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Tatcha Okasan Mother’s Day Gift Set

May 5, 2014

Tatcha has designed a special Okasan Mother’s Day Gift Set ($135) this year containing a full-sized Gold Camellia Moisturizing Lip Balm, Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, and one sheet of their Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask and a small box of Japanese candy from Kyoto. It comes in a beautifully packaged white box and indigo/gold wrapping paper. As usual, everything from the contents, design, personal note are true to Tatcha form – exquisitely packaged with no detail missed.

My mom fell in love with beautiful design and packaging of the Gold Camellia Lip Balm when I purchased it back in January. Although Tatcha kindly sent this set to me for review, I thought it fitting to gift this set to my mother as an introduction to the brand since I have already tried 2 of the 4 items in the set. As a quick intro, I’m in my early 30’s with normal but sensitive skin prone to occasional break outs. My mother is in her mid 50’s and has normal but flawless skin. She describes her skin as normal but oily in the T-zone. I’m fortunate to live only 10 minutes away from my mom so we spent a few days playing with this set on a few occasions. Our thoughts below (we both loved the Japanese candy).

Deep Hydration Lifting Mask
comes in individually at $28 each or a set of 4 for $95. I’m really happy this came in the set for my mom to try. I received a sample several months ago with an online order (Tatcha has really good samples with online orders) and it’s an amazing sheet mask. It comes with two mesh linings on each side that you remove and then leave on the face for at least 15 minutes. It has a cooling sensation that hydrates and makes the skin feel like you just had a spa facial.
  • My thoughts: This is a spa in a packet, my face is left feeling fully refreshed and hydrated.
  • My mom’s thoughts: It has a nice soothing light scent, it has a slightly tingly feeling, my face does feel nicely hydrated after use.

Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm is an exquisitely packaged lip treatment with gold leaf.

  • My thoughts: You can read my review here, it has a nice soft sweet scent.
  • My mom’s thoughts: It’s too pretty to use, I don’t want to ruin the gold leaf but I like that it feels lightweight and non-stick on the lips.

Camellia Beauty Oil
is one of those oils reaching cult-status. It’s a light and rich beauty oil designed for the face, hair and body. It has Licorice Extract to calm the skin, lightly scented with young Bamboo and Green Tea fragrances. We both adore this oil.
  • My thoughts: This was my first time trying the Tatcha Beauty Oil, I was pleasantly surprised that everything my readers have been telling me about this one is true. It has a sweet fruity scent upon first application but the scent and oil both absorb quickly into the skin. I love the light feeling moisturizing feel and it leaves the face feeling hydrated – perfect for summer.
  • My mom’s thoughts: This is a really nice oil and makes the skin feel like the hydration has been restored. I like that it’s really lightweight and absorbs into the skin, it’s perfect for the warm weather.

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This set is hands-down winner in both our books. (I have the face mask replenishments and camellia oil on order for myself already.) If you want to order this set, you can find it now online at Tatcha.com. Individual items are also available for purchase via Tatcha.com and Barneys New York. Be sure to follow Tatcha on Facebook – they have a fun interactive contest/giveaway for the Mother’s Day Set.
Have you tried Tatcha yet? What are your favorites so far?
This post contains items sent courtesy of Tatcha for review. All opinions are our own. For more information refer to my Disclosure Policy.
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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

May 5, 2014

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if you’re like me, you have a mother who already has everything she wants, rarely thinks about herself because she is always thinking about those she loves around her, and usually says “you don’t have to get me anything, how about just make me a nice card?” Each year I try to find something special she can incorporate into her wardrobe or home as a gesture to show how much I appreciate everything she does. If you’re in need for some gift ideas, here are a options I hope will help with some gift inspiration. From top left, clockwise:
  • These colorful Ombré ($38, Nordstrom) and Flower Bud Print ($59.50, J.Crew) scarves are perfect for spring and will go well with spring-to-summer crisp white blouses or tees
  • J.Crew has some really fun and chic-looking Textured Summer Straw Hats ($34.50) perfect for the upcoming warm weather days
  • Kate Spade has these delightful Basket Pave Studs ($68, comes in gold, silver or pink) that are classic and add a bit of glamour
  • J.Crew has a variety of cute Ceramic Trays ($19.50 each) can add a lovely accent to her dressing table for her jewelry (other affordable options at Pottery Barn)
  • Esteé Lauder has a lovely Modern Muse Fragrance Set ($85), there’s also a Gift With Purchase at Nordstrom going on now (this is almost a no-brainer/no-fail option since almost every mother I know is a loyal Esteé Lauder fan)
  • Tory Burch has a number of chic sandal options, according to my local store, one of their best sellers is the the Cameron Patent Thong Sandals ($150)
  • Jo Malone Peony Blush Candle ($65) is a luxurious option that you can pair with a nice bouquet of flowers
  • L’Occitane has a Delightful Hands ($28) hand cream trio that makes a nice add-on that won’t break the bank, this one has the Classic Shea, Cherry Blossom and Velvety Rose
  • Gigi New York has a creative way of packaging their gift cards in a chic printed card holder
  • Tatcha has a great set with their Okasan Mother’s Day Set ($135), it’s a steal that contains one Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, Camellia Gold Lip Balm, Camellia Beauty Oil, Japanese candy from Kyoto (I gifted this to my mother early, but it’s so awesome I want one for myself), check out their contest they are running on Facebook
What have you found for Mother’s Day this year? Do you have any traditions? Be sure to check each shop’s shipping policies and deadlines, most are offering rush shipping options but with certain cut-off dates.

For fun, check out this really cute video (and maybe send this via e-mail to your mom) from Elle.com Great Thing of the Day: Is This the #WorldsToughestJob? – I guarantee it will make you smile!

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Sneak Peek – Summer Reflets D’Ete de Chanel

May 2, 2014

More to come this weekend – Chanel Summer Beauty for 2014 has arrived in stores and online at Nordstrom, Saks and Chanel.com. My picks:
  • Le Vernis in Sweet Lilac, Pink Tonic, Tutti Frutti, Mirabella (Eastern Light also repromoted)
  • Illusion D’Ombres in Mirage (bronze), New Moon (plum gold), Utopia (gorgeous lilac)
  • Glossimers in Glaze, Hello, Sexy, Happy and Sunny (such fun names)
  • Stylo Yeux in Ambre Dore (not pictured)

 A couple items in the collection that I passed on:

Did you pick anything up yet at your local Chanel counters? Or did place an order online already? If you haven’t seen it the Illusion d’Ombres are TO-DIE-FOR! If you’ve checked it out tell me if I need the Blush Creme, I keep going back and forth on it. Happy Friday!

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NARS 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator

April 29, 2014

NARS has extended their 413 BLKR Collection with two new items in a Blush ($30) and Illuminator ($30). Items are currently exclusive to NARS Boutiques and Narscosmetics.com. (If you missed it, you can check out my feature on the Melrose Boutique.) Both are lovely classic shades suitable for everyday wear.

413 BLKR Blush is a satiny rosebud pink color. It’s a neutral pink rose leaning slightly cool on the skin. It has a soft sheen but isn’t shimmery. The pigment is quite rich with this color but it is easy to blend. I’ve been applying with a super fluffy brush since it packs in a lot of color with a few swipes. It’s a soft rosy color compared to other NARS rose colored blushes which tend to have a darker undertone.

413 BLKR Illuminator is a champagne colored highlighter. The color is exquisite on the skin without being too frosty or pale. I have and use Copacabana on occasion but find it has a sharp contrast with my olive skin. This new 413 BLKR Illuminator has a bit of yellow/gold in it to make it a bit warmer on the skin.

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Some more photos, swatches and comparisons. 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator:

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413 BLKR Blush

Blush comparisons, left to right:
NARS 413 BLKR, Angelika, Oasis, Outlaw, Tom Ford Wicked, Chanel Emotion (review here)

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Illuminator

Illuminator comparisons: Koh Gen Do Beige (review here), Estee Lauder Tom Pecheux (discontinued), Giorgio Armani Belladonna (discontinued, review here), NARS 413 BLKR, NARS Copacabana, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2 and Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #13 (discontinued, review here)

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Overall lovely classic pieces that are luminous but glitter/frost-free you can easily wear everyday. The 413 BLKR blush swatches warm on my arm but applies cooler and more neutral on the face. It’s a good medium rose pink without being too cool toned or dark. It stays put all day and I like that there is no brown in the color – it doesn’t darken or turn muddy like some rosy colors do on me.
The 413 BLKR illuminator will probably give you a very similar effect to other highlighters, but I like that this one has a very fluid texture that dries to a non-dewy/moist finish (perfect for warmer weather). This prevents it from sliding around. I’ve been using the illuminator a number of ways – on the eyes, under blush, over blush, dabbed over bronzer, and as a regular highlighting product. I own a lot of highlighters already and could probably have skipped this one but I really like it for a liquid.
These are a bit harder to find and test in person if you’re not near a NARS boutique (I ordered mine online) but these two are versatile and neutral enough that I think most skin tones will find these flattering in a good way. They are classic colors with a bit of a kick.
Both are part of the 413 BLKR Collection. The Blush and Illuminator are both in NARS Boutiques now and online at Narscosmetics.com.

Have you tried anything from the 413 BLKR collection? I have the eyeshadow single and love it but haven’t looked into anything else.

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