Summer Fridays added a few new makeup launches to their lineup with lip pencils! They launched a SoftLine Lip Liner Long-Lasting Lip Pencil ($20 each) and Flushed Lip Stain ($22). These are available now at Sephora and Summer Fridays. I received the full set to try and review and as someone who struggles with lip liners showing on my pigmented lips, I am 10/10 thrilled with this launch!
The standout for me is definitely the SoftLine Lip Liner Long-Lasting Lip Pencil. This is available in 8 shades and what I love about these is that they are really like a traditional lip liner pencil. Lasting power is very good but I appreciate that these aren’t like the gel pencils that are completely budge proof because those tend to look dry on my lips as the day wears on. A more traditional pencil like this one is easier on my lips, especially if they are dry.
Formula is smooth but they don’t glide on like the ones from Merit (which is more glossy). Love the pigment, even the lighter tones show up on my pigmented lips with very good coverage. Love the shade range in this formula. I think every color is flattering!
I swatched these on my entire lip for shade reference although normally I would just line the outer rims and then find a matching gloss or lipstick to coordinate.
Flushed Lip Stain
The Flushed Lip Stains are beautiful and the pigment is exceptionally good. I personally do not like stains because there’s something about my lips that makes liquid lipsticks and lip stains darken to an unrecognizable color. What I see on my lips rarely matches a swatch or what I see in the applicator.
I think the product is excellent and the lasting power is definitely there. I tried to remove the swatches from my arm and the stain lingers even with a bi-phase makeup remover. I wasn’t able to lip swatch all of them because the stain adhered so well to my lips I felt like swatching more would mix colors.
Overall love. I think the combination pairings with the Lip Butter Balms are also fun. I haven’t played around extensively layering different shades together but I think the colors they created are so beautiful.
The Sephora Savings Event for Holiday starts today with first access for Rouge Members! Use code EVERYTHING to save when shopping online, these are the details per tier:
All Sephora Collection 30% off: 10/31 – 11/10
Rouge members 20% off: 10/31 – 11/10
VIBs 15% off: 11/4 – 11/10
Insiders 10% off: 11/4 – 11/10
I’m rounding up my staples and favorites by category. I tried to narrow each category down to my Top 3, but there are a few sections I have more than 3 favorites.
Best Primers
These are my favorite primers. I try to find ones that multi-task (ie has SPF, adds hydration or glow.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter – this is still the best glowy multi-tasker to wear under foundation or on top of the cheekbones, I use Shade 3 or 4, sometimes 4.5, swatches here
YSE Beauty Skin Glow SPF 30 Primer – works well as a primer with SPF under makeup, it has a soft peachy rose tint with a tiny bit of glow to it but disappears on the skin, love the medium fluid consistency (it’s not too thin but not too thick)
Saie Glowy Super Gel – love Roseglow under foundation, if you need something hydrating and found the Charlotte Tilbury too shimmery, this is a great option that is glowy but not too shimmery (love this Mini Glowy Super Gel Trio Set)
I’ve split the foundation and skin tint bases into a few different categories based on formula.
Best Skin Tints/Sheer
Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – I think this is one of the most highly under-rated tinted moisturizers for the consistency and coverage, it’s lightweight, natural in coverage and blends easily, I use 24N
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Shade 6.5 – This is a holy grail for life! My most repurchased foundation tied with Chanel formulas, love the LSF for that natural medium coverage with a subtle glow
Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Foundation Stick – When this first came out I was very skeptical of using this because of how glowy it was. I did not think it could be used all over the face like a foundation. Thanks to so many of you who urged me to give it a try. I love it. You can use it almost like an all over primer or just in certain areas of the face, then top with concealer or regular foundation. I bought Shade 7.5 when I was tan, I will most likely pick up a lighter shade during the sale.
Best Concealers
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Brightening Concealer N9 – This is the best concealer I’ve tried. The formula wears well as a brightener, doesn’t crease and also works to spot conceal. I use several shades, right now I use either N8 or N9.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Ginger – Another lifetime favorite for under the eyes or anywhere you need to conceal redness. It’s creamy and so easy to blend.
I’ve split my favorites into pressed and loose versions. To this day I still prefer a pressed format for convenience, but I find that loose powder applied with a puff last longer.
Loose Powder Favorites
Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur Talc Free Translucent Loose Setting Powder – This is the setting powder formula that gets me the most compliments. Anytime I use Translucent or Rose people always say that my skin looks flawless. It’s really not these days but this powder really does work to blur the skin beautifully. I use the Makeup by Mario Powder Puff with this one.
YSL All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Setting Powder – I bought 02 Fair Medium back in April and really like it. It blurs, sets and doesn’t darken. I might try the Translucent formula since my skin tone is a bit lighter right now.
Pressed Setting Powders
Dior Forever Nude Matte or Luminescent Pressed – I tried both the Nude Powder 02 Light and the Radiant Filter formulas and find myself reaching for these frequently. Luminescent in action here. However if you’re sensitive to fragrance I’d skip these as they are both heavily scented.
I don’t find myself using a setting spray very often these days, but the ones I have tried and like are from Charlotte Tilbury, Makeup by Mario and NARS. All of these are lightweight with an ultra fine mist.
My bronzer favorites are still the same as they’ve been for years. I keep hoping for another new formulation to fall in love with, but I keep sticking with these for the tones and formula.
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi – This is the best all over natural bronze tint for me, I know the Westman Atelier Suntone Drops are also very popular, but I have never really mastered the application, the Drunk Elephant blends a lot easier for me
Contour
I tend to use bronzer as a contour instead of a traditional contour, but three I really like because of the tones
The new Holiday Patrick’s Glow and Gloss Duos are STUNNING! You can See the Ice me Down Set in action here. QUICK TIP – if you see something sold out online, I highly recommend using the Buy Online Pick Up In Store option. It will help you locate items near you in case they are popular and sell out quickly.
Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tint – This is still the best formula for a liquid blush. It’s flawless and long lasting. The shine shades are nice too, but the matte formula is better for lasting power. Review + swatches here.
Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush wins for the best tones and formula. These are on the dewy side but this year my skin has been exceptionally dry so I’ve been loving them. Review + swatches here.
Rhode Pocket Blush – I still really love these. Freckle is the best everyday neutral. Swatches + review here.
Highlighter Loves
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand – I still don’t think it gets better than these for that classic liquid highlighter. They’re currently marked down at Sephora as an added bonus! Swatches here.
Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Original – My holy grail matte eyeshadow palette for neutral warm mattes. I feel like this is my most reached for palette this year.
Patrick Ta Major Dimension Essential Artistry Edit Eyeshadow Palettes – I absolutely LOVE these new ones from Patrick Ta. The mattes are exceptionally good. I wish his brand would reformulate all of the prior palettes to have this exact formula. They’re smooth, easy to blend and pigment is 10/10. I like Medium the best, but also love Deep.
Armani Eye Tints – Also a great one and done kind of formula. I think the shade 44S Blush is the best rose gold and 22M Cashew is the best neutral matte tan.
Merit Solo Shadow Cream Eyeshadow – I really want to check out the shimmer shades! I tried a few of the original mattes and Vachetta is the best matte lid shade for me and still is. Just make sure you close the lids ALL THE WAY or else they will dry out.
I recently bought the ABH MicroStroke Detailing Brow Pen and love it. I’m still trying to master the application but after trying several pens and hating them all (some of the colors looked straight up green on me) a friend recommended the ABH one and she was 100% right about the tones and formula.
Mascara Favorites
I feel like I need to expand my mascara rotation this year. I’ve been sticking to three tried and true formulas which I still really love, but I think I need to change things up a bit.
NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine Hydrating Lipstick – I love how this formula glides on seamlessly, has a hydrating feel and pigment is perfect. I really wish they would launch more shades in this formula. Swatches here and also here.
Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix – These are on the thick side, but I love them. They made my favorites list several times and I love the colors and formula. Cream finish swatches here. Shimmer Glitter ones here.
Best Liquid Lipstick
I’m still not really into liquid lipsticks since most are matte and I prefer some kind of shine or gloss, but I do think Dior makes beautiful ones!
Quick mention on some tools that I really love that are available at Sephora.
Hourglass Travel Brush Set – I bought this several years ago during the Sephora Sale and it was 100% worth the splurge. This set includes the full-size options.
Ilia Brushes – These are SO under-rated, I really hope they make a full line of brushes. I think every one I’ve tried is 10/10 incredible.
Glossier Lip Pencil Sharpener – Not the most exciting tool, but this is the best sharpener I’ve found. The way they designed the container makes it perfect to carry in your makeup bag or for travel.
Makeup By Mario Powder Puff – Not all puffs are the same. Many of my favorites seem to have changed texture but the Makeup By Mario one is ultra soft and I love the size and shape.
Sephora Collection Brush Cleaner – This is the best cleaner to clean creams from your brushes (foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, blush etc.). Since it is spendy I recommend using the Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray first with a brush pad. For those stubborn creams I will then use the Sephora Brush Cleaner and it works wonders to remove cream products.
Sephora Collection Cotton – Another staple I swear by. I do love the plush cotton from other brands, but this one is my most-repurchased one.
That wraps up my extensive makeup favorites roundup! Stay tuned for the roundup for other categories very soon! Use code EVERYTHING to save when shopping online, these are the details per tier:
The Archival Lip Essentials Gift Set has three full-sized lip items with a new mauve shade called Archival. The set includes a Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush, Signature Lip Sheer Lip Liner and the Tinted Lip Oil.
The pencil and lipstick both pull very cool toned on me. I wasn’t sure they would work for my skin and lip tone since most cool colors look greyish on me, but they work! And the gloss really pulls the entire look together.
The Merit Signature Lip Sheer Lip Liner is very different from any other liner on the market. It’s almost like a glossy crayon in lipliner form. Unique for sure and nice for those who like a minimalist look. I love that they glide on the lips and have that glossy finish. Lasting power isn’t quite as long as a matte, but I think they’re really interesting.
The Lip Blush has a very lightweight feel, it’s a subtle kind of lip product but pigment is still very good. Texture is smooth even though it’s matte. This is very different from their other Signature Lipsticks. I tried their lipsticks a while ago when they launched and wasn’t a fan. They felt a little to waxy for my taste, but I might give them another look since so many of you love them. The new Lip Blush in this set is almost like a diffused matte lip tint instead of a regular lipstick. I’m still a glossy lip lover at heart, but I do like the texture and finish of the Lip Blush.
Lip Oils are nice for a subtle tint. These also pull on the sheer side for me but I really like them on top of a lipstick to add dimension and shine. They are very thin in texture so they’re not sticky. Also since the texture is thin they won’t have very long lasting power, but they do stay on longer when you pair them with a lipstick or liner.
I shared a demo of the lipliner and oils in this post here back in April. I don’t think I did a blog post on these so I swatched the shades I have so you can see the new Archival tones next to some of the existing colors.
Mini Flush Blush Balm Trio
I’ve had such mixed feelings about the Merit cream blushes because they’re usually too dewy and sheer for my skin but so many of you asked for a review on this year’s Mini Flush Blush Balm Trio Set. This year has definitely been a transition year for me with our move, aging and skin changes and it’s been noticeably more dry. I’m still in the process of finding a dermatologist since we moved, but since it’s been more dry I can wear more creams.
I think these are so cute but I still think they are too dewy and creamy for my taste. They’re fun for a pretty flush of color and if you’re into cream blushes that blend to a sheer tint or like that dewy look then I think you’ll really like them.
I have a sale alert to share! It’s one that’s too good to pass up! Ulta is having their 21 Days of Beauty Sale again and they have some amazing deals with different daily deals 50% off. I shared a tutorial with everything on sale this week here. In case you don’t follow on social I wanted to highlight some of the deals here too.
The sale is a little different from most retail sales since they have 1-day offers on select items, but I do think 50% off is the biggest discount I’ve seen from any retailer so I do think it’s worth checking out and marking your calendar.
Ulta has shared a preview of upcoming sales by date so you can browse all the deals in advance here. They also have select items are on sale for a full week, although most of the sales happen for one day only.
I also picked up some of the Clinique Lip Oils ahead of the sale date, but they will also be 50% off on Sunday 9/7. The Almost Lipstick in Black Honey still remains a cult classic, I remember wearing this in my college days! I love seeing them expand the line to other variations and formulas. The Lip Oils are beautiful and I think the Black Honey shade is a great color for those who want something a little more dressy but still subtle.
Sales on my radar (you can browse all the deals here):
There are so many great sales going on right now. I shared a summer beauty look with Ulta Beauty earlier in the week here on Instagram and thought I’d highlight the sales here on the blog too. They’re having their Big Summer Beauty Sale and it ends July 19th. Lots of great summer beauty finds are marked own with buy one get one 50% off and up to 40% off too.
Here are the best deals on my radar, starting with RMS at 20% off! RMS Beauty is now at Ulta Beauty and the entire line is 20% off. I love their ReDimension Hydra Powder Blushes and Bronzers. I just noticed they added one of my favorite shades Crystal Slipper to several other formulas so I ordered the Luminizer, Lip2Cheek, Eye Lights and Legendary Lip Oil all in the same shade to try. I won’t get them before the sale ends but I’m still very excited to try it all.
This week there are lots of hair straighteners that are 30% off. To this day I still swear by the ghd Platinum+ Styler. It goes with me on every trip too. I gifted one of these to a friend and I was also thrilled to see she packed it one one of our trips together.
A huge selection of nail products are BOGO 50% off. The shade I’ve been wearing lately that everyone has been asking about is the OPI RapiDry Stun N Done (pearly champagne). I love their Cuticle Oil and ordered a couple of the ones in the tube to carry in my purse.
A few of you mentioned the Blushed Metal Gel Couture Top coat to me as an iridescent color-shifting topper so I added that to cart and can’t wait to try it!
July 19th is the last day of the sale! If you had anything on your radar I hope you catch this post in time!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to the public through August 3rd. I shopped the early access for the second day and found some really fun things. Here is everything I picked up starting with my favorite buy.
Every year I love looking at the sunglasses because they have exceptionally good markdowns and it’s something I can wear year round. They tend to sell out quickly but I was able to find the Tom Ford Penny 55 mm Polarized Geometric Sunglasses ($344.99 on sale, regular price $515) in Havana/Polar Green. They have a cat shape with a flattened base. I still wear the ones I bought from past years all the time.
I love looking at all the fall fashion but cannot pull off 90% of it because of where I live. Even when I lived in San Diego most of the fashion was too warm to wear and after living in Central and Southern Florida for the past 8 years, San Diego weather almost seems a little chilly! I did find some cute activewear from Zella including the Racerback Seamless Sports Bra ($27.99 on sale in MEDIUM) and Sunburst High Waist Pleated Tennis Skort ($49.99 on sale, regular price $79 in a SMALL).
I really loved the Open Edit Luxe Sculpt Rib Sweater Tank ($38.99 on sale, wearing a SMALL) because it’s stretchy and very soft. Based on how SOFT this is I think I might pick up one of the other styles called the Luxe Sculpt Rib Tank (not part of the sale) but I think the cut looks flattering! I also picked up the Pleated Miniskirt ($45.99 on sale, regular price $69.50, wearing an XS) which I think is cute for the fall to winter season, at least in Florida.
I skipped the shoes because the sandals I had on my radar were not in store. The sneakers I had my eye on were tempting but I decided I already own enough right now.
For my beauty finds I found everything I had my eye on in store before anything sold out. The Hourglass Brush Set Trio ($136 on sale) sold out so quickly. My SA told me instore she predicted this would sell out the first and it really surprised me but she was 100% right! The brush quality is excellent – just as good as the individual ones although the concealer brush isn’t quite as dense as the individual ones.
The Prada Beauty Lipsticks ($37.50 each) in the Soft Matte Formula Limited-edition brown packaging also sold out in the blink of an eye. All the colors are permanent, so if you have your eye on them, don’t fret – you can still buy the shades. I still think the Prada lipsticks are 100% worth the splurge but if you can wait, I would recommend waiting until holiday when retailers have their friends and family sales.
Westman Atelier had a few sets for the sale and they kindly sent them over for review! The Lip Edition Set ($79 on sale, $122 value) has three full sized permanent shades in the Lip Shape Liner in Petal, Lip Suede in Petal and Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Chou Chou. I’ve really been enjoying the lipstick lip suede more than I thought I would. I did want to note a few of you mentioned yours went rancid with an off smell. I smelled every single one I own and luckily nothing has turned yet. I think the Lip Shape Lip Pencil is an exceptionally good formula. I picked up a few other shades and will review soon.
She also launched a Mini Baby Cheeks Duo ($35 on sale, $52 value) with existing Shades in Chou Chou and Petal which surprisingly sold out quickly too. If you missed out I wouldn’t be too upset, I actually think her seasonal holiday launches are much more exciting. I can’t wait to see what she launches this year.
A few MAC items caught my eye. I decided to try the Nightmode Lipglass Air Lip Gloss Duo ($35) which has an ultra lightweight smooth formula. It’s not as thick or sticky as the original lipglass and I think the colors are really beautiful.
Nordstrom also launched a few lipstick shades for the sale and I thought Cafe Mocha was a really pretty neutral to try.
For bodycare I picked up the L’Occitane Showered in Almond Jumbo Set ($52 sale price, value is $91) for Andrew. He loves the shower oil although he misses the Shower Shake they discontinued years ago.
Also picked up the Osea Cleanse and Glow Body Set ($62 on sale, $104 value) as I really love the shower gel and body oil and I do not mind having a backup.
For skincare I picked up the La Mer Travel Essentials Set ($98) with the Moisturizing Soft Cream for a friend. The minis are REALLY tiny but I still think it’s a nice way to try the items without splurging on the full sizes.
Fragrance sets and hair tools have some of the BEST deals this year, although I will say I suspect the holiday season will also bring us some really good deals too.
Byredo has some exceptionally good sets and if I didn’t already have the full sizes I would have bought all three. I picked up the Eau de Parfum Travel Essentials ($198 on sale, value $294) has three minis in scents each (0.4 oz) and I really love with a leather atomizer case. They also have some great sets with a Mojave Ghost Trio ($250 on sale) and a Blanche Absolu Trio ($290 on sale).
I am finally the owner of Parfums de Marly Delina and Delina Exclusif with the Signature Fragrance Trio ($485 on sale, value is $720). I am already well stocked on Valaya so I’m trying to decide who I should give it away to, but I could not resist getting the set for the other two.
Diptyque has a few sets for the sale. I picked up the Iconic Candle Gift Set ($92 on sale) which has 3 small sizes in Baies, Figuier and Tubereuse. I think these make great hostess gifts so I try to have one on hand.
I didn’t pick up any hair tools since I own a lot that are part of the sale but I wanted to give a mention to T3 since the Aire IQ is on sale. I was gifted T3 Aire IQ last summer and I love it. The Blush Pink is currently on sale for $100 off at $299.99 (regular price is $399.99). I think you can find lots of great deals on T3 throughout the year but if this is on your radar I can confirm after using this for nearly a year I really love the design and the features. You pick your hair type in the initial setting and it will generate the ideal heat and strength setting for your hair type depending on what attachment you use. I don’t use the diffuser, but I do use the others on a regular basis. You can also switch to manual mode for both settings and there is a forced cool-shot option.
I’ve actually been using this more than the Dyson to blow dry. The T3 has more options for heat and strength. I also love the design and the stand that comes with this is beautiful! I feel like all dryers should come with a stand like this.
That wraps up my Nordstrom sale haul! I hope you found some great finds this year! If you want to share anything you picked up please let me know in the comments!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2025 starts now for Icon Card Members! The sale runs from July 8th through August 3rd. Nordstrom Cardmembers shop the sale early depending on your Nordy Club Status:
ICONS have early access July 8-11
AMBASSADORS can shop starting July 9-11
INFLUENCERS have early access July 10-11
The sale opens to everyone from July 12
I’ll be shopping this week and will share my haul picks. Since Nordstrom launched an online preview of all the sale items early I was able to browse by every category and I pulled some things that caught my eye to put on your radar.
Since we just moved to a new apartment earlier in the spring I am in the market for some new home décor and cookware (still searching daily!). There are quite a few good beauty exclusives this year too. There are lots of great value sets and value sizes. Tons of bundles at marked down prices. Even if you’re more in the market for new beauty launches (rather than sets or value sizes) I still think there’s something for everyone.
Here’s what I have my eye on by category. I will be narrowing down my picks substantially as I browse and sort through the sale in person. For beauty shoppers don’t forget to check out the GIFT WITH PURCHASES online first! Some of the gifts are online only and in store a lot of the associates don’t know about all the gifts available outside of their specific counter or brands.
I’m hosting a giveaway to celebrate this sale! There will be several throughout this month (also check my Instagram for more giveaways there too). The first one is going to be a $250 eGift Card to Nordstrom. Open to all readers and all you have to do to enter for a chance to win is enter through the widget below and complete ALL THE STEPS. I’ll pick a winner and contact them via email this Friday!
