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Sephora Holiday Bonus Beauty Insider Event Details + Skin, Hair, Body Recommendations

October 26, 2018

The Sephora Holiday Beauty Insider Event starts today for Rouge Members! Sephora Beauty Insider members of different tiers will be able to shop the event on different weekends throughout the next few weeks. If you’re a Rouge Member you will have two weekends to shop. The event dates, details and discount codes per tier below (available both online and in store):

Rouge get 20% Off 10/26-10/29 and 11/2-11/5 with code: ROUGEBONUS
VIB get 20% off 11/9-11/12 with code: VIBBonus
Insiders/ Non-BI members get 15% off 11/16-11/19 with code: BIBONUS

There are some restrictions, the fine print for ROUGE, “20% offer valid for Rouge members on merchandise purchases made from 10/26/18 through 10/29/18 at 11:59pm PT and from 11/2/18 through 11/5/18 at 11:59pm PT in Sephora U.S. stores, Sephora Canada stores, Sephora inside JCPenney stores, and online. Offer not valid on jcp.com. On Friday, 10/26/18 in stores only, Rouge client and one guest of Rouge who is a member of the Beauty Insider program and is present at the time of redemption will be eligible for 20% off all merchandise purchases, along with a sample set free with any merchandise purchase. Sample set offer valid only in Sephora U.S. and Canada stores and Sephora inside JCPenney stores; assortment may vary. Limit of one sample set per Rouge client and one per guest and provided on a first-come basis. Quantities are limited. Not valid on purchases of customizable sets online, through Sephora’s Customer Service. Not valid on Google products. Clients are limited to the purchase of one Dyson item, three Drunk Elephant items, and three Tatcha items per SKU per transaction. Not valid on previous purchases, purchases of gift cards or eGift cards, FLASH, PLAY! by Sephora, gift wrapping, packaging, taxes, or shipping & handling charges. Return of discounted merchandise will be for the price actually paid. Sephora is not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen promotional barcodes. Promotions have no cash value and may not be altered, sold, or transferred. Rouge status must be attained prior to redemption. No minimum purchase required. Due to heavy demand, Sephora FLASH delivery times cannot be guaranteed for this promotion. Not valid on orders shipping outside the U.S. or Canada. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion codes or Rouge Reward. Sephora and JCPenney employees are not eligible for these offers. Offers are subject to change, alteration, or termination by Sephora at its sole discretion at any time.”

I’ve split my recommendations into two posts. The first one today focuses on skincare, hair care and body favorites. So many readers have asked for more hair and skin recommendations over makeup, but that roundup is coming soon! For my makeup gurus I’m working on getting swatches of new NARS, a concealer roundup, Pat McGrath launches, Marc Jacobs Holiday and some Louboutin items up for you ASAP!

As a beauty blogger I put a lot of products to the extensive test, both purchased items and press samples. Skin care is always tricky for me because of the time it takes to see results along with the expectations I have with what “visible results” are. Other things such as seasonal changes, diet, aging, stress, hormones, that time of the month etc. all play a big factor as well. When it comes to testing skin care I recommend trying minis if you’re unsure. Sets are always great to try things first if you’re unsure about recommendations, reviews or ingredients. The one thing I appreciate most about the Sephora site is that they have more ingredients listed for product compared to any other retailer I shop at.

Skincare Face Cleansers

I love having testing different cleansers! Out of all the skincare categories I think I like cleansers and masks the most. My favorites:

Kate Somerville Eradikate Cleanser – If I had to use one face cleanser for the rest of my life, this would be the ONE. It has sulfur which helps with texture issues, remove impurities and keep pores clear. She has different formulas developed for different skin types and needs. I’ve tried every single one and alternate depending on how my skin feels. Her Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser is also excellent.
Farmacy Clean Bee Ultra Gentle Facial Cleanser is a great option for those who want a green option. I’d recommend it for normal to oily skin. If you have dry skin, it might be too stripping in which case I’d suggest anything from First Aid Beauty like the classic Face Cleanser.
Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm * is great for those of us who need to double cleanse or remove makeup first but don’t want liquid oil running all over your arms, face and sink. This is my go-to makeup remover for the face and I think it’s better than the Clinique one which is still pretty darn good.
Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil * has been a long-time favorite as has the SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil but it’s so expensive I’ve stuck with cheaper alternatives.

Exfoliation

I feel like exfoliation is key to having clear skin, but face scrubs are so personal. What one’s skin can tolerate truly depends on what other items are being used in a routine. If you’re using acids, peels, Vitamin C or retinols on a regular basis your skin sensitivity will be increased significantly and therefore you might not be able to use certain products. For me I keep acids and peels to a minimum (although I do want to try more). I don’t use Vitamin C on a regular basis.

Fresh Sugar Face Polish is my favorite because it’s hydrating and also melts/dissolves into my face.
Kate Somerville Exfolikate is a classic with lactic acid and fruit enzymes to exfoliate the skin, it will tingle, so if you have ultra sensitive skin try the Gentle Version instead.
Jack Black Face Buff is Andrew’s favorite. He’s tried all of mine and several other men’s brands but says this is hands down the best and insists it’s better than any of mine.
Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powders aren’t really exfoliator scrubs, but I use them as a cleanser/exfoliator. If you have ultra sensitive skin I think these are great alternatives to face scrubs.

Skincare Moisturizers & Oils

Eve Lom White Brightening Cream is one of the most gentle face moisturizers I’ve tried with ingredients to combat dullness and pigment issues. I haven’t noticed that my sun spots have faded but it does brighten subtly, lift and tone. It calms the skin and makes it smooth. This is my fourth jar!
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Glow Moisturizer is an interesting concept because it has exfoliating ingredients, but doesn’t make you peel like the name implies. It has both glycolic and lactic acids that help with uneven skin texture. It hydrates nicely and adds the perfect amount of moisture.
La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion and Moisturizing Matte Lotion are Andrew’s favorites. He liked the Soft Lotion when we were in San Diego and for the cooler months here in Florida. For most of the hot seasons he prefers the Matte Version for a lightweight finish.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of two Drunk Elephant products I’ve tried and like. It’s suitable for any skin type and I like that it feels nice on the skin – it has the perfect texture and amount of moisture.
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Infusion de Rose Oil * is something I used up years ago and just started using again. It’s a lovely fluid rose oil that is ultra hydrating and soothing.
Eve Lom Radiance Oil is another one I just started using at night. I had finished my Kiehl’s and L’Occitane favorites and decided to try a few new ones. This one is really hydrating and lasts through the night. I think it’s going to be perfect for winter months ahead as we’re going into the dry season.

Skincare Extras: Masks, Mists, Treatments

Fresh Mask For Miles Set * has four of my favorite Fresh items, Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask, Sugar Face Polish and Rose Face Mask. I think this one makes the perfect gift for anyone, especially the hard to shop for!
Fresh Rose Floral Toner is one I actually use more as a face mist, it’s alcohol-free and is a nice soothing face mist. I like to apply this before workouts.
Glamglow Supermud is my holy grail clarifying mask, it sucks out impurities, excess oil, unclogs pores.
Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial is a favorite of mine and Andrew’s. We’re going to stock up on this one during the event. It’s a great resurfacing product that really does work over several uses and leaves skin feeling super soft.
Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist * is my holy grail face mist!
Kate Somerville RetAsphere Micro Peel is one of the most gentle night peels that I’ve used that is effective, I also used to use her RetAsphere 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream which is one of the few retinol products my skin could tolerate.

Body Products

Ouai Scalp and Body Scrub is scented in their rose scent. I haven’t used it on the hair, it was just so amazing as a body scrub I kept using it like that until it was all gone. I felt like couldn’t live without it so I bought another jar before the sale started.
REN Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Salt Scrub is supposed to be an anti-fatigue body scrub. I bought this as I had really sore muscles after starting to lift weights. This made for a nice soak and hydrated the skin without leaving a greasy film.
Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen with SPF 50 is my holy grail of body sunscreens. It’s easy to reapply, isn’t greasy, doesn’t smell like sunscreen and it’s transparent (no white cast). We’ve also found it effective in intense Florida sunshine.
Kopari Coconut Deodorant * is my go-to deodorant right now, it’s natural, lightweight, applies smoothly and keeps odor away (also available as a mini in this Beauty Besties Set).
Kopari Coconut Melt is the best overnight body treatment I use for extra dry skin.
Jo Malone Colognes are something I never see go on sale, so the event is a great time to save. My two favorites are Wood Sage and Sea Salt and Basil and Neroli. The layering combinations are endless and fun to play around with.

Hair Care Favorites

Everything about my hair care routine is going to change now that I just got highlights. So many of you have given me amazing color-safe shampoo recommendations. Since they recommend not washing your hair for 72 hours after the process I’ve been ok without any options, but I’m going to check them out this weekend. In the meantime items I swear by:

Aquis Lisse Luxe Long Hair Towel is something I discovered this year and really love it! I suddenly found it kept disappearing on me. Andrew did not know it was a hair towel, found it in the clean laundry pile, liked the texture and absorbent quality so much he decided to steal it and use it for during and post-work out sweat. I’ve since ordered a few more in the regular length and Waffle Texture to try and keep one as my own.
Aquis Prime Starter Kit * this is something I just started testing, it’s a four piece set with products and a turban to prevent hair breakage. I’ll have a more detailed review soon, but think it’s excellent.
Moroccanoil Treatment * is a classic multi-tasker, I use it pre-heat and as a finishing product. I also love the way it smells! Been purchasing this for years but one shown was gifted.
IGK Dry Shampoos are among my favorite. They had a limited-edition trio of minis online and I bought a few as I like the smaller size to carry in my totes. Jet Lag is my favorite for my hair, but all three are amazing. No white residue on any of the formulas.
Ouai Hair Oil another favorite for the hair, it’s a nice lightweight oil. Scent is floral and strong and might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I love how it performs.

Lip Treatments

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask is my favorite lip treatment I think is going to work for any skin type. They have clear and tinted versions (swatches of Champagne, Lavender, Maple and Smashed here)
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Advance Zodiac * is a fun way to gift someone a lip balm that’s a little more personalized if it matches their zodiac sign! These are listed as online only. I received a few in the mail and think they’re so fun. I’ve tried the regular non-limited edition packaging one and think it’s better than the regular lip treatment, although the tinted ones are super fun too.
Dior Addict Lip Glow is something I actually consider more makeup than skincare, but I know some of you consider it skincare! It’s the best color-transforming balm I’ve tried. Perfect for an easy look and nice to reapply. It’s tough to pick just one shade, my favorite is Coral.

The top things I’d recommend include: Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen, Ouai Body and Scalp Scrub, Fresh Mask for Miles Set, Drunk Elephant Baby Facial, Glamglow Supermud, Kopari Coconut Deodorant, Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist and really any of the Fresh Holiday sets. I want to fill my bathroom floor to ceiling with their shower gels and face masks.

To keep on with my tradition with my Sephora Beauty Insider Event roundups, I’m doing another giveaway! I’m giving away one $250 eGift Card to Sephora. Open internationally, 18 years and older. Giveaway is going to run through November 1st. For a chance to win enter by using the steps in the widget below. I’ll select one person via the widget within 48 hours after giveaway ends. Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quick recap on the event dates, details and discount codes per tier below (available both online and in store):

Rouge get 20% Off 10/26-10/29 and 11/2-11/5 with code: ROUGEBONUS
VIB get 20% off 11/9-11/12 with code: VIBBonus
Insiders/ Non-BI members get 15% off 11/16-11/19 with code: BIBONUS

Most items featured were purchased or repurchased by me. Press samples indicated with a *.

136 Comments

Lips Sephora

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss Review

September 3, 2018

I picked up two of the Bite Beauty French Press Lip Glosses ($22 each for 15 oz/4.3 g, made in Canada) in Salted Caramel and Dirty Chai and liked the colors so much I decided to buy the remaining four. The French Press Lip Glosses are coffee scented sheer glosses that have a cream finish. The coffee scent is actually pleasant to me, it’s like a soft sweet coffee scent and it’s not overpowering or heavy. After testing these for a few days I feel like this is both a hit and miss at the same time. Colors are really amazing, formula is something I think could be better.

There are six shades total, all coffee-inspired ranging from a light beige to deep brown. Colors include:

Flat White is a pale cool cream pink
Vanilla Latte is a creamy beige
Salted Caramel is a medium pink beige
Dirty Chai is a pink rose
French Press is a medium brown
Black Coffee is a deep brown plum

The texture is smooth and not sticky. It feels comfortable and moderately hydrating on the lips. Color-payoff and finish is where I think this gloss could be improved. Both Flat White and Black Coffee settled into lip lines and looked really patchy. Even with extra blending I found I couldn’t make them look right. Vanilla Latte worked better for me and I found it moderately streaky. I could smooth it out by swiping the sponge applicator back and forth. However after around 15 minutes I found it settled into fine lines on my lips. To fix the streaking issue I had to layer with a lip pencil, which seemed to fix it 100%. I tested these with some MAC Lip Pencils and Laura Mercier Lip Pencils and the final result was much better.

The remaining three colors Salted Caramel, Dirty Chai and French Press have a better formula for me. I found they worked well alone on bare lips, but adding a lip pencil improves the overall look and lasting power.

Lasting power overall is average. It stays put but does fade within a few hours so I did need to reapply. I think there are better options out there including the Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick which has better coverage and lasting power, although they are thicker and more opaque. If you need something lightweight Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses are smooth and sheer. I also really like the NARS Velvet Lip Glides and the Pat McGrath LUST Glosses.

Swatch comparisons to MAC Lipglass in C-Thru, NARS Velvet Lip Glides in Stripped and Swing, Bite Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick in Caramelized and Whip, Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks in Honeycomb, Molasses, Chai and Verbena:

All this said, if you look at the customer reviews at Sephora, they’re overwhelmingly positive. For me Salted Caramel and Dirty Chai worked the best and I’m happy with those picks. The rest of the colors are so pretty but I found the formula somewhat lacking due to the settling into fine lines and streaky application. I’m willing to make the extra effort to make the other colors work, but with all the options on the market these days I think a formula should be excellent as is without any extra tweaking required.

A few shots in direct sunlight:

Bottom line I’m conflicted about my thoughts. Colors are great, formula could be a lot better. I can make them work with a little lip liner added. I don’t know that I would say it’s worth the extra effort especially with all the other options out there, but I do know many people like these.

Also shown in top photo for those curious: Lipstick Holder from Container Store, Small Mirror by simplehuman, Agave Lip Mask in Champagne, Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick in Whip, Byredo Perfume in Blanche.

You can find the Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss at Sephora and Bite Beauty. If you’re shopping at Sephora don’t forget today is the last day of their Beauty Insider Appreciation Event! You can use promo code once online, but you can use it in stores an unlimited amount of times. Valid in both US and Canada:

Rouge Members: 20% off with code YESROUGE, valid 8/24 through 9/3
VIB Members: 15% off with code YESVIB, valid 8/30 through 9/3
Beauty Insiders: 10% off with code YESINSIDER, valid 8/30 through 9/3

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

11 Comments

Hauls Sephora

Sephora Haul Picks

August 28, 2018

I have a roundup of my Sephora haul picks from the Beauty Insider Appreciation Event for Rouge. I ended up purchasing a little bit from every category for makeup, skincare and hair care. I still have a few things sitting in my online cart but since I did a massive haul I will probably not be purchasing anymore items for the event. I just hauled everything on Friday so I haven’t had time to test everything. Notes and first impressions on the items I have been able to test.

Makeup Base Picks

There were a few new bases I wanted to try out. Foundation shopping kinda stresses me out with the matching process. Some oxidize to different levels and in store lighting isn’t the best, so it can be a little tricky. There are a few other formulas I’ve been meaning to try but testers weren’t available so I’m going to have to guess sight unseen. Ones I did pick up:

beautyblender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation in 3.50 and 3.60, they only had a tester of 3.50 and while it looked good in store it did apply a little on the light side. I bought 3.60 and tried it at home which is a perfect match. I am getting tan though with regular outdoor runs. The next shades up look like a big jump so I may have to mix when I get darker. First impressions are really good, I like the coverage, it lasts all day, it’s not irritating and didn’t oxidize too much. A more detailed review to follow.
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream Oil-Free Matte in Medium Tan – I’ve yet to try any of the It Cosmetics bases even though they’re extremely popular! Medium looked too light in store but after swatching Medium Tan at home I think it may be too dark. I will report back after I give it a test.
Natasha Denona Transformatte Pore Vanishing Matte Foundation samples in 27WY, 30W and 31W. These oxidized like crazy in store on my hand, but when I tried this on the face at home they did not. I still need to do more testing, but this is a full coverage true matte. I think my best match is 31W which is more yellow/olive.
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer (mini, beauty insider perk) – excited to try this!

Swatches below. Also included MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC30 and NC35 for reference.

Also not a haul item but since some of you have asked, I wanted to share some swatches of the new First Aid Beauty Concealer. It’s available in 7 shades. I received press samples of this formula but haven’t had a chance to test this out. I will keep you posted. I think my shade match is going to be #3.

Skincare Picks

I have mostly skincare in my online shopping cart, so many things are either online only or not available in my local store. It’s tempting to stock up but for now I picked up:

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Jelly Sheet (x2), these sell at $8 per sheet, I love the moisturizer and night mask so I’m excited for this!
Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer Mini – I have the full size but love this for travel
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream and Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, will keep you posted! The online reviews make these both look very promising.
Glamglow Supermud Mask and Supercleanse restock because they’re must-haves for me
Sunday Riley Today Brightening Enzyme Water Cream beauty insider minis

Hair Care Picks

I’m in need of a curling iron and had the T3 1.25″ Iron on my list. Part of me wants to wait until holiday to see if there are any sets. Part of me wants to take advantage of the discount and buy it now. Decisions, decisions! I hauled 3 items:

Eye Makeup Picks

I already reviewed and swatched the five Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadows a few days ago. I wore Smoke yesterday and loved it! In addition I bought the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette and Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Amplifying Eye Primer. I didn’t have time to swatch or test the palette or primer but I did give them a quick look in store and the shadows are super soft and pigmented!

Lipstick Haul

I’m always a sucker for a good lip. I actually bought the Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks before but they were lost in all our moving last year. I repurchased S1ngle and Spanked, both are ultra smooth with full coverage and aren’t dry looking. I need to try more of these! I also picked up two of the Bite Beauty French Press Lip Glosses in Salted Caramel and Dirty Chai. Both are perfect neutrals. I tried Salted Caramel and think it’s the perfect pink beige. I also bought one of the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses in Estrella which is so sparkly I don’t recommend it. It’s not chunky, it’s very smooth but the shimmer is a little too much (it was an impulse buy). Last but not least the sparkles got the best of me and I picked up the Pat McGrath Lip Fetish in Gold Astral to try.

That wraps up my Sephora haul! If there are any items you want reviewed first let me know in the comments and I’ll try to prioritize those!

Have you bought anything yet for the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Event? What did you haul? You can use the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciate promo code once online and unlimited times in store. Valid in both US and Canada, dates for each tier:

Rouge Members: 20% off with code YESROUGE, valid 8/24 through 9/3
VIB Members: 15% off with code YESVIB, valid 8/30 through 9/3
Beauty Insiders: 10% off with code YESINSIDER, valid 8/30 through 9/3

First Aid Beauty concealers provided for review. Other items purchased by me.

20 Comments

Sephora

Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Event Details, Dates + Recommendations

August 24, 2018

Sephora is having a special event to celebrate their Beauty Insider Program revamp and they’re offering discount savings for all of their Beauty Insider Members! The event officially starts today for Rouge Members. Other tiers will also be able to shop the event as well. Details, dates and codes for tiers below. Note for this event you can redeem your offer with promo code once online, but you can use it in stores an unlimited amount of times. Valid in both US and Canada:

Rouge Members: 20% off with code YESROUGE, valid 8/24 through 9/3
VIB Members: 15% off with code YESVIB, valid 8/30 through 9/3
Beauty Insiders: 10% off with code YESINSIDER, valid 8/30 through 9/3

I have a list of my recommendations today and I’ll be posting a haul in the upcoming days. This came at the perfect time as there are quite a few things I’ve been wanting to try and my list has been growing! Shopping-wise I’m going to do one visit in store, but I have a feeling most of my haul is going to be an online order. I really like that Sephora lists when things are online only – makes shopping easier so I have to do less searching. For my recommendations I’ve split it into three categories for Skincare, Makeup and then Hair/Fragrance. Any press samples listed are indicated with a *.

Skincare

My favorites lately, I feel like skincare is the best to save on for this event. This is a rather lengthy list. If you have any questions let me know in the comments! I’m going to be stocking up on Fresh because I go through their skin and body care so quickly:

Saturday Skin Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist – love this for moisture without any film
Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist – best refreshing face mist for me
Kate Somerville Eradikate Daily Cleanser – a must-have to prevent clogged pores and acne
La Mer The Moisturizing Matte Lotion – best skincare splurge this summer
Lancome Eau Fraiche Douceur Micellar Cleansing Water – one of the best I’ve tried no matter how many other formulas I test out, I always go back to this
Fresh Rose Floral Toner – such a refreshing gentle toner
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment – best treatment scrub
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Glow Moisturizer – love this to help keep skin glowing
L’Occitane Refreshing Aromatic Deodorant – my holy grail deodorant
Lavanila Deodorant Elements Collection – been a longtime fan of Lavanila, this line is new
Kopari Coconut Deodorant * – smells amazing and keeps odor away
Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial – a favorite weekly resurfacing treatment for me
Sunday Riley Good Genes – best night time resurfacing acid I’ve tried, works wonders to smooth skin texture
Kate Somerville Eradikate Salicylic Acne Treatment – my new holy grail acne spot treatment
Farmacy Honey Potion Mask – review here
Glamglow Supermud Clearing Mask – holy grail clarifying mask
Tatcha The Water Cream – one of my favorite lightweight moisturizers for Florida weather
Fresh Sugar Face Polish – such a unique hydrating face scrub, smells amazing
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask – makes skin feel like it’s instantly brand new

Makeup

Sephora has so many good makeup items, it was difficult to narrow down my top picks, but these are what made the cut. I didn’t include any highlighters because I feel at this point EVERYONE should own a good highlighter by now. I do think the NARS Change of Sheen Highlighters, Natasha Denona Glow Powders and Hourglass Vanish Flash sticks are standouts. My recs for makeup:

Bobbi Brown Skin Longwear Weightless Foundation * – swatches here
Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier – excellent with the Bobbi Brown foundation for extending wear and keeping face looking matte/set all day long
Sunday Riley The Influencer Foundation – review here
Pat McGrath Labs LUST Gloss * – swatches here
Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara
NARS Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm * – swatches here
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Foundation * – review here
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder * – review here
Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid * – swatches here
Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipsticks * – swatches here, here and here
Tom Ford Lip Color – Sable Smoke and Pink Dusk shown, swatches here

Hair/Fragrance/Misc.

What I’ve been loving lately:

Christophe Robin Hydrating Leave-In Mist – best detangling spray for my hair
Moroccanoil Treatment * – forever a multi-tasking classic
IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm – obsessed with the scent of this one
IGK Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo – love this because it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave a white powder
Kerastase Resistance Shampoo for Damaged Hair *- this is more of a strengthening shampoo, I’ve nearly finished a bottle and will review the line soon, but I’m thrilled Kerastase is now at Sephora!
Jo Malone Basil and Neroli and Wood Sage and Sea Salt – both amazingly fresh and light
Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc – one of my go-to summer scents, review here
Replica Filter in Glow – review here
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover – my holy grail, I hope it’s not being discontinued!

Quick note on the Sephora disclaimer: Offer valid for Rouge members on merchandise purchases made from 12:01am PT on 8/24/18 through 11:59pm PT on 9/3/18 and for both VIB and Insider members from 12:01am PT on 8/30/18 through 11:59pm PT on 9/3/18 in Sephora US stores, Sephora Canada stores, Sephora inside JCPenney stores, and online. Offer not valid on jcp.com. Online offer valid for one-time use only; in-store offer may be redeemed multiple times. Not valid on purchases of customizable sets online or through Sephora’s customer service. Clients are limited to the purchase of three Drunk Elephant items per SKU per transaction and three Tatcha items per SKU per transaction. Not valid on Dyson, previous purchases, purchases of gift cards, FLASH, PLAY! by Sephora, gift wrapping, packaging, taxes, or shipping & handling charges. Return of discounted merchandise will be for the price actually paid. Sephora is not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen promotion codes or barcodes. Promotion offer has no cash value and may not be altered, sold, or transferred. Relevant Beauty Insider status must be attained prior to redemption. No minimum purchase required. Due to heavy demand, Sephora FLASH delivery times cannot be guaranteed for this promotion. Not valid on orders shipping outside the US or Canada. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion codes. Sephora and JCPenney employees are not eligible for this offer. Offer is subject to change, alteration, or termination by Sephora at its sole discretion at any time.

Event detail recap, code valid online at Sephora for one use, in-store multiple uses:

Rouge Members: 20% off with code YESROUGE, valid 8/24 through 9/3
VIB Members: 15% off with code YESVIB, valid 8/30 through 9/3
Beauty Insiders: 10% off with code YESINSIDER, valid 8/30 through 9/3

To celebrate even more I’m hosting a giveaway (not sponsored or affiliated). I’m giving away three $100 eGift Cards to Sephora. Open internationally – simply enter through the widget below. I’m running this through 8/29 and will pick a winner the following day. Winners are announce via this widget and also e-mailed by me. You must respond to my e-mail within 24 hours or another winner will be selected in their place. Note for this giveaway the first five entry options are mandatory. You must complete ALL five entry steps. Then there are more options for bonus entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

144 Comments

Bobbi Brown Nordstrom

Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye + Cheek Set and Nude Lip Color Trio Review

August 4, 2018

I have some quick first impressions on two of Bobbi Brown x Nordstrom Anniversary Sale sets. I picked up the Deluxe Eye + Cheek Set ($98) and Nude Lip Color Trio ($84). Both offer classic everyday colors for the conservative beauty lover. The sale ends on August 5th so I wanted to swatch these for you quickly in case they were on your radar.

The Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye + Cheek Set has an impressive offering for eyes and cheeks. It’s priced at $98 but they value it at $380. I’m not exactly sure how they came up with that value but it is still a good deal since you get 12 eyeshadows and four cheek products in a sturdy mirrored compact. There is a small eyeshadow brush I think is pretty worthless (to be frank) but to be fair when is the last time we got a decent brush in a palette anyways? It’s not a deal breaker for me, it usually isn’t plus I prefer my full size individual brushes anyways.

The eyeshadows run neutral to cool toned. Textures and finishes range from matte, to shimmer to sparkle but none have glittery chunks. There are some colors that are in the individual line you can buy full sizes of but there are also some shades that appear to be exclusive to the palette.

There are two matte blushes in Nectar (peach pink) and Desert Pink (cool muted dusty mauve) which are medium in tone. They can darken a little on oily skin but they are soft and easy to blend. There’s a Medium Bronzing Powder which is a matte as well – it’s a cool-toned brown. They’ve added a pretty Golden Pink highlighting powder which is a light golden pink frost. This is my favorite color in the entire palette.

Quality-wise everything applied smoothly and flawlessly. It definitely has a fall vibe for conservative everyday wear. Cheek colors have to be applied with a soft hand for me since they do darken a little but mixing the highlighter in helps soften the color. Eye-color wise I prefer the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Palette but the option from Bobbi Brown will give you more options.

For the lips I picked up the Nude Lip Color Trio which to be seems to have a 90’s-ish vibe but slightly softer. It has Beige Lip Pencil (pale beige), Bare Crushed Lip Color (medium warm beige pink) and Sandy Beige Lip Gloss (sheer gold champagne shimmer). The Lip Pencil and Crushed Lip Color are items you can purchase individually. The Lip Gloss is exclusive to the set but the name seems familiar to me – it may have been launched in the past. Colors are fairly standard basics but when layered together it gives the perfect everyday nude lip. It’s been a while since I layered liner + lipstick + gloss but I love the look it gives.

It comes in a cute flat zip pouch, one side is clear and I’m the biggest sucker for clear pouches:

The Bobbi Brown Beige Lip Pencil, Bare Crushed Lip Color and Sandy Beige swatches on bare lips below. I did two sets of swatches where colors were layered. The lipstick alone is very warm on me, but when you layer it on top of the pencil or add the gloss it’s toned down a lot. The MAC Nude Lip Trio I reviewed yesterday has more neutral options.

Overall classic staples that have excellent quality and wear. I personally don’t think either set is a must-have for me since I already own a lot of other colors that are similar. I really like the look of the lip colors layered but Bare Crushed Lip Color pulls very warm on my complexion and it’s a shade that will definitely need to be layered for me. For the eyeshadows I adore these kinds of shades but from the Nordstrom Sale Beauty Exclusives this year I found the MAC options better suited for my taste and skin tone. That being said I do think the Eye and Cheek set is as complete as it gets for giving you everything you need for a day to night look, it’s sturdy, has a nice large mirror and will last you a long time.

With fall beauty trickling out now and holiday launches in the future there are bound to be more palette and set options. So depending on what you already own or what you’re looking for you may want to wait and see what launches later in the year.

You can find both the Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye and Cheek Set and Nude Lip Color Trio available exclusively at Nordstrom. Both are limited-edition. There are a few more options available that I didn’t pick up. You might want to browse them if you love her line.

Don’t forget to check the Gift With Purchase options if you’re shopping online. On multiple occasions I shopped in store I was told they didn’t have them available.

Did you check out the Bobbi Brown sets? What did you think? If you passed what are your favorite Bobbi Brown items? I used to be the biggest die hard fan of her line!

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MAC Nordstrom

MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set, Lip Trio Nude and Lip Trio Pink Review

August 3, 2018

MAC always has some of the best beauty sets for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. With how much has sold out this year I’m thrilled that most of the MAC sets are still in stock online. I did stop by my local Nordstrom yesterday and a lot of the sets were sold out in store. I’d recommend checking online if you’re interested in any of the Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives. You can always use their Buy Online Pick Up In Store feature too. I use it to search for each item (on beauty, clothes and accessories) to see if my local store has items in stock. All you have to do is enter in a ZIP code and there are mile / distance options you can input. Saves a lot of time and trips in case they don’t have it in store! I hauled 3 of the MAC Nordstrom sets. Each one is priced at an incredible value for what you get:

MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set ($44.50) – Metallic eye and cheek palette, full size technakohl liner, full size extra dimension lash mascara in black
MAC Lip Trio Nude ($36.50) – Three full-size lip products
MAC Lip Trio Pink ($36.50) – Three full-size lip products

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends August 5th so there are still a few more days to shop the sale before prices go up. In the past they sometimes keep the beauty sets at the sale price until they sell out. I’m working as quickly as I can to also swatch some of the Bobbi Brown sets as some of you have asked which neutral sets are the best.

MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set

The MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set has one of the prettiest neutral-cool colors I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like it’s a different variation on the Urban Decay Naked 2 which I love but get bored of sometimes. As one who is a little meh about all the warm orange tone palettes that have flooded the market, I’m beyond thrilled about this one. There is also a MAC Nordy Girl Matte Set which I was really tempted by but I opted for the Metallic version and am 100% happy about it.

This palette has eight eyeshadows. Two are matte and the rest are gorgeous shimmers in soft silvers, muted rose shimmer, tan shimmer, grey and ash pearls. The pigment on every single color is perfect and they layer together nicely. The cheek color is a pale light pink with gold pearl. On me it’s a highlighter that gives a barely there diffused look. It highlights and brightens my skin tone without adding too much frost and I think it’s perfect. With palettes I rarely love all the colors and with this one EVERY SINGLE COLOR is perfect for me. It also comes with a full size Technakohl Liner in Graphblack (pure black) and In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara in Black.

Above wearing:

Foundation is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff (reviewed last year here, still love it for summer)
Powder is Laura Mercier Translucent Loose
Eyes and Cheeks is the Nordstrom x MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Palette – normally I would add blush or bronzer, but I wanted to show it alone for color-reference
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Primer + Mascara Waterproof
Lips is MAC Lipglass in All Things Magical (also reviewed here)

Lip Trio Nude + Pink

There are two lip sets that I picked up from the sale: Lip Trio Nude and Lip Trio Pink. Both sets have 2 full-size lipsticks and 1 full-size creamy lip glass color. I always pick up the nude set each year as they have different limited-edition exclusive colors you can’t find in their regular line. This year all the colors in these 2 sets are new.

The Lip Trio Nude has two full-size lipsticks in Pretty Natural (a perfect nude pink peach, cremesheen finish) and Love Drought (a metallic rose champagne). It also has a full-size lipglass in Body-Con (creamy nude beige). I love the colors in this set although the metallic color is very metallic. For me it’s best toned down with the lipgloss or any clear lip gloss. Texture and finish is creamy and just as good as individual full size MAC items.

The Lip Trio Pink has cooler-toned lip colors. It contains two full-size lipsticks in Petalhead (matte creamy rose) and Pink Addict (perfect metallic pink rose). It also has a full-size lipglass in Sweet as Pie (cool-toned pale rose pink). Alone the lipglass is a little too cool-toned. I prefer Cultured Lipglass or All Things Magical for a cool-pink.

I’m really happy with my haul picks. I will say if you haven’t seen or bought any of the sets yet, I’d recommend you head to your Nordstrom soon as the sale ends and so many of the sets have sold out. By comparison the Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye and Cheek Set looks similar in tone to the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic. I’m swatching and playing with it today to let you know by tomorrow first impressions but I looked at it in store and the quality looked really good. For neutral lip comparisons, I feel the MAC ones are more trendy. The Bobbi Brown Nude Lip Color Trio has more beige colors with a more everyday vibe. Also the Laura Mercier Nude Lip Collection has great options with a more neutral-pink vibe. I’m going to try and have that one swatched by Sunday but note the Laura Mercier set has existing colors you can buy anytime if you’re trying to decide on one.

Bottom line lots to love at an affordable price. I find the colors excellent and wearable but think they would suit a wide range of ages. I think they’re nice for beginners too.

You can find the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic, Lip Trio Nude and Lip Trio Pink at Nordstrom as part of their Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives this year.

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Nordstrom Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Iris Bronze Eye and Lip Set Review + Swatches

July 24, 2018

Tom Ford launched a new eyeshadow quad with two mini lipsticks in the Iris Bronze Eye and Lip Set ($87) for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. It sold out the very first day of early access and I have been checking the site daily to see if it has been restocked. No luck yet but I am hopeful it will be. The set features Iris Bronze Eyeshadow Quad which is new and two miniature lipsticks in Casablanca and Spiced Honey. Since it has sold out I’ve tried to dupe both the eye and lip colors and have found some!

Iris Bronze has the same smooth and creamy texture that all of the regular Eyeshadow Quads do. The colors are velvety, blend nicely and layer perfectly on the lids. This quad has a pale cream shimmer, a shimmering light tan champagne, soft warm bronze satin and a deep wine with a tiny hint of sparkle.

In search for dupes:

The colors are practically identical to his Private Shadow Singles in Hush, Body Double, Iris Bronze and Videotape. I own all of these except for Iris Bronze (but I have seen it in person). There are very slight differences that I can see when I look super close but on screen and from a distance the colors look like dupes. I’ve added Fire Sign and Warm Leatherette as I have those colors. In case you missed it you can see my Tom Ford Private Shadow swatches here. I also felt Iris Bronze had a similar vibe to the MAC x Patrick Starrr Glam AF Eyeshadow Quad from holiday, swatching side by side proves it’s kinda similar but still distinctly different.

In addition I’ve added Eyeshadow Quads in Cocoa Mirage and Honeymoon swatched for comparison. Similar undertone but colors and finishes are different.

The Lip Colors in Spiced Honey and Casablanca in this set are available in full-size individual form. The minis in the set are sample size so they’re a lot smaller than even the Lips and Boys. You will most likely get more than a few uses but they will be used up fairly fast. They’re a nice way to try the formula in case you’ve been holding out on splurging as the individuals are very pricey. Spiced Honey is a pale nude pink but on my lips it washes out my face and clashes with my olive skintone. It’s workable if I add a deeper liner like Edward Bess Natural or MAC Boldly Bare. For a nude I really prefer colors like Bad Lieutenant or Autoerotique (both swatched + reviewed here) or the Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Bradley (review here). Casablanca is a classic medium-deep rose that darkens on my lips. I prefer Indian Rose as it’s a tad bit softer and for me easier to wear for everyday (reviewed in last year’s set here).

The Tom Ford Lip Colors are full coverage creamy lipsticks. They have a semi-thick finish but aren’t heavy feeling. There is a slight soft vanilla scent but it’s subtle and fades after a few minutes. Lasting power of the lip color itself is very good.

Swatch comparisons: Nude Vanille, Spiced Honey, Sable Smoke, Pink Dusk, Bad Lieutenant, First Time, Autoerotique, Pussycat, Casablanca and Indian Rose

Overall I give the set a thumbs up even if the lip colors need a tiny bit of adjustment for me. Sometimes it’s nice to have minis and I don’t always mind mixing or layering lip colors. The eyeshadow quad is really beautiful – I prefer it to the singles for convenience, I would have preferred that Tom Ford launched new eyeshadow quads or at least a system similar to the MAC Pro Palettes where you can create your own palette with singles. I am hoping that Nordstrom will restock the Tom Ford set, my mind is still blown that it sold out the first day! Or at the very least I hope new quads will be launched in the fall. If you own the singles, I don’t think you need the quad but I am really happy to own it.

The Tom Ford Iris Bronze Eye and Lip set is exclusive to Nordstrom. You can still find the individual Private Shadows and Lip Colors at all Tom Ford counters. Available online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Beautylish and Tom Ford Beauty.

Were you able to purchase the set for early access? If so what did you think?

P.S. There are a few new lip products out including a Lip Lock Priming Balm and 20 shades of Lip Sculptors. I will be reviewing the balm and a few of the lip pencils soon! Also the Glamglow x Becca We Know Glow Duo finally launched online!!

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