cream
May – May Flowers
Lyslait Cleansing Milk
Sisleya Radiance Anti-Aging Concentrate
Black Rose Precious Face Oil
Phyto-Teint Eclat Foundation
Eau Tropicale Eau de Toilette
June – Long Weekend
Sisleya Essential Skincare Lotion
Supreyma Cream
Eye Contour Mask
The Neck Cream
Eau de Champagne Body Lotion
As you can see I had saved all the packets but was able to test some of them over the past few weeks. With skincare I like to take my time anyways so I have these saved in a box that I can try at my leisure. Things I really loved:
Buff and Wash Facial Gel is a very gentle facial scrub suspended in a gel wash, this was very gentle but still effective, I find most scrubs too harsh for my skin and this one is among the most gentle that I’ve tried.
Facial Mask with Linden Blossom is designed for the most sensitive skin, it has a very soft and soothing feel to calm and smooth the skin, you leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse off, it’s an excellent calming mask.
Energizing Foaming Exfoliant for the Body is such an amazing body scrub, I’ve mentioned that I’m a die-hard loyal fan to Aesop, this one is more gentle with a more feminine spa-like feel, I’m adding this to my buy list for when I see a good GWP.
Eau de Champagne Lotion is a lightweight cream that smells like a bright citrus champagne green scent, it has a light enough scent that it’s not overpowering, I love how it absorbs quickly, I’m more of a body oil kind of girl now, but would consider using this in humid weather as it’s quite refreshing.
Izia Eau de Parfum is a lovely soft rose scent, I’m more into green or white florals, but this is one of the most wearable rose scents I’ve tried.
Black Rose Precious Face Oil is the most raved about item and most recommended from my readers, I’ve been a long-time devotee to Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate and Midnight Recovery Oil. I tried the Black Rose Oil twice (each sample is a 1-time use and I had an extra one from another GWP) – both at night. It’s a richer oil but a little goes a long way, it’s beautifully hydrating and when I use it overnight I wake up with super soft skin.
I’ve also tried all the milk cleansers, I’m more of a liquid or gel cleanser person but these have been nice to try.
I’ve featured a few other beauty subscriptions on the blog that I signed up for including this one from Sephora and this one from Birchbox. I cancelled both before I moved from San Diego. The monthly cost was reasonable but the contents were hit or miss. I’ve discussed beauty subscriptions with a few friends – some say they think subscriptions aren’t really worth that $10 to $25 per month because they’ve gotten things they just don’t care about. Others have said it makes more sense for a luxury skincare line because you’d have a better idea of what you’d be sampling from rather than a bunch of random brands or colors of lipstick or highlighter you’d never wear. I agree with both sides. For the Sisley Subscription Program you can find a lot of these in GWPs and I’ve definitely accumulated quite a few sample packets over the years. I had a good relationship with one of the sales associates at my local stores and they would often pull samples of what they could find. The nice thing about the subscription is you don’t have to spend $100 to $300ish for the minimum for just a few samples – it’s a lot more affordable this way.
A few last thoughts: The size of the packets and tubes you get are most of the time a single or two-time use. Some of the larger bottles of cleanser or makeup remover you can definitely get more use out of (I’ve used some 5 times and there’s still a lot left). With skincare I do feel like more product would definitely be helpful in testing these items – so whether or not this would be useful or worth it to you will depend on your preferences. There are some discovery sets with larger sizes available to purchase at retailers like Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom to give you a better sampling. Still at the price point of this subscription program this is a nice way to try new things each month.
For the upcoming fall season Creed has launched two new additions to their line. There’s a new Les Royales Exclusives perfume in White Amber ($545 to $985) and to celebrate this new launch they’ve also released a sampler coffret with 6 vials of each of the Royales Exclusives scents for $70. Both are currently exclusive to the Creed Boutique (online and in stores). The special thing about the coffret is that it comes with a $50 voucher you can use toward a future purchase of any CreedBoutique.com purchase of $215 or greater. If you’ve been curious about the Les Royales Exclusives line but don’t have a store or counter near you or want to take some time with samples to explore or enjoy these this is a great set.
Based on previous posts I’ve been thrilled to find quite a few of you are already devoted fans of Creed. This is one of the most luxurious expensive perfume lines I’ve tried and since perfume is such a personal thing I have been really excited to find quite a few other Creed lovers. For those not familiar with the line, you can take a peek into their beautiful New York Boutique here (you can also read about it on Cafe Makeup here). Creed is a family owned business that has been passed down from father to son for seven generations.
The Les Royales Exclusives line is their premium line made with the highest quality ingredients – which are handpicked and many are rare or hard to find. Each of the six fragrances are designed, made and filtered by hand. The presentation is just exquisite and a work of art. They are bottled in a hand-crafted glass bottle by centuries-old Parisian glassmaker, Pochet. The newest scent White Amber is described as a fruity floral. On me I love the dry down which has notes of soft amber, jasmine, apple with a tiny bit of sandalwood and a slight powdery feel. It’s a light fresh unique kind of perfume and it’s one I can see myself wearing as a light fall scent or one for spring. The bottles are the prettiest thing I think I’ve ever seen – it looks like something royalty would have on their dressers or bathroom counters.
Top note: Amber, vanilla, blackcurrant and green apple
Middle note: Italian and Moroccan jasmine, benzoin
Base note: Indian sandalwood, jasmine, benzoin
At $500+ per bottle these are quite the splurge. I would personally have put these on my wishlist for a special occasion like an anniversary gift, but I am beyond thankful that Creed offered to send these for a feature. I just took a look at their website though and don’t know if this is new – but some of these are now available in a smaller bottle and lower price point of $250 for 1 oz/30 ml – I’ll note which ones are available below. I already own and love Jardin d’Amalfi. I’ve smelled the rest on a couple other occasions at Lucky Scent and the Creed New York Boutique and they are all beautiful.
The Coffret is a sampler that has all 6 of the Les Royales Exclusives scents for $70. Each purchase will come with a redeemable voucher promo code of $50 you can use exclusively on CreedBoutique.com, valid until 09/30/17. Per their site, “Promo code available in the Coffret must be entered at checkout. Only one redemption per Coffret. Promo codes cannot be combined in the same order. Taxes and shipping fees are excluded from the discount. Not valid for cash.”
Quick note – roses were my hubby’s Valentine’s Day gift to me in February. He bought them from Venus Et Fleur which carries boxed roses that last an entire year. I’ve been documenting how they look each month on Instagram because I was really skeptical that they would last that long. Will be doing a post about them – not sure if I’ll wait for the entire year or do it earlier, but I’m so impressed!
In the set with my thoughts on each one:
Jardin d ‘Amalfi has noticeable notes of mandarin, apple, rose and a hint of cedar mixed with pink pepper
Top note: Mandarin, bergamot, pink pepper, petit grain
Middle note: Cedar, apple, rose
Base note: Vetiver from Haiti, White musk, cinnamon
White Flowers is a beautiful spring fresh scent, it’s a white floral with a green feel
Top note: Violet leaves, green apple, lemon
Middle note: Jasmine, geranium, rose
Base note: Musk, sandalwood, narcissus
Spice and Wood smells just like a natural earthy mix of spice and wood, it has a masculine feel with notes of cedar, this is something I think would be amazing on my husband, but for now his go-to is Aventus for Men
Sublime Vanille is the best vanilla I’ve ever smelled, I’m not one who can wear vanilla easily, I’d rather burn it in a candle than wear it as most are just too sweet, this has a cozy feel with a warm vanilla spice feel and a hint of lemon
Top note: Vanilla from Comoros (Africa), Tonka bean
Middle note: White bergamot, lemon
Base note: Bergamot, Tonkin musk
Pure White Cologne is a clean crisp citrus with lemon, pear and petite grain, it dries down to a soft feel
Top note: Lemon, bergamot, grapefruit
Middle note: Galbanum, pear, petite grain
Base note: Ambergris, White Musk, rice Powder
On Creedboutique.com, the following are available in the 1 oz/30 ml travel size for $250: White Flowers, Sublime Vanille, Pure White and Jardin d’Amalfi
Bottom line the coffret is definitely worth looking into. I wish more perfume brands would do this – even though the $70 seems spendy for tiny vials, the fact that it will come with a $50 voucher makes it more than reasonable (in my opinion). White Amber is a gorgeous addition to the line – I really love the way it dries down. Lasting power in general for Creed is very good for me but your mileage may vary depending on your body chemistry. To date my favorite summer scent is Virgin Island Water reviewed here). It’s literally the best vacation scent and perfect for the Florida weather that I’m living in. I wear it constantly. My husband’s go-to has been Aventus for Men and it’s seduction in a bottle – to me it’s the ultimate hot guy scent.
You can find both White Amber and the Les Royales Exclusives Sampler Coffret exclusively at Creedboutique.com now. White Amber will roll out to Neiman Marcus in early August. Have you tried anything from Creed lately?
Les Royales Exclusives and Coffret provided courtesy of Creed for review.
By popular request I have a roundup of foundations and bases I’ve been testing since I’ve moved to Florida where the weather is warm, sunny and humidity levels are very noticeable. By comparison, San Diego is very dry although to me it always felt moderate and what I considered normal. We live in the Tampa Bay area and so far the humidity isn’t quite as bad as I had expected. I’m saying this because in December we drove to Key West which is extremely wet and humid feeling – so humid the air feels like you’re walking around in a sauna. Also a few years ago we took almost a month to travel throughout Europe through Italy and the Mediterranean in late June. It was so scorching hot and humid during out travels I completely gave up wearing makeup on most of the days after trying and failing. That being said, yes Florida is humid and hot and finding a makeup base that stays put, doesn’t budge and that won’t slide off has been a challenge.
To date I haven’t found any makeup base or combination of products can truly 100% last or stand up to serious humidity especially if I sweat. I’m the type of person who doesn’t break a sweat easily but since moving to Florida I start sweating if I’m outside for 5 minutes and there’s no wind or breeze. I’m rounding up what I’ve tested by formula and coverage and note what I’ve found wears the best. Even though it’s humid here the reality is that both Andrew and I are rarely outside for long consecutive hours unless we’re at the beach or a park doing touristy things. Also even on those occasions we can take a break from the heat while in the car with the AC or take a stop at a coffee shop or restaurant.
Up first are the more natural looking foundations with sheer to medium coverage. The most requested reviews I get are for BB Creams and CC creams and I am sad to say that those are products I really do not like. Most feel thick on my skin or look pink in undertone. As one with really yellow/olive skin I can’t do bases that have pink so unfortunately I will probably not review any. Also a quick note on shades – many of you have commented over the years that you’re the same shade as me. Since moving to Tampa I’ve tanned quite a bit – it’s something I can’t avoid. I also lose my tan quickly so my color changes on a weekly basis. Because of this annoying fact I have to mix colors a lot – more than I ever have.
Shown below from left to right:
MAC Next to Nothing Face Color is the sheerest base I’ll do. It really has a super natural tint but adheres well to the skin. I fluctuate between Medium and Medium Plus. The shades run on the pink side but since the formula is so sheer it’s really forgiving. Review and swatches of all shades here.
Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted Moisturizer with SPF15 is more like a natural foundation. It’s sheer like a tinted moisturizer but gives better coverage than most that I’ve tried. It does contain Octinoxate 7.5% and Titanium Dioxide 3% so if those cause problems for your skin you may want to skip. I had no issues with this formula for my skin. If I were still in San Diego I would probably use this more regularly – since it has a mild moisturizing quality it can get a little bit dewy. I bought mine at Nordstrom but Bobbi Brown Online has more shades available.
NARS Charlotte Gainsbourg Hydrating Glow Tint is one that really surprised me. It’s hydrating but not too rich or heavy. It makes the skin glow naturally Review and swatches of all shades here. It was limited-edition so may be hard to track down.
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint with SPF 30 is one you’ll see me wearing a lot in beauty looks or lip swatches. This one has Octinoxate 7.5% and Octisalate 3% – it’s one that doesn’t irritate my skin and has a natural looking finish that isn’t too matte, just naturally velvety. I wear St. Moritz now but on my lighter wear Groenland or mix the two.
Diorskin Forever Foundation SPF 35 is one of the best foundation bases I’ve ever tried. The only downside is finding a match can be a bit tricky. I tested 30 and 31 first – in store I had one on each side and they both matched perfectly. When I got home and tested again I found they sometimes darkened about a 1/2 shade. 31 is more yellow while 30 is more pink so I kept 31. I went back to find the next shade down which is 21 (even though there are a lot of shades in between). 21 is the most yellow. If you’re normally my skintone go with either 21 or 25. I use both 21 and 31 mixed together to get my perfect match. For me it’s 100% worth it because this looks naturally flawless on the skin and gives me exactly the coverage I want. It also stays put the best for me. It has 3% Octinoxate and 1.75% Titanium Dioxide.
I have tried the Diorskin Forever Makeup Primer and it’s quite good. I’m just not really a primer kind of person but do think this one is one of the better ones I’ve tested.
Next up medium to full coverage foundations which is what I usually prefer. Most people, friends and family included don’t realize that I’m almost always wearing a full coverage foundation until they see me with bare skin and see all my freckles. I was active in outdoor sports while in high school and even though that was YEARS ago I still got a lot of freckles and sun spots from being outside a lot. I have tried a number of whitening/brightening treatments over the years which has helped with acne scars and dark spots but I still have a lot of freckles.
Shown left to right:
Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer is hands down my most-worn foundation base. It offers medium to full buildable coverage and I love everything about it. For me Tom Ford Beauty has the best foundation shades to match my skin tone. It blends easily and covers my skin exactly how I like it without getting cakey. It lasts an impressive amount of time without sliding, creasing or budging. Review + swatches here.
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation is the newest one I’ve tried. I got an early sneak peek at some of the shades and given my challenge finding a match in the Candleglow version I was skeptical about this one. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good a formula is for a base – if there’s no decent match, it’s going to be a no-go. I was lucky to find my match to either Buff or Dusk. Right now Dusk is the better match because it’s more olive. On a few occasions I have found I need to mix in a bit of Macadamia to lighten it just a slight amount. I am extremely impressed with this formula. You do need to blend quickly as it dries and sets in a short amount of time. Once it sets it gives a flawless finish that looks matte but not flat. This is one of the few true matte finishes I’ve tried that I like the look of. I’ve found it pretty budge-proof – this is one I wore this on the 4th of July. I applied a fresh face of makeup in the early evening before we headed downtown to scope out some firework locations. I had this on from 4:00 pm until around midnight. That evening the air wasn’t too and we were thrilled that it actually stopped raining by the time we found parking and walked a mile to downtown. After looking around the Channelside area we decided downtown was not for us so we walked back to our car and drove to Hyde Park Village for dinner. After we then walked another mile to Bayshore Boulevard to watch the fireworks. All this rambling is to explain how this formula held up. The humidity was probably the highest I’ve felt here to date – this one held up remarkably well although I did get very glowy looking, it did not slide off or budge.
Giorgio Armani Power Fabric is another long-lasting full coverage foundation that works well in this heat. Before I had to mix 4 and 6. Right now I’m probably 6.5 which is more golden, but I can make 6 work. If you can find a shade match this an exceptionally good one for lasting power.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick is one of my top picks for foundation sticks in this humidity. While in San Diego in my winter skintone I wore Warm Ivory. I’ve since moved up to Nude but only use this on areas I need extra coverage. It does warm up/darken a little. Right now I could probably use the next shade up but since I don’t use this all over my face I haven’t bought it yet.
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Next are cushions. I’ve always been interested in cushions but testers usually look pretty gross and also finding the right shade can be a challenge. Korean brands tend to run pink (at least the ones I’ve tried) but I’ve had luck with a few in the past. The best thing about the cushions is that they usually come with a refill pack so you’re getting 1 plus a backup. Right now there are 3 cushions I really like:
Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Cushion is one I featured in my sunscreen story. It has SPF 50 and isn’t really a foundation but actually a skincare product. I can use this alone or as a base for other foundations. I think the swatches can be a bit misleading because you have to put this on your skin to see how it matches. 30 looks way too dark for me but because it’s sheer it blends in seamlessly with my skin.
Saturday Skin All Algow Sunscreen Perfecting Cushion Compact with SPF 50 is probably the best cushion I’ve tried. I ordered two shades online sight unseen. 05 Honey is my match as this darkens just a tiny bit on my skin. Color selection is pretty limited – so far I’ve only been able to find 4 total, 3 are available at Nordstrom and all 4 are available at Urban Outfitters. It offers medium to full coverage but pulls more towards the full size. It gives the skin a very natural looking glow without being too dewy. It also stays put and doesn’t budge. Active Ingredients are Octocrylene 2%, Octyle Methoxycinnamate 7%, Octyle Saliclate 4.8%, Titanium Dioxide 9%, Zinc Oxide 2%.
Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion has full coverage with limited shades. I bought the Brightening Version while in New York in 25 and 33 and after testing them at home was so disappointed to find they are simply too pink for my skin. I ordered the Perfecting Cushion in 25 to try instead which has fuller coverage and a better match. This darkens about one full shade on my skin. The formula is a bit on the heavy side for my preference but still holds up well in warm weather. I don’t hate this but don’t love it – I suspect it’s due to the fact that I don’t have a 100% shade match but I can make Shade 25 Deep Beige work for me.
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Next are a few miscellaneous items I love for powders, concealers and a couple tools. I own a lot of loose powders but in general prefer pressed ones because they’re not as messy and easier for touch ups.
For pressed powders:
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Micro-Powder has one of the longest product names I think I’ve ever seen but it’s seriously THE best pressed powder I’ve tried. I saw this applied in action on my BFF at a Charlotte Tilbury event. Her foundation/base had completely worn off already and she told the artist she didn’t really want to try the foundation. The artist applied #1 on her skin and it was literally transformed into a smooth flawless canvas in front of my eyes. My shade is #2 and although I think she could add more options this one has been my go-to for at least a couple years now.
Armani Luminous Silk Compact Dual-Use Powder is another great setting powder. This one has more color options compared to the Charlotte Tilbury. It offers medium natural coverage and comes with a dual-sided sponge so you can either apply it for sheer or more full coverage. I use a powder brush to set my liquid foundation with this one for the most part. The sponge is something I use for touch ups. Even though I’ve darkened quite a bit I’ve still found Shade #4 to work perfectly for me.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus is one of the few mineral powders I actually like. I tried so many when mineral powders were in – so many just looked too heavy on the skin, even after buffing it in. This one offers medium coverage and I use a brush to set my foundation. It gives an airbrushed finish but it’s not completely weightless in feel. It is a very natural looking product though and holds up well with the heat/humidity.
For concealers, I really don’t find myself using concealer a lot anymore. I simply don’t need it with good coverage foundations but my 3 most-used ones:
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is my all around go-to for everything, spots, under eyes, red areas. It’s creamy and blends in seamlessly with the skin. Coverage is medium but can be built up. It never looks fake or cakey and stays put as long as I set it with powder.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Concealer in Y33 is the best undereye/brightening concealer I’ve used and is still good for humid weather. It smooths out the under eye area and gets rid of mild dark circles for me. They’ve since expanded the color selection since I was sent this as a press sample. Swatches of the original 10 shades here.
Tools, an updated brush tool series coming up soon on the blog, but for now my two must-haves:
beautyblender is the best foundation application tool I’ve used. I’ve tried a number of the different colors and while technically they should all perform the same, I don’t find they do. The best ones for me are the original beautyblender (bright pink), bubble and nude. Review from a few years ago in this post here.
MAC Brush 140 S Synthetic Full Fan Brush is probably the best powder brush I own. It launched with the MAC Next to Nothing collection and has the perfect density and softness to pick up powder and apply it in a sweeping motion all over the face.
I wasn’t able to face swatch and photograph all the foundations, but here’s a look at two and also what my bare face looks like. With the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Dusk I’m just wearing the foundation (no powder to set). It was taken with a low flash and I didn’t get any white cast or flashback. Lipstick is MAC Faux.
I hope this roundup was helpful for you! A few notes on other formulas I tested, previous favorites and why I don’t use them as much now:
The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer worked better for me when I was in San Diego. Right now it’s really too dewy for my skin type. It’s still a great product for sheer coverage.
The Make Up For Ever Ultra HD is still an amazing line for the liquid and stick foundation. I used my shades up the first month I arrived here (this was back in March). Since I’ve gotten darker I haven’t had a chance to investigate other shades to find what my current match is.
The Becca Aqua Luminous Foundation is too luminous for me right now. Earlier in the spring or even when I was here in December it worked perfectly. Right now it’s a no-go just because I have normal/combo skin.
I will be testing the new Diorskin Forever and Chanel Les Beiges cushions. Will keep you posted. I have tried the Lancome Cushion but it’s really heavy in coverage – too heavy for me.
MAC Studio Fix Fluid is one of the most full coverage foundations I’ve tried, I do like the formula but it’s a bit too opaque for me on its own. I can wear it and find it has impressive lasting power in this heat but I need to mix it with a Strobe Cream or something along those lines to sheer it out for my coverage preference.
Some final thoughts and favorites:
Best foundation for me is anything from Tom Ford, but right now my favorite formula is definitely the Waterproof Foundation/Concealer. I used to use Bisque. Now I alternate between Natural (more neutral) and Sable (more olive/yellow).
Longest lasting matte base is the new Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion. If you have normal to dry skin definitely make sure your skin is well moisturized or add a hydrating primer. Reason for this is it’s medium to full coverage and matte formulas can emphasize lines. For me this one went on flawlessly without a primer but my skin is a bit more combination with the heat/humidity.
My most-used concealer is from NARS.
Best sheer/natural looking foundation is the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint.
Best new discoveries this year for me are the Diorskin Forever Foundation and Saturday Skin All Aglow Cushion.
I really can’t pick 1 favorite powder (sorry!) – it’s tie between the Charlotte Tilbury and Armani. If you want a flawless truly airbrushed look go with the Charlotte Tilbury. However shades are limited as there are only 3 so the next best option is Armani. The Armani has sheerer coverage with a brush.
For other touch ups and this heat I swear by the Tatcha Japanese Blotting Papers. While my in-laws were visiting we went to Orlando. All of us were sweating with the heat, humidity and thunder showers. I kinda forced them to use these – even my husband didn’t want to use it, he looked at the little square and said “there’s no way that’s going to help.” I gave them 2 each and assured them it really would help and after they tried it I was really happy to find that they did feel a lot better after using them.
Finding a good base in truly humid weather is going to be a challenge and results will definitely vary depending where you are located. Even within the Tampa Bay area humidity levels vary depending on how close I am to the coast. We live in one of the canal areas and while we aren’t directly on the bay we can see if from our house. Temperatures just a few miles inland in certain areas fluctuate and since the weather changes by the hour here so there are some times and places where it’s so hot literally nothing will truly stay put.
For those who are looking for a new base to try I hope this gave you some good ideas. If you have any you swear by let me know in the comments!
Press samples featured include the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion, MAC Next to Nothing, Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer, MAC Brush 140S Brush. All others purchased by me.
NARS has been on a roll with new launches and the latest is the Bord de Plage Highlighting and Bronzing Palette ($59 for 0.11 oz/3.2 g x 6). This is currently a Nordstrom exclusive and fairly similar to the Sephora exclusive Banc de Sable (no longer available, but review and swatches here). As a highlighter fan I had to try the new one even though it looked like there was a possibility the two would be really close. If you already own the trio, I don’t think you need to get the 6-pan palette unless you’re really wanting the sunwash bronzers.
The Bord de Plage Highlighting and Bronzing Palette has six shades in a large mirrored compact. There are four highlighters in the same pressed version as Banc de Sable. There are also two bronzers in the Sunwash Bronzer formula (reviewed here). The highlighters are all gorgeous with a beautiful shimmer that blends in with the skin nicely and doesn’t emphasize pores or lines. The shimmer is noticeable but not overly frosted. The Sunwash Bronzers aren’t really something I’m a huge fan of, although I do feel the ones in the palette have a less muddy feel/look to them on my skin compared to the individual ones I bought earlier in the spring.
Colors in the palette include the following, top row:
Rivage (also in the Banc de Sable Palette) is a pale ivory white-gold shimmer
Crique is a light yellowish gold champagne shimmer
Laguna Sunwashed bronzer is a medium brown tan with a matte finish
Colors in the bottom row are slightly darker:
Corniche is a shimmering champagne with cool-tones, it’s a pearly color
Galet is a shimmering champagne peach-copper
Casino is a slightly deeper version of Laguna
Swatches:
Comparisons between Banc de Sable and Bord de Plage, Rivage in both is identical. The Sale in the trio is almost identical to either Crique/Corniche. Quick note on Galet – I’m quite tan right now so it appears more champagne than copper on me. I’ve looked at swatches on some other blogs and Galet looks more coppery on fair skins.
Bottom line I love this palette but find it really similar to the Banc de Sable one so I probably did not need both. Quality is excellent with smooth shimmers that blend nicely into the skin – it’s perfect for cheeks and eyes and you do get a good mix of champagnes and pearly shades. I do think there are similarities between the top and bottom but I really love all the colors so I don’t mind. Lasting power is really good with this one – it stays put for a long time even with the heat and humidity. If I had to pick this or the trio, I would pick the trio because it has that pretty peachy shade which I don’t see here. Still this one is quite good and I think it’s reasonably priced.
The NARS Bord de Plage Palette is available at Nordstrom. It’s limited-edition. Have you tried this one yet? Or did you get Banc de Sable?
It’s been years since I’ve bought anything from Jouer but with the launch of the new High Pigment Lip Glosses ($17 each for 6 g / 0.21 fl oz) I decided to place an order on Beautylish as the swatches on social media looked promising with glowing rave reviews about the colors and formulas. I also ordered one of the popular Lip Toppers ($16 for 6 ml/0.21 fl oz). The High Pigment Lip Glosses are described as a weightless creamy gloss that gives full coverage and with a good selection of neutrals I had high hopes plus the price point seemed reasonable.
Quick take is that these were very much a let down for me and in general for quality I do not recommend them. The colors are all so beautiful but the formula is thin and streaky looking. They are described as a lightweight and they are, but the thin texture does not coat the lips easily. To get the full smooth coverage I saw on social media photos I needed to goop on layers of product which in the end seemed to defeat the point of weightless with that much gloss on my lips. I do want to note that I do think the deeper/brighter shades performed better with smoother coverage and I suspect the other darker ones in the collection will do the same.
I ordered 8 shades sight unseen which I know was a bit risky considering I hadn’t tried anything from the brand in years. I really wanted to love these and part of me loves these for color options. They’re really wearable for any occasion and classic kinds of flattering shades of nude, peach, rose and pink. Since the colors are so good, I tried to make them work by wearing them alone, over a lip primer, over a lip liner and over lipstick. Overall I found that the formula to be high maintenance. In testing each shade most of them settled into lip lines within 15-30 minutes and within an hour they faded quite a bit. The scent is extremely sweet to the point that I’m not a fan.
I think these are ok, just not great. I’ll note which colors I found performed the best below:
PCH is a light peachy nude, this one is streaky but smooths out if you apply carefully, unfortunately lasting power is very weak
Sloan is a gorgeous semi-bright peach, since this was brighter it had better coverage but still was streaky and settled into lip lines
Sunset is a light-medium peach, also streaky
Champs-Elysses is a medium peach pink brown, this performed better as it has more of a slightly deeper undertone, less streaking with this and smooth coverage, lasting power is still weak
Maiden Lane is a yellow beige nude, coverage was pretty smooth but it settled into lip lines quickly
Park Avenue is a pale cool pink, also streaky on my lips
Rodeo is a very pretty medium rose, it’s deeper than most of the other colors I tried and went on the lips smoothly without issue
Fifth Avenue is a pink brown, also deeper and performed relatively well with smooth coverage, lasting power is still weak
Based on what I tested, the three best shades for smooth coverage is Champs-Elysees, Rodeo and Fifth Avenue. Lasting power for all of these is not up to my standards, even for a gloss. All the colors settled into the fine line of my lips within an hour – the exception was with Rodeo and Fifth Avenue.
Next I tried one of the Lip Toppers in St. Tropez and I knew there would be a good chance it would be too glitzy but wanted to give it a chance because I love a good shimmer. This one photographs really nicely on the lips but for me it’s just not wearable for everyday. It has a smooth finish but it’s just way to glitzy for me to wear comfortably on any occasion. For me the best wearable shimmer like this is either MAC Lipglass in Pinkarat or Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres in Ibiza Nights or Blondie. Dior also makes some really gorgeous shimmers as well.
Based on this experience I don’t think I’ll be ordering more from the line. There are so many other brands out there that I love with better formulas that I know are reliable. Every once in a while I’ll try to branch out and try something more trendy. Based on the number of glowing reviews and pretty beauty looks I’ve seen with these glosses there’s a good chance I’m in the minority with my opinion on these. It looks like a lot of people love these formulas. I like the colors and the price point, but I just don’t like the formula. If you love the brand, I hope you don’t get your feelings hurt by me saying this, but I’m not impressed with the quality or texture. For a good quality high pigment gloss I far prefer the Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Cremes (all shades reviewed here), Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses (review here and here), and even MAC Lipglasses (my picks here) even though those are more sheer.
Bottom line is that I don’t recommend these and I regret buying that many sight unseen. Even the good colors for me just don’t cut it because the lasting power isn’t doing it for me and they all settle into my lip lines. That being said there are a lot of people who like them. There are tons of YouTube videos, blog posts and detailed customer reviews online. It may be hit or miss for you. As a quick side note I also ordered 3 of the powder highlighters and much to my dismay 2 of them arrived completely shattered and broken.
You can find Jouer Cosmetics online at Beautylish, Nordstrom and Jouer. I bought mine from Beautylish.
I love the summer sunshine and warm weather. It’s one of the main reasons we picked Florida to move to from San Diego because we really just love the sun. I’m especially fond of summer for beauty because bronzer is in and even though I wear it year round, I’m always looking forward to new formulas and colors. There are quite a few new summer launches that I’ve been loving – if I made a comprehensive list it would be quite long. Many of you want a super edited version so I’ve picked my top five summer beauty essentials to share today.
A good body oil – I just did a roundup of summer body oils for soft glowing skin, of course right after I did my testing Maison Margiela launched a Replica Beach Walk Dry Body Oil (thanks to one of my readers Lori for putting this on my radar!). I still really love my top picks as mentioned in my previous post, but Beach Walk is a summer beach vacation in a bottle. This one has a salty more beachy feel compared to the fragrance version. I think the two layered together makes for the ultimate summer combo. The Dry Oil feels silky smooth on the skin and is nicely hydrating. Also huge plus it comes with a spritzer! Notes include Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk, Heliotrope, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin. There’s also a Body Lotion and Shower Gel version too.
An everyday sunscreen – my go-to winning brand this summer is Supergoop! with a tie between the Sunscreen Mousse and Everyday Sunscreen. I carry both in my purse almost all the time (I alternate between the two and they both come in travel sizes). Both have SPF 50 and are easy to reapply. I find it impossible to stay out of the sun here in Florida and sun protection is a must. Both have been really good at preventing the burn and protecting skin. Review here and here if you want more info.
Summer fragrance – I’ll do a roundup of the best summer smells soon, Tory Burch just launched a new fragrance called Bel Azur and it’s just beautiful. It comes in a few sizes. It has a light fresh and sweet combination with a bright feel. Notes include Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Neroli, Pink Peppercorn, Peony, Patchouli Heart, Vetiver Heart, Cedarwood Oil. I notice peony and neroli a lot in this one.
Lip moisturizer – I’m a lip balm junkie and I’ve been really loving the Clarins Lip Oils. They have a nice lush feel and are super easy to just swipe and go. They launched new shades this spring including two that will change color with your lip chemistry. In case you missed it, review and swatches in this post. There are 7 shades total now. They give the lips just a slight tint of color.
Bronzer – I’ll forever be loyal to Edward Bess’s Daydream as my holy grail, but this season I’ve also been loving the Becca Sunlit Bronzers and Guerlain Terracotta Ultra Shine Bronzer. For the Guerlain one I have to say Cafe Makeup made me do it. We both stopped by the Guerlain counter during our beauty trip in New York earlier this spring. It rained in the city the day we met up but it didn’t stop us from going all around town to scout out the best in beauty. The artists put this on her at Bergdorfs and it just made her skin glow in a naturally beautiful way! This one is really gorgeous.
Also not beauty-related, but to date the best summer sandal splurge I’ve made are the Tory Burch Miller flip flops. They are really quite expensive but 100% worth the splurge. I wear them everywhere and am a bit embarrassed to admit how many different colors I’ve bought by now but they’re really comfortable and they make wearing flip flops fashionable.
To celebrate summer beauty, I’m giving away 4 $100 eGift Cards to your choice of Nordstrom or Sephora. It’s open internationally but you must enter through the widget below and be 18 years or older. Full details listed in the Terms and Conditions:
Four separate people will be selected at random to win a $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom or Sephora
Giveaway runs from 7/2/2017 to 7/10/2017 11:45 PM EST
Open internationally
Must be 18 years or older
Enter by using at least 1 of the steps provided in the widget
Winners will be selected at random and e-mailed by 7/12/2017
You must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected
Winners will be announced on this widget in this post once selected
