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Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne

August 11, 2014

Bite Beauty has released a new shimmery rose gold Agave Lip Mask in Champagne ($26 for .52 oz/15 g). This is the first item from Bite Beauty that I’ve tried although I’ve passed by the display units at Sephora numerous times. The Champagne shade is a sheer golden color with a hint of rose tones and reports indicate it has the same effect and benefits as their best-selling original Agave Lip Mask which is clear. I haven’t tried both so I can’t compare, but I really love the texture of the Champagne version.

The Agave Lip Mask is a hydrating lip treatment. I’ve worn this during the day, for me it seems a bit too thick to wear overnight while sleeping. It really hydrates the lips well and helps mine recover after lip swatching and testing (the wiping and reapplying of lipsticks sometimes dries out my lips).

Pouch by One Truffle (review soon)
It’s thick but very smooth and adheres well to the lips. I love the emollient quality in lip balms but am really particular with texture, feel and scent – for me I need one that adheres well to the lips so they don’t feel like they are sliding off. The Agave Lip Mask fits the bill on all fronts. It’s hydrating, sticks to my lips but isn’t too tacky, and it has an delicious soft cookie-like vanilla scent. The scent does fade after a few minutes and I love that it’s not overpowering.

Champagne swatches like a gorgeous gold shimmer similar to MAC Nymphette Lipglass, but it sheers out on the lips to an almost clear tint. The Bite Agave Lip Mask gives the lips a healthy shine but virtually no color.

On my lips it’s practically clear:

As a lip treatment I love it. The formula is really good and hydrating. It comes in a metal squeeze tube which dispenses product easily without getting messy. Some metal lip tubes I’ve tried end up dispensing too much product once squeezed but this one is well designed so there’s no excess.

Ingredients:

Update: a few color comparisons in case you like the color of Bite’s Champagne but want more color in a gloss, left to right: NARS Orgasm (new formula), Chanel Twinkle Glossimer, MAC Nymphette, Bite Champagne, Chanel Bon Bon 73 Glossimer (discontinued):

Bottom line love. The Agave Lip Mask in Champagne is currently exclusive to Sephora where I ordered mine. I’ll have a roundup of lip balms I have in rotation in the next couple weeks but this one has made it into my top 5 picks.
Have you tried anything from Bite Beauty? Do you have the Original or Champagne Agave Lip Masks? What did you think?
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Night Time Treatments: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Overnight Mask and La Nuit de Chanel

August 9, 2014

I’m usually very picky when it comes to night time skincare treatments whether it’s for the face, eyes or body. I don’t like the heavy feel of product while I sleep. Scent also plays a big part in what I can tolerate for night time treatments as well, if it’s too strong I find it interferes with my sleep. I’ve tested a number of minis and samples and due to the sensitivity of my skin and nose, I stopped using most of them after two uses. Two night time facial treatments I’ve fallen in love with that work wonders for my sensitive skin include First Aid Beauty’s Facial Radiance Overnight Mask and Chanel’s Le Nuit de Chanel.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Overnight Mask ($38 for 1.7 fl oz) is a super hydrating facial treatment that brightens and nourishes the skin overnight. It has a white gel-like texture that feels on the thick side but blends into the skin smoothly. If you feel it being goopy or sticky on the face you’ve applied too much. It took a few tries for me to get the right amount without overdoing it. It has a wonderful fresh clean skincare-like scent. After using this I wake up with amazing skin like I just had a facial. The morning after my skin glows, looks brighter and feels smoother and looks well hydrated. It’s good for my super-sensitive skin. It’s gentle enough to use nightly but I’ve used this 1 to 2x per week for the past month. It’s the only thing I’ve tried that gives me that perfect skin look when I wake up.

Ingredients:

Chanel La Nuit de Chanel ($85 for1.7 fl oz) is something I’ve been using for over a year now. Even after regular use I still haven’t used up a full bottle. For those new to this, the La Nuit de Chanel is part of their Resynchronizing Trio. It’s a night time treatment designed to recharge the skin. It has frankincense extract to calm the skin and hyaluronic acid and shea butter to moisturize the skin. It works wonders on my face to calm flare ups, fix any dry spots, and helps clear up the skin. It has a white cream texture that blends in well with the skin. This one is scented (it’s hard for me to describe) but it smells good and doesn’t interfere with my sleep. I use this one almost every night. I like the pump it comes with which makes it super easy to dispense and mess-free.

Ingredients:

Do you use any night time facial treatments? Or masks? What are your favorites? I’ll be sharing some other hydrating and clarifying mask favorites in the upcoming weeks. You can find First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Overnight Mask in stores and online at Sephora and also at Firstaidbeauty.com. Chanel’s La Nuit de Chanel can be found at all Chanel retailers, I purchased mine from Nordstrom.

photo FirstAidBeautyFacialOvernightRadianceMask_zpsa894b91c.jpg photo LaNuitdeChanel_zpsb232dc40.jpg



First Aid Beauty provided press samples for review consideration. For more information, refer to my Disclosures.

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Loving Right Now

August 8, 2014

I have an obsession with flat pouches. I’ve found several good ones that aren’t too small or too big (review and feature soon). I’ve been loving the small ones from Whistles. I ordered one in black a week ago and I’ve been really happy with it. A few details I’m loving right now, accessories and beauty details for later tonight include:
Hermes and Celine Bracelets
NARS Sweet Dreams Lipgloss (swatches)
YSL Kiss & Blush 8 (swatches and review)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (not shown above, but review here)
NARS Himalia Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow (swatched)
Chanel Ecriture de Chanel Eyeliner (review soon)
Guerlain Maxi Lash Waterproof (not shown, but review here)
Rescue Beauty Lounge Bicicletta and Motorini (swatched)
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (sample)
Hope you’re having a great Friday 🙂
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Rescue Beauty Lounge Italian Summer Collection

August 8, 2014

Rescue Beauty Lounge has created seven new shades of polish for their Italian Summer Collection. This collection was inspired by Ji Baek’s travels to Italy, you can read about the inspiration behind each shade on the Rescue Beauty Lounge Blog. The collection will be available for purchase during a 48 hour pre-sale period starting Monday August 11th which you can have access to by signing up for her newsletter at Rescue Beauty Lounge. I was thrilled (floored really) that they sent me shades for review. The seven shades will be $20 each, the colors include:
  • Bicicletta a pale pink polish has micro glitters
  • Gondoliere a vibrant orange-based opaque glossy red nail polish
  • Oliveto a perfect olive green that reflects the flash of rainbow and purple and periwinkle shimmers
  • Motorini a moodier, darker sister of the famed and playful Aqua Lily (which I missed out on), with a medium base of blue/aqua has a flash of surging fuchsia shimmer
  • Meow Meow is a dark hunter green shows off a finely milled glitter
  • Melanzane is a complex mix of blue, purple, silver and violet glitters

I’ve been a long-time fan of Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes. They have super smooth application with excellent pigment and wear time. Their Top Coat is among my favorites for adding a lush cushy shine and extending polish wear. More details and thoughts on my personal nail and hand care essentials here from May earlier this year.

Close ups and thoughts of each shade below. First up is Motorini which is my favorite color in the whole collection. I’m still bummed I missed out on Aqua Lily and this looks like a beautiful darker alternative to it. It has a gorgeous teal base with the prettiest iridescent shimmer infused throughout. The shimmer is very fine and shows up on the nail in a sophisticated way. This is the perfect aqua teal mix. It applied smoothly with two coats.

Bicicletta is a pale lilac with complex lavender and silver glitters. It has a slightly transparent base giving it a jelly-like finish with two coats. I prefer it with three coats for fuller coverage. The application is very smooth with this shade as well. I love that it’s streak-free and that brush strokes are not visible.

Gondoliere is a stunning vibrant red with warm tones. In my mind Rescue Beauty Lounge and Chanel have the best reds. No matter how similar each new release is, they both somehow manage to create a more perfect red. This one has full coverage and is very opaque with two coats.

Gelato Al Cioccolato is a soft chocolate brown cream with a slight hint of mauve which prevents it from looking yellow as some browns can look. It’s a polished neutral tan. It’s shown with two coats as well.

Oliveto is a unique green olive that has an amazing teal, blue, and violet pearly shimmer mixed throughout. It makes for a very interesting nail color unlike any other olive green shade I’ve tested. I hope RBL adds more shimmer like this to other polishes because it’s simply amazing. Oliveto applied with smooth full coverage with two coats.

Meow Meow is a forest-green glitter. I applied it with 3 coats to cover the nail entirely but it can also be used with 1-2 coats layered over other colors. If you’re a fan of glitter polishes you will really like this one, it’s quite striking. Glitter polish isn’t really my thing and it’s such a pain to remove that I try to avoid it. 

Melanzane is another glitter polish. The mix of sparkle in this one is extraordinary. It has blue, violet, purple, indigo, and silver. I’m not the best at applying glitter polishes, especially near the cuticles, I have a hard time getting any glitter to apply with a sharp clean edge. I tend to get glitter everywhere when I apply it. This is a lovely color but for me a bit too glitzy for everyday.

The Rescue Beauty Lounge Italian Summer collection is stunning. I love that as with all of Ji Baek’s polishes, each shade has a special meaning behind it’s creation. My top three picks are Motorini (teal) Bicicletta (lilac sparkle) and Gondoliere (red).

For more swatches, be sure to check out these nail polish blogs: Scrangie, Polish Police (she has awesome comparisons), Manicurator, Nail and Noms, Fashion Polish and Makeup Withdrawl.
Be sure to sign up for the newsletter on Rescue Beauty Lounge for the latest updates on new releases and sales. You will receive an exclusive pre-sale link to shop the collection early on Monday August 11th.
This post contains samples sent for review consideration. For more information refer to my Disclosures.
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On My Radar / New In Beauty

August 7, 2014

Some items on my beauty radar this week, I hope everyone is having a great week so far. It’s almost Friday 🙂

These come in 6 shades and the darker shades Bloom Berry 4, Fig Fiction 5 and Toffee Cream 6 and look absolutely stunning, I think a trip to Barneys is in order soon (see Mandarina Pulp and the lighter/brighter colors swatched here)
Many of you have asked for recommendations on clear makeup bags, these Small Clarity Clutches by One Truffle look chic, sleek and absolutely adorable (they’ve been added to my wish list)

3. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
The line is launching in the US in September, I have my eye on so many things from her line since I’ve fallen in love with the Filmstar Bronze & Glow, I placed an order from Charlottetilbury.com because I couldn’t wait to try some items, I’m loving the look of her Beach Sticks.
This Christian Louboutin nail polish has been on my radar for a while, I couldn’t justify the $50 price tag on a nail polish, but so many lovely readers from Europe and the US have been emailing me with raves and also requests to review, I caved and ordered, will report when it arrives.
5. Lash Growth Serums
I’ve had my eye on several lash serums on the market and I personally know several girls who have use Latisse and Neulash and they have lashes that are seriously to die for, I’m going to try one soon.
This sounds intriguing with it’s multi-purpose benefits, have you tried this before? It’s supposed to be a makeup remover and lash moisturizer that helps them grow.
This looks like an exquisite classic palette, I’ve splurged on quite a few eyeshadow palettes already this fall, I’ll have to investigate in person to see if it’s unique enough to buy, but the colors look perfect for an everyday polished look.

8. NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection
NARS will be releasing 40 shades lipstick to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in the Audacious Lipstick Collection, colors will include a full range of provocative hues from neutral nudes to striking reds and bold pinks, housed in a modern, matte-black metallic case with a magnetic closure, launching on Narscosmetics.com on September 1st (10 of the shades will be exclusive to Barneys).

9. J.Crew Ceramic Tray
J.Crew has a new Gold/Ivory Ceramic Jewelry Tray which looks gorgeous for storing small accessories and trinkets. I have these in previously released patterns and they make nice accents for the home.

As fall collections and new product releases trickle in, what’s on your radar? As beauty fans in the US wait for Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty line to arrive I’m living vicariously through UK girls and their swatches. If you’ve tried the line please tell me what your favorites are. For lashes, do you have any favorite lash treatments or serums?
 
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Monthly Favorites | Skincare, Haircare, Body and Fragrance

August 5, 2014

Several have requested a monthly favorites round up – welcome to The Beauty Look Book’s first monthly favorites feature! I wanted to feature some midsummer beauty favorites for the skin, body and hair. Many of these items are things I’ve been using all summer long.
  • Caudalie Make-up Removing Cleansing Water is a gentle lightweight cleansing water that refreshes the skin. It won’t remove waterproof eye makeup or mascara all the way, but I like this for the face. I have this in the full size as well but like to keep the small travel sizes.
  • Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse has been a favorite this summer for dry body oils. (Three I tested here.) I alternate between this and the Caudalie Divine Oil, but lately I’ve been reaching more for the Nuxe, the fresh floral beach-like scent is perfect for summer. It layers nicely with most perfumes as it’s very gentle and not overpowering. I love that the skin absorbs it quickly.
  • Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is an alternative to dry shampoo. I’ve tried several and don’t like the powdery crunchy look they give to the hair. The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t leave any residue. It’s more of a texturizing spray that I like to use on days where my hair looks a bit flat. I love all things Oribe that I’ve tried it’s a brand I keep exploring and looking into. The signature Oribe scent is incredible.
  • St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse is a new discovery this year and it is hands down my favorite self tan product. I purchased the mini size to compare it to the Gradual an Everyday Body Lotion from Sephora. I tested each one simultaneously with the mousse on one leg and the lotion on the other. The mousse gives a better tan without being orange. The lotion has a more gradual darkening effect. The tint to the mousse also helps you see where you applied product and helps as a guide for even application. It didn’t stain or transfer to white sheets and after letting it set for 10 minutes I found it didn’t transfer to a white denim skirt. I applied it for two consecutive days and my tan will last about 5 days. I have super sensitive skin and I’ve gotten allergic reactions to spray tans and other self tan products (like Clarins).
  • First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser was sent for review and it is an amazing cleanser. It has red clay which is suppose to draw out toxins, remove oil and unclog pores. It’s designed for combination or oily skin. My skin is slightly combination, dry on the cheeks area and slightly oily in the T zone. I found this to be amazing at unclogging pores. It comes with a slightly gel-like texture that is a reddish pink with a pearly shimmer. It works well with the hands, a washcloth and my Clarisonic Aria. It’s gentle enough for my sensitive skin but very effective. I’m on my second tube.
  • Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi is one of Tom Ford’s latest, it’s one of two new scents that are an extension of the Neroli Portofino line. I can’t wear a lot of orange citrus scents but Tom Ford is the only one I can pull off. It’s the perfect summertime scent with citrus, florals and musk.
  • Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream is something I bought from the Flower Power Kit (has the Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream in 1 oz, Rose Face Mask in 1 oz, Sugar Tulip and Rose Floral Toner 0.5 oz). I love this lightweight face cream for hydration. It’s too heavy for me right now for daily use but I like to use it 2x per week during the day and alternate this as a night cream. It has a refreshing cucumber scent and feels amazing on the skin. It makes the skin look refreshed and improves the overall skin tone by smoothing over time and is great for calming the skin.
  • MAC Cleanse Off Oil has been my favorite go-to for removing makeup at the end of the day. I did a roundup of several oils I tested and the MAC is one I keep reaching for because it has the best emulsifying quality and gets everything off without leaving a residue or drying out the skin.
  • Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask is something I tried with the mini pods first. I liked it so much I bought the full size. It’s a mask that really works and clears pores. It has a slight tingly effect the first few minutes but it goes away. The charcoal and white clay both work to draw out pore-cloggers. I’ve used it up to 3x per week when my skin was messed up. I don’t recommend using it if you have broken skin or areas with irritation, but it is a gentle enough mask that won’t sting your skin. 
  • Malin+Goetz Lip Moisturizer is my summer favorite for a relative inexpensive lip balm with a nice lightweight gel formula. It’s super effective without being too rich or heavy for summer.
  • L’Occitane Extra Gentle Lotion for Hands and Body has been a staple for me for years. It’s the only body lotion I’ve repurchased. It has a super lightweight feel that absorbs into the skin. It’s part of the Shea Butter line and is moisturizing and soothing.
  • Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Primer was a Sephora freebie. It’s a pre-styler product that I apply to the hair before blow drying and it helps smooth the hair, decreases frizz and protects it from heat styling. It smells absolutely amazing like coconut and vanilla. It adds softness and shine without weighing down the hair.
  • L’Occitane Frisson de Verveine Hand Cream Gel is a great alternative to regular hand creams for the summer. It’s a unique hand moisturizer that absorbs into the skin really quickly. It has an interesting dry down that’s smooth and soothing with a slight velvety feel. It comes in the new Frisson Verbena scent which is a lightweight summery lime. One tube was sent for review and I’ve already purchased a second one.
  • Tatcha Aburatorigami Beauty Papers are the perfect blotting papers for me. They are compact and easy to carry in the purse. I love how they are super absorbent without having any powdery residue. I use about one sheet with every use and it’s so much better than touching up with powder mid-day or late afternoon. Sometimes with the summer heat and humidity I’ve found adding powder to oily skin can get cakey (at least on me).
  • Chanel UV Essential Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is the only face sunscreen I like to use. It’s lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly. I like to layer serum with moisturizer under my foundation but I don’t like anything that feels heavy. This sunscreen is light enough to wear with both a serum and moisturizer and foundation. It’s suitable for my sensitive skin. It also comes with an SPF 20 and SPF 30 versions as well.

What have been your summer favorites this past month?

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Sephora Summer Surge Beauty Insider VIB Rouge Event

August 4, 2014

On Sunday I attended my first Sephora event for VIB Rouge members. Receptions were hosted across the US at select Sephora locations for 4x points on purchases, gifts, samples and access to brand experts and specialists. I brought a friend with me to the reception at South Coast Plaza we showed up bright and early at 9 AM.

We spent nearly the full two hours of the event browsing all the aisles. I was really happy Sephora had brand experts from different vendors on site. There were reps from a number of brands, we chatted with some super friendly reps from Hourglass, SK-II, Glam Glow and Nude. My friend works in the beauty industry and we’ve both been long time beauty addicts (she’s my go-to for recs on hair care and skincare and perfume, so pretty much everything). I really liked that there was no pressure from anyone to buy anything which made our shopping experience very enjoyable. Some shots of the Sephora store, some are a bit blurry, but we were really excited so in the rush, I didn’t get the best photos.

The South Coast Plaza store we went to had a Lip Bar, Brow Bar and Foundation Bar where you could get tips on application or color suggestions. We had too much distracting us to sit at any of the beauty booth areas.

There was a small gift bag with samples offered with any $35 purchase. VIB Rouge Members also received a red tote. Our bag included minis of Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, Dr. Jart Beauty Balm, Benefit Watt’s Up, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5 in 1 Cream, Buxom Mascara, Algenist Eye Renewal Balm, Escada Born in Paradise Perfume.

As we walked around the store several reps handed out a few extra samples if we purchased an item or two from their line. Here’s the loot by the end of our shopping trip for me. We both had so many things on our wish list and literally had to say to each other “we need to go now” before we did more damage to our wallets.

  1. VIB Rouge Gift Bag with $35 Purchase (contents shown in above detail photo)
  2. Amore Pacific Natural Protector SPF 30 – sample 1 ml packet
  3. Sephora Age Defy Moisture Cream SPF15 – sample 2 ml packet
  4. Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment – sample 3 g packet
  5. Glam Glow Brightmud Eye Treatment – sample 1 g packet, we were told this is supposed to be the best for reducing puffy eyes and brightening the under eye area with 6 different caffeines
  6. Glam Glow Powermud Dual Cleanse Treatment  – sample 3 g packet – I tried this last night and it stung for 1 minute, afterwards the stinging went away and it seemed to by gentle yet effective, will report more on these after testing more
  7. Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer – 5 ml sample
  8. Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment – deluxe 10 g tube
  9. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Cream – 10 ml sample packets
  10. Make Up For Ever HD Powder – Beauty Insider 100 point perk
  11. Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner in Ro(coco) – Beauty Insider 100 point perk
  12. The Original Beautyblender (purchase)
  13. YSL Volupte Sheer Candy 15 and Gloss Volupte 10 (purchase)
  14. Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment (purchase)
  15. SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser (purchase)
  16. Living Proof No Frizz Smoothing & Frizz Fighting Travel Kit (purchase)
SK-II also had a few minis available, I gave them to my friend since she had never tried the line before. This was my first Sephora event so I did not really know what to expect. I found it to be a fun and relaxing/laid back shopping experience. I liked that they let us bring a guest that didn’t necessarily have to be a Sephora Beauty Insider. The staff was really patient and friendly. The reps were so helpful in answering questions. The store was very busy but not over-packed so there was plenty of room to wander without having others bump into you or try to knock you over. The only things I would have liked to have would have been to include a map where the brand reps were and their special stations, the Sephora at South Coast Plaza is the largest I’ve ever seen and it was easy to get lost. I also think it would have been great if there were step up gifts available although everyone was very generous with samples and the 4x points is (in my mind) huge.
If you missed out, Sephora is still offering the tiered points on purchases through August 10 online and in stores.
Have you ever been to a Sephora event? Did you go to the VIB Rouge Event on Sunday at your local Sephora stores? What did you end up splurging on? Did you learn anything new?
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