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Sabrina

Bronzer + Blush Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Summer 2016 Color Collection – My Picks

May 9, 2016

The NARS Summer Collection for 2016 launched a few weeks ago and it features some of the prettiest soft natural colors for a summer theme and the neutral-beauty lover in me is beyond thrilled. I received a few press samples and also purchased a couple items to review. The colors I picked out for the most part are very different from the traditional bright, bold or bronze shades we see for summer collections, but they are shades you can wear year round. The colors are easy to wear and can be mixed with bolder brighter shades. Colors featured above include:
  • Dual Intensity Blush in Sexual Content $45 (c/o) has a soft peach and light mauve pink shimmer, I feel like I’ve been searching for a blush combo like this for my whole life, it has a very natural looking shimmer and I am a bit bummed it’s limited-edition, I will be buying a backup of this one, it’s a nude pink/peach on the cheeks that shows up on my medium skin, pigment is really rich but in a natural way
  • Dual Intensity Blush in Liberation $45 (c/o) is a shimmering light pink and medium rose with warm tones, the shimmer is a bit more visible on this one compared to the lighter summer option, but it’s not overly frosted, this one pulls a bit warmer on my skin but doesn’t turn orangey, finish is smooth and doesn’t emphasize pores
  • Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Topless $29 (c/o) is a light seashell pink with a very natural sheen, it has smooth pigment and is easy to blend, I would say pigment is medium but can be sheered out, shimmer is visible but it has a natural looking shimmer
  • Lip Cover in Get Dirty $28 is a new formula which is like a liquid lipstick, these are full coverage creamy lip colors that have a soft sheen in the finish, but have a velvety feel, Get Dirty is a medium warm rose, it almost looks peachy on me
  • Lip Cover in Overheated $28 is a full coverage dusty rose, it’s cooler-toned than Get Dirty, the color looks darker swatched on the arm compared to the way it looks once on my lips, but it’s still a medium toned neutral

A closer look at the shades plus swatch comparisons:

Comparison Set 1:

Comparison Set 2:
NARS Velvet Shadow Stick in Goddess (review here) 
NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows in Andromeda and Europa (review here)

Comparison Set 3:
NARS Audacious Lipstick in Barbara (lip swatch here)
By Terry Velvet Rouge #1
Buxom Wildly Whipped Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold
Urban Decay High Color Lipgloss in Kinky
MAC Lipglass in Lust
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Kristen
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Stripped

A quick look per request with the warmer shades, Becca Aqualuminous in Beige is on the skin, for color it’s NARS Topless Dual Intensity Eyeshadow, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette (mix of colors), NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Liberation both shades mixed and blended, NARS Lip Cover in Get Dirty.

All the colors are shades I want to wear everyday. I think the Dual Intensity Blush in Sexual Content is one of the prettiest neutrals for blush that I’ve ever seen. I am thrilled it’s on the nude side but still shows up on the skin. Liberation is also a very pretty combination that is wearable. It has a softer feel compared to Fervor. For those new to the Dual Intensity formula – they are really very unique, it’s like a hybrid powder and cream with a smooth texture that adheres well to the skin. They glide on like creams but aren’t really like traditional emollient creams. Most of the items for eyes and cheeks are all shimmery – but there are varying degrees of shimmer. The colors in the summer collection have a softer shimmer compared to some other shades. Lasting power is excellent for my normal/combination skin and the shades don’t emphasize pores.

For the Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Topless, I though it would be almost identical to Andromeda or Europa, but it has enough shimmer and a different base to justify owning if you already have the other two. Tom Ford Opale by comparison is similar, but NARS Topless has a bit more pink.
For the lips I really like the new Lip Cover formula but it is extremely opaque so if your lips have any dry flakes or patches they will show up with this one, but it would be the case with any full coverage opaque lipstick. The colors are full coverage but not heavy feeling and they stayed with impressive lasting power. I would have preferred a clear packaging for the base like the Lip Gloss formulas so I can see the color inside rather than having to look at the labels but it’s not a deal breaker. I love both colors but if I had to pick just one, I would say I have a slight preference for Overheated.

I am really happy with all the items I’ve tried. I feel both blushes are back-up worthy because I haven’t found colors with the same color, quality and shimmer – to me they are both very unique and absolutely perfect.
You can find the NARS Summer Collection now at all NARS counters and stores. The entire collection is limited-edition so I do recommend ordering sooner than later. Available online at NARS, Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York and all other NARS retailers.
Press samples include the Dual Intensity color items. Lip products purchased by me.
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Becca Bronzer + Blush

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blush

May 6, 2016

Becca’s latest is the new Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blush ($34 each for 6 g / 0.2 oz). There are six bright colorful shades – all with impressive pigment, smooth blendable textures and the most beautiful luminous glow that I have ever seen. Blush is one of my favorite beauty products because I think it’s the one thing that can really give the face life by adding a bit of color – the Luminous Blushes from Becca are extremely unique in formula. They are almost creamy even though they are clearly powders. One swipe gives impressive pigment which usually would scare me but even if you accidentally pop on too much with the first swipe, the color is super easy to blend out or buff out for a smooth glow. With so many pigmented blushes you have to apply with a very light hand because the pigment adheres to the skin upon impact. I would say the same thing applies with the Becca – apply with a lighter hand and layer for the desired intensity, but I was really impressed with how easy to blend they are, but even after you blend the blushes still maintain their color and pigment without fading away.

Some of the blushes themselves appear to have a fine mist of overspray which makes them look very glowy in the pan brand new. The overspray is very fine – almost transparent because once it’s removed you still see the same color of blush underneath, just not as much sparkle. I noticed it with Camellia – the lightest option. At first glance it’s a gasp-worthy baby pink, but the sparkle had me worried that it would emphasize pores, make me look like a disco ball, and just be a pale frosty pink. I was relieved to find it was simply an overspray and underneath was a soft luminous baby pink.

The blushes seem to be a hybrid of blush and highlighter. You can easily wear them alone as a blush because they all have enough color and pigment (how I’ve been playing with them for the most part). But the texture and shimmer make them have that highlighter feel where you can layer them on top of other products. I tried layering a few over bronzer and regular blush – but I found them so pigmented that layering almost covers the underneath product entirely. I think layering lighter shades over bronzer in general works to add color because I do that with most blushes anyways (bronzer adds warmth to my skin as a soft contour). The darker ones like Dahlia and Blushed Copper seemed to just take over whatever was underneath.

Lasting power is very good – they stay put from morning to late afternoon. They have a soft almost creamy feel but are clearly powders. As long as you don’t apply too much they don’t darken on the skin. Even though these are all shimmery they did not emphasize pores or emphasize imperfections.

A closer look at all the colors plus two looks:

All swatched with an eyeshadow brush:

Camellia is a shimmering soft ballerina pink with fine gold shimmer. It’s almost a baby pink in the compact but on the skin it adds more color and life in a soft brightening way.

Swatched heavy and then blended, you can still blend out the color more for a sheerer look:


Foxglove is an orchid pink color with cool tones. It has a cool-toned shimmer so on my face/olive complexion it pulls very cool but is still very wearable. It goes well with lip colors like MAC So Select, Brave or Mehr or any mauvey tones.

Tigerlily is a bright orange gold shimmer. I was worried this might be very orange on the skin but I’m always surprised by bright orangey blushes. They add life to the complexion in unexpected ways that is actually very wearable – especially when layered with other shades like pink or bronze.

Blushed Copper is one of the most shimmer shades. I would say it’s borderline a frost color. It’s a stunning shimmering coppery bronze kind of shade that is medium to deep and extremely pigmented. The color is easy to blend though and out of all six colors I think this is the most unique.

Dahlia is another medium-deep color. It’s a shimmering reddish plum with slightly warm tones. I usually stay far far away from colors like these. They often look harsh on my skin and give me that almost punched face look or sunburn look. On the face I have to apply this with a light and and blend a lot – a tiny little bit goes a very long way. I’m still experimenting with this one but for my comfort level this is bolder and deeper than I usually go for the cheeks.

Snapdragon is a bright coral pink with gold shimmer. This is easily my favorite because the color is so bright and cheerful. It’s like spring in a blush compact. The texture is very smooth but it’s on the extremely pigmented side so for this one I recommend applying with a light hand. It pulls warm but I suspect it will work well with a wide range of skin tones to add life to the face.

In both photos for the base I’m wearing:

One last look:

Bottom line is believe the hype – they are really that good. I think these are really phenomenal in terms of color selection, pigment, luminosity and blendability. The colors have enough pigment to show up on a wide range of skin tones, including deeper ones. A quick search on Instagram with #luminousblush or the @beccacosmetics tag will show a number of swatches others have done. These show up on light, medium and deep tones – although of course they will look different depending on your skin tone, I think it’s impressive how pigmented these are.

I think all the colors are wearable. For me the only color I can’t see myself wearing on a regular basis is Dahlia because it’s out of my comfort zone and a bit deeper thank what I’m used to. I really like this formula of blush so I hope they expand the color selection in the future. I would personally die to see these in a shimmering beige or nude color (or variations of nudes like their Ombre Nudes Eyeshadow Palettes but for the cheeks instead). If I were pressed to pick my favorites, they would be Camellia, Tigerlily, Snapdragon and Blushed Copper.

You can find the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics. They retail for $34 each.

Have you tried these yet? If not, what’s your favorite blush of the moment?

Many thanks to Becca for sending these for review. I’m in blush heaven right now.

26 Comments
Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette Review

May 5, 2016
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette Review Beauty Look Book

Charlotte Tilbury just launched a new palette called the Instant Look Palette ($75, limited-edition). It’s a palette designed for women with little time on their hands for a quick and easy polished look. She calls it her 5-Minute On the Go Palette and I was able to apply all 7 products within 5 minutes. I received mine from Beautylish and it sold out within a week – not surprising since they have excellent customer service. I asked if they would be restocking and they said most likely not since it was limited-edition which is too bad but you can still find it online at a few other places right now including Charlotte Tilbury and Net-A-Porter.

This palette has 7 products that are labeled in numerical order of application which makes it super easy to use. When I saw online photos I thought it was extremely overpriced for what you get, but the compact is actually larger than I anticipated. Even in the photo above with me holding it – it appears to be on the small side, but it’s really decent in size and the pans are large enough to dip a brush into without having to worry about mixing colors. The quality of the powders in this palette are on par with all her other face, cheek and eye products. Texture is very soft and finely milled with medium coverage. The colors are very natural for an easy no-makeup-makeup look. I will say up front that while this palette has excellent quality in terms of color, texture and design, the shades in this palette are all too light in color for my complexion and on my face they barely showed up. I played with this several different days with different bases. The result was always the same – light and almost powdery looking simply because the colors are very light in color.

It looked so natural and barely there on me that I asked my husband on several occasions to double check. I asked if he could tell I was wearing makeup and what he thought. His response was, “yes, I can tell because you look extra powdery today.” He confirmed my thoughts that the shades looked light on my skin. That being said I experimented with this more and found it to be a good starting palette for me – meaning it provides a good base but on my skin type and skin tone I find it definitely needs extra work to get it to work for me. I need an emollient creamy eyeshadow base to help the shadows be more visible and adhere to the skin. I need a cream base highlighter or bronzer to help the cheek products look less powdery.

Quality-wise it’s great. Concept-wise it’s genius. I just happen to be right at the skin tone that almost matches these shades so they are near invisible on my face. I’ve reviewed quite few highlighters that look like highlighters on my skin, but on others it doesn’t show up because the color matches their skintone. It doesn’t mean anything is necessarily wrong with the product, it’s just not the right color. That’s the case with this palette for me.

A closer look at the palette below:

The shades show up well on my arm, on the face they look a lot sheerer, colors and descriptions:1 Eye Brighten is a soft pale matte pink peach
2 Eye Enhance is a gorgeous warm champagne shimmer
3 Eye Smoke is a soft medium brown matte
4 Face Bronzer is a sheer tan with a hint of shimmer
5 Cheek Swish is a soft peachy matte
6 Cheek Pop is a sheer pink with a tiny hint of sparkle
7 Face Highlight is a shimmery pale ivory highlight

Comparison swatches Set 1:Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look (first three shades)
MAC Flounce (from the 15 Neutral Cool Palette)
Urban Decay Limit (from Naked 3, all Naked Palettes swatched here)
Urban Decay Naked and Buck (from Naked Palette, all Naked Palettes swatched here)
Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

Comparison swatches Set 2:
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette (first three shades swatched)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium-Light (reviewed here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Cream Shadow in Norma Jean (review here)

MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
Comparison Set 3:
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette (first two shades swatched)

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in Ecstasy and Love Glow

For me this doesn’t quite work for an instant look because the colors are too matchy for my skintone but I suspect it will work better for lighter or deeper skins because there will be more color contrast. I do think quality-wise it’s excellent. The powders are very soft and are easy to blend. If she comes out with other more palettes like this one that have a deeper color range I think I would be 100% in love with it because it really has all the colors you need for a quick look or touchup. The design makes it perfect for on-the-go or for travel and the pans come with a decent amount of product. Based on the reviews I’ve seen online most give this one an overwhelming thumbs up which make me think I may be the one person who found this one didn’t work. I personally prefer the individual items such as her Filmstar Bronze and Glow and Cheek to Chic blushes – some of the individual products have a similar look to the shades in the palette but I find the separate colors work better for me.

 

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette for a limited time right now. I received mine courtesy of Beautylish (where it’s sold out right now). You can also find it online at Charlotte Tilbury, Net-A-Porter and Nordstrom (on backorder). Retail price is $75.

 

Have you tried this palette yet? What did you think?

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Uncategorized

Mother’s Day Gift Guide – Part 2

May 4, 2016


1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /
6  /  7  /  8  /  9  /  10 
I have one last roundup of gift ideas for Mother’s Day in case you’re looking for some more options. There are a number of gift guides on multiple retailers by price point with lots to choose from. I did a Mother’s Day Gift Guide with Ulta Beauty last week with lots of picks for warm-tones and cool-tones so I’m set for gifting this year. I personally fell in love with the Tartelette In Bloom Palette and ended up picking up one for myself. I had to repeat it in this round because the quality and pigment is really really good!

In the event you’re looking for a pre-made gift set, the Molton Brown White Alba Truffle Hand Regime Duo is one of the best I’ve tried in hand care. I reviewed it during last holiday season and still really enjoy both the Hand Exfoliator and Hand Treatment to keep the hands looking groomed and healthy. For value deals, Birchbox has a Limited-Edition Beauty in Bloom Set for $64 that covers a little bit of everything from makeup, hair care, body and home fragrance so it makes gifting super easy.

For those who have moms that aren’t really into makeup, fun summery accessories are always nice as a spring-to-summer update. Even those who aren’t into makeup can always use a fun bright mani/pedi color. My favorite pink of the moment is Chanel Camelia (swatched here). If your mom loves Chanel and already has almost everything there is, the summer collection just launched online – there’s a really good chance she doesn’t have anything yet because I just saw it pop up today.

Hope your week is going well! Two more reviews to come this week for Charlotte Tilbury and Becca – I’m working on labeling and editing the swatches today!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the Tatcha Kyoto Red giveaway here (for US only)! Entries will be collected through May 5th.

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Uncategorized

Tatcha Silk Lipstick in Kyoto Red

May 3, 2016

I’m thrilled to share today that Tatcha has brought back their Silk Lipstick in Kyoto Red ($55 for 3.7 g) which is one of the most stunning statement reds I’ve ever seen. I missed it the first round when it launched last year so I was really happy to hear they decided to bring it back for a relaunch. To date Tatcha has released two lipsticks, Kyoto Red and A Plum Blossom (reviewed here, discontinued) – both are exquisite in every aspect. The packaging of the case is heavy weight and sturdy, the multi-faceted mold of the actual lipstick makes it super easy for precise application. These are hands down among the most luxurious and most beautifully designed lipsticks I own.

Kyoto Red is inspired by the geisha’s classic bold red lip. Tatcha’s website shows it swatched on four different skin tones to demonstrate how universally flattering color is. The pigment in the lipstick is extremely opaque making it a one-swipe wonder covering the entire lip with a single stroke. Application of color is even, smooth and full with a weightless feel. Tatcha calls the formula “feather-light” and it really is – it offers a nice soft veil of product on the lips but once it sets you completely forget you have anything on because it truly is feather light.

I would call this one a warm red but unlike many other warm reds it doesn’t turn orangey on the lips. It’s warm but still manages to stay a true red on the lips. Lasting power is quite good – it stays put for several hours without fading (snacks and drinks will cause transfer). It doesn’t feather or bleed. Quality is on point. A few quick snaps of the lipstick at the Japanese Garden at Balboa Park below:

A closer look at the lipstick below. The black, gold and red combination is quite striking.

Swatches to show how pigmented the color is, there is a very slight sheen right after application but once on the lips it has a semi-matte finish:

I was so impressed with the Sunrise Plum Blossom Lipstick and was happy to have been able to purchase that one before it sold out (I hope they bring it back). Kyoto Red is just as impressive in terms of quality, pigment and coverage. There are slight differences between the two (aside from the lipstick color and packaging color). Sunrise Plum Blossom is slightly creamier with a more cushiony moisture feel while Kyoto Red is more lightweight with a semi-matte finish. Even though the finish and feel are different I find them both equally hydrating. The day after wearing each of these my lips have a noticeablely smoother and well hydrated feel (most lipsticks either dry out my lips or make them peel by the second day).

Bottom line: another winner from Tatcha. Since I discovered the line I’ve been really impressed with everything I’ve tried which I think is quite incredible. I know many of my readers are HUGE Tatcha fans, I’ve tried things based on your recommendations and have never been let down. If you’re new to the line and are interested in a top picks/roundup post let me know in the commments. For those who want to know right now what my top three favorites are right now, I swear by the Pore Perfecting Sunscreen, Dewy Skin Mist and Beauty Papers. If you’re like me and want to be able to try things before committing to the full size, Tatcha has almost all of their skincare products available in Travel/Trial Sizes for purchase. I order these for travel and also for friends. If you’re looking for Mother’s Day Gifts – they have a lot of beautifully curated Gift Sets that are impeccably packaged.
I’ve teamed up with Tatcha for a special giveaway (US only) – you can enter on my Instagram account @beautylookbook – all the details on how to enter on my page here.

In the meantime, Kyoto Red is back (I do believe while supplies last) at Tatcha.com. If you like red lipstick I highly recommend you give this one a try.

This post was created in partnership with Tatcha. Many thanks to the Tatcha for sponsoring this post and giveaway!
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Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin Red Nail Extensions

May 2, 2016

This May, Christian Louboutin introduces three new rouge nail colors for spring to summer in his Red Nail Extensions Collection ($50 each). There are two new additions to the Pop Colors Family and one new shade for the Noirs Family. Just when I thought all the reds have been done – Louboutin manages to add three new shades that are absolute perfection. The Louboutin team sent the three shades for me to play with for a week and swatch for my readers. I’m thrilled to be able to share a peek at them today.

There are three bright and bold colors added to the rouge lineup – all of which are very opaque and offer full coverage with a single coat. I personally prefer two coats for all nail polishes I wear for a super rich and cushiony look. I’ve reviewed the Christian Louboutin Nail Polish formula in previous post so I won’t do a full recap (review on Rouge Louboutin in this post here) but the quick take is these have a naturally glossy shine to them, smooth coverage and excellent wear. I have yet to try every single color of nail polish Louboutin makes, but from what I have tested, the Pops, Noirs and Rouge Louboutin have full opaque coverage. The Nudes have a mix of sheer coverage and full coverage formulas. You can read the full review on all 10 nudes in this post here.

Shown above for the Red Nail Extensions, from left to right:
  • EdgyPopi is described as a punchy orange-red that’s fun and flirty. It is my favorite color out of the three. It definitely packs a gorgeous punch of bright summery color that’s perfect for the tips and toes. It’s deeper and brighter than my other favorite Miss Loubi.
  • Lady Peep is a medium to deep raspberry red. It darkens on the nails to a dark raspberry shade. This one is a cream without shimmer and is also very pigmented and smooth.
  • Jazzy Doll is a stunning peony red pink that has a very subtle shimmer mixed in. It glimmers in direct sunlight. In natural light the shimmer is visible but it is more on the subtle side.
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A look at all three shades and swatches. For reference each swatch image has two coats of polish applied. I also used the Formula X Base Coat and Nails Inc. Kensington Top Coat. First up is EdgyPopi which looks like a standard orange cream. Once on the hands I just can’t get over how pretty it is against olive skin. 

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Lady Peep is a really pretty deep raspberry color. It’s medium deep which makes it more on the dramatic side but not too dark that it’s a vamp. It’s similar in vibe to Very Prive but Lady Peep is cooler in undertone and more raspberry.

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Last but not least is Jazzy Doll which is one of the prettiest soft peony pink shimmers I’ve ever seen. The shimmer is very smooth and finely infused into the polish. It’s on the subtle side which gives it a more conservative edge to balance and out the brightness bright.

Swatched comparisons to a few other Louboutin Nail Polishes that I have, same set of colors in each comparison group, two different lighting variations:

One last group shot:
All three are gorgeous colors and absolutely perfect. I’ve been a fan of the Louboutin Nail Colours and have purchased quite a few shades. They are quite the splurge at $50 each (as in they may break the bank kind of splurge) but the formula and colors are really among the best I’ve tried. I’ve only been able to play with the Red Extensions for a week as the Louboutin team let me borrow them to review and photograph, but I have my nail wheel so I’m going to try and see if I can find any dupes in my stash before splurging on all three. That being said I’ve already added EdgyPopi to my online cart and expect to be a happy owner of the color very soon.
Have you checked out the new red shades yet? What do you think? Are any of these calling your name?

You can find the Red Nail Extensions starting this month at all Christian Louboutin retailers, online now at Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, launching soon at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Christian Louboutin.
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Uncategorized

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 Fraîche 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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