This year I picked up one of the Tom Ford x Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives in the Eye & Mini Lip Set ($88 on sale, $126 value) which has the White Suede Eye Color Quad and two miniature Lip Colors in Paper Doll and Autoerotique. There is also variation with the same quad but with two full size eye products + mini lip called the Eye and Lip Set ($155 on sale). I opted for the less expensive version with the neutral/lighter lips.
The Eye & Mini Lip Set comes in a silver box, there’s a separator/insert inside to keep everything in place:
Eye Color Quad White Suede
The Tom Ford White Suede Eye Color Quad from Nordstrom is slightly different from the one launched last year from Neiman Marcus, but both have a very similar vibe and effect. I don’t think you need both. I swatched them side by side here. The Nordstrom White Suede has a glittery pale pink, a sandy beige shimmer, a warm bronze satin shimmer and a blue-dove-grey silvery color. Layered together I get a soft smokey eye. I really like the look and effect. It’s neutral cool which is a nice alternative to the super warm eye trend that’s been going on for a while.
Lasting power is excellent and true to Tom Ford style. Colors pull with medium pigment on me, I’ve found in the Tom Ford line that other quads have stronger more intense pigment (like these three reviewed here). White Suede colors do layer nicely though.
Reposting my swatches of the White Suede Neimans (white compact) vs White Suede Nordstrom (brown compact):
Mini Lip Colors
For the lip colors you will get two minis in Paper Doll (baby pink) and Autoerotique (pink-nude peach). Both are creams with full creamy coverage and a soft shine finish. They’re ultra small and bound to be used up at 0.03 oz/1 g each. I found both to have a nice high quality texture: smooth, creamy, non-drying and long lasting.
Overall love. I’ve bought the Tom Ford x Nordstrom Anniversary sets for the past three years and think they’re all phenomenal. If you already own White Suede from last year in the white compact I don’t think you need this one unless you’re a die-hard fan. I do think though if you’re lighter in skin tone compared to me I think you’ll see a more noticeable difference on your eyes. There are a few other Tom Ford sets available for the sale this year. I’ve linked them below in case you’re interested. Everything is limited-edition for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, while they last.
I’m really happy with my purchase and I highly recommend.
More swatches and review of my haul picks coming tomorrow!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019 is officially live online and in stores for all Nordstrom Cardholders! Early Access starts today and runs through the 18th and then opens up to the public.
July 12 – 18 Early Access for Nordstrom Cardmembers
July 19 – August 4 Anniversary Sale for Public
I shopped the Icon Pre-Shop in stores and found some really cute things! I’ll be sharing the full haul over the next couple of days. Today’s post is a look at my Beauty Exclusives haul picks, swatches, first impressions along with top recommendations. This is just a preliminary post since I just hauled these items, most of them are new makeup colors/palettes. Full review to follow on each group I’ve hauled.
Top Recommendations for Everyone
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has a lot of new products curated specifically for the sale. There are tons of palettes, limited-edition sets, special value sizes etc. I love scoping out the new launches but every year they have certain items that are on sale repeatedly that I 100% think are worth checking out:
Simplehuman Round Sensor Mirror Pro ($150 sale, after sale $250) – is one of the best beauty tools I own, even Andrew and my brother each have their own and love them. It has 5x or 10x magnification with the best lighting system I’ve tried. One of mine is the original back from 2014 and it still works. The model has been upgraded and improved over the years and now you can control the lighting.
Sensor Mirror Pro Wide View ($250 sale, $400 after sale) – another splurge-worthy item, this one is more ideal for those who want larger panels to see your entire face. It has a small magnetic 10x mirror attachment, but the panels themselves do not have magnification detail like the round one.
Barefoot Dreams anything! I splurged on the CozyChic Throw and CozyChic Ribbed Throw at the full price a few holidays ago. It has made the “things Sabrina cannot live without” list. It’s the softest most plush blanket and even though it’s meant to be a throw, I sleep with it every night for the best deepest kind of sleep. It’s what I imagine sleeping in a cloud would be like.
Diptyque Miniature 5 Piece Candle Set ($48 for 5 x 1.23 oz candles) is the best way to try Diptyque if you don’t have a store or counter near you. I promise you won’t be disappointed but if you find it hard to commit to the full size without being able to smell them, these are the best way to try.
Le Labo Hinoki Hand Soap ($38 for the jumbo size) is Andrew’s favorite scent for the home. We’ve bought this in shower gel form several times as well and are obsessed. It’s so unique and very soothing. If it were made into candle form I think we’d burn it all the time.
What I hauled and added to my shelfie! Full review, more swatches and thoughts to follow as I’m able to test but I wanted to get info up as quickly as I could with first impressions since my Instagram DMs have been flooded with tons of questions!
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Full Size Lip Kit ($60 on sale, $78 value) has one of my favorite lip shades in liner and lipstick (I don’t mind having backups because I’ve used up the liner several times). It has the added matching Lip Gloss which I absolutely adore.
Comparison swatch of the Nordstrom Palette (6 shades) to Holiday 2018 Stars In Your Eyes (swatched a portion of the similar shades, 7 of the 12 shades in the palette I found most similar):
Tom Ford Beauty
Tom Ford Beauty Eye Quad and Mini Lip Set ($88 on sale) has a new White Suede Eyeshadow Quad and miniature lipsticks in Paper Doll (light pink) and Autoerotique (perfect nude on me). The quad has a beautiful mix of light and medium-deep for a really interesting soft smokey eye with some sparkle. So many of you wanted to know if this Nordstrom White Suede in the same as the White Suede that was launched last year in the white compact at Neiman Marcus. It’s similar but not identical.
Top is the Neiman Marcus launch in the limited-edition white compact, bottom is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale version in the traditional mahogany packaging.
Laura Mercier
Laura Mercier Tres Chic Face Palette ($52 on sale) has six shades for blush, highlight and bronzer. The colors have a soft wash to them in what appear to be universally flattering tones. It looked so stunning in store it took my breath away! I need to play with this more. My first impressions are that it’s very soft and extremely powdery. It felt ultra sheer, almost a little too sheer. It promises 10 hour wear and it did last all day without budging or darkening. I’m undecided but my first impressions are that I might just be too dark/tan for this one. I swatched with a super heavy hand below and it’s still very soft looking.
Dior
Dior Addicted to Glow Lip Set Light ($70 on sale, $93 value) has a full size Addict Lip Glow in Pink, Addict Lacquer Stick in Bliss (pale peachy beige) and a miniature Lip Maximizer. I bought this primarily for the exclusive lip shade which turns out to look ultra pale on me. I can make it work with a liner. I love the Addict Lacquer Stick formula but only a few shades work for me. If I could do this one over I’d pass on this set, but I don’t put store testers anywhere near my lips!
NARS
I hauled almost all the NARS x Nordstrom offerings but have only had a chance to try one of them. Full detailed review on the collection to follow. I had my eye on the Afterglow Lip Balm Duo which has minis of Orgasm (shifts to a healthy pink) and new Hidden Pleasure (changes to a rose mauve). I really hope they make Hidden Pleasure in the full size! I also bought the Motu Tane Face Palette ($42, pink variation), Hot Tropic Lip Gloss Set ($39, seems sheer based on hand swatching), and the Naked Paradise Satin Lip Pencil Set ($39, I have high hopes for these colors!).
A quick peek at 2 of the lip sets (more photos, swatches, etc. coming soon).
Other haul picks
I bought all the MAC lip sets, they’re usually solid performers and I love the minis because they get used up all the way quickly. The neutrals usually go really fast so if you have your eye on any I recommend buying them sooner than later. A few other picks from Diptyque, Le Labo, Kiehl’s, Oribe and Bobbi Brown linked below.
Shopping in-store beauty highlights:
Shoe/clothing/home haul to follow but in case you want to know now what I bought, you can scroll through the widget below. I’m a huge fan of Tory Burch so I picked up some of the shoes for the sale! What did you end up hauling? Do you have anything on your wishlist/radar?
Per tradition I’m hosting a giveaway! Three winners will be randomly selected via the Rafflecopter widget below to each win a $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom US. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. To enter simply complete at least 1 of the tasks in the widget below. All entries will be subject to verification. Giveaway entries will be collected through July 16th, 11:45 PM EST. I’ll pick winners within 24 hours after giveaway ends and email them directly. A confirmation e-mail response must be received within 48 hours to claim prize. Not sponsored or affiliated.
I’m all about the easy everyday kind of makeup look and today I’m rounding up some of my daily luxury beauty staples from Nordstrom. Even though this blog focuses on featuring and reviewing new product launches, many of you ask what I use the most on a daily basis so I’ve been putting together more roundups of what I reach for. If you’re a long-time reader you’ll probably recognize from previous features! It’s because I really do reach for these on a regular basis for my everyday makeup look and because they’re classic enough to incorporate into more trendy looks throughout the year.
Above: Wearing Tom Ford Soleil Glow Foundation in Natural, Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealer 3W, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder 2, Charlotte Tilbury Cream Eyeshadow in Rose Gold, The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Palette, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Incandescent Electra, NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm
Base and Powder
Foundation is one of the items I’ve had to change up in the last year because so many of my holy grails have been phased out, reformulated or discontinued. I have an updated foundation post coming up soon but in the past month I’ve been loving the new Tom Ford Flawless Glow Foundation with SPF 30. I use the shade Natural 6.0 and it’s a great sheer coverage base that evens out the skin in a natural way. There’s no flash back and it lasts all day on me. It comes with a dropper which I apply directly to the face, then I’ll take a sponge or brush and blend/buff into the skin.
For the cheeks I’ve really been loving the Charlotte Tilbury Lovegasm Palette (also reviewed here), it has everything I need for a full cheek look: blush, highlighter + bronzer. I picked up a new highlighter recently from Bobbi Brown in the Rosy Glow color which is limited-edition, it’s a really pretty basic no-fuss opal champagne.
The two cheek products I use the most are the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Incandescent Electra (doubles as a highlighter for me too) and the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel cream bronzer. I cannot live without either one. I’ve used the Chanel bronzer for as long as I can remember being into makeup. One tub will last you a long time and as long as you close it after use it won’t dry out like many cream products can.
Eyes
My most-used quad these days is the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita eyeshadow palette. It’s the perfect warm smokey eye palette and has everything I need for a complete eye look. I still love the Urban Decay Naked Reloaded as well, but many of you prefer the smaller palettes for easier wear.
For the longest time I felt like I could not wear pink-toned shadows. Most had too much red in the undertone and looked a little off on me. I’m so happy to have found more options that I can pull off without having that pink-eye look. I love creams or liquids because they adhere well to the lids. My top three favorites are the Tom Ford Acqua Metal Shadow in Violet Argente, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Rose Gold, Hourglass Scattered Light in Blaze (this is such a pretty topper). For liner my go-to is usually a bronze color, the Hourglass 1.5 MM Mechanical Gel Liner gives the most precise line for a pencil (it’s a twist up and only twists one so I’d recommend being careful when you click-twist). For liquid liners my holy grail is the Tom Ford Eye Defining Liquid Pen. It’s double sided with two sizes of tips. I’ve found a number of really good ones from other brands, but the Tom Ford is the only one that did not dry out on me within a few months.
Lips
Above left wearing the NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm
You girls know that I’ve been obsessed with the NARS Afterglow Lip Balm and Oil-Infused Lip Tints in Orgasm. I still am! They’re worn every week. Other good color changing balms are the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint and Dior Addict Lip Glow (if you haven’t tried these I’d suggest waiting for the upcoming anniversary sale, there are going to be really good sets available!). I also like the Dior Lip Maximizers for a nice lip plumping gloss that doesn’t sting.
If you’re a beauty junkie like me mark your calendars because their Anniversary Sale is this month. All Nordstrom cardmembers will have early access on July 12th, and if you’re an Icon or Ambassador Level member you have access to their pre-shop in stores starting July 9th. All the details and dates are on their Anniversary Sale Page.
I highly recommend signing up for their Nordy Club Program if you haven’t already – it will give you early access to the sale, events throughout the year and bonus point days. It’s one of the few programs that I’ve stayed a member of. As usual I also recommend checking out their Gift With Purchase page as well, the gifts are updated frequently and some are online exclusives.
I hope you enjoyed this round up! I’d love to hear what your easy everyday makeup favorites are in the comments.
Sponsored by Nordstrom. As always all opinions are my own.
Summer’s in full swing and I could not be happier that we now have a pool and also live within minutes of the beach! The summer humidity and heat has officially returned and I’ve been changing a few things up in my beauty routine. I’ve partnered with Sephora to share some new makeup discoveries I’ve had in rotation now that the heat is here.
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Bronze and Glow
There are so many new bronzer and highlighters this season. I plan on doing a full bronzer roundup soon, but the Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzers are some of the best matte options I’ve tried. I bought the two lightest shades in Inda Sun and Shady Biz, both offer a soft natural matte hint of warmth. Inda Sun almost matches my skin tone and pulls very neutral, so if you’re fair or light skinned, I highly recommend you check it out. Shady Biz is what I’ve been loving for a very natural bronze. It’s smooth, doesn’t oxidize, isn’t heavy or overly matte.
I also hauled the new Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in Glitz. The top two shades are more glitzy with tiny micro sparkles which I think look pretty on the eyes. The bottom shades have a smoother more refined shimmer I can wear on the face. The overall effect is a soft golden glow. It has a superfine texture that adheres to the skin and stays put all day, even in intense heat.
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Lip Loves
For the lips I’ve been loving the NARS Oil-Infused Lip Tints – Orgasm was the first color launched and they just added three new shades that give a slight hint of color. The new ones are pretty sheer and on my lips they don’t have the same color-changing properties Orgasm does, but they’re ultra smooth and hydrating. My lips get ultra dry with the heat outdoors or the constant A/C indoors, these feel super emollient and comforting. I’m wearing Primal Instinct below. Other lip favorites include the Becca Glow Lip Gloss in Tiger Lily for a perfect bright peach, Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in Bronze Divinity (or any of the colors) for a good non-sticky gloss and Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Gloss in Some Girls is a fun punchy peach. For days I don’t want color the Fenty Beauty Pro Kiss’r Luscious Lip Balm is a nice smooth balm with a sponge applicator. I like the packaging and it’s super soft on the lips. On me it’s clear.
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Hair, Sunscreen + Body Essentials
Florida humidity is intense here. I need lots of help with styling products to help smooth the frizz or absorb oil from sweat. I’m always looking for new products to try, but rely on old favorites the IGK Mistress Anti-Frizz Leave In Conditioner (smooths out flyaways and helps with the frizz) and Briogeo Farewell Frizz (as a heat protectant for blow drying my hair).
For summer date nights I’ve been adding a little of the Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions in Rio Sunset or Copacabana Bronze to the legs. It adds a super subtle but pretty pearlescent sheen. A little goes a long way. If you’re a fan of sweet warm scents you’ll love it.
That wraps up some of my new beauty favorites from Sephora! Don’t forget to check out their Beauty Insider Program so you can accumulate points for samples and early access to their events. Have you hauled any of the new launches recently in makeup, skincare or haircare? Let me know in the comments!
Sponsored by Sephora. As always all opinions are my own.
Barneys New York is running their Summer Beauty Bag Event from June 18-22 (online only)! With any $200 purchase in cosmetics, skincare, fragrance and grooming you will receive a beauty bag with samples valued at around $360. I’ve teamed up with Barneys New York to share a peek at the gift bag along with a few recommendations plus what’s on my beauty radar. There are also 50+ individual brand gifts available online.
Beauty Bag Event Gift with Purchase
Inside the bag they have over 20 minis:
MMM Replica Under the Lemon Tree 2 ml
Harmonist Magnetic Wood 2 ml
Mila Moursi Refining Lotion 10 ml
MDNA Finishing Cream 0.1 oz
Sisley Phyto Blanc Buff and Wash 10 ml
Starskin Lace Revamping Mask (2 sheets)
Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste 10 ml
Oribe Supershine Cream 15 ml
Harry Josh Carbon Tail Comb
Malin Goetz Stem EDP Vial .75 ml
Shiseido Bio Performance Lift Dynamic Eye Treatment 12 ml
Lab to Beauty CBD Lip Balm .5 oz
The Laundress Wash and Stain Bar Classic
Hourglass Caution Mascara .12 oz
By Terry Mini Baume de Rose 3 g
La Mer Regenerating Serum 5 ml
Byredo Perfume (assorted) 2 ml
Diptyque Eau de Minthe 2 ml
YSL Matte Pore Refiner 5 ml
JINSoon Nail Polish (assorted)
Baxter Skin Concentrate BHA 5 ml
Foria Awaken 1.5 ml
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Top Recommendations / On My Radar
There are so many great brands available at Barneys I don’t think it’s hard to find something good to splurge on. In case you need some recommendations, some things that I love include:
Byredo La Selection Set has six miniature 12 ml perfume vials, it’s perfect to sample a wide range of scents, I also carry these in my purse
By Terry Lip Expert Shine offers some of the prettiest gloss colors, I love Bare Flirt and Peachy Guilt, swatches here (they are fairly strong in the rose scent)
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The gift with purchase is offered from June 18 to the 22nd while supplies last. Gift will be automatically added to your cart at checkout once you’ve reached the minimum $200 beauty spend. Available online at Barneys.com.
Many thanks to Barneys for partnering to sponsor this post!
I think I’ve found my ultimate summer glow with the Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Collection! I picked up almost all of the new pieces at Nordstrom and think everything is just so stunning. I’ve been such a long time fan of Charlotte Tilbury from the very first day her products launched in the US. So many of you have asked me, “if there’s one brand that you had to stick with for the entire face, what would it be?” One of my top picks would Charlotte Tilbury – her line has something in every category from base, cheeks, eyes, lips etc. that I love. Today I’ve partnered with Nordstrom to share some beauty looks featuring the new Glowgasm Palettes. I’ve mixed in products from her existing lineup to give you ideas on how to wear everything!
Glowgasm Face Palettes
There are two Glowgasm Face Palettes in Lightgasm and Lovegasm. Each one has four shades for the face including a bronzer, blush and highlighters. They’re absolutely gorgeous and give the skin a very pretty lit from within kind of glow. The formula has a unique almost cream-like gel to powder finish. They’re soft to the touch and are like a solid cream but apply like a powder. You can apply wet or dry, on the eyes or cheeks. Application is smooth, it doesn’t emphasize my pores or skin imperfections, lasting power is excellent and they adhere really well to the skin.
Lightgasm
The Glowgasm Face Palette in Lightgasm is the lighter option of the two and on my medium tan complexion this pulls more like a highlighter palette. It’s really pretty on both the eyes or cheeks. I applied with a lighter hand layering all four shades – you can intensify with a damp brush. Colors are a pale yellow champagne gold, a light shimmering peach, a neutral contour satiny bronze and a duo chrome pink-gold.
Makeup look below wearing the lighter option, since the shades run lighter this is more of a glow palette on my complexion with a little bit of dimension with the deeper colors. It has a nice soft and diffused kind of look on the cheeks.
Full beauty breakdown using the Lightgasm Face Palette:
The Glowgasm Palette in Lovegasm is the deeper one and if I had to pick just one this would be it. It has deeper variations of a yellow gold highlighter, deeper peach shimmer, medium tan bronze and a glimmering coral gold shimmer. This has enough color to look like I’m wearing blush on the face. As a peach lover this couldn’t be more perfect for me.
There are three new Beauty Wand Highlighters. I bought two of them in Peachgasm and Pinkgasm. Both have enough color that I feel like I could get away with wearing these as a shimmering blush. Both have a twist open cap. Squeeze the tube to dispense product into a sponge applicator and then dab on the face anywhere you want a highlight. They have an iridescent finish and a really nice dry down. The Beauty Wands stay creamy long enough to blend and once they set they stay put on the face. Swatches with two different light settings and angles to show depth and shine.
I have a look below with the Pinkgasm – you can see it swatched on the face straight out of the tube and then blended out alone. For a more complete look you can add bronzer, contour, blush or whatever suits your mood. I applied it alone like a face swatch to give you a sense of how it looks on the skin just by itself. Beauty breakdown wearing:
Base: Magic Foundation in Shades 6 + 7 mixed (has fuller coverage compared to Light Wonder)
Overall love and I give everything a solid thumbs up. As one who loves a good glow I think you really can’t go wrong with either palette. If you have medium to deep skin, opt for Lovegasm for a more complete look. Lightgasm is really pretty as well but will be more like a highlighting glow palette. I hope the three beauty looks give you ideas on how to coordinate the colors! I think both are very versatile to wear with any kind of lip or eye. Charlotte Tilbury has a wide range of neutral lips alongside bolder bright shades.
I think these will be perfect all summer long. I was initially worried they might be too glowy but the finish is really pretty and easy to blend out. Textures and finishes are going to also be perfect for warm weather months as they adhere to the skin really well and stay put!
You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Collection out at Nordstrom now. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to check out their Gift With Purchase options as well!
Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. All items purchased by me. As always all opinions my own.
I have a quick haul post for what I picked up from Sephora! I still have some things in my online cart for products we could not find in our store but these are the skincare, hair care and other beauty picks both Andrew and I bought during the spring bonus event. It ends today Monday May 6th so there’s still time to shop! Details for the tiers on their Beauty Insider page for details on how to join. Discounts as follows:
Rouge Members get 20% off, 4/26 through 5/6 with code HEYROUGE
VIB Members get 15% off, 5/2 through 5/6 with code HEYVIB
BI Members get 10% off, 5/2 through 5/6 with code HEYINSIDER
With the exception of our restocks I haven’t been able to test most of the makeup products. Reviews to follow as soon as I can but I have a lot already pre-planned to post for this week so the swatches for the lip products most likely won’t be up until sometime next week.
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Skin + Hair Picks: Sabrina’s and Andrew’s
I still remember distinctly when Andrew refused to go into Sephora with me. Anytime we were shopping together he would see me walk towards the store and say, “meet me at (x place) when you’re done.” He’s always been a well-groomed person but I can’t express how happy it makes me that in the past couple of years he has taken a bigger interest in skincare and taking care of our health and wellness. These days he goes in the store with me to shop the skincare areas and wanders off to do his own browsing.
I’ve been really loving Fenty Beauty the more and more I try from the line. I bought two highlighters in the Killawatt Freestyle in Afternoon Snack/Mo Hunny and Foil Freestyle Highlighter in Penny4uthots. I tried the duo today and think it’s so so pretty. I also picked up the two lightest matte Sun Stalk’r Bronzers in Inda Sun and Shady Bix. I haven’t had a chance to try them yet but took a quick peek at them in store. I’ve been really interested in the Pro Filter Powder but the testers look so chalky in store on my hand. I opted for a mini in Cashew which I have on my face right now and it’s too dark but could possibly work in the summer for me. I’m not sure if I’ll go back for the lighter shades. From Charlotte Tilbury I bought one of the Glowgasm Highlighters in Peach (ordered the rest online).
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Lip Haul Picks
I spotted two new Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lips and picked the lighter shade East Coast Slay. It’s a pale nude yellowish beige cream. I also saw the new Hourglass Unreal Lip Glosses and wanted every single color. I bought 5 in Ignite, Truth, Prose, Canvas and Cosmic. I tested Truth yesterday and really like it – it’s smooth and not sticky with good coverage. Has a minty scent to it but not really plumping on me (no tingle). I’ll keep you posted! I also opted for one of the Dior Stellar Shine in D-Galaxy. I had high hopes for these but none of the other colors really spoke to me. If you think there are any that I should check out let me know in the comments!
My haul picks:
Still in my cart:
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That wraps up my Sephora haul! I think I might order a few more of the Hourglass Lip Glosses even though I don’t need anymore. The Sephora Beauty Insider Event ends tonight – what did you end up hauling?
