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Loving Right Now + Gift Card Giveaway

July 22, 2016

Happy Friday everyone! It’s been one of those weeks I thought would never end and I am relieved that it’s almost the weekend. Thank you to everyone who shared what you wanted to see on The Beauty Look Book blog in my last giveaway post. It’s always great to hear feedback on what you’ve liked and also what you would like to read more about. There were a lot of requests for features on a wide range of topics and I am beyond flattered so many of you want to know what I think about well basically anything! Most popular requests were for higher end skincare (I did not realize you guys liked the skincare posts!), budget-friendly cosmetics, full skincare routine, current hair care routine, more hauls, favorites roundups, inside my purse posts, shoe features, tutorials, makeup storage, more travel (so happy many of you loved this), time management, exclusive promo events and videos!

Since reading your requests, I’ve started to pull items for a full summer skincare routine and hair care routine post. I do tend to test a lot of products on myself to review for you so my routine changes frequently – but I will pull my favorites and include items I’ve used up. A few notes:
  • Nordstrom Anniversary Sale hauls posted on the blog, makeup picks here and fashion and skincare items hauled here
  • Exclusive promo savings for readers via Space NK US here – my apologies for those who were not able to use the code on Oribe, after several e-mails to the team, they’ve fixed the code and it works on all Oribe items (full size and travel sizes)
  • Antica Farmacista is doing a special online promo code, enter code ANTICABLB at checkout for a mini body butter with any online order!
  • Summer bronzer edit posted here (many of you have been asking for this for weeks!)
  • On videos I am hoping to do some in the future!
  • Loving right now/favorites in this post here today!

Right now for skincare, hair care and the home, I’m loving the following:

  1. Chanel Fresh Body Cream is a summer go-to for body lotions. It smells lightweight and fresh and even though a tub is pricey. I use it sparingly but it has lasted a long time. It hydrates without feeling sticky and won’t interfere with perfume. My wallet is crying at the thought of having to buy again but I think it is 100% worth the splurge.
  2. Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover is what I use right now to remove mascara and eye makeup, its gentle but effective and doesn’t feel greasy. You can find it in two sets for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in the Chubby Lash Set and Take the Day Off Set
  3. Antica Farmacista is a line I just discovered and I really don’t know how this has passed my radar for so long, I received a few samples and the line is exquisite! My favorite item is the Cucumber and Lotus Flower Candle which is the perfect cooling relaxing scent for the home, I am going to need this one in all formats, detailed review next week – if you have any favorites from the line let me know! If you order online they’re offering a free mini body butter with any order, use code ANTICABLB
  4. Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ample Angora Volumizing Mousse is something new to me, I will say up front I typically hate mousse products because they’re usually sticky and make my hair hard to comb/brush, this one is really good though. I have naturally thick hair and find most volumizing products don’t really add that much volume to my already thick hair (I have tried dozens of sprays, creams, lotions, shampoos etc.) This one combined with heat styling of the T3 PROi Dryer (best dryer ever, thanks RaeView for recommending to me!!) gives serious volume all the way through from roots to ends.
  5. La Mer The Tonic is a toner I alternate with the SK-II Clear Treatment Lotion, I like both but reach for the La Mer more these days to help remove impurities after cleansing and rebalance the skin. The formula has been a go-to for years and often times I try others in attempts to find a more affordable option, but this one never fails me.
  6. Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash is a favorite for every day multiple times a day. It’s one of the few I can use frequently without it stripping my skin. I’ve tried and repurchased all her cleansers and this is the only one that won’t irritate my skin on tender skin days. My brother has acne-prone skin that is even more sensitive than mine. I bought him this one to try and it’s one of the few he says is gentle enough for his skin (he’s in his early 20s). Also available in a larger 16 oz size with a pump and her Clinic Solutions Kit (I bought this for travel).

For makeup and fragrance:

  1. Hourglass Ambient Luminous Light Palette is nothing but pure love, it’s a Nordstrom Beauty Exclusive for this year’s Anniversary Sale and I think it is perfect. If you already own the palette from last holiday or the individual colors you can skip this one. Also there’s a new marble palette that’s coming out for holiday that you might want to wait for as previewed on @gossmakeupartist’s Instagram (it looks dreamy but I think the colors are different!). My review + swatches in this post here.
  2. Chanel Aqua Glossimers for summer are sheered out glossimers new for summer. Review on all the shades in this post here. These are nice for an effortless wash of shine and a hint of color.
  3. Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Sugarcane is a perfect baby pink that covers the lip entirely, I also like Honeycomb which is a perfect nude, swatches + review of the neutrals in this formula can be found in this post here
  4. MAC Sunblessed Cremesheen (in the Nordstrom Sunblessed Kit) is a great pinky nude on me even though it looks more peachy in the tube. Swatched on my lips here.
  5. Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips are almost too hot to handle. I adore her Matte Revolution formula and was thrilled to see more neutrals and brights launched in her Hot Lips Collection. All the shades purchased by me and swatched in this post.
  6. NARS Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette (review soon) is an exclusive to NARS online and boutiques. This has great neutrals deep enough for medium to tan skintones. I’ll review and swatch this soon.
  7. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is the perfect white floral summer fragrance. I love it. Review here.
  8. YSL Glossy Stain 07 is a ripe juicy peach that has enough color to be more than a neutral but isn’t too bright so it will suit neutral makeup lovers (also in the Nordstrom Rebel Nudes Set)
I’m hosting one more Nordstrom eGift Card Giveaway! I’m giving away 3 $100 USD eGift Cards to Nordstrom. Details as follows:
  • Open internationally
  • You must be 18 years old or older
  • Enter through widget
  • Entries will be collected through Sunday 7/24/2016 11:30 AM PST
  • Winners will be selected at random via the widget, emailed Sunday evening

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are you loving right now? Did you haul anything good from the Nordstrom sale or any other places recently?

Press samples featured include Shu Uemura, Antica Farmacista, Bite Amuse Bouche.
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Giveaway

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2016 Wishlist + Gift Card Giveaway

July 14, 2016
http://rstyle.me/n/buqbkrubf6
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts today for Nordstrom card holders! If you’re like me you’ve probably been wondering if there will be any additional beauty exclusives that aren’t been listed in the catalog. I took a quick look online to create a wishlist of what to check out. Some I’ve ordered online but I hope to browse the sale in store today or tomorrow. I will have a full report on what I end up hauling. In the meantime here’s what’s on my radar.

Above 1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /
9  /  10  /  11  /  12  /  13  /  14  /  15

I find the best way to shop the sale is to sort things by category, make a wish list of what to check out and then narrow down final picks from there. For the sale there are so many cute shoes and boots – walking through the shoe section in store is always overwhelming for me so I find sorting/filtering online first is the best way to help me figure out what to look for.

For beauty the Nordstrom sale always has a lot of sets, palettes and large value sized products as Beauty Exclusives. Be sure to check the available Gift With Purchase options as well to plan your buying for qualifying min buys. Some are online only. I’m thrilled to find that the catalog gave us a teaser and that the actual list of products for the sale is a lot bigger.

For makeup, there are tons of palettes and sets. I have the Hourglass Ambient Luminous Palette in my cart right now. Charlotte Tilbury launched a new Instant Beauty Look Palette set called The Dolce Vita. If you’ve been eyeing the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil in Stick in Beige Blouse it’s in the Rebel Nudes Lip Set at a value price. If you’re like me wondering what Chanel would offer as an exclusive, this year they have the Take Shape Brow Set with the Brun Duo (reviewed/swatched here). NARS has four exclusives with three survival kit sets and one Nordstrom’s Best Cheek Palette.

The fragrance department always has value priced sets. If you have any favorites and want to stock up, it’s best to search during sales or holidays to get more bang for your buck. Diptyque has a 5-Piece Mini Candle Set for $55 which would be a great way to try out the line if you’re new at a more affordable price. I think it would also make a cute gift!

Skincare and body care are also about value buys and sets. If I could recommend one set, it would be this Kate Somerville 3 Steps to Glow Set. The Retinol Dermal Quench is life changing and the moisturizer option is a good one to smooth and comfort skin. If you’ve been contemplating a Clarisonic, the sale is one of the best times to buy one. The Mia Fit (previewed here) is on super sale in three colors and the Alpha Fit for men is also on sale.

Shoes are mainly focused on styles for fall. Lots of boots but there’s a lot to choose from for sneakers and fitness. These Stuart Weitzman Perfection Booties boots are marked down to $349.90 from $595. I am hoping they won’t be too tall in the heel because I love the style/color.

For clothing I’m all about stocking up on denim or finding good deals on leather jackets (real or faux). Paige makes the best jeans in my opinion (they hold everything up) and the Transcend line has the softest fabric that holds shape with minimal stretching. The Verdugo Ankle Style is perfect for petite girls so you don’t have to get them hemmed.

Accessories and bags have lots to choose from as well. This Sole Society Tote is super affordable, looks sturdy and perfect for travel.

As a thank you and a way to give back, I’m hosting a giveaway for my readers. I am giving away five $100 eGift Cards to Nordstrom.com. Entries will be collected through the widget at the bottom of the page. Note since I’m giving away eGift Cards, the selected winners will receive the prize by e-mail. Here’s the rundown:
  • Open to anyone 18 years or older, international too!
  • Submit entries through the widget below (there are multiple ways to enter)
  • Entries will be collected through Sunday 7/17/2016 10:45 AM PST
  • Winners will be selected at random through the widget, contacted by me via e-mail by Sunday evening and must confirm/respond within 24 hours or another winner will be selected
  • Five distinct winners will be selected and be sent a $100 USD eGift Card to Nordstrom (you can use it online or in stores) 
  • Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you have anything on your radar for the Nordstrom Anniversary sale? Eager to hear what’s on your wishlist! Are you shopping the sale for early access or will you be shopping on the 22nd? P.S. If you have any of the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors I reviewed yesterday there’s a pretty awesome Nordstrom x Clarins GWP for early access!

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Giveaway

Tatcha x The Beauty Look Book Giveaway

October 29, 2015
https://www.tatcha.com/giveaway/tatcha-the-beauty-look-book-giveaway

Long-time readers of The Beauty Look Book know that I’m a huge fan of skincare from Tatcha. Many of my readers love the line too and I’ve tried things based on your recommendations as well. The Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm was the first item I tried from the line, followed by their Indigo Line which is hands down the best thing I’ve tested for dry sensitive itchy skin. It’s rare that I like everything I’ve tried from a single skincare line, so the fact that I’ve fallen in love with everything in Tatcha’s lineup is huge. I’ve restocked on their sheet masks, enzyme face powders, and hand cream many many times. If you’ve ordered anything from them you know how beautifully they package and wrap everything. If you haven’t yet, you need to, their customer service is excellent.

One of my favorite parts of Tatcha is that they offer a wide selection of their full sized products in Travel Sizes. It’s a nice way to try something small before committing to the full size. They are travel essentials for me. Other loves include the Pore Perfecting Sunscreen which really does make pores disappear. The Beauty Papers are in my purse at all times – they are really the best blotting papers to absorb shine without making the face look powdery.

Tatcha has teamed up with The Beauty Look Book to giveaway. 10 lucky winners will selected to each receive a travel sized Dewy Skin Mist. It’s one of my favorite mist sprays that adds the perfect amount of hydration and has a fresh feel.

Details to enter by clicking on this link here:

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to enter.  A purchase does not increase your
chances of winning.  Void where prohibited.  US legal residents only.  1
entry per person and per email address, entry by 1 person from multiple
email addresses may be disqualified from winning.  Entry begins
10/29/15 at 12:00AM PST and ends 11/2/15 at 11:59PM PST.  Winners will
be notified by email.  Prizes will be mailed within 30 days of end of
giveaway.  By submitting an entry you agree to receive emails from
Tatcha, you may unsubscribe at any time.

Be sure to follow Tatcha on Facebook and Twitter. They have good promotions every month, sometimes you can get the news via their social channels. I was able to get a sneak preview of their holiday sets coming out soon, there are really good ones this year!

P.S. There’s a promo going on right now where you can enjoy a complimentary Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask with any purchase over $75 (use code MASK75), or a four-pack with any purchase over $150 (use code MASK150) at TATCHA.com. Valid 10/29-11/2.

Do you have any Tatcha favorites? If yes, please share in the comments!

Good luck! This giveaway is brought to you by Tatcha.

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Giveaway

Sephora Collection Festival Favorites Giveaway

April 17, 2015

This year Sephora celebrates its second year as the exclusive beauty sponsor of the 2015 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. They’ve created a special selection of beauty products inspired by the Palm Springs landscape with curated picks from their SEPHORA COLLECTION. If you are able to attend the festival this weekend from April 17-19, be sure to check out their DIY Beauty Bar, Fiber Mask fire pit lounge, panoramic images, faux grass, and live plant life installation, all inside a massive 40’ by 40’ tent located next to the Mojave Stage.
For those able to attend, Sephora encourages you to share your experience to earn a surprise reward at the SEPHORA COLLECTION Instagram Vending Machine by tagging @Sephora #SephoraCoachella.

I will not be attending this year, but the Sephora team was kind enough to send over a package of select Sephora Collection items for me to giveaway. One winner will be selected at random via the Rafflecopter widget below. There are multiple ways to enter in, this will be for US only and you must be.

Inside the giveaway pack will include the following items, all Sephora Collection items:
Face Mask in Rose and Pomegranate
Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color in Electra Pink and Nude Pink
Colorful Shadow & Liner in Let it Snow and Fresh Limeade

I’ll be collecting entries through the Rafflecopter widget below now through April 24, 2015. You must submit your own entries through the Rafflecopter widget to qualify. One winner will be selected the last week of April 2015 and be contacted via the e-mail address entered in the widget.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Items in this giveaway were provided courtesy of Sephora.

 

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Sephora + Pantone Universe Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme & Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette

January 2, 2015

The Sephora + Pantone Universe Color of the Year is Marsala and there are some beautiful options for lips, cheeks and eyes that have been released. In this year’s color collection we have:
I have two items to share with you today (and a giveaway too!). First up is the Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme. This is a full coverage cream lipstick. It’s labeled as a matte finish color but I didn’t find it to be a true matte. It has a creamy feel with a slight sheen making it look more plush than a pure matte. This is the first Sephora branded lipstick I’ve tried and I found the pigment and coverage phenomenal. There’s no added fragrance although it does have a slight lipstick scent. On me it’s a dark pink wine color but not so dark that it’s a vamp shade. It is darker than what I am normally used to wearing but I found the color naturally flattering. If you want a darker lip but don’t want something quite as dramatic as a vampy shade, this is a good in between transition color. Texture is very smooth and glides on the lips easily. I found lasting power to be very good.

Here it is swatched with two swipes each lip, I found that if you layer it with a few more swipes, you can get a deeper more pigmented/vampy dark lip look:

A few comparisons to other shades (previous reviews are linked):

Charlotte Tilbury Stoned Rose (review soon)

Next up is the Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. This is an impressive palette with 24 pigmented shades. The focus is primarily on reddish burgundy shades, but there is a good mix of others in the palette to coordinate with the reds. The colors in this palette are very much outside of my comfort zone although during makeovers artists often like to use warmer sable shades or wine shades on my eyes layered to warm up the entire look. I’ve experimented with some (like the wine shimmers from Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes) but use the color in small doses. This palette has a wide range of finishes and textures. Most of mattes are good if used as a liner or smokey eye, some of the textures of the mattes are a bit chalky if you try to use them all over the lid. I think they are best layered for added depth or as a liner. The shimmers range from glitter to finely milled shimmer to chunky sparkle. There are a few finely milled shimmers that have a very smooth easy to blend texture. Some of the chunkier shimmers have fallout when you apply them, but I found they did adhere ok to the lids once they were on the eyes. The glitters weren’t my favorite (I’m not a fan of glitter eyeshadows in general), but I’m still experimenting with them.  I think performance and quality does varies per shade.

Colors are swatched by row:

  • Autumn Blonde is a pale matte bone colored base with silver glitters, this one was very powdery and chalky on my skin
  • Toasted Nut is a shimmering pumpkin color, it has a medium-to-high frost with a smooth texture
  • Marsala Matte is a pigmented matte red wine color
  • Marsala Satin is a pigmented semi-matte/semi-shimmer red wine
  • Shifting Sand is a chunky silver with a high frost, there was fallout when applying this shade, but once it’s on the lids it stays put
  • Cocoa Brown is a satiny cool brown with a slight sheen

  • Burro is a neutral cool satiny matte color, it has a slight sheen but on the eyes goes on matte
  • Deep Taupe is a cool-toned bark brown that looks more blue on my skin
  • Marsala Metallic is a shimmering red wine, it has a smooth texture, I found it easy to blend and layer with other eyeshadow shades
  • Marsala Glitter is a red wine with red and silver tiny glitters
  • Kelp is a warm olive gold metallic, it has finely milled shimmer
  • Dusty Olive is a darker metallic olive, it also has good pigment and finely milled shimmer

  • Desert Mist is a highly frosted buttercream gold
  • Butterum is a medium golden copper metallic sparkle
  • Macaroon is a satiny tan with a hint of camel and pink
  • Chutney is a reddish matte red
  • Nimbus Cloud is a chunky cool-toned silvery white sparkle
  • Moonlight Blue is a sheer glittering blue, you can get more pigment if you layer it with a damp brush or over a liner but alone it’s pretty sheer

The last row of colors includes my favorites in the palette:

  • Carob Brown is a satiny medium-warm brown, it’s primarily a matte but has a slightly reflective quality when layered and swatched in a large area
  • Bracken is a dark chocolate cool brown base with gold shimmer loaded into it
  • Russet is a warm matte brown, this also looks satiny because of the flash, but it performs like a matte
  • Hot Chocolate is a warm reddish brown matte
  • Castor Grey is a duo-chrome metallic similar in concept to MAC Club Eyeshadow
  • Red Mahogany is a matte plum red brown

I’m really pleased with the quality, pigment and color of the Marsala Lip Creme. It works just like a lipstick should. I think the Eyeshadow Palette is a good value set that will offer a diverse range of colors, textures and finishes. There are a lot of different looks that that you can create with the 24 shades. The quality of the shadows is mixed, but overall it’s a good palette. Color-wise, I’m almost exclusively a neutral eyeshadow wearer but I’ve played with this for a week now and found that I can use some of the reds layered with the cooler-toned shades and it’s very wearable. If you’re at a Sephora store, I definitely recommend you giving this a look.

For the other Marsala beauty items, I’ve played with the lip crayons and blush palette. There are a number of spring releases trickling in stores now so I’m waiting to see other items before purchasing, but the blush palette is seriously tempting me.

I have an extra set of the two items featured in this review to giveaway thanks to Sephora! This is an international giveaway, but you must be 18 years or older to qualify for entries. Simply enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. One winner will be selected at random to win (x1) Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme and (x1) Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. Entries will be collected through 1/8/2015 (refer to terms and conditions in the widget for all the details). All entrants must submit their own entries. Please note if you select to leave a comment via the Rafflecopter option, any with links or urls listed to blogs, websites, giveaways, Facebook pages etc. will be considered spam, will not be published and the entry will be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

The Sephora + Pantone Universe items in this review and
giveaway were provided courtesy of Sephora.

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Giveaway

The Beauty Look Book Holiday Giveaway: Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Flynn, William and Holden

December 27, 2014

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I have my third holiday giveaway launching today. I ordered some extras of the Tom Ford Lips & Boys and have one 3-piece set to giveaway which includes: Flynn, William, Holden + a Tom Ford case to go along with them.

To enter, simply login to the Rafflecopter widget and perform any of the tasks provided. Entries will be collected today 12/27/2014 through 01/02/2015 at 11:45 PM (Pacific Time (US & Canada). One winner will be selected at random after the entry period ends. Please refer to the terms and conditions listed in the widget for more information. All entrants 18 years or older are eligible to enter, it is an international giveaway. Internet entries must be made by the entrant through the Rafflecopter widget in this post, no exceptions will be made. Please note I cannot create entries for anyone and comments to this post will not be considered valid entries. After the giveaway ends, one winner will be announced on the widget in this post be contacted by me directly via e-mail. 

For reference my swatches of Flynn/William are posted here. Shades are available for purchase online at Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges and Tomford.com – while supplies last.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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the beauty look book Holiday Giveaway 2: Diptyque Minis

December 18, 2014
Today I’m launching my second holiday giveaway. Long-time readers know I’m a huge fan of Diptyque, they are in my top two brand picks for home scents (the other is Henri Bendel). Each holiday I look forward to the limited-edition holiday sets Diptyque creates. They have beautiful creations each year from the special scents to pre-packaged sets.

This week I’m sharing my love for Diptyque with three lucky winners. There are three different prizes that I’m offering. To enter this giveaway simply use the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. This is going to be an international giveaway but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. 1 winner will be selected for each prize randomly via the Rafflecopter widget and announced through the widget posted below the week after the giveaway period ends.

 ___________________

Giveaway 1: Limited-Edition 5 Piece Holiday Mini Candle Coffret

The 5 Piece Winter Mini Set ($75) with Feu de Bois, Pomander, Ambre, Opopanax, and Genévrier has sold out almost everywhere (you can still find it at Saks and Beautyhabit) but I have one boxed set to giveaway. Each candle is 1.2 oz in the baby size.

Giveaway 2: Three 1.2 oz mini candles in Feu de Bois, Noisetier and Cannelle

I’ve accumulated some minis to giveaway. Diptyque does not sell these individually but I have some brand new extras to giveaway. They are super cute and I adore the scents!

Giveaway 3: Three 1.2 oz mini candles in Jasmin, Roses and Baies

Three minis in florals that I adore. Baies is probably Diptyque’s best selling scent and I think it is a classic one everyone will enjoy.

___________________

I’ll be collecting entries through December 25, 2014. Please refer to the terms and conditions in the widget for more information and details. Please note, you must use the widget to enter, comments to this post will not be considered valid entries.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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