I’m back with a what’s in my bag post! I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these so I thought I’d share the cute little makeup bag I’ve been loving lately. As much as I love the flat pouches sometimes a regular makeup pouch with a wider base is a little more functional to hold bigger items.
I’ve received so many requests to review more from Cuyana and compare it to other brands I own. I finally ordered the popular Travel Case Set (comes with two bags, small and large) and am so impressed with the quality. It’s much more functional for me compares to the other style I own called the Vanity Case Set (shown here).
Quick look at the large and small bags that come in the Travel Case Set for comparison:
I will have a full review, comparison and roundup of my favorite makeup bags in a separate post. Today I wanted to share what I can fit in the smaller makeup bag for the Cuyana Travel Set which measures L 8” x H 5” x D 2.5”.
Yes, all shown in the above photo fits inside the small makeup bag! I’ll be posting a mini video on Instagram stories today as well:
A few more thoughts and details below:
My go-to touch up powder is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in Medium. If you’re a long-time reader you know I’ve gone through many compacts! I just bought the foundation which I’ll be reviewing soon and have high hopes for. These days I also have a small retractable brush from lilah b. which is actually a Retractable Foundation Brush but works for pressed powders just fine. I’ve kept a mini NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in my bag but I rarely find the need to touch up my concealer if I’m out all day (it’s for just in case). The Fenty Invisimatte Blotting Papers are so cute and they’re refillable. I bought these recently and like them although I think the ones from Tatcha are actually a lot better.
For lips I rotate picks frequently, so these change on a daily basis! These days I’ve been loving just using a liner and topping with a sheer gloss. Pat McGrath LUST Glosses are among my favorite, left to right is Love Potion, Peach Perversion and Faux Real (swatches here). I like her Permagel Lip Pencils in Done Undone and Bare Rose the most (both swatched here).
Laura Mercier is another favorite, I’ve just started using her new lip pencils and love her Longwear Lip Pencil Baby Lips with Lip Glace in Opal on top.
I’ve found the smaller makeup bag in the Travel Case Duo Set fits a small brush at the base. The Aerin Small Brush fits perfectly but it’s quite a splurge. I’ve also really loved the Sephora Collection Mini Brushes in previous styles and just ordered this newer one.
Lip balms are essential for me, I love the Dior Addict Lip Glows and the NARS Afterglow Lip Balm for twist-up stick balms so I don’t have to worry about getting my fingers sticky from pots.
I keep a mini perfume on me at all times because I find spritzing it on mosquito bites helps reduce the swelling and itch. Right now it’s not too much of an issue for me, but there are always out here – even more so at dusk. I love the Byredo Mini Trio Sets because the vials perfect size for a small bag or pouch. There’s a leather case you can buy separately to protect them, but I just keep them in my bag as is, I haven’t had one break yet but they are glass so I would at least keep them in some kind of protective case or pouch. I also adore Jo Malone minis, I wish they kept these available permanently!
Sometimes I keep a hand cream with me other times it’s just a hand sanitizer. I love the Byredo Hand Sanitizers in both Suede and Rose, they smell amazing and they’re ultra luxurious!
What do you keep in your makeup bag? Do you rotate frequently or keep the same staples you use daily?
New posts and review coming soon! I’ve been taking a little time off the blog and social for some me time!
Sephora has surprised us with a Summer Bonus Event for Rouge and VIB Members! The event is happening now through 8/27 to reward top tier Beauty Insiders with a summer bonus discount both in store and online (you can shop and save multiple times throughout the event). If you’re not already a member I highly recommend signing up! As a member you get access to a lot of perks such as discounts, early access to new launches, promotions, free makeovers and more.
Rouge Members will receive 20% off purchases with code SUMMERSAVE
VIB Members will receive 15% off with code SUMMERSAVE
There are so many great beauty brands available at Sephora and this is a great time to try some new things that have on your wishlist or to stock up on tried-and-true staples. I’ve partnered with them to round up my Top 20 Makeup Staples I’ve used all summer long. Quick note that there are some exclusions: “Not valid on The Ordinary products . Clients are limited to the purchase of one Dyson item, three Drunk Elephant items, five Morphe items, and three Tatcha items per SKU per transaction.”
Face / Base
My top picks:
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has been a go-to, the color range matches my skin tone the best as they have good golden/olive tones. This is the most naturally radiant looking foundation I’ve tried and it holds up well even in warm weather.
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation is the longest-wearing semi-matte finish base I’ve tried. It holds up the best in humidity, covers and smoothes, has great coverage, but my skin can still breathe with this one
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is forever going to be my holy grail. I love that the colors have been expanded, so if you felt like you couldn’t find a match with the original launch, you might want to check out the colors again. They’ve added a lot of new shades to fill in the gaps. It’s also available in a mini (in all colors)
I could go on forever about my favorite lip products. There are so many great formulas and finishes – practically something for everyone whether you want gloss, lipstick, a liquid, crayon, shimmer, matte, sheer, etc. The top ones I’ve had in rotation:
NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm is a soft hydrating balm that gives the lips the perfect soft pink flush. It’s surpassed my love for the Dior Addict Lip Glow!
NARS Oil-Infused Lip Tints are also lovely for a beautiful lip oil. I think all the colors are really nice but I’m partial to Orgasm. It will swatch clear/sheer on your hand, but on the lips give it a minute and it will shift in color to a pretty pink. It’s what I’m wearing in this post!
Fenty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow is what I’d call a universal soft rose. I think it’s a must for any skin tone. It has a cushiony non-sticky finish.
Pat McGrath LuxeTrance Lipsticks are the first products I splurged on from her line and it’s been love since the first swipe. These are ultra creamy and opaque. They aren’t weightless but the colors are so beautiful.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk is my go-to rose neutral. If you find it too brown/rose I’d recommend you try Super Cindy (more peach) instead.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk is the best everyday neutral that goes will all of my lip colors. I’ll pair this with the Fenty Glosses on top.
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Eye Favorites + Staples
What I love right now:
NARS Wanted Mini Eyeshadow Palette has been surprisingly versatile for such a small palette! It has the perfect mix for a soft rosy neutral eye look.
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks are still forever my favorites. I use these as eye bases for powder shadow. Rosegold and Copper are my most-used colors
Anastasia Brow Wiz is one of the best brow pencils I’ve ever tried. Since I got highlights last year I had to change my brow pencil color as my usual browns from Dior were a bit too dark. I alternate between Anastasia Medium Brown, Caramel and Taupe.
Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel is the best brow gel to fill in and define the brow. I still love the Hourglass option for a cheaper alternative but I feel like the Tom Ford one fills in the gaps better.
Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadows count for 2 of my picks because I have two favorite colors: Ray and Burnish. I thought the original 5 were amazing but I’ve really been loving Burnish and Ray layered together.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen is the best liquid liner. It’s so expensive but out of all the ones I’ve tried I feel it’s truly worth the extra price because it doesn’t bleed, it dries fast when you apply, and it does not dry out as quickly as other brands do. I also love that it’s double sided with two sizes for the tips.
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Cheek Favorites
Last but not least, the three cheek products I feel are extra special include:
Natasha Denona Bloom and Blush Glow has the prettiest mix of shades for the ultimate glow. It has a combination of powders and creams. I feel like this is such a unique palette!
Natasha Denona Tan and Bronze Glow is so good I’ve kept my backup so I won’t be without it once I use mine up. I think this has the most flattering mix of colors for highlight and bronzer for medium to medium dark skin.
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Shady Biz is a really good natural matte bronzer. I love everything about from the packaging to formula. It has the perfect texture to blend easily and doesn’t darken on the skin once it sets.
That wraps up my Top 20 Makeup Favorites! There are so many other things I also love but I tried to narrow down my recommendations list to the top 20.
The Sephora Summer Bonus Event is going to be for Rouge and VIB Members only this round, it runs through 8/27. I’m stocking up on some hair care and skin care favorites. I’ll probably buy a couple more of the Charlotte Tilbury pressed powders because I go through those frequently!
Shop the post:
Many thanks to Sephora for partnering to sponsor this post.
The Becca Rose Glow Kit is a Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusive this year ($48 for the sale, $90 value). For some reason it didn’t pop up online or in stores until a few weeks after the sale start date but I bought one as soon as I saw it. It contains full sizes of Shimmering Skin Perfector in Spanish Rose Glow + Glow Gloss in Rose Quartz along with two mini complexion products of the Backlight Priming Filter (15 ml) and Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder (2.5 g). You can buy the lip gloss and highlighter individually along with full sizes of the powder/primer. I think the Becca sets are a nice way to try product at a discounted price, especially with the minis, it’s nice to try before committing to the full size.
The Backlight Priming Filter is a luminous fluid highlighter I find a hybrid between a serum feel and cream. It has a lightweight texture and blends in seamlessly to the skin for a soft luminous glow. I used this a long time ago and went through a couple tubes. It’s a nice basic luminizer that works well under foundation. These days I’m more into the ones from Laura Mercier or Tatcha Silk Canvas.
The Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder is a cooling powder that has a very lightweight feel. It has a similar effect to the Prescriptives Magic Powder from many years ago, minus the iridescent glow. I really love this powder and it was a staple when I used it regularly. These days there are so many powders available I rotate more between the Laura Mercier and Hourglass ones when I use loose powder, but after rediscovering this one I plan on adding it back into my routine. It’s compatible with Florida weather!
The Shimmering Skin Perfector in Spanish Rose Glow was a limited-edition rosy pink that flashes a hint of violet. It’s borderline duochrome on my skin, but only because it feels slightly cooler-toned on my warm olive skin. I find it pretty unique compared to my other pink highlighters. I usually opt for warmer pinks but this is a nice change from my usual champagne or warmer colors. On my skin it’s definitely highlighter material, I think it goes well with blushes like MAC Powder Blush Breath of Plum, Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in Pillow Talk or Sex on Fire. This was launched a while ago at select sites, you can find it right now individually at Becca and Beautylish.
Swatch comparisons next to Rose Quartz, Lilac Geode, Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powders in Opal, Tawny Glow and Afternoon Glow. The Becca pulls more blue/cool toned on my face while the ones from Bobbi Brown are more on the neutral side.
The Glow Gloss in Rose Quartz is a pale soft cool light pink. It has some shimmer and feels smooth with a moderate tacky sticky texture. It’s not the smoothest gloss I’ve tried, but at the same time it’s not super sticky. I reviewed all the Becca Glow Glosses here. Back when I was a shade or a shade and a half lighter this was easier for me to wear alone. Right now it’s best when paired with a slightly deeper liner or lipstick (ie Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk or MAC Boldly Bare).
Foundation – Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Foundation in Medium 15* (review soon, if you’re normally my skin twin go with Light-Medium 14, I’m more tan right now and use 15)
Overall I like the look of Spanish Rose Glow but I don’t think it’s a must-have for me. The rest are repeats I already have but I’m gifting them away to family. All that said I think Spanish Rose Glow is pretty unique from what I’ve seen compared to other colors. If you want something a little less cool-toned or neutral/warm opt for any of the Bobbi Brown Highlighting powders.
You can find the Becca Rose Glow Kit now at Nordstrom while supplies last for the Anniversary Sale. Have you tried this color yet? What did you think? If not what’s your go-to pink highlighter of the moment?
This will be the last Nordstrom Beauty Exclusive I review this year. I apologize but most of the items I hauled sold out really quickly before I was able to post swatches and a review. I am currently working on testing the Pat McGrath foundation, new Chanel sunscreen and will be swatching the new NARS lipsticks!
June has been a transition month for us literally as we’ve moved! We managed to do everything fairly quickly but with moving there’s always a chance things might take longer than planned, especially with the unpacking and getting everything setup. For my just-in-case things take longer scenario I made sure to pack our essentials in a few dedicated boxes that I set aside. In the humid months maintaining a good skincare routine is a must and I did not want to lose track of my essential cleansers, moisturizers and treatments. I packed my must-haves in a few travel cases and these are the items I relied on all month long. I could also call this my skincare on-the-go routine! I have the Truffle Clarity Jumbo Jetset Case featured above which just restocked and launched in new colors. You can see my previous review in this post here too.
Tatcha Pure One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil (travel-size) has been my go-to for double cleansing, love that Tatcha is one of the few brands that carries nearly everything in their lineup in a travel size option.
Sisley Botanical Floral Toning Lotion is the best hydrating toner lotion I have on repeat, it’s alcohol free and works to soften the skin, I have a mini I got from the subscription program and I keep refilling it for on-the-go times.
Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream* has made my favorites list two months in a row, I love that it comes with a pump (versus jar) and it has been a great lightweight moisturizer that doesn’t feel too heavy, even on hot humid days, it works with all of my foundations too.
Volition Beauty Strawberry-C Serum* has been a pleasant surprise for a Vitamin-C treatment to help brighten and hydrate, and it doesn’t irritate my skin (full review here).
Fenty Beauty Pro Kiss’r Luscious Lip Balm has the best balm packaging I’ve seen in a while, it has both a squeeze tube and sponge applicator so there’s no mess on your fingers from applying! It’s hydrating and soft on my lips (goes on clear).
By Terry Baume de Rose Mini* something I got in one of the GWP bags a few months ago, always a favorite for night time, it’s the most lush rich lip balm I’ve tried.
Chanel La Creme Main is the best smelling hand cream I own that has a really nice velvety dry down.
Extras/Treatments
Glamglow Supermud Activated Charcoal Treatment Mask is one I can never be without, I use this once a week during the humid season, even if it’s sometimes just as a spot mask, the full size is better, but I had minis on hand thrown into my travel bag.
GrandeLASH MD Lash Enhancing Serum* is the first lash serum I’ve tried that actually works for me, I started seeing results by the end of the first week of use (even Andrew noticed!), it also didn’t darken or irritate my lids like other formulas did.
MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ is a must-have for me as a multi-tasker, either to hydrate bare skin or set foundation/powder and make it look a little less powdery, I did give the new scented options a smell at the counter and bought Peony as it has the lightest scent of the four options.
Hero Mighty Patch Original is the best hydro colloid pimple patch I’ve tried, we got these from Amazon early in the year because my bestie recommended them. Since then we’ve tried other brands and I’ve been meaning to review them but Andrew uses them up so fast I rarely have them in stock at our home, I had to order a bunch and hide them from him lol. Full acne treatment post to follow on what we’ve tried, but we really like these.
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Spot Treatment is something I’ve had to use more frequently this past month, even though I’ve been able to maintain clear skin with a good routine, moving this summer in the extreme heat took a toll on my skin. This has helped my skin tremendously for those unwanted spots.
That wraps up June’s most-used favorite skincare items. I had other things in rotation but these were my favorites! Did you have any favorites this past month? Do you switch things up as the weather heats up or stick with staples year round? For those who always want to know what I have on my nails in this photo I have the Olive and June EC Nail Polish* on (with three coats) topped it with the Essie Speed Setter Top Coat and it lasted a full seven days without tip wear or chipping.
Press samples featured indicated with a *. All other items purchased by me.
May flew by so quickly! I feel like I blinked and the weeks literally passed by in minutes. I’m rounding up this month’s hits and misses in beauty. I have a little bit of everything from skincare, hair care, complexion products and other makeup items.
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Chanel Favorites
I’ve loved a lot of new launches from Chanel this month. They’ve been on a roll with new releases in makeup, skincare and fragrance. My favorites:
CC Cream with SPF 50 * is my favorite CC cream with medium coverage, I wear either shade 30 or 40 (application and review here)
Le Vernis in Afterglow, Open Air and Purple Ray* from cruise are the prettiest ones I think I’ve seen in a while from Chanel, I’m really loving the purples! (swatches here)
Rouge Coco Flash (my picks here, cruise colors swatched here) are among my most-worn for an effortless swipe and go kind of lip color
Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream* is probably my favorite moisturizer of the month, it has a lightweight texture and adds hydration and leaves the skin feeling softly refreshed and glowing, it works well with their foundations and after using this regularly skin feels more radiant and plump
L’Eau Micellar Water* is a new launch from Chanel, it’s a cleansing water that has a soft refreshing feel to it, it’s alcohol-free and gentle, it is scented similar to their Hydra Beauty line but isn’t irritating or overpowering, I use this as a first step for cleansing
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Hair Care Hits and Misses
I’m on my third round of highlights and for some reason this time my hair has been so high maintenance. I feel the strong sun, salty ocean water, hard water plus beach time has been giving my hair so much grief. I’ve tried a number of shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair, most have been mediocre at best for color maintenance. I finally found something I love:
Hits include:
Kerastase Blond Absolu line has been overall one of the best for me to maintain highlights for me. I’ve tried three things from the line so far including the Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo (I use this 1x per week and leave on for a few minutes), I use the Hydrating Illuminating Shampoo almost daily to cleanse and I’ve been loving the Strengthening Ciccaflash Conditioner. All three lather well and rinse even in Florida water.
Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream* has been a life saver for dry hair, I can’t rave about this enough! It hydrates, conditions and reduces frizz.
P.S. I’m still loving Olaplex (review here) – it’s great but for me it’s more for strengthening versus for color-maintenance.
Misses
Kerastase Reflection Sulfate Free Shampoo and Reflection Conditioner were recommended to me by a friend, she swore by it! I kept using both until they were finished, but these were among the worst for me. I suspect it just does not work with Florida water. They would not lather well or rinse easily and they did nothing to maintain or protect color.
Oribe also came highly recommended. I really love their styling products so I am so sad to report that their Bright Blonde Shampoo and Shampoo for Beautiful Color did not work for me. I also used their corresponding conditioners when testing. The blonde one left my hair on the stringy side and the beautiful color option did not rinse well. I feel like their Gold Lust formula is far superior and I still love the Cleansing Cream. The color shampoos + conditioners (and mask) were an expensive miss for my hair.
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Most-Worn Nail Polishes
(also the ones asked about the most!)
I rotate nail polishes quite frequently but these are my most-worn polishes. Anytime I have my hand showing on Instagram, stories, blog posts I get tons of questions about what I’m wearing. I try to list and label them as much as possible, these are the ones that get the most questions:
I feel like right now everything is still focused on getting that healthy glow. This month was filled with so many hits! I will have a full bronzer/glow post coming up soon, for now the best ones I tried this month:
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Bronzer in Shady Biz is the best matte bronze for my skin tone right now, I also tried the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Afternoon Snack/Mo’ Hunny and am so impressed by how smooth and beautiful the shimmer is (review soon)
Also wanted to mention that a new favorite base combo is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Primer + Soft Matte Foundation, the trick to getting this look smooth is using the primer with the foundation, my match is 235, it stays on all day, doesn’t oxidize too much (warms up just a little after it dries) and looks flawless!
Dior Addict Stellar Shine in D-Galaxy – hauled this during the Sephora sale and it swatched so pretty on my hand, on my lips it’s a very slippery oily feeling glittery mess, perhaps the other colors are better, this one did not work for me!
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Skincare Hits and Misses
I’ve had so many issues with sunscreens this year on the face and body. I am testing one more formula and then I’m done and will most likely stick with my go-to’s. I can’t deal with the recovery time for allergic reactions. Right now my arms and legs are covered with bumps from my last test. It’s been a painful week for me. I just discovered that some sunscreens will cause a reaction when exposed to sunlight. I’ve also had ones that I’ve had an allergy to just from testing indoors. Full sunscreen post as soon as I’m done testing this one last formula (for those curious I’m testing out a couple from EltaMD).
The biggest misses:
Kopari Sundaze Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 30 – some people say that mineral is better than chemical for those with sensitive skin. I’ve tried both types and for me there’s really no guarantee because there are other ingredients to take into account. I’m not entirely sure what caused a reaction in this one, but it left a white cast on my face and within a couple hours tiny red bumps started to appear. Even after washing off it left my skin bumpy everywhere and it took a solid week for my face to go back to normal.
Neutrogena Hydroboost Water Gel Lotion with SPF 50 worked amazingly on my face when I tested it so I thought I found a winner. The day I tested it I was indoors the entire day and had no issues. Our next beach trip I applied it on my arms and legs (rest of my face/body I had something else on to test/compare). By the time we got back home my arms and legs started to develop swelling spots. They turned into red bumps everywhere. It does contain oxybenzone which I suspect could be the culprit for my allergy when exposed to direct sun, but I’ve tried Neutrogena formulas before and never had issues. As I’m writing this post my arms and legs are still recovering.
The hits:
Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is one of my favorites that won’t irritate my face. It also lasts long on my skin and doesn’t leave a white cast. Since it does adhere well to the face I recommend you be extra thorough with cleansing to fully remove it.
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream* has been really nice as my skin has felt dry for months with the air conditioning I’m in constantly. It has a nice rich texture that is surprisingly not too heavy for my skin type.
Farmacy Beauty Better Daze Ahead* is the first CBD cream I’ve been able to tolerate the scent of. It still has an earthy kind of scent but it’s not overpowering like other CBD infused creams. It has a lightweight feel and was one of the few creams I could use post-sunscreen allergic reaction without having my face feel like it was on fire. It really did work to help moisturize and calm down my skin.
Rodin Luxury Face Cream* is a new launch that is an oil-infused cream for dry skin. I’ve found it pleasantly soothing and hydrating. It does have scent to it but it’s not irritating and smells like licorice and flowers mixed together. It has a lot of different oils mixed in so if you’re sensitive to oils you may want to try or patch test first. I’ve had no irritation issues and will keep on using this!
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That wraps up this month’s hits and misses! Would love to hear what you loved or didn’t like in the beauty world recently. Let me know in the comments!
Press samples have a * next to them. Other items purchased by me.
We’ve been in Florida for two and a half years now and the best thing we’ve discovered are the beaches! We never really knew what truly beautiful beaches were like until our first trip to Florida three Decembers ago. As beautiful as San Diego is, West Coast beaches don’t compare at all to the ones on the East coast! Here the beaches are so clean, water is warm enough to swim in and the overall atmosphere is more relaxing and friendly. We’ve been exploring more beaches each weekend and finally went to Siesta Key off the coast of Sarasota. So many of you have recommended we visit and it’s one of the best ones we’ve been to! We also love St. Pete Beach and Anna Maria.
With each of our beach trips I try to share a little of what I pack with me on Instagram stories. Our beach days tend to be all day events, or at the very least all afternoon to late evening excursions. We go straight from the beach to run afternoon errands or dinner and even though most of everything in South Florida is very laid back and low key, I still pack beauty products and extra clothes to change into to look a little more polished.
A lot of you have been asking for a beach kit series along with an updated Florida post (ie beauty, towels, umbrellas, clothes, best beaches etc.). Today I have my beach beauty favorites. I’m working on the other ones to post for you soon! Above is The Daily Edited Clear Pouch in Pale Pink (love!). On the nails is Chanel Le Vernis in Purple Ray. Sunnies are from Celine.
I owe you an updated sunscreen post but I have had the worst time with face sunscreen this year and had several severe allergic reactions to new formulas I’ve been testing. The whole testing process is taking longer than anticipated and I’m still going to have an updated roundup with all the hits and misses. The ones I swear by are my long-time tried and true:
Sol de Janiero Bumb Bum Sol Oil with SPF 30 is something we’ve nearly used up entirely! It’s a delicious suncreen oil that has shimmer in side. The shimmer is very subtle and has no gritty feel/texture. We used this during our Miami trip and I’ve been using it here in Tampa too. It does have a very strong sweet smell so if you can’t wear strong scents opt for the Supergoop! Oil instead.
Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen with SPF 50 is my most-used body sunscreen. It helps to prevent burn the best out of all the ones I’ve tried. It’s smooth enough and lightweight to reapply easily without feeling heavy. There’s no scent and it doesn’t feel sticky.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen with SPF 40 is a great transparent face sunscreen for me. It’s invisible and lightweight, I can wear it under makeup or alone!
Supergoop! Sunscreen Oil with SPF 50 is tied in my top two for the body. This was the first Supergoop! product I tried and it was love from the beginning. This one is also lightweight and is super smooth and easy to apply.
Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with SPF 50 is one of the best ways to reapply face sunscreen without ruining your makeup. I also love their powder but find the mist is something I reach for more often.
Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen with SPF 35 remains one of my go-to’s for the face, it doubles as a primer for me and never clogs my pores. It does adhere to the skin so make sure to double cleanse in the afternoon to wash it off properly!
Chanel CC Cream* with SPF 50 is one of the few CC creams I’ve actually liked. I did a full review here with swatches of all the colors. I hope they expand the color range!
Eric Javits Hampton Straw Sun Hat is one of the best hats I’ve bought for sun protection. From browsing these online I didn’t this was going to be worth the splurge. After seeing it in person though I bought one and feel it was 100% worth the splurge. This prevents the scalp and head from getting burned better than any other hat I’ve tried. The top is woven and also lined to block 95% of the UVA and UVB rays. They have several styles but I opted for the Hamptons one. You can also see it worn in this post here.
Neck masks and arm protectors are something both Andrew and I are looking into. We’ve researched a few online and I can share a better review once we’ve explored more options. There’s no escaping the sun here and it’s quite intense while driving so our arms get crispy. Sometimes I’ll bring a sweatshirt or extra scarf to cover my arms/legs in the car. Andrew bought a couple lightweight options that he’s been trying out the past few weeks. We noticed people who work at the beach here and in Miami are often covered head to toe with these – they wear them with their polos or shorts for extra coverage and still seem to be light enough to wear in the heat.
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Hair Accessories
The humidity, heat, salt and wind at the beach has made my hair look so crazy Andrew asked me to do something about it. I’ve made an extra effort to pack things to look a little more presentable with my hair. Hair scarves and the silk hair ties have been lifesavers. I also pack a little comb or brush as it gets progressively windy later in the day.
For the face I typically just apply a little bit of bronzer on the cheeks before I leave the house and don’t do anything for touch ups for the rest of the day. A number of you have messaged me telling me you LOVE the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks and I decided to reinvestigate. I’ve found that adding a little bit of cream color after the beach makes me look more alive and I’ve been reaching for them more frequently!
The Sisley Phyto-Blush Twists* have been a favorite for a cream to powder product for a couple years now. They launched two more colors sometime last year and it took me forever to try them but the two new ones are the best ones. Shade 5 Contour can double as a bronzer and Shade 6 Passion is the prettiest coral pink gold. I bought one of the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks for a sheer glow. I had a few several years ago but gave them away in a beauty purge before during our cross-country move. I think Las Salinas is the prettiest pink with gold shimmer. Above I swatched with a heavy hand but all of these blend out for a sheerer wash of color.
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Lips
Lip products are something I always bring multiples of everywhere. The best effortless beach colors are ones that have a tint + treatment in one like the NARS Lip Oil or Dior Addict Lip Glow. Ones I’ve had in rotation lately include the ones below. I don’t pack ALL of these with me, I usually have maybe 3-4 in my bag at any given time. These are the ones I have in frequent rotation:
There are a few extra things I keep on hand with me for the just-in-case moments:
Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleanser in the mini is essential for us, we’ll use a water bottle if there’s no sink nearby. I started to develop a severe allergic reaction one day when we were out after testing a sunscreen. It didn’t start surfacing until about an hour after I applied it and my face was suddenly on fire. Andrew had one in his workout bag in the trunk of his car and since we were at a restaurant, I used this in their bathroom to wash it all off. Since that day I’ve always kept an extra cleanser with me just in case. I got mine with the Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday gift, wish they sold the mini! I do really like face wipes but they get really spendy with the amount I’ve gone through, also a regular cleanser just works better.
Byredo Blanche Perfume is another essential, but really any travel size perfume is a must-have for me on the go. There are mosquitos and they love to bite me. They’re usually only out at dusk but depending on season sometimes they’re out more places than others. A spritz of perfume on the bite usually helps reduce swelling and itching. Otherwise my legs or arms can swell up to the size of a golf ball.
Fenty Beauty Blotting Papers were so cute and come in this nifty dispenser I had to buy them. The paper is on the thin side but they seem to do the trick to blot shine. It’s super compact and has a tiny mirror which is convenient. I normally swear by the Tatcha Blotting Papers but wanted to give the Fenty ones a try. I like the Fenty packaging better, but the Tatcha papers perform better for me.
Chanel Stylo Ombre Et Contour* makes for a quick and easy one and done eye look. Also kept with me just-in-case although definitely not essential.
For those who have been asking, I hope you found this post helpful on some beach beauty favorites! You can keep it as simple as your taste suits you. I do realize some of you don’t wear any makeup to the beach, especially if you swim, but sometimes it’s nice to have a few things on hand to put on afterwards if you don’t want to go bare faced!
If you have any beach beauty favorites let me know in the comments!
I’m hosting a giveaway! I’ve been such a huge fan of clear pouches I’m giving away 3 of The Daily Edited Clear Makeup Pouches. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Simply enter through one of the steps in the widget below and complete at least one of the steps. The more steps you complete the more entries you will receive. Giveaway is not sponsored or affiliated, it will run through Wednesday May 29th, 11:45 PM EST. Three separate readers will be selected at random through the widget to each pick one of the Daily Edited Clear Makeup Pouch (can pick color and monogram letters). Winner will be selected within 72 hours after giveaway ends and emailed directly by me.
I have a quick haul post for what I picked up from Sephora! I still have some things in my online cart for products we could not find in our store but these are the skincare, hair care and other beauty picks both Andrew and I bought during the spring bonus event. It ends today Monday May 6th so there’s still time to shop! Details for the tiers on their Beauty Insider page for details on how to join. Discounts as follows:
Rouge Members get 20% off, 4/26 through 5/6 with code HEYROUGE
VIB Members get 15% off, 5/2 through 5/6 with code HEYVIB
BI Members get 10% off, 5/2 through 5/6 with code HEYINSIDER
With the exception of our restocks I haven’t been able to test most of the makeup products. Reviews to follow as soon as I can but I have a lot already pre-planned to post for this week so the swatches for the lip products most likely won’t be up until sometime next week.
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Skin + Hair Picks: Sabrina’s and Andrew’s
I still remember distinctly when Andrew refused to go into Sephora with me. Anytime we were shopping together he would see me walk towards the store and say, “meet me at (x place) when you’re done.” He’s always been a well-groomed person but I can’t express how happy it makes me that in the past couple of years he has taken a bigger interest in skincare and taking care of our health and wellness. These days he goes in the store with me to shop the skincare areas and wanders off to do his own browsing.
I’ve been really loving Fenty Beauty the more and more I try from the line. I bought two highlighters in the Killawatt Freestyle in Afternoon Snack/Mo Hunny and Foil Freestyle Highlighter in Penny4uthots. I tried the duo today and think it’s so so pretty. I also picked up the two lightest matte Sun Stalk’r Bronzers in Inda Sun and Shady Bix. I haven’t had a chance to try them yet but took a quick peek at them in store. I’ve been really interested in the Pro Filter Powder but the testers look so chalky in store on my hand. I opted for a mini in Cashew which I have on my face right now and it’s too dark but could possibly work in the summer for me. I’m not sure if I’ll go back for the lighter shades. From Charlotte Tilbury I bought one of the Glowgasm Highlighters in Peach (ordered the rest online).
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Lip Haul Picks
I spotted two new Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lips and picked the lighter shade East Coast Slay. It’s a pale nude yellowish beige cream. I also saw the new Hourglass Unreal Lip Glosses and wanted every single color. I bought 5 in Ignite, Truth, Prose, Canvas and Cosmic. I tested Truth yesterday and really like it – it’s smooth and not sticky with good coverage. Has a minty scent to it but not really plumping on me (no tingle). I’ll keep you posted! I also opted for one of the Dior Stellar Shine in D-Galaxy. I had high hopes for these but none of the other colors really spoke to me. If you think there are any that I should check out let me know in the comments!
My haul picks:
Still in my cart:
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That wraps up my Sephora haul! I think I might order a few more of the Hourglass Lip Glosses even though I don’t need anymore. The Sephora Beauty Insider Event ends tonight – what did you end up hauling?
