Every year around the holiday season, I always gift Molton Brown. For me it’s a no brainer because there is always something for everyone – even those that are hard to shop for!
I’m the biggest fan of their Bath & Shower Gels which have the most refreshing scents. Each year Molton Brown launches a limited-edition scent for the holiday season. This year they introduced the new Muddled Plum Collection which is perfect for those who want something different from the traditional spice or pine scent. I’m thrilled to partner with the brand to give you a peek!
Muddled Plum is a warm and cozy scent with a fruity feel that mixes rum, saffron and plum into one delicious fragrance. They describe it as “a celebratory aroma featuring rich notes of oak-aged rum, saffron and plum” which couldn’t be more perfect because I love anything with sandalwood during this time of year.
Top notes: orange, saffron and elemi. Heart notes: plum, davana and oak-aged rum. Base notes: sandalwood, benzoin and musk.
The Muddled Plum Collection is composed of 6 different products, all great for gifting. Everything is beautifully packaged that looks like a gift in itself. The collection includes Body Lotion ($44 for 10 fl oz) and Bath & Shower Gel ($35 for 10 fl oz). I prefer to use the shower gel as my bubble bath after a long day as it lathers nicely, has a strong scent and leaves my skin feeling soft. The Body Lotion is perfect to apply after a long bath and leaves your skin feeling deeply hydrated.
A perfect stocking stuffer is the Festive Body Wash Bauble ($15 each). This item is shaped like an ornament so you can also hang it from your tree!
The collection also includes an Eau de Toilette ($65 for 1.7 fl oz) which has really good lasting power on the skin. This one makes for a nice warm fall scent with the mix of sweet and a little bit of spice.
My ultimate fave product from the collection has to be the Scented Glitter ($45) which I’ve never seen before! This is such a cute idea – you can sprinkle it on your tree, gifts, your dinner table or letters you send. It’s purple and silver to match the festive plum color theme.
Lastly, from the collection we have the Single Wick Candle ($50). It burns beautifully and fills the entire room within minutes. It has a soft mellow burn so it’s not overpowering.
There are so many gift options for the holidays at multiple price points! The new Muddled Plum Collection is a great option if you’re shopping for the person who already has everything as there’s a good chance they haven’t tried it yet! I typically buy their Hand Creams or one of their Holiday Crackers to give away, but this year they also have an amazing Opulent Infusions Advent Calendar as well!
You can find the Molton Brown Holiday gift sets and Muddled Plum Collection at MoltonBrown.com. The collection is limited-edition for the season and can also be purchased with gorgeous gift box options.
By popular request I have my holiday gift guide with ideas for the girls who have everything. I’m “that person” in my circle of friends and family and most of the time people think I’m hard to shop for. It’s actually not the case at all! If you have someone in your life who seems like they have the latest and greatest of everything there are plenty of gift options you can pick from. Restock them on their favorite things they’ll for sure use up like sheet masks, lip balm, hand cream or dry shampoo. Sweet treats are a no-fail option and I’m going to list my favorites below. There are also lots of practical things you can buy like a cozy throw or something nice for the home.
Universal Gifts for Any Age and Skin Type
The top brands I think have the best and most universal to gift are L’Occitane, Molton Brown and Fresh Beauty. They have such a wide range of things to choose from. L’Occitane and Molton Brown make the best affordable stocking stuffers that won’t break the bank with plenty to pick from the $25 and under mark. They also have the luxury sets if you want to splurge. In my opinion Fresh makes the Best Face Mask Set for the holidays (also love this Rose Set) – it’s one of those things you don’t have to worry if someone says “I already have that” because you really can never have too many of these. I sent my brother a few masks and he has super sensitive skin but loves them. He told me, “I feel like a brand new person” after using one of the Black Tea masks. L’Occitane has the cutest hand creams and ornament sets. You can’t go wrong with Molton Brown’s hand wash, lotions or shower gels. They’re among the best!
Other sets I love for body and hands are from Kiehl’s, Le Labo and Chanel. There are a number of cute options this season. The Le Labo Hinoki scent is one of the most unique and best ones I’ve tried. We have their hand wash in one of our bathrooms and it’s always so nice to use. The best base and top coats I’ve tried are from Chanel so their Perfectly Polished Manicure Set is super luxe and chic for gifting.
I think the best bubble baths are the L’Occitane and Laura Mercier. The L’Occitane Lavender Foaming Bath is something I wish I could buy by the gallon. Laura Mercier makes some of the most sweet fancy bath soaks you can find. Other stand outs are from REN Skincare and anything from Susanne Kaufman (her hand cream is amazing!).
Best of Home Scents
All of my favorite candles for the holiday rounded up in this post here. Giving a beautiful candle set or a single luxury candle is a no-fail gift for the person who has everything. If you’re really dead set on gifting something they don’t have, there’s a pretty good chance they don’t have Byredo Chai because it’s new this season. There are also some pretty stunning candles by Overose Paris including a brand new purple wax candle (you’ll most likely have to order online because they’re a bit hard to find).
Cozy and Fun Gift Ideas
The best thing I’ve ever bought for the home was the Barefoot Dreams Throw last year. It was meant to be a gift but it was so plush and soft I kept it for myself. Andrew nearly fainted when I told him the price, but when I started sleeping with it at night he noticed how soft it was and tried to share it with me. The one I bought isn’t big enough for two so I bought him his own lol. We both love them, it regulates body temperature in the most perfect way ever so you’re just the right amount of cozy. If Barefoot Dreams isn’t within your budget UGG also makes some really amazing throws at lower price points. West Elm also has some super affordable throws (many are on sale!) that are chic and super soft. For things that are fun or practical, you can’t go wrong with simplehuman. Their soap dispenser is a must for hands-free application. It’s so useful in the kitchen! I plan on getting one for my mother-in-law. The Compact Mirror is also a really nice item I think would make an amazing gift.
For sweets the best holiday candies, hot chocolates and marshmallows are hands down from Williams-Sonoma. I used to work there many years ago while I was in grad school. The Peppermint Bark is for sure one of the best classic holiday treats. They have a lot of other options too if peppermint isn’t your thing. I’m also a huge fan of Sugarfina for cute candies.
Best in Skincare
There are so many great skincare sets to choose from! I might do a separate gift guide on the best skincare sets. I know it might seem overwhelming to pick one because everyone has different skin types. I’ve linked a few I think are great regardless of skin type. I still think the Drunk Elephant Big Reveal set I bought during the Sephora sale is one of the best finds this year (it’s online only). You can also never go wrong with a face mist or sheet masks – everyone I can think of can benefit from this!
Hair Styling Products
Last but not least you can’t go wrong with a mini dry shampoo or set of hair care products. Every single one of my friends loves dry shampoo and they’re always looking to try ANYTHING! A few that I’ve tried plus some great sets linked below. I also still really think the Aquis Hair towels are great!
I hope this roundup gives you lots of ideas for those who are hard to shop for! Maybe some ideas to hint for yourself too 🙂 I tried to include a little from every category because I know everyone has different tastes and favorites!
Natasha Denona’s Holiday 2018 Collection is stunning! As usual she has launched some pretty phenomenal palettes I feel are really unique and different in today’s beauty world. The holiday options have quite the sparkle and glitz. If you can’t do glitter but still want something different and bold for the holiday season I’d recommend opting for the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection instead. I have a look at her new Gold Palette ($129 for 15 shades), Mini Star Palette ($25 for 5 mini shades) and two new Chroma Crystal Top Coats ($28 each) in Metal Bronze and Metal Black.
The Gold Palette ($129 for 15 colors 15 x 0.08 oz/ 2.5 g, made in Italy) is pricey but if you break it down the $8.60 per shade isn’t that bad in my opinion. As always, my recommendation with palettes are to buy if you think you’ll wear or like most of the shades. This has a mix of all kinds of finishes: matte, shimmer, glitter, sparkle.
The nice thing about large palettes like this is you can create a wide range of looks. The downside for me is that they can kind be overwhelming. Quality-wise the colors in this palette perform really well. Everything swatched with very good pigment and color payoff. There will be some fallout with the glitter when you’re applying so you will need to clean up some sparkle on your cheeks. However after applying I found they stayed put on the eyes without transfer. Some of the sparkle shades are better applied with fingers in a patting motion versus a brush.
Colors include:
Lime Chrome is a duochrome olive gold
Python is a satin teal navy
Sparks is a glittering champagne
Aria is a matte warm cafe color
Cava is a sparkling warm champagne gold
Aurora is a metallic teal with gold shimmer
Dijon is a mustard matte
Oro is a shimmery warm yellow amber gold
Log is a matte brown
Varis is a shimmering medium brown
Brass is a sparkling brass gold
Sand Stone is a matte tan brown
Alchemist is a shimmery amber gold
Teak is a matte brown with warm tones
Aurum is a shimmery gold
She has another palette in the mini size called the Mini Star Palette which is supposed to be a small version with select colors from her Star Palette. The formula isn’t quite the same as her full size. Some of the minis feel creamier and slightly sheerer in color payoff but the corresponding colors with same shade name are really close. I think the mini is one of her more wearable options for the season. There aren’t any strong glitter shades with this one.
Colors include:
Orion is a blue green brown shimmer
Atik is a matte warm pinkish tan
Bellatrix is a shimmering peach champagne
Earth is a deep matte brown
Cosmo is an antique brass sparkle
Then there are two Chroma Crystal Top Coats in Metal Bronze and Metal Black, both of which are similar to her previous launches but this round the colors have a lot more pigment in the base. Previous options had a more clear base with colored sparkles. The ones for Holiday 2018 are ultra pigmented with finger application. With a brush it’s more sheer but buildable. They do set on the fast side so I recommend applying and blending quickly. My past top coats have since hardened and dried out a bit but it has not impacted color payoff. I’m not sure how these will last with the color – they’re really pretty once you layer and blend them but they aren’t the easiest to apply. I feel if she had made these pressed pigments more along the lines of the Hourglass Scattered Light or Marc Jacobs See-Quins Shadows which are not really creamy but more like pressed powders it would be less prone to hardening. I like the way these look and the color payoff. Metal Bronze is a pretty brown with gold flecks while Metal Black is a deep black grey with silver flecks. I wish the formula was different.
You can see better looks on her Instagram Page @natashadenona which show the glitz and sparkle better.
Overall the collection has some beautiful pieces. I think the Gold Palette is the standout piece although it’s really expensive and has some shades that are very glitzy – glitzy out of my comfort zone. I do think the teals are easy to wear and layer with the golds which makes for a very unique look. For me the Mini Star and Chroma Crystal Top Coats for holiday are a pass simply because I already own the full size Star Palette and the for the Top Coats I’d rather just wear a cream shadow stick or layer a powder shadow.
To pick the best palette this holiday palettes this season is going to depend on your color preferences. I have not tried them all and I still have the new Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quads I’m eager to start testing. From the ones I have swatched and reviewed I think the easiest one to wear and most conservative is the Charlotte Tilbury Stars in Your Eyes. For those who like reds and pinks but don’t want something too pink, the Urban Decay Naked Cherry is a nice and very wearable option. The ones I feel are most unique are from the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection. The NARS Holiday Provocateur has the most unique palette mix for cooler smokey tones. The Natasha Denona Golds Eyeshadow Palette is unique for a gold and glitz palette with the widest range of options and finishes from you to choose from. It is very well made and the colors perform well.
You can find the Natasha Denona Holiday 2018 collection out now. Available at Sephora and Beautylish.
Natasha Denona holiday pieces provided for review.
I have a review of a some things from a few recent Becca collections today. The Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Kits are perfect for the holiday season and after playing with both I’ve decided these are what I’m wearing on Thankgiving! They’re glowing, effortless and versatile! I also have a look at three of the Volcano Goddess Glow Glosses which are limited-edition but still available at Ulta Beauty.
I’ve been the biggest fan of the first Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette. It’s one of my most-worn palettes to date (review here). If you don’t own it I highly recommend checking it out. Even with all the other options I find it has the perfect tones for bronzer, blush and highlighters. It has gone with me on almost every trip. The Becca x Chrissy Holiday kits are truly some of the cutest set options for holiday. I think they’ve made sets suitable for any age and skin color. They would make super cute gift sets for teens, college age, even full on adults like myself. I can even see my mother-in-law wearing these kinds of colors and we have completely different coloring.
The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit has four mini lip glosses. The colors are so good I wish they came in full sizes but given the number of gloss I already have I don’t mind. I’ll for sure use these up and they’re tiny enough to fit in the smallest of holiday clutches or a small pocket. They’re all very smooth and have nice even coverage.
Colors have a soft vanilla scent to them:
Creme Brulee is a sheer shimmering soft pink with sparkles
Cinnamon Bun is a medium shimmering bronze
Sugar Plum is a soft plum gold, on me plums pull red, but if you have neutral lips this might pull more true to tube
Candy Cane is a bright warm bold red creme
The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Glow Recipe Kit has three glow items, four if you count the duo as two items. I think they’re perfect to create an almost entire look. You just need your base, liner and mascara. Maybe a blush or bronzer if you want more color on the cheeks. These are sweet sugary smelling (except the eyeshadow).
Colors include:
Confectionary Glow Powder in Cinammon Sugar is a shimmering warm gold
Liquid Lip Matte Lip Souffle in Red Velvet is a neutral pink brown (pulls warm on me)
Glow Souffle Eyeshadow and Face Highlighter Duo in Cinnamon Churro has a perfect shimmering warm soft brown and a glossy glowy sheer gold cream highlighter that almost feels like a jelly (it’s pretty dewy but blends out smoothly)
I received the entire Volcano Goddess Limited-edition makeup collection for the fall season. These arrived a few weeks ago so they’re not new – you’ve probably already seen these pop up on your feed. There’s a pretty Volcano Goddess Eyeshadow Palette, Lava Gold Highlighter and 3 Glow Glosses. Given the vast number of launches this season, I decided to only keep the glosses and saved the other items for giveaways. The Glow Glosses are really pretty. The formula is one of my favorites (review of other Becca Glow Glosses here). The three in the Volcano Goddess Collection do not disappoint!
Colors:
Metamorphic Gold is PERFECTION on my lips! It’s a sheer pale gold that flashes pink and pearl sparkles, I love the transparent quality which gives my lips a pretty glow
Molton Mauve is a full coverage cool-neutral mauve pink brown color with some gold flecks
Ruby Fire is one of the prettiest sheer red plums with gold flecks, it is sheer so my natural lip shows through
All three swatched alongside Red Velvet from the Chrissy Glow Recipe Kit:
Gloss comparison swatches for reference to other Becca colors, lip swatches of the other Becca Glow Gloss shades here. I think the holiday ones are different enough from the current lineup to justify buying.
Beauty look with Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss in Metamorphic Gold on the lips and the Becca x Chrissy Glow Face Palette on the cheeks. Same base, eye shadow and mascara colors worn as listed in the photo above. Nail color is Chanel Organdi which is the perfect everyday neutral pink – and it doesn’t chip or get tip wear for around 5 days (sometimes 7) for me.
Bottom line solid wins! If I didn’t receive these as press samples I would 100% love to find this under my Christmas Tree or stocking. I think anyone would! They’re really easy to wear, don’t take any extra effort. Colors will work with a wide range of top colors: black, red, beige, pink, plum – really anything you can imagine wearing this holiday season.
These sets put me in the holiday spirit while I was swatching and photographing the items. I also have really enjoyed reading about some of your holiday traditions in my last post! We really haven’t had any specific traditions since our lives have changed over the past couple of years with our move. Andrew and I do always spend the holidays together no matter what we’re doing – this will be our 17th holiday season together!
You can find the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Collection at all Becca retailers now. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Beautylish, Becca Cosmetics. The Volcano Goddess collection looks like it’s still available even though it’s limited-edition but I could only find the Glow Gloss at Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics.
Becca sets + gloss provided for review. As always opinions are my own.
I have my first Holiday Gift Guide of the year up today with some ideas $50 and Under! Based on your feedback I’m putting together a series of gift guides in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned for more ideas and inspiration. First I want to mention that Sephora’s Beauty Insider Holiday Event for Beauty Insiders Starts today in stores and online, use code BIBONUS for 15% off from Friday 11/16 to Monday 11/19. They’ve also extended the savings this weekend to VIB and Rouge Members with 20% off in store and online using code ENJOY. So if you still had things on your list, you can still shop and save!
My gift ideas $50 and Under are broken down by category. I have not started any holiday shopping yet – I still can’t get over the fact that it’s mid-November! I’ve been bookmarking all the cute gift ideas as I make these gift guides. Out of all the ones I’ve looked at so far, I think the easiest most universal options for stocking stuffers with cute packaging are from L’Occitane, Fresh and Molton Brown. They’re already boxed in a cute cracker or box so it takes any extra work out of wrapping it. From my own personal experience items from those lines are always well received even from the pickiest of people I know.
For the Hair Care Lover
So many good travel or trial sets out there! I found some cute ones from Living Proof, Oribe, Ouai and Bumble and Bumble. As usual you can find some really nice deals with the Sephora Favorites collections. I also think you can’t go wrong pairing the Aquis Hair Towels with any mini hair care product. There are some nice affordable options from Oribe this year too including their 10th Anniversary Dry Texturizing Spray which comes in special packaging.
Makeup Sets + Palettes
Holidays are the best times for mini sets and palettes. As a lip gloss and lipstick junkie this is an easy win category. The Becca x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit is the cutest (swatches coming soon). MAC always has great options for the holiday season.
Skincare Junkies
This is the category I shop for myself. Skincare is so personal so unless you truly know one’s skin type or skincare routine, this area can be a bit tricky. Safe bets are from First Aid Beauty, L’Occitane, Fresh Beauty. The Fresh Sugar Jetsetter is priced at a really good deal! L’Occitane has the cutest ornaments. Molton Brown has their holiday Shower Gel Baubles which you can buy individually or in a set.
Fragrance and Home
I tend to categorize fragrance or home with higher price points but there are a number of options that are more affordable. You can’t go wrong with a soft throw. West Elm has so many good options, we bought this Coziest Throw and it’s so soft and cozy. Byredo and Diptyque are expensive luxury brands but there are mini candle options under $50 this year. Byredo has some of their scents like Fleur Fantome, Bohemia and Burning Rose in the mini size individually. Diptyque has a wide range of candles in the mini size, Vanille is perfect for fall to holiday. They also have cute miniatures like this Do Son + Tubereuse Surprise Pocket Set. Jo Malone also has some fun Christmas Crackers and Christmas Ornaments this year.
Just for Fun
For the fun or extras, I can’t tell you how obsessed I am with the Away Minis. Full review here. They’re great for travel and gifts. Alone the regular ones are $35 each and you can fill them with fun travel size beauty items or candy as a cute gift. J.Crew has some cute cold weather accessories like this Ribbed Beanie and Fuzzy Slippers. Sleeping masks can be really cute, I have one of the Slipsilk Pure Silk Sleep Masks and really like it. There are fun patterns available this season in case you want something more than the basic silk (although I like any of them). Aesop’s Jet Set Kit has four minis I think are perfect for sampling or travel. I’ve bought this many times over, they’re super cute. And for something practical the S’Well Bottles (a couple of mine shown here) are things I use on a regular basis and love.
Gift Ideas Under $25
Some options all $25 and under for lower price points. One of the brands I think is simple but really handy is Tweezerman. I bought a Tweezerman Nail Set for my husband last year. We had moved a lot and his was packed in storage in one of many boxes (we didn’t want to search through them all). I got him one of the travel sets which I can’t find online anymore but he uses it all the time. This year they have a cute Mini Nail Rescue Set you can find a number of places like Sephora, Ulta and Neiman Marcus. Bundle it with a mini hand cream or polish and it makes for a cute + practical gift.
This week’s giveaway is a Mini Away Suitcase in Pink! One reader will receive a Mini Away Travel case filled with surprise beauty goodies. I usually pre-pick items for the giveaway but this time I’ll be putting together custom picked goodies from my backup stash tailored to the winner’s skin type and preferences. Open internationally 18 years and older. To enter for a chance to win simply follow at least one of the steps in the widget below. Giveaway runs through Tuesday November 20th, 11:59 PM EST. I’ll pick a winner within 48 hours after giveaway ends and contact via e-mail. Not sponsored or affiliated. I usually ship prizes within 1 week and provide tracking information.
Tatcha always has the prettiest Holiday Gift Sets and today I have a review of three lip sets. They have a number of skincare bundles which are always priced at a good value but the lip sets are the ones that caught my eye. Today 11/15 is the last day of their Friends and Family Event, you can get 20% off sitewide with code FRIENDS18 at checkout. I’m thrilled the lip sets have not yet sold out as every year they usually do. The three sets I hauled:
I’ve reviewed their lipsticks over the years including Kyoto Red, Sunrise: A Plum Blossom, and Twilight: A Cherry Blossom. The packaging, presentation and formula of every color is exquisite. The full size options are on the expensive side but they are truly special. Sometime last year they launched a purple berry color Beautyberry in a Trio Set with lipstick, liner and balm form which many of you asked me to review. I don’t typically wear blue-based colors and thought it would be too blue so I passed until now because it’s available in one of the mini sets!
There are two mini lipstick sets, they come in small bullets 1.3 g/0.04 oz each, made in Japan. The lipstick pigment and color appears to be the same as the full size options I tried and review, but to me the formula in the trios seem to be a tiny bit glossier in finish (except for the red). The difference is not too noticeable, could just be me. The Mini Silk Lipstick Trios come packaged in a beautiful box and there is a holder inside which I really appreciate. It holds them in place perfectly so when shipped there shouldn’t be any rolling around in the box. Both sets are beautiful. I can’t pick a favorite.
Japanese Blossoms Mini Silk Lipstick Trio has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), Twilight: A cherry blossom (pale soft pink) and Beautyberry (a cool plum berry). In the tube Beautyberry looks like it has the slightest hint of iridescent shimmer, on my lips I don’t see the shimmer as much. Given the fact that most blue-based lipsticks make me look sallow because of my skintone I was really pleasantly surprised to find Beautyberry wearable for my olive complexion. I don’t know that I love it enough to buy the full size options though.
Kyoto Kisses has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), a new shade Peony Blossom (sheer glossy pink coral), and Kyoto Red (bold bright matte red). I think the new Peony Blossom is their best shade yet, but I’m really partial to peachy pink coral shades. The peach and pink shades have sheer to medium coverage with one swipe, but you can layer for full coverage. Lip swatches below show they covered my entire lip well. Kyoto Red is one of the most intense bold reds I’ve ever tried. It’s a matte although in my swatches you might see a tiny bit of shine because of the flash I use.
Lip swatches on bare lips:
All swatched side by side:
I’ve saved my favorite for last which is the Blushing Lips Duo. It has a full size Kissu Lip Mask (9 g/ 0.32 oz, made in Japan) and a full size Peony Blossom Silk Lipstick (3.4 g/0.1 oz).
The Kissu Lip Mask was available individually but kept selling out and I never managed to check out in time to buy it. I’m really happy I got it in this set because it’s such a pretty smooth lip balm. I like it MUCH more than their regular Camellia Lip Balm and that is one I still consider to be very good. The Kissu Lip Mask has a soft cushiony feel, it’s hydrating and smooth. No sticky or tacky feel. It’s clear but the color has a slight pink tint in the pot. There’s a small gold applicator you can use to apply which is cute, but I wish the cap had a holder like the Water Cream or Silk Cream because I always lose applicators!
Peony Silk Blossom Lipstick is such a pretty natural coral pink. It’s medium in coverage but you can layer for more. It has a soft sheen like the other silk lipsticks. Lasting power is average for a glossy lipstick but these fade nicely since there is some shine to it. If this came in a lip liner or balm I would totally jump to buy it as well. Scroll up to see the swatch of this on the lips (it’s also in the mini in the Kyoto Kisses Set).
All the lips swatched side by side:
Because the sale event is happening and also because I haven’t written about Tatcha in a while, I wanted to highlight my top 5 picks of the moment. I’ve used them for many years since the brand’s early days (I just looked at my order history and it was back in 2013 when I first started using their skincare!). There hasn’t been a product I didn’t like. Their skincare is nice and I like that they have lots of options for either sensitive or dry skin. My top 5:
Kissu Lip Mask is now a favorite! I hope it’s permanent
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is one of the nicest hydrating face mists, during the hot humid times of the year in Florida it’s a little too heavy for me, but right now we’re going into dry season and it’s perfect, when I lived in San Diego I used it a lot all year round
LOVE love love that they carry travel sizes you can buy. They are perfect for travel or on-the-go. If you’re new to the brand I highly recommend you try one of their starter sets because it’s the best way to try the minis. I also really loved their Rice Enzyme Powders for cleansers and soft gentle exfoliation. This year they reformulated them though and I’m still working my way through the older ones and have not tried the new ones yet.
I think all three sets I hauled are excellent. If I had to pick one it would be the Blushing Lips Duo because I like the lip mask. I use it as a regular lip balm, but I did leave it on overnight last night and it left lips feeling soft and smooth. I do think I prefer the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask more but they’ve got a different texture and finish. Plus I can never have enough lip balms.
You can find these Tatcha holiday sets online at Tatcha. Their Friend and Family Sale Event ends today 11/15 with code FRIENDS18 at checkout for 20% off sitewide.
You can also find Tatcha products at other retailers like Sephora, Barney’s New York and QVC. Each retailer has their own gift set selection for the holidays as well in case you want to check out more options!
P.S. Side note – I’m going to be adding a few things to my blog sale page @stylednotes in case you’re interested in shopping my closet!
I picked up a few of the holiday items from Marc Jacobs Beauty this year and think all the pieces are beautiful! They describe this as being a high-glam collection with glittering jewel tones for eyes and gold glam highlights for lips and cheeks. Everything is listed as limited-edition but I hope they will keep the highlighter as a permanent item. What I bought:
The entire vibe of the collection is indeed shimmering and glam. I think the lip gloss and cheek highlighter are glowing but conservative enough for the natural makeup wearer while the eye shadows are full out glitz and glam. Swatches and thoughts on each piece starting with the O! Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer in Gilty which is a stunning gold.
This one is described as a warm peachy gold but I find it more complex than that. It’s not quite as sharp as a duo chrome shimmer but as I move my arm or hand in the light I can definitely see a shift in color depending on the angle. It has a warm gold shimmer and a soft peach base with a hint of rose-gold on my olive skin. I think this one is going to suit a wide range of skin tones, on me it’s definitely highlighter material but not a pale one. If you have fair skin this will look deeper perhaps a little bronzey gold on your skin. I think this will look amazing on deeper skin tones too. Shimmer is visible but it’s smooth and does not emphasize lines. It’s not a glaring frost with one swipe but you can layer for more intensity. A look at how the color glows depending on whether direct sunlight hits the pan below.
Swatches heavy vs light/blended:
The Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer in Shine A Light looks like a yellowed multi-chrome gold with pink and green flashes in the tube. On the lips it’s a lot prettier than what I see in the tube which I’d describe as a multi-shimmer deeper nude gold with pink flashes. I love a pretty gold shimmer for holiday, this one is pretty alone or layered! It’s true to Marc Jacobs gloss formula – smooth, no sticky tacky feel, cushiony and comes with a flexible sponge applicator. Even though it’s loaded with sparkle there’s no gritty feel or texture.
The See-Quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadows are full out glam party shadows. They’re pressed pigments and come with an insert to keep everything in place. The glitter and shimmer is quite intense but pretty for holiday. I’m not sure I could wear them for everyday looks, but I found the color Topaz Flash to be the most conservative for my skin tone. Gleam Girl is a glistening champagne beige sparkle, Topaz Flash is a complex bronze taupe smoke, Copperazzi is a warm orangey copper sparkle. I did not have an easy time using a brush to apply these, for me fingers were the best option for control, less fallout and better color payoff. If you use a brush I’d recommend a dense synthetic one like the MAC 242S or something similar. Once on the eyes if you don’t touch them there’s no fall out and they stayed put all day. If you touch your eyes there will be some sparkle transfer.
By comparison the Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coats have a sheerer base and more conservative sparkle (and those are still intense!). The Hourglass Scattered Light shadows are more refined in sparkle with less chunky glitter. If you want shine and shimmer but no glitter the new Armani Eyes to Kill Stellar are beautiful sheerer options without glitter. I swatched them at the counter and want them all but have not caved to buy yet.
I can’t say one is better than the other in this case. My recommendation would be based on how much you like or dislike glitter. I think Topaz Flash is my favorite. Since it’s a little deeper it makes for a pretty smokey eye on my complexion.
Below a look with three pieces from the collection, also wearing:
Overall pretty and glowing! In this world of highlighter overload Marc Jacobs has managed to launch one that I think is unique enough to justify owning even though I already have so many other options. Gold with any yellow tones can be hard for me to wear because I have yellow/olive undertones but Gilty has enough warmth with a shift in the shimmer to prevent it from being full on 24K yellow on my skin. I definitely wouldn’t call this a NEED simply because I have so many highlighters already, but I do really love it.
I really like the way Shine A Light looks on the lips. In the tube I was a little worries about the yellow-greenish flashes of shimmer but once on the lips I don’t see any green. It’s ultra smooth without any tacky feel. It does have a slight minty taste but no tingle (at least not on me). It has a transparent quality to it which allows your natural lip color to show through.
The See-Quins Glam Glitter Shadows are going to be hit or miss for many of you. They are very glitzy pressed pigments and they are intense. Definitely fun for the holiday season and I think the quality, color payoff and pigment are excellent. But if you’re more conservative makeup wearer I’d suggest trying in person before buying to be safe. I bought the most neutral options but there’s a really phenomenal purple color with some other shades you might want to check out. If you are conservative and want to go a little bolder with the eyes I still think the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection Palettes are the way to go. They have enough shimmer and glam to give you a bolder look but aren’t too crazy with the sparkle.
You can find the Marc Jacobs Beauty Holiday 2018 collection out now. Everything is limited-edition. I bought mine from Sephora and Neiman Marcus. Also available at Marc Jacobs Beauty.
Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think? If not – what’s your favorite gold colored highlighter?
