Beauty Favorites Archives - The Beauty Look Book

The Best Scents That Smell Like Summer

June 28, 2022

I’m back with a summer roundup of my favorite summer scents this year! There are so many great new discoveries I’ve made. Happy to add a few new ones to my regular go-to’s. I have a look at 10+ scents that lift the mood for warm weather months.

Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel

above: Chanel beach towel (in stores, in action here), Butterfly Sunglasses (worn on the face and in action here)

If I had to pick one scent to wear this summer it would be Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Riviera Eau de Toilette ($90 to $140, available at Chanel and Nordstrom). I’m a huge fan of citrus scents and I love this one so much. On my skin it has good lasting power. This is one of Andrew’s favorites on me.

Paris-Riviera Notes: Sicilian orange, petitgrain, neroli, jasmine, sandalwood, musk

I also really love the Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Biarritz Eau de Toilette which I own in both the full and travel size. This one is a little softer compared to the Riviera option. Both are great citrus scents.

Paris-Biarritz Notes: Grapefruit, mandarin, lily of the valley, vetiver and white musk

above: Eric Javits Hamptons Hat, Squishee Isla Tote, Nail Color OPI Bubble Bath

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Jo Malone Aqua Lemon Cologne

above: Beach Towel, Loewe Small basket, Scarf, Celine Sunnies, Nail Polish OPI Lisbon Wants Moor OPI

Every summer I’ve fallen in love with at least one of the limited-edition Jo Malone scents. My classic year round go-to is the Wood Sage and Sea Salt, but I’ve worn it so much I try to mix it up. This year the Jo Malone Aqua Lemon Cologne ($75 for 1 oz, still available at Jo Malone, Sephora and Net-A-Porter) is my favorite of the newer ones. It’s packaged in a smaller size in a beautiful light aqua blue bottle. The lemon notes can be hit or miss depending on your taste, I really love this one!

Aqua Lemon Notes: Mandarin, Lemon Petitgrain, Cedarwood

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Bobbi Brown Beach Eau de Parfum

above: scarf, Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss in Sweet Talk, swimsuit, sunnies

The Bobbi Brown Beach Eau de Parfum ($80 for 1.7 oz, available at Bobbi Brown, Sephora and Nordstrom) smells just like summer to me. It has that pool beach vibe that makes you think of sandy beaches, pool time and coppertone sunscreen. It’s very potent and strong. If you’re looking for a classic summer beach scent this is it!

Bobbi Brown Beach Notes: Sand jasmine, sea spray, mandarine

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Vacation Inc Eau de Toilette

Out of all the new perfumes I’ve tried this year Vacation Inc Eau de Toilette ($60 for 1 fl oz at Ulta Beauty and Vacation.Inc) wins for the best scent that truly smells like summer. I love this one so much, I would say it’s tied with the Chanel for me. Their sunscreens smell amazing too!

Notes: Petitgrain essence, Coconut water, Coconut milk, Bergamot, Solar Musk, Banana, Pineapple, Pool Water, Swimsuit Lycra, Sea Salt

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Creed Virgin Island Water

above: bucket hat, straw tote from Sezane (also in action here), sunnies 52 mm oval, sage stripe beach towel

Creed Virgin Island Water ($320 to $430, available at Creed and Neiman Marcus) is the ultimate tropical vacation scent. I’ve worn this for years and to me it’s the perfect summer time scent if you want to feel like you’re on a beautiful summer beach vacation. It has a very unique vibe – I’ve never smelled anything quite like it.

Notes: Jamaican Lime, Sicilian Mandarin, Sicilian White Bergamot, Hibiscus, Indian Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Tonkin Musk, Tropical Wood

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Tom Ford Beauty

above: Naghedi St Barths Medium woven tote (comes with the pouch), knot bracelet + oval sunnies Celine, Tom Ford Gloss Luxe Crystalline

The Tom Ford Soleil Blanc lineup is another winner. I’ve loved both the regular parfum and eau de toilette for that coco mer vibe. You can find both at multiple retailers but Sephora has the most size options available.

Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum ($270 for 1.7 fl oz, also available in other sizes)
Notes: Coco de Mer, Ylang Ylang Comores Islands, Cardamom

Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc Eau de Toilette ($140 for 1.7 fl oz)
Notes: Coco De Mer, Ylang Ylang from Comores Island, Bergamot Flower

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Mizensir Blue Gin

above: small shell basket tote, beach towel, knot bracelet, sunnies 52 mm oval

Mizensir Blue Gin* ($260, available at Mizensir Parfumes) is a new one this year. It has a fun fizzy spicy fresh feel for summer. I think it’s very unique and if you’re looking for something warm and a tiny bit spicy definitely check this one out. They have customizable discovery sets online, Blue Gin isn’t available in the samplers yet but I hope they add it.

Notes: juniper, blackberries, Sichuan pepper, bitter mandarin, tonka bean, iris

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Dior Eden-Roc

If you like Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt you will also love Dior Eden-Roc ($125 to $350). It has a warm sea salt kind of feel to it with a mix of coconut and white flowers. It’s really strong and long lasting. I also ordered the Dioriviera Eden-Roc Candle which has a beautiful design on the exterior. I have not burned the candle yet but can’t wait.

Notes: white flowers, jasmine, coconut, sea salt, marine, pine and citrus fruit

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Runner Ups

A quick mention of three more that I’ve tried and loved. The Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis is a beautiful light fresh clean scent. It’s a very calming kind of scent with notes of lemon, bergamot, white flower and light musk.

NARS Monoi Body Glow Oil II is the perfect mix of tiare flower, white frangipani, ylang-ylang and vanilla. A few years ago they had this in candle form and it was the perfect home summer scent. I wish they would bring it back!

Skylar Perfumes is a line I tried at Sephora and I think all of their scents are incredible. Salt Air is another great sea salt scent with a fresh clean feel. They have an Eau de Parfum Discovery Set if you want to sample them. I think this also makes a great home fragrance, sometimes I will spritz this around the house although I just realized the Skylar website has this in candle form. They’re having a 20% off sale sitewide and 40% off select scents through July 5 with code JULY4TH. I will be ordering the candle and probably a few more scents.

If you’re looking for a new summer perfume I hope you found some inspiration here! Out of all the ones I featured today I would say my top 3 would be the Vacation Inc, Chanel Paris-Riviera and Dior Eden-Roc.

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Summer Accessories

What is your go-to summer scent?

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Beauty Favorites Nordstrom

Easy Summer Glow

June 20, 2022

Sharing a look at some summer beauty loves for an easy glowing beauty look. If you’re looking for some no-fuss beauty staples to add into your summer routine I’ve rounded up some recent favorites from Nordstrom.

Westman Atelier

Westman Atelier has some of the best quick and easy beauty products for an effortless look. I love the Vital Skin Foundation Stick ($68) for a summer base. It has natural buildable coverage, blends easily (I use a beautyblender) and stays put on the skin. I love the twist-up format for easy application and it’s perfect for touch ups on the go too. I wear Shade VI and it’s a perfect match.

The newest launch from Westman Atelier is the Vital Pressed Skincare Powder ($75). Based on their shade chart I ordered Crème which looks pale in the compact but works for my skin tone! It’s a sheer ultra light weight pressed powder. It’s a nice natural powder that sets the creams, smoothes skin and looks very natural. I still prefer the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder for more coverage/blurring but this new one from Westman Atelier is very good. I splurged on her Powder Brush ($85) and it’s a nice smaller brush which has a very soft plush feel.

Summer Bronze

I’m thrilled Chanel added new shades of bronzer this season. I love the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream ($50). I’ve been using Shade 390 for a long time and am thrilled to see they added a new Shade 392 for medium tan skin tones. I hope they continue to expand the color range. This one offers a nice warm glow to the skin.

Glowing Complexion

For a natural glow on the cheeks I’ve been loving several things. The Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tint in Peau de Peche ($75) remains one of my favorite unique cream highlighters. On my medium tan skin it’s a champagne peach with shimmer. On lighter skin tones it will appear more bronzey/tan. I also think the Baby Cheeks Blush Sticks ($48) are beautiful! Chouchette is the best natural peachy pink on my skin tone.

Other glowing blush/highlighter favorites in rotation include the By Terry Brightening CC Liquid Blush in Sunny Glow ($38 each, for the most natural glow) and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blushes ($28 each, love Coastline and Corsica for warmer tones). The Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Wand in Peachgasm ($40) is another favorite for a pretty glowing highlight.

Swatches below:

Summer Eye Makeup

I love the one and done kind of shimmers for eyes. The Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks ($30 each) have been in heavy rotation. I love the mix of Moonstone, Golden Amber and Espresso for my summer bronzed eye look. The Sisley Ombre Eclat Liquide Eyeshadows ($58) also have a really nice long-wear formula. I’ve swatched all the colors here but my favorites are 1, 3, 4 and 5. They’re spendy but if you’re looking for something ultra long-wearing these are the best I’ve tried.

Neutral Lips

I’m a neutral lip lover for life! The MAC Lustreglass Lipsticks ($22 each) are really good. I’m wearing Sellout in this post but there are so many good shades to pick from (neutral to bolds). For hydration, shine and color the Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil-Infused Glosses ($29 each) are my go-to. Long time readers have seen these on the blog so many times but I keep going back to these. My favorite neutrals are In the Buff and Free Spirit. They added shimmer shades this season and I think Bare Sparkle and Bellini are really fun.

For the Tom Ford beauty lovers you might want to check out the Matte Lip Color ($58) options if you want something full coverage and longer wearing. I recently picked up Fascinator which is a neutral peach pink (on my lips/complexion looks more peach). It’s a really nice neutral.

I have summer accessories roundup coming soon! But I’ve been really loving this woven tote for summer. It was one of my biggest splurges recently but I absolutely love it. For the style details in this post I’m wearing a knit tank from Topshop. I’ve been on a kick with Celine sunglasses and this pair is a favorite!

That wraps up my Easy Summer Glow favs from Nordstrom! I hope you found some helpful ideas on how to add some sparkle and glow to your summer beauty look!

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Sponsored by Nordstrom. As always all opinions are my own.

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Beauty Favorites Loving Right Now

11 Things I’m Loving Right Now

June 17, 2022

Happy Friday! Sharing a quick little roundup of some things I’ve bought and loved recently.

For summer I’ve still been really loving the Rare Beauty Tinted Moisturizer ($29). It’s one of the best tinted moisturizers I’ve tried because it’s not too dewy, not too emollient and has enough coverage to even out the skin naturally. My match is 32N. Available at Sephora and Rare Beauty.

A number of you asked if I was going to try the Dior Backstage Flash Perfector Concealer ($29) and I finally did! I ordered 3N and love it. It’s caffeine-infused to help revitalize the under eye area. I haven’t really noticed a huge amount of difference with caffeine but I like this to brighten under eyes and it is a long-wear formula that doesn’t budge on me.

It’s not as creamy or thick as the Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer. I really like both. Shade wise I’m usually a 2.5 or 3 in Dior. For the Dior Backstage Flash Perfector Concealer 3N works for me. I’m getting more color now that we’ve been going out more to the beach and dog parks with Ollie. If they had 2.5N in this formula I think that would be ideal for me, unfortunately they don’t (at least not yet). Available at Dior and Sephora.

I purchased the Vacation Eau de Toilette a few months ago (review here) and still really love it. It’s one of the best vacation scents I’ve tried. If you’re familiar with Bobbi Brown Beach it has a similar vibe but the Vacation perfume is a little less sunscreen-like and more pool-beach like if that makes sense. I love both. The Vacation Eau de Toilette is sold out at Nordstrom right now but you can find it at Ulta Beauty and it’s back in stock at Vacation Inc.

For hair I’ve been struggling with frizz more than usual this year. I lost a lot of hair late last year and this year with tons of shedding. The good news is that it’s started to grow back but I have all these tiny baby hairs growing in that seem impossible to tame. I’ve tried tons of pomades and waxes to try to hold the hairs in place and they only work temporarily. The two best solutions I’ve found are from Dae and Kosas. The Dae Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream has really impressed me. It’s multi-tasking. You can use it on damp or dry hair. It tames flyaways, helps soften hair, adds shine, doesn’t weight down the hair. It smells like bubblegum to me similar to their shampoo and conditioner. (Also love the Mini Wet Brush to throw in my beach bag or purse. Wish it had a small case to keep the bristles from getting smashed in my bag, but I still love it.)

To hold the baby hairs in place on stubborn days I’ll use the Kosas Air Brow Gel (tinted version) because they have shades dark enough to match my hair color. Clear brow gels don’t work well for me. They always leave a crusty looking white film on my hair when they dry.

For mascara I ordered the new Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara and it’s REALLY GOOD! I’m not usually a fan of tubing mascaras but I really love this one. Adheres well to the lashes, doesn’t smudge, holds the curl, defines. I haven’t tested it in the water to see if it’s waterproof but for day to day use I really love it.

I’ve been really loving lots from Patrick TA. I bought the Patrick TA Precision Gel Liner in Deep Bronze a long time ago. Loved it and used it up! I recently picked it up again along with the shade in Black and forgot how much I loved them. I have four shades now swatched below. They’re creamy, twist up, ultra pigmented, long-wearing and intense. You can see Burgundy in action in my reel below.

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The Patrick TA Crème Contour and Bronzer Duo in She’s Sculpted has been a winner for me. This surprised me because most cream contours are too creamy or too grey. This one looks cool in the pan but on the face it’s more neutral and it has the perfect texture to blend easily.

Also started using the Patrick TA Major Plumping Lip Glosses again. I bought three earlier this year. Started using them again. Love the texture, plump and shine. The tingle is mild on me and they have a cinnamon scent.

Still really loving the Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss! My favorites are Picante and Bungalow. Review + swatches here in case you missed it.

Last but not least I have a win in new sunscreen tries! Testing sunscreen always makes me so nervous. My skin reacts to so many different formulas and it doesn’t matter whether its chemical or mineral. I’ve relied mainly on Shiseido and Supergoop! for the face but still test a number of new formulas. The Summer Fridays ShadeDrops Mineral Milk Sunscreen with SPF30 is a huge win for me. No pilling, no irritation, no break outs, no clogged pores. It has a pale yellow tint which is nearly transparent when it’s blended. On my medium tan skin I still see a tiny bit of a cast when it’s blended.

As a quick side note/update on some other formulas I tried the Ilia C Beyond Triple Serum did not work for me. It immediately pilled on my skin similar to the Glow Recipe Watermelon Sunscreen which I had high hopes for. I’m currently testing the Kjaer Weis Beauty Tint Tinted Moisturizer in M3. I’m undecided as the first time I tried it, it looked beautiful on the face. Loved the look, coverage, feel and finish. The next few times I tried it, it separated on my face which makes me think it was not compatible with my moisturizer. Will keep testing to see if I can find a way to make it work again.

That wraps up my favorites of the moment! Excited to share more soon! Bought some things for the home I really love. Also have some summer favorites coming up. Been putting a lot of things to the test in beauty, home and life!

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What have you been loving lately?

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Beauty Favorites Hauls

Summer Haul with Bluemercury

June 7, 2022

Bluemercury is having their Summer Party Event now through 6/8 with some great savings. You can save with code SUMMER:

Save 10% off purchases $100+
Save 15% off purchases $175+
Save 20% off purchases $250+

And they’re also providing a complimentary Summer Beauty Gift that contains 9 deluxe samples with your purchase of $250 or more. While supplies last!

I’m excited to partner with them to share a look at some things I think will be perfect for summer! I have a mix of everything from skincare, body care, lips, hair care and more. Here’s what I hauled.

Skincare / Body Care

For skincare I ordered the M-61 PowerGlow Peel 10 Treatments and am completely obsessed. They’re a quick and easy way to exfoliate the skin in a peel pad with glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin K, bilberry and chamomile. Each treatment is individually packaged which makes them perfect for travel. I found them very gentle on the skin and they help with texture and clarity. I’m definitely ordering more!

Corpus No Green Natural Deodorant is a new to me brand, I decided to try their deodorant and love it. It has a fresh natural kind of scent with bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom and cardamom.

I love a good sunscreen oil for summer and the Supergoop! Glow Oil SPF 50 is one of my favorites. It absorbs nicely into the skin, has a high SPF, leaves the skin glowing and hydrates too.

Effortless Lip Look

For the lips there are so many great tinted lip products for an effortless glow, but my favorite for years has been the NARS Afterglow Lip Balm. I have this in all the colors but my favorite is Orgasm for a really natural flushed pink glow. It’s hydrating, easy to apply, lasts long for a tinted balm and great to apply for on-the-go.

If you want a nice shine I highly recommend the NARS Afterglow Lip Shine for one of the smoothest gloss formulas you’ll find these days. Shade shown is A-Lister which is a pale gold shimmer.

Glowing Complexion

Two summer bases I love for a glowing complexion include a mix of the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Light Revealer Natural Skin Illuminator + the Kosas Revealer Concealer. When I layer both I can create the exact coverage I want: a sheer glowy base with extra coverage in just the areas I need with the concealer. Both are creamy, dewy and look natural. Just set with your favorite powder to lock it into place.

For a glowing warm bronze look the Sisley Paris Phyto-Touche Illusion Bronzer is a favorite I just restocked. It has a gel-powder formula that glides onto the skin. It has a subtle shimmer to it which gives the complexion a glow without looking too shimmery.

I also love layering the Chantecaille Cheek Gelee for a natural wash of color or the Radiance Gel Bronzer for a natural bronzed glow.

Hair Care

For summer hair I really love the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo. It’s actually great for year round but I especially love it during the spring to summer months for a hair refresh in between washes. I also love the Sisley Hair Rituel Protective Hair Fluid to help protect hair from UVA and UVB rays. It’s a lightweight hair spray I spritz on damp hair before heat styling or air drying. It also helps protect from the sea or pool water.

I’ve been looking for a good travel sized hair dryer and ordered the T3 Afar Travel Dryer + Case and it’s just what I’ve been looking for. It has 3 heat settings, 2 speed settings, concentrator, cool shot option and a travel case. The top folds down for storage and it’s powerful even though it’s compact. Can’t wait to bring this on my next trip!

For the Home

Last I have a look at three things I bought for the home. I’ve been super curious about the LARQ Bottle PureVis which is a self-cleaning and purifying bottle. I ordered it in Granite White. It has UV-C LED Light Technology to eliminate viruses and bacteria. It’s also double-wall insulated to keep water hot or cold. It’s easy to use and rechargeable.

I picked up the Resore Face Wash Set for a nice gentle face cloth. They’re fluffy, plush and antibacterial. I love the case it comes in too! Comes with a set of two.

I’ve had the Vitruvi Stone Diffuser on my wishlist for some time and am finally glad to own one. I ordered it in White and added some of my own essential oils to it (they also carry some, but you can use any one). Simply fill to the water line and add about 20 drops of your oil. There are different time settings where you can have them on. If you’re looking for continuous scent throughout the home I think this is great.

That wraps up my Bluemercury Summer Haul! If you’re looking for some luxury items to refresh your routine or home I hope you found this helpful for ideas! There are tons of great brands at Bluemercury and now is a great time to stock up and save!

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Beauty Favorites Nordstrom

Summer Beauty Checklist

June 1, 2022

It feels like summer has arrived here and I’m all about a glowing sunkissed complexion, glossy lips and shimmering eyes for this time of year. I’m excited to share a Summer Beauty Checklist of some recent favorites to refresh your spring to summer look. You can find all of my picks available at Nordstrom. Here’s what I’ve been loving lately!

Base Favorites

Some of my favorite makeup bases are lightweight and glowy options. The Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick is one of my favorites for a stick foundation. Nice medium coverage and easy to apply and blend! I love the stick format for travel too! I wear Shade VI.

For the best lightweight glow I love the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (in 3W1 Bisque) and the Tinted Moisturizer Light Revealer (also in 3W1 Bisque) for a tiny bit of coverage. I’ll mix them with regular foundation sometimes to make my own custom glow.

I’m a huge fan of the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation but sometimes want something a little more sheer/natural. I started using the Neo Nude True to Skin Natural Glow Foundation again and I’m obsessed. I think it’s going to be my staple go-to base. Has natural coverage like a lightweight tinted moisturizer but not too emollient or dewy. I wear it in 6.5 (same shade as the Luminous Silk line).

Another favorite is the By Terry Cellualrose Brighting CC Serum. It’s available in several colors. I love Sunny Flash and mix it in with my base for a subtle bronzed glow.

Bronzer

Lots of bronzers to love this season! The Sisley Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel is a splurge but I love the gel formula and subtle glow. It’s warm but not too warm on my skin.

The Diorskin Forever Natural Bronzer is one of the best matte bronzers I’ve tried. I love the summer limited-edition embossing! I wear Shade 05 Warm Bronze.

Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Bronzer in Medium 02 is a really nice one for a subtle matte bronzed glow. She recently launched her Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzers in a cream formula. I tried both 01 Fair and 02 Medium and the Medium shade is my perfect summer bronze.

Swatches + the Chanel Les Beiges Bronzers in 390 and 395 for reference!

Wearing Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sunkissed Bronzer in Medium

Eye Makeup

For the eyes I love shimmer! Bobbi Brown launched new shades of her Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks and I love every single one. There’s a nice range of colors to suit everyone’s taste. I love the combo of Golden Amber + Espresso.

Two other must-haves in my book are the Sisley Ombre Eclat Liquide Eyeshadows and the Phyto-Khol Liners for long-wear effortless eyes.

Summer Lips

I could probably make a very long list of summer favorites for lips! My edited version includes the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint (love these, they’re like the Dior Addict Lip Glow), Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss Shimmers (love the sparkle), Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm (love the formula, color and shine), Chanel Rouge Coco Baume (Flirty Coral is my favorite peach) and the Sisley Phyto-Rouge Shine (best shine lipstick formula I’ve tried).

Fragrance

I’ll have an updated summer fragrance roundup soon, but wanted to share three I’m really loving right now. The Vacation Eau de Toilette is summer in a bottle. It smells fresh and summery, I highly recommend checking it out! Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is my go-to summer fragrance and I love it in all formats, especially the Shimmering Body Oil! Year over year the Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt remains another favorite on my list. It’s timeless and great for year round, but there’s something about the sunshine and warm weather that make this one special for me.

Sunscreen

Last but definitely not least: sunscreen! The Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion with SPF 50 is my absolute favorite for the body. It’s the longest lasting and least goopy feeling one I’ve tried. You still need to reapply regularly but if I’m in the water this lasts the longest on me. Andrew’s favorite of all time is the Jack Black Sun Guard with SPF 45. It’s also very long lasting, probably better than the Shiseido but is on the thicker side.

For the face I love anything Supergoop!. I still love their Unseen Sunscreen. One of their newer one is the Every Single Face Watery Lotion with SPF 50 and it’s a nice moisturizer lotion formula. TheCC Screen is also very very good if you want a tint + SPF in one.

That wraps up my summer beauty roundup! I hope you found this helpful if you’re looking to refresh your summer beauty makeup bag!

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

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Beauty Favorites Nail Polish

Five Neutral Nude Pinks I’m Loving Right Now

May 24, 2022

opening image: round marble tray, coffee table book, sunglasses

You girls know I love a good neutral nude nail, there are so many good shades out there! Wanted to round up 5 I’ve been wearing lately I think are worth checking out. Essie, Olive and June and Gucci shades are applied with 2 coats, the Chanel and Dior have 3 coats.

Essie Topless and Barefoot

Essie Topless and Barefoot is probably one of the most-complimented nail colors I wear. It’s a great perfect pale nude pink. If you’re looking for a quick-dry version I highly recommend checking out Expressie Crop Top and Roll. It’s not exactly the same but it’s really close.

Chanel Onirique

Chanel Le Vernis in Onirique 923 is a really pretty soft pink nude with a hint of peach. It’s on the sheer side but has smooth coverage. If you want a more transparent finish 2 coats is sufficient. I applied 3 for a bit more color. It’s part of the Reve de Chanel collection which I hauled but didn’t review. I think all 3 nail colors are really pretty (if you don’t mind semi-sheer colors). So far I’ve only seen the collection available online at Chanel.com. (P.S. I still love Organdi, but I wore it so much I’m trying to switch it up a bit!)

Olive and June

Olive and June has quite a few good neutrals. It’s hard to pick one favorite, I love CDJ, MM, GH, EC, HZ, the list goes on and on. You can check out all their NEUTRAL colors here. I am really loving CHM which is a beige neutral.

Gucci Beauty

I wish Gucci Beauty would launch more colors because I love the ones I’ve tried so far! Anytime I wear Annabel Rose I always get questions “what nail color are you wearing?” It’s a nice everyday neutral with a tiny bit of shimmer to give it some dimension.

Dior Vernis

I know a lot of you used to be die hard Dior Vernis collectors. I used to be too. They seemed to have slowed down on new color launches but I recommend checking Dior.com for the latest. They don’t always launch new colors at other retailers but you can usually find them online at Dior (I love the three new ones for summer!). I hauled Nude Look 100 since I love the lipsticks in this color. Nude Look 100 Nail Polish is a nude pink. It’s a tiny bit transparent with a bit of a jelly finish. Two coats covers my nail maybe 85% of the way. It’s smooth and non-streaky and just a tiny bit of my nail shows through. I love it. I think it’s a great rose nude pink.

I have a lot of other nail polish features on the blog. You can click on the NAIL POLISH category to pull up all the other roundups I’ve done. If you want more nude/neutral swatches you can check out these posts:

For those new to the blog and my Hand/Nail Care Essentials rounded up here. My current go-to base coat is the OPI Natural Base Coat. For top coats I love the OPI Top Coat, Essie Speed Setter and Gel Setter.

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What are your favorite neutrals?

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Beauty Favorites

10 Things I’m Loving Right Now

May 16, 2022

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! Wanted to round up 10 things I’m loving right now in a skincare + hair care edition. I feel like I’ve been focused primarily on makeup here on the blog I’ve neglected skincare and hair care. I wanted to give some love to the skincare lovers and readers and highlight some recent new loves and discoveries.

Elemis

Marble Tray: Crate and Barrel

I just started using Elemis and I’ve been blown away by how good this line is. I shared a look at some things on stories last week and was happy to hear a lot of good feedback from you! They’ve given me a promo code SABRINA20 to use and save 20% off Elemis from now through June 30th.

I love a good cleansing balm and I tried both the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm* (1) and Elemis Pro-Collagen Naked Balm (2). Both are great for removing makeup and sunscreen without stripping the skin. Apply and massage to dry skin and it starts as a balm, transforms into an oil cleanser and then a milky cleanser texture when you add warm water to rinse. These come with a cleansing cloth (love). They can also double as a mask if you leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing. The Naked one is their unscented version which is really nice especially for those who are sensitive to fragrance in skincare.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads* (3) are the best resurfacing pads I’ve tried. Most leave a film or are too strong for my skin but these have the perfect formula and strength for me. They have Lactic Acid and Probiotic Ferment Complex to help accelerate skin turnover. I use them 1x per day (although you can use 2x) and it’s helped with skin texture. My skin is prone to a lot of clogging with sweat, sunscreen, and makeup. This helps remove dead skin and exfoliate.

Elemis Favorites

Best Bath Salts

I think the best kept secrets for the at-home spa are the Dr. Teals Bath Salts. I started taking more salt baths and soaks when Andrew and I started lifting weights. The Epsom salt baths help a lot with the muscle tension. I’ve tried a number of different brands and so far my favorite is the Dr. Teals Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak (4). I get these at the grocery store or Target or Ulta. It has the best relaxing spa-like scent to me with the Pink Himalayan and Orange Bergamot mix. Andrew loves it too.

Marble Bath Caddy: CB2

The packaging isn’t the prettiest so I bought a few jars to store the salts in. I bought this Extra Large Glass Canister and a metal scooper from Crate and Barrel. I’m also not the most careful with glass so I picked up the Medium Matte Ceramic Canister as well to try (lid has a rubber seal). In case you want to know what I hauled at Crate and Barrel I’ve linked them below.

Crate and Barrel Home Haul

Naturium Skincare

Another skincare line I’ve discovered this is year Naturium and I’ve been really impressed with their body products. They’re affordable yet effective and very good! I’m still working my way through trying all the Body Washes but I really love the ones I’ve tried. It’s been challenging to find a good sized body wash I really love that won’t break the bank (I repurchase often). My favorite so far is the Naturium Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Wash* (5).

They also launched a body lotion this year called the Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion* (6) and I’m absolutely obsessed. It’s a really nice fragrance free option that isn’t greasy and absorbs quickly. Highly recommend and it’s $15. You can buy from Naturium and also at Target.

Kerastase Love

I visited my hair stylist earlier this month for a root touch up. I don’t highlight my hair anymore but the whites and greys have started to creep in so I see her every few months for a root touch up. You can follow her @melissajeanhairstylist if you’re looking for a great colorist in Tampa!

On my latest trip she was so excited to show me the new Chroma Absolu line from Kerastase and it’s pure love. It’s formulated for color-treated hair and I love it to add shine. It’s one of the best smelling lines I’ve tried.

I bought everything she used on me that was still available in the salon (they were already sold out of a few things) and I went immediately to Sephora to purchase the rest.

I also love the Kerastase Chroma Absolu Shampoo for Fine to Medium Color-Treated Hair (7) and Chroma Absolu Strengthening Conditioner (8). I bought the Gloss Shine Treatment and love it but think I would prefer a mask format instead. They have a Chroma Absolut Anti-Copper Green Mask for Color Treated Hair that’s supposed to neutralize unwanted red or copper tones in brunette hair. If I ever get highlights again I think this would be amazing.

The Kerastase Serum Chroma Thermique Hair Serum (9) is my favorite blow dry protectant and frizz reducing spray that I’ve tried from the line so far. It’s better than the Discipline Anti-Frizz Smoothing Spray in my opinion.

A look at my favorite spray treatments from Kerastase. Left to right: Serum Chroma Thermique (I use as a heat protectant), Discipline Fluidissime (anti-frizz spray), Soleil Huile Sirene (bi-phase oil to soften hair, great for summer when your hair is exposed to more sun) and the Genesis Defense Thermique (blow-dry primer).

Dior Beauty

Last favorite I want to highlight is yet another cleanser! I love cleansers and recently tried the Dior La Mousse OFF/ON Foaming Face Cleanser (10). It’s great to take off all makeup (although I still remove eye makeup first with a makeup remover + cotton pad). It has a whipped foam texture and a little goes a very long way. It also adds hydration and moisture back onto the skin so it’s not stripping. I love that it cleans but doesn’t leave my face feeling tight afterwards. Highly recommend!

That wraps up my 10 Things I’m Loving Right now! What have you been loving lately?

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Gifted product/press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased by me.

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