Roundup Archives - Page 3 of 6 - The Beauty Look Book

10 Things I’m Loving Right Now

March 12, 2018

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Starting the week with a highlight of 10 things that I’ve been loving in the beauty world. There are a lot of spring launches I’ll be covering soon. So many pretty palettes for cheeks and eyes that I’m really excited about and swatching this week. In the meantime a few things in skin, hair and makeup I think are worth checking out right now.

Shown above from left to right:

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow Primer ($55) is an ultra smooth glow primer with a soft pearlescent sheen. It’s designed to be color-correcting and help with redness. I find it on the sheer side so for me it doesn’t quite color correct but it does noticeably brighten the skin and prepare it better for foundation application. I’ve also been experimenting with her Hollywood Flawless Filter in a few shades. I’ve worn her Magic Foundation in Shades 5, 6 and 7 depending on how tan I am. I ordered her Hollywood Flawless Filter in 3 and 4. Review soon, but I’ve been loving how versatile it is underneath or on top of foundation.
Marc Jacobs Cream and Sugar Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer ($28) in Cream and Sugar is now available in the full size. Review and swatches of the lipgloss, lipstick and liner in this post.
Armani Lip Magnet in 508 ($38) launched late last year, a few new shades were added to the line. I fell in love with 508 which is the lightest option in the formula and a light neutral nude pink. I also really liked 510 which is a pink plum but found it similar to 507 which I already own and reviewed so passed on that color. I’ve added swatches to the Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stains in the nude shades I own below (review here).
I’ve always been a bronze eyeliner fanatic. I find it more interesting than basic browns but still falls in the neutral territory. Three I’ve been obsessed with that don’t smudge, tug or feel dry include:
- NARS Kohliner in Altiplano ($26) because it’s creamy, pigmented and the prettiest shimmering brown.
- Hourglass 1.5 MM Mechanical Eyeliner in Bronze ($18) these are pretty spendy for the amount of product you get, but these are have the finest point for a liner that I’ve ever tried, I also like Canyon which is the regular brown version.
- Sisley Phyto-Khol Star in Sparkling Brown ($55) perhaps my favorite formula of sparkly eyeliner that I’ve tried. Review and swatches of all Sisley Phyto-Khol Star Waterproof liners here.

________________________________

Shown above:

Lanolips has been a favorite for a long time for an affordable lip balm that is super hydrating. My favorite has been the Lips 101 Ointment Strawberry Multi-Balm and as the ultimate coconut lover, I went nuts when I learned they launched a Coconutter Multi-Balm version and ordered 3. You can find it at Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty. It’s been in my top 3 lip treatments this past month (the other two loves are Sisley and By Terry). The Lanolips gives instant relief, has a thick enough texture to really hydrate and stay on the lips but doesn’t feel goopy or thick. I haven’t tried the Coconut Hand Cream version yet but I am really tempted to.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Double Serum ($38) is a leave-in conditioner spray. It’s bi-phase so you have to shake it to mix the two serums. I’ve rediscovered this (I used it a few years ago and loved it and used it up). I’ve found this to be really good to add moisture, shine and help detangle the hair. I can use it as a pre-heat treatment or just spray and let it air dry.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask ($45) is something I feel 100% lives up to all the hype. It has the best fresh watermelon scent that is very natural smelling and isn’t overly sweet. I’m super picky about what I put on my face at night because I don’t like feeling or smelling product. I feel like it interferes with my sleep, but I still do use night time skincare. The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask feels amazing on the skin. Hydrating but still lightweight. It’s a truly breathable sleeping mask that has soothing watermelon extract, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and gentle AHAs. I do wake up with noticeably smoother and balanced skin. It’s something I think everyone should check out. They have the cutest Mini Size ($22 for 1 oz) I plan on taking with me whenever I travel.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer ($39) is the latest from Glow Recipe. It’s an ultra lightweight moisturizer for oily to combination skin. For me it has just the right amount of moisture but if you’re dry they recommend using it as a serum to layer on before your regular moisturizer. It has a bouncy gel texture which feels really nice and smooth on the face (I usually do not like gels because they’re sticky). It softens and calms my skin.
Also this one makes for favorite #11 but I get so many questions about the large cosmetic pouches I have. The one above is by The Daily Edited, it’s the Large Cosmetic Case. I bought two of mine with the Blind Monogram Initials (which means they just emboss it with letters but there’s no gold foil). I’ve also featured my pouches in these posts Best Travel Beauty Cases, San Francisco Travel Packing and Sisley September Subscription Highlights.

That wraps up 10 things I’m loving right now! More to come this week featuring new spring makeup launches. What are you loving right now? P.S. I am going to resume weekly giveaways this week. For the month of March, they will be announced weekly to blog newsletter subscribers only. Make sure you’re subscribed to stay in the loop!

Press samples include Glow Recipe Skincare + Sisley Eyeliner.

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Empties Roundup Skincare

Empties

March 2, 2018

I’m starting a new series on empties which I’ll be doing every 2-3 months. As a beauty blogger, I test a lot of product and it’s pretty much impossible to use up everything. A lot of you have asked what I do with all the stuff I review or receive. I have favorites I use on a regular basis, I have tried-and-true products I don’t always feature on repeat because they’ve sold out or are limited-edition. Some items I keep on hand for comparisons. I also share a lot with friends, family and readers too! And of course as much as I’d hate to admit this, often times product expires before it gets used up so it gets tossed.

Things I use up or toss on a regular basis such as mascara, liquid eyeliner, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. that I probably won’t share unless you’re interested. In today’s post I’m showing you most of what I used up in January and February of this year. I say “most” because I actually did a huge purge of near empties when we moved. Andrew rescued some of these from our bathroom trash bin and said I should save them for an empties post because he was sure a lot of readers would want to know what I’ve used up. Press samples have a * next to them.

Part 1: Cleansers and Removers

I am obsessed with cleansing waters. I often use them as part of a multi-step process to clean my skin or to remove makeup in between swatches.

Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads are pretty much the only makeup remover that will remove my waterproof mascara – thanks to all my readers who recommended this to me via Instagram, also if you buy these in store note there are two variations, the one with the oil is the one you want to get!
La Roche Posay Micellar Water for Sensitive Skin – there are several variations of this, I think mine is an older version because the current ones are called Micellar Water Ultra – you can find at a wide range of locations like Target and Ulta, I ordered mine direct from their website
Elemis White Flowers Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover is something I used up but won’t repurchase, it takes at least 3 soaked pads for me to remove my waterproof mascara (I have to soak, press onto lids for a few seconds and remove, then repeat)
Deborah Lippmann The Stripper Polish Remover is my favorite nail polish remover that won’t dry out the nails or make them peel, it’s gentle enough for me to use frequently especially when I’m swatching nail product
MAC Brush Cleanser is something I go through a lot of, and yes you can use baby shampoo, but I actually don’t like it because it always leaves a film on my brushes
Bioderma Sensibio Lotion is a gentle toner that I love, I also have the larger size but keep minis on hand for travel
Bioderma Sebium H20 is one of my favorite cleansing waters, it won’t remove waterproof makeup but is great for the face (this one still has a tiny bit of product left, probably about 1/2 inch which is why you still see liquid inside)
Sephora Collection The Cleanse Daily Brush Cleanser is something I use for a quick clean when I’m swatching, it’s also great for travel if you just need something to do a surface clean
MAC Gently Off Wipes + Micellar Water * is gentle to multiple times over when I’m lip swatching or face swatching
beautyblender cleanser solid is pretty much the best thing to clean beautyblender sponges

Part 2: Hair Products

Some hair styling products I’ve used up:

Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is one of my favorites, I am obsessed with the way it smells!
Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray is another favorite I leave in damp hair and let it air dry for a natural wave
Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo for Dark Tones is another great option that doesn’t leave my dark hair pasty white
Christophe Robin Hydrating Leave In with Aloe Vera * works wonders as a detangler that won’t leave the hair sticky

Part 3: Bath and Shower

I go through a lot of bath and shower products. I would say that it’s this category that is missing a lot of my empties because I threw out a ton of used up product a couple weeks ago.

Fresh Sugar Lychee Sugar Bath Cubes are my favorite to make the bath smell amazing, these are spendy and the rate I use these up is pretty expensive, but I love them!
Verb Ghost Shampoo (large size) I love this shampoo, it’s hard to find product that works well in Florida water! I also bought the conditioner but I don’t condition as much as I shampoo so they always last at least twice as long
Le Labo Shampoo and Conditioner are both ones I have mixed feelings on, I like the way they perform and the smell is amazing, but they’re not sulfate free, I don’t know if this is necessarily a bad thing, in Florida I think it’s almost essential to make things lather, the water here is very different from other parts of the US! My husband loves this formula though
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser is a thin formula for body wash but very gentle on the skin
Sisley Phyto Blanc Lightening Foam Cleanser * has ingredients to lighten the skin, but I didn’t see much change in my skin, I find it gentle and brightening but not really lightening if that makes sense
Jack Black Face Buff is the best face scrub of all time according to Andrew, we both use this so we go through it pretty fast
Saturday Skin Rise + Shine Purifying Cleanser is a soft foaming cleanser that is good at removing excess oil without stripping the skin
Glamglow Supercleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is one of Andrew’s favorites as well, I like and use it a lot, I prefer the original version but this is more gentle and I can use it daily or just on oily skin days

Part 4: More Skincare

More face and body products that were used up:

Glamglow Gravity Mud Firming Treatment (sample size) is a firming peel off mask, I did have the full size at some point and used it up, it’s suggested you leave on for 20-30 minutes for it to dry and work it’s magic, I don’t usually have that kind of patience but it does work well to firm the skin
Glamglow Supermud is the best mask to clear out clogged pores and reduce excess oil, I have lost count of how many I used up
Tatcha Pore Perfecting Water Gel is the only face gel I’ve liked, most are too sticky or tacky, I’ve since switched to the Water Cream * which is more lightweight and thinner in texture
La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Sunscreen is one Andrew likes for the fluid texture
Kiehl’s Facial Fuel UV Guard SPF is Andrew’s favorite face sunscreen, it’s thin and liquid so it absorbs into the skin and doesn’t feel greasy
Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen minis I always keep on hand, in the purse and in the car – it’s my favorite body sunscreen that I can reapply regularly without it ever feeling greasy

Part 5: Makeup

A few makeup empties I kept and one almost there! I throw out mascara every month. There were some lip balms I used up recently as well but I didn’t keep the tubes.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #9 (swatched here)
Tatcha Japanese Blotting Papers are in my top 2 for blotting papers, I go through packs frequently (there are 30 per pack)
L‘Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara is one of my favs
Saturday Skin All Aglow Cushion is the best full coverage cushion I’ve tried, the only downside is there are 3 shades which is a huge bummer, this was something I ordered sight unseen in 2 shades and I was lucky both of them match me (one for winter, one for summer) – it comes with a refill which is nice
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow is almost used up, I’ve hit pan!
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder Medium 2 (not shown) is my favorite setting powder, it blurs away imperfections and I threw it out before I thought to save it for an empties post

Part 6: Fragrance

I burn candles on a regular basis and often keep them to recycle for storage. At some point I accumulate too many so I’ve given away quite a few. In February I finished Diptyque Tomas Maier Palm Beach and Baies. I also used up a ton of the miniatures but didn’t keep those.

Creed is a favorite in our house these days. Much to my wallet’s dismay though, Andrew loves Aventus so much he has used up 3 bottles since we discovered it last year. I ended up buying him the flacons for Valentine’s Day and he has a black leather atomizer that he refills. I used up Virgin Island Water in the small size a few months ago but kept the bottle, I think it’s just so pretty I want to keep it!

I also used up Tom Ford Soleil Blanc in the small 5o ml size. Rather than repurchase it I bought the Travel Set (it comes with 3 vials) so I can carry it around with me in my purse. I have the new Eau de Soleil Blanc on my wishlist as well.

That wraps up my empties! Will do another one in a couple of months and I’ve made a mental note to keep all things I use up and not toss so I can share for the next post.

Do you use up beauty products frequently? What did you use up in the last month that you can remember? Hope you have a wonderful weekend! I’m going to try and go through all the comments and answer your questions. New post on Sunday!

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Roundup

Instagram Roundup, Some FAQs and the Apps I Use

February 1, 2018

Happy Thursday! I have three things for you today: an Instagram roundup with some FAQ, a list of the 3 Instagram apps I use and a spring cleaning closet blog sale! I get a lot of questions about my Instagram posts @beautylookbook. Often times the images are snippets from the blog to alert readers a new post is up, other times it’s more of what’s inspiring me. I don’t have a consistent plan or schedule for content – I’d like to be more active and organized and hope to do more this year. First some FAQs:

What cameras do you use to take your photos?
- I have used a few cameras over the years, these days I alternate between my iPhone 6S and Sony a7R II with a FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens. I have an iPhone X which I’m trying to set up as well but I have a long list of things to do and haven’t gotten around to it, but I’m excited to try it! So many of you ask about all the cameras I’ve tried – I did a roundup a few years ago, I’ll try to put together an updated one in the next month or so. For now I’ve started to put together an Amazon Shop Page and I’ll be adding more of the equipment and tools I use that you can refer to. My equipment is usually bought from Amazon or B&H Photo.
What apps do you use for Instagram?
- Scroll to the bottom for more details the three I use. I mainly use Afterlight, Snapseed and Planoly.
Can you tell me about (insert product name) in this photo?
- I get lots of questions about certain products in my photos, I’ll round up my recent ones and go through them below 🙂

Instagram Roundup

We’ve been in our new place for a couple weeks now and yes I’m thrilled we don’t have to move for a while! I’ve been slowly unpacking things and it’s like Christmas as I rediscover things. We’re in the process of ordering furniture, I always forget that delivery can sometimes take a while. For this photo, a lot of you ask about the mirror I have. It’s the Gleaming Primose Mirror in the smallest size. I also recently bought the Byredo Tree House Candle which is a beautiful smoky scent. I smelled this in the Byredo store in Soho last spring and have been dreaming about it ever since. Some of you have noticed the larger sizes of Louis Vuitton perfumes! The Louis Vuitton team sent over an amazing surprise package with a full size of the Apogee and a travel atomizer set of Dans La Peau *. Both are beautiful for spring. I can definitely update you on these. For now you can read my review on all 7 scents in the Les Parfums Miniature Set review. There’s also a new one launching in the spring and I’m dying to smell it!

Everyone has been asking about that pink nail polish, it’s Chanel Nuvola Rosa from the Spring-Summer 2018 Collection. And yes, it’s lovely! The pale pink makeup bag is the Louis Vuitton Cosmetic Case in the Epi material in Dune. It’s held up remarkably well over the years. Some other more affordable options can be found from The Daily Edited.

Bag spill shot on my iPhone with a little editing using the Snapseed and Afterlight apps. On the nails is Dior Love for spring. I’m going to try and find you a dupe as it’s sold out and only available online at Dior.com. Handbag favorites are the Chanel La Creme Main * because it has a lovely light scent and an amazing velvety drydown, Sisley Lip Treatment because it has no scent and is lighter in finish than the By Terry Baume de Rose, Tom Ford Lipstick in Lara, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc (in the travel atomizer), and Glossier Lip Gloss (this referral link will get you 10% off your first Glossier order). The Louis Vuitton Tote I have is the Neverfull MM size. It has quite a bit of patina on the leather as it’s been through quite a few rain storms. I find the darker leather or bags like the ones from Goyard hold up better in terms of color in wet rainy areas.

For the flatlays so may of you ask where I get the sheepskin rug. I’ve had a few from Pottery Barn. They’re on the expensive side but so soft and fluffy! One got ruined from our pets chewing their dog treats on it. I try to keep them in places where the dogs don’t go. It’s pretty much the only way to keep them clean. Flats are my favorite flats of all time which are the Chloe Scalloped Flats. I’ve had a black pair for a few years now and they’re the most comfortable ones I’ve bought. Also shown is the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette * (still obsessed), Tom Ford Cheek Duo in Lavender Lure * (so pretty), NARS Lip Cover in Summer Fire *, NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, MAC Dazzleglass in Sugarrimmed, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist #2 and Louis Vuitton Perfume in Apogee *.

I have received so many questions about my shelfie! The only place in our house that is put together because right now I’m going through tons of boxes trying to find clothes, shoes, skincare etc. If you have more questions let me know. I’ll do a makeup storage post once our house is more put together and I figure out how to organize everything. Details row by row below:

Top Row 1

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow (originally reviewed here, I’ve used up 2 of these since then!) and the new Brightening Youth Glow (review to come soon)
Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Glosses in #1, 2, 3 and 4 (review on all the colors here)
Bobbi Brown Extra Glow * (review + swatches here)
Diptyque Chene Candle recycled, how I clean out my candles in this post here also tips on how to burn properly here (I think it’s time for me to do an update?)
Louboutin Loubilaque (among the best in lipgloss for me, swatches here)

Middle Row 2

MAC Fix+ Mini Scented, now available in full sizes in Coconut, Lavender and Rose!
Sisley miniature toners from their Beauty Subscription Program reviewed in depth here (definitely worth the price because you’re basically just paying for shipping!)
Sisley Radiant Glow Express Mask, one of my favorites for a soothing glow
NARS Natural Radiant Foundation in Vanuatu * (all the colors swatched here)
Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude and Double Wear Foundation, both in 3W1 Tawny (review soon)
Dior Addict Lip Glow swatches here and new shades here (OBSESSED!)
Chanel No 5 L’Eau (this is my second bottle)
Louis Vuitton Apogee * (review in this post here)

Bottom Row 3

Sisley Confort Extreme Levres Lip Balm
Byredo Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum
L’Artisan Mure et Musc, probably one of the prettiest feminine perfumes I’ve ever tried
Chanel Nuvola Rosa swatched here, Organdi swatched here and here
111SKIN Space Aqua Booster *
Bobbi Brown Lip Tints * (new shades for spring reviewed here)

Where do you get your trays? I shop around for different ones – they keep me organized! This one above is the Fishs Eddy Gilded Cafe Mirror Tray. I also like the Acrylic ones and White Lacquered squares from West Elm. CB2 also has some cute options. My rectangular marble tray was from Restoration Hardware.

Photo Editing Apps for Instagram

Most everything on the blog is edited in Photoshop. For the phone, the three Instagram Apps I use include Afterlight, Snapseed and Planoly. In my recent survey most of you said you were not interested in blogging tips but some mentioned questions about photography, Instagram and editing. If you want a more detailed post on this let me know in the comments. You can download all of these on the App Store on your phone.

Afterlight and Snapseed are my main go-to’s for image editing. I like the functions on Afterlight to change tone, brightness, sharpness and contrast. Snapseed has a lot of tools to edit the perspective if an image has any distortion. It also has a healing function to fill in gaps along the side. The selective tool is amazing for brightening a specific part of the photo you tap, such as a corner or brighten a shadow – this allows you to brighten one part without changing the entire image.

Afterlight

Snapseed

Before and After

Here are a few before and afters, this is just editing for my iPhone photos, blog photos go through a different editing process:

Planoly

Planoly is an Instagram planning tool. It allows me to see how things are going to look from a feed perspective and also helps me plan content. It lets you move unplanned content around so your feed looks a bit more cohesive. If you purchase the paid version you can also see a history of your posts with the times you published them and engagement. The calendar helps give you a bigger picture of how often you’ve posted, what times and historical engagement.

Spring Cleaning Blog Sale

Last but not least, I’m doing some spring cleaning for my closet. I’m selling a bunch of bags, wallets and other leather goods to make way for new items. You can check out my Blog Sale Page here (US only).

I hope you enjoyed this Instagram Roundup! Let me know in the comments if you want to see anything else!

Featured products that were press samples have a * next to them.

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Beauty Beauty Favorites Roundup

Five Summer Beauty Loves

July 2, 2017

I love the summer sunshine and warm weather. It’s one of the main reasons we picked Florida to move to from San Diego because we really just love the sun. I’m especially fond of summer for beauty because bronzer is in and even though I wear it year round, I’m always looking forward to new formulas and colors. There are quite a few new summer launches that I’ve been loving – if I made a comprehensive list it would be quite long. Many of you want a super edited version so I’ve picked my top five summer beauty essentials to share today.

Shown above: Towel // Sunglasses // Sandals // Stripe Pouch // Replica Beach Walk // Supergoop! Sunscreen Mousse // Tory Burch Bel Azur Fragrance // Clarins Lip Oils // Guerlain Ultra Shine Bronzer // Shorts // Swimsuit

My five simple summer beauty must-haves include:

A good body oil – I just did a roundup of summer body oils for soft glowing skin, of course right after I did my testing Maison Margiela launched a Replica Beach Walk Dry Body Oil (thanks to one of my readers Lori for putting this on my radar!). I still really love my top picks as mentioned in my previous post, but Beach Walk is a summer beach vacation in a bottle. This one has a salty more beachy feel compared to the fragrance version. I think the two layered together makes for the ultimate summer combo. The Dry Oil feels silky smooth on the skin and is nicely hydrating. Also huge plus it comes with a spritzer! Notes include Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk, Heliotrope, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin. There’s also a Body Lotion and Shower Gel version too.
An everyday sunscreen – my go-to winning brand this summer is Supergoop! with a tie between the Sunscreen Mousse and Everyday Sunscreen. I carry both in my purse almost all the time (I alternate between the two and they both come in travel sizes). Both have SPF 50 and are easy to reapply. I find it impossible to stay out of the sun here in Florida and sun protection is a must. Both have been really good at preventing the burn and protecting skin. Review here and here if you want more info.
Summer fragrance – I’ll do a roundup of the best summer smells soon, Tory Burch just launched a new fragrance called Bel Azur and it’s just beautiful. It comes in a few sizes. It has a light fresh and sweet combination with a bright feel. Notes include Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Neroli, Pink Peppercorn, Peony, Patchouli Heart, Vetiver Heart, Cedarwood Oil. I notice peony and neroli a lot in this one.
Lip moisturizer – I’m a lip balm junkie and I’ve been really loving the Clarins Lip Oils. They have a nice lush feel and are super easy to just swipe and go. They launched new shades this spring including two that will change color with your lip chemistry. In case you missed it, review and swatches in this post. There are 7 shades total now. They give the lips just a slight tint of color.
Bronzer – I’ll forever be loyal to Edward Bess’s Daydream as my holy grail, but this season I’ve also been loving the Becca Sunlit Bronzers and Guerlain Terracotta Ultra Shine Bronzer. For the Guerlain one I have to say Cafe Makeup made me do it. We both stopped by the Guerlain counter during our beauty trip in New York earlier this spring. It rained in the city the day we met up but it didn’t stop us from going all around town to scout out the best in beauty. The artists put this on her at Bergdorfs and it just made her skin glow in a naturally beautiful way! This one is really gorgeous.

Also not beauty-related, but to date the best summer sandal splurge I’ve made are the Tory Burch Miller flip flops. They are really quite expensive but 100% worth the splurge. I wear them everywhere and am a bit embarrassed to admit how many different colors I’ve bought by now but they’re really comfortable and they make wearing flip flops fashionable.

To celebrate summer beauty, I’m giving away 4 $100 eGift Cards to your choice of Nordstrom or Sephora. It’s open internationally but you must enter through the widget below and be 18 years or older. Full details listed in the Terms and Conditions:

Four separate people will be selected at random to win a $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom or Sephora
Giveaway runs from 7/2/2017 to 7/10/2017 11:45 PM EST
Open internationally
Must be 18 years or older
Enter by using at least 1 of the steps provided in the widget
Winners will be selected at random and e-mailed by 7/12/2017
You must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected
Winners will be announced on this widget in this post once selected
Giveaway not sponsored or affiliated

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tory Burch Fragrance, Beach Towel Sunglasses, Clarins Lip Oils, Supergoop! Sunscreen gifted.

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Florida Roundup Sales Travel

Weekend Links, Loves and Sales

May 28, 2017

Happy long-weekend! I hope my US readers are enjoying the extended 3-day weekend. I had a bit of an extra long weekend as my in-laws were in town last week so we took time off to spend time with them. We drove to Orlando to spend two days at Disney World at Magic Kingdom and Epcot where the humidity levels were unreal! (My hair and makeup did not last at all.) The four of us had a great time even though we were hit with some showers and small thunder storms. The remainder of the week we took them around to a few of our favorite spots around Tampa Bay and then drove south to Anna Maria to spend the day at the beach. A quick note on a couple of the items I wore over the week.

On the left I found a cute beach cover-up from Madewell a few months ago and it’s now on sale for under $35. I went with an XXS as sometimes their dresses and tops run a bit loose, but with this one I think I could have gone with an XS (I’m 5’3″). It’s gone through a few washes and didn’t shrink too much but it’s a bit on the short side.

With the warm Florida weather I’ve been all about lighter clothes and tanks. I had been eyeing this lace trim camisole from Rebecca Taylor but I found something similar at Abercrombie for under $40 (and it’s now on sale marked down even more). I’m wearing it on the right along with some of the cutest cut-off shorts from Current/Elliott (also here).

A closer look at the outfit items along with a few items I’ve been loving lately:

Shown above with some thoughts:

Outfit details same as what’s worn in the second photo, beach cover-up from Madewell, lace camisole from Abercrombie, shorts from Current/Elliott.
I think I could live in flip flops, the Joie A La Plage Nice (left tan and black) are on sale here, the Tory Burch Millers are still among my favorites and I have multiple colors – you can wear them for a super casual look or dress them up a little.
I recently featured some Delfonics pouches in this post here, a lot of you asked whether I like them more or less than the Truffle Pouches. They’re just completely different in material so I don’t know that I can really compare them. The Truffle pouches are made of a stiffer and more sturdy material and have lining inside the privacy ones. The Delfonics pouches are made of a PVC material that have a textured material to kinda make them feel like leather but they aren’t. The material is thinner making it more flexible. If you need something sturdy that will act more like a solid clutch go with the Truffle pouches. If you don’t mind a thinner material and need something super basic go with the Delfonics.
The Ouai Morning After Kit finally launched online at Sephora! It has minis of the Rose Hair Body Oil, Dry Foam Shampoo and Finishing Creme for $22 which I think is a pretty good deal.
Coral polishes are always in for me, but for many of you it’s probably more of a summer thing. Dior Coral Crush and Chanel Coralium are almost identical. Review on both summer collections to follow soon. If you want to know my take right now on which one to get, both formulas are really good but Dior has the better brush.
Still in love with the Tom Ford Sole di Positano fragrance. Other spring to summer loves here.
For those who can’t wait for my sunscreen post and keep asking questions (which I don’t mind), the Supergoop! SuperPower Sunscreen Mousse is indeed a good one. It has SPF 50 and is more of a long-wear sunscreen with moisturizing ingredients. It contains Blue sea kale which provides antioxidant protection and protects the skin from heat damage. It is water resistant and has a super fun mousse texture. The Everyday Sunscreen with SPF50 is a lighter weight one in feel (it’s what my husband prefers out of the Supergoop! line although his favorite is this SPF 50 one from Kiehl’s). Both of these have been good for me in preventing burn and minimizing the tan for me although being in the sun sometimes there’s really nothing you can do to prevent tanning 100%.
If you buy one lip moisturizer this season, make it one of the new Clarins Instant Light Lip Oils (reviewed and swatched here in case you missed the post).
Sunglasses in the Irving Style from J.Crew.

Summer bliss at Clearwater Beach

Weekend Sales and Deals

Weekend sales rounded up, first are the beauty sales:

Benefit Cosmetics – 20% off friends and family sale with code FRIENDS
Caudalie – skincare trio minis with Vinoperfect Overnight Renewal Cream, Vinoperfect Serum and Micellar Cleansing Water with orders $90 or more, use code RADIANCE, valid until 6/14
Clarins – 15% off orders with code MEMDAY15, valid through 5/29, receive a 7-piece glowing gift with any $100 order
Foreo – 17% off top sellers including Luna 2, Luna Mini 2, Iris with code FOREO17off, valid 5/29 to 6/13
Glamglow – 40% off any super sexy size product with code GGMEM17, valid until 5/29
Kat Von D Beauty – free full size Studded Kiss lipstick of choice with orders $75+, use code STUDDEDKISS, valid until 5/29
Kate Somerville – receive 3 summer ski treats with any $65+ order, use code SUMMERTREAT, valid until 5/29/2017
L’Occitane – free 3-piece hand cream set + tin with any $55 purchase, use code SUN, valid until 5/30/2017
Lancome – 20% off friends and family with code FRIENDS at checkout, valid until 5/30/2017
Molton Brown – 3-piece travel set with orders $70+ using code 70coastal, 6-piece travel set with orders $110+ with code 110coastal
Omorovicza – 30% off orders $200 or more with code SHINE30 at checkout
Origins – 9 piece getaway bag with any $65 purchase, use code GETAWAY, valid until 5/30/2017
Shu Uemura Art of Hair – spend $30 and receive free shipping, spend $75 and receive 4 samples + free shipping, spend $100 receive 1 travel-size + free shipping, spend $120 receive 2 travel-sizes and free shipping, use code MEM17, expires 5/31 at 7:30 AM EST
Smashbox – spend more, save more tiered savings, valid through 5/30, no code needed
Space NK – double N.Dulgence member points on purchases through 5/30
Tarte – 15% off the long weekend (enter e-mail at site to unlock code)
Tatcha – travel size Water Cream or Water Gel with purchase of $100 or more, use code WATERCREAM17 or WATERGEL17 at checkout
Violet Grey – $15 off orders $100+, $50 off orders $250+, $100 off orders $500+, $250 off orders over $1,000, valid until 5/29/2017
YSL Beauty – 20% off orders $50 or more 5/26 to 6/1 with code SUMMEREVENT17 at checkout

A few other ones that are on my radar:

Anthropologie – extra 40% off fresh cuts
Coach – summer sale up to 50% off selected styles
J.Crew – 30% off full price items with code SWEET, valid until 5/29
Joie – extra 20% off sale items, up to 60% off with code MD2017
Neiman Marcus – Designer Sale, save up to 40% off
Nordstrom – Half Yearly Sale, save up to 40% off now through June 4th
Rag and Bone – up to 50% off select items
Splendid – 30% off everything (including sale), use code SUMMER30, valid through 5/29
Shopbop – tons of items added to their spring sales section and so many good shoes!
Stuart Weitzman – 40% off sale spring styles

Any other good sales on your radar?

Press samples featured include the Supergoop! Sunscreen Mousse, Clarins Lip Oil, Tom Ford Sole di Positano.

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Florida Roundup Travel

Instagram Roundup / Life Lately

May 21, 2017

It’s been almost three months since we’ve moved to the East Coast and Florida is finally starting to feel like home. The time has flown by and we’re loving it here (fur babies included!). The weather has been incredibly warm and we just went through out first couple of thunder and rain storms. I’m doing an Instagram roundup with some snapshots from our time in Florida so far over the past few months. Some of you have asked for more info on items I’ve done a sneak preview on Instagram and also about some shoes I’ve featured.

I am still testing sunscreen. I know it’s taking me a long time but I’m working my way through over a dozen formulas. Recently I’ve been testing the Clarins Sunscreen Oil Spray with SPF30 which is a nice lightweight multi-purpose oil. It’s good for skin, hair and face and absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it soft, hydrated and non-sticky. I’ve also been testing the new Supergoop! Sunscreen Mousse with SPF50 and love it. It’s a unique long-wearing formula that offers moisturizing ingredients, has anti-oxidants and is water resistant. It has a very nice lightweight refreshing scent but it’s not overpowering. It does not contain synthetic fragrance or oxybenzone. Also shown above shorts from STS Blue, sandals by Havaianas, Clarins Lip Oils reviewed here, iPhone case Gray Malin, sunglasses Marc Jacobs.

I’ve found that Tampa has quite a few good beauty shops. It’s still not like San Diego or Los Angeles, but there are a couple of great Sephora stores, a Nordstrom, a Neiman Marcus and a Blue Mercury store as well. The Nordstrom beauty selection is great and I’m in love with the setup inside (peek at NARS below). We went to Orlando for a day a few months ago and stopped by Disney Springs. Inside they had the prettiest L’Occitane store with an amazing sink in the middle. This was my first time inside a Blue Mercury store and it’s just AMAZING. I was only able to go inside for a few moments to pick up sunscreen (yes more, lol). They have Darphin, La Mer, Molton Brown … basically more than a handful of my favorite brands.

The food here has been quite an experience. We’ve found some really amazing places thanks to Yelp but the reviews of course can be hit or miss. Much to our dismay we tried a couple Asian places that had high ratings but really were not good. People here are really friendly – extremely friendly! When people find out I’m from San Diego they always say the one thing I won’t find here is good Asian food like in California. There are other places to make up for it though and we love exploring. One of our favorite spots is Bartaco in Hyde Park Village. We’ve been back multiple times and love that the menu is set up a la carte so you can try a bunch of things. They have a secret menu item going on for the month so if you have a location near you definitely ask them!

Top left a closer look at Bartaco. Some other places we love include The Oxford Exchange especially for coffee and brunch (top right). They also carry Cire Trudon and Aesop in their gift shops which is a plus. The interior decor is to die for gorgeous! Bodega in Saint Petersburg has the most amazing juice bar (bottom left) and also incredible Cuban sandwiches. They’re so good my brother cried when he took his first bite when he came to visit us, lol. Life would not be complete without Sprinkles. We found one in Orlando and I was really excited to find one in Tampa as well. Their new Cookie Cupcake is the best one I’ve tried.

Two more places worth mentioning are Fresh Kitchen which is like a healthy non-Mexican version of Chipotle where you can create your own bowls. I love their juices even though they’re really pricey. Their tables inside are just the cutest! We also discovered this placed that has fresh gourmet popsicles called The Hyppo and I am obsessed. In three months even with all these food places I’ve somehow managed to lose weight. When I had my wisdom teeth removed in February I couldn’t eat anything solid for about a month. I lost around 10 pounds in a week and dropped two pant sizes. Since moving here I gained a little but lost it and then some. I’ve pretty much have maintained the same weight. We don’t eat fast food anymore and with the exception of cupcakes or ice pops, I attribute it to us cutting out a lot of sugar from our diet and the fact that we’ve started running again.

The beaches here are amazing! We took a drive to Anna Maria Florida which is about an hour south of Tampa and the water is just beautiful. We went swimming one day when my brother came to visit but we all got stung by jellyfish! Luckily it wasn’t too bad and although we did get a reaction it disappeared within 30 minutes or so. Becca Sunlit Bronzer on the right in Capri Coast. We still have Miami on our list but if you have any other beaches you recommend please let me know in the comments! We’ll put it on our weekend exploring list 🙂

My favorite beach is Clearwater Beach which has the softest white sand I’ve ever seen. It’s a bit of a drive from where we are and gets busy on the weekends but I love it.

I did an Instagram post in partnership with Kopari to try their Coconut Body Glow and Coconut Melt – both are really good. Their coconut melt really does melt into the skin and adds the perfect amount of rich hydration. With the swimming, sun and different water in Tampa my body skin has felt more on the dry side and the coconut oil has been a lifesaver. If you’re unsure about what to try from the line they have a cute Coconut Multitasking Kit which has four minis of their Body Glow, Melt, Sheer Oil and Balm for $38 which you might want to check out. On the toes below was Chanel Le Vernis in Gitane.

Sunsets in Clearwater Beach:

For some Instagram roundup snippets:

Top left: we stopped by Elevage at the Epicurean Hotel for brunch one weekend. The decor inside is so pretty! Shoes are Tory Burch Millers in a color from an older season, current white leather version here
Top right: The La Mer Glowing Body Oil is just amazing, if you find it buy it immediately. By the time I decided to get it the oil has sold out everywhere. It popped up online at Nordstrom and since then it keeps coming back in stock every now and then so keep checking. I hope it restocks everywhere because it has the prettiest soft shimmer and smells like a lightweight soft floral. Shoes are the rose gold Havainas, on the toes is Chanel Le Vernis in Coralium from their cruise collection.
Bottom right: I found some new sandals from Joie A La Place Nice in Black and am obsessed. The reviews say they run small but I found they were more true to size (I’m usually a 6 and 1/2). Still I bought these in a 7 just for a little more room in the front and they fit perfectly. Toes is the same color as the photo above Chanel Le Vernis in Coralium, Rouge Coco Gloss is Douceur (swatched here), body oil is from NARS.
Bottom left: Rag and Bone launched new perfumes, I just started testing Bergamot which is a light fresh kind of scent, Ouai launched their new Rose Hair and Body Oil, the mini is from a kit called The Morning After Kit which I found instore at Sephora (haven’t seen it online yet!). Lipstick is the Tatcha Cherry Blossom swatched here. Mirror is from Anthropologie.

Last but not least a look at one of this weekend’s OOTDs. With the warm weather I’ve finally felt that I can wear off the shoulder tops. I’ve been loving this one from Paige. You can dress it up or down. I’ve been loving the STS Blue Shorts I found at Nordstrom. My YSL Wallet on Chain has lasted for over two years now and even with regular use hasn’t shown any signs of wear. A number of perfumes have been in rotation and the Byredo Bal D’Afrique is still one of my favorites because it’s so unique. And because I loved the Joie A La Place Sandals so much I ordered a few other colors (found these on sale here!).

That wraps up my Instagram/Life Lately roundup! If you have any Tampa recommendations for food, shopping, where to find fresh flowers I’m all ears! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend 🙂

Press samples featured from Clarins, Supergoop, Becca, Kopari, Rag and Bone and Tatcha.

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Beauty Favorites Loving Right Now Roundup

Spring Neutrals and Staples

May 16, 2017

I’m obsessed with fresh pretty neutrals for spring and I have a roundup today of some old and new things in beauty. Over the past few months some new formulas in lips, eyes and cheeks have launched and of course I had to check out the nude options. I feel like we didn’t really see any trends for spring makeup but rather more mini launches and a lot of reformulations on products. I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom today to share a look at some things I’m loving right now along with some first impressions on new formulas.

First up my favorite category for lips. I’m a gloss girl at heart even with the liquid lip trend still going strong. I have dozens of neutrals and even though so many are similar I just can’t get enough. Glosses are more forgiving on dry lips compared to lipsticks or liquid lipsticks. A few I’ve been obsessed with, shown below left to right:

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caresse 714
Burberry Kisses Lip Gloss in Nude Beige
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Rose Gold (a long time staple)
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Buff

My most-used lip liner these days is MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare – it’s the perfect go with everything kind of rosy tone. MAC repackaged their Lipglass and changed some of the colors. I’ll do a full review soon but for now the neutrals I have top to bottom are Love Nectar, Spice, Lust, Beaux and Oh Baby.

All of these have medium coverage that shows up on the lips with the exception of Bobbi Brown Buff which is on the sheerer side.

Swatches below (I added Chanel Caramel to the mix). If you’re looking for a less expensive option to the Chanel Caramel or Caresse, I’d say MAC Lust and Spice are pretty close in color. I do think the Chanel formula is superior, the MAC ones can settle in lip lines if you don’t have a base, liner or lipstick underneath. (My go-to lip base is the MAC Prep+Prime Lip.)

Next for eyes, I still think one of the best neutral shadow palettes is Urban Decay Naked2 but I’m always looking forward to new formulas and colors. Chanel launched two new formulas called Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadow and Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow. I ordered three sight unseen and WOW they are truly long-wearing. In the powder I ordered Flesh which is a satiny soft champagne with a very soft finely milled sheen. It’s just gorgeous! For the creams I ordered Scintillance, a peachy champagne and Undertone, a neutral brown taupe. Both have the most beautiful shimmer I’ve ever seen.

The powder has a super soft texture and has rich pigment that is easy to blend. It wears well alone or over the cream. The creams have a stiffer texture than you’d normally think of in a cream but the color is easy to pick up and blend with the little brush or with fingers. These stayed put all day from morning to evening through a hot day (it ranged from 80’s to low 90’s). I have dry lids so I don’t recommend layering the creams over each other – they set quickly to a long-wear finish without any emollient texture. I do think any powder layered over them quickly will help intensify the powder color.

I also checked out the NARS counter recently and a Velvet Shadow Stick in Siros caught my eye. I don’t know if it’s new or an older color but it’s a soft copper bronze. For those who want a tiny bit of shimmer but not frost this is a great option.

After playing around with the new Chanel and NARS I thought they looked really similar to some Tom Ford and Burberry options I had. I had to pull them out to compare for you. There are similarities but the formulas and finishes are very different. I love the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes but I know some of you find them a bit too emollient in which case I’d recommend you check out the Chanel Ombre Premiere because they stay put longer. The Burberry Eye Contour Shadow Stick in Pale Copper has more shimmer and is more pigmented compared to the NARS Velvet Shadow Stick in Siros.

For cheeks my go-to neutral blush is the Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love. It has the prettiest soft sheen and two colors to swirl together. I loved the formula so much I bought almost all the colors. It occurred to me that I never swatched them all so I’ve added them below. My next favorite is Ecstasy which is a pretty peach option.

Bobbi Brown launched these new Glow Sticks which are cream twist up sticks. I fell in love with Island at the counter because of the pretty soft gold sheen it has. They are emollient similar to the texture of the RMS Mix Master and Living Luminizer so if you can wear those you will like this formula/texture. If you’re super oily you may want to skip or try before you buy. On my skin Island has a barely there kind of glow. I’ve gotten tan so this one almost matches my skin tone. I wore it under blush the other day and it stayed put without getting oily. I haven’t tested it by itself yet but will keep doing so in the upcoming weeks.

Ouai launched a new Rose Hair and Body Oil and it comes in a pink tinted oil. I’m obsessed with this as a body oil. Compared to the original Hair Oil the Rose version has a less powdery scent and has a lighter more fluid texture. For the hair I feel the original Hair Oil is more versatile to use as a pre or post styling treatment. For the Rose version I tried it several different ways – the best results for me were to use it on the ends of either towel dried hair or blow dry hair that was about 70 to 80% dry. Sometimes I just want my roots to dry first so it doesn’t irritate my scalp but I want the rest of my hair to air dry. Leaving it on ends of damp hair left the hair looking soft and shiny. A little goes a very long way – it’s fluid and absorbs quickly so I thought I wasn’t getting enough the first few tries, I applied too much and it left my hair looking stringy. I only use 1 pump and evenly distribute. On the body it leaves the skin feeling lightly hydrated and soft. It’s a win for me.

Last but not least a few beauty staples that I love from Tom Ford Beauty. I’ve been playing around with different bases for the past few months but regardless of weather the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer wins. The name makes it seem like it might be too opaque or too heavy, but I assure you it’s not. It is full coverage but looks very natural, doesn’t cake, doesn’t oxidize and lasts all day. I love the finish and the colors in the Tom Ford line are always great for my olive/yellow skintone. My most-worn neutral polish is Sugar Dune which I highly recommend. It’s the best neutral nude pink with good smooth coverage. You do need 2 to 3 coats but the color is perfect and formula is excellent. With the hot humid weather more mascaras have started to smudge on me. The Waterproof Extreme Mascara is pure love. I need to buy another tube soon because this one is hitting the 3 month mark. It volumizes, holds the curl, doesn’t smudge and lengthens. Last but not least I think the best nude lipstick from Tom Ford is the Lips and Boys Lipstick in Bradley. I’ve featured it so many times on the blog – it’s the perfect peachy beige neutral and doesn’t wash me out. I lost mine and after looking for it for a week decided it was lost for good and bought another one.

Quick beauty look with:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer in Natural
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in #4 to set
Bobbi Brown Glow Stick in Island on cheeks
Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love mixed
Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadows in Scintillance and Undertone layered
MAC Lip Pencil in Boldy Bare topped with MAC Lipglass in Lust
Off shoulder top by Paige

That rounds up my latest testing of spring neutrals and new beauty launches from Nordstrom. I hope you enjoyed and if you’re on the hunt for a good neutral nude lip gloss I hope the side by side swatches help! Also be sure to check out their Gift With Purchase page. There are a lot of great GWPs going on 🙂

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. Press samples include the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Ouai Hair Oil (original). All others purchased by me.