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On Instagram

May 30, 2016

It’s been a while since I’ve done an Instagram roundup on the blog. I’ve been incorporating a few accessory and fashion bits about new discoveries and loves. It’s peony season right now and although I suspect will be ending soon, I’ve been enjoying every bit of it while it lasts.

I’ll be in NYC and Brooklyn next month and would love any recommendations on what to see, eat or visit. I’ll only be there for a few days but I have a list in the making right now 🙂

I’ve been on a shoe kick recently – a few of my beloved J.Crew flats were seeing better days and I reluctantly threw them away and gave my shoe closet an update. Thankfully they brought back the Cece Flats which are the same fit but a lot more comfortable (I picked up the black suede and tan leather options). These Chloe Scalloped Flats are by far the most comfortable I’ve tried and well worth the splurge. There’s a $100 Sam Edelman dupe here and $42 version/similar style here. I haven’t tried either for sizing/fit but if you’re looking for a similar look you may want to check those out.

For sandals, the Madewell Boardwalk Lace-Ups are perfect for summer. I wouldn’t recommend them for active wear or super long walks, but they are comfortable for weekend beach wear. I sized a half size down (they ran a bit big). If you need something a bit more sturdy the Boardwalk Crisscross is more substantial option.

A few of you recommended the La Mer Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask a few weeks back. I was gifted a couple sheet sets and you were all right – it’s amazing!! I’m waiting for a good gift with purchase to pop up before splurging on a full pack. I’m also about to start testing the AmorePacific Moisture Bound Sheet Mask as well so depending on how that one works I may wait and splurge on that set instead (review soon).

Several of you have been e-mailed me for bronzer recommendations. If you’re looking for something new and matte, the two Urban Decay Beached Bronzers are really nice (I prefer sunkissed). If you can’t do warm bronzers, Tom Ford Terra is the best neutral-cool matte I’ve tried. I’ll have a summer beauty round up soon and will do a separate bronzer post in the next couple of weeks.

Two last notes – if you’re in search of a beautiful coffee table book or gift, Gray Malin Beaches is amazing! I ordered a few of the special edition ones and the photographs in the book are phenomenal. (Regular edition available on Amazon.)

If you haven’t checked out the Diptyque Voyages Collection – I recommend doing so soon. They have select perfumes, skincare items and body care in mini travel sizes. The perfumes are so cute! (Quick post on one of them here.)

To my US readers I hope you are enjoying the day off this Memorial Day!

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Play! by Sephora – May 2016 Box

May 22, 2016

I signed up for the Play! by Sephora wait list several months ago and just received my first box for May 2016. For those not familiar with these boxes, Sephora launched a monthly subscription service and for $10 per month you will receive a box that has:

5 deluxe samples plus a fragrance bonus
a pamphlet they call Play! Book which has information on the box contents + tips and tricks
a card called Play! Pass which allows you to redeem a free one-on-one tutorial + bonus points with any product purchase during the same store visit
collectible makeup bag

Right now you can only subscribe online at Sephora.com/play – they have you sign up for a waitlist and once a spot opens they will send you an e-mail to claim a spot and join.

I have a first impressions look at the May 2016 Box contents as it just arrived in the mail a few days ago – eight sample-sized products come wrapped in a super cute drawstring pouch. It’s photographed above on my desktop to show the scale and size relative to other items.

A look at the contents below, as of right now I haven’t had a chance to try the items with the exception of the colors and perfume. I’m in the process of testing some other skincare items but once that is finished I’ll be diving into the samples from this box. Inside the May 2016 Box:

Korres Wild Rose Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial (0.34 fl oz/10 ml)
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Kimchi (0.05 oz/1.55 g, swatched on lips here)
Origins Maskimizer Skin-Optimizing Mask Primer (0.05 fl oz/1.5 ml)
Origins Clear Improvement Mask Packet (0.1 fl oz/3 ml)
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask (0.1 fl oz/3 ml)
Briogio Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask (1 oz/29 ml)
Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram (0.04 g)
Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine (no size listed, but it’s a tiny vial)

My beauty friend Café Makeup has a post on the same box and many of my thoughts are similar to hers. I think it’s a fun low-investment kind of beauty buy and at $10 per month I think the cost is relatively low and considering the cost of shipping (which they do not charge you extra for). Based on the May Box I think Sephora sent out a good selection of decent sized samples for that price. Even though the sizes of the samples are small enough that you should be able to get for free at the counter I have found samples to be scarce when shopping in store at larger retailers. Of course there are exceptions and building a good relationship with a sales associate does help. However as Amy mentioned in her post I agree it seems like a few years ago you could shop at a store and counters were much more generous with samples. These days they seem to be scarce.

I’m happy with my first Play! by Sephora Box. I think it’s fun to get a surprise box of samples and it offers some things I would have never thought to try so the exploration part is fun. At this time I plan on keeping my subscription to see how it goes.

If you haven’t subscribed for these you can add your name to the wait list online at sephora.com/play – right now the only way to purchase a subscription is online. I’m not sure how long the wait is. I think I entered in my e-mail early in the year and received an e-mail that I was off the wait list in April. There’s a full page of FAQs here in case you have more questions.

I hope you enjoyed this first look at the Play! by Sephora Box 🙂 Have you signed up for it? If you were able to join earlier and have already received a few months of boxes what do you think? Would love to hear your thoughts!

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Suqqu Summer 2016 – Creamy Glow Lipstick EX-20 and EX-21 and Blend Color Eyeshadow EX-31

May 16, 2016

I was thrilled to be able to finally try a few items from the Japanese beauty line called Suqqu. It’s a brand that’s been on my radar for years but it’s not easily accessible to those in the US. I was sent a few pieces from the Summer 2016 Collection to try and literally could not contain my excitement while swatching these items. The collection is a UK exclusive that you can find online and in stores at Selfridges. I have 3 items to feature here, but for reference Sweet Makeup Temptations has the entire collection reviewed and swatched on her blog in case you are curious about the other items.

I was able to test out the following:

Blend Color Eyeshadow EX-31 Gyoukou £45 for 0.16 oz/4.6 g – this is an eyeshadow quad with some of the softest silkiest eyeshadows I’ve ever tried. The palette has a mix of different textures including a shimmering yellow, sheer matte white, matte burnt orange and satiny cool brown shade. All the colors are extremely easy to blend and layer together – the white is very soft and while I swatched it with a heavy hand on the arm to show the color, on the lids it’s almost translucent when you blend it out. The shades come in a mirrored compact with some of the best compact brushes I’ve ever tried and are made with excellent craftsmanship (most compacts come with applicators that are completely worthless). I have mixed feelings about this quad due to the colors. Quality, pigment, application and lasting power are all top of the line, but the colors are very warm and quite outside my comfort zone. I know they are designed for a more colorful summer look, but I tried these several different ways and yellow/orange really aren’t my colors. Based on my testing I do think the quality, design and pigment are excellent. Now that I’ve been able to see for myself how good these are I am going to do some investigating on other colors and try to order a few (if you have any recs please let me know!).

Creamy Moist Lipstick in EX-20 Hyaku Daidai £27 for 0.13 oz/3.8 g – this is a richly pigmented creamy lipstick and just as the name implies, very moist. Both of the shades I tried are full-coverage colors with an insanely luxuriously creamy texture. I love coral-like shades and usually wear softer peaches but EX-20 is really quite striking even though it’s orange. It has a fun summery vibe. There is a tiny bit of shimmer in this one – it’s visible in the tube and on the lips but not in an overly frosted way. Lasting power is very good and the color stays put as long as you don’t touch your lips.

Creamy Moist Lipstick in EX-21 Senka £27 for 0.13 oz/3.8 g – this is a bright raspberry pink. It’s medium-deep and bright all at the same time. On me it pulls neutral-cool but still has enough warmth in the base that it doesn’t look blueish. If you like lots of bold color this is really quite pretty.

Swatches of all three, first with flash:

Without flash:

A closer look at each item:

Eye look of all four shades layered and blended, you may not be able to detect any of the white, but it was used as the last step to blend out any harsh edges:

After years of reading so many wonderful reviews on the brand I’m thrilled to finally have been able to try a few items. The quality is top notch – I’m so impressed with the texture of everything. The eyeshadows are unbelievably soft – almost pillow soft to the touch. They blend beautifully but the colors in EX-31 just really aren’t my kind of colors. The Creamy Glow Lipsticks are everything everyone has raved about – creamy, glowy, moist with full and flawless coverage. The neutral lip lover in me is dying to try some of the more neutral shades – if you have any recommendations on where to start please let me know in the comments.

I do believe the items in the summer collection are limited-edition (I’ll update once I confirm), currently available at Selfridges. I’m still in the spring mindset for colors (although I do love a good bronzer year round) but the lip items will be perfect for warmer months when brighter colors feel more in season (at least for me).

Have you tried anything from Suqqu before?

Many thanks to Suqqu for sending a few items for me to play with.

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Birchbox Beauty in Bloom Box for Spring (Limited-Edition)

May 14, 2016

Birchbox launched a new limited-edition box for spring called Beauty in Bloom ($64 for a $188 retail value). Many of you are familiar with the monthly subscription boxes they offer for both women and men, but they also have special Limited-Edition Boxes available that are really good deals. The Beauty in Bloom Box is one of those boxes you can purchase whether or not you’re a subscriber that has a pretty mix of makeup, skincare and accessories – all of which I will use. Sometimes pre-made kits can be a miss even if the set is a good deal – if there’s a good portion in the set you don’t think you’ll use or are interested in trying, even a good deal can be a waste. This one is a really good one and has a mix of full-sized items with trial-sized minis.

Here’s what’s in the box, I’ve linked the full-size individual items from Birchbox in the image for reference if you’re only interested in some of the items but I’ll list them below as well:

The box comes beautifully packaged in a large pink box which makes it all ready to go for gifting if you’re looking for a spring birthday gift (or for any occasion):

NEST Fragrance Votive Candle (mini) in Grapefruit – I tried NEST for the first time over the holiday and was so impressed with the throw and strength of the candles, I find they are reasonably priced, this is my first time smelling grapefruit and it’s sweet but not overly sweet – the little votive fills our entire place with the scent in a matter of minutes
NEST Fragrances Indigo Eau de Parfum – this is my first time trying NEST fragrances, the little one comes with a rollerball tip which is really convenient, Indigo is a very sweet blackberry floral, along the lines of Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay but more floral, it’s very strong but doesn’t cause migraines for me, I’m undecided on this one because it’s extremely sweet, but I like having a decent sized mini to try out
Lollia Relax Shea Butter Hand Cream – Travel Size – my box has the lavender one which I have not yet had a chance to try but the packaging is really cute and I like lavender scents for hand creams, since the box is limited-edition I wanted to write about it and let you know before it sold out
Davines OI/Oil – I used this many years ago and did a blog post on this in the early days of the Beauty Look Book blog, my local salon carried the line but over the years they downsized what they carried in store so I never repurchased, it’s a versatile oil you can use pre-heat styling or after, I love the way it smells which is hard to describe but it adds shine and makes the hair super soft without feeling heavy or greasy, there are over 4,700 reviews on this one online at Birchbox, I really believe this one is worth the splurge of a full bottle, I need to make a note to myself to order
Laura Gellar Baked Blush in Maui (full size) – different boxes get different colors, mine had Maui inside which is a soft matte pink, in general I don’t like baked matte blushes because they almost always darken on my skin and make it look flat/lifeless, Maui is a soft buildable pink with a smooth texture that’s flawless, I’m still testing this out but it didn’t darken on my skin
Stila HUGE Extreme lash mascara – I love mascara minis but am the biggest skeptic when it comes to trying mascara, I have straight lashes and often times mascaras do not hold the curl or smudge like crazy on me, I had little to no expectation for this one and was surprised to find how amazing this one is, it held the curl, made lashes look huge without being clumpy and did not smudge, the only downside is I found it very challenging to remove at the end of the day, but given the effect and results I’m willing to overlook that
Mally Beauty Eye-Amplifying Shadow Liner (full size) in Stone – there are different color options for the boxes, I’m not sure if you’re able to pick out the color, Stone is a cool silver taupe that blends with impressive pigment, you do have to blend quickly because once it sets it does not budge at all, I like the formula but the color seems on the light side to be a liner, it works well as a shadow for me
Darphin Intral Toner (travel-size) is something I’ve always wanted to try but didn’t want to buy the full size without being able to test it, I haven’t used this one yet but it’s on my list to try out in the upcoming week
Smith and Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer in Hi-Speed Sonnet is a medium rosey pink with high shine and shimmer, as many of you know most of the Smith and Cult glosses are very sheer in color, this one had a lot more pigment and color payoff compared to the others I’ve tried
Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist (travel-size) is a classic staple as far as face mists go, it’s a gentle and soft refresher you can apply before moisturizer
Umbra Prisma Tray is the cutest tray I’ve seen in a long time and well made for the price (it’s $15 separately), I love how the brass accent adds an edgy but classic touch to it while the neutral canvas base makes it look feminine and soft

Swatches of some of the color items:

Quick snapshot of the lips and cheeks:

One last look:

For $64 I think the Beauty in Bloom Box is a steal. I think it’s a well balanced kit that has a little bit of everything and all the items in it are products I can see myself using. I think accessories are sometimes hard to pick out for others or for kits – everyone has different styles or tastes. There have been some kits with hair accessories I would never ever wear. The tray in this one is one I think is possibly universal regardless of style or age – it makes a great accent piece. The minis are generously sized which gives you more than just a 1-3x use so you can give them a better test drive before deciding to buy any full sized version.

I give this one a thumbs up. You can find the Birchbox Beauty in Bloom Box for $64 online at Birchbox. Do note it’s a limited-edition box.

Beauty in Bloom was provided courtesy of Birchbox for review consideration.

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Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipsticks

May 13, 2016

Buxom Cosmetics launched a new liquid lipstick formula called the Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipsticks ($21 each for5 ml/0.18 fl oz). These are indeed very lightweight in feel with a whipped texture that has a soft velvety matte finish. Unlike most matte finish lip products though, it doesn’t feel matte at all, but rather has a cushiony soft moisturizing feel almost like a balm. I personally do not like matte finish lipsticks or matte liquid lipsticks because I find them drying in formula, make the lips look wrinkled because of the intense pigment and the colors usually darken or look dusty once they’ve dried. There are few exceptions with really good matte formulas I am willing to wear including Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, Louboutin Matte Lipstick and Tatcha Kyoto Red – the Buxom Wildly Whipped formula also now falls into that category.

There are 12 shades total that come in a wide range from neutrals, to reds, corals, plums and pinks. All the shades offer full coverage with a single stroke although to cover the entire lip and get application precise around the edges I like to swipe a few times to apply. The tips come with a beveled sponge which makes application easy (I really appreciate well-designed applicators). They do have a plumping formula to make the lips look full, but they don’t tingle like the Full On Lip Polishes or Lip Creams (several shades swatched here). I liked that they did not dry out my lips and the days after swatching and test wear – my lips did not show any signs of peeling or flaking. Lasting power is medium – I would say they last for a few hours as long as you don’t snack, drink or touch your lips. There will be color transfer if your lips touch anything – but other than that they do stay fresh looking for a relatively long time.

A closer look at all the shades and swatches:

Descriptions:

Nudist is a light nude

Centerfold is a warm nude

Instigator is a fig neutral

Devious Dolly is a warm rose mauve

Wandress is a medium pink

Lover is a bright rose pink

Moonlighter is a bright pink-red

Flaunter is a bright warm orange

Dominatrix is a deep red

Exhibitionist is a bright fuschia pink

Criminal is a deep purple plum

Swinger is a medium lavender purple

Swatches with flash:

Swatches in natural light without flash:

Lip swatches of all shades on bare lips, for skintone reference I’m wearing Becca Aqualuminous Foundation in Beige in some photos while others I’m wearing the Make Up For Ever Foundation Stick in 123 + translucent powder. These are all matte in finish – the sheen in the photos is due to the camera flash/lighting.

Most of the shades have very smooth streak-free coverage. I found the darkest shade Criminal to be very patchy but dark shades can be hard for me to wear because the contrast makes it where if any of my natural lip shows through – it really shows through. As soon as I saw all the corals reds I thought they would all look the same, but after swatching them I really do see the difference in undertone. Some are deeper or brighter, others have more pink or orange undertone. If you like reds – there are quite a few options to choose from.

My top picks and favorites are Devious Dolly, Instigator, Centerfold and Lover. They’re all on the bold side but I like that there are wearable shades mixed in for the neutral lip lover. I’ve been reaching for Devious Dolly a lot because I think it’s conservative enough for everyday wear but has enough color and pigment in it that makes it more fun than the everyday pink nude or neutral.

I give the formula a thumbs up – it’s really quite unique compared to anything else I’ve tried. I like that they don’t dry down like a traditional matte – they have a soft cushiony feel with a very very slight sheen which makes them look more natural as it catches the light. I would call the finish a soft matte that has a slightly diffused finish. If you look through other photos and swatches @buxomcosmetics or search #buxombabe you can see how these look on others to get a better idea of the finish.

Bottom line – I highly recommend you try one. You can find the Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipsticks at Sephora and Ulta. They retail for $21 each.

Wildly Whipped Lipsticks provided courtesy of Buxom Cosmetics.

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Spring Skincare Favorites for Sensitive Skin

May 10, 2016

Today I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share a roundup of my favorite tried-and-true skincare products for spring – ones that I find particularly good for my super sensitive skin. When it comes to skincare I like to rotate through different products depending on the season and how my skin feels during a particular moment in time but many of you have asked for a list of my most re-purchased beauty items so I’m sharing a roundup of some of those items with you today. I just turned 35 and anti-aging is a big focus for me. For right now my main concerns with skincare are finding products that have anti-aging ingredients, help maintain a healthy glow and most importantly help keep texture smooth.

First up is my favorite toner of all time which is the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. It’s which is one of the skincare items I find essential to my daily routine. Having a good toner keeps the skin clear and break-out free by removing dirt, dead skin cells or any remnants of soap/cleanser residue on the skin that may remain after washing the face. The SK-II toner helps rebalance or soothe my skin. It works wonders to help smooth texture, makes it feel clean, isn’t sticky, makes pores smaller, softens the complexion, doesn’t irritate and doesn’t leave a film but still hydrates. I’ve purchased numerous bottles and no matter what other toners I try, I keep coming back to this one.

Using cleansing oils to double cleanse is also really important to help me have clear skin. I alternate between cleansing waters and cleansing oils to remove face makeup as a first step, then follow with a regular liquid or clay cleanser. I’ve found a lot of loves for cleansing oil, but the SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil is the best for sensitive skin. It took me a long time to decide to splurge on this one because it’s on the pricey side. There are definitely a lot of more affordable options that will work just as well (even for sensitive skin) but the one from SK-II has one of the most pleasant unique smells that is soothing. It almost has a cushiony feel when you apply it to the face. It’s soothing, emulsifies well with warm water, removes all traces of face makeup without leaving any residue. I feel like I’m hypersensitive to any kind of residue from makeup removers and this one leaves the skin feeling softly hydrated and clean but not tight and there’s no film leftover.

Finding a good facial cotton is important to me because tiny little fibers often stick to my lashes and irritate my eyes. The Cle de Peau Beaute Facial Cotton is hands down worth the splurge and my most repurchased face cotton since discovering. Many have said in previous posts they feel that the Shiseido Facial Cotton is identical for a fraction of the price. I’ve tried both and used Shiseido for a long time (I still do). I personally didn’t believe there would be a difference either – I’m glad I gave it a chance because it’s thicker and more sturdy while still being super soft. The size is perfect to remove all face makeup and eye makeup with 1 pad while with other brands I find I often have to use 2-3 to remove eye makeup and then all the face makeup.

Another game changer for me has been the Kate Somerville Eradikate Acne Treatment Swaps. These are the one-time-use on-the-go version of the original Kate Somervillle Eradikate Acne Treatment (which comes in a bottle). These contain the highest level of sulfur allowed to treat acne and it really helps keep skin clear of new breakouts – if I feel one surfacing I use this at night because of the pink tint and it helps dry out the area without making it sting or peel. The full size bottle is a better buy but the individually packaged swabs are super easy to use, convenient and you can take them anywhere with you. These work on my husband’s skin too. He uses them on a regular basis for spot treatments. Really anything in the Eradikate line is good. I’ve tried several items during a few Kate Somerville facials – the Eradikate Mask Foam is amazing!

It took me a long time to get into beauty oils because I felt like a regular cream just felt better on the skin. However two I swear by are the Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate and Kate Somerville Dilo Oil. Both recommended to me by Beauty Look Book readers and friends. With so many raves I knew I had to try them and I’m glad I did. There have been a few oils that were too rich for my skin and caused tiny bumps (a few from Lancome and some other brands) so I’m always very nervous to put these on my skin. My personal go-to is still the L’Occitane Divine Youth Oil which I’ve used up entirely and repurchased but several of my friends who tried it said it wasn’t hydrating enough. I have normal combination skin (not oily though). Friends with normal to dry skin said they needed something more and I had them test out the Kiehl’s and Kate Somerville as well. Both are really good at restoring the skin’s moisture but are quick to absorb. They leave the skin feeling well hydrated without the greasy feel and both are suitable for super sensitive skin. For me and a couple of my friends – no break outs, no irritation and no clogging with these.

The Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate has antioxidants to protect the skin from daily pollutants. It leaves the skin feeling refreshed and glowing. I find it suitable for my combination skin but if you’re on the oily side you may find it too rich. The Kate Somerville Dilo Oil helps restore the skin’s moisture but has a firming feel to it. It smooths the skin’s appearance and helps reduce fine lines and has the most amazing scent ever.

For the lips many of you know I’m a lip balm addict but am also highly allergic to some formulas (like the one from Kiehl’s unfortunately). The AmorePacific Moisture Bound Lip Treatment is my favorite unscented and unflavored no fuss option. If you want one that’s easy to use and adds a good amount of hydration without feeling too goopy or too runny, this is the perfect in between.

Last but not least – the two best anti-aging skincare products I’ve tried that help with my skin’s surface texture are the Kate Somerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift (for day) and DermalQuench Liquid Lift with Retinol (for night). Both have been featured before on the blog. The original DermalQuench is something I use every other day to daily. It’s designed to help combat wrinkles and sagging and although I don’t have sagging yet, I do have some forehead wrinkles and firmness under the eyes has started to decrease. With regular use the daytime DermalQuench has noticeably improved my skin’s texture and radiance – skin is smoother and it does feel firmer without feeling tight.

The DermalQuench with Retinol is gentle enough for my sensitive skin to use nightly and it’s worked wonders with skin discoloration from acne scars – although I will say my scars aren’t too bad but linger for a while. This works over time to even out the skin tone, brightness and texture. It helps with fine lines – I’ve tried to convince my husband to use it because he’s developed more fine lines around the eyes (sides and underneath). He tried it for a week and I think it helped his skin too, but he hasn’t been disciplined in using it although I think it would really help his skin as well.

On the nails, Tom Ford Sugar Dune

I hope you found this roundup helpful! I feel like I have quite a few favorites – enough to repurchase items on a regular basis, but these are my absolute favorites for sensitive skin. Let me know in the comments if you’re looking for any other recommendations or want another roundup post. I don’t think I’ve ever done a full skincare routine post since my routine changes frequently but if you’re interested I can definitely put one together.

Do you have any tried-and-true skincare that you love? Ones you’ve repurchased multiple times? If yes please share in the comments!

Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post.

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Mother’s Day Gift Guide – Part 2

May 4, 2016

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 /
6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

I have one last roundup of gift ideas for Mother’s Day in case you’re looking for some more options. There are a number of gift guides on multiple retailers by price point with lots to choose from. I did a Mother’s Day Gift Guide with Ulta Beauty last week with lots of picks for warm-tones and cool-tones so I’m set for gifting this year. I personally fell in love with the Tartelette In Bloom Palette and ended up picking up one for myself. I had to repeat it in this round because the quality and pigment is really really good!

In the event you’re looking for a pre-made gift set, the Molton Brown White Alba Truffle Hand Regime Duo is one of the best I’ve tried in hand care. I reviewed it during last holiday season and still really enjoy both the Hand Exfoliator and Hand Treatment to keep the hands looking groomed and healthy. For value deals, Birchbox has a Limited-Edition Beauty in Bloom Set for $64 that covers a little bit of everything from makeup, hair care, body and home fragrance so it makes gifting super easy.

For those who have moms that aren’t really into makeup, fun summery accessories are always nice as a spring-to-summer update. Even those who aren’t into makeup can always use a fun bright mani/pedi color. My favorite pink of the moment is Chanel Camelia (swatched here). If your mom loves Chanel and already has almost everything there is, the summer collection just launched online – there’s a really good chance she doesn’t have anything yet because I just saw it pop up today.

Hope your week is going well! Two more reviews to come this week for Charlotte Tilbury and Becca – I’m working on labeling and editing the swatches today!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the Tatcha Kyoto Red giveaway here (for US only)! Entries will be collected through May 5th.

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