Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Huetopian Dream Collection

August 26, 2021

Pat McGrath launched her new Huetopian Dream Collection and the new palette is absolutely stunning. All the items are available now online at Pat McGrath Labs and Sephora.

Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette Huetopian Dream

Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette Huetopian Dream ($125) is probably my favorite palette launch to date from Pat McGrath and if you don’t mind wearing glitter sparkle toppers I think you’ll love it too. It has a mix of smooth shimmers, mattes, duo chrome shimmers, intense shimmers and sparkle glitter toppers.

The shimmers and mattes apply smoothly on the skin while the sparkle toppers are more chunky with the glitter flecks. Colors include:

Skinshow Nude Xtasy – cool toned champagne shimmer
Secret Eden – soft plum pink matte
Bronze Desire – sparkling bronze
Bronze Solaris 005 – glittery golden yellow
Astral Venusian Orchid – white gold glitter
Xtreme Plum Noir – deep matte plum brown
Cosmic Bloom – complex rose pink sparkle shimmer
Shockwave – matte coral pink
Blitz Sextreme – duochrome bronze purple silver shimmer
Astral Amethyst Moon – sparkly lilac purple

IntensifEYES Artistry Wand

Another new launch is the IntensifEYES Artistry Wand ($32) also available in a Duo Set ($52). This is a multi-purpose product which is quite interesting and I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it. You can apply it to the lids to prime for eyeshadow (in particular the glitters or sparkles to make them adhere better). Or you can also apply on top of shadow and it transforms it into an almost liquid formula. I think it’s quite unique but for me not essential as it’s an extra step I don’t think is necessary.

FetishEYES Mascara

For the eyes the FetishEYES Mascara ($30) has been a repromoted which I think is a good basic everyday mascara, but I actually prefer the Dark Star Mascara formula for better volume and length.

I did a look on my Instagram Reels wearing the palette, also wearing:

Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation in LM14 (review here)
Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer in LM 13 (review + swatches here)
Pat McGrath Huetopian Dream Eyeshadow Palette
Victoria Beckham Eyeliner in Cocoa
Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Divine Blush in Divine Rose
Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Divinyl in Divine Rose 2 (review here)
Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in Aphrodisiac (swatches here)

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I think the colors in the palette are gorgeous. The texture, pigment and lasting power are all excellent. There is some fall out with the glitters when I apply but once product is on the lids (I pat on with fingers) they pretty much stay put. As much as I love it though I wonder how many of you are glitter/sparkle wearers. I think she does such a great job on her palettes for that extra glam vibe – I wonder if she will ever launch an all matte palette or one without glitters.

I have heard that some think this one is similar to other palettes. Based on what I have Huetopian Dream seems different enough to me to justify owning, although I do not have the Mothership VIII Divine Rose II which looks like it could be similar in some of the tones. In case you want to see swatches of other palettes/quads I’ve reviewed, I’ve linked them below:

Mothership V Bronze Seduction (fall 2018) – review here
Mothership VI Midnight Sun (fall 2019) – swatches and review here
Blitz Astral Quads Ritualistic Rose and Iconic Illumination (holiday 2019) – review here
Mothership VII Divine Rose (spring 2020) – review here (previously my favorite, but still love)
MTHRSHP Rose Decadence (fall 2020) – swatches here
Divine Rose Luxe Quad Eternal Eden (early spring 2021) – review here
Venus in Fleurs Luxe Quad in Voyeuristic Vixen (spring 2021) – review here

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs Huetopian Dream collection out now at Pat McGrath and Sephora.

Pat McGrath Huetopian Dream collection provided for review.

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Hauls Nordstrom

Valentino Beauty Haul From Nordstrom

August 23, 2021

I have a look at the new Valentino Beauty launch from Nordstrom today! I hauled a little bit of everything from eyes, lips, cheeks and foundation to try out and found some new favorites. If you haven’t checked out the launch yet I hope you find this roundup helpful!

FACE MAKEUP

I’m very impressed with their base products so far. The Very Valentino 24-Hour Wear Liquid Foundation ($64) is a fluid foundation with impressive lasting power and buildable coverage. I love that even with the long wear formula it still feels natural enough to allow the skin to breathe. I picked the shade MN4 to try with the neutral undertone and it’s a perfect match.

It has medium buildable coverage with a demi-matte finish. I always set with powder and tried it with my favorite Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless in Medium which worked perfectly together. I wasn’t able to test it for a full 24 hours but it did last from morning until late evening with minimal touch ups required (just around the T zone and nose with a bit of powder).

I also tried one of the V-Lighter Face Primer Highlighters ($58) in Ambra which is the peachy option. For me it works really well as a primer or mixed in with foundation. Ambra is a pearlescent peachy shade and it adds just the perfect amount of glow to the skin. It looks quite pigmented but blends out easily to a sheerer finish.

For the eyes and cheeks they have a multi-purpose cream to powder product called the Eye2Cheek Blush and Eyeshadow ($58 each). These have a creamy texture with a powdery dry down. Pigment is medium and buildable. The cheek colors do require some blending on the skin but the color adheres well and stays put for an extended period of time!

I tried:

04 Sweet Rebel is a cool toned pink rose with a hint of pearl
06 Call Me Coral is a coral with a hint of shimmer
08 Roman Sky is a soft glowy light peach
12 Bright Dream is a beautiful gold shimmer (I love this as an eyeshadow)

EYE MAKEUP

For the eyes I hauled three things. So far there is one eyeshadow palette called the Color Flip Eyeshadow Palette ($98). It has eight shades to mix and match the colors for a few different looks. I tried this palette two ways, one look with just the top shades, and another with just the bottom. The textures are mixed from soft mattes, smooth shimmers, stronger shimmers and a couple more sparkly colors. Application was flawless with all of the colors and they blend really well on top of each other!

Below with the top shades in the eyeshadow palette, also wearing 1ooR lipstick, Magnificent Mascara and Sweet Rebel Eye2Cheek Blush

Side by side of the top colors vs bottom bottom colors:

Two other things I tried include the Magnificent Mascara ($32) which I am really impressed with for a good volumizing, thickening mascara that holds the curl and does not smudge on me. I also tried their Twin Liner Gel & Liquid Eyeliner in Black ($40) which is convenient if you want a pencil and liquid liner in one. Application is smooth, lasting power great, pigment is rich.

LIPS

Last I have a look at two lip products. They have full size lipsticks which are refillable and also some select colors in a mini format. I bought the Rosso Valentino Lipstick in 107A Matte which is a matte dark rose brown ($55 for the lipstick, $30 for the refills). I also tried the Rosso Valentino Lipstick Mini in 100R Satin ($30) which is a neutral cool rose pink. It pulls more neutral cool toned on my warm skin, if you have neutral or cooler tones I suspect it will look more neutral or warm on your lips/complexion. I really love the texture of the 100R which is a satin finish – smooth pigment with a slightly glossy sheen.

Overall I’ve had a really good experience with the new items from the Valentino Beauty launch! My top 3 favorites I would recommend include the Foundation, V-Lighter Highlighter and Mascara.

You can find all of the new items available at Nordstrom. Have you tried anything from the line yet? What did you think?

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post.

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Chanel Lips

New Shades Chanel Rouge Allure Laque and Ink Fusion

August 16, 2021

Chanel launched new shades of Rouge Allure Laque and Rouge Allure Ink Fusion ($40 each). The colors run on the bold side which I think will be really nice for the fall season or if you like a classic bold lip. I also ordered a few pieces from the fall collection and have a quick look at one item today (the new blush). These are out now at Chanel.com.

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque

The Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Ultrawear Shine Liquid Lip Colour is a glossy liquid lipstick formula with a lightweight feel and high shine finish. You can see my previous review with swatches here and here. I do think that the Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue is significantly longer lasting if you’re looking for extended wear. The Rouge Allure Laque has similar lasting power to a regular lipstick for me. Stays put but does fade if your lips touch something like cups or a napkin.

82 Beige Confidentiel is a warm orange beige
83 Beige Secret is a medium brown pink
84 Rose Ambigu is a rose color (my favorite)
85 Corail Alternatif is a bright coral red
86 Rouge Captivant is a deeper red
87 Rouge Irregulier is a plum brown

For skintone reference I’m wearing the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in BD41 right now (all my foundation shades in this post here).

Rouge Allure Ink Fusion

The Rouge Allure Ink Fusion is a fluid lightweight matte liquid lipstick. These colors looked fairly dark in the tube but I was pleasantly surprised by these colors! They’re a lot prettier on the lips than what I see in the tube. There are a couple of repromotes. My other review of other shades here.

838 Orange Enigmatique is a soft muted orange (love this color)
840 Rouge Paradoxal is a warm red
842 Rouge Distinctif is a bold red with slight blue tones
844 Rogue Imprevu is a pink red
846 Rouge Particulier is a deeper red
848 Brun Mysterieux is a plum brown

Joues Contraste 608 Ombre

I ordered 3 items from the Chanel Fall-Winter Collection, one of them being the new Joues Contraste in 608 Ombre ($45). It’s a super soft diffused nude almost neutral-cool caramel brown shade that offers a very subtle contour on my skin tone. I applied it and felt it was a little too neutral in the lip swatches with Rouge Allure Laque 82, 83, 84 and 85. I added some Laura Mercier Blush in Fresco and Ginger which I find similar in tone but show up better on my medium tan skin tone on the other Lip Swatch images above. If you want swatches and a more detailed of the Ombre Blush review let me know.

You can find the new Chanel Rouge Allure shades available now at Chanel.com. Have you checked any of them out yet? Or anything from the Fall Collection? What did you think?

Chanel Rouge Allure shades provided for review.

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EM Cosmetics

EM Cosmetics So Soft Blush + Multi FacePlay Sticks

August 10, 2021

EM Cosmetics just launched their new So Soft Collection with cream twist up sticks for blush, bronzer and contour. I have a look at all the shades of So Soft Blush ($30 each) + and So Soft Multi Faceplay ($30 each). Available online at EM Cosmetics.

Both formulas have a soft super soft creamy texture in a twist up format. They’re creamy with a satin texture and have a skin like finish. Pigment is medium to sheer and easy to blend out. Once they set on the skin they have a very subtle minimal glow so they’re not too emollient but at the same time they’re not powdery in the dry down.

So Soft Blush

The So Soft Blush sticks are available in six colors, all are creams without shimmer:

Baby is a pale pink
Lychee is a soft melon
Pearl Tea is a neutral tan brown nude
Venetian Rose is a rose
Passion is an orange shade
Bitten is a plum berry

Swatches:

Below wearing a few of the colors on the face, for my skin tone Baby is a bit too pale, but I can make it work. My favorites are Lychee and Pearl Tea. Also wearing the EM Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour with Baby and Lychee. Pearl Tea blush on cheeks and lips. With the Passion Blush I’m wearing the Lip Cushion in Faded Clementine.

So Soft Multi Faceplay

The So Soft Multi Faceplay sticks are truly multi-taskers. You can use these as a bronzer or contour and the color range includes two very deep tones. I tried the lightest Summer on my face and it works perfectly to warm up my medium tan complexion.

Summer is a caramel brown
Terra is a cool brown (similar to Westman Atelier Biscuit)
Nomadic is a warm deep brown
Pangea is a deep cocoa brown

Swatches next to Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour and Chanel Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream (review here).

Below wearing Summer.

Lasting power is pretty good for a cream product although if you have oily skin you may need to layer on a matching powder blush shade on top to make it set or last a bit longer. Pigment overall blends out to a very natural finish but you can layer for more color.

I’m still a powder blush person at heart but I do really like the formula of the So Soft sticks. In case you missed the previous roundup you can see my EM Cosmetics overview + review of other products here.

You can find these out now at EM Cosmetics. Have you tried these yet? What kind of blush do you prefer? Cream or powder?

EM So Soft Collection provided for review.

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Beauty Favorites Loving Right Now

Loving Right Now

August 8, 2021

Sharing a roundup of some recent favorites I’ve been loving lately. I have a mix of some things for the home, hair plus a few beauty items as well.

For the Home

Barefoot Dreams CozyChic – Quick reminder today is the last day for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (8/8). They still have a lot of Barefoot Dreams Blankets colors available in the CozyChic Throw (on sale for $97.90) and In The Wild Throw Blanket ($119.90).

The CozyChic Leopard Pet Bed is also available in both colors in the Medium Size (on sale $98.90). I own the large for our pets but just ordered a second in the Medium Size before the sale is over. They’re both obsessed!

Jo Malone Scent Surround Diffuser in Lime Basil and Mandarin ($100) is a full-priced item and I decided to give their diffusers another try. I remember trying them many years ago and thought they were just ok, but so many have been asking for diffuser recommendations (over candles and sprays) I decided to try them. It will take a few hours for the fragrance to fill the reed sticks but I am so impressed. It’s strong enough to fill our kitchen and living room area.

Nest Bamboo and Grapefruit Diffuser Set ($67 on sale, $100 value) is another brand that has been highly recommended. I love their candles (especially during the holiday) but never really looked into the diffusers. These caught Andrew’s eye in store because of the Nest Gray Malin Collaboration (the glass jars come in different colored stripes). They were sold out of the one we wanted in store so we decided to try the Nordstrom Sale Set with Bamboo and Grapefruit.

These are even stronger and more potent than the ones from Jo Malone and both are really pleasant and fresh. The glass jar is very sturdy and large. I found it also took about an hour or two before the oil was soaked up into the reeds.

For the Body

Chanel L’Huile Vanille Body Massage Oil ($230) is quite the splurge for the body but one of the best ones I’ve tried. I love the soft vanilla scent and it smells just like the Sublimage skincare line. It is a fluid lightweight oil and feels super luxurious on the skin. I do wish it came with a dropper or had a stopper at the top for easier application but I think the formula is really nice. I’ve been tempted to try the other scents too but the bottle is so large it will take me a long time to use it up so I’m sticking with one for now.

Diptyque Do Son is another unique favorite for me right now. I love the Do Son Hand Cream ($45) as it comes with a pump dispenser in a sleek tube. I also really love the Do Son Eau de Toilette Hair Mist Travel Size Duo ($90 on sale at Nordstrom). It’s a unique floral scent with a mix of tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom.

Eye Makeup Neutrals

Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette ($48) is officially my favorite matte eyeshadow palette now. I initially thought it was over-hyped and to be frank the colors in the pan looked a little boring to me. After trying it for several weeks though I am really impressed. It’s so versatile and the colors are perfect for a wide range of looks. Texture is smooth, application is easy, lasting power is excellent.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks ($30 each) have been something I’ve used on and off for many years now. I’ve always gravitated towards the shimmer shades but they just added some more cream neutrals that are perfect for priming or evening out the lids. If you’re like me you’ve probably used a creamy concealer to even out the lids. If looking for a cream shadow with longer lasting power, I highly recommend checking out the newer shades. I like either Cashew or Sand Dune for my lids/skin tone.

Lip Balm

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm ($22) has finally been repackaged into a more user-friendly tube and I couldn’t be more thrilled. The original packaging always seemed to ooze product out with the metal tube. It’s now a squeezable plastic. They have the original one (clear) and also added a tinted beige pink called Vanilla Beige. I highly recommend checking it out, available at Sephora and Summer Fridays.

Gucci Nail Polish

Gucci Nail Polish in Annabel Rose ($30) last but not least a number of you have been asking how the Gucci Nail Polish has held up. My latest love is Annabel Rose which is a neutral beige with a hint of pink. I’m pretty impressed! Two coats gives full coverage and it has held up with no chips or tip wear by Day 7. I used the Essie Gel Setter Top Coat on top. Colors seem to be selling out at a number of places but at the time of this post it’s available at Nordstrom and Gucci.

What have you been loving lately?

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More soon including a look at some newness from Chanel, current hair care favorites and some more items I’ve hauled recently that I’ve been loving.

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Laura Mercier

Everyday Natural Look with the Laura Mercier Rose Glow Collection

August 3, 2021

I have a look at the Laura Mercier Rose Glow Collection today. The new Caviar Stick Eye Colors (6 shades, $29 each) and Highlighting Powder ($30) launched earlier in the summer and there are some really pretty options if you like shimmer or rose tones! I’m late to review this as it launched several weeks ago but I thought I’d add some comparison swatches in case you still haven’t had a chance to check it out.

Rose Glow Caviar Stick Eye Colors

There are six new shades of Caviar Stick Eye Color and they are all in a pink rose or plum tone theme. The shimmer is pretty high with these so if you feel like you can’t wear shimmery tones on your lids these may be too much for you. I still think you can use the deeper tones or layer 1-2 with your other shades without having it look too frosty. I really love that they did eye look swatches with all the shades on multiple skin tones and eye colors for their promotional photos (all available side by side on Lauramercier.com). I think these are so helpful!

I found these to have a little bit more shimmer than colors like Copper or Rose Gold. Similar to what I see in the Caviar Stick Eye Color in Sugar Frost. They’re easy to blend but they do set quickly and lasting power is excellent once it sets.

Some colors have sold out on different retail websites but I’ve seen them restock. You can still find all the shades at Laura Mercier, others also available at Nordstrom, Saks, Ulta, Bloomingdale’s. Colors include:

Wild Rose is a shimmery champagne rose
Kiss From A Rose is a soft pink shimmer
Bed of Roses is a mauve shimmer
Strike a Rose medium soft plum rose
Forbidden Rose copper rose
Rose Thorn deep plum shimmer

I did a look layering 3 shades including Wild Rose, Bed of Roses, Forbidden Rose + the Makeup By Mario Master Mattes. Also wearing:

Foundation – Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in 3W1 + Flawless Fusion Foundation in Golden mixed
Concealer – Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in 3N1
Powder – Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder
Blush – Laura Mercier Blush Color Infusion Powder Blush in Strawberry
Highlighter – Laura Mercier Highlighting Powder in Rose Glow
Eyeshadow – Caviar Stick Eye Color in Wild Rose, Bed of Roses + Forbidden Rose layered with a bit of the Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Palette
Eyeliner – Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Palette (black and brown shades)
Mascara – NARS Climax Extreme
Lips – Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Blush

Comparisons below to Bobbi Brown, By Terry, Charlotte Tilbury and a few other Laura Mercier colors

Highlighting Powder in Rose Glow

The new Highlighting Powder in Rose Glow is a soft shimmery pale rose. It has a beautiful soft texture but the highlight is quite intense on my medium tan skin tone because it’s paler than my natural skin tone. Shimmer wise it’s smooth but for me it requires a light hand. I prefer it mixed with a regular satin or matte blush for a softer diffused look.

Below wearing Highlighting Powder in Rose Glow on top of Blush in Strawberry

Swatch comparisons next to Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight 01, Face Illuminator in Devotion, Chanel Eclat du Desert (reviewed here) and Pat McGrath Divine Glow in Golden Nectar (on the face here)

I love the texture of the powder but color wise I have a lot of similar colors so I wouldn’t call it super unique for my skin tone. Performance wise it’s excellent and I do think it’s a beautiful highlighter.

You can find the Laura Mercier Rose Glow collection out now. Available at Laura Mercier, Nordstrom, Ulta, Saks, Bloomingdales and all other Laura Mercier retailers.

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Rose Glow Collection provided for review.

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Charlotte Tilbury Nordstrom

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale x Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Exclusives

July 30, 2021

Happy Friday! I have a look at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale x Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Exclusives and think there some great options this year. Nordstrom launched a new Instant Look Palette for the sale along with some good value sets to try out. I have a closer look with more swatches today.

Collagen Lip Bath Set

The Collagen Lip Bath formula is one of my all time favorites. The colors Refresh Rose and Pillow Talk have been staples in my routine for an effortless look. They give the lips a plump lush shine without the strong stinging or tingle sensation (huge plus for me). Pillow Talk is the one that gives me the most compliments and I’ve gifted it to pretty much every single friend and family member close to me. Formula is comfortable and hydrating. There is peppermint which gives it a slight cooling sensation but it’s a pleasant one.

This year’s Full Size Collagen Lip Bath Trio Set is on sale for $68 (full price is a $106 value). It includes:

Refresh Rose – sheer soft clear light pink

Pillow Talk – perfect everyday rose

Walk of No Shame – warm plum berry

Above wearing:

Foundation – Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in Shade 7
Concealer – Cle de Peau Concealer in Ocher
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless in Medium
Eyes + Cheeks – Charlotte Tilbury Sunset Dreamscape Palette
Eyeliner + Mascara – Too Faced Full Size Better Than Sex Mascara + Killer Eyeliner Set
Top – Off the Shoulder Thermal Knit (color is white, still available in beige oatmeal)

Sunset Dreamscape Instant Look in a Palette Set

The Face and Eye Palette Set includes one of her Instant Look Palettes called Sunset Dreamscape. It also includes a mini mascara. The palette has a good mix of everyday wearbale rose tones. On my medium skin tone it gives me a neutral rose bronze shade without being too pink or rosy.

Eyeshadows include a soft champagne, warm peachy copper shimmer, matte plum. For the face there is a nice soft light tan matte bronzer (neutral tones), two blushes in warm rose tones and a pale sheer highlighter.

Overall pigment level is medium but buildable. Lasting power is excellent for wear time and I love the colors!

Skin Care

A couple other mentions I wanted to include are some of her skincare items. There are two value sets including the Setting Spray and Magic Cream Set ($75 on sale, $113 value) and also the Magic Cream Set ($160 on sale, $240 value). I’m a huge fan of her Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray and Magic Cream so I think if you’re looking to try her skincare these are some nice sets available with some good price savings.

You can find these items available at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in store and online at Nordstrom. Sale runs through August 8th. Don’t forget to check out the Gift With Purchase section online as well. They have new ones that rotate every week!

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post.

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Older Posts

Newer Posts

Sabrina

Pat McGrath Huetopian Dream Collection

Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette Huetopian Dream

IntensifEYES Artistry Wand

FetishEYES Mascara

Valentino Beauty Haul From Nordstrom

FACE MAKEUP

EYE MAKEUP

LIPS

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New Shades Chanel Rouge Allure Laque and Ink Fusion

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque

Rouge Allure Ink Fusion

Joues Contraste 608 Ombre

EM Cosmetics So Soft Blush + Multi FacePlay Sticks

So Soft Blush

So Soft Multi Faceplay

Loving Right Now

For the Home

For the Body

Eye Makeup Neutrals

Lip Balm

Gucci Nail Polish

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Everyday Natural Look with the Laura Mercier Rose Glow Collection

Rose Glow Caviar Stick Eye Colors

Highlighting Powder in Rose Glow

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Nordstrom Anniversary Sale x Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Exclusives

Collagen Lip Bath Set

Sunset Dreamscape Instant Look in a Palette Set

Skin Care

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