Maintaining healthy and strong hair as I age has been a priority for me and I’m so excited to partner with HUM Nutrition to share a look at one of my favorite hair supplements. After experiencing some hair loss with stress and breakage with color treatments I started trying out some biotin supplements to help with hair growth. I’ve tried several over the years and the one I keep going back to is the HUM Hair Sweet Hair so this collaboration couldn’t be a better match for me!
The HUM Hair Sweet Hair gummies come in two sizes, a 60 count bottle and mini 14 count bottle. As someone with a sensitive stomach I like that these are easy to eat any time of day with or without food. Your mileage may vary depending on what ingredients mesh well with your body.
These contain:
Biotin, Folic Acid, B-12 all help with new hair growth by promoting healthy cell growth
PABA Para-aminobenzoic Acid helps maintain natural healthy hair color to increase hair pigment production (supposed to help prevent gray)
Zinc helps reduce hair loss by repairing the growth tissue, it’s also great to boost immunity
Fo-Ti Extract is for scalp health
According to HUM you can expect to see results in 4-8 weeks. I notice stronger healthier hair around week 4 of daily use (take 2 per day). After using these I find I experience less hair loss in the shower or bath, hair grows faster and healthier, my natural shine has returned. I highly recommend giving these a try!
Have you tried any of the HUM Supplements before? If so which ones? What did you think? Several of you have recommended I try the Glow Sweet Glow (just bought the mini of this one) or Daily Cleanse. I have the Beauty zzZz on my list to try to help with sleep. Would love to hear more about what you have in your daily routine!
I’m excited to share a look at the latest from Gucci Beauty with you! They recently started to revamp their entire makeup line and I was able to try their new Mascara L’Obscur available now online at Sephora. I’m partnering with them to share a review with you and after putting it to the test I am really pleased to report that I’ve found a winner. The mascara is a nice way to add luxury to your beauty routine.
The Gucci Mascara is currently available in one shade called Eve Black. It’s a rich deep color that defines and volumizes the lashes beautifully. Packaging is super chic with pink and gold tones which makes it a joy to use! The mascara comes with a rubberized flexible applicator that coats each lash perfectly. The small tip at the end makes it possible to apply product to the corners and bottom of the eyes. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was easy to build, adheres well to my lashes and adds volume and definition. There’s no clumping or smudging with this one which is a huge plus. Even though this isn’t a waterproof formula I found it stayed put and lasted all day on my lashes.
It gives a clean polished defined look to the eyes. You can build and layer for more drama but I would say this is a really nice everyday kind of mascara. I will definitely repurchase in the future.
A closer look below, also wearing the Rouge à Lèvres Voile Sheer Lipstick in The Painted Veil which I hauled recently and love! It’s a smooth sheer rose and now I want to try the other formulas too!
As a lip balm and lip gloss fanatic, I could not be more excited to have found a new favorite with the Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme. I cannot believe it took me so long to try out the formula and I am thrilled to partner with Too Faced to give you a peek at the new colors! The original clear color has been a popular option for years to volumize the lips. They recently added four new shades that give a very natural flush of color while adding moisture and shine.
The Lip Injection Extreme is a plumping gloss that makes the lips look fuller and super lush. They give a hint of color and feel ultra hydrating and smooth. The gloss has the most comfortable cushiony texture that I’ve ever tried and almost acts like a lip oil, but stays put on the lips.
I recommend applying within the lip line perimeter (avoid getting on the skin outside the lip line). With the plumping ingredients there is a medium tingle factor that only lasts around 5 minutes. As one with sensitive lips, I was thrilled to find the tingle disappears quickly and there is no numbing sensation. Instead, it feels like a hydrating gloss/balm and it lasts for several hours without fading or needing to reapply.
Before and after with the Original shade:
Colors include:
Original is a clear pearly color, goes on clear, transforms my lips into a soft pink
Bubblegum Yum is a soft pink
Tangerine Dream is a sheer melon
Pink Punch is a soft pink
Strawberry Kiss is the most pigmented giving a strawberry pink look
Wearing Tangerine Dream below:
Below wearing Pink Punch:
If you’re looking for a good lip plumper, I highly recommend checking out any of the Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme glosses! You can find all five shades at Sephora. The clear one also is available in a mini size.
Have you tried these before? What did you think?
Many thanks to Too Faced for partnering to sponsor this post!
Bite Beauty revamped their entire product lineup and I have a haul review to share today! I’m still very sad they discontinued and reformulated the best lip balm I’ve tried but I’m happy to report the new Agave+ is very good.
There are two new Agave+ Lip Masks in Clear and Buzzed (rose gold). I bought the tinted version and was pleasantly surprised. I found it hydrating, lush, smooth and lightly scented just like the original just a little less fruity smelling.
Buzzed is a deeper color vs the original Champagne, but it pretty much applies like a very sheer, almost clear shimmer on my lips. I found both new and original formulas worked pretty much the same on my lips. I did not notice any bad taste or bad smell for Buzzed. The only difference is the color and the newer version seems to be slightly thinner in texture, but it’s very very slight.
I’m surprised at all the overwhelmingly negative reviews online at Sephora for the new formula, although most of them seem to be for the Clear Agave color which I did not try. I was full on prepared to hate the new formula, but I don’t. Still I am upset the original was discontinued and wish they had added a new one to the line rather than pull the cult classic.
Buzzed vs Champagne
Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon
I really love the new Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayons although they are heavily scented with a fruity scent. They’re described as matte but they still have a slight creamy sheen to the finish on my lips – which is actually a plus since I prefer it that way. These are twist up lip crayons with ultra rich pigment and long lasting power. They’re one swipe wonders pigment-wise although since they’re in crayon form, you do have to swipe multiple times to fill the entire lip. I went for the neutrals. Many of the colors are already sold out online at Sephora, but you can still find them in store (use the zip code locator on their website) and also at Bite Beauty. Colors I bought:
Sugarcane – pale creamy pink
Amaretto – perfect neutral nude
Leche – nude pink
Calvados – medium brown nude
Glace – mauve
Nonino – soft berry mauve
Honeycrisp – bright coral pink
I didn’t have any of the original lipsticks or pencils to compare. I did a major purge the last move we did over the summer and got rid of a lot of older products I had. Off the top of my head the new Glace looks darker/cooler than what I remember it being and on my complexion it makes me look like death. Sugarcane also feels like it’s lighter/more pastel than what I remember the lipstick being. All the other colors are solid wins for me. My top three favorites are Amaretto, Leche and Nonino.
Below looks wearing Leche and Honeycrisp. Foundation + powder are the new Bite formulas listed below.
Same products listed above, lip color is Honeycrisp:
Changemaker Skin-Optimizing Primer Normal to Oily
There are two primers in the lineup called the Changemaker Skin-Optimizing Primer. I opted for the Normal to Oily version and this is my least favorite product I tried. I used it a few different ways: on bare skin, over the Tatcha Water Cream, over the Tatcha Dewy Cream and over the Sisley Black Rose Skin Infusion Water Cream. The primer was not compatible with any moisturizer I tried. There was tons of separation from the moisturizer and foundation any time I used the primer.
If you are looking for a good mattifying product that doesn’t add any color to the skin this is a great product. As a foundation primer though it didn’t work for me – it caused the foundation on top to separate no matter how I tried. It also had a silicone feel that sat on my skin in an unpleasant way and made my skin feel a little itchy. Luckily I did not get any allergic reactions but this one was a solid miss for me.
Changemaker Supercharged Micellar Foundation and Flexible Coverage Pressed Powder
For the bases I swatched a few colors in store and decided on M70 for the foundation and Medium 1 for the powder. I found both compatible with my moisturizers (just did not work well with the Bite Beauty primer).
The Changemaker Supercharged Micellar Foundation has smooth medium coverage and is easy to blend with fingers or a sponge. It looks very natural and has a semi-matte finish. There’s enough pigment to cover my freckles and sun spots. I was torn between M65 and M70, I’m probably in the middle right now. Since I’m at my lightest right now and tan easily I opted for M70 which is just a tad too dark but will be an exact match once the sunshine returns.
I found it lasted a long time on my skin, but depending on the moisturizer I used it did have a tendency to settle around my mouth/smile lines a little. Otherwise it performed really well and held up all day without separating or fading. It does have a silicone-like feel to it but it’s not irritating or heavy. I really liked that there was no darkening or oxidation on my skin. I like it a lot but it’s not my favorite formula.
I found the Flexible Coverage Pressed Powder shades odd as a lot of them looked really peachy. Powders tend to darken a lot on my skin so I went with a color I thought would be a little bit lighter. Medium 1 works perfectly for my skin – it’s semi-sheer and applies smoothly with a brush to set/mattify the entire face. It’s very lightweight and I like it a lot! I haven’t tried it with other foundation formulas but I love it with the Bite Beauty foundation.
Overall I found the new Agave+ Lip Mask and Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayons to be hits for me. I really wanted to love the new base products but it’s not 100% love. The primer is a miss. The foundation and powder are good, but not holy grail material for me. I will continue to reach for them and use both, but they’re not must-haves.
Have you checked out the new Bite Beauty launches yet? What did you think of the new lip mask versus the original?
You can find the new Bite Beauty launches at Sephora and online at Bite Beauty. I hauled my picks from Sephora.
I have a Patrick Ta Beauty haul to share today! I’ve accumulated quite a few things I’ve purchased from Sephora over the past few months. As a neutral nude makeup lover I was really interested in his Monochrome Moment collection and so I’ve put together a roundup of everything I’ve tested to date. Overall I think there are some really nice pieces, but I don’t think they’ll appeal to everyone. More thoughts on why for each product below.
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Major Glow Lip Shine
Up first are the Patrick Ta Major Glow Lip Shines ($22 each) in three colors. These are smooth non sticky glosses with a minty scent. There’s no tingle sensation as one might expect with the mint and they feel smooth without any gritty texture even with the sparkle. These have a clear base even though they look tinted in the tubes. The sparkles are different colors. These are pretty alone or on top of lipstick, but I wish there was more visible color payoff rather than just sparkle. Lasting power isn’t the best – they feel like they disappear from lips fairly quickly. I prefer Pat McGrath and Hourglass glosses for texture, color and lasting power.
I have two different kinds of applicators: two have a flat sponge tip and one has an angled sponge tip. I’m not sure if they changed it at some point or if there are different applicators for different colors.
Monochrome Moment: Silky Lip Creme and Precision Lip Crayon
As a neutral lip lover the Monochrome Moment had me so excited. The colors ended up being a lot different than promotional stock photos and swatches but I still really like the concept and colors. I bought 3 of the Silky Lip Cremes (the lightest one was too light for my skin tone) in She’s Independent, She’s Secure, She’s Confident and they’re all warmer and lighter than I anticipated. To get a better sense of the undertone I included swatches of other colors I thought would in the same color family including Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Fusion in Beige Naturel, Tom Ford Lip Lacquer in Universal Appeal, Lawless Soft Matte Liquid Lipsticks in Leo and George, NARS Velvet Lip Glides in Swing and Xenon, NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in American Woman and Fenty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncuffed.
She’s Independent is a neutral pink beige nude, She’s Secure is a warm peachy pink nude, She’s Confident is the darkest option which is a warm nude rose. I anticipated them being more rosy and cool-toned. On me they all pull warm.
Texture wise they’re like liquid cremes that don’t dry down to a matte finish (which I really love). They’re super creamy and opaque and give full coverage with a tiny bit of shine. They will transfer if you touch your lips, in particular I found they stuck to my teeth easily. Lasting power is decent as long as you don’t touch your lips. If you’re looking for a neutral rose I recommend passing on the colors he has out right now.
The Precision Lip Crayons are click-up pencils with an angled flat tip. They’re creamy and easy to apply for full coverage. I recommend feathering as they’re very opaque and have a matte finish. Once they set they are super long wearing. You can definitely pair these with the Silky Lip Creme but the lip cremes are so pigmented and opaque the liners won’t show through. I bought three: She’s Humble is a neutral nude pink and She’s Proud is a slightly deeper rose and She’s Strong is a cool-toned brown.
Lip swatches of 2 of the lip pencils and 3 lip cremes:
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Velvet Blush
I hauled all four the Monochrome Moment Velvet Blushes and think these will be hit or miss depending on how much color payoff you want in a blush. The texture is stiff/hard but not so hard that it’s impossible to pick up color. The texture makes it so the product is buildable and will give you a natural blushed look without being overdone. Swatching on hand in store won’t give you the true sense of how these apply on the face. Fingers barely pick up any powder or pigment. Using a brush and swatching on hand as well won’t show you much color. Sheer/hard texture doesn’t necessarily mean bad – they do show up on my skin, I just wish it had a softer and easier to apply formula.
Swatches on the arm with a heavy hand and then below applied on the face, She’s Adorable has the best color payoff/pigment:
For skintone reference I am wearing the Milk Flex Foundation Stick in Golden Sand, equivalent of Armani Luminous Silk in 6.5, MAC NC30-35, Pat McGrath 14 or 15, Chanel Ultra Le Teint Velvet in Beige 40. I’m starting to lose my tan slightly and I’ve also gone back to 100% dark hair as I’m trying to grow out my highlights. My colorist added a dark toner that almost matches my natural hair color last week.
Blushes are packed on pretty heavily on the face to show the color differences. With regular application of just one or two swipes the color is a lot more sheer.
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Major Glow On the Go Duo
The last thing I wanted to review was the Major Glow on the Go Duo with the Glitter Body Oil in A Dream and Major Glow Lip Shine in She’s Expensive. I really like the body oil finish and texture – it has a spritzer applicator and the oil itself smells like sweet candy. I’m not the biggest fan of the scent but it’s not a deal breaker and it fades after a few minutes. The Lip Shine isn’t a must for me but if you’re looking for a subtle glitter gloss this is a nice one to try.
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Overall I really love the lip liners for the lasting power, texture and packaging! The lip cremes have a nice texture but the colors weren’t anything like I expected. The ones I bought still work for a nude lip look on my complexion but they’re very warm toned so may not work for all skin tones. I would like them more if they didn’t transfer to my teeth so easily. The blushes are nice for a subtle everyday kind of blush but the stiff texture and sheer color payoff will most likely make it a miss for many. While I don’t think they’re bad I do think other brands and options are better. The lip shines are just ok for me – I had higher expectations and hopes with the pretty sparkle, on my lips they’re so sheer and the lasting power isn’t there.
Have you tried anything from Patrick Ta Beauty? What did you think?
The Sephora Holiday Bonus Event opens up for all beauty insider tiers today! I rounded up my top makeup favorites last week. Today I’m rounding up the skin, hair and body care favorites you can find at Sephora. The weather is still warm here but has definitely shifted to cooler temperatures. My skincare routine has changed up a little with more hydrating creams and lotions. If you’re shopping online use code HOLIDAYSAVE (some exclusions apply). Details for all tiers are as follows:
Rouge Members can save 20% off 11/1 to 11/11
VIBs can save 15% off 11/7 to 11/11
Beauty Insiders can save 10% off 11/7 to 11/11
Press samples featured have a * next to them below. All others purchased and often repurchased by me.
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Cleansers + Makeup Removers
My favorite brands are Kate Somerville, Farmacy and Tatcha. I also really like SK-II but haven’t restocked on them in quite some time as I’ve found more affordable alternatives.
I always use a toner after every cleanse to balance the skin and make sure every trace of residue is removed. I love a good face mist – there are so many good ones!
This is the area I’ve switched up the most. My face is noticeably more dry and combination. I’ve used up quite a few of these so I don’t have them all right now – but favorites I’ve had in rotation.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream – currently out of this in the full size but am living off my minis that I stocked up on earlier in the year, best all around moisturizer
Farmacy Better Daze Ahead * – the only CBD cream I’ve tried I actually like, I used this on my face when it reacted badly to sunscreen testing, was the only thing that helped it calm down
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Oil – the best night time oil to help replenish moisture and repair skin overnight, I just discovered Andrew uses this too (he “borrowed” mine and put it in his bathroom cabinet, lol) – also available in this Midnight Must-Haves Set which I hauled yesterday
Kate Somerville RetAsphere Micro Peel – one of the few night time peels I can use without it irritating my skin, a gentle but effective resurfacing treatment
Sunday Riley Good Genes – probably the best lactic acid night resurfacing treatment I’ve tried, I use it sparingly though, around 1x per week, sometimes 2x! For those who don’t want to splurge on the full size, I highly recommend you try in smaller trial sizes available in the holiday sets like the Power Trio (just ordered), Power Couple or the Flash Fix Kit
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Treatments: Mask, Acne, Resurfacing
Treating spot acne is something we’ve had to do more frequently over the summer. I stopped using any kind of acid over the summer but occasionally do a light peel.
Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Baby Facial – best at home gentle peel ever, it has a high tingle level so your mileage may vary depending on how sensitive your skin is
Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Spot Treatment – our most repurchased acne spot treatment, Andrew uses this the most out of all the acne products we’ve bought
Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum – I don’t often use brightening serums, but this is the one I’ve liked the most, when I use it consistently I notice a huge difference in texture and brightness
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Hair Styling Favorites
I’m obsessed with Living Proof and IGK for hair styling products. Shampoo loves have been Olaplex, Briogeo and Christophe Robin in the past but these days I’m really obsessed with Sisley and Oribe (which aren’t available at Sephora):
Living Proof Flex Hairspray – I asked readers on Instagram stories about a year ago what the best hairspray at Sephora was and this was the one most recommended, I 100% agree, it holds hair in place but doesn’t leave it crunchy!
Living Proof No-Frizz Instant De-Frizzer – frizz is such a huge issue in Florida humidity, even with blow-dry treatments or serums there is still frizz! This saved my life this summer, I spray it and brush it through and it works like nothing else I’ve tried
Bumble and Bumble Bb.Glow Thermal Protection Mist – I saw this everywhere on Instagram and was influenced to buy it, I absolutely love it, it’s now a close tie with the Oribe Royal Blowout Spray for me
This is the category I use up the most frequently as Andrew and I share a lot of our body care products.
Sol de Janiero Brazilian 4 Play Shower Cream – I used the sunscreen oil in this scent during a trip to Miami and ever since then it reminds Andrew of being on vacation! I love this because it’s hydrating and smells amazing!
Sol de Janiero Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish Care – I bought this over the summer and think it’s the best foot cream I’ve tried because it dries to a velvety no-slip finish, the board is super effective too
That wraps up my lengthy favorites list for skin care, hair care and body care! I realize it’s a lot – but I put a lot to the test and rotate frequently. I hope this gives you some ideas by category if you’re in search of something specific. Always happy to answer questions if you have any. The skincare sets are so good this year – it was hard for me to narrow down my picks but I stocked up on some Kiehl’s, Farmacy Beauty and First Aid Beauty.
Let me know what you ended up hauling!
I’ve put together a giveaway with some favorites. To enter use the widget below and complete at least THREE of the steps in the widget below. It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter. Giveaway will run through Monday 11/11 11:59PM EST. I’ll email the winner within 24 hours and they must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be selected in their place. Not sponsored or affiliated.
One winner will be selected via the widget to win: Kosas Wet Lip Oil in Fruitjuice, Urban Decay On the Run Palette, ABH Glow Kit in Sweets, Pat McGrath Mini MatteTrance Trio, Pat McGrath MatteTrance in Guinevere, Tatcha mini Water Cream, Tatcha mini Dewy Cream, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Glow Powder + Brush, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick Cocoa, Laura Mercier Primer, Urban Decay Setting Spray, Hourglass Minis x4.
I’ve been testing out some luxury lipsticks from Givenchy in the Le Rouge Classic formula alongside their new Le Rouge Deep Velvet and Le Rouge Night Noir options. Given that the Classic is such an iconic formula I cannot believe it has taken me so long to try them out. I’ve teamed up with Givenchy Beauty to give all three formulas a test. You can find them at Sephora ($38 each for 3.4 g/0.12 oz). They’re also available at a discounted price during the Sephora Holiday Bonus Event (now through 11/11) if you’re a beauty insider!
Each lipstick formula has a special case that coordinates with the formula finish. The Classic has a black leather casing, Deep Velvet has a deep red plush velvet case and Night Noir has a fun sparkling glittery black case.
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Le Rouge Classic
The Le Rouge Classic is my personal favorite of the three. It’s your classic luxury lipstick with a semi-matte soft satiny finish. Pigment is phenomenal and offers smooth full coverage with a single swipe but isn’t heavy. It feels comfortable and hydrating on the lips (it contains hyaluronic acid for moisture). Lasting power is excellent and stays put for hours without creasing or budging. I was sent three colors to test: 103 Brun Createur is a warm rose pink, 304 Mandarin Bolero is a bright coral cream, 333 L’Interdit is a classic deep red.
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Le Rouge Deep Velvet
The Le Rouge Deep Velvet is a modern matte with a lightweight velvety soft texture. It has a very smooth matte finish and is super comfortable on the lips. It doesn’t feel dry or thick. This is now ranked in my top 3 favorite matte lipstick finishes. I put three colors to the test in 10 Beige Nu which is a cool toned pink nude, 33 Orange Sable is a hot bright coral, 42 Violet Velours is a perfect soft plum. With this formula you also get full smooth coverage with one layer – it’s a one-swipe wonder!
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Le Rouge Night Noir
Last but not least is the Le Rouge Night Noir which comes in six color options. These are sparkly deep colors you can wear alone or on top of lipstick. It will deepen any lipstick you layer it on top of. There are tiny flecks of micro sparkle in these but there is no gritty texture. They’re 100% smooth and glide onto the lips with a shiny finish. 01 Night in Light is a deep black berry with glitter. 05 Night in Red is a deep reddish glitter with slight plum tones. I think Night in Red is going to be fun for holiday – especially if you want to wear a color that isn’t neutral but isn’t too bright.
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A closer look at my favorites from each formula: Le Rouge Classic in N103 Brun Createur, Le Rouge Deep Velvet in N10 Beige Nu and Le Rouge Night Noir in N2 Night in Red.
Out of the three I think the Classic formula is my favorite and if you’re looking to gift one to a friend this is the one to go with! You can find all three formulas out now at Sephora. Have you tried this lipstick formula yet? I’m still new to the line – any other favorites you think I should try out?
Quick reminder for the Sephora Holiday Bonus Event you can save up to 20% off purchases online and in store with code HOLIDAYSAVE (some exclusions apply). Dates and discounts for all tiers are as follows:
