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Sabrina

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Lancôme Juicy Shaker Bi-Phase Lip Oil Review

August 14, 2016

Lancôme Juicy Shakers ($21 each) are tinted lip oils that come in a bi-phase formula with oil and color that you shake to mix up before applying. These launched earlier the spring and quite a few of you have raved about them. Lancôme is one of those lines where I haven’t explored color a lot – I have a few skincare staples including the Micellar Cleansing Water (best packaging ever) and the Bi-Facil Makeup Remover (long-time fav). Simmer Juicy Tube was my go-to lip gloss in my college days (seems like a lifetime ago!). I’ve started to explore more in the Lancôme line and when a surprise package of the Juicy Shakers showed up at my door I could not contain my excitement. The first thought that popped into my head was “I hope these are good” because I’m easily impressed by novel packaging. Sometimes the packaging is better than the product itself but I’m thrilled to report that these are indeed every bit as good as the hype formula-wise.

Pigment of colors ranges from sheer to medium in coverage. Compared to a few other brands of lip oils I’ve tried, the Lancôme Juicy Shakers far exceed the YSL Volupté Tint-in-Oils I tried in pigment and packaging design. Texture-wise they have a lighter weight texture and finish compared to the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oils. All the Lancôme Juicy Shakers are scented and flavored – but each and every one is pleasant and not overly sweet. Scents are different for each shade to mimic the color names. If you are very sensitive to fragrance you might want to give these a sniff at the counter first before buying. As one who is extremely sensitive to sweet fragrances when it comes to lip products I can say that these are soft enough for my super sensitive nose.

The Lancôme Juicy Shakers are packaged in a small shaker with a sponge tip applicator. It literally looks like a miniature doll-sized cocktail shaker which is beyond cute! The sponge comes in a triangle-shaped applicator which is squishy and absorbs color + oil. According to Lancome these are the first cushion-applicator products for lips. 
So far these appear to be well sealed at the top when you twist them close – I haven’t seen or had any leaking issues like I did with the YSL oils. There are two tiny balls inside the color which helps to mix the oil + pigment when you shake them. The three on the left are what the product looks like when you shake it. The blue one is what the product looks like when the oil and color have separated.

There are 17 shades in the permanent lineup that I have swatches. There are also 3 limited-edition shades which I have not seen or tried, but I’ll list them below. Some of the lighter colors are sheerer and have less color-payoff. There are a couple light ones that did show up well on my lips, but for the most part, the brighter or deeper shades are the ones that look the best. They have a very hydrating soothing feel and definitely feel like oils. On me I found the finish emollient almost to the point that they could slide off the lips but they stayed put on me. These contain a mix of Musk Rose Oil to regenerate and soothe, Cranberry Oil to protect, Peach Oil to soften and nourish, and Almond Oil to leave the lips supple.

Shown above:

  • Apri-Cute is a true apricot orange
  • Show Me the Honey is a sheer light honey peach color
  • Freedom of Peach is a pretty medium peach
  • Cherry Symphony is a ruby red
  • Great-Fruit is an orangey red pink
  • Walk the Lime is a orange red
  • Piece of Cake is a nude rose pink
  • Vanilla Pop is a warm terracotta nude
  • Berry in Love is a cool-toned violet with a hint of shimmer
  • Lemon Explosion is a sheer sparkling clear pink
  • Meli Melon pretty pink
  • Boom Meringue is a light pink
  • Bohemian Raspberry is a raspberry red
  • Wonder Melon is a melon red
  • Berry Tale is a watermelon pink
  • Mangoes Wild is a reddish orange pink
  • Mint to Be is a shimmering clear blue-shimmer

Swatched on bare lips:

Overall lasting power is like that of a lip gloss. They are oils so they won’t last as long like a regular lipstick or liquid lipstick. I found the deeper shades seemed to have colors that lasted longer than the lighter colors. There was color transfer with drinks and snacks. Although I don’t intentionally eat my lip products, you can’t avoid tasting them and I think the Lancôme Juicy Shakers taste like a soft subtly sweet candy. As one who doesn’t like cherries, papaya or blueberries I am beyond thrilled that those flavors weren’t in the lineup.

If you’re a fan of lip oils I think you will adore these. If you’ve been looking for a lip oil that has color these are definitely worth checking out. They are on the sheer to medium side for pigment but they will show up on the lips. All with the exception of Show Me the Honey and Lemon Explosion showed up on my pigmented lips. Some of the pinks looked very similar on my lips – there are nuances in undertone, some warmer, some cooler and some deeper so there are lots to choose from to suit your specific complexion.

Overall huge thumbs up. I love the soft cushion tip and think the packaging is genius. They added a lot of moisture and hydration to my lips. When I first tested these my lips were a bit dried out from a few lipsticks I had been wearing. Using the Juicy Shakers restored moisture to my lips and did indeed help to regenerate the lip surface to it’s normal state.
You can find the Lancôme Juicy Shakers for $21 each. I think they are definitely worth checking out. This month is going to be another lip-heavy review month so if sheers or oils aren’t your thing stay tuned for upcoming reviews on lip pencils, liquid lipsticks, lip lacquers and more traditional/classic lipstick formulas.
My top 5 favorites include Boom Meringue, Mint to Be, Freedom of Peach, Berry in Love and Mangoes Wild.

The Lancôme Juicy Shakers are available online and in stores at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Sephora and Lancôme.

P.S. If these have been on your radar, Lancome USA is having their Friends and Family sale from 8/23 to 8/27, 20% off orders with code FRIENDS at checkout!

 Many thanks to Lancôme for sending me all the shades to play with!

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Fragrance

Summer Fragrance Rotation

August 12, 2016

Happy Friday everyone! This has been one of those busy weeks where I felt like I was not able to be as productive as I had hoped. I’m relieved that the weekend is almost here. I have quite a few reviews in the works. Testing is a non-stop continuous process and I have a lot of posts partially completed – stay tuned for posts on new launches from Lancôme, Dior, Chanel, Birchbox, Cle de Peau Beaute along with the roundup/routine type posts many of you have requested. Continuing another one of my routine posts you asked for, today I’m rounding up my warm weather fragrance edit. Summer is nearing it’s end (I keep seeing end of summer promos everywhere!) but scents are the kind of beauty product I feel can be transitional in some cases. It takes me forever to use up a perfume and I tend to accumulate them in batches – there are a few of these I’ve had for a long time.

Up first are the scents I think are most unique. I don’t mind wearing popular mainstream perfumes but sometimes it’s nice to have something a little more unique.

Shown above, left to right:

  • Byredo Bal D’Afrique has been on my wishlist for ages. I have it in the small travel sized vial from a holiday discovery set I bought last year. I finally caved and bought the full size. It’s a sweet warm floral that I feel smells like it has apricot but it does not. Notes include bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, bucchu, violet, jasmin petals, cyclamen, black amber, musk, vetiver and Moroccan cedarwood. It also comes in other formats such as the Body Wash (just splurged), Body Cream (review here), Bath Oil and is also in the current Floral Discovery Set.
  • Lumira Paradisium (c/o) is one of my favorites and it’s very unique. I feel I can wear this one year round. Full detailed review here. For a quick take, it has bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, heart of fig nectar, guava, vetiver, sea moss and cedarwood. It’s one of the few scents that has fig that I can wear.
  • Diptyque Eau de Sens (c/o) is an orange blossom which I think most will think is best as a spring scent. I agree except that this is one of the very few orange blossom scents I’ve been able to wear so I’ve been spritzing it over the summer. Also reviewed in this post here.
  • Oribe Côte d’Azur (c/o) is an Oribe lover’s dream come true. The signature scent that you find in most Oribe products is bottled in a perfume version and it’s amazing. If you find the hair products to be strongly scented you probably can get away with just wearing the styling creams or sprays instead of buying the perfume. I personally find the hair sprays fade in scent after a few hours, the perfume definitely lasts all day long on me.

Next are two sweet options from Urban Outfitters. These are part of the Gourmand Line and are priced at $18 each. They are both on the sweet vanilla coco side – I know many of you like vanilla-based scents. I have a hard time wearing them because so many are too strong.
  • Sel Ocean is described as having honeysuckle, muguet, pink sea salt which I think is an accurate description. It’s very sweet so if you don’t like sweet scents, definitely try to test before buying.
  • Lait de Coco is a milky white fragrance you shake to mix the contents. Notes include bergamot, vanilla praline and creamy coconut. It’s the closest scent I’ve found to the long discontinued Jo Malone Sweet Milk.

In my experience and opinion, the best date night fragrances are from Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb. It has a distinct scent that is easily recognizable but smells amazing on everyone.

  • Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb note include bergamot, tea, freesia, jasmine, orange blossom, orchid, rose, patchouli.
  • There are occasional limited-edition variations launched, the Flowerbomb La Vie en Rose is a lighter version of the original with a sparkling feel if that makes sense. Top notes are grapefruit, mandarin, pink pepper, green tea. Middle notes have jasmin, orchid and rose. Base notes have patchouli and amber.
  • Spicebomb is the cologne version for men and it’s my husband’s favorite. It’s what I think all hot guys smell like lol. It’s more of a date night fragrance but my husband find it suitable to wear everyday. He’s already used up a travel size and full size bottle. I bought the Spicebomb Fresh for him because I often like the lighter/fresh versions. We both agreed it’s too light and not masculine enough. It’s a good one for those who like light scents but Spicebomb is better.

Last but not least, the scents that are true summer and warm weather scents that make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation somewhere on the beach.
  • NARS Monoi Body Glow II is the ultimate tropical vacation scent. It’s not a perfume but rather a scented body oil which I can’t get enough of. It has the most delicious monoi oil scent and has a tiare flower inside that has been soaked in refined coconut oil to capture the essence of the unique process used to make the oil. Scent lasts all day on me and gives the skin a nice glow.
  • Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua (c/o) is the lightest Tom Ford fragrance launched and therefore priced at a lower price point compared to his perfumes. It’s a lighter version of the Neroli Portofino which I like on others but don’t really like on myself. The Neroli Aqua Portofino is a citrus beachy scent with hints of amber. Also featured in this post here.
  • Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is a white floral that has a beachy vacation like feel. Full review in this post here.
  • Urban Outfitters Gourmand Thé Matcha is one of the few I’ve used up entirely and am on my second bottle. It’s a simple fresh fragrance that has a sweet clean green tea scent with citrus and white flowers.
My most-worn scents of the summer are the Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua, Soleil Blanc and Lumira Paradisium. For evenings out or special occasions it’s been either of the Viktor and Rolf fragrances. I also really like Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’Eau (reviewed here) which wasn’t featured in the roundup because I feel it’s moer of a fall scent, but still nice for going out.

Do you have a favorite go-to for summer? Or do you stick with scents that you wear year round? As always I’d love to hear your favorites – for any season! There are so many scent options out there it’s overwhelming to find a good scent so I rely heavily on recommendations!

Items provided courtesy for review consideration marked with a “c/o”.

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Dior Highlighters NARS

Easy to Wear Contour and Highlight Sticks

August 10, 2016

I have mixed feelings about the contouring technique for beauty. Mainly because I’m not very good at doing it myself on my own face. I have used a bronzer like Bronze Universel de Chanel or NARS Laguna in a 3 shaped motion along the sides of my face to warm up the complexion and add depth, but for the popular contouring powders and creams – I find they are easy to overdo and while they look great in photos, in real life I think it can look very much overdone. I do own quite a few contouring powders and the most natural ones to date that I’ve tried are the Marc Jacobs Beauty #Instamarc Light Filtering Powders for flawless finish and textures that blend beautifully with the skin. I haven’t really found a cream product that I love – there are a number of compacts others rave about but cream compacts get messy so I haven’t really found anything that speaks to me. Today I have a roundup of four brands of contour sticks, several of them are multi-tasking and great for travel because they are double-sided.

I find it rare to find all items I test in a category phenomenal in the sense that I think all aspects  of the product are great but this is one of those rare occasions. I tested highlight/contour sticks from Burberry, Wander Beauty, NARS and Dior and all of them are impressive to me and perfect for a natural look. If you need a contour product for dummies (like me) these are the perfect option for you because they look very natural, easy to use and blend really well. Picking one will come down to brand, texture or color preference.

Up first are the Burberry Fresh Glow Highlighting Luminous Pen in Nude Radiance 01 and Face Contour Effortless Contouring Pen for Face and Eyes in Medium 01. In terms of a highlight the Burberry Fresh Glow Pen is on the sheer and subtle side. You will see a glow on the face if you highlight the cheekbones or eyes but it gives a luminous glow versus a more visible shimmer. The fresh glow highlighting pen comes in 1 shade, if you’re similar to my skintone or lighter the effect will be more subtle, but if you’re tan to deep there will be more contrast and it will show up better on your skin. Texture is creamy but dries down quickly. It is easy to blend before it dries down so you don’t have to rush.

The Face Contour Pen comes in two colors and I picked the lighter option. It dries to a matte finish and blends easily on the skin for a very natural contour. It is on the warm side but it’s not too warm. This one is the easiest for me to use by applying a few stripes along the cheeks and then blend with either a finger or brush. This is the easiest to use along the sides of the nose because it’s slim. You can find these at Nordstrom, Sephora and Net-A-Porter.

There are two On-The-Glow Bronzer Duos from Wander Beauty. I received both items to try out, each one has the same highlighter in Candle Glow. The lighter option is Malibu which is a neutral brown and Capri is the darker/deeper option. If you go to their website you can see it on different skintones. These have a thicker creamy texture but they don’t feel greasy and look completely natural once blended. I love Malibu because it’s a lighter color and the perfect shade for my skintone for a barely there contour. Candle Glow Highlighter has the perfect mix of gold and warmth so it doesn’t look yellow on my olive skin. You can also find these at Sephora.

Next up are the NARS Sculpting Multiple Duos which are currently Sephora exclusives. I had very high hopes for these as I’m a huge fan of the multiple sticks and they did not disappoint. The texture of the highlighter multiples are stiffer than I normally see in multiples so they do not swatch well on the arms. They do swipe a 100x better on the face or eyes. I found these to be on the more subtle side which I think is due to the slightly stiffer/harder texture. The bronze/contour sides are amazing though. As a lover of lighter contour shades I love the Copacabana and Sidari Beach duo – it’s a peachy pinky color on my skintone which makes for a less traditional brown contour.

As you can see below they look to be on the sheer side. I think the highlighters are all sheerer than most multiples I’ve tried from NARS. The darker contour sides are creamy with little to no shimmer. They look streaky on the arm but blend out easily on the face.

Last but not least are the Diorblush Light and Contour Sticks which are part of the fall 2016 collection launch. They just launched at Dior.com and there are three shades each with a different color of shimmery highlighter and contour cream which has no shimmer. These are my favorite of the bunch because the round tip makes them easy to glide along the face. The flat tips of the others are still easy to apply but having the round tip is easier for me to put on the cheeks. My favorite color is 001 but 002 is probably better suited for my skintone. The browns are on the warm side which I found a bit too warm for my nose but for the rest of the face or eyes it’s perfect. Texture is very creamy but natural looking without being too dewy.

Here’s a quick look of before and after the Diorblush Light and Contour Duo in 002. Also worn on the face includes NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint Groenland and St. Moritz mixed, Anastasia Glow Kit in Sundipped on the eyes, Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara, Lancome Juicy Shaker in Lemon Explosion. On then nails is Dior Minimal.

I couldn’t fit all the items on my arm so I split them between the contour side and highlighter side with a few added items to compare.

That wraps it up for thoughts and swatches on four brands of contour sticks that are easy to wear and natural looking. My personal favorites are NARS Copacabana/Sidari Beach and Diorblush Light and Contour Duo 001 – but all of the ones I tested are pretty good for that natural contour. In terms of application I put these on the face after foundation and powder. I like putting these on the cheeks in stripes along the side of the face directly from the tube and then either blend with fingers or a duo fibre brush like the MAC 159 or any synthetic brush like the ones in this post here.
Do you have any contouring favorites? If so please share in the comments what your skintone is and your favorite shades or brands. If you haven’t tried contouring and are interested in starting with natural looking products, I hope this post helps you find something new to try!

Press samples include products from Wander Beauty and Dior Beauty.
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Diptyque Fragrance Skincare Travel

Diptyque Les Voyages Travel Collection

August 8, 2016

Diptyque is one of those brands that I’m completely in love with. My first items from the line included a Trio Set with Figuier, Roses and Baies candles and it was love at first splurge. It took me probably over a year of debating whether or not to buy one, but for me it was well worth the price and I’ve been happy with almost everything I’ve tried from the line since then. Earlier this summer Diptyque launched a limited-edition collection called Les Voyages Travel Collection which features some of their best selling items in smaller travel-sizes inspired by different regions of the world. The items of interest to me were primarily the perfumes and skincare products because those are packaged in smaller sized options. There are a few candles that have been highlighted in the collection that come in the mini 2.4 oz version. This size is already available in a number of scents. The ones in the travel collection simply have a special-edition designed box which is a slide-off outer sleeve. It does add a special touch for gifting, but the size and design of the jars themselves is the same.

Over the past few months I’ve accumulated a few pieces from two boutiques. You’ve already seen the mini perfumes featured in Florabellio and L’Ombre Dans L’Eau (this is the Baies fragrance equivalent) here and here. Back in June I stopped by the Diptyque store at Grand Central Station in NYC which was a treat for me. The shopping experience is really different than shopping online or at a larger retailer. Each and every store I’ve visited has the best Diptyque reps who are extremely knowledgeable about the product line, very helpful, non-pushy and are really a joy to chat with. The displays are always amazing and inspirational too. To date I’ve been to the following Diptyque stores: San Francisco, South Coast Plaza, Larchmont, Beverly Hills, Paris and now Grand Central Station. Someday I hope to visit all the stores around the world.

The Voyages Travel Collection includes the following. You can find all the items online at Diptyque and other retailers like Nordstrom, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus. Some pieces have sold out, so you may have to do a bit of searching to find items. They are all limited-edition at this point. You can still find items easily but I do recommend buying soon if you’re contemplating any of these.
  • Skincare and Body Care – travel sized
    • Infused Facial Water $25
    • Vinaigre de Toilette $29
    • Nourishing Cleansing Balm $23
    • Protective Moisturizing Lotion $26
    • Satin Oil for Body and Hair $33
    • Smoothing Body Polish $33
    • Revitalizing Shower Gel $20 (my favorite!)
    • Fresh Lotion for the Body $23
  • Home Fragrance Travel Candles – 2.4 oz each
    • Baies $32
    • Figuier $32
    • Mimosa $32
    • Roses $32
    • Tubereuse $32
  • Perfumes Travel Size – 30 ml each
    • Do Son $65
    • Philosykos $65
    • Tam Dao $65
    • Florabellio $65
    • L’Ombre dans l’Eau $65

A quick look at the beautiful displays, South Coast Plaza:

Grand Central Station in NY:

My picks:

I stocked up on quite a few of the mini candles primarily because of the limited-edition packaging. For the home I prefer the larger standard size but the minis are nice to give as gifts for those who are new to the line or any particular scent. In my early discovery days of Diptyque, I bought a lot of the candles in the mini size or sets to try before buying the larger size. This trio set was my introduction into Diptyque. The ones from the Travel Collection come with a limited-edition sleeve. Other than the box, everything is the same as the regular ones.

For perfumes I bought L’Ombre Dans L’eau which is a blackcurrant and rose kind of scent. It’s the equivalent of the Baies candle which I really love to wear for evening or daily during the fall to winter season. Another favorite is Florabellio which I already have in the full size, but the travel size was too cute to pass up. Size comparison between travel and full size in this post here.

For body care I was gifted a few items. The Nourishing Cleansing Balm is a thick balmy cleanser. When you massage it into the skin it turns into an oil cleanser. Add water and it becomes a lotion-like consistency that you wipe off afterwards. It’s pretty much scent free although there is a very lightweight and faint fresh kind of scent. While adding water and rinsing it does feel like product is still on the skin, but once you wipe it off gently with a washcloth, skin feels clean and well hydrated without any film or residue. I do think this is best for normal to dry skin.

The Protective Moisture Lotion is a lightweight moisturizer that has SPF15. It’s the best smelling face sunscreen I’ve ever smelled before – it has no sunscreen scent and doesn’t leave a white cast. The scent is hard to describe but it’s like a mix of a beachy fresh scent and rosewater. It adds enough moisture for my normal/combo skin but doesn’t feel greasy after it dries down. I would give this one a 100% thumbs up if it had a higher SPF but I do like the way it feels and smells. I will definitely consider repurchasing this in the full size.

Last but not least is my favorite shower gel of all time, the Diptyque Revitalizing Shower Gel for Body and Hair. The only thing that prevents me from buying this more frequently is the high price tag and the fact that it’s so good I go through these very quickly (plus my husband likes it and uses it as well). The travel size is very expensive at $20 for 1.7 fl oz. The full size is also pricey at $38 for 6.8 fl oz. If you’re considering this – the full size is the way to go, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with it.

Although Diptyque is on the pricey side, I do think it’s worth the splurge. I have yet to try everything in the line – I tend to repurchase favorites rather than try new things although I do love their seasonal launches. Out of everything I’ve tried, I’ve found all the candles to be excellent quality and suitable for both men and women. The only one I did not love was Benjoin but I do know a lot of my friends like it.

If you’re new to the line or looking for beautiful gift options, I think the Voyages Collection is a great option. I can’t get over how adorable the perfumes are and they are small enough that you can carry them on the airplane.

Have you tried anything from the Voyages Collection yet? If not, do you have any Diptyque favorites? All the items in the line are limited-edition. You can find them in stores at Diptyque and other retailers like Nordstrom, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus.
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Giveaway

Summer Hauls from Sephora and Nordstrom + eGift Card Giveaway

August 5, 2016

Happy Friday everyone! In the “what would you like to see” survey posted a few giveaways ago, an overwhelming number of you requested I do more haul posts. I tend to buy things in little bits here and there – with free shipping or affordable rush shipping, it’s easy to place several orders as I think about things rather than do a larger one-time haul. Sometimes I’ll see something in store and decide to wait and think about it and then a few days later I decide to buy it. July was a very pricey and spendy month due to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I already did two haul posts on my picks (here and here) – since it only happens once a year and there were so many good exclusives/value sets I could justify the extra haul. I also found a lot of little things at Sephora so I’ve combined my recent picks into a haul post.
Up first are Nordstrom picks, some are non-sale items:

My Nordstrom hauls, mostly from online orders:

  1. Antica Farmacista Santorini Reed Diffuser – I discovered the Acqua Reed Diffuser as shown in this home luxuries post and fell in love. Several of you told me there were a number of options on sale at Nordstrom. I bought five variations of the 8.5 oz version. I haven’t opened any of them yet – for those who use these, do you use one at a time completely before opening another one? Unlike candles, I suspect you can use for a little bit and store away since the reeds become completely soaked with the oils?
  2. Antica Farmacista Reed Diffuser in Bergamot and Ocean Aria because I love the body cream version of this scent.
  3. Ivanka Trump Ellyn Lace Up Sandals in Rich Chestnut suede are super comfortable and I found them to be true to size. The color is just a tiny bit darker than the stock photo but very close, heel is at 2.5 inches which makes them easy to walk in and 100% pain-free (at least for me).
  4. Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Telluride is actually something I ordered from Sephora, but accidentally put it with the Nordstrom haul, it’s a luminous soft pink with a very pearly finish, full review next week.
  5. Louboutin Loubilaque in Akenana and Bikini (not on sale), based on the good performance I saw with the Rouge Louboutin Loubilaque, I decided to order a few other shades, I haven’t tested them on my lips yet because I swatched a number of other lip products the past couple of days and one item ruined my lips so I’m waiting for them to rebalance/recover.
  6. YSL Vinyl Lip Cream in 404, 407 and 412 are items I was really excited to try. I adore the Glossy Stains (reviewed here and here) and a cream version just sounded like a dream come true. 407 and 412 worked perfectly like a lightweight stain but in creamy form. 404 gave me a WTF moment – it was extremely streaky and for some reason turned my bottom lip bright red, almost like a reaction but there was no tingle, sting or odd feeling. It’s now about 24 hours after I lip swatched it and my lip is still red. I tried makeup remover, cleanser and a very gentle rub with a washcloth – it’s the oddest thing!
  7. Vince Camuto Drape Front Blazer is something I stalked the web for the anniversary sale, it went out of stock in Size 0 and 2 but restocked. I’ve been searching for a white blazer for a long time and this has a drapey flowy fabric that feels comfortable. It’s a tiny bit long in the arms for me, but fits the shoulders well – it will need minor alterations for me, but I really like it.
  8. Vince Camuto Feina Booties are items I ordered as well, my local store was sold out, but they found them for me and had them shipped to my home. This is the first time I’ve tried Vince Camuto boots so I don’t know how they size compared to other styles. The sales associate recommended I size down since in her experience they run big. Size 6 fits like a glove with room for thin socks.
  9. Hudson Nico Ankle Super Skinny Jeans are very comfortable and they fit like a glove. The fabric is thick enough to be sturdy but not stiff so these feel good to wear. I’m normally one who opts for Paige, but I was really pleased with these. The raw hem gives them an edgy look. As one who is short, these are the perfect length that I don’t need them hemmed.
A look at the Vince Camuto Drape Front Blazer (Size 2, for reference I’m 5’3″ and 125 pounds) and Hudson Nico Ankle Jeans (Size 27, sized the same as Paige and Citizens, I go up for Frame with 28s).

More views on the blazer, for those curious about the home bits, bed is from Crate and Barrel, rug is from Pottery Barn, on the far right the reflection of the white block is an Ikea Alex unit.

Shoes, left are the Ivanka Trump Ellyn Sandals, true to size 6.5, right are the Vince Camuto Feina Booties which I bought in a 6 based on the sales associate’s recommendation that they stretch out.

One more look at the Hudson Nico Jeans (top is an older style silk tee from J.Crew, shoes worn are by Stuart Weitzman which run large on me so I take these in a 6):

Up next are the Sephora haul picks:

Shown above:

  1. Sephora Play! July box contents includes minis of Benefit Dew the Hoola, Ouai Wave Spray, Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer, First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser, NEST Citrine Perfume and Beautyblender Blottertazzi, I have yet to try everything in last month’s box, but Dew the Hoola is swatched here
  2. Urban Decay 24-7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Peyote is a cool-toned neutral pink with a tiny bit of shimmer, it’s a great light pinky color that does last a long time
  3. Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Radiant Lipstick in Strip is a medium nude pink beige – finally balmy glossy lipsticks that have pigment! I picked up two shades (yes, they look almost identical) and love love love the way these feel and look, they’re effortless kinds of nude with the feel of Chanel Rouge Coco Shines but more pigment.
  4. Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Trance is a gorgeous pinky mauve shimmer, formula feels a bit thick and dry without a base but it does stay put on the lips, I’ll need to experiment more with bases on this one. It’s not drying, it just looks a bit dry if that makes sense.
  5. Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Radiant Lipstick in Honeybun is a nude beige tan cream.
  6. Formula X Color Curators in Makeup by Rose XOXO Edition in Mahhveous Rose, Puffin! and Acoustick Dreams, these look gorgeous for fall, I’ll have swatches of all three shades soon.
  7. Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation in Nude which is one shade darker than Warm Ivory but too dark for my skintone. Warm Ivory is a better match, but if I mix both shades the match is a 100% exact match.
  8. Kat Von D Lock-It Creme Concealer in M19 and M27 – I matched myself in store and can’t believe I braved using a tester on my face in store. When I applied it my skin was a bit dewy as it was late afternoon and hot. It blended to a flawless finish so I bought two shades. When I got home and tested it the following days I found it looked cakey and patchy under eyes on my regular skin. I’m still testing with other eye creams and primers as a base to see how best to make it work. I’m not ruling it out quite yet, I’m determined to put it to the full test as I really like her foundation.
  9. Becca Champagne Splits in Flowerchild and Champagne Pop – by this point I have Champagne Pop in all the forms possible and I do think it’s a bit overkill. The individual powder and poured cream (both swatched here) are my favorites. I definitely did not need it in a split pan with a blush, but what can I say – I think we all get sucked in sometimes by pretty packaging.
  10. NARS Sculpting Multiple Duos in all three options, review to follow as soon as I can!
  11. Formula X The System Xcel is something that just popped up online, I already own and use the original System (reviewed here a while ago), the Xcel set is designed for a gel-effect so I’m curious to see how it compares to the original!
  12. Beauty Insider Points minis
Lip picks swatched:

I won’t be reviewing everything in this haul in a separate posts, so here are lip swatches for reference. The Bare Minerals GEN Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick in Swag was one of the Beauty Insider minis (love the color, not a fan of the matte finish). Above Bare Minerals Strip and Honeybun look identical, on the lips you can see the difference. If you click to enlarge the photo you can see how patchy YSL 404 applied on my lips, especially on the lower lip.

All the Kat Von D Lock-It Creme Concealer shades swatched, if you’re NARS Ginger the closest match is M25 and M27:

That concludes my haul picks from July from Nordstrom and Sephora. There are still a few more days left for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (prices go back up Aug 8th). I’m hosting one last giveaway for the summer and giving away three $100 eGift Cards. The selected winners will have a choice of getting an e-gift card to either Nordstrom or Sephora. Details:

Enter via the widget below, there are several ways to enter:

  • You must be 18 years or older
  • Open internationally
  • Three distinct winners will be selected at random via Rafflecopter
  • Winners will be selected at random on Sunday afternoon and contacted via e-mail by me
  • If you’re a selected winner you must send me a response confirming within 48 hours or another winner will be selected, prizes will be sent by the following business day

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Eye Makeup Sephora

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles – More Shades Reviewed + Swatched

August 4, 2016

I’ve been adding more Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows to my collection. Ever since the full color line launched at Sephora and Ulta I’ve been exploring the brand more and have been really pleased with everything I’ve tried so far. As a lover of natural makeup looks I am happy to report that although the makeup from Anastasia Beverly Hills can indeed create dramatic looks, there are a lot of options for natural beauty lovers and that even though the textures are very pigmented – shimmers can be blended for a more diffused natural look. I reviewed three quads I made a few months ago. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows come in single pan format so you can pick and choose what colors you want. There is a magnetized 4 pan palette that is available for purchase or you can put these in your own compacts as well. Individual shadows are priced at $12 each or if you buy four at a time plus the compact they’re priced at $40.

Some of you spotted some new quads in my travel bags here, here and here and have asked for swatches. I have sixteen more shades to share swatches. Based on the reviews I’ve read online some are a miss, most seem to be hits. There are quite a few shades that are online only – it took me a long time to research shades, swatches and other reviews to decide which ones to order. I feel lucky that all with the exception of one shade are all hits.
I found that the palettes were great for travel. I brought 3 quads with me but really could have gotten away with just one. I normally bring the Urban Decay Naked Palettes (all the eye palettes swatched in this post here) with me but decided to change it up on my last trip.

Four quads I put together – I don’t keep the shades in the same palettes all the time, but for the most part they stay in these combinations. The colors are really versatile, well pigmented, easy to blend and layer, have minimal fallout after application, stay put – what more could I ask for? I find they work well with or without a base. I feel like a broken record when I say this, but my two go-to bases are either the Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base or Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold (both swatched in this post here).

Top left quad: Lace, Victorian, Pose, Truffle Glitter
Top right quad: Gleam, Birkin, Intense Gaze, Topaz
Bottom left quad: Touch of Lilac, Belize, Macaroon, Brownie
Bottom right quad: Amber, Glisten, Comfort, Dark Chocolate Shimmer

A closer look at my picks. There are several different finishes which include glitter, matte, metallic, satin and shimmer. I think the quality is great across all formulas based on what I’ve tried. Sephora separates the formulas by finish – although I find some of the shimmers to be more glittery/sparkly. The swatches below will help you see the degree of shimmer in each shade.
Descriptions as I see them:
  • Lace is the only one I found slightly disappointing, it’s a sheer ivory champagne, it’s a good blending shade, but pigment was on the sheer side
  • Victorian is an light antique patina olive shimmer
  • Touch of Lilac is a soft light shimmer with a hint of lilac
  • Belize is a medium warm peachy brown skin-toned shimmer
  • Pose is a deep purple shimmer
  • Truffle Glitter is a highly metallic sparkle brown with gold flecks
  • Macaroon is a sparkly metallic lavendar purple
  • Brownie is a sparkling gold-flecked brown
  • Amber is a pretty shimmering warm gold amber
  • Glisten is a peachy bronze shimmer
  • Gleam is a metallic champagne peach
  • Birkin is a matte warm brown
  • Comfort is a warm shimmering auburn
  • Dark Chocolate Shimmer is a dark matte black with gold flecks
  • Intense Gaze is a shimmery pink red
  • Topaz is a warm golden tan shimmer

A closer look:

Swatches:

Another thumbs up from me. I still have not tried any of the Anastasia pre-made palettes although a number of you have urged me to. There are a lot of items coming out for fall though and since I already have a lot to play with from her line shadow-wise, I think I’m set for a while. I have to set aside my budget for other items to test and feature so I probably will not be reviewing the palettes she has out now. Plus I splurged on her new Sweets Glow Kit (which I definitely did not need). Out of all the ones she has launched, Sundipped Glow Kit (reviewed here) is hands down my favorite just in case you were wondering.

I’m sure there are a number of dupes for the shadows I picked out in other lines but I’m overall really pleased with the pigment, level of shimmer and ease of blendability with all except for Lace which turned out to be too sheer for what I wanted. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad, I just didn’t like it as much as the others. I found other colors to be more special. If you do order these I do recommend ordering 4 at a time + the compact for the $40 price (versus buying them in one-offs at the $12 price per shadow).

You can find the Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s and Anastasia Beverly Hills. Have you tried these yet? Which are your favorite colors?

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Base Makeup Estee Edit

The Estée Edit Skin Glowing Balm Makeup with Pink Peony

August 3, 2016

Today’s post wraps up my reviews of what I’ve been testing from the Estée Edit line. The Skin Glowing Balm Makeup with Pink Peony ($36 for 1 fl oz/30 ml) is described as a tinted moisturizer that gives a hint of coverage for naturally glowing skin. It comes in 12 shades right now and I have all 12 swatched to share today. The finish is very sheer and feels like a moisturizer balm with a very very tiny hint of color. It’s described as being good for dry to normal skin. I found it lightly hydrating on my normal to combination skin. Since it is very sheer I would say this is best for those who don’t need any coverage and just want a natural glow to let your skin show through. If you have teen or college age daughters or nieces who are getting into makeup and you want to treat them to a nice base product that is natural and youthful looking I think this is a great option. For me I need noticeable coverage, even if it’s natural. The most natural I can go is with the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint or Becca Aqua Luminous Foundations. The Estée Edit Skin Glowing Balm is too sheer for me, even as just a base. Since it is so sheer the colors are forgiving on the skin. I could get away with wearing three of the shades.

These come in the same packaging with a pump as the Flash Illuminators. For the Skin Glowing Balms if you look closely at the bottles you will see a natural sheen and shimmer in the product. These have a slightly sweet makeup smell, almost like vintage lipstick, but it’s not strong or overpowering. After a few minutes the scent fades.

I tested a few colors and found it acted like a natural looking moisturizer. It didn’t get greasy as the day progressed but since the product is so sheer I couldn’t really tell if it faded or stayed put color-wise. Even though these are like moisturizers I do think you need a regular moisturizer or serum on the skin first, it didn’t blend well on my bare skin. If you’re worried about the moisturizer on top of moisturizer being too heavy, you don’t need to with this one. It’s pretty lightweight even though you can feel the hydration.

A look at all the shades, swatched in numerical order from light to dark:

With a flash:

Without flash:

The three shades I could get away with, swatched heavy and then blended, my best match is 300 Wheat but all three disappear completely on my skin once blended:

Some swatch comparisons to other foundations (you can click for larger viewing):

For me they’re too sheer. My skin is nowhere near perfect. I have a lot of acne scars that are fading but still product to cover up. If you have near perfect skin and like that barely there glow and just need a bit of evening out then you’ll like these. Or if you have dry skin and like to layer products this will work as a base for medium to full coverage products. In any event I at least hope the swatches help you find a shade match if this has been something on your radar!
On a foundation/base note few of you have asked for a shade update on the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Stick – I picked up Nude as one shade darker than Warm Ivory and I’m in between shades (Sand was way too dark). I’ll have my current foundation and base roundup for warm weather in the next week now that I’ve finished my testing for the season (at least for now).

You can find the Estee Edit Skin Glowing Balms online and in stores at Sephora. A few of my readers have noted that the line is also available in the UK at Selfridges. Have you tried anything from the Estée Edit line yet?

Skin Glowing Balms were provided for review consideration.
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