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Sabrina

Ask Sabrina

Ask Sabrina | Part 3

February 1, 2021

Ask Sabrina Part 3 Cameras, Equipment and Editing Tools | The Beauty Look Book

Today have my Ask Sabrina Part 3! I’m sharing more about my cameras, photography tips and tools I use! I’ve always loved snapping photos – even from a young age. I do not have a professional background in photography. Most of what I do has been through experimentation and learning through YouTube videos. My younger brother has a BFA from an art university and studied photography for a part of his schooling so he helps with some of my questions and gives me tips sometimes. This is by no means a list of the best tools – it’s just a look at what I use and have tried.

For those who have asked for a comprehensive list of my equipment and more, I hope you find this helpful!

Ask Sabrina Part 3 Cameras, Equipment and Editing Tools | The Beauty Look Book

1. What camera do you use?

My current camera is the Sony a7RIII. I bought this in November 2020 after my other camera stopped working. I had the Sony a7RII since around 2015 and I still think it’s an excellent camera – after many years of use and accidentally dropping it a few times the shutter stopped working.

My main lens is the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. I also have a B + W 82mm XS-Pro Clear MRC Nano #007M Filter on my lens. I occasionally shoot with a Sony 55mm but prefer the zoom style lens even though prime lenses are better for what I do.

2. What do you think Sony vs Canon, Nikon, Leica etc?

I’ve stuck with Sony because it’s what I used from my early blogging days and it is what I am familiar with. My first serious camera was the Sony NEX-6 (discontinued) which I loved! The current versions have improved significantly with better technology and more features. I would eventually like to try other brands but it will take quite an investment for the body, lens, etc. so I’m holding off for now. I have tried Canon (loved my brother’s 5D) and a few Leica models.

3. What equipment do you use to take your photos? Tripod, reflectors, light modifiers etc.?

Tripod, Reflectors, Cameras, Equipment and Editing Tools | The Beauty Look Book

I think many of you will be surprised to learn that my equipment is very basic! There is so much I have on my wishlist to buy for taking better photos. I use natural light with an on-camera flash. I don’t have any light modifiers but really want and need to invest in some. I shop primarily at B&H Photo, Adorama and Amazon for my equipment and tools.

  • Main camera – Sony a7RIII with the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens
  • Small vlog camera – Sony ZV-1 (I have the bundle with the grip tripod)
  • Camera tripod – I have one main tripod which is the Manfrotto 190 3-Section Aluminum Tripod, I bought this many years ago and it was such a big investment I haven’t tried anything else since. I like it because it’s sturdy enough to hold a heavy camera + lens. However for me it’s not really easy to change angles or rotate quickly. It’s also fairly heavy so it is not travel-friendly. If you need something stable and don’t plan on moving your camera around a lot for different angles it’s great!
  • iPhone tripod – I bought the UBeesize Selfie Stick Tripod based on raves from a few girls I follow on Instagram and I kinda hate it. It works but I find it very flimsy and lightweight, it does work to hold my iPhone and it is extremely inexpensive but I’m not a fan.
  • Reflectors – I have two reflectors that I use to bounce light off of. I like this 32” Glow Portable 5-in-1 Reflector Kit from Adorama (available in multiple sizes). I also bought a larger 42” Raya 5-in-1 Collapsible Reflector Disc from B&H Photo. I use these at primarily at home. When I’m traveling it’s usually just me and Andrew – we don’t have a third pair of hands to help us hold the reflector.
  • C-Stand – I have one stand which is a Flash Point 10’ C Stand from Adorama. I really like it because it has a super sturdy base that doesn’t move and it’s well made. I haven’t used it for much other than my reflectors but I have the arm grips and attachments for other items.
  • Lights – I have two small lights from Apurture that I just started playing around with, the Apurture MC RGBWW LED Light is a great little tool that you can use for a portable light. I like that you can control the brightness and color. The battery does run out fast if you have it at the max output. But I like the concept and the fact that it is portable!
  • Flash – I use the Sony HVL-F60RM Wireless Radio Flash on my camera
  • SD Card – when I used the Sony a7RII I used the SanDisk Extreme PRO Memory Cards with 170 MB/s, now that I have the Sony a7RIII it has two card reader slots that are different and I now use the Sony SF-G Tough Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card.
  • Accessories –

4. Where do you get your backgrounds?

White paper background for product shots

BTS look at one of my shoots for Bite Beauty from their Amuse Bouche launch many years ago

I pick up colored paper backgrounds from a local art store. I’ve had a Blick Art Store near me in both San Diego and Tampa. I usually pick up foam boards or color paper for backgrounds there. For my white background I’ve used the Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth Pad, it has a bright surface with a thick texture that is sturdy and smooth. It reflects sunlight and flash well for me. It’s what I use for taking sunlit photos.

5. Who takes your photos? Do you take them yourself or do you have a photographer take your face/outfit shots?

Sony Image Edge Mobile app

I take most of my own photos. For my own face photos and product shots where I’m holding something I use my iPhone as a remote that I connect to my Sony camera through the Image Edge Mobile app. You can adjust and control the camera settings right from the app too! It’s really useful and allows you to transfer images to a computer or phone. It also doubles as a remote. When using the connect to smartphone remote feature you can see the image you’re shooting on your screen. Ideally I would also have an external monitor or tether the camera to an iPad or laptop. But I am a super minimalist and just haven’t taken the time to buy more tools. I do have an equipment purchase list that is ongoing. The options are overwhelming but I’ve found a lot of YouTube videos helpful.

For outfit or travel photos Andrew takes my photos. He has helped me with some photos for a few projects at home too. I think he’s better at taking my photos, but the process is time consuming and he still has his own job/firm to run.

Here are some photos I took myself with a tripod + remote:

Volition Beauty Turmeric Brightening Polish Skincare Review | The Beauty Look Book

Armani Luminous Silk Concealer 6.5

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

Everyday makeup favorites

Versus some of the photos Andrew took for me below:

Anthropologie Cloudfleece Top, STS Blue Shorts, Tory Burch Crossbody

 

Spring Outfit Favorites Chloe Mini Marcie Tan

Senreve Mini Maestra Review | The Beauty Look Book

Vacation casual outfit, Jcrew Pale Blue Tank, 7 For All Mankind Cutoff shorts, Chloe Mini Marcie Bag

Glowing Makeup Looks with Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Lip Glosses Sephora | The Beauty Look Book

6. How do you edit your photos?

BTS Louboutin Hawaii

Quick look at one of my favorite projects for Louboutin Beauty! Setup in progress in the above photo, one of the final edits below

I edit most of my photos (as in 90%+) in Photoshop on my desktop computer. As much as I would like to do everything on my phone it’s just better for me to do it on a computer for better quality. If I’m posting a video for stories I’ll use the Tezza App.

7. Best photo editing apps? What app has the best presets?

Storyluxe App

My favorite photo editing apps are Afterlight, Snapseed and the Tezza app. I’ve bought so many presets from a number of influencers and quite frankly most of them do not work for me. The only one I love and use is the Tezza app! It has presets and also has options for you to customize your edits on your own – with or without filters. I love that her app also allows you to edit videos.

For Instagram stories and templates I love Storyluxe.

8. What’s your favorite style of photography?

I think I have a number of favorites! My earliest photographs were all product photos mainly shot in direct sunlight with a flash, often on a pure white background. I would love to take all my product photos this way but like to mix things up. I’ve tried to mix in a bit more lifestyle and application photos versus just product photos.

In Florida the heat gets so intense I often get sunburned and products can melt quickly. I could shoot indoors and mimic sunlight with lights but I don’t have any (yet).

9. Tips for better photos?

I think having good light is the best thing you can do for better photos! But the rest is more personal. Do you like sharp photos? Something with a grain? Edited with a filter? Reduced saturation? Sunlit or natural light? I think it is really a matter of personal preference!

I did ask my brother for his opinion on how I could improve my photos many years ago (aside from professional lighting, or better camera settings, or learning how to shoot in RAW) and he said it is actually the small things that can improve photos. Taking extra time for a proper setup is key. He showed me some examples of professional beauty ads and said the setup can be sometimes hours!

Little things like cleaning up dust (with a small dust blower like the one in this Zeiss Lens Kit) can help make your product photos look better. Wiping smudges from compacts or removing splash water marks from mirrors helps. A lot of times it is hard to see the small details in the viewfinder and I don’t catch it until after I’ve taken a batch of photos. You can edit out small dust particles or smudges with the spot healing tool in photoshop and a lot of apps like Snapseed also have this feature. I don’t have perfect photos, I still have smudges, finger prints, hair, dust etc on my compacts and mirrors. My lighting isn’t always consistent since it is natural light which changes depending on time of day, weather conditions, season and even time of year!

YouTube is the great resource for improving photos and learning new things. The best way to take improve photos is to problem solve specific things. Asking yourself more targeted questions will help you improve. For example do you want your photos to be sharper? Maybe you have camera shake so add a tripod, or try a different lens or different camera settings! Looking for brighter photos? Look for tutorials on how to change your settings on manual, also sometimes things can be fixed in editing! Are you looking for tips on posing or ideas for props? Are you looking for some more creative inspiration? There are lots of resources other creative minds have put together.

Sony a7RII vs a7RIII vs ZV-1

10. Best camera for beginners?

This is a tough one because it really depends on what you want to do, for example are you looking for video or photography? For photography do you want to take photos of products, faces, outfits, or something else? There’s no one size fits all but I do think the Sony A6400 is a great versatile camera! The best way to find the right camera for you is YouTube – there are tons of videos on every camera imaginable with side by side comparisons for different subjects, light scenarios etc.

That wraps my camera and photography Q&A part one! I know some of you have more detailed questions and you can feel free to leave them below! But hope this is a good starting point for those curious about the basics and my equipment.

 

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Chanel Lips

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel

January 28, 2021

Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel review

Chanel launched a collection of lipsticks called Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel ($42 each at Chanel.com). These have the classic Rouge Allure lipstick click magnetic packaging in a black and gold case with the tops embossed in a lion motif design. Luminous matte with a soft diffused look on the lips. Comfortable and weightless without feeling dry.

The formula is one of the smoothest softest mattes I’ve ever tried. Coverage is flawless and soft like velvet! Lasting power is very good and non-drying. I don’t detect a heavy scent although they are very softly fragranced with a super soft clean powder floral that I find pleasant and soothing. Color-wise they all run bold and dark on my complexion. Even the lightest color 227 pulls darker on my skin tone (Chanel B40).

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel

There are eight shades of Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel available individually ($42 each) and online at Chanel.com there is a Trio Set available in a box with shades 257, 277 and 58 ($126).

227 Beige Rugissant – warm beige
237 Beige Ardent – pink brown
247 Rouge Impulsif – bright coral
257 Rouge Triomphal – bold red pink
267 Rouge Audacieux – deeper red
277 Rouge Fauve – warm red
57 Rouge Feu – bold orange
58 Rouge Vie – diffused rosewood

Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel lipstick review

Lip swatches below, also wearing in each look:

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 227 Beige Rugissant

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 237 Beige Ardent

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 247 Rouge Impulsif

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 257 Rouge Triomphal

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 267 Rouge Audacieux

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 277 Rouge Fauve

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet 57 Rouge Feu and 58 Rouge Vie

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel review Sabrina

Overall I think the formula is a solid A+ for all the shades. Color range is bolder and more dramatic than I am used to wearing but still classic and chic. I hope they continue making more shades in this formula because it feels so smooth and luxurious!

You can find the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel Lip Colors available now at Chanel.com. Have you tried these yet? What did you think? If not what is your favorite Chanel lipstick formula?

Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lion de Chanel Lip Colors provided for review.

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Base Makeup Nordstrom

Makeup Favorites for a Natural Flawless Glow

January 22, 2021

Glowing Makeup Favorites from Nordstrom

Some of the most frequently asked questions I get are “what do you recommend for the best glow foundation?” and “what are you wearing that makes your skin glow?” I love a base that looks glowing but natural – like my skin but a bit better. Based on the messages and comments I’ve received from you, it looks like many of you do too! I thought I’d do an updated roundup of my glowy makeup favorites! I’ve partnered with Nordstrom to share my top picks.

I’ve included my top picks for foundation, concealer, liquid highlighter and glow powders. For me I love layering product for a natural look. I’ll usually apply a light-to-medium coverage base all over and then add product as needed to help correct things like dark circles, dull skin, scars or acne.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Volume II

Best Glow Foundations

Best Glow Foundations Chanel, Armani, Laura Mercier

I have three favorite glow foundations and to me they are all suitable for a wide range of skin types. My most-used base is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (I wear shades 6.5 or 7) for a natural long-wear medium buildable coverage foundation with a subtle glow. I always set with a powder to make sure it stays locked in place.

I also highly recommend the Laura Mercier Flawless Lumiere Radiance-Perfecting Foundation (I wear Latte 3N1.5). This has a tiny bit more radiance and is easier to build coverage compared to the Armani. Although it has a dewy finish as long as you set with a powder this too also has long lasting power and stays put looking fresh for hours. I like that they have different undertones for each shade category making it easier to find a match whether you’re warm, neutral or cool.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation (I wear B40 or BD41) is another favorite for medium dewy coverage. It has enough pigment to cover dark under eye circles for me (although mine are moderate in color) and also covers sun spots. It is fragranced though so if you’re sensitive to fragranced products I would do a patch test first. Out of all the bases I wear this is the one that gets me the most compliments!

On low maintenance days or good skin days I really love the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (I wear 3N1 Sand) for the best all-around sheer coverage base with moisture. It has sheer coverage and evens out the skin in the most natural way.

Below wearing the Laura Mercier Flawless Lumiere Foundation

Laura Mercier Flawless Lumiere Foundation Latte 3N1.5

Best Way To Add a Natural Highlight

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Primer and Highlighter

For that lit from within kind of glow I can’t rave enough about the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Primer and Highlighter. I like this because you can add glow to the foundations you already have and you can also control how much glow you want. It’s a versatile product you can wear under foundation as a glowy base, over foundation as a highlighter, under the eyes where you want to brighten. I usually apply under the eyes or on the cheek bones (similar placement to where you would put a concealer to brighten). I blend with a beautyblender sponge and it gives the skin more dimension and life. I’ve worn a number of different colors depending on what look I’m going for. Right now I like 3 for brightness and 4.5 for a closer match to my skin tone.

I also like the Armani Fluid Sheers and Chanel Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid to mix in with foundation for added shimmer.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter swatches

My favorite way to apply the Hollywood Flawless Filter in Shade 4.5 (you can blend with a brush or sponge)

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Primer and Highlighter 4.5

Best Powder Glow

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Volume II

I’ve been a fan of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder for a long time! I think they’re versatile to use as a finishing powder or a soft highlight. For my medium olive skin, Dim Light works as an all over setting powder (even though it has a pink tone) and Radiant Light works as a very soft candlelight warm soft bronzer (to warm up the complexion).

The palettes come with me on almost every trip I’ve been on. The original Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette has been a good one to use as a soft diffusing powder. Original has Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light. I recently bought the newer Ambient Lighting Palette Volume II which has Soft Light, Radiant Light, Golden Bronze Light – it’s a deeper option which I really love. I think it’s going to be a more versatile option for me since I tan easily.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Original vs Volume II

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Original vs Volume II swatches

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Volume II

Powders are soft and melt into the skin. I also love the Armani Neo-Nude Powders for a good glow. Sometimes it can be a bit too glowy so I recommend applying with a light hand or layering with your regular matte powder.

Concealer

Best Concealers Cle de Peau, Laura Mercier, NARS and Kosas

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Stick Duo 3N

For concealer I love a good creamy formula that I can use under the eyes and blend easily. I usually try to pick a color close to my skin tone so it’s not too contrasted. Although I have olive golden skin, I often like pink or peach ones under the eyes to counter dark circles. My top picks include:

Best Concealers Cle de Peau, Laura Mercier, NARS and Kosas

Concealer Swatches Cle de Peau, NARS, Laura Mercier

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Volume II Look

Wearing:

Best Glow Foundations Nordstrom

I hope you found this roundup helpful! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments. Or if you want to share your favorites for a glowing makeup look I’d love to hear about them too!

You can find all of my picks at Nordstrom.

 

 

Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.

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Chanel

Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 Collection Review

January 21, 2021

Chanel Spring Summer 2021 Makeup Collection Review

Today I have my Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 Collection Review with a detailed look at the Les Fleurs de Chanel collection for spring. The collection is now available online at Chanel.com. I suspect it will trickle into retail stores and counters in the next few weeks.

There are a few repromotes in this launch as it appears the eyeshadow palettes that were supposed to  be part of this collection did not make it to the US. I don’t know if they will make an appearance at a later date or not. For now they’ve repromoted Warm Memories and a few other eye products to complete the look. In today’s review:

Cheeks

Chanel Fleur de Printemps Blush Highlighter Duo

The Fleur de Printemps Blush Highlighter Duo is the star of the collection in my opinion! It has a beautiful warm pale pink shimmer on one side and a soft coral pink satin on the other. I swirl the colors together in the pan and it has a really pretty soft pink glow. The texture/formula is the same as the Cheek Duos from Cruise 2019. It has a soft finely milled texture that’s almost creamy but definitely still powder.

Swatches and swatch comparisons to a few other colors:

Chanel Chanel Fleur de Printemps Blush Highlighter Duo swatches

Chanel Chaines de Chanel vs Fleur de Printemps Blush Highlighter Duo vs Tom Ford Bicoastal swatches

Eyes

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad in 354 Warm Memories and Le Volume de Chanel in 120 Metal Terracotta

For the eyes they’ve repromoted Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad in 354 Warm Memories and Ombre Premiere Laque in 32 Vastness and 26 Rose Quartz. (Original review here if you want to see more swatches.) The new color in this collection is the Le Volume de Chanel Mascara in 120 Metal Terracotta. This is a pretty metallic copper – on my lashes it gives a subtle tint. I think it’s a nice alternative to black or brown if you have lighter color hair or lashes. On darker hair like mine it will look more subtle. Formula performs just as good as the other shades of the Le Volume de Chanel mascaras.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad in 354 Warm Memories and Le Volume de Chanel in 120 Metal Terracotta swatches

Lips

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 134 Eclosion and 136 Pivoine Noire

For the lips there are two shades Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 134 Eclosion (bright coral) and 136 Pivoine Noire (bright coral red). These are matte lip colors with an intense color payoff and long lasting power. They are ultra pigmented and adhere well to the lips.

 

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 73 Invincible and 77 Dark Blossom

They’ve also included two shades of the Rouge Allure Laque 73 Invincible (repromote, swatched here and here) and a new color 77 Dark Blossom which is a plum shimmer. I really love the look of Dark Blossom even though it seems more like a fall color to me, it’s a really pretty soft plum. It is on the sheer side but you can layer it for more coverage.

Chanel Spring Summer 2021 swatches

Nails

Le Vernis in 883 Pensee, 885 Anthurium and 887 Metallic Bloom

Last we have a look at the three new Le Vernis in 883 Pensee (soft peachy pink with a very tiny hint of pearl), 885 Anthurium (gorgeous pink red) and 887 Metallic Bloom (the prettiest warm coral orange red shimmer). I was really surprised at how pretty Metallic Bloom was on the fingers – it’s a bright happy shade that looks much prettier on the fingers than it does in the bottle. Pensee is a nice soft peach but for me requires three coats for smooth even coverage.

Chanel Le Vernis in 883 Pensee, 885 Anthurium and 887 Metallic Bloom

Looks wearing:

  • Foundation – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow in B40
  • Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush in Medium
  • Blush – Chanel Les Fleurs de Printemps Duo
  • Eyeshadow – Chanel Warm Memories
  • Eyeliner – Chanel Stylo Yeux in Black Wood
  • Mascara – Chanel Le Volume de Chanel in Metal Terracotta

Rouge Allure Laque in Dark Blossom

Chanel Spring Summer 2021 Rouge Allure Laque Dark Blossom

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Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Eclosion

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 134 Eclosion

______________

Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Pivoine Noire

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme 136 Pivoine Noire

______________

 

That wraps up my Chanel Spring-Summer 2021 review! I will have swatches of the new Rouge Allure Velvet Le Lions soon. You can find the collection available at Chanel.com now.

Products from the spring-summer 2021 collection provided by Chanel for review.

 

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Chanel

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Swatches Part 2

January 19, 2021

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Review + Swatches

I have my Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Swatches Part 2 up today with lip swatches of Shades 67 Steady through 78 Tenacious. For quick reference I have all of the shades arm swatched in my first Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Review + Swatches post from a couple weeks ago along with the lighter neutrals on the lips. My full review on the formula, pigment, lasting power etc is in that post as well. All the shades can be found at Chanel.com.

I swatched most of the remaining colors (except for the last few deepest colors). These are done on bare lips. For skintone reference I’m a match to the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in B40 or BD41. Equivalent of MAC NC35, Pat McGrath Light Medium 14, Tom Ford Natural and Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff. I’ve lost most of my tan so I’m lighter in skintone right now than I am most of the year.

Color descriptions:

  • 67 Steady – bright coral
  • 68 Unlimited – bold orange
  • 69 Remanence – bold hot pink
  • 70 Immobile – bright red with pink
  • 71 Mythe – shimmery bold warm red
  • 72 Iconique – muted red with a hint of shimmer
  • 73 Invincible – bold orange red
  • 74 Experimente – plum red
  • 75 Fidelite – brown plum cream
  • 78 Tenacious – plum with a hint of berry

Also wearing below:

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 67 Steady

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 68 Unlimited

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 69 Remanence

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 70 Immobile

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 71 Mythe

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 72 Iconique

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 73 Invincible

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 74 Experimente

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 75 Fidelite

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque 78 Tenacious

Chanel spring collection review to follow soon! The Rouge Allure Laque is available at Chanel.com.

Press samples provided by Chanel for review.

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Ask Sabrina

Ask Sabrina | Part 2

January 17, 2021

Top Hair Care Loves Oribe, Olaplex and Christophe Robin

Welcome to my Ask Sabrina series Part 2! This week I’d love for you to share your answers to these questions in the comments so I can learn more about you as well!

1. What are your holy grail hair care items? Hair care routine?

My most recent Current Haircare Routine is rounded up here. If I had to pick my top 5 brands they would be: Oribe, Hair Rituel by Sisley, Olaplex, Living Proof and Dyson Hair.

Hair care depends so much on hair type, thickness and whether or not you have color-treated hair. I’m still in the process of growing out my highlights. You can see the first time I color-treated my hair in this post. Now that I’m growing out the bleached ends I would say my absolute top 5 must-haves are the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, Olaplex No 5 Conditioner, Sisley Hair Oil, Oribe Detangling Spray, Moroccanoil Treatment.

For hair tools I just got the Dyson Airwrap Styler for Christmas and am absolutely obsessed. I think it’s the best hair dryer and curler in one that I have ever used. Working on a review + demo for you and hoping it restocks soon!

Hair Care Essentials for Smooth Blow Out

2. What’s your educational background?

I have a BBA from the University of San Diego and an MBA from San Diego State University. I studied business administration and political science in undergraduate school. For some time I had considered going to art school for photography or graphic design and I spent my freshman year attending 2 schools: one for my business degree, the other at a local community college for art classes to build my portfolio. My parents encouraged me to pursue my passion for the arts but I felt like it would not be an easy career. I decided to go the business school route instead.

I worked in the corporate world for 2 ½ years before applying for grad school. I went to San Diego State for my MBA and it was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve ever had!

3. What did you do in your career before you blogged full time?

I’ve worked as a financial analyst in a number of different industries. My first job out of college was at JP Morgan Chase – I worked in auto finance. Over the next several years I also worked in the mortgage industry, pharmaceutical world and also in commercial aerospace. Early in my career the best way to advance was to find new opportunities every few years at different companies that were either looking to grow or start new divisions.

Another thing many of you don’t know is that while I was in grad school, I worked part time in retail at Williams-Sonoma. It was a great experience and I had so much fun there so I kept working there after I graduated. Even after I found a full-time corporate job I stayed on for a couple more years. For several years I had a full-time corporate job, a part-time job and was trying to grow my blog. These were definitely some of my most stressful years but I know I was not alone. I worked alongside many others working multiple jobs while going to school as well.

Eventually realized I couldn’t do it all and keep my sanity, so I focused on my corporate job with blogging on the side. I learned a lot in that time – developed valuable relationships and friendships too. Different experiences both good and bad help you develop and grow.

4. Are APLs worth it? Can we see your collection?

APL Techloom Breeze, Cotton Citizen Sweatshirt, Lululemon Align Leggings

Above wearing APL TechLoom Breeze (color is Beach), Lululemon Align 25 Length Leggings, Cotton Citizen Hoodie, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Pillow Talk

Yes I think they are 100% worth it! My bestie and a number of readers had been raving about them and finally convinced me to try them. I love them for everyday wear, for weight training, and long extended walks. I am not a runner so I can’t really say how they hold up for runs. (I’ve never liked running no matter how much I’ve tried). My favorite style is the Techloom Breeze for comfort. Quick rundown of my favorites:

  • TechLoom Breeze is the most comfortable for my feet
  • TechLoom Pro has the most support, the shoe is more structured and has a more cushioned/stiffer sole
  • TechLoom Wave is more roomy in the front compared to the other two, the back is more elastic on the heel/ankle portion
  • TechLoom Tracer is the most structured and has a tighter fit around the top area of the foot – opening is smaller than the other styles so it hugs the foot/ankle more closely

For the other styles my bestie has the TechLoom Bliss and says they are like walking on clouds! My hubby says the TechLoom Phantom is his favorite style for the fit (they stretch nicely according to him) and he likes the look.

They run similar in sizing to Nike. In most shoes I’m a 6.5 to 7. In sneakers I’m almost always a 7 or 37 – I wear this size in both Nike and APL. I usually buy them from Athletic Propulsion Labs online. I’ve also ordered from Shopbop or Revolve. They’re easy to clean – I throw them in the washer and air dry them.

APL Sneaker Favorites SABRINA

5. How do you efficiently go through all your products?

The short answer is that I don’t. As a blogger I encounter a lot of products and new launches for testing and reviewing. It is not humanly possible to use up everything before its expiration date. For many years this stressed me out because of the waste. But I started this blog to be a resource whether it’s through a review, swatches or makeup looks. My main goal is to help you and others with the swatches and comparisons so as long I’m still good a resource I’ve achieved my main goal. I don’t review or try everything that is sent my way. I filter out products based on what I find the most interesting or what you’ve asked to see reviewed. I also still purchase product on my own that I don’t receive in PR and sometimes I don’t get to everything in a timely manner. Unused products that haven’t expired are either donated or gifted away to friends and family. Pre-covid times I also gifted away a lot of products to my readers in giveaways.

I do tend to use up a lot more skincare and hair care than I do for makeup. I share a lot of my skincare products with Andrew too so we tend to use them up frequently. Hair care is something I go through a lot of naturally. I’m one who has to wash their hair daily especially with sweating from workouts and Florida humidity. With the cooler weather during the winter though I will sometimes go up to 2 days without washing my hair as long as I don’t have a heavy workout.

6. Has your husband always been into taking care of his skin or did you have to convince him?

I feel lucky that Andrew has always had a really good skincare and grooming routine. I’m especially grateful after hearing from my girl friends who cry about the fact they cannot get their husbands to put moisturizer on their face at all! In more recent years I feel like he has been the one to influence me to take better care of myself in terms of health, strength, having a better diet and more.

7. How do you keep your house so clean? How do you have the discipline to vacuum daily? How do you prevent pets from ruining your furniture?

Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vaccum

We clean our house daily because with multiple pets we have to. Lucy is a Jack Russell with a long rough coat and Calvin is a Ragdoll with long hair. They both shed and are pretty active so cleaning daily is essential. Right now we vacuum daily with our Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. We also give the floors a thorough wet clean around 2x per month which takes hours but I just discovered the Bissell Symphony Vacuum and Steam Mop – I partnered with HSN to show a demo of it on my Instagram stories it’s on sale at a special price at HSN.com 1/17/2020 only – you can see more on stories @beautylookbook before it expires at the 24 hour mark! In case you miss it I will save it to my Instagram HOME highlights for the mini review/demo.

My main secret to a clean house is Andrew. He’s the clean one and meticulous about keeping the house tidy. For our furniture we are lucky our pets are well behaved. Lucy doesn’t bite or dig at the furniture. Our cat only claws his cat tree so we don’t have any issues with our chairs or couches.

8. How do you feel about Botox, fillers, injectables, etc?

Botox is on my list of things to do this year. I’m terribly afraid of needles which is why I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve told myself THIS IS THE YEAR. Many of you have emailed me about Botox with encouragement and support about this. For that I am thankful! I have seen it work wonders on my friends and they have assured me it’s not painful.

I don’t know much about the other kinds of procedures – I have nothing against them, but since I already have full lips and feel like I will pass out at the sight of a needle they aren’t on my list to try yet. One of my friends gets lip injections to plump her lips and she usually has bruising for a couple of days. I think she is beautiful without the fillers but if it makes her feel better and she likes it I’m all for supporting her!

9. How old are you?

I am 39.

10. What’s your next handbag purchase?

I have so many on my wishlist! I’m trying to narrow down my next splurge but I think it will either be something from Celine (I have been eyeing the Pico Belt Bag) or Loewe (love the Mini Gate).

That wraps up round 2 of Ask Sabrina! I’d love to hear your answers to these same questions if you want to leave them in the comments! Also feel free to leave more questions below or you can email me.

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Fragrance

Top 5 Perfumes I’m Loving Right Now

January 15, 2021

Top 5 Perfumes Jo Malone, Bulgari, Byredo, L'Artisan and Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Happy Friday! I’m sharing a look at my Top 5 Perfumes I’m loving right now. I have a lot in my collection that I’ve accumulated. I am one who likes to switch things up frequently so I don’t have 1 or 2 signature scents. What I wear depends a lot on mood and time of year. Right now I thought it would be fun to round up my current Top 5. It’s moderately cold for Florida right now – once the weather warms back up I’m sure I’ll be reaching for more citrus and beachy scents.

Here are my favorites right now! As always I’d love to hear what your top picks are at the moment. I love reading about perfumes from what you have tried and love.

Favorite Perfumes from Perfumes Jo Malone, Bulgari, Byredo, L'Artisan and Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Bulgari Au The Blanc

Best Holiday Perfume Bulgari Au The Blanc Perfume | The Beauty Look Book

Bulgari Au The Blanc is the one I feel like I would pick if I could only wear one perfume the rest of my life. I reviewed it a few months ago and love how it’s fresh, clean and light it feels. You can read my full review here. (Available at Sephora, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.)

Notes include: Artemisia, musk and white tea

Byredo Bal D’Afrique

Byredo Bal D'Afrique

There are so many I love from Byredo but Bal D’Afrique is one of the most unique scents I’ve tried. It has a sweet fruity and floral mix to it. Lasting power is quite strong and long lasting. I usually order from Nordstrom.

Notes include: Bergamot, African marigold, bucchu, violet, cyclamen, vetiver, Moroccan cedarwood

L’Artisan Mure Et Musc Eau de Toilette

L'Artisan Mure Et Musc Eau de Toilette

L’Artisan Mure Et Musc Eau de Toilette is one of my long-time favorites, it’s one my bestie turned me onto! I have the smaller size but it’s more often available in the standard 100 ml. It’s one of the few sweet blackberry scents I can wear because it has a musky feel to it along with notes of lemon and warm white musk. I prefer the Eau de Toilette version (the Eau de Parfum version is sweeter to me).

Notes include: Blackberry, lemon, musk

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 is one I cannot believe took me so long to try. I don’t think it’s for everyone. Depending on how scents pull on your skin this may be too sweet for you. I love this as a strong amber floral with cedar wood. It’s hard to describe but almost has a vanilla-ish vibe with the warmth. You can buy this at a number of places like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Saks. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, also a refill trio set. As of now it appears Saks is the only place I could find that sells the smaller size 1.18 oz online.

Notes include: Jasmine, saffron, cedar wood and ambergris

Jo Malone Wood Sage Sea Salt

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt

Jo Malone Wood Sage Sea Salt is a favorite year round scent that has a fresh and earthy kind of vibe. It’s hard to describe but very unique and versatile. It’s one I probably wear the most frequently out of all the perfumes I own! (Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdale’s.)

Notes: Ambrette Seeds, Sea Salt, Sage

Some of the brands have sampler and discovery sets available. Many are seasonal or limited-edition. I’ve linked a few below. I find them to be hit or miss. It’s nice to be able to try them over a period of time at home since it sometimes takes a while for a scent to settle on your skin. I’ve really loved the ones from Jo Malone and Byredo that I’ve bought!

What are your favorite perfumes right now?

 

Share your favorites in the comments below!

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