Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Travel Beauty Edit – Beauty Pack List

January 19, 2025

We took a road trip from St. Petersburg over the holiday and spent two weeks in Miami Beach for Christmas and New Years. So many of you love the beauty packing and travel makeup posts I thought it would a good time to share some thoughts about the Clear Medium Travel Case I picked up from Calpak over the holidays. (Shade I bought in all the cases is Caramel, but they have lots of options!)

I’ve purchased several cases from them over the years including the Small Clear Cosmetics Case and Clear Train Case and am completely obsessed. They have gone with me on many trips! Many of you asked for a comparison between the small and medium and also want to know which one I’d recommend. I finally bought the Medium one to try this last trip and can now compare the sizes. The Medium one was perfect to hold almost everything I needed for skincare and makeup.

I shared a look at everything that fit into the Medium Travel Case in this video here. Since we took a road trip and drove to our destination, I didn’t have to worry about any liquid limits but a lot of the skincare I brought were smaller/travel sizes.

Travel Skincare + Hair Care Picks

Skincare/Bodycare:

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser (2.5 oz travel size)
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (travel size)
La Mer Soft Moisturizing Cream (0.5 oz travel size)
Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water (travel size 3.33 fl oz)
Osea Anti-Aging Body Balm (from a travel set currently on sale)
Sisley Floral Toning Lotion (mini from the Advent Calendar)
Caudalie Vinosun Protect Sunscreen Stick (available in UK)
Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream
Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50
Saltair Santal Bloom Serum Deodorant

Hair:

Kerastase Elixir Ultime (travel)
Dae Hair Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream (travel mini size)
R&CO Dart Stick (not shown)

Perfume:

Parfums de Marly Valaya (travel size)
Celine Parade in a travel atomizer

Since it was winter time I didn’t really need dry shampoo or a lot of styling products for my hair. I did have some times I wish I had some hair spray or texturizer spray.

Travel Makeup Picks

Base Products:

Dior Forever Skin Foundation Stick 2.5N (in action here)
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in BD41
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (travel mini size)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Finish Flawless Powder

Cheeks:

Chanel Les Beiges Travel Cream Bronzer (swatches here)
Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Liquid Highlighter in Nude Glow (review here)
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Trio (sold out, but some minis still available here, here and here)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette in Evil Eye (still in stock!)
Rhode Pocket Blush in Freckle (review + swatches here and here)

Eyes:

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Palette (swatches here and comparison here)
Urban Decay Moondust Palette (limited-edition for 2024)
Maybelline Sky High Mascara in Cosmic Black
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize Cream Shadow in Rosegold
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow Starlight and Wild Rose (new formula swatches here)
Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Black
Sisley Phyto-Khol Star Matte Eyeliner Pencil in 2 Tonka
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel

Lips:

YSL Loveshine Lipstick in 150 (review + swatches here)
NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine in Orgasm (review here)
Maybelline Super Stay Teddy Tint (in action here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Spanish Pink (swatches here)
Dior Addict Lip Glow (bought one of the new formulas while in Miami)
Tom Ford Long Wear Lip Liner 102 Re-See (swatches in this post)
Dior Addict Lip Maximizers in Pinkmania and Peachmania (in action here)

Misc:

I packed brushes in a separate small makeup bag from Stephanie Johnson (mine is an older print/style but it’s the same size as this one). Also since we were going on an extended trip I bought full-sizes of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and sunscreen while in Miami since there are plenty of Sephora and Nordstrom stores around the city and also since Andrew and I share them.

I really like the size of the Medium Travel Case. It’s roomy enough to fit a TON of things inside although since it’s on the bigger side it will take up a lot of room in your suitcase or travel bag.

I did a poll on Instagram asking how you pack your makeup and skincare for travel and most of you end up putting things in multiple pouches to keep things organized. I ended up using everything I packed although I wish I had packed a loose powder with me for more options.

Here’s a quick look at the Medium vs the Small Clear Cosmetic Case (what fits inside the Small Case HERE):

A closer look at the Train Case from Calpak (also a quick snapshot here):

If you’re going on a shorter trip or want something smaller I still think both the Small Clear Cosmetics Case or Train Case are excellent picks. I’ve used the Small Case for about two years and it holds a lot! The Train Case is a newer style from last year and while it looks small I really love the height since it’s a bit taller and zippered compartment at the top to is very useful to hold smaller things.

Overall for a 2-week trip the Medium size was perfect. I am really amazed at how much it fit. You can watch the packing in action here.

How do you pack your makeup for trips?

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Chanel

Chanel Spring Summer 2025

January 9, 2025

Happy New Year! I’ve been away in Miami Beach for the past couple of weeks on vacation for Christmas and New Year’s. We packed up both fur babies and took a road trip to the other side of Florida. We had a great time reconnecting after a very long and challenging year. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to take some time off to either reset or spend with loved ones.

Starting off the new year with a look at Chanel Spring 2025. I picked up almost all the items from the spring launch while I was traveling and had the palette and new balms on repeat pretty much every day after I bought them. I swatched the whole collection in store in this Reel here in case you want a look at everything.

Jeux de Lumieres

The star of the collection is the oversized highlighter palette called Jeux de Lumieres – Multi-Use Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette ($88). I am completely in love with all the shades and it pulls neutral-warm on me with the perfect spring tones. A number of you have messaged me over the last week asking if it’s orange on me. As a Chanel B40/BD41 I can report that none of the shades pull orange but I have seen a lot of other reviews and swatches that do look very warm. If you have fair skin in the B10/20 range I do think this will pull significantly warmer on your skin tone.

At first glance I thought the shades looked identical to other Chanel highlighters but after pulling a few I really do think the shades look different enough to justify this one. I love the peach tone as a blush.

Rouge Coco Baume Shine

Chanel added a new variation of their Rouge Coco Baume in a Shine Formula ($45 each). The original Rouge Coco Baume now as the description “Satin” in the product name online. The spring ones are definitely more glossy in finish and the added shine/slip gives them a more hydrating smooth feel.

The pigment is 10/10 perfect and has impressive buildability. With 3 swipes you will see added coverage without it feeling or looking too heavy. Extended lasting power isn’t going to be there but they last longer than the YSL Loveshines on my lips.

I really love all the shades but I love the Tender Peach the most. Raspberry Kiss is one of the best raspberry shades I’ve ever tried. I also love the Cherry Burst for a wearable red.

Ombre Essentielle – Spring Shades

There are four new Ombre Essentielle – Multi-Use Longwearing Eyeshadows ($40). These are single eyeshadows in a matte shade and 3 multi-dimensional shimmers. I love every single color.

I rarely wear purple tones on the eyes but Mauve Sucre has the prettiest sparkles in it. I love layering it on top of the peachy coral shades Peche Glacee which is the perfect peachy pink for an all over lid shades.

I also fell in love with Latte Frappe. It looks very ordinary in the pan but for my skin tone it’s a few shades darker and on the neutral-warm side making it the perfect contour shade for my lids.

Pigment is great, texture is smooth, colors are easy to blend. 10/10 WIN!

Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner

LEFT Brun Poupre, RIGHT swatches top to bottom: Brun Poupre, Mauve Intense, Rouge Fauve and Vert Lagon

There are four new Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliners ($35). I picked up the warm brown matte shade Brun Pourpre but it seems a bit on the dry side when it’s brand new. If I warm it up on the hand with a few swipes it applies better. I also picked up another shade in store from the permanent line Brun Agape which is a bronzey brown that I think I will get more wear out of.

Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color

Last we have a look at two new Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colors ($32). You girls know I’ve been a die-hard fan of Chanel nail polishes. Both the shades in the spring collection scream “spring.” Poete is a pastel peach and Artiste is a mint green has an almost milky base, almost like mint-chocolate chip ice cream. We are experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in Florida with it hitting the 40s this week so at the moment I’m not feeling the spring vibe for the tips and toes. I do really like both colors and can see myself wearing them come March or April. I think they’re fun and they have good coverage with 2 coats.

Overall I think the collection is a hit. The highlighter palette, rouge coco baumes and eyeshadows were 100% worth the splurge for me.

You can find the collection out now at Chanel.com and all Chanel counters.

I did also pick up some of the new Rouge Allure Velvets but haven’t tried them on my lips yet. Stay tuned for a review soon!

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Beauty Favorites Fragrance

Favorite Perfumes of 2024

December 18, 2024

Out of all the beauty categories this year, perfume and fragrance has been my favorite. I tried quite a few new brands this year with discovery sets and some of your recommendations and found some new loves.

Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, I’m rounding up my Top Favorites starting with perfume by scent category.

Citrus Scents

Celine Parade

Citrus perfumes are my favorite, and this is the category I usually gravitate towards. Celine Parade remains a favorite. I think it’s one you can wear year-round but the citrus notes definitely give it a fresher vibe for spring to summer.

NOTES: Bergamot, Neroli, Vetiver, Musk, Oak Moss

Chanel Paris-Biarritz

The Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel is still my favorite line in the Chanel fragrance lineup. I love the fresh feel they have. Paris-Biarritz remains my most-worn from them.

NOTES: Sicilian mandarin and lily of the valley accord

Fresh & Clean

Cologne Celeste – Celine

I love fresh and clean scents but ones that aren’t too soapy-clean. Celine Cologne Celeste is a clean citrus and this is in a different format than their eau de parfums. The bottles for this line are in a larger and taller bottle format for an Eau de Cologne, Perfumed Body and Hair Oil and Bath Milk. I bought the body oil and cologne and love both. They both have a very clean vibe, almost like a fresh body wash, but it’s not too soapy.

NOTES: Angelica, sweet lemon essence, petitgrain, neroli accord, ambrette butter and orris butter

L’Eau Sezane

Sezane L’Eau Sezane was a scent I bought blind just in the last week. This scent was spritzed all over the box for one of my orders and I fell in love with it instantly! I thought about it for several weeks but couldn’t get the scent out of my head. It’s very fresh, clean with an almost green feel to it. Lasting power isn’t the best with this one but I still think it’s worth checking out and it’s one I don’t mind reapplying throughout the day.

Top notes: Essence of Italian Mandarin, Essence of Italian Lemon, Essence of Petit grain Bigarade
Middle notes: Neroli, Water Jasmine, Peony
Base notes: White Musk

Soft Skin Scents and Musks

I love the idea of a skin-like musk scent, but musks can be tricky for me. Some pull too powdery and it doesn’t wear well on my skin, so the ones I lean towards have a warmer vibe.

Phlur Missing Person

Phlur Missing Person remains at the top of my list for Phlur. I think it’s going to either be hit or miss for you depending on how it works with your body chemistry but I think it’s one of the best skin-like musk scents I’ve tried. Sephora has their Fragrance for All Event now thru 12/24 so if you’ve had your eye on any perfumes at Sephora you can save 20% off full-size perfumes with code FRAGRANCE20.

NOTES: Top: Skin Musk, Bergamot Nectar, Sheer Jasmine
Heart: Fresh Cyclamen, Neroli Blossom, Orange Flower
Base: Sandalwood Australia Oil, Blonde Wood, White Musk

Guerlain Musc Outreblanc

Guerlain Musc Outreblanc Eau de Parfum is one of the prettiest clean smelling musks I’ve tried. It does have a powdery feel but isn’t too powdery to me. Lasting power is exceptionally good with the L’Art and La Matiere line. I really love that you can customize and personalize the bottles when you order directly from Guerlain. You can change the plate on the cap, ribbon color, seal and also have it engraved. This has been on my wishlist for several years now and I’m THRILLED to finally own a full size.

NOTES: Orange blossom absolut, Bulgarian Rose, musk, ambrette, iris Pallida butter.

Parfums de Marly Valaya

Parfums de Marly has been pure love this year. My favorite has been Valaya. It’s very potent and has a mix of bergamot, vetiver and mandarin mixed in with the musk. I bought this in both the full-size and travel-size and I love the mini to carry with me or travel with.

NOTES: Bergamot, Mandarin, White Peach, Orange Flower, Nympheal, Vetiver, Akigalawood, Ambrofix, Musk

Glossier You Doux

Glossier added two new scents this year and I decided to pick up Glossier You Doux. I only just recently picked it up but it’s very unique and it’s easily become a favorite for winter. It has a cozy creamy skin like vibe to it. It’s earthy and skin like. The notes list violet which I’m usually not a fan of but it sweetens this scent in a really beautiful way and somehow gives it a fresh vibe. Travel 8 ml size is available at Glossier if you want to try it out first. For the full size you can save 20% off at Sephora now thru 12/24 with their Fragrance For All Event with code FRAGRANCE20.

NOTES: Sweet Violet, Palo Santo, Frankincense, Myrrh and Ambrox

Fruity Floral

Creed Spring Flower

In looking at the scents I wear I realized I don’t have a lot of fruity florals that I love. Creed Spring Flower is the one exception and their revamp is 10/10 pure heaven. It’s floral but also fruity with exceptionally long lasting power on me. It’s bright and youthful. A travel size is available in this beautiful 5-Piece Women’s Set.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Green Notes, Lemon
Heart Notes: Apricot, Jasmine, Peach and White Flowers
Base Notes: Ambroxan, Cedarwood and Musk

Vanilla

Celine and Phlur

I’m not a huge fan of most vanilla perfumes. They usually pull a little too strong, gourmand or bitter on my skin and in hot humid weather it doesn’t usually wear well on me. There are a few exceptions that I really loved this year. I used up a few travel sizes in their entirety before deciding to splurge on the full size bottles.
Phlur Vanilla Skin is a solid win for me. I love it in both the perfume and hair and body mist versions. It’s cozy and sweet without being too sweet. I love the mix of sandalwood in it to help give it that cozy gourmand vibe.

Top: Pink Pepper, Pink Apple, Sugar Crystals
Heart: Lily, Jasmine Petals, Cashmere Wood
Base: Benzoin, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Agarwood

I think Celine makes excellent vanilla scents. Black Tie is the one of the best vanillas that’s sweet and slightly smoky. It’s rich and dense without being too heavy. Lasting power is very strong.

NOTES: White orris butter, cedar, tree moss, vanilla and musk

They added a new one this year called ZouZou. I bought this in a travel size to try and while I really like it, I think Black Tie is a better one. ZouZou pulls more powdery.

NOTES: Benzoin, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Labdanum, Vanilline and Musk

Unique Stand Outs

Creed Virgin Island Water

Last two mentions are for Creed. Virgin Island Water remains the best summer time vacation scent with the coconut and fruity vibe. It’s a classic and 100% worth the splurge.

NOTES: Lime, Bergamot, Tropical Fruits, Coconut Milk, Coconut Water, Jasmine, White Flowers, Tonka Bean and White Musk

Aventus for Her

Aventus for Her is another unique find and one I feel is more dressy and sophisticated. It’s crisp and floral and fruity all at the same time. I don’t think there is anything else quite like it. There are some woody notes to it which adds a very unique twist.

NOTES: Green Apple, Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Rose, Lilac, Ylang-Ylang, Blackcurrant, Pineapple, Peach, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Musk and Ambroxan

I had quite a few other loves this year but these are my top favorites. I can’t wait to see what will launch this upcoming year. Please share your favorites with me! I love hearing about your signature scents.

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Dior Holiday Gift Guide

Dior Beauty Holiday Launches 2024

December 16, 2024

above: mirror, gold huggies and tray

I picked up some Dior Holiday launches and quite a few things are still in stock! They have some really beautiful gift sets too although this year I focused on the Holiday Makeup Launches. I’ll list where I’ve still found things in stock right now online, although you might also want to check your stores too. FYI right now Saks is having 15% off the Dior items (and other beauty as well). Here is what I picked up:

Forever Couture Luminizer in Or Lumiere ($55) – Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Neiman Marcus
Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade ($71) – Saks, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Ulta Beauty
Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipstick in 100 Dreams and 323 Dazzle ($49) – select shades still available at Nordstrom, Saks, Dillards, Neiman Marcus
Dior Vernis in 114 Lumiere ($28.90) – Saks, Macy’s, Dillards

Forever Couture Luminizer

There are two Forever Couture Luminizer Highlighters this holiday. I opted for the golden champagne one in 001 Or Lumiere which still seems to widely available at a lot of retailers. It’s a pale champagne gold with a complex mix of shimmers but still applies smoothly on the skin and on me does not emphasize pores or texture. Although I have a multitude of other golden highlighters this one pleasantly surprised me. I think it’s worth the splurge but it is one of the most dupeable items in the holiday launch.

Above, also wearing: Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick 3N, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder, Blush in Charnelle + Highlighter Or Lumiere, Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequins 100 (sold out), Nails Dior Lumiere

Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette

I opted for the warmer pink Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 643 Golden Masquerade. It is a show stopper for holiday and I love it, although if you’re one who can’t wear pink or cranberry tones on the lids I would say pass.

The texture is very soft and pigment pulls on the sheer to medium side. You can layer for more pigment but the overall look is still soft. It has a cool rose pink with tons of silver sparkles, a soft off-white-pink pearl, a soft gold shimmer, pale silvery mauve with a hint of taupe shimmer and a deeper reddish matte.

Dior Vernis in 114 Lumiere

I haven’t bought a Dior nail polish since they reformulated them so this is my first purchase in the newer formula. Dior Vernis in 115 Lumiere is a sparkly gold which is SO pretty for the holiday season. It’s on the sheer side and I’m wearing it with 2 coats but I love the subtle polished effect it gives. I haven’t worn it long enough to test wear time but the sparkles adhere very well to the nails.

Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipstick

Last I have a look at two of the Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin Lipsticks.

I picked up 100 Dreams (currently sold out) and 323 Dazzle (still available at Saks and Neimans). These are liquid lipsticks with incredibly long-wear time. They have a matte finish like the regular Rouge Dior Forever Liquids, but these have a sparkle in them! After it dries if you press your lips together more sparkles appear for a glittery finish.

These are super fun and I’m glad I picked them up! I will say though they do look a little dry since it has a matte finish. They don’t necessarily feel dry and I’m happy to report they did not dry out my lips though. I swatched the Sequins next to the regular Rouge Dior Forever Liquid in 100.

Sequins 100 Dreams

Sequins 323 Dazzle

That wraps up my Holiday Review. I know it’s very late since these launched months ago but if you had any of these on your Christmas wishlist or radar I hope you found this helpful!

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If you’re looking for last minute gifts:

Dior.com is offering free 2-day shipping with orders $150 more if you order by 12/19
Sephora offers Same Day Delivery for select items and locations, or the Buy Online Pick Up in Store Option
Ulta Beauty also offers Same Day Delivery for select locations and they also have the Buy Online and Pick Up in Store Options
Nordstrom holiday cut-off shipping is 12/18 for standard shipping

Dior still has a number of cute holiday gift sets and bundles. I don’t think they are offered at a discount value price but sometimes it’s nice to have some beauty staples packaged in a festive pouch.

Shop Holiday Makeup SETS

Dior has started to launch bit of Spring 2025 Beauty. There are already some new shades of the Addict Lip Maximizer at Dior and Sephora (Pinkmania, Bluemania, Peachmania, Glowmania, Nude Mania) – I ordered all the shades I could find and will be swatching them when my package arrives!

It also looks like they are reformulating the Dior Addict Lip Glow again or changing the colors. I have to admit I’m a little confused why they keep reformulating or changing this balm. This version says they now have “warm and cool” tones. I don’t know that I’ll order any of the new ones but if you try them in the near future let me know your thoughts!

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Beauty Favorites Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide

Gift Ideas for the Fragrance Lover

December 11, 2024

Christmas is just around the corner! Time during this month seems to move so quickly I can barely believe it. If you’re still looking for some holiday gifts I have a few more roundups for you.

Many of these discovery sets offer a voucher towards the purchase of a full-size perfume (I’ll note which ones have them below). There are still lots of ways to save on beauty sets this month. Some sales on my radar:

Sephora’s Gifts For All Event is happening now – save 20% off your order with code HAVEITALL (one time use) and 30% off Sephora Collection now thru 12/15
Ulta Beauty has lots of sales and promos each week, right up save up to $20 off in store and online – get $10 off $40 qualifying purchase with code CHEER24 or $20 off $100 qualifying purchase with code JOY24, they also have their Big Holiday Beauty Sale going on (my last minute gifts all on sale shared here and here)
Saks Fifth Avenue has their Spend More, Earn More event with code WNTRGCSF
Bluemercury is offering 20% off purchases $200+
Bloomingdale’s has their Beauty Treats Event to take $25 off every $150 you spend on beauty (some exclusions apply)

Onto today’s gift guide! I think Perfume Discovery Sets are such a fun gift idea whether you’re looking for something for yourself or a gift. There are quite a few brands I do not have in-person access to and the sets allow me to try perfumes without having to buy blind. I will admit that some sets have been a total fail in the sense that I didn’t end up liking any of the perfumes or notes, but it was still fun to try. I have a few friends who have completely different tastes in perfumes so I can usually find someone else who will gladly take any of them off my hands!

Celine

Celine makes some of my favorite scents. Right now they’re only sold online at Celine or in Celine boutiques in the US so they can be a bit hard to find. I bought the Coffret Miniatures a year ago when it had 10 perfumes and absolutely loved trying the scents. You can see my review of each one in this post here.

They’ve since updated this Coffret Set to include 12 scents including Zouzou (new) and Bois Dormant (10 ml each). They’ve also increased the price to $445 for 12 minis versus $385 for 10 minis (the older variation).

A more affordable option is their Discovery Set with has 11 mini vials each 2 ml for $48. This one comes with spritzers.

Guerlain

Guerlain Holiday is stunning this year! They have some beautiful discovery sets I’ve reviewed in depth here. I think these are among some of the best high quality perfumes I’ve ever tried. These are quite the splurge but I know some of you are die-hard loyal fans to this perfume line and I think the sets make for the most beautiful luxury gifts.

The Iconic Eaux de Parfum Set has three minis ($190, three 10 ml minis) from the L’art and La Matiere Line in Neroli Outrenoir, Angelique Noire, and Musc Outreblanc.

They also have two eight-piece Perfumers Sets in the Iconic Harmony and Floral Harmony ($395 each). This year they launched a six-piece discovery Exceptional Set with the Extracts and it is STUNNING ($630).

You can view all the Fragrance Gift Set offerings here.

Creed Fragrance

Creed is another beautiful perfume line and I think their Discovery Sets are stunning. I gift one to Andrew every year and he uses every single scent. Creed has a lot of variations including 3-piece sets ($250 each) or 5-piece sets ($345 each). They have variations for men and different ones for women. Right now at the time of this post Nordstrom is offering a discount on the Creed Sets.

Women’s 5-Piece Set includes: Aventus for Her, Love in White, Wind Flowers, Royal Princess Oud and Spring Flower
Women’s 3-Piece Set includes: Aventus for Her, Carmina and Wind Flowers
Men’s 5-Piece Set includes: Aventus, Green Irish Tweed, Silver Mountain Water, Aventus Cologne and Millesime Imperial
Men’s 3-Piece Set includes: Aventus, Green Irish Tweed, Silver Mountain Water

The Creed Refillable Atomizer is another beautiful gift option. They have different colors to pick from and both Andrew and I own and love these.

Byredo

Byredo offers the biggest selection of discovery and travel sets. I love that they have SO many options!

This year they’ve launched a stunning 24-piece discovery set called La Grande Decouverte ($250). This set comes with a $225 voucher to use towards any Eau de Parfum and they give you 6 months to redeem it. Each vial is 2 ml.

Byredo also offers several smaller 6-piece Discovery Sets ($60) and these also come with a $60 voucher to use towards a perfume. This one has a shorter window to redeem of 4 weeks but I think it’s still a great way to try them. The sets this year include:

La Decouverte Boise
La Decouverte Florale
La Decouverte Sur-Mesure – you can pick your own scents for this one!
La Decouverte Nomade

The 3-piece Travel Sets ($174 each) are still widely available at multiple retailers like Nordstrom, Saks, etc. I picked up La Selection Boisee with Super Cedar, Mojave Ghost and Black Saffron but there are multiple variations available with different combinations.

The Les Miniatures 5-Piece Set ($210) is available at Byredo with mini bottles in a dabber style.

Glossier Trio

This year Glossier added two new scents to their line and they launched a Glossier You Discovery Kit ($82) for the holiday with travel sizes. At the time of this post there are a few left at Sephora.com but it’s sold out at Glossier. The good news is you can find the Travel Editions (8 ml each) individually now in Glossier You, You Reve and You Doux for $32 each. Glossier is offering 20% off online until 12/15.

Parfums de Marly

Parfums de Marly is a new-to-me brand this year. I bought the Feminine Discovery Set ($50) from their website (comes with a voucher to use towards a full-size fragrance). The line is more widely available at retailers like Nordstrom, Saks, Neimans etc. and they carry it near me but I really liked having the discovery set to try them at my own pace.

I also love their Discovery Collection ($230, Saks) with four 10 ml sizes perfect to try or for your purse. It has Delina, Delina Exclusif, Oriana and Valaya. I’m a huge fan of the Delina line for the prettiest rose scents but my heart still belongs to Creed Spring Flower so I haven’t bought any of the Delina scents.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

I’ve been a huge fan of Victoria Beckham Beauty for the makeup and was super curious when they launched perfumes. I ordered the Original 3-Piece Discovery Set ($30) when it launched (this comes with a voucher). Out of the three I liked Portofino 97 the best which has notes of Bergamot, Amber and Vetiver (all my favorite notes) but I didn’t like it enough to buy any of the full sizes. It pulls unisex but slightly more on the masculine side on me.

They’ve since added a new scent and updated the Discovery Set ($40) to include the new one Reverie which has notes of Vanilla, Cedarwood and Plum. I haven’t tried the perfume but the PR team sent over their Hand Cream Collection Set ($144) which has all four scents in a hand cream and I really love Reverie. It has a similar vibe to MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 which I actually don’t wear anymore. I think the VBB Reverie is a much better variation. If you like vanillas I think it’s definitely worth checking out.

The Hand Creams are very smooth in texture without any sticky residue. I think they’re really nice. You can purchase them individually and they also launched a Hand Cream Tube Key ($12) to twist the end of the tube.

The Harmonist

I discovered The Harmonist line this year and fell head over heels in love with Moon Glory and Yin Transformation. They’re truly unique with exceptionally long lasting power. There is a Discovery Set ($85) I’m working my way through. I think it’s a truly special line.

Linking a few more Discovery Sets. There seems to be one for almost every perfume line!

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If you’ve been looking for some last minute beauty gifts I hope you found this roundup helpful! If you have any favorite perfume line you’re loyal to please let me know in the comments. I am always looking for more to try.

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Haul

December 10, 2024

I did a mini Charlotte Tilbury haul last month but finally just got around to playing with the things I picked up. I picked up the new Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette along with a few other things I restocked. The Charlotte Tilbury team gifted one of their Advent Calendars and it is so cute. I shared an unboxing on reels but thought I’d share swatches of the beauty items here.

Advent Calendar & Gift Sets

There are two major gift sets this year from Charlotte Tilbury and I think either would make for the ultimate beauty gift. I was gifted the Treasure Chest of Love 12 Door Beauty Advent Calendar ($220, Charlotte Tilbury, Kohl’s x Sephora, Beautylish and Revolve) and it comes in an impressive heart shaped box with drawers. The handles are shaped like jewels and it really is just so beautiful. It has a good mix of skincare and makeup. I swatched the makeup items below which include the Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk (mini), Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk (mini), Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk (full size), Eyeliner in Pillow Talk (mini), Beauty Icon Lipstick in Vixen (mini) and the Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm (full size).

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss in Pillow Talk

Also wearing: Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick in Shade 7.5, Beautiful Skin Foundation in Shade 6, Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Medium, Hollywood Glow Glide Blush/Highligher Duo Light/Medium, Pillow Talk Beautyverse Eyeshadow Palette, Nail Polish Hermes Rouge H, Sweater Madewell

Pillow Talk Lip Cheat + Matte Revolution

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Icon Lipstick in Vixen

There is another gift set called the Pillow Talk Dreams Come True Makeup Kit ($390, available at Charlotte Tilbury, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s x Sephora). It’s quite the splurge but looks incredibly beautiful in the quilted pink case and compartments filled with 13 full-sized items from the Pillow Talk lineup.

Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

The Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette ($69, Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s) is a nine-pan palette with pink, cranberry and fuschia tones. It pulls very berry-like on the eyes and I thought there might be a chance it wouldn’t work for me but the sparkles were SO pretty I decided to give it a try. It has 3 different finishes among the shadows. The mattes are super smooth and have an almost creamy cushiony texture. There are some very sparkly toppers and then a couple shades that have a more refined shimmer.

I think it’s beautiful. I don’t think the tones will be for everyone but I think it gives a very pretty holiday glam look. I really hope they make another palette with this formula and texture in a neutral version in the future.

Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette

I purchased the Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette ($29, Sephora and Nordstrom) and love it. The pink blush is very soft and has a medium neutral undertone. I really love the highlighter because it’s ultra smooth, isn’t too sharp in the shimmer and has a really pretty finish. Although I will say that it’s nearly identical to the Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter in Pillow Talk Glow.

I added some more swatches to her Matte Beauty Blush Wands, Beauty Light Wands and Cheek to Chic blushes in pink tones for comparison.

Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick

I picked up the Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick ($46, picked mine from Sephora) based on the feedback and recommendation from many of you. I had shared some initial thoughts in a shopping story a while back and thought it was going to be too dewy and glowy to wear, even as just a highlight.

Most of you also said you passed but a few told me to give it a second chance. Many of you wear it as a glowy base just on a few areas on the face underneath regular foundation much like the Hollywood Flawless Filter but the stick isn’t as shimmery and has a slightly more sheer/balmy finish. Many of my dry-skin readers said it added the perfect amount of glow and hydration and when blended it actually did not look as dewy or shiny as they expected.

I am glad I gave it a chance. I ended up picking Shade 7.5. I don’t know that I could wear this come spring or summer in Florida, but it has been exceptionally dry this winter which means it’s more like regular weather that most of you experience. My skin has been very dry lately and it has been LOVING all kinds of cream products and extra rich moisturizers.

I have been wearing it as a base all over. Sometimes I’ll just add concealer on areas I need more coverage and set with a powder. Other times I’ll layer my regular foundation on top (I recently repurchased her Beautiful Skin Foundation in Shade 6). I really love it. It’s unlike any other foundation stick I’ve tried and for me it has the perfect amount of glow without being overdone and it does not accentuate fine lines or pores.

Overall I give the Foundation Stick a solid 10/10. I do love the Blush Duo although I do think you could dupe the colors with other products. I ended up really liking the Pillow Talk Beautyverse Palette but if you can’t wear berry or pink tones on the eyes then I’d say skip it and opt for something different.

You can find all of these still available now. Many retailers are still offering holiday promos so you may want to shop around for an extra discount.

Sephora has their Gift For All Event with 20% off using code HAVEITALL (one time use, ends 12/15)

Ulta Beauty has 20% off (some exclusions apply) – check your email if you have a Members account for your personal online code (runs through 12/24) and they just added a 20% off deal on 190 brands when you buy online and pick up in store with code HOLIDAY24

Bloomingdale’s has their Beauty Treats Event, take $25 off every $150 you spend on almost all beauty (ends 12/17)

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Sales

Best Black Friday Sales 2024

November 29, 2024

above Jenni Kayne sweater on sale 25% off

Black Friday is here! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We had an early Thanksgiving lunch at our home and then went to see Wicked in theaters. It’s been forever since we’ve been to the movie theater and we all thought the movie was very cute. Loved it!

The sales this year are some of the best I’ve ever seen. I already shopped some early sales and wasn’t planning on shopping more, but the sales are SO good I can’t help but keep browsing. Here’s a roundup list of the best ones I’ve found to save you some time from clicking and searching around.

BIG RETAILERS

Anthropologie – 30% off fashion and home and gifts, my favorite Gleaming Primrose Mirror and Vanity Mirror are both included!

Bloomingdale’s – take 25% off lots of select regular-price items, plus Loyallists get a $25 reward for every $100 spent

Neiman Marcus – save $50 to $500 off regular-price collections with code THANKFUL, includes beauty

Spend $250 save $50
Spend $500 save $125
Spend $1,000 save $250
Spend $2,000 save $500

Nordstrom – thousands of new markdowns save up to 60%, all sale here

Beauty Sale items here including Dyson, Lancome, Kiehl’s, Shark, Tom Ford and more
Women’s Sale items here

Saks – Black Friday spend $150 and earn a $75 gift card with code BFGIFTSF

Sephora – Lots of Black Friday Gifts marked down to 50% off (including one of my favorite Natasha Denona Palettes) and all Fenty Beauty is 30% off today only

Shopbop – 25% off with code HOLIDAY

Target – top Black Friday deals added

Ulta Beauty – new Black Friday deals added everyday

30% off Urban Decay
20% off Estee Lauder
$12 select mascaras
30% off select MAC Lipsticks and Foundations
30% off Olaplex
20% off Supergoop! (just added)
$12 select lips
30% off Too Faced Eye
Up to 30% off select Shark Beauty

BEAUTY SALES & Gift With Purchases

Bluemercury – Black Friday special 20% off no minimum purchase, 25% off $800+ and 30% off $1,500. Lots of luxury brands included like La Mer, Augustinus Bader, Osea, The Harmonist, Hourglass, Chantecaille, Sisley and more

Bobbi Brown – 24 hours only 30% off sitewide and 50% off select favorites, plus create a 5-piece mini set bag when you spend $80+

Byredo – Complementary 70g candle with orders $225 or more. Your choice of Cotton Poplin, Bibliotheque, Tree House or Burning Rose. In addition, orders $320 or more will receive a 12mL Eau de Parfum with Travel Leather Case. Select your fragrance at checkout.

Chanel Beauty – new High Points Makeup Set launches today with a fluffy pouch, Baume Essentiel in Lilas, Rouge Coco Baume in My Rose and Noir Allure Mascara

Charlotte Tilbury – up to 30% off everything (Treasure Chest Advent Calendar and Pillow Talk Advent also included)

30% off orders $160+
25% off orders $110+
20% off everything

Creed – complimentary Creed Leather Sample Wallet with purchases of $400+

Dyson – Black Friday save up to $300 on Black Friday deals

Foreo – Black Friday deals still going strong, 35% off Bear 2, 40% off UFO 3, 39% off Luna 4, Black Friday Bundle on the FAQ202 and more, plus use code SABRINAS10 to save an extra 10% off (can stack on top of the sales)

Guerlain – Special gift with purchases and step up options thru 12/2

Spend $100 and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml)
Spend $275+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Gift Set with Abeille Royale minis and pouch with code THANKS24
Spend $500+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set with code MERCI24
Spend $1,000+ and receive an Abeille Royale Night cream (7ml) + Orchide Imperiale Sampler Set + 3 wick luxury candle with code MERCI24

Hourglass Cosmetics – 20% off sitewide

L’Occitane – 20% off full priced items with code FRIDAY

Kerastase – 20% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY24 plus a complimentary bag and 3 samples on orders $100+

Olive and June – 25% off everything plus up to 3 free gifts with code 25OFF

Sephora – Lots of Black Friday Gifts marked down to 50% off (including one of my favorite Natasha Denona Palettes) and all Fenty Beauty is 30% off today only

Summer Fridays – 20% off with code CYBER

Tarte – 40% off for Tarte Perks, 30% off for everyone else and up to 80% off palettes

T3 Micro – 30% off plus free gifts on purchases $150+

U Beauty – 20% off best sellers and holiday sets

Victoria Beckham Beauty – 20% off

Westman Atelier – 20% off sitewide and their Lip Suede Trio is still in stock!

FASHION, ACCESSORIES and HOME

Alo Yoga – 30% off sitewide, the Foxy Sherpa Jacket is my favorite cozy jacket

Anthropologie – 30% off fashion and home and gifts, my favorite Gleaming Primrose Mirror and Vanity Mirror are both included!

APL – 30% off sitewide + $50 off your next order, my favorite styles are the Zipline, Techloom Dream and Techloom Breeze, I also love their slides (close up of two favorite styles I just ordered here)

Aritizia – 20 to 50% off everything

Away Travel – save 25% off everything

Calpak – up to 60% off

Free People – 50% off select styles

Jenni Kayne – 25% off and $50 towards your next purchase when you spend $125 or more, I really love their Cropped Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan (eyeing the color Shadow for my next splurge) and also have the Cashmere Half Zip and Cashmere Fisherman in my cart

Lululemon – tons of items included in their Black Friday Sale selections

Madewell – 50% off with code MADEBETTER, I bought this soft Wedged V-Neck Sweater (wearing it here), Alpaca-Blend V-neck in grey, and LOVE this Cashmere V-Neck (bought it in Heather Oat)

Mejuri – 25% off, my favorite pieces linked here including their huggies and hoops and travel jewelry case

Reformation – 25% off everything

Theory – Up to 50% off Sitewide

Varley – 30% off select styles

Vince – 25% off sitewide with code HOTELVINCE

Happy Shopping!

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Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Haul

Advent Calendar & Gift Sets

Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette

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Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick

Best Black Friday Sales 2024

BIG RETAILERS

BEAUTY SALES & Gift With Purchases

FASHION, ACCESSORIES and HOME

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