It’s been a while since I’ve done an Instagram roundup on the blog. I’ve been incorporating a few accessory and fashion bits about new discoveries and loves. It’s peony season right now and although I suspect will be ending soon, I’ve been enjoying every bit of it while it lasts.
I’ll be in NYC and Brooklyn next month and would love any recommendations on what to see, eat or visit. I’ll only be there for a few days but I have a list in the making right now 🙂
I’ve been on a shoe kick recently – a few of my beloved J.Crew flats were seeing better days and I reluctantly threw them away and gave my shoe closet an update. Thankfully they brought back the Cece Flats which are the same fit but a lot more comfortable (I picked up the black suede and tan leather options). These Chloe Scalloped Flats are by far the most comfortable I’ve tried and well worth the splurge. There’s a $100 Sam Edelman dupe here and $42 version/similar style here. I haven’t tried either for sizing/fit but if you’re looking for a similar look you may want to check those out.
For sandals, the Madewell Boardwalk Lace-Ups are perfect for summer. I wouldn’t recommend them for active wear or super long walks, but they are comfortable for weekend beach wear. I sized a half size down (they ran a bit big). If you need something a bit more sturdy the Boardwalk Crisscross is more substantial option.
A few of you recommended the La Mer Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask a few weeks back. I was gifted a couple sheet sets and you were all right – it’s amazing!! I’m waiting for a good gift with purchase to pop up before splurging on a full pack. I’m also about to start testing the AmorePacific Moisture Bound Sheet Mask as well so depending on how that one works I may wait and splurge on that set instead (review soon).
Several of you have been e-mailed me for bronzer recommendations. If you’re looking for something new and matte, the two Urban Decay Beached Bronzers are really nice (I prefer sunkissed). If you can’t do warm bronzers, Tom Ford Terra is the best neutral-cool matte I’ve tried. I’ll have a summer beauty round up soon and will do a separate bronzer post in the next couple of weeks.
Two last notes – if you’re in search of a beautiful coffee table book or gift, Gray Malin Beaches is amazing! I ordered a few of the special edition ones and the photographs in the book are phenomenal. (Regular edition available on Amazon.)
If you haven’t checked out the Diptyque Voyages Collection – I recommend doing so soon. They have select perfumes, skincare items and body care in mini travel sizes. The perfumes are so cute! (Quick post on one of them here.)
To my US readers I hope you are enjoying the day off this Memorial Day!
I’ve rounded up a list of Memorial Day Weekend sales and promos going on. It’s almost summer season and there are tons of cute sandals out this year. I’m a flats kind of girl and there are lots of good affordable finds. The four shown above are ones I bought recently (shoes are photographed were me so you could get a better idea of color) and they are all on sale this weekend! If you have any more good ones you’ve spotted let me know in the comments.
Ahava –
40% off + free shipping on $35+ with code MEM40 at checkout, excludes sets and new products, ends 5/31
Bobbi Brown – 4 deluxe samples at checkout with orders $40+ and free shipping
Diptyque – receive a 35g Genevrier candle with any $75+ order using code MAY at checkout, ends 6/1
Glamglow – Free travel size cleanser trio with $69+ purchase, use code GGTRAVEL, ends 5/30
Kat Von D Beauty – free vegan leather makeup bag and choice of 3 deluxe-sized samples with orders $100+, ends 5/30
Kiehl’s – 5 packette samples of your choice with $50+ purchase, use code SAMPLES, ends 5/29
L’Occitane – gift of 3 hand creams with purchase of $65+, use code PRETTY, ends 5/30
Lancome – 20% off orders with code FRIENDS at checkout ends 5/28, receive a gift bag with 3 travel-size products + free standard shipping on orders $49+ with code MEMORIAL, ends 5/31
La Mer – complimentary mini perfecting treatment with $150+ order use code SILKY, or enjoy duo sample offer of 2 masks with orders $150+ use code LAMERMASK
Laura Mercier – 4 free samples + free shipping with online purchases $75+
Marc Jacobs Beauty – 3 free minis and mirror in the nude pochette with orders $50+, use code MAY2016, ends 5/31
NARS – 2 piece bonus of mini Orgasm Lip Gloss and mini Orgasm Illuminator with orders $50+ with code AFTERGLOW at checkout, valid until 5/31
Nuxe – 4 free minis + 1 deluxe mini (of choice) at checkout
The Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection launches today online at Sephora and everything is beautiful. The collection features items focused on creating the ultimate glow for the complexion, eyes and cheeks. The original Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder (reviewed here) has been extended into two other formulas. In addition two palettes created by Becca and Jaclyn Hill have launched as limited-edition pieces. The collection launches online today 5/26 at Sephora and will be in stores 6/16:
There are two highlighters – both of which are extremely shimmery and very glowy. I have and adore the original Champagne Pop (originally reviewed here and compared to Anastasia That Glow here). The Champagne Pop in the palette is identical in color but for some reason to my eye both highlighters in the palette seem to be a couple notches up in terms of glitz and shimmer. Both are still wearable if you apply with a light hand. Prosecco Pop is the more yellow gold option which usually isn’t a flattering color on my olive yellow-based skin. I can wear Prosecco Pop with a very light hand, but I still prefer Champagne Pop by far. A closer look:
Swatched below with a medium hand, you can blend to sheer out or apply with a denser brush for more intensity. Pigment is so rich I suspect these colors will show up on a wide range of skin tones. The overall effect is very glowy but still wearable for conservative makeup lovers:
A look at the palette without sunlight or flash:
Next up is the Champagne Collection Eye palette which has two shimmers and three mattes. The overall undertone is warm. It has Chardonnay which is a pale white gold frost, Champagne Toast which is a warm tan copper frost, Cordial which is the prettiest mauve matte, Cognac a very warm toasted brown matte and Bordeaux a soft plum matte. The shimmers offer rich high pigment color while the mattes have a softer medium finish. Textures are soft making them easy to blend on the eyes but I do recommend using a creamy base (I like using the Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid or Poured Creme on the lids, but I think I’m the only one I know who does not have oily lids). For me the colors did take a bit of experimenting and blending because I cannot wear reds or warm shades like this easily. I swatched it next to Ombre Rouge which I just ordered (have not tried yet) for reference. Here in direct sunlight:
Another shot of the Becca Champagne Collection Eye Palette – because the packaging is gold it looks different depending on what is reflecting in the compact:
Last but not least are the three Champagne Pop complexion items. The Shimmering Perfector Liquid offers the most natural finish. It’s very natural on the skin and on the medium-sheer side. The color almost matches my skin exactly so it adds a naturally dewy sheen. It does look luminous so if you have oily skin you may find it will look more luminous as the day progresses. The Shimmering Perfector Poured Creme has a more visible finish compared to the Liquid but still looks very natural. Out of the three Champagne Pops this finish and color is my favorite. Then you have the classic Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed – for those who love highlighters there is a different formula for multiple colors in the Becca line so you can pick the finish that works best for you.
Below the Champagne Pop formulas swatched along with a few other Becca colors:
I’ve only been playing around with the collection for a few days but first impressions are that I really love all three Champagne Pop formulas. I did think there might be a chance that having Champagne Pop in three formats would be overdoing it but after testing them I think they are different enough to justify all three if you love highlighter. If you want to limit yourself to 1, my favorite is the Poured Creme because it has the perfect in between finish (powder being the most shimmery and liquid being the most natural).
For the Face Palette – I had already ordered it when it launched as a very brief preview and was able to test this one for a few more days. I tried this a number of ways and found it to be extremely pigmented and very glowy – but the colors are easy to blend for a wearable look and the blending does not require a lot of extra effort which is nice for me since I’m more conservative in the makeup I wear. The colors are naturally flattering for and the warm undertones brighten the complexion. Since the colors are pigmented I prefer to apply with a lighter hand. The Champagne Pop highlighter in the palette does seem to be more glowy and shimmery compared to the individual version (Prosecco Pop is exclusive to the palette). If you prefer a more natural glow or softer color this may be too shimmery or too pigmented for you.
The Eye Shadow Palette is all kinds of gorgeous but very warm. I have been experimenting with warmer shades recently though and the palette from Becca is really stunning. I start with the medium matte mauve shade, then layer the ivory and gold, then use the deeper shades to contour – the effect is very pretty and soft without being too warm. Pigment for shimmers is rich while the mattes have a sheerer more natural finish but still offer smooth easy to blend coverage.
Bottom line everything is beautiful and worth checking out. The Becca Face Palette may be too glowy for some in which case I’d recommend you opt for the Tom Ford Afternooner which has a much softer effect but similar warm color scheme.
You can find the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection exclusively at Sephora. It launched online today 5/26 but everything is scheduled to launch in store by 6/16.
The Champagne Collection Face Palette and Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed were already purchased by me, however Becca also sent the entire collection for review consideration.
I love all things Edward Bess and his new Threads of Silk Multi-Use Powders ($45 each for 0.42 oz/12g) are beautifully crafted glowy powders with a lovely satin luminous finish. There are two shades Bellisima and Ciao and they have the most amazing woven pattern that has a mix of three shades in each compact. These are made in Italy and are infused with real silk which I think is incredible! I added a few snapshots from my trip to Italy last year. We visited a few cities and it was amazing. I hope to go back someday. They have a very unique texture – they are clearly powder and soft to the touch but the product is dense. It has a slightly hard texture although it’s not stiff and very easy to use and blend. Color is easy to pick up with a brush and apply to anywhere you want color – eyes, cheeks or temples.
The shimmer on both is visible – on the arm + flash the colors look like they could be frosty but they are not. I usually photograph my swatches with a flash and any light (whether it’s sunlight or flash) captures the complexity of the colors and catches the pearl particles. I did a quick look (scroll down) to show them on the eyes and cheeks and they have a very pretty sheen.
Bellisima is the more neutral nude option. It looks beautiful on the eyes as an all over wash – the bronzy tones makes for a nice lid contour. The pink adds a bit of warmth and depth. The ivory mix to it gives it a lovely sheen. On the cheeks it can pass on my medium skintone as a nude blush although it has a highlighter feel.
Ciao has a mix of warmer tones with a soft coral sheen. On my medium complexion I can wear it as a blush but it could also pass as a highlighter to add on top of bronzer or regular blush.
Since you may not be able to see these in person (they’re available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and QVC), I’ve included a lot of photos in different light. They glow depending on how the light hits these powders. I really recommend both of them.
A closer look at each powder with the individual shades swatched and then swirled. I like the effect you get when swirling the colors, plus the way the colors are woven together it’s almost impossible to not mix the shades:
Bottom line both winners. These are some of the prettiest most natural looking highlighter powders I’ve tried. If you want more of a traditional kind of highlighter, my holy grail cream highlighters are his All Over Seduction Highlighter (all three shades reviewed here). Both are multi-purpose wonders that you can use anywhere you want a glow. Lasting power was very good for both on me lasting from early morning until evening without fading or darkening. I love that they come in a large sturdy mirrored compact (same size as the Flawless Illusion Foundation swatched/reviewed here).
You can find both shades online at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and QVC. In store at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills and Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. If you can get to a counter I recommend it. The reps are very helpful and friendly.
Have you tried these yet? What did you think?
Many thanks to Edward Bess for sending me such beautiful items for review.
There’s a Clinique Bonus Gift with Purchase going on right now at Nordstrom through the end of the month which has some really cute items. With any $27 Clinique purchase you can get a 7 piece gift set that includes your pick of one Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer shade in Alabaster, Ivory, Neutral or Nutty (note you have to enter in a code at checkout).
There are also a few step up gift options – if you spend $55 a full-sized skincare product will be added to your cart online (or in store). When I bought mine in store last week there was the 7-Day Scrub Option available online and in stores. Right now it looks like they have the full size Moisture Surge as the step up online. (Options may also vary in store.)
Here’s what you get in the gift with $27 purchase:
Clinique Color Compact with two mini eyeshadows in Sunset Glow
Morning Java + Fig Blush
Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in Petal (0.12 oz/3.6 g)
Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer (0.17 fl oz/5 ml) – pick 1 of 4 shades
Swatches of the gift colors I picked out, Ivory is the match for me:
If you order online, be sure to enter one of four codes at checkout for the Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer shades, I swatched the four gift options at the counter in case you can’t get to one in person, I hope this helps as an online guide for you:
For Alabaster enter code LIGHT at checkout
For Ivory enter code LTMED at checkout
For Neutral enter code MED at checkout
For Nutty enter code DEEP at checkout
I re-stocked up on a few staples and took advantage of the step up to pick up some items I had been wanting to try for a while. The color pop items have been on my radar for a long time but I always forget to try them in store. I made a list before I went so I would not forget this round. What I ended up picking up:
Lid Pop Eyeshadow in Cream Pop is one of the prettiest golden nude shimmers, it has a unique cream to powder kind of finish that adheres well to the lids but doesn’t make them look dry
Cheek Pop Blush in Nude Pop has also been on my list for ages, it’s a good neutral warm nude that adds a bit of natural color without looking too dark, it has a very soft sheen
Pop Lip Color + Primer in Nude Pop and Beige Pop (yes, more neutrals!) are great wearable neutrals that add a natural hint of color and shine, I like that they didn’t dry out my lips and had no detectable taste or scent, there are a lot of other colors to choose from, I picked to to test out and really like the formula, Clinique also has two other formulas in the Pop Glaze Sheer and Pop Lacquers – I swatched a few briefly at the counter but decided to think about them
Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder (Oil Free) in Stay Neutral is something I used a long time ago but never repurchased, it’s a very natural matte powder that doesn’t look cakey and is good for touch ups, I like the price point too which I find reasonable for a good quality powder
High Impact Mascara in Black is also one of my oldie but goodie mascaras, there are so many different options from other brands, I often forget about my tried and true (do note if you haven’t tried this there is a mini in the gift with purchase)
Take the Day Off Makeup Remover is one of the most gentle makeup removers that will remove eye makeup without stinging my super sensitive eyes (the one I have shown is the 4.2 fl oz size), sometimes I can rub my eyes a bit too hard because waterproof mascara can be hard to remove, this one won’t sting, I just noticed that they now carry a Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm which has really good reviews online, let me know if you’ve tried this and you think it’s worth a go
Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlighter in Hefty Highlight has been on my wishlist for forever and I have gone back and forth trying to decide whether or not to buy it. It’s a very pale almost white shimmer straight out of the tube, but it blends out to a very natural glowy dewy sheen. I tested it out over the weekend and it held up very well, didn’t get greasy as the day progressed and did not emphasize pores. I like that it’s a twist up which makes it very easy to use and blend. I hope that Clinique makes more colors in this because I think the formula is great.
Swatches:
Swatches of the two lip items I picked up plus the gift lipstick (I’m wearing the gift with purchase Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer in Ivory in the photos below). Bare Pop has some visible shimmer while Nude Pop is more creamy:
If you’re ordering online don’t forget you need to enter the shade code for the Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer at checkout for it to be added to your cart, code options shown below. After swatching in store I thought Neutral would be my match but it was visibly darker than my skintone when I dabbed along my jawline. Ivory looks light but on my face it’s almost an exact match. Since it’s full coverage you do need to find the best match possible. I was impressed with the coverage – it covered all my blemish scars, dark spots and under eye circles without looking cakey or flat (just make sure you blend). Ivory is the tiniest bit too pink but I tested it out on several days and as long as I blended it onto the neckline it matched pretty well.
For Alabaster enter code LIGHT at checkout
For Ivory enter code LTMED at checkout
For Neutral enter code MED at checkout
For Nutty enter code DEEP at checkout
Do you have any Clinique favorites? I find the line has a lot of great staples! The Bonus Gift with Purchase is good with any Clinique purchase of $27+, online and in stores at Nordstrom while supplies last.
Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions my own, for more information you can refer to my Disclosures.
I signed up for the Play! by Sephora wait list several months ago and just received my first box for May 2016. For those not familiar with these boxes, Sephora launched a monthly subscription service and for $10 per month you will receive a box that has:
5 deluxe samples plus a fragrance bonus
a pamphlet they call Play! Book which has information on the box contents + tips and tricks
a card called Play! Pass which allows you to redeem a free one-on-one tutorial + bonus points with any product purchase during the same store visit
collectible makeup bag
Right now you can only subscribe online at Sephora.com/play – they have you sign up for a waitlist and once a spot opens they will send you an e-mail to claim a spot and join.
I have a first impressions look at the May 2016 Box contents as it just arrived in the mail a few days ago – eight sample-sized products come wrapped in a super cute drawstring pouch. It’s photographed above on my desktop to show the scale and size relative to other items.
A look at the contents below, as of right now I haven’t had a chance to try the items with the exception of the colors and perfume. I’m in the process of testing some other skincare items but once that is finished I’ll be diving into the samples from this box. Inside the May 2016 Box:
I’m happy with my first Play! by Sephora Box. I think it’s fun to get a surprise box of samples and it offers some things I would have never thought to try so the exploration part is fun. At this time I plan on keeping my subscription to see how it goes.
If you haven’t subscribed for these you can add your name to the wait list online at sephora.com/play – right now the only way to purchase a subscription is online. I’m not sure how long the wait is. I think I entered in my e-mail early in the year and received an e-mail that I was off the wait list in April. There’s a full page of FAQs here in case you have more questions.
I hope you enjoyed this first look at the Play! by Sephora Box 🙂 Have you signed up for it? If you were able to join earlier and have already received a few months of boxes what do you think? Would love to hear your thoughts!
It was hard to get swatches in sunlight because the orange and brightness flashed back making them all look the same. Note most of the Chanel shades have been discontinued (the ones with the names printed on the front are no longer made). All the shades below indeed look very similar, my thoughts on the difference between others to Espadrilles (previous reviews linked where applicable):
Chanel Mirabella is the lightest and almost has a cream-like feel, it has no red
I think it’s perfect for summer. It’s perfect for right now even though it’s still not yet summer. That being said you may want to shop your stash if you already own a lot of similar colors. It didn’t stop me from picking it up. That being said I don’t carry nail wheels or nail polishes with me to compare so I really didn’t know even though at a quick glance I knew there would be a decent chance I had something similar. The formula has improved over the older now-discontinued polishes. You can read two reviews on the new launches:
