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.
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.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens to the public today! In case you missed it you can see my Beauty Haul with swatches of my picks from Tom Ford, Charlotte Tilbury, NARS and more here. My Hair Care and Fragrance picks from Diptyque, Jo Malone, Oribe here.
Today I have a closer look at the three sets from NARS I hauled and after playing with them I think they are my favorites and definitely worth looking into!
The NARS Pleasure Trip Cheek Palette ($45 sale, $87 value) is a trio with one highlighter (Wanderlust), one shimmery brush (Lucky Star) and a soft matte bronzer (Wild at Heart). The palette shows up pretty well on my medium tan skin for a bronzed rose look. Colors are smooth and the shimmers aren’t too shimmery. Pigment is on the medium-high side but can be easily sheered out. The texture is that finely milled pressed texture similar to the older Banc de Sable or the more recent NARS Orgasm on the Beach – just not as glowy/shimmery on my skin.
AFTERGLOW LIP SHINE SET
The NARS Afterglow Lip Shine Set ($45 sale, $78 value) is really nice, especially if you like smooth texture lip glosses. Pigment is sheer but still visible on the lips. I like them alone but they also layer beautifully with lipsticks or lip liners. Lasting power is pretty good for a gloss. The shimmery ones have no texture even with the sparkles.
Broken Glass is a clear base loaded with silver and pale gold shimmers.
Orgasm is a medium pink shimmer.
Laguna is a warm coppery bronze with a subtle shimmer.
AFTERGLOW MINI LIP BALM DUO
Last but not least lip swatches of the NARS Afterglow Mini Lip Balm Duo ($22) in Deep Throat and Fast Lane. The lip balms in this duo are super mini, but it makes for a nice sampler size to give you a sense of how they will perform on your lips. Also makes a super cute gift. I think the full-size Afterglow Lip Balms ($28 each) are 100% worth the splurge. Love these for the soft wash of color + shine.
“Receive deluxe samples of Bronzing Powder in Laguna (0.04 oz.), Lipstick in Rosecliff (0.06 oz.), Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (0.09 oz.) and Climax Mascara (0.06 oz.) with your $100 NARS purchase. Online and in U.S. stores.*”
There is also another gift available online with any purchase in Beauty and Fragrance with $150 purchases (sample pack).
I’ve been on a baby pink nail polish kick lately and have a few favorites I love I wanted to share! So many of my favorite light pinks have been discontinued from Chanel and Dior. Rescue Beauty Lounge also used to make some of the best pale pinks (so sad they’re no longer around!). Here are my favorites right now!
Olive and June Pink Sands ($8, available at Olive and June) – This one is super creamy pale and opaque white-based pink, apply 2 thin coats for full coverage. (If you want something with a little less white base try Olive and June SE.)
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OPI Bubble Bath ($10-$10.50, Target and Ulta) – This is one I rediscovered early summer, I remember not liking it before thinking it was sooo sheer it was difficult to get the color to show up. I tried it again and if I apply 2-3 coats I find I get the perfect pale pink manicure.
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Gucci Beauty Ellen Blush ($30, Nordstrom, Sephora, Gucci) – I just ordered a few of the newly repackaged nail polishes from Gucci. This one has full opaque coverage with one stroke but I still prefer to apply 2. Ellen Blush is the perfect medium light pink to me.
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Essie Fiji ($8.99 at Target) – This will be hit or miss depending on your skin tone or undertone, it’s a cool-toned blue based pale pink with full coverage. It has the tiny skinny brush which I wish they would update. I do think it’s a classic pale pink on me though.
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Essie Muchi Muchi ($8.99 Target) – Muchi Muchi is a medium pale pink on me. It’s not quite as pale as most lighter pinks which makes it more fun for me.
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Essie Gel Couture Polished and Poised ($11.50, Ulta) – A newer to me discovery, love that this is a really pretty light medium neutral warm pink that has full coverage but doesn’t have too much white in it.
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For those who want a closer look at the brush applicators:
My latest love is the new By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Balm ($38, available at By Terry). By Terry created six perfect neutrals for lips in a tinted balm formula and every single color is perfect. The team kindly sent 2 and after seeing a few previews online I immediately ordered the other 4. I have all 6 swatched today. I think they’re great everyday kind of colors – basic staples without being boring.
The Hyaluronic Hydra-Balms are creamy and have a moisturizing feel without too much slip. Pigment is pretty good in coverage with medium level opacity. Formula-wise they have hyaluronic acid to add moisture and give the lips a full plump look. She also added a water gloss complex to give it a naturally glossy look. They do have a perfumed powdery rose scent but on me I feel like it fades within a few minutes (or my nose gets used to it).
Lasting power is similar to the Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom or YSL Rouge Volupte Shines. You will need to reapply every few hours but if you add a lipliner underneath lasting power is better.
I really love the colors she launched. I would love to see her add more shades to the line in the future too though! Maybe some more pink browns or toffee shades!
Shade 1 Sexy Nude is a light cool-toned nude, I thought this would be too pale but it’s really pretty on
Shade 2 Nudissimo is a light pink with coral tones, this is the only one I felt too pale for my skin tone, but if I layer it with a lip liner or another lipstick it’s perfect
Shade 3 Tea Time* is the perfect tan beige
Shade 4 Dare to Bare* is a pretty soft berry neutral
Shade 5 Secret Kiss is a brown pink (love this one)
Shade 6 is a berry red nude
Swatches below:
Sexy Nude, Nudissimo, Tea Time on the lips also wearing:
100% love and the formula is comfortable, hydrating, not too heavy or thick. I also think the colors are perfect for everyday. Highly recommend. You can find them online at By Terry.
Shop the Post:
Press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased by me.
I hope you have been enjoying your summer! I’m rounding up my Top Summer Essentials and favorites I’ve had in rotation. Also answering a few FAQs you’ve sent over about my favorite slides and peach lip glosses below! Here are my Top 10 Summer Staples:
1. Best Summer Hats
You girls know that I’m a huge fan of Eric Javits hats and I am so happy anytime I receive messages from you showing me your hats and visors from the line. It wasn’t until we moved to Florida that I started noticing that most of my hats didn’t have sufficient scalp and brim coverage. We saw these at Nordstrom and Andrew actually picked up one of the Hamptons Hats and said “this will be cute on you, try it.” My jaw dropped when I saw the price tag but we decided to splurge on one in Cream. It’s the best hat I’ve tried and blocks 95% of the UVA and UVB rays. I love that it has a wide brim that isn’t too floppy so it doesn’t cover my eyes. I also really like Helen Kaminski hats and visors too – but find myself wearing Eric Javits more frequently.
They occasionally have good sales on the Eric Javits website or on Nordstrom. I splurged on several more over the past year after. I would say my most-worn one is Cream. I think Bark has the prettiest color mix/weave though.
2. Sunglasses
Sunglasses have been my weakness to splurge on but I’ve been good the past year and stuck with my current collection. My Top 3 Go-To’s are the Celine 48 mm (CL4003IN Mineral 01A) in Black and a Pink Brown shade and the Ray-Ban Phantos 53 mm (RB4305). While in Miami I tried on some of the newer Chanel styles and have the Pantos Sunglassses on my wishlist (round and available in polarized/non-polarized options). I’m soooo close to ordering them online!
3. APL Slides
As much as I love beautiful chic sandals, I find that I pretty much live in APL Techloom Slides or the leather Lusso Slide. I wear them so much I have a terrible APL slide foot tan. I prefer the Techloom Slide because they’re the most comfortable and super easy to wash. I’ll soak them in the tub first and they clean up with detergent or dish soap and a sponge then put them in the washing machine. Super easy to maintain, just make sure you air dry them.
They come in whole sizes and I wear a size 6 in the slides (they run a little big). I’m a true 6.5 in shoes and 7 in sneakers. Andrew wears a 12.5 in sneakers and wears the slides in a 12. He says they’re the most comfortable wear-around-the-house things he’s ever tried. My bestie bought a pair for her husband he is also obsessed.
There’s no break in period, super comfortable, I’ve worn them on 5 mile walks, to the beach, to run errands, at home. I buy them from APL’s website, but they sell out pretty fast. You can also find them at Nordstrom, Shopbop and Revolve. For the guys I also recommend East Dane.
Colors shown top left clockwise: Techloom Black, Clay, Lusso Pristine, Techloom Caramel, Warm Silk, Nude, Black
4. Best Basic Tops:
The three tops I get the most questions about are the basics I wear. My go-to tee is the ATM Schoolboy Tee (runs small, recommend going up one size). They’re quite spendy but I love the fit and they wash well without losing their shape. I usually buy mine from ATM or Nordstrom.
The three glosses I rotate between the most are the Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses in peach tones. A number of you asked for swatches side by side as they look similar in stories, I have 166 Physical, 744 Subtil and 782 True.
6. Glowy Bronzer
I’m still in the process of putting together a bronzer favorites roundup but the one I’ve been most impressed with is the Chantecaille Real Bronze in Sirena. It’s a gel-powder formula with a soft glow to give you that sunkissed look. I think it’s 100% worth the splurge. Lip color shown is the Lip Tint in Beach Rose (reviewed here).
7. Glowy Eyeshadows
The eye look that has been getting the most wear this summer has been a mix of the Chantecaille Luminescent Eye Shades in Cheetah, Lion and Giraffe. They have the prettiest pearl particles and I love wearing these alone or on top of matte shadows to add some dimension and shimmer.
I have my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Haul Round 2 today with my picks in hair care and fragrance! If you have favorites in any of the lines there are some great bundles and savings available in sets. I’ve rounded up the Best Hair Care + Fragrance Sets I’ve found at Nordstrom Sale this year. Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives here. Don’t forget to check out the Gift With Purchase options too!
Anniversary Sale is available to shop for Icon, Ambassador and Influencer Card Members now! Public Sale starts July 28 and runs through August 8th.
HAIR CARE
Oribe Magic Duo Full Size Gold Lust Dry Shampoo & Dry Texturizing Spray Set ($64 sale price, $96 value) is usually available in a value set or travel sizes during this sale and this year they have the full size duo. I love the Dry Texturizing Spray to add soft texture and definition! The Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is one of my favorites.
Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner Set ($90 sale, $136 value) comes with full and travel sizes of the Gold Lust Shampoo + Conditioner! One set for home and another for travel. I usually buy the jumbo sizes when I order this but the set looked really good for travel.
Olaplex Bond Maintenance Hair Care Set ($84 sale, $126 value) my most-used shampoo and conditioner formula for the past year! Has the No 3 Hair Perfector, No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner. I relied heavily on this formula when I had color treated hair but it’s still good for those with natural hair.
BODY CARE
Kopari Full Size Coconut Melt Set ($35 sale, $56 value) it’s been a while since I restocked on the Kopari Coconut Melt and I forgot how nice this is to have for dry skin days. It’s so versatile to use as a moisturizer or in the bath. I love the Tropical Coconut scent, it’s similar to the original just a little more sweet.
FRAGRANCE + CANDLES
I picked up some goodies from Diptyque, Tom Ford, Jo Malone and Boy Smells for the sale.
Diptyque Travel Size Scented Candle Set ($60) I always get these every year, mainly for gifting away. This year’s variation has Baies, Figuier, Roses, Feuille de Lavande and Feu de Bois. If you’ve never tried Diptyque and don’t want to commit to the full sizes before trying I think this is a great way to sample scents!
Diptyque Do Son Eau de Toilette and Hair Mist Set ($90 sale, $125 value) has two mini sizes of the Do Son Eau de Toilette and Hair Mist. This one is such a unique scent and I would say is one of Diptyque’s signature scents. It has a mix of tuberose, orange blossom and jasmine. These both come in the 1 oz size. Full sizes are 1.7 oz – 3.4 for the perfume and 1 fl oz for the hair mist.
Jo Malone Travel Size Wood Sage and Sea Salt Set ($40) this is another great gifting set, it has three minis in a pouch of the Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne (0.3 oz), Peony and Blush Suede Body Cream (0.5 oz) and English Pear and Freesia Candle (1.2 oz). The sizes are super minis so they’re mainly trial size but the set makes a nice chic gift that won’t break the bank.
Tom Ford Travel Size Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil Set ($72) has two mini Shimmering Body Oils in the Soleil Blanc set. I already own the regular classic Gold color and have bought several of the mini sets in the past (love them!). This year’s has Rose Gold and Bronze – both don’t really show up color-wise, but your skin glows with tiny micro sparkles in the Soleil Blanc scent.
Soleil Blanc (coco de mer, ylang-ylang from the Comores islands and cardamom)
Soleil Neige (bergamot, jasmine and lemon)
Soleil Brulant (warm and spicy orange flower, amber, black honey)
Several of you have asked me to review/try the newest Soleil scent in Soleil Brulant. I had a feeling I would not like it as several other beauty bloggers tried it and said it smelled like a spicy herb. I would say that description is spot on. It’s not terrible but it’s not something I could ever envision myself wearing. I spritzed on Soleil Neige which I know a lot of you love – it smells fresh and floral with lemon notes, I’m still undecided. I think my heart still belongs to Soleil Blanc, Sole di Positano or Neroli Portofino.
Boy Smells Late Bloomer Votive Candle Set ($56) has five small 3 oz candles in Prunus, Cameo, Petal, Les and Gardener. I’ve tried a few of the candles in the past and really liked them! I can’t recall if I tried any of the scents that are in this particular one but I think they smell really pretty. There’s another Moody Woods Variation you might want to check out if you like woody scents. My store did not have this available but it’s still available online.
OTHER SALE ITEMS TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR
A note on a few things on sale I already own and love that you might want to check out!
Simplehuman and Riki both have their mirrors on sale. I use both nearly everyday and think this is a great time to save on them. You can see my Favorite Mirrors roundup post if you want more details. Riki Love Riki Skinny is on sale for $130 ($200-$210 after the sale) in both the White and Rose color. The Simplehuman 8-Inch Sensor Mirror is on sale for $140 ($200 after the sale).
Skincare Favorites from Sisley, Fresh, Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown:
For skincare I’m pretty stocked on my favorites right now so I didn’t buy anything. Moisturizer-wise I really love the Sisley Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream for a really nice lightweight water cream and they have a Black Rose Skin Infusion Set with a full size cream and minis of the Mask and Oil to try ($155 on sale, $268 value, the cream by itself is $210).
I love the Fresh lip treatments and the Rose Petal-Soft Lip Cream Set includes a full size Petal Soft Lip Cream and mini Advanced Treatment Lip Balm (my stick balm shown is the full size, but sale set comes with the mini) ($25 sale, $37 value).
The Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base is one of the best priming moisturizers I’ve tried that doubles as a foundation primer + moisturizer in one. They have a Face Base Primer Set on sale for $62 ($139 value).
Also one thing I wanted to mention is that Nordstrom started carrying the minis of Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrances. They put them out on display for the sale, BUT they’re not a sale exclusive or on sale. I just wanted to mention it since the mini sizes have been so hard to find in the US but I’m really happy they’re now available in select scents! Minis are in the 1.1 oz size and are either $135, $165 $180 depending on the scent. I already own the Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum in the small one and love it.
SHOP THE POST:
Did you haul anything yet from the Nordstrom Sale? I know many of you mentioned you were shopping starting today! Let me know if you found anything good 🙂
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021 is live for Icon and Ambassador Card Members! I hauled quite a few things and can’t wait to put everything to the test. I haven’t had a chance to thoroughly test anything yet – my priority was to get swatches up for you in case you’re shopping online or don’t want to swatch in stores (I didn’t swatch anything in store).
There are lots of good sets and palettes this year! My NUMBER 1 tip to shop the sale is to take a few minutes to look online at the GIFT WITH PURCHASE page. This is my recommendation every year and in the chaos and wonder of seeing everything in store, I did not follow my own advice. Once I got home I checked online and realized I missed out on TONS of gifts I qualified for. Many are available both online and in store, but some are online only. The associate who helped me was really helpful but when they pull things from the sale section the gifts aren’t really that visible unless you go outside the sectioned off sale area and go to each brand counter.
My store in Tampa had most of the beauty items on my wishlist this year. They did not however have a lot of the clothes or shoes I had favorited so I placed an order online when I got home for the things I did not see. The associates in the clothing area told me there were a number of things they didn’t receive in store because of shipping delays.
I took a few snapshots of the displays in stores in case you don’t have a Nordstrom near you and want to see how they’re setup! For the Early Access everything is sectioned off for sale items.
Quick note though best things on sale this year were the Barefoot Dreams selections. I bought so many blankets (many are priced under $100) but the best thing I bought was the CozyChic Leopard Pet Bed ($98.90 on sale, $168 full price). The only one they had in store was the Large which I thought might be too big but it’s perfect. The cat already loves it. He’s been doing a face plant into the bed for the past couple of days with some major self snuggling!
My BEAUTY HAUL PART 1 below. I will have two more beauty roundup posts with my MAC Purchases and then Hair + Fragrance Selects. If you want any makeup looks or more detailed reviews on any of these let me know in the comments!
Charlotte Tilbury Full Size Collagen Lip Bath Set($68 sale, $105 value) shades include Pillow Talk, Walk of No Shame and Refresh Rose. I’m obsessed with this lip formula – it’s one of the best plumping lip glosses that doesn’t have a tingle. There’s a slight fresh scent to them but it’s not overpowering. I already own all the shades but bought this anyways because I use them a lot. The Pillow Talk Collagen Lip Bath is the one shade that always gets me compliments.
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Charlotte Tilbury Sunset Dreamscape Face & Eye Palette Set ($75 sale, $90 value) is in the Instant Look Palette format with 3 eyeshadows (champagne, shimmery copper, matte plum brown), 1 bronzer (light matte tan), 2 cheek colors (darker brown rose and medium matte dusty coral pink) and 1 face highlight (soft shimmery champagne). I haven’t had a chance to compare it to any of her other face palettes but I like the look of this one – all the shades seem very wearable and show up on my medium tan skin. Also comes with a miniature Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes mascara.
Tom Ford Cognac Rose Eye Color Quad Set ($88) includes Eye Color Quad in Cognac Rose, two mini lip shades in Casablanca and Fascinator. Cognac Rose is in the finely milled pressed metallic formula similar to Honeymoon. I will try to do swatch comparisons on my Instagram Stories and save them to an NSALE Highlight this week.
Cognac Rose has four shimmery shades including a metallic champagne peach, shimmery wine color, shimmery warm gold and a cool-toned bronze shimmer. First impressions are that they are softer in pigment compared to Honeymoon with a brush, but it is buildable with a dense brush or when applied with a sponge applicator. I think this palette is lovely and I can’t wait to try it out. The two miniature lip colors are creams in Casablanca (classic rose) and Fascinator (pale pink).
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Tom Ford Coquette Eye Color Quad Set($169 sale, $213 value) with Eye Color Quad in Coquette, Full Size Extreme Mascara I Raven, Full Size Eye Defining Liquid Pen in Deeper, mini Lip Color in Impassioned. Coquette Eyeshadow Palette looks very different from the online stock image and I was kinda hoping it would be more like what you see online.
In real life it has a dusty pale pink satin soft shimmer, a metallic glitter topper with a soft rose base + silver sparkles, soft grey mauve satin and a diffused soft plum shimmer. I did try this one already and texture is soft and medium in pigment level. Colors themselves are on the softer side – if you’re looking for a neutral cool toned palette you will love this.
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There are three sets from NARS I hauled and I think these are among my favorites!
The NARS Pleasure Trip Cheek Palette ($45 sale, $87 value) has three shades in Wanderlust, Lucky Star, Wild at Heart. I also played around with this one and love the colors. The bronzer can swatch a little streaky on the hand, but it applies better with a loose fluffy brush on the cheeks. The highlighter and shimmer blush are both really pretty.
NARS Afterglow Lip Shine Set ($45 sale, $78 value) comes with three shades including Laguna, Orgasm, Broken Glass. I played with the color Orgasm and it has a smooth non-sticky texture with a sheer tint of color. I really love these and think if you are looking for a non-tacky smooth gloss, GET THIS!
NARS Afterglow Mini Lip Balm Duo ($22) in Deep Throat and Fast Lane – love these for the soft wash of color + shine! I already own these in the full size and plan on gifting this so I didn’t swatch them. You can see my review of these two in my NARS AfterGlow Collection Review post.
Mini Duo Set vs Full Size for size reference:
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Based on my quick swatching session at home, I would say that my favorites are the:
Hourglass Palette is pretty good too, although I wish they had new exclusive colors for the sale
That wraps up my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Haul Part 1! I will have two more beauty roundups with my MAC Picks and my Haircare/Fragrance Picks. If you want to see any looks or tutorials with any of these let me know in the comments.
