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Men's Grooming Monthly Favorites

July Beauty and Grooming Favorites

August 1, 2015

The month of July has flown by so quickly I can’t believe it’s already over. It’s been a while since I’ve shared my monthly favorites so I decided to try something new – I’ve compiled a list of favorites in skincare, haircare, makeup and grooming in a his and hers edition. My husband has always been a well-groomed man and likes testing new things but is very particular about smells, textures and performance. He will research products to death before he splurges on grooming products so I always try to bring him home samples to try when I shop at Sephora or Nordstrom. When he saw me gathering a pile of products for this post, he said wanted to participate by sharing a few of his favorite grooming products too. I hope you enjoy this roundup of favorites we’ve been testing for the past month!

First up for me include fragrance, body, skin care and hair care favorites.

  • It was love at first smell with L’Artisan Mûre et Musc Eau de Toilette. This tiny Coffret Miniatures Set is the cutest thing ever with my two favorites the Mûre et Musc and Las Chasse Papillons. It’s too small to have a spritzer so you
    have to dab it on the skin but it’s perfect for a clutch or
    small bag.
  • For body I’ve been loving the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse for a dry body oil. It absorbs into the skin quickly and has an amazing smell. You can often find the deluxe minis online from https://us.nuxe.com/ – they have lots of good promos from time to time.
  • For the face I’ve been loving the First Aid Beauty Vitamin Hydrating Mist. It’s hard to describe the smell but it is very fresh and slightly sweet/citrusy. It makes the skin feel nice and hydrated and has a lightweight feel.
  • Beautylish has finally started carrying the travel sized Bioderma Sébium and Sensibio H20 Cleansing waters separately. They are the perfect size and price to try them out before buying the full sized versions. I’m obsessed with mini sized beauty products – these are beyond cute.
  • The Drybar Mudslide Hair Mask is the most incredible hair treatment that I’ve tried. I bought mine from Sephora in store (I don’t see it online, but it is available as a mini in this set). It leaves the hair super soft and silky. After I use it I can air dry my hair without it getting frizzy (no hair dryer or flat iron needed). I use it as a weekly treatment.
  • R+Co is a new brand I’ve been experimenting with. I picked up two of the items from Space NK and the Moon Shine Shampoo and Conditioner are among the best I’ve tried ever. It cleans the hair really well and leaves it feeling well hydrated, soft and shiny smooth without being too heavy. It leaves the hair feeling bouncy and weightless all day long. Since it is a hydrating product I wouldn’t recommend it for daily use but I like it 2 to 3x per week (I wash my hair daily but alternate shampoos). It smells amazing with a mix of orange, cardamom, fig, guava and amber. It sounds like a lot but it’s not too sweet or rich in scent.

My husband’s name is Andrew. He’s always been a well-groomed man for which I am really grateful. For his group of favorites, he’s tested a few new brands in shaving and also pulled out some tried and true staples to share in this month’s roundup. In case you shop for any of the men in your life, he says he hope this is helpful for gift ideas or recommendations if they are looking for something new to try.
  • The L’Occitane Cedrat Stick Deodorant is an alcohol-free and aluminum salts-free deoderant (two of the things he checks for on the ingredient list). This one from L’Occitane lasts all day and smells really good. It doesn’t make his skin peel or feel oily. The entire Cedrat line has a good mix of masculine citrus and wood.
  • For skin his go-to moisturizer is the Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturizer with SPF 20. He uses this daily and it leaves the skin feeling hydrated and soft. It dries down to a nice feel so there is no oily or greasy texture and absorbs into the skin quickly. He does wish it came with a higher SPF but so far it’s the best one he’s tried and he’s stuck with it for quite some time.
  • For shaving, two brands have been in rotation. First his regular go-to is the L’Occitane Cade Plisson Razor + Shave Cream Duo. His quick take on each:
    • The L’Occitane Shave Cream is the best he’s tried because it’s thick, it lathers up well, and it keeps the blade from touching his skin. According to my husband, the cream is gentle with a clean scent and doesn’t break out his skin.
    • The L’Occitane Plisson Razor is crafted in France and comes with wood, chrome and brass handle. These come with the Gillette Blades that are easy replace. He likes the look of the wooden handle and the shape is tapered and long so it fits well into his large hands and won’t slip while he shaves.
  • Harry’s Shaving Sets come in several options. He tried the Truman Set which is priced at $15. It includes 1 Truman Razor Handle, a 3.4 oz shave cream, 3 German Engineered Blade Cartridges and 1 Travel Blade Cover. The packaging and presentation for the price point is all on point. According to my husband, he believes this is truly is the best shaving set for the price (he says drugstore prices can’t even beat all that is in the box for $15).
    • The Truman Razor is well designed and even though the handles are plastic, it’s very good quality with some weight to it so it doesn’t feel cheap. He likes the modern look and design and the blades are good for the price but not quite as sharp as Gillette.
    • The Shave Cream is ok – the packaging is on point and it does the job but it has a slight menthol scent and isn’t as thick as the L’Occitane (which gives him a better shave). He still thinks it’s definitely worth trying out. He ordered the Foaming Gel to give it a try.
  • For scent, his go-to these days is the Chanel Bleu de Chanel. He likes the travel size because it’s easy to carry in his briefcase and also doesn’t take up a lot of space on his desk at his office. He says it’s got a good masculine scent (that’s all he gave me for the description, lol).
  • For the hair, his favorite styling product is the Drybar The Chaser Shine Pomade. He’s claimed several of my tubes as his own. He likes this because it’s lightweight and keeps the hair looking groomed and soft. It helps manage his hair without feeling or looking greasy. I agree with him and like how it adds shine and makes the hair soft – it lasts all day and leaves the hair feeling soft. Because we use it daily, we’ve gone through around 8 tubes already.
  • Last but not least he’s obsessed with the Muji clear flat zip pouches. The website is under construction but the options we bought are shown here. He likes the texture and feel.
That wraps up our July favorites for beauty and grooming. As always I would love to hear what your favorites were for the last month. If you have any recommendations for men grooming products my husband says he is open to suggestions! Also if any of you or if the men in your life know of any good men’s grooming blogs – please shoot me an e-mail or let me know in the comments below 🙂

This post features some items that were sent for review consideration including the Marc Jacobs Lip Lacquers, Harry’s Truman Set, L’Occitane Cedrat, Clarins Lip Perfectors and Burberry Shell Eyeshadow. All other items purchased by me.

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Peachy Makeup Loves

July 26, 2015
Right now I’m obsessed with peachy makeup for lips and nails. All variations from peachy nudes, lush peachy apricots and bright coral peaches. Anything with peach is actually a staple for me – the color is almost a neutral to me because I find it goes with everything, almost every occasion or any color outfit. I’ve pulled a few of my favorites that I have had in rotation this summer.

Lips: Clarins, NARS, Tom Ford, Smith & Cult, Marc Jacobs Beauty, YSL and Fresh

  • Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector Sticks (c/o) have been in regular rotation. I’ll have a review of all six shades hopefully this next week. All the colors have the perfect amount of color and shine for a tinted lipbalm. 02 Coral is a sheer light peach.
  • NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Gloss (c/o) is a new shade for fall, it was previously in pot form. It’s now in tube form and seems a bit deeper in color compared to the original making it more wearable.
  • Tom Ford Skinnydip Lip Color Sheer is my favorite peachy nude gold shimmer, it makes the lips look shiny and naturally full.
  • Smith & Cult Her Name is Bubbles is something I’ve been testing out. I ordered 3 glosses, so far the gloss in Her Name is Bubbles is my favorite, it’s a bright coral in the tube but goes on the lips a sheer lush peach. It smells like soft vanilla.
  • Marc Jacobs Uproar (c/o) is the prettiest sheer peach sparkle. It has an ultra luxe cushiony texture that feels super moisturizing on the lips. Review and swatches of all Enamored Hi Shine Lip Lacquers in this post here.
  • Tom Ford Lips & Boys in William is a high shimmer warm gold peach nude. The frost factor is high but I like it. If you can’t do high shimmer frosts, try Skinnydip instead.
  • YSL Pop Water Glossy Stain in Wet Nude is the best sheer nude peach gloss ever. (Swatches and review of more colors here.)
  • Fresh Sugar Lip Shines now come in more shades, Sugar Nude is a sheer peachy nude shimmer with a high shine finish.

Lip swatches of a few of the colors:

Nails: Dior, Smith & Cult, Chanel and Essie

  • Dior Sunkissed is the prettiest peach nude I’ve ever tried. It’s super flattering and brightening on the hands without looking too pale, too pastel, or too peach.
  • Dior Majesty was released in the US as a Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusive. It’s a brighter peach but still a soft color. Against a tan it makes the hands look darker but it’s a fun bright peach without being too bright.
  • Smith & Cult Ghost Edit is a super sheer glossy nude peach. It took three coats for me to get the color to show. It’s a nice glossy neutral that lets the whites of your nails show through. The look is polished and natural.
  • Essie Sunday Funday is such a pretty coral peach with a tiny hint of shimmer. For the price, the pigment and color is really good. I have yet to find a good base/top coat combination that makes an Essie nail polish last more than 3 days on me (I am still getting major tip wear by day 2). But the colors are fun to wear and affordable.
  • Chanel Mirabella is my favorite orange peach. I’m glad it hasn’t been discontinued even though it was released last year. It’s a pretty bright orange.

What’s your favorite peachy lipstick, lipgloss or nail polish?
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Summer Loves + Weekend Reads

July 19, 2015
 
Above: Summer hat by J.Crew, Pouch by Truffle, Blanket by SEVI, iPhone 5 case by Gray Malin (iPhone 6 versions available here), Sunglasses Marc by Marc Jacobs, cheeks Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick and Edward Bess Afterglow Highlighter

We’ve had a few days of on and off rain storms here in Southern California. We’ve had record breaking rain in the past few days, I don’t remember ever seeing this much rain in July before. I was able to enjoy the sun in the park for a few hours earlier today before it started to pour again. We had clear blue skies for a good part of the morning so I was hopeful that it would be sunny the remainder of the day. Here are a few things I’ve been loving:
For lips I’ve been loving the YSL Pop Water Glossy Stains (swatches of my picks here) and the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector Sticks (review to be posted soon). Both products give the lips a lush glossy tint which I’m obsessed with for summer.
I’ve mentioned in a few posts I was looking for a good face sunscreen. My go-to is still the Chanel UV Essential SPF 50 because it’s super thin in texture and doesn’t feel heavy. I find layering it over my regular moisturizer and under foundation works really well. Many other sunscreens are too heavy.

Two others I’ve been loving are from First Aid Beauty. The Ultra Repair® Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is a really good one for sensitive skin. A little goes a long way so I’d recommend using sparingly. It doesn’t slide into my eyes when I sweat. The 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 is also really good but it’s more moisturizing compared to the other one. 

My husband’s favorite body sunscreen is the Jack Black Sun Guard SPF 45 because of the high SPF and because it’s water resistant. We bought the travel size 3-pack for travel. He also likes the smaller sizes for carrying to the beach or the park. I’ve been really liking the Supergoop! Oil Spray.

I’ve been testing a number of foundations. Over the last month I’ve gotten a few shades darker because of our travels through Europe. I thought it would be a good time to test out some new formulas. I’ll have a roundup in the next couple of weeks. I’ve been testing the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in Medium and it’s a really good sheer no-makeup kind of makeup. It has enough coverage to even out the skin but is on the sheer side so it looks super natural. I wish I had this with me last month while traveling.

Last but not least, a few blog posts I’ve really enjoyed: RaeView shares her travels in Tokyo with a new vlog, Café Makeup takes on along her travels on a Paris Beauty Crawl, Really Ree has sneak peek swatches of fall releases from Tom Ford Beauty (I need everything).

I’m working my way through swatching my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale picks, Chanel Fall Beauty (I think the four new Stylo Yeuxs are must-haves), the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eye Palette and new Charlotte Tilbury. What are you loving right now?
Press samples were provided by Truffle, First Aid Beauty, Clarins and Glossier for review. All other items purchased by me.

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Valentine’s Day Pink for Lips

February 12, 2015

This week I’m loving all shades of pink for the lips, in preparation for Valentine’s Day I’ve compiled a list of new pinks that I’ve been testing along with some older favorites. Today’s focus is on lip glosses with a glossy sheen that will give the lips a lush glow.

  • Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl Sheer in Pink Diamond is a glossy sheer pink gold that gives the lips a tint of gold and pink, right now it seems to be removed from Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty so I’m not sure if these are being phased out or reformulated, for a similar effect check out MAC Nympette Lipglass
  • Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer 01 is a sheer light pink balm-like gloss, on the lips it gives a sheer natural wash of light pink with a tiny bit of shimmer, it has a soft vanilla scent
  • NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight is a super pale powdery pink gloss, on my super pigmented lips this is high maintenance when worn alone, I find it’s best worn as a layering lipgloss mainly because I have a lot of color in my lips
  • Zelens Lip Glaze in Rose is a lush baby pink cream, I have a hard time pulling off baby pinks on the lips that are non-shimmers, they are often too pale on my lip but this one was surprisingly good, it’s pricey for a lip gloss but the texture and color are really really good, coverage is medium
  • Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Gloss in Strawberry is something I bought in the mini size over the holiday, this is the first Bite Lip Gloss I’ve tried and the color is absolute perfection for the perfect light-to-medium rose pink but the formula is less than stellar. I wonder if this is one of those glosses you need to “break in” with a few wears to make the formula better, it settled into lip lines like crazy which is a shame because the color and pigment is so pretty
  • Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Pink Pop is sheer bright pink gloss perfection, I love a good bright lip gloss that has a sheer texture because they give the lips just enough color to get that glow, this one has a very strong vanilla scent so if you’re sensitive to fragrance, you might not be able to wear this one easily
  • Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in 521 is a sheer medium cool-toned pink, it’s very sheer so alone it will give you a very subtle tint of color, it’s lovely over a lipstick or lipliner 
  • NARS Lip Gloss in Angelika is a bright cool-toned pink with gold flecks of shimmer, this one is a pretty azalea pink kind of color with medium coverage
  • Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Ballet is a lipgloss that acts more like a liquid lipstick, this one has crazy intense pigment and covers the lip entirely, if you want a glossy bright pink with super rich coverage, this is the best one I’ve tried
  • MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus is a super fun glitzy pink, I’m usually ultra conservative when it comes to anything with visible sparkles that is more than just shimmer, but this one is really pretty on the lips, I’m not sure that I would be able to rock this comfortably everyday, but it’s not too glitzy if you layer a sheer wash of this on top of a lipstick
  • Zelens Lip Glaze in Pink is a healthy medium-bright pink, it has medium coverage leaning slightly more towards full but still has a glossy finish so it’s not like a liquid lipstick, it’s like Laura Mercier’s Pink Pop amped up a few notches in terms of pigment and oomph, I highly recommend the formula because it plumps the lips naturally and feels ultra hydrating and smooth
  • Chanel Glossimer in Crazy Fuchsia is part of the spring collection, it’s a super pigmented glossimer that has the prettiest mix of pink, violet and rose shimmers, long-time readers know I’m all about lighter neutral lips, but this one is just insanely gorgeous

Lip swatches on me (for reference some of these were taken over different days, foundations worn include the NARS All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation in Punjab and Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 04 with various setting powders):

I hope you found this lip gloss guide helpful in terms of picking out pink lip glosses with a diverse range of finishes, textures and different levels of color. To narrow down my top picks by category:

Favorite sheer light pink:
Clarins Instant Light Perfector in Rose Shimmer and Zelens Rose Lip Glaze
Favorite medium pink:
Laura Mercier Pink Pop and Zelens Pink Lip Glaze
Most unique:
Chanel Crazy Fuchsia Glossimer

This is by no means a comprehensive of all the pink lip glosses I’ve tried or adore, but rather an edited version of what I’ve been testing or using right now. What are your favorite pink lip glosses?

The Zelens Lip Glazes, Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss and Laura Mercier Lip Glace were provided as press samples for review consideration, all others purchased by me.

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Skincare Treats and Splurges

February 11, 2015

Following this month’s theme of “treat yourself,” today I’m sharing some of my favorite skincare treats and splurges. I’ll highlight some items I view as game-changers based on what I’ve tested focusing on things I believe are worth the splurge to pamper the skin. For a bit of background on my skin, I have normal but sensitive skin. This winter it leans on the slightly dry side, but still is relatively normal. I’m in my early 30’s right now and a year ago, my skin went through some changes with major break outs causing some scars and texture issues. I spent the last year working to streamline my skincare routine and am really thankful that it’s returned to it’s normal state over the past few months. I’ll be sharing more about my skincare routine later, but for today I want to highlight items I feel are good for pampering. 

Up first is sunscreen. I’ve always hated wearing sunscreen on the face because of the strong sunscreen scent or greasy feel. I don’t like wearing layers of product under my foundation and powder and since I’ve always spent the majority of my day indoors I thought it was pointless to wear extra sunscreen. So many have emphasized the importance of protecting your skin and wearing sunscreen has become a priority. Unfortunately, I since I can’t tolerate the sunscreen smell, I have had to splurge on sunscreen for the face. Three that I really like that won’t turn the face white and that don’t have that traditional sunscreen smell include:

1 / Clarins UV Plus HP Multi-Protection Day Screen SPF 40  ($41 for 1.7 oz) is my latest sunscreen discovery. It’s a lightweight white fluid that has a semi-matte feel. I picked this up because of recommendations from friends and also wanted to take advantage of the Nordstrom gift with purchase going on right now (details here). I like that it doesn’t feel runny or have that greasy fluid feel. It stays put and doesn’t feel like you have anything on the skin. Straight out of the bottle there is a very faint fresh linen-like scent but once on the face, there is no detectable scent. I love that it doesn’t turn the face white.

2 / Chanel UV Essentiel Complete Sunscreen UV Protection SPF 50 ($55 for 1 fl oz) is something I’ve used for years. Chanel has three different sunscreens with SPF 20, 30 and 50. This is a lightweight product that is very fluid. The color is also white but it’s transparent on the skin. I’ve used and repurchased this numerous times because it layers well over moisturizer and under foundation. My husband and I have shared this for years. This one is heavily fragranced though, so if you have a super sensitive nose and can’t wear fragranced skincare products, you may want to skip this one.

3 / Shiseido Urban Environment Tinted UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 43 ($32 for 1 fl oz) is something I discovered a couple months ago. I adore Shiseido as a skincare line, but was really disappointed to find almost all their facial sunscreens left a white cast on my skin. Since I wear medium to full coverage foundation daily, it didn’t really matter in the end, however, I prefer sunscreens and skincare that doesn’t leave a white residue on the skin. This one comes in three colors which makes it the perfect tint + sunscreen in one. The color selection is pretty limited but the color is sheer enough to be quite forgiving on the face. I found Shade No. 2 to be the best match although for an exact match I’m really in between No. 2 and 3. It’s a lightweight sheer coverage tint that can be worn as a base for your regular makeup. 

Next up includes facial cotton and cleansing water. Both of which aren’t really necessities but these three have been life-changing for me.

4 / Cle de Peau Beaute Cotton ($20 for 120 pads) is hands down the best facial cotton I’ve tried. It comes in a box which keeps the cotton’s shape in tact. I used to use Shiseido’s facial cotton for years, but a friend insisted I try the ones by Cle de Peau and the difference is really noticeable. The Cle de Peau is sturdier and larger in size compared to other cotton. It’s soft, silky, doesn’t separate and glides on the skin without leaving any cotton remnants or fibers on the face. It’s the ultimate luxurious splurge for the skin and I can’t recommend it enough.

5 / Caudalie Cleansing Water ($14 for 3.38 fl oz) is a classic favorite for me. This refreshes the skin and cleanses it gently. I wouldn’t recommend using it in place of a cleanser on a regular basis, but I like to use this to remove all my makeup at the end of the day and then follow up with a regular cleanser if I have long-wear foundation or powder on. It doesn’t irritate the skin and does a good job at removing makeup (not eye makeup/mascara though). 

6 / Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water ($39 for 10.15 fl oz) is the best cleansing water I’ve tried. I’ve tried lots of different cleansing waters from NARS, Dior, Lancome etc. and the Koh Gen Do is my most repurchased cleansing water. I’ve found it’s the most effective but is still very gentle on the skin. It’s definitely worth the splurge.

Testing out masks can be very expensive. For me it’s hard to splurge on a $50+ box of sheet masks or any mask in general unless I can test a small sample first, so I’ve relied on online reviews and blog reviews heavily before splurging. Four skin pampers I adore:

7 / Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective™ Clarifying & Hydrating Intensive Treatment Masque ($58 for 6 sheets, 0.85 oz each) is a surprisingly good sheet mask that I think is highly under-rated. I don’t know why it’s a limited-edition product or exclusive to Nordstrom because it’s amazing. I’ve tried a number of sheet masks and this one is very gentle but makes a visible difference in the texture, appearance and clarity of the skin. After use your face is left hydrated and super soft.

8 / SK-II Facial Treatment Mask ($17 for 1 sheet, or $135 for a 10 pack) is something that has reached cult-status but is an extremely expensive splurge. I resisted buying the box for a long time because I couldn’t justify spending that much on a mask without having tested it. I took the plunge a year ago and have no regrets. Due to the price tag, I do try to limit use to one per month. If you’ve been interested in this but didn’t want to splurge without testing, the good news is that they now offer this mask in a 1 sheet option for $17. There are a number of good sheet masks on the market, the SK-II is my favorite in terms of how it leaves the skin glowing.

9 / Glamglow Super-Mud Clearing Treatment ($69 for 1.2 oz) is something I discovered last August. It’s one of my top picks for clarifying masks that is super effective at drawing out impurities from the pores. I like that you can feel it work on the face but it’s still gentle enough for my super sensitive skin. I’ve repurchased this four times since my initial purchase – it’s that good. Use for this one varies for me from 1 to 3 times per week. I like that it’s non-irritating.

10 / Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment ($69 for 1.7 oz) is something I discovered thanks to my readers. I had a couple mini sample packets from gift with purchase events but was a bit nervous about testing this one. A number of readers recommended that I use the Supermud first and then follow with the Thirstymud right after for the ultimate at-home facial treatment. I tried this and it’s pure genius. It seemed a bit odd to apply something to dry out the skin and then apply something right after to put the moisture back in the skin, but the combination is really quite amazing. To those who recommended this tip to me, THANK YOU!!

For face mists, I’ve used the MAC Fix+ for years but it is extremely lightweight. It’s a good basic refresher for mid-day or even to prep the skin for foundation but there are others I’ve tried that are better in terms of how they impact the skin.

11 / Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($18 for 1 oz) is the ultimate spa-like facial mist. Spraying it on the face instantly lifts the mood and makes you feel like your skin has gone through a mini facial. It is heavily fragranced with a minty touch so I know it won’t appeal to all. I personally really like it. It cools and refreshes the skin and pores will tighten with this spray. I like that it doesn’t interfere with your makeup. My mom really likes this one too.

12 / La Mer “The Mist” ($65 for 3.4 oz) is an amazing facial spray. It dispenses a fine mist that is fragrance free. It’s really good at calming any redness or irritation and suitable for super sensitive skin. The packaging makes this well worth the splurge – the spritzer dispenses a perfect spritz of mist evenly over the face. If you’re in the market for an unfragranced face mist that refreshes the face, this is a good one to look at.

13 / Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist ($90 for 1.7 oz) is something that has been on my radar for a long long time. It’s used on me at almost every Chanel makeover I’ve had. I couldn’t bring myself to splurge on it. For me it’s the best thing you can splurge on for a face mist – but it’s still quite a splurge. If this were priced at the $60-$65 price point I would say hands down “you need this.” At the $90 price point it’s a stretch and for me it was hard for me to part with that much money for something this size. This is one of those products I really adore but I do believe it’s overpriced. Am I happy I bought this? Absolutely yes. Will I repurchase? I don’t know.

I hope you found this roundup of skincare treats and splurges helpful. As always I’d love to hear about your skincare favorites. What do you like to use to pamper or protect your skin to give it that extra love and care?

This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All items purchased by me. For more information refer to my disclosures.

Clarins GWP

Nordstrom Clarins Gift With Purchase

February 5, 2015

Clarins has a new gift with purchase going on at Nordstrom right now with several travel-sized skincare sets to choose from as your gift. With any $85+ purchase you can pick one of three gift sets with promo code SUPER, FIRM or MULTI (enter the code at checkout). There’s a step up as well, if you spend an additional $15 you get a deluxe travel-size Tonic Body Oil (1 oz.). It also comes with a small red travel bag.

The gift options include:

http://rstyle.me/n/bb3p9ubf6

SUPER comes with:
Super Restorative Day Cream (0.53 oz.)
Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream (0.5 oz.)
Hand & Nail Treatment Cream (1 oz.)
Beauty Flash Balm (0.53 oz.)
FIRM comes with:
Extra-Firming Day Wrinkle Lifting Cream (0.53 oz.)
One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (1 oz.)
Moisture Rich Body Lotion (1 oz.)
Toning Lotion with chamomile (1.7 oz.)
MULTI comes with:
Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream (0.5 oz.)
Instant Eye Make-Up Remover (1 oz.)
Beauty Flash Balm (0.53 oz.)
Moisture Rich Body Lotion (1 oz.)

I stopped by my local Nordstrom to purchase some items and went with the Super Set since I’ve received a lot of recommendations to try the Hand and Nail Treatment. I thought this would be a good time to try it in a mini. What I bought for the gift and step up:

I’ve been searching for a good face sunscreen that is lightweight, fluid and doesn’t turn my face white.  I usually use the Chanel UV Essentiel SPF 50 which I adore but decided to try something new. I’ve been researching different sun screens and most of what I’ve tested in the store leaves a white cast on the skin. However the Clarins UV Plus HP Multi-Protection Day Screen SPF 40 does not. It has a lightweight fluid feel and leaves the skin with a slightly matte finish. I’ve been using this a few days and like that there’s no sunscreen scent, that it’s very fluid and feels weightless on the skin. There are two size options, the 1 oz is $25, and there is a 1.7 oz that is $40. I opted for the larger size since it’s something both me and my husband will probably share.

The next thing on my list was the Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. I was debating between these or the new Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors (in a twist up stick). I decided to try the squeeze tubes first since there have been so many raves. I picked up Rose Shimmer 01 which is a light iridescent baby pink that is a really smooth glossy baby pink. It has a soft vanilla scent that isn’t overpowering. It leaves the lips feeling plump and glossy but not tacky.


on the nails, Louboutin Bengali

The third thing I picked up was the Water Purify One-Step Cleanser. I opted for the one for Normal/Combination Skin because of the fresh clean minty scent. It has a soothing feel on the skin and leaves it feeling clean without any residue. The rep emphasized it’s not a regular cleanser and won’t be sufficient alone, but is ok to remove makeup on lazy days occasionally or to refresh the skin.

You can find the Clarins gift with purchase online and in stores at Nordstrom right now, while supplies last. If you order online be sure to enter the code at checkout to redeem your gift. Codes are SUPERFIRM or MULTI.



Do you have any Clarins favorites? I have my eye on those new lip balms, but I’d love to hear about what else you’ve tried and love.

Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. All items were purchased by me. For more information refer to my disclosures.