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Chanel Hydra Beauty Le Voyage Set + My Top 10 Chanel Favorites

November 28, 2018

Chanel launched three Le Voyage Travel Skincare Sets on Cyber Monday and they’re still available for a limited time. For the first time I can remember Chanel has launched miniatures in skincare sets! Most of the time they are full sizes for makeup, fragrance and skincare in the US. I do think there are more options available internationally but in the US we don’t always have access to all the launches. I have a look at the Hydra Beauty Le Voyage Set which retails for $120. Online they also have a Le Lift Le Voyage for $185 and a Sublimage Le Voyage for $425. In addition since so many have asked I’ve included my Top 10 Chanel favorites at the end.

The Hydra Beauty Le Voyage Set has two miniatures from the Hydra Beauty Skincare line and their classic eye makeup remover. Do note with the Hydra Beauty line everything has scent in it – something you might want to try before you buy in case you’re sensitive. I haven’t had any irritation issues using this line. Everything is available individually in full size form but the set has miniatures:

Hydra Beauty Micro Serum (15 ml/0.5 fl oz) is one of the prettiest lightweight serums I’ve tried, I used this years ago (when I still lived in San Diego), it has product encapsulated in micro droplets and are released upon application. It’s lighweight but helps your moisturizer to absorb better.
Hydra Beauty Creme (20 g/0.7 oz) comes in a super cute black mini compact. It has a seal inside to protect the product and prevent it from drying out and also has a mini spatula. This is so cute and has genius packaging. I’m keeping this and going to refill it when the creme is used up. I have not tried the cream before but did test it over the past week. It’s smooth and has a very lightweight feel.
Gentle Biphase Eye Makeup Remover (30 ml/1 fl oz) is too cute for words. This has been one of my favorite eye makeup removers, it doesn’t work the best on waterproof formulas, but for regular ones it is a staple.

A closer look at the Micro Serum and Mini Eye Makeup Remover:

A closer look at the packaging of the Hydra Beauty Creme:

Ingredients from the box:

Gentle Biphase Eye Makeup Remover: Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), Centaurea Cyanus Flower Qater, PPF-26-buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methylparaben, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Propylene Glycol, Yriethanolamine, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, CI 42090 (blue 1)
Hydra Beauty Micro Serum: Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Pentylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Carbomer, PVP, Dipropylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydra Beauty Creme: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Silica, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, PEG-40 Stearate, Camellia Kissi Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Phenoxyethanol, Saccharide Isomerate, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-2, Dimethicone, Parfum (Fragrance), Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Carbomer, Lauroyl Lysine, Propylene Glycol, PEG-12, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Tocopherol, Propylparaben, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethylparaben, Sodium Benzoate

My top 10 has changed over the years. So many of my tried and true staples were reformulated. I also found that my skin developed sensitivity to many of their foundations which have a higher alcohol content in some formulas. There are still a few that I can use without issue. My top 10 Chanel favorites. Press samples have a * but many of the items I purchased myself. You can find these at a wide range of retailers, I buy my items either from Chanel.com (because it always comes beautifully boxed and they sometimes have exclusives or early launches) and Nordstrom (because they have the best customer service in store and online):

Les Eaux de Chanel in Biarritz * I love anything citrus and this is a beautiful mix of mandarin and lily, it’s more of a spring summer scent, but in Florida it’s warm almost the entire year so it’s perfect for me anytime, it’s also available in a Body Lotion and Shower Gel version which I have not yet tried
Powder Blush in Foschia Rosa is the prettiest semi bright warm pink blush, review and on the face here
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Multi-Colour Powder in Medium * is my favorite semi bronzer semi highlighter in one, review here
Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base is the best cream bronzer for me, I’ve gone through a few tubs of these
La Creme Main hand cream, review of the 3 options here
Le Vernis in Organdi * is the best everyday neutral pink, review here
Rouge Coco Gloss in 172 Tendresse is the best pink for me, swatches here
Rouge Coco Gloss in 722 Noce Moscata is the prettiest semi-shimmery neutral caramel, swatches here
Hydra Beauty Mist is one of my favorite face mists, it’s super expensive but I really love it
Le Volume Mascara Waterproof is a classic for me

One last look at the travel set:

I hope you found this roundup helpful! The sets are really cute and nice for travel. You can find the Hydra Beauty Le Voyage Set for a limited time at Chanel.com. My top 10 picks also available at Chanel and Nordstrom along with many other beauty retailers.

Le Voyage Set provided for review. Additional press samples featured have a * next to them.

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Diptyque

Diptyque Black Friday Baies Candle 2018 Edition

November 25, 2018

For Black Friday Diptyque launched a special limited-edition Black Candle in their classic Baies variation ($72 for 6.5 oz). It’s available online through 11/26 while supplies last and comes in a special black and white glass jar. I was so lucky to get an early preview to share in my Black Friday roundup and wanted to give you a closer look.

Baies is Diptyque’s best-selling candle with a mix of rose and blackcurrant leaves. It’s my favorite and I think it’s one of the most unique scents I’ve ever burned in candle form. The Black Friday Baies comes in the same size as the Standard Candles, 6.5 oz, approximately up to 60 hours of burn time. The wax is black like their Tinted Colored Glass Candles and 3-Wick Candle. It also comes with a 2018 stamp on the side which I think is super fun.

In case you’re new to the brand many of the scented candles come in multiple sizes and also other formats in case you cannot burn candles. I’ve purchased almost all the different forms over the years, my favorite is still the candle form.

Above from left to right. You can find these at a number of places, but I usually buy mine from Diptyque stores, Diptyque online and Nordstrom:

Three Wick Candle, 21 oz ($165) only comes in the Baies form right now, there’s actually a larger size Outdoor with Five Wicks that have 51.3 oz, the jar is a matte glass black and is a lot stronger than the standard or minis
Room Spray, 5 fl oz ($68) is a potent kind of room spray, it’s very strong and scent lingers for at least several hours and fills a decent size room with a few spritzes, it still won’t last quite as long as a candle but we’ve bought a few of these over the years and every scent we’ve tried is amazing
Tinted Glass, 10.2 oz ($95) comes with approximately 90 hours of burn time, their best sellers come in different colors of glass and matching wax which make it more fun and unique
Extra Mini 1.23 oz typically come in the 5-Piece, 10-Piece Holiday Sets or Advent Calendar. This year it’s also available in the Treat Cones in the Do Son and L’Ombre Dans L’Eau versions.
Standard Candles 6.5 oz ($65 and up) come with approximately 60 hours of burn time, most are clear glass with the white and black sticker label. Limited or special editions have different colors of exterior and are usually a little more expensive.
Mini Candles 2.4 oz ($35) have around 30 hours of burn time. They make nice gifts. After I burn and clean out the interior I fill them with Q-tips or long match sticks.
Scented Oval ($48) is the only format I’m really not that crazy about since the strength isn’t as potent as the room spray or candle.
The perfume version of Baies os the L’Ombre Dans L’Eau which has really good lasting power on me. It smells exactly like the candle. I’ve tried the Eau de Toilette version but they also have an Eau de Parfum as well. One shown is a travel size which was limited-edition. Current sizes are larger.

In addition they have a few diffuser variations which I have not tried yet. There are currently three different options for home diffusers and each one is very expensive. They’re beautifully designed but for now I’m sticking with the candles.

Some of you asked for more thoughts and a closer look at the Carousel. Each holiday there are usually two options. This year they have the Full Size Carousel ($60) which fits the standard candles. It sold out multiple times on the Diptyque website but just restocked so I ordered it on Black Friday. In addition they have the one that fits the minis available in a Baies + Tubereuse Carousel and Candle Set ($125). In my previous post I had photographed it without the ornaments attached. Below I have it with the ornaments attached and I also uploaded a quick video on my Instagram @beautylookbook. You can check it out in action in this post here.

Overall I think the Black Friday Candle is perfect for Diptyque lovers. I ordered a second one as a backup along with the full size carousel on Black Friday. Diptyque is an expensive luxury brand for sure and if you’re new to the line it can be a little overwhelming to pick one. I still recommend the mini sets if you can’t smell or try in person. They’re the perfect way to sample a wide range.

For the size options I hope the side by side photo helped. I’ve purchased a number of these over the years. The Three Wick was a newer launch last year and Andrew bought it for me as a birthday gift (by my request).

You can find the Diptyque Black Friday 2018 Baies online at Diptyque through 11/26 while supplies last. They are running a Cyber Weekend promo with a 35g mini Figuier candle, a mini Philosykos soap and a set of decorative ornaments with a purchase $100 or more using code CHEER until 11/27 or while supplies last. If you’re shopping be sure to check the Exclusive Offers Promo page in case they have a new one for Cyber Monday.

Black Friday candle gifted by Diptyque. All other items purchased by me.

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Black Friday Exclusive: Legerete et Experience

November 22, 2018

This year Chanel’s Black Friday Exclusive is a special limited-edition Les 4 Ombres in Legerete et Experience ($61 for 2 g/0.07 oz) and I’m thrilled to share a sneak peek today. It officially launches on Black Friday but Chanel has offered my readers early access through this link. This is an all matte eyeshadow quad with four light-textured smooth shades with medium buildable pigment. There have been a few matte variations of the eyeshadow quads and they are among the smoothest mattes I’ve tried. The Black Friday Exclusive Creation in Legerete et Experience comes encased in a slightly different compact. Instead of the classic white CC the black compact has a deep classic red to match the vibe of the quad. Colors include soft warm tones with a medium peach, soft camel beige, matte deep reddish brown and a medium soft brown.

A look at the compact:

Layered together you get a soft peachy pink gradient look with a subtle smokey red-brown. It has the softest texture and feel, pigment is smooth and applied well although I do recommend applying over a base or creamy shadow stick. There’s no fallout, it stays put, doesn’t look dry even though it’s matte. If you gravitate towards warmer shades this one is lovely.

This new Legerete Et Experience might remind you of another matte eyeshadow quad called Candeur Et Experience. The overall theme and vibe is similar, especially with the two bottom shades but I feel they are different. I bought it as soon as I received the Black Friday quad because I knew a lot of you would want me to compare them for you. I do think they are different enough to justify owning both. The new Legerete Et Experience gives a softer peachy pink look while the Candeur Et Experience has a noticeably deeper brown tone for all the colors.

They are all mattes, but they are satiny mattes – the finish isn’t totally flat and there is a very subtle slight natural sheen to them. Swatches taken with a flash so there is a little bit of light reflecting below.

Look below wearing the new Chanel Black Friday Quad. Also wearing all Chanel including the Sublimage Le Teint Foundation 40 Beige, Les Beiges Multi-Color (2018 version) in Medium to contour softly, Joues Contraste Blush in Foschia Rosa on cheeks, lips have the Rouge Coco Gloss in 722 Noce Moscata and 738 Amuse-Bouche mixed for a muted bright pink. Mascara is the Le Volume Waterproof in Black. Nail polish worn in this post is the Le Vernis in Rouge Puissant.

Overall a solid A+, the texture is smooth, finish is even, pigment is natural but medium with buildable coverage. It’s perfect for a soft gradient eye – just add liner or a cream shadow as a base and mascara and you have an easy polished eye look. I think it’s a versatile one even though it’s warm toned. I highly recommend giving it a look.

The Legerete Et Experience Les 4 Ombres is available exclusively at Chanel.com while supplies last.

Many thanks to the Chanel beauty team for providing an early sneak peek and my readers early access!

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Diptyque Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Favorite Luxury Candles for Holiday

November 21, 2018

I’m getting in the holiday spirit more and more as the days go by! Burning warm and cozy home scents are one of the best ways to put me in the mood for the holiday season so I’m rounding up my favorites. Many are these are same tried and true year over year. I tend to stick to a few brands because I’ve ordered some sight unseen (they weren’t available near me) and while I’ve had mostly hits I had a few misses which made my wallet grouchy enough to shy away from trying too many new brands.

Diptyque always has the most beautiful offerings each Christmas season. I just bought the holiday Legende Du Nord Candle Set in the minis but will review in a separate post if you’re interested! Each year they make the best Pine scented candle called Sapin that is fresh and green, but not too green. This year they have the Sapin de Lumiere Candle with Room Spray in a set.

The carousels have been launched a few times past holidays, but this is the first time it seriously caught my eye. The full-size has restocked and sold out several times but the small one in the Carousel and Candle Set can still be easily found. I absolutely love it! It comes with the smaller size to fit the 2.4 oz candles and the set comes with Tubereuse and Baies. The heat from the flame makes the carousel twirl and I’ve been playing with it non-stop since I bought it.

Out of all the questions I receive, the ones I probably receive the most are, “what are your favorite Diptyque scents?” and “which one do I need to try first?” I haven’t come across one I didn’t like, but I have not tried them all. Someday I hope to. If you haven’t tried the brand before I 100% recommend you buy either the 5 Piece Mini Set or 10 Piece Mini Set. They come with miniatures in 35 g which give you just enough burn time to sample the scents.

My favorite picks change based on season. I always have back ups on hand as I burn through a lot. For fall to winter my most-burned through candles are Baies, Vanille, Ambre and Noisetier. I have several of the size options below to show scale and variation:

Baies is the classic rose and blackcurrant mix which is my favorite, I have it in the 3-wick below with 21 oz which is pretty spendy for a candle but I love recycling the jars afterwards, this also comes in the Standard Clear Glass Jar 6.5 oz, Small 3.2 oz, Room Spray, 10.2 oz Colored Candle Jar, and the extra large 51.2 oz outdoor version
Vanille is a good smoky smooth vanilla
Ambre is a nice well rounded woody scent with vetiver and patchouli, incense and Tonka bean, I splurged on the colored glass version which is larger priced at $95 for 10.2 oz size versus the standard 6.5 oz size which currently run at $65 each
Noisetier is the warmest creamy fruity hazelnut I’ve tried

Byredo is another brand I have so much love for. I asked Andrew for the Woods candle for Valentine’s Day and I’ve been rationing it to make it last longer, lol! Notes include raspberry, jasmine, Tuscan Leather, ambroxan and white cedarwood. I love the mix of the fruit, floral and cedar for an earthy mix. To me this is better than the traditional firewood or wood scents. For fall I absolutely love Tree House. I visited the Byredo store in Soho for the first time last year and this was burning in their store. Notes include bamboo, pimento, hay, labdanum and leather. It’s so hard for me to describe but it has a good leather + sandalwood mix.

New this season is Chai which is the perfect Masala Chai scent. I don’t think I’ve ever burned anything chai scented in my home and this one smells just like the perfect spicy chai tea latte. It does have a very seasonal feel to it, so if you want something more neutral I’d opt for Woods or Tree House.

For this season they’ve brought back the minis! You can buy a few of them individually or in a 3-box set with La Selection Violette Mini Candle Trio with Fleur Fantome, Bibliotheque and Burning Rose or La Selection Bois with Bohemia, Cotton Poplin and Tree House. With the minis I was gifted a set and am so excited to burn through them. I’ve bought and used up Bibliotheque and Fleur Fantome before. This was my first time trying Burning Rose.

Burning Rose is one I have not yet burned, it smells like a smoky leather with rose notes
Bibliotheque has peach, plum, violet, peony, patchouli, leather and vanilla, to me it smells similar to the Bal D’Afrique perfume
Fleur Fantome is a soft floral with rhubarb, lemon, violet, tulip, galbanum, heliotrope and suede

Lumira is another brand that I’ve had a long love affair with. The Tahitian Coconut is the best coconut and the Persian Rose is the best rose in my humble opinion. The line is based in Australia but their website does offer international shipping. This year they recently launched at Barneys New York in the US and Selfridges in the UK so if you have a store near you I’d recommend checking them out. It’s rare that I like all the scents in a brand but with Lumira, Almira the founder has created exquisite variations in every single candle.

For the holiday season she launched Nuit de Noel which smells like Christmas. Notes include black pepper, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, aniseed, pear, cumin, rose, lavender, coriander, clary sage, oriental, amber, labdanum, sandalwood, tonka bean, cedarwood, patchouli. I really adore her accessories. She has the prettiest Glass Dome (shown below) along with the best Wick Trimmer I’ve tried (it has an angle which makes it easier to get into smaller jars without tilting the trimmer part) and a Candle Snuffer which I’ve never invested in before but am really happy to own one.

Many of you love classics from Jo Malone and Le Labo. I’ve burned through a few scents in each line but still keep going back to Diptyque and Byredo. From Jo Malone right now I’m burning Wood Sage and Sea Salt which is a nice option for fall if you don’t want your house to smell like cinnamon, pine or spice. From Le Labo the Santal Candle is my favorite for a strong sandalwood kind of scent, notes include amber, coco, vanilla, cedar, spices, musk and sandalwood. I bought the Violet Grey x Le Labo Santal candle and stocked up when it was in stock. It’s the same as the clear glass version just with black glass.

Senreve Mini Maestra (c/o) shown above. I still really love it! Full review here. I’m also ecstatic I found peonies at Whole Foods!

Cire Trudon is my most expensive splurge for candles. One of my readers messaged me on a weekly basis for months urging me to buy Ernesto. I finally did and there is no going back. It’s one of the best ones out there. I know scent is so personal but so many of you have told me you also love this. It has a masculine vibe with notes of leather and tobacco. Because it’s so expensive I’ve only burned through a small handful of these (and a few minis). Sometimes they’ll do this one in special packaging so I bought the Rose Gold Ernesto which is a little more pricey but really beautiful. Notes include rum, grapefruit, bergamot, clove, oak wood, patchouli, labdanum, tobacco, moss, leather and amber.

The entire line is available at a local store near me and I smell them all every time I visit. Nazareth is the most Christmas-like smelling candle I’ve ever smelled. I really want to buy their Six Candle as well but the steep price tag is pretty hard to justify.

Other brands that I love that are more affordable and have great gift options include Nest Fragrances and Henri Bendel. The Nest Fragrances Holiday candle is a classic that comes in a wide range of size options. I’ve tried several of the mini ones and the throw is pretty impressive! For the sizes the prices are very reasonable. Henri Bendel makes some really amazing options for the price and the scents are nice – not overly sweet or saturated. Their Vanilla Bean is one of the best not-too-sweet vanillas I’ve ever burned.

For those who cannot burn candles, diffusers and room sprays are nice alternatives. I haven’t tried many diffusers although I have loved the ones from Antica Farmacista. In terms of room sprays Molton Brown makes amazing ones. Andrew is obsessed with the Coco and Sandalwood one. Diptyque also makes some amazing ones, unfortunately if you’re in the US you don’t have easy access to all the scents, but I’m happy they have at least a few. I’ve been drooling over the Byredo ones for months now but haven’t taken the plunge to splurge. Putting it on my Christmas Wish List though!

For me, a key accessory for candle care is a wick trimmer. You can definitely use your regular scissors but having one just for candles is nice because the tip is beveled so you can cut the wick straight. It also prevents your scissors from getting burnt remnants on them and the tip catches the cut off end.

The Diptyque Wick Trimmer has been one of the best things I’ve ever bought but I think Lumira makes a better one. It’s sleeker and the angle of the wick trimmer makes it easier to trim wicks straight. Also the angle of the handle makes it easier to hold for me. I never felt the need to invest in a candle snuffer but Lumira sent over their Candle Snuffer and I think it’s really nice.

I hope you enjoyed this holiday candle roundup! With all the options out there I think mini sets are the best way to sample candles, especially if you can’t smell them all in person. It can be overwhelming with all the options out there. I think it’s nice to treat yourself to a small handful at a time. They set the mood for the home in such a nice way.

I’ve linked the accessories shown in the post in case you want to know the details of the trays, books and lights for your own home decor. What are your favorite holiday candles?

Press samples include Byredo Mini Trio and all Lumira products shown. Senreve Bag also gifted. All other items purchased by me.

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Holiday Gift Guide Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Holiday 2018 Gold Palette, Mini Star + Chroma Crystal Top Coats

November 19, 2018

Natasha Denona’s Holiday 2018 Collection is stunning! As usual she has launched some pretty phenomenal palettes I feel are really unique and different in today’s beauty world. The holiday options have quite the sparkle and glitz. If you can’t do glitter but still want something different and bold for the holiday season I’d recommend opting for the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection instead. I have a look at her new Gold Palette ($129 for 15 shades), Mini Star Palette ($25 for 5 mini shades) and two new Chroma Crystal Top Coats ($28 each) in Metal Bronze and Metal Black.

The Gold Palette ($129 for 15 colors 15 x 0.08 oz/ 2.5 g, made in Italy) is pricey but if you break it down the $8.60 per shade isn’t that bad in my opinion. As always, my recommendation with palettes are to buy if you think you’ll wear or like most of the shades. This has a mix of all kinds of finishes: matte, shimmer, glitter, sparkle.

The nice thing about large palettes like this is you can create a wide range of looks. The downside for me is that they can kind be overwhelming. Quality-wise the colors in this palette perform really well. Everything swatched with very good pigment and color payoff. There will be some fallout with the glitter when you’re applying so you will need to clean up some sparkle on your cheeks. However after applying I found they stayed put on the eyes without transfer. Some of the sparkle shades are better applied with fingers in a patting motion versus a brush.

Colors include:

Lime Chrome is a duochrome olive gold
Python is a satin teal navy
Sparks is a glittering champagne
Aria is a matte warm cafe color
Cava is a sparkling warm champagne gold
Aurora is a metallic teal with gold shimmer
Dijon is a mustard matte
Oro is a shimmery warm yellow amber gold
Log is a matte brown
Varis is a shimmering medium brown
Brass is a sparkling brass gold
Sand Stone is a matte tan brown
Alchemist is a shimmery amber gold
Teak is a matte brown with warm tones
Aurum is a shimmery gold

She has another palette in the mini size called the Mini Star Palette which is supposed to be a small version with select colors from her Star Palette. The formula isn’t quite the same as her full size. Some of the minis feel creamier and slightly sheerer in color payoff but the corresponding colors with same shade name are really close. I think the mini is one of her more wearable options for the season. There aren’t any strong glitter shades with this one.

Colors include:

Orion is a blue green brown shimmer
Atik is a matte warm pinkish tan
Bellatrix is a shimmering peach champagne
Earth is a deep matte brown
Cosmo is an antique brass sparkle

Then there are two Chroma Crystal Top Coats in Metal Bronze and Metal Black, both of which are similar to her previous launches but this round the colors have a lot more pigment in the base. Previous options had a more clear base with colored sparkles. The ones for Holiday 2018 are ultra pigmented with finger application. With a brush it’s more sheer but buildable. They do set on the fast side so I recommend applying and blending quickly. My past top coats have since hardened and dried out a bit but it has not impacted color payoff. I’m not sure how these will last with the color – they’re really pretty once you layer and blend them but they aren’t the easiest to apply. I feel if she had made these pressed pigments more along the lines of the Hourglass Scattered Light or Marc Jacobs See-Quins Shadows which are not really creamy but more like pressed powders it would be less prone to hardening. I like the way these look and the color payoff. Metal Bronze is a pretty brown with gold flecks while Metal Black is a deep black grey with silver flecks. I wish the formula was different.

A look with the Natasha Denona Gold Palette on the eyes wearing Aria, Cava, Aurora and Log. Cheeks are the Becca Chrissy Teigen Glow Palette. Lips are Becca Glow Gloss in Opal. Tee is from J.Crew. Base worn is the Tatcha Water Cream, Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff, Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder to set. Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow Pencil in Soft Brunette.

You can see better looks on her Instagram Page @natashadenona which show the glitz and sparkle better.

Overall the collection has some beautiful pieces. I think the Gold Palette is the standout piece although it’s really expensive and has some shades that are very glitzy – glitzy out of my comfort zone. I do think the teals are easy to wear and layer with the golds which makes for a very unique look. For me the Mini Star and Chroma Crystal Top Coats for holiday are a pass simply because I already own the full size Star Palette and the for the Top Coats I’d rather just wear a cream shadow stick or layer a powder shadow.

To pick the best palette this holiday palettes this season is going to depend on your color preferences. I have not tried them all and I still have the new Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quads I’m eager to start testing. From the ones I have swatched and reviewed I think the easiest one to wear and most conservative is the Charlotte Tilbury Stars in Your Eyes. For those who like reds and pinks but don’t want something too pink, the Urban Decay Naked Cherry is a nice and very wearable option. The ones I feel are most unique are from the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection. The NARS Holiday Provocateur has the most unique palette mix for cooler smokey tones. The Natasha Denona Golds Eyeshadow Palette is unique for a gold and glitz palette with the widest range of options and finishes from you to choose from. It is very well made and the colors perform well.

You can find the Natasha Denona Holiday 2018 collection out now. Available at Sephora and Beautylish.

Natasha Denona holiday pieces provided for review.

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Becca Holiday Gift Guide

BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Kits + Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss Review

November 18, 2018

I have a review of a some things from a few recent Becca collections today. The Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Kits are perfect for the holiday season and after playing with both I’ve decided these are what I’m wearing on Thankgiving! They’re glowing, effortless and versatile! I also have a look at three of the Volcano Goddess Glow Glosses which are limited-edition but still available at Ulta Beauty.

BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Glow Recipe Kit ($44 for the kit, made in USA)
BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit ($29 for 4 minis 2.5 g each, made in USA)
Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss x 3 ($22 each for 5 g/0.18 oz, made in USA)

I’ve been the biggest fan of the first Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette. It’s one of my most-worn palettes to date (review here). If you don’t own it I highly recommend checking it out. Even with all the other options I find it has the perfect tones for bronzer, blush and highlighters. It has gone with me on almost every trip. The Becca x Chrissy Holiday kits are truly some of the cutest set options for holiday. I think they’ve made sets suitable for any age and skin color. They would make super cute gift sets for teens, college age, even full on adults like myself. I can even see my mother-in-law wearing these kinds of colors and we have completely different coloring.

The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit has four mini lip glosses. The colors are so good I wish they came in full sizes but given the number of gloss I already have I don’t mind. I’ll for sure use these up and they’re tiny enough to fit in the smallest of holiday clutches or a small pocket. They’re all very smooth and have nice even coverage.

Colors have a soft vanilla scent to them:

Creme Brulee is a sheer shimmering soft pink with sparkles
Cinnamon Bun is a medium shimmering bronze
Sugar Plum is a soft plum gold, on me plums pull red, but if you have neutral lips this might pull more true to tube
Candy Cane is a bright warm bold red creme

The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Glow Recipe Kit has three glow items, four if you count the duo as two items. I think they’re perfect to create an almost entire look. You just need your base, liner and mascara. Maybe a blush or bronzer if you want more color on the cheeks. These are sweet sugary smelling (except the eyeshadow).

Colors include:

Confectionary Glow Powder in Cinammon Sugar is a shimmering warm gold
Liquid Lip Matte Lip Souffle in Red Velvet is a neutral pink brown (pulls warm on me)
Glow Souffle Eyeshadow and Face Highlighter Duo in Cinnamon Churro has a perfect shimmering warm soft brown and a glossy glowy sheer gold cream highlighter that almost feels like a jelly (it’s pretty dewy but blends out smoothly)

Beauty look shown below wearing:

Eyes and Cheeks have the Becca x Chrissy Glow Recipe Kit Eyeshadow, Cream Highlighter and Loose Powder
Lips have the Mini Sugar Plum Lip Gloss
Base is Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5 + Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Pressed Powder #2
Concealer is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealer 3W
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof
Eyeliner is the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Perversion
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow in Soft Brunette
Crewneck sweater is from Nordstrom (these run big, I’d recommend sizing down)
Hair curled with the T3 Twirl Trio, 1.5 inch barrel + Living Proof Flex Hairspray

I received the entire Volcano Goddess Limited-edition makeup collection for the fall season. These arrived a few weeks ago so they’re not new – you’ve probably already seen these pop up on your feed. There’s a pretty Volcano Goddess Eyeshadow Palette, Lava Gold Highlighter and 3 Glow Glosses. Given the vast number of launches this season, I decided to only keep the glosses and saved the other items for giveaways. The Glow Glosses are really pretty. The formula is one of my favorites (review of other Becca Glow Glosses here). The three in the Volcano Goddess Collection do not disappoint!

Colors:

Metamorphic Gold is PERFECTION on my lips! It’s a sheer pale gold that flashes pink and pearl sparkles, I love the transparent quality which gives my lips a pretty glow
Molton Mauve is a full coverage cool-neutral mauve pink brown color with some gold flecks
Ruby Fire is one of the prettiest sheer red plums with gold flecks, it is sheer so my natural lip shows through

All three swatched alongside Red Velvet from the Chrissy Glow Recipe Kit:

Gloss comparison swatches for reference to other Becca colors, lip swatches of the other Becca Glow Gloss shades here. I think the holiday ones are different enough from the current lineup to justify buying.

Beauty look with Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss in Metamorphic Gold on the lips and the Becca x Chrissy Glow Face Palette on the cheeks. Same base, eye shadow and mascara colors worn as listed in the photo above. Nail color is Chanel Organdi which is the perfect everyday neutral pink – and it doesn’t chip or get tip wear for around 5 days (sometimes 7) for me.

Bottom line solid wins! If I didn’t receive these as press samples I would 100% love to find this under my Christmas Tree or stocking. I think anyone would! They’re really easy to wear, don’t take any extra effort. Colors will work with a wide range of top colors: black, red, beige, pink, plum – really anything you can imagine wearing this holiday season.

These sets put me in the holiday spirit while I was swatching and photographing the items. I also have really enjoyed reading about some of your holiday traditions in my last post! We really haven’t had any specific traditions since our lives have changed over the past couple of years with our move. Andrew and I do always spend the holidays together no matter what we’re doing – this will be our 17th holiday season together!

You can find the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Collection at all Becca retailers now. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Beautylish, Becca Cosmetics. The Volcano Goddess collection looks like it’s still available even though it’s limited-edition but I could only find the Glow Gloss at Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics.

Becca sets + gloss provided for review. As always opinions are my own.

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Holiday Gift Guide Tatcha

Tatcha Holiday 2018 Lip Sets Review + Swatches

November 15, 2018

Tatcha always has the prettiest Holiday Gift Sets and today I have a review of three lip sets. They have a number of skincare bundles which are always priced at a good value but the lip sets are the ones that caught my eye. Today 11/15 is the last day of their Friends and Family Event, you can get 20% off sitewide with code FRIENDS18 at checkout. I’m thrilled the lip sets have not yet sold out as every year they usually do. The three sets I hauled:

Kyoto Kisses Mini Silk Lipstick Trio ($60)
Japanese Blossoms Mini Silk Lipstick Trio ($60)
Blushing Lips Duo ($68)

I’ve reviewed their lipsticks over the years including Kyoto Red, Sunrise: A Plum Blossom, and Twilight: A Cherry Blossom. The packaging, presentation and formula of every color is exquisite. The full size options are on the expensive side but they are truly special. Sometime last year they launched a purple berry color Beautyberry in a Trio Set with lipstick, liner and balm form which many of you asked me to review. I don’t typically wear blue-based colors and thought it would be too blue so I passed until now because it’s available in one of the mini sets!

There are two mini lipstick sets, they come in small bullets 1.3 g/0.04 oz each, made in Japan. The lipstick pigment and color appears to be the same as the full size options I tried and review, but to me the formula in the trios seem to be a tiny bit glossier in finish (except for the red). The difference is not too noticeable, could just be me. The Mini Silk Lipstick Trios come packaged in a beautiful box and there is a holder inside which I really appreciate. It holds them in place perfectly so when shipped there shouldn’t be any rolling around in the box. Both sets are beautiful. I can’t pick a favorite.

Japanese Blossoms Mini Silk Lipstick Trio has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), Twilight: A cherry blossom (pale soft pink) and Beautyberry (a cool plum berry). In the tube Beautyberry looks like it has the slightest hint of iridescent shimmer, on my lips I don’t see the shimmer as much. Given the fact that most blue-based lipsticks make me look sallow because of my skintone I was really pleasantly surprised to find Beautyberry wearable for my olive complexion. I don’t know that I love it enough to buy the full size options though.

Lip swatches on bare lips, foundation I’m wearing for skintone reference is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5:

Kyoto Kisses has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), a new shade Peony Blossom (sheer glossy pink coral), and Kyoto Red (bold bright matte red). I think the new Peony Blossom is their best shade yet, but I’m really partial to peachy pink coral shades. The peach and pink shades have sheer to medium coverage with one swipe, but you can layer for full coverage. Lip swatches below show they covered my entire lip well. Kyoto Red is one of the most intense bold reds I’ve ever tried. It’s a matte although in my swatches you might see a tiny bit of shine because of the flash I use.

Lip swatches on bare lips:

All swatched side by side:

I’ve saved my favorite for last which is the Blushing Lips Duo. It has a full size Kissu Lip Mask (9 g/ 0.32 oz, made in Japan) and a full size Peony Blossom Silk Lipstick (3.4 g/0.1 oz).

The Kissu Lip Mask was available individually but kept selling out and I never managed to check out in time to buy it. I’m really happy I got it in this set because it’s such a pretty smooth lip balm. I like it MUCH more than their regular Camellia Lip Balm and that is one I still consider to be very good. The Kissu Lip Mask has a soft cushiony feel, it’s hydrating and smooth. No sticky or tacky feel. It’s clear but the color has a slight pink tint in the pot. There’s a small gold applicator you can use to apply which is cute, but I wish the cap had a holder like the Water Cream or Silk Cream because I always lose applicators!

Peony Silk Blossom Lipstick is such a pretty natural coral pink. It’s medium in coverage but you can layer for more. It has a soft sheen like the other silk lipsticks. Lasting power is average for a glossy lipstick but these fade nicely since there is some shine to it. If this came in a lip liner or balm I would totally jump to buy it as well. Scroll up to see the swatch of this on the lips (it’s also in the mini in the Kyoto Kisses Set).

All the lips swatched side by side:

Because the sale event is happening and also because I haven’t written about Tatcha in a while, I wanted to highlight my top 5 picks of the moment. I’ve used them for many years since the brand’s early days (I just looked at my order history and it was back in 2013 when I first started using their skincare!). There hasn’t been a product I didn’t like. Their skincare is nice and I like that they have lots of options for either sensitive or dry skin. My top 5:

Kissu Lip Mask is now a favorite! I hope it’s permanent
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is one of the nicest hydrating face mists, during the hot humid times of the year in Florida it’s a little too heavy for me, but right now we’re going into dry season and it’s perfect, when I lived in San Diego I used it a lot all year round
Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil is a classic staple
The Silk Canvas Primer is one of my favorite primers when I wear a primer, review here
The Water Cream is my go-to light moisturizer, also reviewed here

LOVE love love that they carry travel sizes you can buy. They are perfect for travel or on-the-go. If you’re new to the brand I highly recommend you try one of their starter sets because it’s the best way to try the minis. I also really loved their Rice Enzyme Powders for cleansers and soft gentle exfoliation. This year they reformulated them though and I’m still working my way through the older ones and have not tried the new ones yet.

I think all three sets I hauled are excellent. If I had to pick one it would be the Blushing Lips Duo because I like the lip mask. I use it as a regular lip balm, but I did leave it on overnight last night and it left lips feeling soft and smooth. I do think I prefer the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask more but they’ve got a different texture and finish. Plus I can never have enough lip balms.

You can find these Tatcha holiday sets online at Tatcha. Their Friend and Family Sale Event ends today 11/15 with code FRIENDS18 at checkout for 20% off sitewide.

You can also find Tatcha products at other retailers like Sephora, Barney’s New York and QVC. Each retailer has their own gift set selection for the holidays as well in case you want to check out more options!

P.S. Side note – I’m going to be adding a few things to my blog sale page @stylednotes in case you’re interested in shopping my closet!

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