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Sabrina

New York Travel

A Week in New York City

June 29, 2016

I’m back from spending a week in New York and am so excited to share all the details from my summer trip. A trip to NYC has been on my wishlist for many years – it’s been almost 10 years since I was last in the city. I was actually only in New York for 5 days with my husband. Our trip was planned primarily for sight seeing fun and for me trying new food places was high on my list. I mapped out approximately 30 spots prior to leaving knowing I would not be able to make it to most of them, but it was very helpful for planning and narrowing down what to see by location. I had such an amazing time and cannot wait to go back – there’s an energy in New York City that can’t be matched anywhere else. Summer is such a lovely time to visit although it was quite a bit more humid than the mild weather in Southern California. Thank you to everyone who took the time to e-mail me and message me recommendations! Today I’m sharing the highlights of my trip. More details to follow in separate posts on what I packed, a review of the luggage I tested out, where we stayed and special spots I visited. A quick note to those who expressed some serious concern about me wearing white jeans in the city. I made quick adjustments to my packing list before I left and thank you to each and every one of you for warning me 🙂

In this post I’m covering sights we saw, places we ate and some thoughts about getting around the city which might be helpful for first-timers or those who haven’t been to NYC in a while and are looking for an updated guide. This post is a long one so grab a cup of tea or a snack before reading.

We took the red-eye to NYC with Delta (my husband’s preference) and while I do really like flying with them, I will say that we both agreed next time we will not do the red-eye again. Neither of us can sleep on planes. We arrived bright and early at JFK at around 6:00 AM (yes, super early!) and it took us about a 25 minutes to wait in line for a taxi and about 1 hour to get to the city.

During our week in New York we stayed at Langham Place New York on 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Much to our surprise our room was ready even though check in wasn’t until afternoon. I spent around 2-3 days researching hotels and online reviews via Trip Advisor – the number of options to pick from in NYC are overwhelming. My husband and I were beyond thrilled with our stay at Langham Place. A dedicated review to follow because this place deserves it – every one was incredibly helpful right from the time we booked our hotel. Upon arrival the service was impeccable –  the concierge, housekeeping, and all the doormen were so amazing. They also leave delicious cookies in the room at turndown – heart won. We found the location was great – although being in NYC it’s very easy to get around the city with the subway and taxis.

Bottom left flats by Chloe, bottom right view from our room

For sightseeing we both had a few places we wanted to see together. Both of us have been to New York before but this was the first time we had been together. It was relatively hot and humid during our week there so we did some leisurely sight seeing and didn’t rush anything. My favorite place was Central Park – we walked about half of the way through from the south end to the middle. Other places we saw included Washington Square Park, the 9/11 Memorial, Times Square, Battery Park, Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal. We passed through a lot of areas by walking but those were the highlights. If you’re in NYC during the summer I highly recommend you check out the event calendars – at Bryant Park they have the HBO Summer Film Festival going on and they play films on a large screen. We passed by at the end of the one of the films – it was packed but looked really fun.

Night time in the city is an experience in itself. I’m not a huge fan of bus tours but they are a nice way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. We took the Grayline Double Decker Bus Night Tour which leaves from Times Square and enjoyed it – our tour guide was very entertaining. It was about a 2 hour bus tour and goes from the city to Brooklyn. For the day tours you can hop on and off the bus, but for the night tours it’s a continuous ride. A few snapshots of the city at night – some are from the bus tour, some are from dinners and walking around the city.

For the places to eat, we only made it to a small handful of spots on our list, but every place we stopped by was amazing and well worth the extra walking and travel distance to find. Breakfast, lunch and dinner spots included Jack’s Wife Freda on Carmine Street (beyond obsessed), Buvette (amazing!!), Shake Shack (burgers are better than In-n-Out, although I didn’t really like their french fries), Don Antonio’s (pizza is amazing! just like ones from Naples), Momofuku (went twice for the cookies), Laduree Soho (for macarons and tea to bring home as gifts), Cafe Cluny (one of the cutest cozy dinner spots ever) and the Soho House (great views).
If there are any I would deem must visits – it would be Jack’s Wife Freda, Buvette and Cafe Cluny. On my next trip I hope to have time for afternoon tea somewhere in the city.

My husband had the waffle sandwich at Buvette and I stole a bite, it was amazing!

These were the only pictures I was able to get of Don Antonio’s, the pizza was THAT good and literally gone within minutes. More on them and their menu on Yelp – it can get very crowded, it appeared to be a very popular spot. We were seated right away because we took the spots right by the window instead of the main dining area – but it was cozy and perfect for people watching. Among the top 2 best pizzas I’ve tried since visiting Italy last year with the soft and fluffy crust.

I will have a separate post on shopping spots that I stopped by. This trip I wasn’t able to get much shopping in – there was a lot on my list that I missed this round but there is always next time! Soho is just absolutely adorable – I could spend forever and the rest of my life there. For those who want a sneak peek of what’s coming next, I will be covering Bergdorf Goodman x Edward Bess, Space NK in Soho, Birchbox Soho, Diptyque at Grand Central Station and the Away Travel. A quick peek at some snapshots from walking around Soho – it’s so charming, I wish I could have spent more time here exploring and shopping. Many of the stores did not open until 11, I was in the area early in the morning so most were not yet open to go inside but it was fun to window shop.

A few thoughts to share on getting around the city and budgeting for transportation from a newbie perspective. It’s been a while since I’ve been in New York but I’m familiar with the metro and subway systems of other cities and also outside the US. Since it has been almost 10 years since I’ve been to NYC I reached out to a few friends who are New York locals, friends who travel to NY frequently for work and also looked at reviews online.

There are a number of websites and reviews that help break down the cost of transportation between taxis, Uber, or the subway. I’m one of those people who often gets confused about direction and since WIFI can be spotty in larger cities, it takes me longer to navigate my way through new surroundings so I thought worst case scenario was that I would have to take taxis everywhere. I am happy to report that navigating NYC is indeed relatively easy to figure out. In general both my husband and I found the subway easier and faster. The areas I went to were all very safe (even to and from Brooklyn late at night, late as in past 10:00 pm). I took the advice of friends who assured me the subway was safe and just to make sure to be in areas where there were lots of people versus the isolated areas with nobody around.

On budgeting for transportation, we each bought a $20 metro card that we used up almost all the way. For taxis getting to and from the airport runs at a flat fee and with tip it’s about $75 to $80 each way. For our taxi trips rates ranged from $8.19 to $33.54 (these numbers included 20% tips). I took the taxi from NYC to Brooklyn once which was the most expensive trip. On taxis – it was recommended that I stick with the yellow cabs and I would highly recommend you do so as well. Total spent on taxis for 5 days (excluding airport transportation) was $160 (including tips), the average taxi ride cost $15ish. Now that we know how to navigate the city next time we will probably use the subway more. I have friends who use Uber every time they go to NYC. This trip we did not try it.

One last note on timing for travel leaving the city to get to the airport. My flight left from JFK at 4:55 pm and the airport guidelines said to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to take off which meant I would have to arrive at the airport by 2:55 pm. Several assured me I would be ok leaving the city at 2:00 pm but I gave myself an extra 45 minutes since I was leaving on a Friday and I’m glad I did. At around 1:15 pm a traffic surge happened and it took 20 minutes for the doormen to find an available cab. They were so nice about it too, one made several calls to try and find one while the other ran around the block trying to find one with working AC. It was really so impressive how much they went out of their way. Once I was on my way to the airport there was traffic – it took 60 minutes. There was a quick line for airport security – all in all, giving myself the extra time was worth it so I did not have to rush or feel anxious about missing my flight.

A few more snapshots:

One final photo because I know beauty lovers will appreciate this. Net-A-Porter has same day delivery in the city which is so cool. If this showed up at my door to deliver a package I think it would the coolest thing ever. I also wanted to mention that Edward Bess is now carried online at Net-A-Porter!

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of my trip highlights! There’s so much to see in New York City and even though there’s so much I didn’t get to, I enjoyed the week there. I can’t wait to go back again. More on the beauty, shops and packing in the upcoming days! I know many of you are eager to see how I packed carry-on style again.

For those who visit NYC either frequently or occasionally, what are you favorite places to go to? We didn’t make it to any museums this round since we had a short trip. It’s definitely on our list for next time along with places like The High Line, Top of the Rock, the One World Trade Center Observatory (we hope to go inside next time) and for me so much more for the beauty spots 🙂

For those who follow me on Instagram @beautylookbook, thanks for following along!

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Uncategorized

The Best Summer Nail Colors for Sandal Season

June 27, 2016

Summer is in full swing and I could not be happier that it’s sandal season. Living in Southern California it feels like it can be sandal season year round but during the spring to summer time I love that’s it’s actually in season.Today I’m sharing my favorite nail + sandal combinations to wear right now from Nordstrom. I love adding color to the toes because it adds a fun polished feel to your entire look. I adore brights, aquas, teals and sometimes violet for the toes during the summer, but it can be challenging to coordinate some polishes with all colors of sandals or outfits. I’ve picked out my favorite versatile polish shades that will work with a wide range of outfits no matter what you’re wearing (shoes or clothing-wise). I’m all about flats for comfort, but right now there are so many cute wedges and heels out for summer. Nordstrom has a dedicated Sandal Season section with handy filters to sort by style, heel height, color etc.

I hope you find this mini sandal + nail polish combo guide fun and helpful! Up first is the sandy nude + peachy coral combo:

Shown Above:
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Tan Brown Suede Heels + Coral Pink Nail:

Shown Above:
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Classic Black Wrap Sandals + Mauve Plum:

Shown Above:
  • Shoes: Steve Madden Werkit Sandals in Black Suede, runs true to size on me, the suede is comfortable on the feet and soft in between the toes so no breaking in required
  • Toes: Dior Mirage is one of my favorite mauve plums, in my experience, Dior polishes have the best brush for easy DIY application (they’re curved to match the shape of the nail), the formula is also really good
  • Lips: Rouge Dior Brilliant Shine in Victoire and Miss
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Nude + Nude:

Shown Above:
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Summer brights:

Shown Above:
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What’s your favorite summer pedicure color to wear? Do you switch things up depending on outfit or shoes? I’m forever searching for a good opaque off-white nail polish that doesn’t look streaky, isn’t sheer and that also doesn’t look like white out on my toes. Any with medium-tan to deep skintone if you’ve found one please let me know! I love the way it looks on my friends but they are all at least 2-3 shades fairer than me and also have pink undertones so they can pull off white polish easier than me. If you have any sandal favorites please let me know! I live for recommendations because it makes it so much easier to narrow down styles to try on.

Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions my own.

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New York Packing Travel

Packing for A Week in New York

June 19, 2016

 

I’m packing for a week long trip to New York and am beyond excited to be traveling again. This month my husband and I are traveling carry on style again although since our trip is shorter than our month-long venture last year, packing will be much easier. I will try to blog while I’m gone but it may be a bit quiet on the blog. A full recap of my trip, visits, finds will be on the blog for summer travel but in the meantime you can follow me along on my travels daily through New York City and Brooklyn on social via Instagram @beautylookbook.

 

As mentioned in previous posts, I tend to bring carry on luggage only for travel (most of my trips are shorter trips). This is for convenience and to help limit what I bring along with me. If I’m traveling with my husband efficiency is key because is has no patience to wait in lines to check luggage or pick it up at baggage claim. When we traveled through Europe bringing carry on bags only with us for 3 weeks and stopped at 9 cities via 7 flights. Having carry on luggage saved us hours of waiting. In case you want to see what I fit into last year’s trip you can see my Three Weeks in Europe with Carry-Ons. Fitting everything in such a small space is like playing a game of Tetris trying to make sure no space is wasted.

 

This year is different. I’ll be in New York City and Brooklyn for a week. As I’m tying out this post I’m still trying to sort everything out for casual and business casual looks. Half of the time I will be able to be a tourist in New York, the other half is booked with meetings and a conference. I’ve found some really cute summer dresses from Nordstrom and Madewell. Ones that are forgiving for those who don’t have perfectly toned bodies. My biggest challenge right now is narrowing down what shoes to bring. I struggle between the desire to wear cute shoes and the need to be practical for such a short trip.

The preliminary pack list below, subject to change:
Carry On Pack List
Full recap of what I end up bringing and review of what worked and what didn’t to follow. Many of you liked my lessons learned posts last year. I know I always like reading those kinds of posts. Sometimes learning what not to do is just as good as the success stories.

 

If you have any recommendations on where to eat in the city please let me know! On one of my trip days I will have a couple hours of downtime in Brooklyn – any recs for what to see in a short time would be awesome!

P.S. I’m trying out some new carry on luggage courtesy of a company called Away (one shown above is Sand). They have one product which is a Carry On style luggage and it’s priced under $250. Their items come in a few colors and it’s equipped with a charging dock in the handle which is awesome. You can use this referral code to save $20 off your first suitcase order. Full review to follow!
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Highlighters

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Sun Dipped and Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer

June 17, 2016

There are two new launches this summer from Anastasia Beverly Hills that caught my eye. First is a new Glow Kit in Sun Dipped ($40) and a Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer ($28 for 6 mini glosses). I’ll say right up front that I love both and even though I already own the other two Glow Kits in That Glow and Gleam (reviewed here) and a few neutral Lip Glosses (three reviewed here) I think these are worth purchasing if you own the others.

Up first is the new Glow Kit in Sun Dipped which I’ve been stalking the web for what seems like weeks. It has four large pans of highlighting powders with a high shimmer finish. They are very pigmented but are easy to blend for a diffused look. The product looks very different on my skin compared to what I see in the pans – these appear to be very complex shades with a lot of different colors mixed in. The reflective lighter particles dominate on my skin – so your mileage may vary depending on skin tone.

The four shades include Bronzed which is a warm shimmering bronze, Summer a pale ivory gold shimmer, Moonstone a pale champagne peach frost and Tourmaline a mauve nude shimmer.

On my medium olive skin I like mixing Bronzed and Tourmaline with a brush by dipping it into both shades and then swirling on the cheeks alone. For eyes – all four shades work layered together or using select ones for an all over wash. I love using Summer or Moonstone on top of a neutral beige matte shadow because it helps diffuse the frost a little bit. The two lighter shades have a strong contrast to my olive skin so on the cheeks I have to use with a very light hand.

In direct sun without a flash below the colors look cooler-toned. Light really brings out the warmth of the shades that are apparent when you swatch on the skin.

Comparisons to That Glow and Gleam (both reviewed here). There are definitely similarities between the That Glow and Sun Dipped, you can probably just pick one but I’m highlighter-obsessed and nothing was going to stop me from trying out Sun Dipped.

Next is the Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer which is currently available online only at Anastasia Beverly Hills (if you’ve spotted it anywhere else let me know). I ordered sight unseen since the only place I could find it was online. I knew there was a chance that two of the shades would be well outside my comfort zone but I’ve been really pleased with her lip gloss formula so far and this set has some shades exclusive to the set. I hope they launch them separately in the future. For those who haven’t seen my previous reviews, these are full coverage glosses. They come in a few different finishes, most of the colors in this set act like creams that have high shine and opaque color. Only one is a shimmer. They do have a vanilla scent that is pretty strong but it fades after a few minutes.

Six shades:

  • St. Tropez is a stunning duo chrome rose with gold shimmer
  • Blushing is a light-medium cool pink that is actually wearable for me
  • Grape Jelly is an electric purple cream
  • Toffee is a medium nude that has very subtle shimmer
  • Caramel is a warm pink brown
  • Tango is a deep plum with red tones

On the lips, foundation shade worn is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland + St. Moritz mixed together (review + swatches in this post here):

Two sets of comparisons:
Buxom Wildly Whipped in Centerfold (review here)
Anastasia Lip Gloss in Undressed and Vintage (review here)
Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in Obvi and Goals
NARS Lip Cover in Get Dirty and Overheated (review)

YSL Pop Water Gloss Stain in 205 (swatched here)
Buxom Wildly Whipped in Wandress and Swinger (review here)
Marc Jacobs Lip Lacquer in Whip It (reviewed here)
Anastasia Lip Gloss in Metallic Rose (review here)

Both items are phenomenal in terms of quality, pigment and lasting power. The Glow Kit in Sun Dipped is absolutely gorgeous. If I had to pick Sun Dipped or That Glow, I would say for me Sun Dipped is the winner. It has that gorgeous mauve shimmer which is pretty for the eyes and cheeks. The kit is on the shimmery side so I have to use with a lighter hand. If you are medium to tan to deep it will have more contrast on your skin.
The Mini Lip Gloss is pure love for me even though there is one shade that I won’t ever wear (Grape Jelly). I think the mini size is really cute and they have the same sponge tip applicator that’s flat but flexible. The minis run at 2 g each while the full size glosses are 4.5 g.

You can find the Sun Dipped Glow Kit at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s and Anastasia Beverly Hills. Right now it appears the Mini Lip Gloss Set is available only at Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Have you looked at these yet?
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Skincare Suncare

AmorePacific Skincare Testing with the Time Response Collection, Resort Sun Protection Mist and Moisture Bound Intensive Serum Masques

June 15, 2016

I’ve been intrigued by Korean skincare for quite some time now and have played with items here and there incorporating bits into my skincare routine. Many of you frequently recommended items from AmorePacific and thanks to your recommendations I’ve found some favorites including the Color Control Cushion Compact (204 is my match), the Moisture Bound Lip Treatment (best unscented lip treatment I’ve used), the Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel (Oil Free) and the Treatment Cleansing Foam. This summer I’ve had the opportunity to team up with AmorePacific and try out some items from their Time Response Collection, Resort Collection and Moisture Bound Collection. I’ve put select skincare items to the test for the past three weeks and have reviews to share today.

First I want to mention the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compacts as they are great foundations for warm summer weather.
I’ve reviewed them before and in case you missed previous posts a quick recap is that these
are weightless sheer to medium coverage foundations in a sponge filled
compact. I use 204 which has a golden yellow undertone. It’s the most natural foundation I’ve tried makes the skin look like your own skin but better. They come in a silver mirrored compact filled with a white insert, but there is another sealed package with a refill so I find the price quite reasonable. Below are two separate compacts shown, open vs closed:

Coverage is at most medium if you build it and you can do so without it looking cakey or feeling heavy. It also has SPF 50 and does not irritate my sensitive skin. Since it’s really lightweight I think it’s ideal for summer weather. I have normal combo skin and it works for me. One of my friends has super dry skin and she loves it too. Swatches of four of the options – I don’t have 104 shown, but there’s a face chart on their website to help you match online:

Next up is the Time Response Collection which is AmorePacific’s most popular skincare line. It’s a line that has Green Tea Flower Extract – the benefits of these ingredients are to reduce wrinkles by boosting collagen production, stimulate hyaluronic
production to balance the skin and regulate melanin to help with hyper pigmentation. A few of my close friends have urged me to try the Time Response line – stating that the Skin Renewal Cream and Eye Renewal Cream as the best wrinkle-fighters on the planet. The pieces from the collection are very expensive and I decided the best way to get a sense of the line was to try one of the trial sets. The current Time Response Collection set from AmorePacific is the Time Response Skin Renewal Set which has deluxe mini sizes of 6 items. The team ended up sending me a slightly different variation – two items from other lines are mixed into the set I have, so I’ll be reviewing items I received.

Below is the Time Response Introductory Set:

Items I tried out with thoughts on each product, full size options are linked in case you want to see the full ingredient list which is on each product page:
  • Time Response Skin Renewal Serum 5ml – this is a highly concentrated serum formula that you apply morning and night before the cream, serums in general help boost the results of moisturizers and when I use them, I notice my skin looks better but I usually prefer to use as few skincare products under my makeup so it’s often neglected
  • All Day Balancing Care Serum 10 ml – this is a more lightweight serum compared to the Time Response version, this one is almost like a toner in the sense that it rebalances the skin, I prefer this version to the Time Response, when using this under moisturizer I notice fine lines disappear and skin looks more alive
  • Time Response Skin Renewal Fluid 30 ml – this is a lightweight moisturizer which is a less intense version of the cream, it leaves the skin feeling very moisturized but has a lightweight finish
  • Time Response Skin Renewal Toner 30 ml – this is a balancing toner that restores skin’s pH levels and also works to make sure remaining residue after cleansing is removed, it’s a moisturizing toner and left the skin feeling well hydrated and plump
  • Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System 30 ml – is a face spray that comes highly recommended by many of my readers and it’s really great at refreshing and cooling the skin during the day
  • Time Response Skin Renewal Cream 15 ml – this is a luxurious face cream designed to reduce wrinkles and sagging, after using this for three weeks I found that it feels very rich and I was worried it would be too heavy but it is not, a little goes a very long way so the small container will probably last me at least a couple of months, I have wrinkles on my forehead and this has started to noticeably reduced fine lines
  • Time Response Skin Renewal Eye Cream 3 ml – another highly recommended product which I’ve found also goes a very long way with a tiny bit, it works really well to reduce puffiness on me which is my main concern for the eyes right now
I also tried the Moisture Bound Intensive Serum Masque which comes in a box of 2 for $32 or box of 6 for $90. I love trying sheet masks and was really excited to try these and the price seemed really affordable especially if I were to fall in love and want to use these weekly or every other week. These are two-piece masks for the upper and lower face. It comes with a vial filled with serum that you apply directly to the face first before applying the sheet masks on top. They are the thickest most cushiony sheets I’ve ever tried, there is a peel off section to reveal a gel-like side you apply to the face on top of the serum. It has a soothing cooling feel and leaves the skin feeling plump, revived and glowing. I used one as an at-home face treat so I don’t know how the results perform under makeup. The next day after I used the mask my skin felt noticeably smoother and more hydrated.

Last but not least is the new Sun Protection Mist with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 from the new Resort Collection. These days I’m really concerned about anti-aging and protecting my skin from sun exposure. Living in Southern California we have lots of sunshine and I love being outdoors so I’m forever searching for sunscreens. So far there’s no one sunscreen for all occasions. Some work better under makeup, others are good for outdoors, and then there are ones I need for sport activity that are sweat-proof. For me there are quite a few good ones that fit the bill on all aspects of what I look for – lasts long, doesn’t irritate skin, doesn’t clog pores, doesn’t sting the eyes but so many have that white cast on the skin. There are very few that have passed my test – the AmorePacific Sun Protection Mist with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 has joined the club.

It’s a lightweight mist sunscreen that’s completely clear. I sprayed it directly on my face when I first received it then read the instructions and realized that you are supposed to spray on your hands and not on the face. It has a fluid texture that’s clear making it disappear on the skin. It has plum extract which helps protect against heat-aging which is new to me and something I wasn’t aware of. According to AmorePacific heat exposure accelerates oxidization and inflammation which are the two major causes of premature aging. It also includes ingredients to reduce irritation, keep skin moisturized and cool. Applying on the skin I tried it over the Time Response moisturizers (I tried it over the cream and serum on separate occasions) and it is lightweight enough that it doesn’t feel heavy by adding that one more layer. Alone it will look very dewy on the skin but does not feel greasy – let it set on the skin before making any judgements. It works well under makeup. It appears to be designed for the face but I would also use this on the body.

I researched a lot of reviews online before deciding what to try from the line, since the items are pricey I wanted to pick wisely. The reviews on the Time Response Collection are overwhelmingly positive and I was thrilled to be able to test some pieces. I do believe seeing results from skincare takes a lot of time and diligent use – after three weeks I have noticed improvement with fine lines and wrinkles that seem to have creeped up on me. Since the collection is on the expensive side and if you’re unsure of what formulas will work best for your skintype, I hands down recommend trying one of the trial sets first which will allow you to sample items at a more affordable price compared to splurging on the full size items.

My favorites from what I tested include the Moisture Bound Intensive Serum Masque, Moisture Bound Face Mist, Sun Protection Mist, All Day Balancing Serum and Time Response Renewal Eye Cream. Once the trial box set is used but I plan on buying the eye cream. Another box of the sheet masks are in my online cart as I type this post ready for checkout.

Serum-wise going forward it’s a toss up whether I would decide to splurge on a box of sheet masks which have the serum vials or just purchase a bottle of the serum which sounds more expensive but would probably last a lot longer.

For the face creams, my favorite is still the Moisture Bound Hydra Gel because it’s more lightweight and better suited for my normal/combo skin (especially in the summer) and the price points of the Gel and Cream in the Moisture Bound line is a lot easier to swallow for luxury skincare. However the Time Response Renewal Cream is everything everyone has raved about – nothing I’ve tried has reduced my forehead fine lines and wrinkles as well as this has. My forehead area is probably the part of my face that is most exposed to sun and heat and is more normal-dry versus the rest of my face which is more normal-combo. The main difference between the two lines is the Moisture Bound is more geared towards anti-aging prevention and age delay while Time Response is more reactive to reduce effects of aging. It’s noticeable that the effects of the Time Response line are more potent. Now that I just turned 35 I feel like my awareness of wrinkles and fine lines has heightened. I don’t know if I will purchase a full size of the cream when my deluxe size is used up but given that the deluxe size has quite a bit of product I will have some time to think about it before splurging.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience testing items from AmorePacific! So many of you have given me such great advice about skincare, especially from the AmorePacific line. If you have anything to add about your experiences, loves or hates please do so in the comments.

Many thanks to AmorePacific for sponsoring this post. Products featured gifted for review. As always all opinons my own. More information in my disclosures.

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Chanel

Chanel Les Beiges Duos 01 and 02 for Summer 2016

June 14, 2016

There are two face and cheek products in the Chanel Summer 2016 Collection. The Les Beiges Powder Duos are available in two limited-edition shades Duo No. 01 and Duo No. 02 ($65 each for 11 g/0.39 oz, made in France). These are similar in texture and feel to the regular Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powders which have a very natural look, soft velvety texture and semi-sheer but buildable coverage. Ever since originally reviewing them a few years ago, I’ve used Shade No. 20 to set for a very soft sheer setting powder. The new duos for summer have a very soft shimmer to them – if any of the blushes, bronzers or highlighters of late have seemed way to shimmery for your taste, these two are among the most subtle. They are perfect for those who don’t want a pure matte but don’t want a lot of shimmer either.

No. 01 is a duo with a shimmering orange and deep bronze. No. 02 is more like a blush with a pale champagne pink shimmer and medium reddish blush color.

Swatched with a medium to heavy hand below:

No. 01 is a duo with a shimmering orange shade that has a very soft glowy finish and a dark bronze. Mixed together creates a warm and deep bronzed look. You can apply with a fluffy brush for sheer coverage but I found it to be on the pigmented side for a Les Beiges powder. The first time I tried it I put too much on the brush and ended up with dark streaks on each side of my face. Definitely use a lighter hand when applying. That being said the color can be easily blended out. This is one of the darkest bronzer powders I own. If you are light or fair skinned you will most likely find this too warm and too dark.

Comparisons below to:

No. 02 is more blush material for me with a soft pinky shimmer highlighter on the top and a warm reddish coral shade on the bottom. It’s a really pretty color for summer I think goes well with the pink Aqua Glossimer in Adenium (reviewed here).

Comparisons below to:

Chanel Les Beiges Duo No. 01 look features Rouge Coco in Vera and Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in That Glow on the eyes. Chanel Les Beiges Duo No. 02 look features Chanel Aqua Glossimer in Adenium and Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Sundipped on the eyes. Foundation worn is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland + St. Moritz mixed together.

Overall thoughts are that these are very good powders quality and color-wise. I bought them last month so I’ve had some time to play with them. The Les Beiges Duo No. 01 is definitely more along the lines of a bronzer while No. 02 is more of a highlighter/blush on me. Based on pulling a few other powders to compare, a few final thoughts:
  • The powder texture is very finely milled and very pigmented for a Les Beiges powder formula.
  • By comparison to other formulas, the Les Beiges Duos are not as pigmented as the Becca Luminous Blushes, but you can still build the color for more intensity.
  • I applied by swirling a large fluffy brush to combine colors, the darker shades in each compact are more pigmented than the lighter top color so the result is that the deeper bottom shade dominates. The top shade helps diffuse and soften the bottom color if that makes sense.
  • No. 01 is easy to overdo – at least it was for me, I consider myself to have medium toned skin. If you’re lighter than me, it will probably look orangey on your skin as it is on the warm side. If you’re medium to tan to deep, you will probably rejoice that Chanel has finally released a darker colored powder!
  • No. 02 has a very similar effect on me to Hourglass Diffused Heat.
I don’t have any regrets buying these but am not sure that I can call them must-haves. If you’re looking to update your bronzer or blush collection with new colors that have that lovely satiny soft glow I think you will really like these. Even though it’s probably best for conservative makeup wearers like myself to go easy on the shimmer and frost I can’t help but be really into the super shimmers for the face that are popular these days.

Both duos are limited-edition. They retail for $65 each, available at Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

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Chanel

Chanel Collection Dans La Lumière de L’Été Le Vernis in Espadrilles, Turban and Cavalière for Summer 2016

June 13, 2016

Last month I reviewed one of the Chanel Summer 2016 Le Vernis Nail Colors in Espadrilles and today I have a review on two more shades in Turban and Cavalière. These are in the new and improved formula and retail at $28 each for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz, made in France. In case you missed the post I’ll repost photos below but if you want to read the full review on Espadrilles here.

The three shades I have include:
  • Espadrilles which is a bright orange red cream
  • Turban is a medium bright pink-orange cream
  • Cavaliere (c/o) is a deep chocolate brown with very subtle gold shimmer mixed in

All three are full coverage and opaque with two coats. As mentioned in my previous reviews of the new Le Vernis formula here and here, the new formula is an improvement from the original in terms of coverage, pigment and lasting power. I have always had good experiences with Chanel polishes, but the new formula offers more opaque coverage.

If you’ve been a long-time Chanel or Dior nail polish collector, I do think the three colors in this post are similar to previous releases. I’ll add a few notes below on the swatches, this round I did not have time to photograph comparisons in good light.

Up first is Espadrilles reposted, it’s a bright orange red that screams summer to me. I’ve been wearing it a lot on the toes – it goes with a lot of the shoe colors I have in my closet right now.

Turban is one of those pink-orange mixed colors that I reach for frequently. It looked like a medium bright warm pink next to Espadrilles. I pulled a few others I thought might be dupes. Chanel Fracas (discontinued) is similar in terms of pigment and brightness but it’s more pink. Chanel Tutti Frutti (discontinued) is more blue in undertone. Dior Wonderland is more pink and lighter in undertone. Louboutin Miss Loubi is close but deeper and richer in color (this is my favorite out of the bunch).

Cavaliere is an interesting color. Based on the promotional photos and on the model on Chanel.com it looks like a shimmering bronze with visible gold frost. On my nails it’s more of a chocolate bronze with the shimmer barely detectable on the nails unless light hits it directly. It’s still a lovely color – just not quite what I expected. It will be a good summer to fall kind of transition color that I will feel comfortable wearing as the seasons shift.

Three quick looks taken over the past few weeks for fun:

Shoes – Steve Madden
Purse – Prada
Sunnies – Marc Jacobs 
Skirt – J.Crew (old style)
Sandals – Madewell
Chanel Turban snapshot:
Pouch – Truffle
Candies – Sugarfina
iPhone Case – Gray Malin

Out of all three colors, my favorite is Espadrilles. There are a couple other colors that were launched in the collection but when I saw them I didn’t feel like I would really wear them. Canotier is a pale gold frost and Emeraude is a stunning shimmering green but I’m not really a green polish wearer. I’ll do aqua or blues but I rarely feel emerald shades call my name. If you’ve tried it let me know your thoughts! For the other two, I think Cavaliere is unique compared to the other colors that I own. I tried it on the toes and was surprised that it actually worked for a polished edgy look. Turban is gorgeous – but I already own many colors similar to it. That being said it has a lot more coral and orange compared to other medium summery pinks which makes it different but still similar.

Have you checked out the summer collection yet? Stay tuned for a review on the two Les Beiges duos soon. In case you missed the post, Aqua Glossimers reviewed here.

You can find all three colors at Chanel counters & retailers now, also online at Chanel.com. I bought Espadrille and Turban from Nordstrom. Cavaliere was sent courtesy of Chanel for review.
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