Happy New Years Eve! I cannot believe the year is ending and am hopeful for a better one in 2021. Thank you to each and every one of you who stuck around through the highs and the lows. I know it has been a trying and emotional year for all of us. I am truly thankful from the bottom of my heart to those who have showed kindness, positivity and support – it means more to me than I could express in words.
I have a 2020 beauty favorites roundup! I’m rounding up my Top 25 of the year. Here is my list (in alphabetical order). If you’d like to share your favorites let me know in the comments! It doesn’t have to be a long list like mine – I’d love to hear about anything you loved in the beauty world this year.
Happy Monday! I have a new glowing makeup roundup today featuring a few new launches alongside my favorites. So many of you love a pretty glow and I’m excited to partner with Nordstrom to share one I’ve been loving lately. I’m covering the entire look from my base, eyes, lips and cheeks!
Foundation + Base Essentials
Having a good base is one thing that makes me feel more confident and put together. I have a lot of foundations I love and rotate between but the one I’ve reached for the most is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (I’m currently shade 6.5). It has medium buildable coverage to even out the skin but looks natural and lets the skin show through in a natural way. I love how natural the glow is too!
For concealer the best of the best is from Cle de Peau. The Stick Concealer (I use Ocher or Buff) is best for spot concealing as it’s very opaque and a little goes a long way. For under eye brightening or concealing the Radiant Corrector for Eyes is better for me as it’s more fluid, easier to blend, but still very opaque and covers well. It will stay put and does not crease if you set properly with a powder.
For powder you all know I love the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder in the Translucent shade and the new beige color Honey. If you want the best no-fuss setting powder Laura Mercier is the way to go! However pressed powder is my format of choice – it’s not as messy, you can use it on-the-go, it’s easy to keep it in your purse and in general it’s easier for me to use. The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder is my go-to and I wear the shade in Medium.
My Favorite Glow Product
The best thing I can recommend to anyone who wants that lit from within kind of glow is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Filter Primer and Highlighter. I’ve gone through so many of the Shade 4 and Shade 3 to highlight and add dimension to the skin. It’s a multi-tasking product that you can use as a dewy primer, add it on top of your foundation or use as a highlighter on cheeks or eyes. It comes with a sponge tip applicator which I use to swipe on the face and then I blend/buff it out with a beautyblender to melt into the foundation where I want added glow or brightness.
They have just added some more shades in the line to fill in some of the gaps. You can use a shade to match your skin or 1-2 shades lighter to highlight and brighten the skin. I also use one shade darker for days I want more warmth in the glow. I picked up shades 2.5 and 4.5 and swatched them for you. For reference I wear her Magic Foundations in Shades 6.5, 6.75 or 7 depending on how tan I am. I find that the Hollywood Filter in Shade 4.5 is perfect for a subtle glow that isn’t too dramatic or contrasted with my skintone. Shade 4 still works for me too. (More shades available online.)
Eye Makeup Staples
For eye makeup staples, the best liquid eyeliner is the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen (although Cle de Peau is also really quite excellent). It has two sizes for applicators so you can control how precise or bold you want the line to be. It does not smudge, it’s easy to use, has super rich deep pigment and it lasts a long time. For an ultra dark smokey line the Charlotte Tilbury Rock N Kohl Eyeliner in Bedroom Black is one of the darkest ones I’ve tried. It’s easy to blend/smoke out with a smudge brush for a sultry look.
For a good mix of matte and shimmers the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam II Palette has been a really pleasant surprise. It looks a little boring in the compact but it has everything you need for a complete eye look. Pigment is smooth, rich, easy to blend – it’s everything I could want in a single compact!
New Charlotte Tilbury
The latest from Charlotte Tilbury is the Hollywood Flawless Eye Filter Palette and I am so excited to share a look. I bought both shades and will have a more detailed look later but for now I have swatches of Star Aura. It is beautiful eye palette with finely milled shimmers. The colors have the prettiest sparkle to brighten the eyes and open them up. I did find I needed to add a liner to complete the look, but I love how it melds into the skin and just makes your eyes glow.
Top Glowing Cheek Products
My most used cheek products this holiday season for a pretty glow have been from Charlotte Tilbury and Hourglass. The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Bronzer in Medium is the most natural looking matte bronzer – it has a super soft finish and on me it’s impossible to overdo. I’ve had a soft spot for the Hollywood Superstar Glow Highlighter this year too. I have so many highlighters it’s hard to find one that I think is unique enough to make it special. This has a soft pink peach tinge to it mixed in with the opal shimmers and is so flattering on the skin!
For cream blushes the Cle de Peau Cream Blush #4 has remained my go-to for the best soft peachy pink blush that looks natural and lasts all day. It’s hard for me to find a cream product that won’t just melt off the skin and this one works the best out of all the cream blushes I have tried.
For a natural glowy blush the Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic blushes are the best ones out there. I’ve bought nearly all of the colors and love Ecstasy (shown) for a peachy pink shimmer and Love Glow (for a nude) the most.
(I’m wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer, Cle de Peau Cream Blush #4, Charlotte Tilbury Highlighter in this post.)
Favorite Lip Color of the Year
Last but not least the best lip color of the year for me has been anything Pillow Talk from Charlotte Tilbury. I love the Lip Cheat Lip Pencil, Matte Revolution Lipstick, Collagen Lip Bath and Jewel Lips. These get me the most questions on Instagram stories and readers are always asking “what’s on your lips?” – it’s always one of the Pillow Talk shades! (Top I’m wearing is also from Nordstrom Treasure and Bond.)
That wraps up the roundup for my glowy makeup look! I hope you found this roundup helpful in case you’re looking for some new items to shop for or incorporate into your routine. You can find all of my favorites from Nordstrom. Don’t forget to check out their Gift with Purchase page too.
Shop the Glowy Makeup:
Top + Makeup Tools:
If you have any glowy makeup favorites let me know in the comments!
Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.
So many of you have asked for long-wear makeup recommendations that are budget-friendly. Today I have the best of both with a holiday makeup round up! I’ve partnered with Walmart to share a few of my go-to makeup staples that can take you from a daytime to a more dressy look.
Base Essentials
For a long-lasting base the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation has been one of the best long-wearing matte finish foundations I’ve tried. My match is 3W1 Tawny. It has full coverage but doesn’t look flat. To brighten or conceal dark under eye circles the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is probably my most-used concealer! It’s creamy, easy to blend, doesn’t crease on me and once set with a powder, stays put and looks fresh for hours. To set my makeup I have quite a few loves, but the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder is my holy grail no-fuss powder to keep everything in place.
Bronzer + Blush
For a good bronzer, I have raved about the ones from L’Oreal so many times. I think they’re easy to use and they have a good range of shades to pick from. I reach for the L’Oreal Summer Belle Bronzer in 03 Amalfi the most for a budget-friendly option. For blushes I’ve been really impressed with the ones from Milani and love the Powder Blush in Coral Cove. It’s a really bright coral pink and you only need a tiny sweep of color to brighten the complexion and make you look more alive. The powder is easy to blend and layer, plus it has very good lasting power.
Lips
I have SO many loves for lips! The L’Oreal Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain has been one of my absolute favorite liquid lipsticks with a soft matte finish. They’re not drying and they have a pretty satin matte dry down so they look soft and pretty. The formula comes in a wide range of colors, I love I Create for a soft everyday pink rose and I Empower is an easy to wear peach nude beige. They feel weightless on the lips and have excellent coverage and lasting power. (Colors swatched top to bottom: I Empower, I Create, I Rule, I Choose, I Represent.)
One of my newest tries is the L’Oreal Infallible Matte Lip Crayon. It’s an opaque twist up style lipstick in a slim tube. It has smooth opaque coverage with intense color payoff. I bought a few of the shades to try and love 500 Caramel Blondie with the Maybelline Lifter Lip Gloss in Ice layered on top for a pretty pink look. For a brighter holiday lip look 502 Sweet and Salty is a really pretty berry pink.
I swatched a number of the Maybelline Lifter Lip Glosses in my post here. If you’re looking for a good plumping gloss with high shine I highly recommend checking them out! (Colors shown Ice, Topaz and Opal.)
Eye Makeup Staples
For eye makeup, I have a soft spot for L’Oreal. The L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara Base is one of the few lash primers I have used, loved and repurchased many times. It has a pale pink tint to it so you can make sure you’ve coated all the lashes. I apply and then follow with the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara Waterproof when the base is still wet for a lot of volume and definition. This combo gives me the best look for my super straight lashes – and it holds the curl! For a good long lasting eyeliner you can’t go wrong with the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Eyeliner. It’s easy to apply and truly does stay put.
For eyeshadows I have been so impressed with the Wet N’Wild Icon Eyeshadow 10 Pan Palette in Nude Awakening. It is a great palette of wearable basics and has everything you need for a complete eye look. Every color has good color payoff and the darker matte shades have really intense pigments that are easy to blend.
If you’re looking for some easy to wear long-wear makeup for the holiday I hope this gives you some ideas of what to try! You can find all the beauty items available at Walmart.
Shop the Post:
Many thanks to Walmart for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.
The dry season is officially here in South Florida and although our winters are mild compared to everywhere else we’ve had some fairly cold days and nights. My skin has been going nuts with the weather change and everything is dry! I’ve rounded up my favorite hydration heroes for body, hands and lips. If you have any favorites you swear by, please let me know in the comments!
Chanel Huile Douce Gentle Oil Hair and Body* has been one of my favorite body oils – it looks like it has been discontinued but they still have the Scented Options in L’Huile Orient, L’Huile Jasmin, L’Huile Vanille and L’Huile Rose – I may splurge on one for myself for the holiday
Augustinus Bader Body Lotion ($35 for 30 ml or $95 for 100 ml) is something I bought over the summer, back then it was a little too rich for my taste, but now that the dry season is here I find it perfect, it is hydrating and there’s no fragrance – it has a semi-matte finish in the drydown
Necessaire Body Lotion ($25 for 200 ml/6.8 oz) is my favorite day-time unscented body cream, it’s gentle, effective and doesn’t interfere with perfume
Also love:
L’occitane Shea Butter Hands and Body Extra-Gentle Lotion ($29 for 10.1 fl oz) is one I don’t have right now, but it has been a favorite in the past, after using it up several times I just wanted to explore other products and try new things, but this one has never failed me
Hand Creams
Favorites for the hands:
La Mer Hand Treatment ($90 for 3.4 oz the full size option, note that mine is a mini) is one of my latest loves for hand treatments, I bought mine as part of the limited-edition holiday Rejuvenating Hydration Set ($95) which seems to be selling out nearly everywhere (as of now still available at Net-A-Porter and Blue Mercury). It’s silky, emollient and super luxurious!
L’Occitane Shea Butter Intensive Hand Balm ($19 for 1.7 oz or $36 for 5.3 oz) was something one of my sweet readers sent to me a year ago (the only fan mail I’ve received!) – she was so sweet to send me one she bought while traveling and the large tube lasted quite a long time! They’ve since launched a smaller tube which is purse friendly, it’s a thicker version of their Classic Shea Butter Hand Cream which I also love
Kiehl’s also makes great hand creams, so many of you have said you swear by the Ultimate Strength Hand Salve as the best unscented option (I agree it’s great! available in multiple sizes), I also really like their scented options in the Lavender and Grapefruit – they have a nice Healthy Hands Trio ($35) I highly recommend getting (and fast because it’s selling out quickly)
Molton Brown also makes great scented hand creams, I love the Fiery Pink Pepper* ($15) the best although their new Flora Luminaire* ($15) is also really lovely!
Cuticle Care
Cuticle care favorites:
CND Essentials Solar Oil Care Pen ($12.99 for 2.5 ml) is one that always makes the best-of lists for so many magazines, I bought the click brush pen version recently and really like it – it seems a little pricey for the amount you get, but it works well (also available in the Bottle with Brush Applicator)
Dior Huile Daily Nutritive Serum ($28) has been one of my holy grail cuticle oils but is so hard to find as it’s always selling out, you can still find this at Dior.com – if you see it at your local counter I highly recommend you pick it up!
OPI Pro Spa Nail and Cuticle Oil* was something I received recently in a PR package and it seems to come in a few formats, the one I have is a 0.29 fl oz dropper style ($9.95 available on Amazon). It helps with dry cuticles and a little goes a very long way. It also comes in a Bottle (.5 fl oz for $15.95) or a To Go Brush Applicator (.25 oz for $9.50)
Olive and June Cuticle Serum* ($15.99 for 1 at Target, or $30 for 2 at Olive and June, .13 fl oz) comes in a pen applicator with a sponge tip, if you’re one who doesn’t like the super emollient feel of oils, you will love this because it’s a serum that is more like a sponge-on cream vs a drippy liquid oil. It softens cuticles, it’s easy to use and works!
Lip Favorites
small round marble tray from Goop, makeup bag is Cuyana
Lip care favorites right now:
Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask ($28) – best cushiony clear gel like lip mask you can wear during the day or leave on over night
By Terry Baume de Rose* ($60) – best soothing thick lip cream (also available in a tube form with a slightly sheerer feel and finish, it’s not as thick but just as hydrating)
La Mer Lip Volumizer ($80) – not really a lip balm, but more of a smoothing lip volumizer with a serum feel, it leaves my lips feeling super soft and smooth
Fresh Sugar anything! I’ve been loving the Sugar Advance Therapy Treatment Lip Balm* ($26) because it comes in a tube form and doesn’t require fingers to apply. I do really love the Sugar Hydrating Lip Balms* ($18) like the Caramel, Coconut and Lime Mint ones as well.
What are some of your favorites?
Press samples indicated with a *. Others purchased by me.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I’ve put together a Best of Chanel Makeup roundup for you today. I’ve been such a long time fan of Chanel – it’s one of the makeup brands that inspired me to start blogging because I was so excited about finding the latest and greatest from them.
I intended on writing about the Chanel Good to Glow Cyber Monday launch but it sold out in record time and was completely gone within a couple hours! The good news is that the set included permanent items in the Chanel Makeup line so if you missed out, you can still buy the Rosy Light Drops, Rouge Coco Flash in Boy and Mirror Compact individually which I have swatched for you below. It came packaged in a red makeup bag in case you wanted to see what it looked like:
Chanel Good to Glow Limited-Edition Makeup Set (sold out, but items available separately)
I hope you find this roundup helpful if you’re looking for recommendations of my favorites. You can always click on the CHANEL category tag to see a full list of all the Chanel reviews I’ve done. Quick note that this post focuses on makeup! I like a lot of the skincare, fragrance + body care items but wanted to give a more edited list for just makeup.
Base
The latest foundation from Chanel is the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation. It’s a natural medium coverage glow foundation. I like that it’s not heavy or thick like the previous formulas in past years. I bought four of the shades and found that B40 (more neutral) or BD41 (more yellow) work best for me right now. It is scented so if fragrance irritates your skin do a patch test before applying. This has decent lasting power for a glow foundation – it’s not too dewy or luminous but I do set with a powder.
Swatches next to a few other formulas (I’ve linked my previous reviews, I have swatches of other shades in a lot of those posts):
For powder the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder is one of my favorites for a soft diffused glow. It’s a matte but has a slight translucent quality so you can buff into the skin to set your foundation. I use No 20 to set and No 30 or 40 as a warm-up/contour color. They did relaunch their Loose Poudre Universelle in extended shades this year. I bought 30 and 40 – they’re pretty standard and basic. While they work, they’re just not my favorite.
Blush
The Chanel Joues Contrast Blush is one of the best for a soft hint of color. Most of the colors will give you a natural look that is impossible to overdo. My top four picks are below (click on the name to see face swatches):
Alezane* – best neutral beige with a hint of shimmer
Rose Bronze* – pretty soft rose with a hint of pearl
Foschia Rosa – best bright pink with a hint of coral blush
Highlighter
The Chanel fluid highlighters are stunning for a soft delicate glow. You can mix them in with foundation, apply them all over the face, or dab them where you want a highlight. They are sheer but noticeable on the skin.
I have collected almost all of the Chanel highlighters over the years. Most of them have been limited edition but I’ve linked the current powder versions available below:
Les Chaines de Chanel Illuminating Blush* reviewed here
Eclat du Desert Illuminating Powder* review here (LOVE this one)
The Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream is a classic easy to wear cream bronzer. It adds warmth to the skin in a natural way. This replaced the original cream bronzer and while many say they’re different, I feel the new one performs the same as the original. Review + swatches here. I hope they add more shades!
Chanel powder bronzers are typically limited-edition launches with summer collections. I’ve been using the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Powder in Deep as a bronzer and love it! I didn’t like the lighter shades as a setting powder on my skin, but the darker ones seem to work well for me as a powder bronzer that isn’t too harsh or orange.
The Rouge Coco Flash is one of my favorite sheer lipstick formulas. My original review + lip swatches here. I’ve added more swatches – they launched some new ones this year.
Rouge Coco Gloss
The Rouge Coco Gloss is a cushiony hydrating gloss with a lot of shine. These are semi-thick but smooth on the lips. My favorite one is 722 Noce Moscata which is a pearlescent beige. My other favorites shown above.
Also included swatches of some others side by side for reference:
Last but not least is the Le Vernis Nail Polish. I’ve been a die-hard fan of Chanel nail polishes for years. The current formula is better and longer wearing than the original version. I’ve done a number of posts with swatches and love them for the classic colors and long wear. I wear Organdi and Vamp the most. For a few roundups + swatches:
Best Chanel Neutralshere Matching Chanel Lips + Nail Colorshere
Makeup look wearing:
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in BD41
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder in No 20
Les Beiges Bronzing Cream + Les Beiges Luminous Powder in Deep
That wraps up my Best of Chanel post! If you have questions about any other product not listed chances are I’ve tried it – so feel free to ask in the comments. Would love to hear about your favorites!
So many of you have asked for more budget beauty features and I’m thrilled to share a Budget Beauty Gift Guide with some cute stocking stuffer ideas! I’m partnering with Walmart to share some of my latest finds. I have a roundup of some new discoveries along with a couple tried and true favorites.
My Favorite Lash Duo
The L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara has been my favorite for several years. I love both the regular and waterproof version. They have a cute Lash Paradise Mascara and Primer Holiday Kit at a value price. I use the primer almost daily (it’s one of the few mascara bases I really like and have repurchased countless times).
Best Plumping Lip Gloss
The Maybelline Lifter Glosses are my latest budget beauty discovery. I love the sleek simple packaging and these are some of the prettiest plumping lip glosses I’ve tried. They have a sweet cookie like scent and give the lips a plumping look and feel without an intense sting (they will tingle a little). They have Hyaluronic Acid and make the lips look super glossy. I cannot pick a favorite! I’m wearing Moon in this post which is a sheer smooth shimmery pink. There are some cream colors without shimmer too. A few more swatches below.
Best Bronzers
The best budget-friendly bronzers I’ve tried are from L’Oreal. I love the Summer Belle Bronze Please! in the shade Amalfi (Medium). I recently bought the darkest color in Taormina (Dark) which is a good non-orangey deeper bronze. If you want a softer look the True Match Lumi Bronzers are also nice for a luminous glow.
Favorite Affordable Brushes + Tools
So many friends and family members ask what the best affordable makeup brushes are. Many of them have teens or younger ones just starting to get into makeup and want to know what a good brush set is to start. Real Techniques Brushes are my favorite. They’re well made and functional. They have several cute sets or you can buy them individually. Sometime last year I discovered the Everyday Essentials Makeup Brush Set and use all the brushes in the kit. Brush 200 is perfect for foundation, 401 is a great multi-tasking brush and I love the other two for highlighting or blending.
I just bought the Artist Essentials Brush Set (one featured in this post) and think it’s a great addition to my current lineup. They’re soft and gentle on the skin but effective in picking up product. I also picked up another Concealer Brush because it’s one of the best I have tried and super versatile for both concealer or cream eyeshadow.
For beauty sponges the Elf Blending Sponge is hands down the best drugstore sponge I’ve tried!
Cute Stocking Stuffers
Elf Bite Size Palettes make for super cute stocking stuffers! I think they’re super cute – the Bite Size Eyeshadow Palettes have 4 shades for a complete look and I bought a few extras to keep for myself. The Bite Size Face Duos have a mini blush and highlighter in the same size compact in easy to wear colors.
Best Nail Care Picks
For nail care Tweezerman makes the some of the best nail tools. I swear by their Pushy Nail Cleaner to push back cuticles and also their Cuticle Clippers. This Mini Manicure Kit is a great buy – they have a few variations and I think they’re one of the most underrated accessories.
OPI nail polishes are perfect for any beauty lover. Out of all the gifts I’ve given, any OPI nail polish seems to get more excitement than anything else! I’ll sometimes put together a mini nail kit basket or tie a couple up in a cello bag for gifting. A few of my favorite neutrals swatched below.
That wraps up my Budget Beauty Holiday Gift Ideas roundup! It’s super easy to take a couple of items and make a cute gift with a pretty bow or tiny ornament. I hope this gives you some ideas in case you need some quick and easy ideas for stocking stuffers!
Sharing 10 Things I’m Loving Right Now today! A few of my favorite everyday staples that I have had in rotation lately.
Glowing Base Favorites
For my base I’ve really been loving that natural glow. Two favorites are the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand 3N1 (1) and the Laura Mercier Flawless Lumiere Radiance Perfecting Foundation in Latte 3N1.5 (2). You can see the before/after application of the Tinted Moisturizer on my face here and the Flawless Lumiere in this post as well. Both offer a nice natural glow to the skin with good lasting power.
Quick tip: Sephora carries the Tinted Moisturizer in a Mini Size in case you wanted to try it out before committing to buying the full size. They also have a Prime+Perfect Set you can customize as well which has more mini sizes.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam II Mini Eyeshadow Palette (4) was a recent beauty buy. It is a mini version of their Soft Glam Palette. There are 2 shades in the mini that are slightly different than the full size version. If you have the original you don’t really need the new one unless you’ve used it up or are looking for a convenient travel size version. The colors are super smooth and easy to blend/layer. They look a little boring in the pan but it’s a really great palette that has everything you need for a complete eye look!
Beauty look wearing all my favorites in this post:
Earrings are the 6-6.5mm Pearl Earrings (not new, but several of you have asked the size)
Eye Staples
I’ve also been loving the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Shadow in Copper Sunrise (5, new shade reviewed here) for a soft wash of color. It’s a nice one and done kind of color and super flattering on the eyes! So many of you have messaged me asking for a good long-wear eyeliner, I think it depends whether you want a pencil or liquid but for pencil, my go-to has been the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner (6, swatches here). I like a lot of the colors and am wearing Black Wood in this post.
Last but not least – the combo that gets me the most compliments and questions “what are you wearing on your lips?” is the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk (9) + Charlotte Tilbury Jewel Lips in Pillow Talk (10) combination. I love ALL the Pillow Talk Lip colors and many of you want to know “do I need them all?” especially for the glosses. I personally think I do, but if you don’t want dupes or colors that are too similar here are the colors swatched side by side.
My take on the difference between the glosses:
Lip Lustre is most opaque and has a more dusty rose color (on the face/lips here and here)
Collagen Lip Bath is the most sheer out of the three, has a translucent finish and gives the lips the most full plump effect (without the tingle, other colors also swatched here)
Jewel Lips has some shimmer, is brighter in undertone, super glossy (review here too)
That wraps up my 10 Things I’m Loving Right Now! Would love to hear what you are loving lately. Any beauty staples you have in rotation that you can’t get enough of?
