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Mother’s Day Beauty Gift Guide

April 28, 2016

Mother’s Day is less than two weeks away which is just around the corner and I started my gift search a bit early this year. Shopping for gifts for my mom is one of the most challenging things ever because she usually says she has everything she wants. To this day she would rather have me make her a nice card rather than buy her something (she still has almost all the little drawings, paintings and clay sculptures I made when I was in grade school!). Gifting a basket of little beauty goodies has always worked in the past – she loves OPI nail polishes and anything new for lips is always fun to try out for her. I’ve teamed up with Ulta Beauty to create a Mother’s Day Gift Guide for both my mom and my mother in-law. They are on opposite sides of the color spectrum for skin tone, my mom has fair skin, dark hair and prefers cool tones. My mother-in-law has medium-tan skin, blonde hair and I’ve always seen her wear warm tones. Both are classic beauties in their own unique way – I thought my picking items for both based on different undertones it might also help give you ideas of what to gift to your mom!

I stopped by my local Ulta last week to check out the new launches and promotions going on. There are a lot of new beauty items that were released, but I usually discover something new everytime I visit the store. Right now they have a Spring Bag Gift with $40 Fragance Purchase which is a large tote and small zip pouch. Buying fragrance as a gift can be a bit tricky but the one scent I find that is a hit with everyone I know (at every age) is Philosophy Amazing Grace because it’s such a fresh and clean uplifting scent. Tote featured in this post is the Blue Gift With Fragrance Purchase Option, there are three colors to choose from:

http://rstyle.me/n/bn3iyvubf6

For Mother’s Day gifting ideas, Ulta has four gift categories by personality type including On Trend Mom, Natural Mom, On the Go Mom and Classic Mom. I feel like both of my moms could fit in a few of the categories – they both have a hybrid of classic or on-the-go personality.

First I picked up a few classics that I personally really like I thought would be great for them to try out. I bought 2x of each of these shown below, one for each mom.

The Lancome Eau Fra卯che Douceur Micellar Cleansing Water is a classic gentle but effective cleansing water good for a double cleanse or for quick makeup removal on days you are short on time. I like that it comes in a fairly large size and has a well-designed pump dispenser. Smashbox Photofinish Primer Water is something I discovered recently which doubles as a makeup priming spray to hydrate the skin or set makeup after application. It comes in a mini travel size which I think has enough to give it a thorough test drive. I think it’s a great multi-tasking product suitable for multiple skin types. I like to use it both ways as suggested and it’s a great face refresher.

For the face/cheeks Ulta has the Best of Becca Radiance Set which includes trial-sized minis of their best sellers for a natural luminous glow. The set is a steal at $32.50 and has Mineral blush in Flower Child, Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight Wand in Moonstone and a small Backlight Priming Filter. (I almost want to keep this one for myself! How cute is the backlight primer!) 

For eyes, I think deep plum tones look amazing as a liner no matter what skin tone or eye color you have. It’s softer than black, not quite as boring as brown, but still conservative enough to wear for everyday. The Urban Decay Naked 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner in Darkside/Blackheart has two shades of deep plum, each side has a different shimmer effect but nothing crazy.

For brows, the Anastasia Brow Wiz is one of the most highly rated brow pencils. I recently bought Medium Brown and find it really easy to use. There’s a handy shade guide in store and online to help you decide what color to try based on hair color. I bought Taupe for my mother-in-law and Medium Brown for my mom.
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For beauty picks for my mother-in-law I picked out warm tones. She has blonde hair and tan skin and I’ve always seen her in neutral to warm tones. I think my husband’s mother is really one of the coolest people I know and lucky to have a mother-in-law like her. Anyone who has twins (and twin boys at that) deserves a medal. I don’t think raising two boys at the same time is something I could ever handle – and she did a great job. Since these items are going to be gifts I wasn’t able to swatch anything. I do have reviews coming of the Becca Luminous Blushes though so stay tuned for a review in an upcoming post.

Shown below is the Tarte Tartlette 2 In Bloom Amazonian Clay Palette which has the most glorious combination of mattes, shimmers, neutral and warm shades. I swatched this one in store and each color has an ultra smooth texture. It has 9 matte shades and 3 shimmers which makes gives it a little sparkle but makes it still conservative enough for a classic beauty. It’s so gorgeous I am going to have to go back and buy one for myself.

Becca launched new Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blushes which are amazing in color and have serious pigment! Shown below is Snapdragon (pink) and Tigerlily (peach). These are literally what dreams are made of. They give the skin a luminous glow with a pretty flush of color. For those concerned about shimmer – they are on the shimmery side but are not overly frosted.

For nails OPI Bubble Bath is a neutral classic you can’t go wrong with. For the lips Tarte has new Double Duty products called The Lip Sculptor Double Ended Lipstick and Gloss – perfect for on-the-go. Below are two rosy shades in Voltage and Sass. I swatched these on my hand in store and the lipsticks were extemely soft and creamy.

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Up next are some cool tone beauty picks for my mom. She loves mauves and plums and brighter pinks for the lips. For eyes she likes to keep things simple but does like to add a bit of color. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear shimmer eyeshadow so I picked up the Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette for her. It also has ultra smooth shadows in a wide range of color options which seem to be neutral-cool. All of the colors are shades she would wear. For that matter I think they are shades I would wear too. For quick reference – I think these colors would suit a number of skin tones and under tones but she has fair skin, pink undertones, dark hair and dark eyes.

For cheeks she likes pinks and mauves that are soft but add life to the complexion. When I was younger she would always tell me I needed more color and dab some of her lipstick on my cheeks as a bit of a stain. Urban Decay Afterglow Powder Blush in Fetish is a soft mauve plum pink without any shimmer while Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Blush in Camelia has a luminous glow which is more pink and brightening.

For the nails I picked up OPI California Raspberry which is a bright shimmering fuchsia and for the lips also from the Double Duty line, I picked up the Tarte The Lip Sculptor Double Ended Lipstick and Gloss in VIP and Renegade.

If you’re searching for some beauty gifts for Mother’s Day I hope you this roundup gave you a few ideas! There are a lot of options to pick from in skincare, makeup, hair care, fragrance and beauty tools – many of which are budget friendly. These days there are so many brands to pick from at Ulta Beauty including Anastasia, Buxom, Benefit, OPI, Lancome, Becca, Tarte and Essie etc. Everytime I go in store I find I discover something new.

I shopped for my mom and mother-in-law but found a few items I think I’m going to have to pick up for myself in the next week, mainly one or both of the Tarte Eyeshadow Palettes. If you’ve tried them what did you think? Do you have any gifts planned for Mother’s Day this year? Would love to hear your ideas or plans whether it’s beauty or non-beauty related!

If you’re a mom – do you have anything on your wishlist for Mother’s Day?

Created in partnership with Ulta Beauty. Many thanks to the team for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions my own.

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Highlighters

A Look at the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder, Pure Powder Glow + Celestial Powder

April 27, 2016

I’ve been slowly getting more into items from the Kevyn Aucoin beauty line. I’ve been a huge fan of the Celestial Powder in Starlight and the Lip Gloss in Starlight (reviewed here and here). The Pure Powder Glow Blushes are something that have been on my radar for ages and I was really excited to finally play with a few of the shades. As mentioned in a few previous posts I had high hopes for the Sculpting Powder in Medium as it’s one of the most raved about contouring/sculpting powders in the beauty market. It did not work for my skintone but there have been two color additions to the formula in Light and Deep. Light works perfectly for my medium-olive toned skin.

I have a quick look at six shades from Kevyn Aucoin in the Sculpting Powder, Pure Powder Glow + Celestial Powder. If you’re shopping online for any of these, don’t forget to take advantage of the special promo code Space NK US created for Beauty Look Book readers. Use code BEAUTYLB16 at checkout to save $20 off online orders of $100 or more (through May 1st). All the details in this post here.

The Celestial Powders ($44 each) are finely milled ultra smooth highlighters. Candlelight is one of those products that has reached cult-status and is extremely popular. I think I’m one of the few people who find it turns white on my face – it looks amazing in the pan, swatched on the arm or applied on the eyes. On my cheeks it almost looks chalky but note that I am in the minority with this one. My preference is for Starlight which is a soft champagne pink. I find Starlight to be more shimmery than Candlelight, but it’s not too shimmery. The pink/peach undertones make it much softer on my olive skin. If you prefer liquids, they have these colors in the Celestial Liquid formula, both swatched in this post here.

The Sculpting Powders ($44 each) are matte shaping/sculpting/contour powders. Medium was the first shade launched and for many years it was the only option. It’s a soft cool-toned matte that didn’t work on my skin because it was too cool-toned and slightly too dark creating a muddy look on me. Light and Deep are the newest additions. I tried out Light which in the swatch above is similar in undertone but the slight variation and lightness of color works so much better on my skintone. It creates a more natural looking shadow on areas I want to add depth whether it’s the eyes, nose or cheeks. If you need contouring powders with warmth I would recommend skipping any in the Kevyn Aucoin line as they are all very cool-toned.

The Pure Powder Glow ($37 each) is a powder blush. The formula is very soft in texture which makes it easy to apply, blend and build. There are shimmers and mattes, both formulas look incredibly natural and meld with the skin beautifully so it doesn’t look powdery. I’ve been so impressed with the three that I’ve tried. Ariana is the perfect neutral coral that adds natural warmth. Shadore is a powder pink that brightens the face. Natural is a really great neutral pinky-brown that won’t look muddy or darken on the skin. They look very simple in the pan and if you swatch them with your fingers I have to admit they look pretty standard – you can probably find dupes in other lines like MAC, Bobbi Brown or even Urban Decay, so color-wise I wouldn’t say that I find them unique. That being said the formula works really well and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. (I found that some blushes like Bobbi Brown cause tiny little bumps to form on my cheeks.) If you’re looking for a good everyday kind of color that’s easy to use and requires little thinking on how to coordinate, you can’t go wrong with any of the ones swatched above.

There are quite a few options on the market for all three types of powders. I think the ones from Kevyn Aucoin are great everyday shades that are very wearable for the conservative makeup-wearer who wants no-fuss kind of makeup. They apply on the skin smoothly, don’t oxidize on the face and they last all day without budging. A few thoughts on other ones I’ve tested and how they compare to other brands/formulas.

Celestial Powders

Sculpting Powders

Pure Powder Glow
  • If you like matte blushes that won’t darken, I think the ones from Kevyn Aucoin are really among the best I’ve tried.
  • If you want more unique and interesting colors that are still natural, opt for the Urban Decay UD x Gwen Blush Palette.
  • If you want contour + blush in a single palette for convenience, go for the By Terry Sun Designer Palettes.
  • If you want similar colors to the ones featured but want them at a cheaper price, MAC Pink Swoon will give you a similar look to Shadore, MAC Prism will give you a similar look to Natura (but without the shimmer), Ariana is quite unique compared to what I have, MAC Peaches is the closest one I have but the MAC is slightly brighter.
I hope you found this review helpful if you were wondering about the Kevyn Aucoin face powders. They do come with a fairly steep price tag but the quality is on point and I think they are products anyone will get regular use out of. Have you tried any blushes, highlighters or contour powders from Kevyn Aucoin yet? If so which ones? If you have recommendations for anything else in the line please share in the comments!

Ariana, Natura, Shadore and Light provided courtesy of Space NK for the Explore Promotion. Starlight, Candlelight and Medium purchased by me.
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On My Radar Sales

Five Things

April 26, 2016

I have a quick roundup of five things I wanted to share today including a few sales and promo codes. I’m working on a few posts on new launches that I can’t share quite yet but I’m really excited so stay tuned! A few things on my radar:
  1. MAC just launched extensions of their Pro Palettes in new sizes of compacts and inserts! For the compacts there is now a Pro-Palette Small (rectangular option) and Pro-Palette Medium (square). I picked up one of the medium sizes, a blush insert and eyeshadow insert and put in my own pans that I had from my current collection. This is perfect to carry on-the-go or for travel because you can now mix and match products and inserts. A full review to follow soon!
  2. For a limited time Benefit has a Personalized Hoola Bronzer option for $34 (available through the end of the month). It does cost a bit more than the regular Hoola Bronzer which is $29, but it can make a super cute gift. I was sent a personalized one from the Benefit team and think it’s pretty neat that my name is engraved on it!
  3. Urban Decay Lipsticks are all on sale at Sephora.com – the Matte Revolution, Sheer Revolution and regular Revolution Lipsticks are all marked down to $11. I’m not sure if this means they are discontinuing the formula or if they’re simply on sale. In case you had any of these on your radar – you can save 50% on these right now 馃檪
  4. Tatcha is offering a deluxe travel size of the Pore Perfecting Sunscreen SPF 35 with any purchase of $100 or more on Tatcha.com with the code SPFMINI (through 4/28), it’s one of my favorite sunscreen formulas, so if you’re shopping online this week be sure to take advantage of the code before it expires.
  5. After I posted my Diptyque Favorites roundup, so many of you have asked me to keep you in the loop on Diptyque deals or promos that I know about. I’ll do my best to share when I find out anything, for right now:
    • You can still save $20 off orders of $100+ online at Space NK (US) with code BEAUTYLB16 through May 1st.
    • Two other codes that came through my in-box are from Diptyque (US online only at Diptyqueparis.com):
      • Code MOM with any $75+ order will provide a complimentary 35g Geranium Rosa Candle
      • Code SPRING with any $150+ order is good for a Choisya 35g candle + three 2ml Eau de Toilettes. Indulge in L鈥橭mbe dans L鈥橢au, Florabellio and Do Son
Hope you find some of these helpful! Any good sales, deals or new launches on your radar this week? If yes please share in the comments 馃檪

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Eye Makeup Sephora

Viseart Theory Palettes: Minx, Chroma and Cashmere

April 25, 2016

Viseart launched three new eyeshadow palettes called Theory Palettes ($45 each for 0.42 oz, available at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora). I was able to get a preview of these at The Makeup Show back in March. I had high hopes that I could purchase them at the show but they only had testers to play with so I pre-ordered them and was excited when they finally arrived for me to play with. There are three color options and I ordered all three. Each option comes in a compact cardboard flip top packaging with a magnetic closure. Each palette has 6 colors (3 matte finish, 3 shimmers) with removable magnetic pans. Shown below from left to right:
  • Chroma is the cool-toned option with a pale sheer white, medium-dark charcoal, deep matte black, shimmering cool silver-taupe, shimmering cool steel, shimmering gunmetal
  • Cashmere is the neutral palette with a light-medium cream beige, medium coffee brown, deep matte brown, shimmering champagne, shimmering soft neutral-cool tan, shimmering medium cool-taupe
  • Minx is the warmest option with a matte camel, warm sienna brown, warm deep reddish brown matte, shimmering golden sand, shimmering orange, shimmering plum red

All three have extremely good pigment. Finishes and textures are similar to that of the shadows in the 12 Pan Palettes (Neutral Matte and Sultry Muse reviewed here). The mattes are on the hard side but apply smoothly and blend easily. The shimmers are buttery soft and powdery but blend with incredible ease. All the colors are easy to work with and layer together – you can mix shades between palettes or for convenience stick with the shades in a single palette.

A quick look at the packaging – at the show, Viseart founder Anastasia Van Dusen demonstrated how the packaging is designed with certain folds and closures so you can hold them in your hand like an artists palette (as shown in the top photograph) which I found quite clever. Below the new Theory Palettes next to the 12 Pan Palettes.

A closer look at the palettes plus a few comparison swatches. First a look at the palettes in different lighting, first is without flash but in direct sunlight:

 In natural indoor light:

Chroma is the cool-toned option perfect for that traditional gunmetal smokey eye look.

Swatched below next to Tom Ford Titanium Smoke which I find similar in color. I’ve found Titanium Smoke to be a staple as far as traditional smokey eye palettes go. For my coloring I find it hard to wear cool-toned whites, greys and silvers all over the eye because they end up looking ashy on my skin. Viseart Chroma has a more conservative feel while the shades in Tom Ford’s have more glitz (two of the shades are very sparkly/almost glitters).

Chroma works on my skin as long as I use the two lightest shades with a light hand. I prefer a warmer base for the lighter colors and like to work the darker cool-tones on top. Chroma performs really well – I just can’t wear cool-tones easily. Out of the two, I can’t pick a favorite.

Cashmere is the neutral option, but on my skintone it actually pulls more cool-toned. Many neutral palettes look simply that – neutral on most skintones, but when I apply them on mine they pull cool. Out of the three this is my favorite option.

Below compared to Urban Decay Naked Basics (one of my top 2 matte palettes, the other being Naked2 Basics) and Tom Ford Nude Dip (one of my top picks for neutral shimmers). My heart still belongs to both the UD and TF ones – they work perfectly with my coloring and as you can see they really pull more neutral on my skintone while the Viseart Cashmere pulls a bit more cool-toned in the swatches.

Although Cashmere may seem like a repeat of other shades, I do think if there’s any out of the three I would call a must, Cashmere would be it. It offers the best of both worlds in terms of mattes and shimmers. It has enough color to show up on the lids and there is enough difference in the colors that they won’t all look the same if you apply all 6 on the eyes.

Minx is the most stunning option out of the three – the colors are absolutely breathtaking. I’m learning to wear orange shadows so this one has taken me a bit of work to learn how to use. I really like it so far though.

Below compared to Tom Ford Honeymoon and Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita. By comparing all three, there are 2 shades in Viseart Minx that are almost identical to Tom Ford Honeymoon. I think Viseart Minx is very different from the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita but the overall color theme seems to have a similar vibe.

One final look at the palette packaging:

I think all three are solid performers. The colors are well coordinated for an easy look depending on your color preferences, cool, neutral or warm. I like that they each offer a wide range from light to medium to deep colors and especially like the fact they each have 3 mattes and 3 shimmers. It makes it very convenient to create a wide range of looks without being overwhelming like palettes with more than 6 shades can be. Out of all the Viseart Palettes I’ve tried (which is 5 to date), I still think Sultry Muse has the most special place in my heart. As mentioned in my previous review, if you have been wanting to try Viseart Palettes but get overwhelmed with eyeshadow palettes that have more than 6 shades, these are the perfect way to start.
I’ve been playing with the shades in each of the palettes – sticking to combinations within each palette. I’ve found that they work best when layered over a creamy base like Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks or Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base. They work well with a dry or slightly damp brush on the eyes. Lasting power is excellent – they last all day without fall out or fading. As with most powder shadows there will be a tiny bit of fall out when you apply them – but it’s easy to clean up.

As shown above in the comparison swatches you may find similar shades in your collection (even if you don’t have the palettes shown) so you may want to shop your stash. I hope the swatches and reviews help you make your ordering decisions since at this time I think you can only find these online. Even though I have dupes I have no regrets buying any. If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped Chroma, but I knew after swatching it at The Makeup Show there would be a really good chance it would pull very cool-toned on my skin.

You can find the Viseart Theory Palettes online now exclusively at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora. I hope they will be available at more locations soon.

Have you tried these yet? If so what did you think?

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Roundup

My Favorite At-Home Pamper Essentials

April 22, 2016

I have a roundup of things I wanted to share that I find best for at-home pampering. I try to take care of my skin on a daily basis but try to give it extra care on the weekends – kinda like doing a DIY at home spa session for a good reset or cleanse. There are a few body products I’ve been meaning to write about for a while – ones I found well worth the splurge. I’ve included several recommendations by category – there’s no one product fits all so I’ve tried to cover a variety of options in case you’re looking for something specific whether it’s to purify skin, firm the skin, etc.

Cleansers


  • Cle de Peau Beaute Synactif Soap is probably one of the most expensive face cleansing products I’ve ever bought. I’ve gone through 4 of these – I probably would have purchased more if it came with a cheaper price tag. It gives the skin a very thorough cleanse without leaving a film. It cleans out all the pores and leaves skin feeling squeaky clean. When I feel like my face is getting clogged this helps clear up the complexion. With daily use 2x a day a single bar lasts about 4 months.
  • Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser has been mentioned before in my spring cleanser roundup. I really can’t rave enough about this – I used mine up so I stocked up on a few more during the Sephora sale earlier this month. It cleanses the skin and helps keep it clear but gentle enough for daily use.
  • Ole Henriksen Empower Foaming Milk Cleanser (c/o) is a super gentle milk cleanser that won’t leave a film. I really don’t like milk cleansers because I often find them too rich for my skin type and they rarely leave my face feeling fully clean. A few of you mentioned you have really sensitive skin – this is a good one to try. It does give the face a good cleanse without drying it out. I still do a double cleanse with this one in the evenings (I remove all my makeup first with a cleansing oil or cleansing water), but in the morning it’s perfect to use alone.
  • Glamglow Supercleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser is one of my favorite purifying cleansers. I’ve gone through several bottles and it’s one I keep going to. In hot summer months I can use this daily (usually in the late afternoon or evenings, or post work out), for now I like to use it weekly to help give the skin a thorough cleanse. It helps reduce redness and irritation too.

Masks


  • Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment is hands down one of the most effective clearing face masks. It does have a tingle feeling when you apply it but it’s not too strong and doesn’t irritate the skin. It sucks out impurities and leaves the skin feeling super firm and tight.
  • Glamglow Gravitymud Firming Treatment is one of the newer masks from Glamglow. This one you leave on the face for 20-30 minutes and peel off. I normally don’t like masks that require more than 15 minutes of application because I’m super impatient with skincare, but this one is worth the extra time. It is more on the gentle side for a firming mask and I feel like the effects are more immediate vs. long-term, but it does leave the skin feeling super firm and lifted.
  • Aesop Parsley Seed Mask is the best purifying mask for my sensitive skin. It dries up the gunk in your skin and leaves it feeling thoroughly clean and tight. Many have mentioned to me that their skin cannot handle the Glamglow because they find it too harsh. If that is the case and you still want a purifying mask to draw out impurities, try the Aesop.
  • Kate Somerville Eradikate is one of the most gentle acne-clearing masks. It works in a similar way to the other clarifying masks mentioned above but is super gentle and non-irritating. It won’t leave the skin feeling tight. It’s gentle enough to use daily – I wouldn’t recommend using it every single day, but on weeks where I have some breakouts, I use this nightly for about 4-5 nights and it really helps clear up the skin.
Body

I usually don’t splurge on body products. I typically keep things simple with L’Occitane or Nuxe, but I’ve discovered some new-to-me things that I am really excited to share with you.


  • Chanel Fresh Body Cream is something I’m beyond obsessed with. It’s one of the most expensive body products I’ve ever bought and it’s a bit hard to find (you can’t find it at all counters). You can basically find this at any store or counter that sells the Exclusifs Fragrances. It’s a super gentle body cream that smells really fresh but won’t interfere with perfumes. I like to use this at night before bed because I have a sensitive nose and scents sometimes prevent me from falling asleep. This one is soothing enough that it doesn’t interfere with my sleep. It’s hydrating and non-greasy. I will keep repurchasing this one for as long as they make it.
  • Byredo Bal D’Afrique Body Cream is another pricey splurge but I adore the Bal D’Afrique scent I had to try it in the body cream. This one is super emollient and has a body butter feel which is super lush. A little goes a long way and the moisture lingers for an emollient feel. You can definitely feel the moisture after you apply but it’s not greasy. That being said if you need a body product to have a dry-down you may find this too rich.
  • L’Occitane Shea Butter Extra Gentle Lotion for Hands and Body is another favorite. I’ve featured this a few times in past years. It has all the moisturizing and soothing qualities of items from the regular Shea line but it’s lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly. Anytime I have irritation or flare ups – I use this and skin is instantly soothed. I love that it’s non greasy, gentle, but effective.
  • NARS Monoii Body Glow II is the ultimate scented tiare body oil that makes you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation. It lifts the mood instantly and absorbs quickly into the skin. There’s no greasy feel or residue after it’s absorbed into the skin. I’m about 99% happy with this one – if it came with a pump dispenser it would be perfect.
Home Fragrance


  • Lumira Travel Candles (c/o) are super compact and cute, I love having a few scattered around the house to burn. To date I don’t think I’ve brought a candle with me while I travel but there are times when I have traveled that I wish I had one with me. I’m trying my best to save the mini ones for my next trip. My favorite from their line is the Tahitian Coconut.
  • Lumira Mini Destinations Box Set (c/o) launched over the holiday a boxed trio of the most popular scents from the line in Tuscan Fig, Cuban Tobacco, Persian Rose. I just finally started burning Tuscan Fig today – it’s amazing and smells of sweet figs (Diptyque’s Figuier by comparison is greener). Top notes are fig leaves and fig tree, middle notes are blackcurrant and cedarwood, base is iris and musk.
  • Diptyque Gingembre Room Spray (c/o) was reviewed a month ago (I can’t believe an entire month has gone by). I won’t repeat the review but it’s a really nice bright and cheery kind of home scent.
  • Diptyque Colored Candle in Baies (c/o) is a classic. The larger size gives this one a stronger throw compared to the smaller ones. Don’t forget if you have any Diptyque on your wishlist you can save online at Space NK US by using my special promo code through May 1st.

Lips
I have very sensitive lips when it comes to lip treatments. There are quite a few very popular options that make my lips go numb (Kiehl’s, CO Bigelow, Chapstick etc.) so that may give you an idea of just how sensitive they are. The ones below are Beauty Look Book approved. Of course it’s not a list of all the ones I’ve tested or like, but ones I like most for right now.


  • Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm is a great lip treatments that is also affordable. It’s emollient and I love the simple classic squeeze tube packaging.
  • Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed is my current favorite for the most moisturizing lip treatment to help with dry or cracked lips (swatched in this post here and here).
  • AmorePacific Moisture Bound Lip Treatment is one I just used up (review from winter in this post here), it’s the best scent and taste-free lip treatment I’ve tried. Most others have some kind of scent or flavor. If you’re really sensitive to any scent, I’d recommend you try this one.
  • By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in Coral Stellar is one of the prettiest tinted lip treatments I’ve tried. Review + swatches here. It’s worth the splurge.
  • Chanel Hydra Beauty Nourishing Lip Care is a good lip treatment but I do think it’s overpriced for what you get. That being said I’ve never regretted buying this one and if you’re willing to splurge it’s a good gentle one that always soothes my lips. (More on this compared to others in this post here.)
If you’re looking for something to help reset the skin, calm the complexion or give your body an extra boost of moisture, I hope you found this roundup helpful! I have super sensitive skin and there are some body lotions and creams that cause an immediate allergic reaction (I always do a patch test first). If a good purifying mask is what you have been looking for but want something suitable for sensitive skin I hope the recs above help you find something gentle enough for your skin type!

What are your favorite at-home pampering products? I really love hearing about your favorites. So many of you have recommended some great things for me to try. I’m pretty set on masks but I do have my eye on a few sheet masks. I’m intrigued by mainly the two from La Mer – if you’ve tried them should I go for the Brightening Facial Masks or Hydrating Sheet Masks? Or should I wait for the Eve Lom Brightening Sheet Mask to launch in the US?

I hope you had a great week! Enjoy the weekend 馃檪

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Highlighters MAC

Future M路A路C Review – Mineralize Skinfinish, Mineralize Eye Shadow x4, Lustre Drops, Mineralize Rich Lipstick and Lipglass

April 21, 2016

MAC launched a new Mineralize Collection called Future M路A路C a few weeks ago. I have a few items I’ve been playing with for a few days now, some are press samples and a couple items I picked up from my local MAC counter. The theme of this collection is light and airy with a glowy futuristic feel. In past years I feel like you could simply blink once and find that almost everything from a MAC collection sold out within seconds or minutes of launching. I’m happy to see that items are still available for a while even if they are limited-edition. Today I’m reviewing some items including:
Up first is the Mineralize Eye Shadow x4 in Nano-Nude. This is my first time trying the Mineralize Eyeshadows so I did not know what to expect. I found all four shades in this palette to be very smooth and natural-looking. They do appear to have a baked formula which in general I’m not a fan of, but I was pleasantly surprised by how soft and smooth these were. The colors overall are on the light side and are sheer-to-medium in pigment. If you are looking for a no-makeup makeup look for the eye this is a good one. If you need color payoff or pigment you will be disappointed. Since I haven’t tried this formula before I don’t know if the color payoff in this one is typical or on the sheer side.

Left side is all four shades layered, right side swatch is the mattes only:

Next up are three lip items. I’ve never tried a Mineralize Rich Lipstick before on the lips although I’ve swatched them on my hand in store before. Cybernaut is a pale pink that does not work my natural lip tone. It’s such a gorgeous soft pink in the tube but I can’t wear these kinds of colors without looking washed out. Texture is smooth and it felt slightly hydrating on the lips.
For the Mineralize Lipglass I’ve tried a couple non-shimmer shades before. I like the formula for a very lush-looking high shine with a cushiony feel. The ones I have are medium-to-sheer but I found the two I tried from Future MAC extra sheer. The Zone is the prettiest nude-rose-taupe shimmer, on the lips it’s sheer to medium in coverage that gives the lips a pretty your-lips-but-better kind of look. If you know of a lipstick this color please let me know because I think it would be amazing. Telegenius is sheer on my lips. It’s a pretty iridescent pinky peach in the tube but only looks like transparent shine on my lips. I personally wish it had better color payoff – but that being said it can make a great layering gloss and I really like how smooth and lush it makes the lips look without feeling tacky.

The last bits of this review focus on three face/cheek products. I’m a huge fan of Mineralize Skinfinishes in general. Warm Rose is quite different from any other MSF I’ve tried. It’s got a very powdery texture with a lot of kick-off powder. Finish is not as shimmery as most that I’ve tried, on me it worked as an all over setting powder for a soft translucent finish. It works right now but I suspect if I get any darker it won’t work all over the face. There is a tiny bit of shimmer in the powder but it’s not visible on the face (at least on me).

Otherearthly is all kinds of gorgeous. If you splurge on one thing from the collection try this one. It has mix of three colors including a peachy copper champagne, a shimmering pink and cool silver. I found the colors have enough separation to be able to dip a large eyeshadow brush into each section to apply separately. When swirled together with a duo fibre brush or blush brush the result is a really pretty glowy champagne peach with silver pearl mixed in. It gives a wonderful glow that isn’t overly shimmery or frosty.

The Barbados Girl Lustre Drops is something that has been on my radar for quite some time. It’s been launched with previous collections as a limited-edition item and this is the first time I’ve been able to play with it (it sold out in previous launches). It’s a shimmering golden peach tan with gold/silvery flecks. This one gives the skin a slight tint of color but I mostly see shimmer on the skin. If you’re a fan of the color but don’t want sparkle flecks, I recommend opting for Tom Ford Fire Lust instead.

Out of everything I tested I think the best items include the Mineralize Skinfinish in Otherearthly and Mineralize Lipglass in The Zone. The other items performed well in terms of quality and texture – the colors just aren’t really suited to my personal taste. I was really interested in the two Mineralize Blushes with this collection in Cosmic Force and Raybeam – I played with them at the counter and although they are really pretty, I felt they would be too light for my skintone right now.

Most of the items in the Future M路A路C are limited-edition (at least the items shown in this review) so if you have anything on your list I recommend checking the items out sooner than later. You can find them at all MAC counters right now. Online at MAC, Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

Did you check out anything from the collection? What did you think?

Press samples include items with c/o listed next to the name in the top listing. Other items purchased by me.

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Chanel

New Chanel Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadows and La Palette Sourcils de Chanel Brow Powder Duos

April 20, 2016

Chanel launched some new shades of their Stylo Eyeshadows ($34 each) and two new brow palettes called La Palette Sourcils de Chanel ($50 each) both part of the Eyes Speak Volumes Collection which focuses on adding some color and definition to the eyes in an almost minimal way. I ordered three of the five Stylo Eyeshadow Fresh Effect Shadow Sticks in Brun Ch芒tain, Beige Dor茅, Rose P茅tale (all limited-edition, all shimmery) and Chanel sent the two Brow Powder Duos in Naturel and Brun for me to try out.

Up first are the two new La Palette Sourcils de Chanel.
I’ve never tried the brow compacts from Chanel before or actually any
brow compact in general. I’m more of a pencil or tinted brow gel kind of
girl and when it comes to grooming or technique my brow game is super
weak. I usually brush them with the By Terry Brow Mascara or use the Diorshow Brow Styler
because even a brow novice like myself can’t mess them up. I have
tested a number of brow powders, pencils, waxes – so many artists have
shown me how to use them and even though I try at home, I keep going
back to my two basics. I have dark hair which is almost black but does
have quite a bit of natural red undertone. My brows are a lot lighter in
color so powders often either look too grey, too red or too black.

When
the new Brow Powder Duos arrived for me to play with I did not know
what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. There are two options
Naturel 40 is the lighter version and Brun 50 is the deeper duo. Each
one comes cased in the lacquered black mirrored compact with the most
adorable tools I have ever seen. They are miniature and very tiny but
not so tiny they slip out of the hands. 

Both duos come
with a lighter color and one slightly deeper to customize the color.
The texture of the powders is very hard and stiff so you need a stiff
dense brush for application. The tiny one that comes in the compact is
one of the stiffest brushes I have ever tried and it worked quite well
to pick up product and apply to the brows. I tested both duos – Naturel
40 is better for me for everyday but lighter brow colors often don’t
show up well on camera. Brun 50 is the deeper option and matches my hair
more closely but I found it a bit too deep. I think I could have gone
with either one – it’s just a matter of preference that I prefer more
natural brows.

The powder adhered really well to the
brows and stayed put all day. The whole compact is perfect for quick and
easy application for a natural look to add noticeable but soft
definition. The tools are tiny and while they aren’t the same as a full-sized angled brush or regular set of tweezers, perform well enough for quick fixes and grooming.

Up next are three Stylo Eyeshadows in Brun Ch芒tain, Beige Dor茅, Rose P茅tale. I ordered these sight unseen and picked out the shades I thought I would reach for the most. I’ve been a fan of the Fresh Effect Eyeshadow Sticks in other colors. They offer a really pretty shimmer and have a unique smooth cooling effect when you apply them to the lids. I also find they stay on for a long time.

Brun Ch芒tain is a shimmering neutral-cool brown. Beige Dor茅 is a pale shimmering yellow gold. When I saw this one I thought it would be too yellow but it’s actually my favorite of the three. It’s pale enough to add a bit of highlight on the lids with the perfect mix of yellow/gold/white shimmers to give the eyes a natural glow. Rose P茅tale is such a pretty pale pink in the tube, unfortunately, like many Chanel pinks, it gives me the pink-eye kind of look when worn alone. It is workable if mixed with other colors, but had I seen or tested it first I probably would have skipped.

Quick eye swatches, these were taken with a flash to show the sheen/shimmer. As a result the colors are a bit washed out and I don’t know if you can even tell there is brow product, but hopefully this will give you an idea of what they look like.

The Brow Duos exceeded my expecations. As one who is really timid when it comes to applying product on my brows both duos are great for the person who wants definition in a natural soft kind of way. The colors are easy to apply and also easy to build and impossible to overdo. If you like a strong brow you may find these are too soft for you, but I give them a thumbs up. For the Stylo Eyeshadows I think Beige Dore is the best color out of the ones I tried. Brun Chatain is a nice neutral that I thought I would really love – I do think it’s a great everyday kind of color but feel previously launched colors like Caroube were a bit more special.

The Stylo Eyeshadows and La Palette Sourcils de Chanel are both available at Chanel.com and all Chanel retailers. As of right now the eyeshadow sticks are all listed as limited-edition shades.

Have you tried anything from this collection yet? If not what’s your favorite brow product?

Brow Duos sent courtesy of Chanel for review consideration. Eyeshadows purchased by me from Nordstrom.

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