Holiday Gift Guide Archives - Page 4 of 7

BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Kits + Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss Review

November 18, 2018

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.

BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Glow Recipe Kit ($44 for the kit, made in USA)
BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit ($29 for 4 minis 2.5 g each, made in USA)
Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss x 3 ($22 each for 5 g/0.18 oz, made in USA)

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)

Beauty look shown below wearing:

Eyes and Cheeks have the Becca x Chrissy Glow Recipe Kit Eyeshadow, Cream Highlighter and Loose Powder
Lips have the Mini Sugar Plum Lip Gloss
Base is Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5 + Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Pressed Powder #2
Concealer is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealer 3W
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof
Eyeliner is the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Perversion
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow in Soft Brunette
Crewneck sweater is from Nordstrom (these run big, I’d recommend sizing down)
Hair curled with the T3 Twirl Trio, 1.5 inch barrel + Living Proof Flex Hairspray

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.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide: Ideas $50 and Under

November 16, 2018

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!

Gift Ideas Under $50 shown above

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you started your holiday shopping yet?

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Holiday Gift Guide Tatcha

Tatcha Holiday 2018 Lip Sets Review + Swatches

November 15, 2018

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:

Kyoto Kisses Mini Silk Lipstick Trio ($60)
Japanese Blossoms Mini Silk Lipstick Trio ($60)
Blushing Lips Duo ($68)

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.

Lip swatches on bare lips, foundation I’m wearing for skintone reference is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5:

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
Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil is a classic staple
The Silk Canvas Primer is one of my favorite primers when I wear a primer, review here
The Water Cream is my go-to light moisturizer, also reviewed here

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!

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gifts for the Guys In Your Life

December 15, 2016

I have a couple more gift guides to share as Christmas is just around the corner and it’s crunch time to order items to have them arrive in time for the holidays. Finding gifts for the guys in my life is generally easy for me to do as there are tons of grooming, tech and shoe options to choose from. In general I would not recommend buying fragrance or clothes for someone unless you’re really close to them and have a good sense of their personal taste, exact size and style – but there are a couple of items I’ve found I think could be universally appealing regardless of age of fashion type.

Mr. Porter Grooming Kit for Winter 2016 ($95) has a gift set of 12 grooming products with a great selection of minis and travel-sized products, I like these types of sets because guys like my husband or brother won’t usually seek out products to try unless it’s gifted in a set to them, this is a nice way to help them explore skincare
Clarisonic Alphafit ($219) I bought this for my husband over a year ago and he says this is something he thinks every guy should own, and says he even the low maintenance ones will use it because it’s easy to use, convenient to have and store in the shower and is compact for travel, he says it’s also made a huge difference in skin texture and keeping it break-out free
Leica C Digital Camera ($629) comes with high ratings for a digital camera, I’m actually looking for a small one to travel with for myself too but also have this on the list for my brother in law
Bose SoundSport Pulse In-Ear Wireless Headphones ($199.95) is on my husband’s wishlist, he’s been looking for some wireless ear phones for when he runs and I just ordered these for him
Art of Shaving Peppermind and Razor Set ($115) has the new Peppermint Shaving Cream, Facial Scrub and Facial Wash along with the Morris Park Razor, for the women who want the men in their life to up their shaving game, there are lots of sets, starter sets and razors to choose from
Harry’s Travel Dopp Kit ($25) is something I actually got for my husband from the Birchbox Man on the Move Gift Set ($55) which is a steal considering all the items packed inside, if you want something at the $25 price point you can buy the bag separately (and my husband has actually used it for travel), but if your budget can allow a bit more the gift set is a really great value
Cole Haan Grand Pro Sneakers ($130) come in a wide range of colors and finishes (also leather), these are among my husband’s favorite for comfort and quality
Fitbit Charge 2 Special Edition Wireless Activity and Heart Rate Tracker ($179.95) is something I’m considering ordering for my husband as well, he’s had the Nike Watch on his radar for a while but this one looks more compact – if you’ve tried either let me know which you think is better
Dior Sauvage Gift Set ($118) is one of the fragrance sets for men I think is universally appealing regardless of style and age, the set has my husband’s favorite deodorant and while we were away his brother stayed at our place for the week and of course sampled all of his grooming drawers, the minute we got home he said, “I really like this scent – can you buy some for me for Christmas” – my husband and his brother are opposites in style so if both of them like this scent I think it’s a good sign that most guys will
Bose Soundlink Color Bluetooth Speakers ($129) are something I bought previous versions of as gifts, my husband had his in his office but just brought it back home to use in the bathroom while he showers, I think the colors are fun
Chanel Bleu de Chanel Shave Cream ($45) is something new to the Bleu de Chanel Grooming line, if you know guys who like this scent there are some new additions like this shave cream
Chanel Bleu de Chanel Travel Eau de Toilette ($77) comes with 3 0.7 oz Eau de Toilettes in a twist and spray canister you can refill, this was my husband’s go-to for years until recently when he decided to switch things up a bit, he still has the travel size ones and uses them
Kiehl’s Jeremyville Ultimate Man Full Body Refueling Set ($62) you can’t go wrong with Kiehl’s skincare for men, their sets during the holiday are among the best in skincare (I bought a few for myself) and the items are guaranteed to get used
Island Slipper Leather Sandal ($94.95) might be something you can’t wear right now if you live anywhere that it’s cold or snowy, but planning for warmer weather is always something you can do ahead of time, especially if you’re planning a tropical vacation, I ordered these over the spring because they had overwhelmingly positive reviews, my husband said they’re the best sandals he has ever owned, he wore them most of our Florida trip and they are comfortable for walking and the beach (I went ahead and ordered this style so he can have a second pair)

If you’re looking for last minute gifts for the guys in your life I hope you found this roundup helpful! Many of these are tried and tested so know there are options above that have had actual success. If you have any good ones you’d like to share let me know in the comments!

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Holiday Gift Guide Travel

Holiday Gift Guide For the Traveler and Girl on the Go

December 2, 2016

Today’s gift guide is a roundup with ideas for those who travel frequently or for the girl on the go. Even though over a year has passed since our Europe trip, I’ve still been dreaming of traveling and hope to do more of it in the near future. There is so much to see in the world and although I haven’t been able to travel much in past years I’ve enjoyed the few trips I’ve been on and it makes me really happy when I get emails from some of you about my travel posts. I’m really touched that many of you are so supportive when I incorporate new and different content on this blog. A quick note that I will be traveling to Florida later this month – we’re going to be visiting both Tampa and Miami and parts in between. If you have any recommendations on what to see in a week’s time let me know in the comments!

Truffle Clarity Mini and Card Case Duo ($55) comes in four color options with a mini clutch and card case, I use these clear pouches on a regular basis, for those who want options, you can buy just the clear pouch individually and there are other sizes and colors you can pick from in the Small and Large
Happy Plugs In-Ear Headphones ($34.99) the ones shown are white marble but they also come in other colors
Rib Knit Scarf ($39) you can’t go wrong with a classic scarf, I usually buy the Tissue Weight Cashmere and Wool ($99) blend every year for a nice lightweight wrap, but for those who need something warmer the rib knit one is very cozy
Away Gift Set ($225 and up) is a cute way to gift one of the Away Suit Cases, it’s basically a gift card packaged in a mini case with travel-sized Aesop products
Away Carry On Luggage ($225) now comes in two new colors Snow and Asphalt, since reviewing their carry-on over the summer in this post, they’ve launched a Bigger Carry-On Size ($245) as well, I haven’t tried it but for me the regular Carry-On Size is just perfect
Ugg Australia Travel Set ($88) has a cozy blanket and sleep eye mask in a gift set, it comes in three colors
Mophie Powerstation ($39.99) is something I’ve used for years, I have the black one (shown here) and it’s lasted years for me, I always carry one with me even on day or weekend trips
Tom Ford Lips and Boys ($36 each) are the cutest mini lipsticks ever, all 25 new shades swatched in this post, they’re perfect for travel because the mini size barely takes up any space
Byredo Hand Cream ($35) is the ultimate splurge for hand creams, I’ve purchased two in the past and the scent is pretty good for a hand cream, if you want something a bit more affordable but just as good I recommend the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve ($15) which also now comes in three scents Coriander, Grapefruit and Lavender ($15 each), Molton Brown also has good ones to gift away, having a good one on hand is a travel must
Oribe Styling Kit x Birchbox ($35) has five minis of their sprays, review of this one here
Laura Mercier Brush it On Luxe Collection Travel Brush Set ($98) has six travel-sized brushes in a roll case, their travel brushes are always well made, I’ve accumulated quite a few over the years
Slip Silk Eye Mask ($45) is on my own wishlist as I have one of the Slip Silk Pillow Cases and really like it
Fleur’t Night Night Eyelash Eye Mask ($23) with the eyelashes is just too cute
Sephora Luxe Combo Travel Brush ($15) is a great travel hair brush it also comes in a Gold Color for holiday
Ouai to Travel Set ($32) has three travel-sized hair products in a white zip case
Drybar Baby Buttercup Dryer ($135) is a compact but powerful travel hair dryer, on numerous trips I’ve debated whether or not to take a dryer with me, I’m the type who needs their own hair dryer, ones in hotels simply just don’t work the same for me, review on this one soon, if you’re into sets for holiday it also comes in the Let it Blow! Set for the same price as the individual dryer
Chanel Les Minis de Chanel ($125) is the first Chanel brush set I’ve bought, I love their mini sets that they launch each year but in previous seasons there has been at least 1 or 2 brushes in the sets that I didn’t think I’d use so I passed, this year has ones I would actually use, I haven’t tried it yet but will be bringing it with me on my upcoming trip
Anya Hindmarch In-Flight Case ($330) is one of the most expensive beauty items I’ve splurged on but it’s great for travel to keep everything beauty related in one place, it was featured here and here, if you don’t need something compact the Bobbi Brown Beauty Case is also a great one for travel

Do you have any travel favorites or must haves? I’m going to be busy packing this weekend so I won’t have new posts up Saturday or Sunday, but stay tuned for a new post to go live on Monday 🙂

Have a great weekend!

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty Gifts $25 and Under

November 21, 2016

Today I’m continuing my holiday gift guide roundups for the year with beauty gifts you can find for $25 and under. There are tons of great affordable options that any beauty lover would like. I suspect some you might even want to keep for yourself.

Lorac Happy Hour Hues Alter Ego Lip Gloss Collection ($25) contains six full-size lip glosses with limited-edition rose gold packaging, it’s been years since I’ve tried a Lorac gloss but I keep seeing this at Nordstrom and it’s calling my name
Ouai Style Edit Set ($25) has minis of the Wave Spray, Texturizing Hair Spray, Finishing Creme and a pack of 6 hair ties, if you haven’t tried the line this is a great starter/trial set
Molton Brown Fiery Pink Pepper Cracker ($25) is something I’ve bought for years (for myself too), I love the bright peppery ginger scent this one has, it’s unique and unlike anything I’ve smelled
Kiehl’s Jeremyville – Grapefruit Body Care Duo ($24) has two 2 oz minis of their grapefruit body care items in a cute little metal tin, I adore the body scrub and it’s something I think anyone would like – sweet, bright and refreshing but not too sweet
L’Occitane Shea Butter Ornament ($14) is always a fun gift option, each year they have cute ornament packaging, there are lots of options with different scents, I think the classic Shea Butter is the best one
Becca Glow On Go ($20) has a Spotlight Wand Shimmering Skin Perfector and Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed, both in Moonstone in mini travel sizes small enough to fit in the tiniest of clutches
Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo and Conditioner Combo ($23) is exclusive to Sephora as a value set
Birchbox Thin to Thick Styling Kit ($20) is one of the best hair kits I think I’ve seen in terms of value, there are lots of other discovery kit options for sunscreen, skincare, fragrance, etc. at Birchbox
Milk Makeup Dew You ($25) contains three minis of the Highlighter Stick, Sunshine Oil and Ubame Mascara – I’ve tried a couple things from the Birchbox subscription boxes but haven’t tried these yet
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Minis Set ($20) is a must try, featured here as well
Kat Von D Beauty The Bow n Arrow Set ($20) has minis of their Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow N Arrow and Ink Liner in Trooper
philosophy grace for the holidays set ($18) contains two 8 oz products, one hand wash and one hand lotion and they both come with pumps, even though scent is very personal this is the one scent I’ve found to be universally loved among friends and family
Birchbox LOC One and Done Shadow Stick Trio ($25) is a value set with three shadow sticks, there are 3 options for colors you can choose from, the one shown is called Piece of Cake with Haute Cocoa, Peachy Sheen, and Heavy Petal (all swatched here)
Bite Beauty The Perfect Bite Set ($25) has baby sized 0.05 oz Amuse Bouche Lipsticks in colors Fig, Pepper, Honeycomb, Nori
Sephora Favorites Style, Treat & Repeat! Custom Hair Essentials On the Go ($25) allows you to pick and choose 5 mini items to create your own customized set, if you’re more into skincare also checkout the Customizable Skincare and Hair Gift Set
Eve Lom Kiss Mix Disco Ball ($22) has the nourishing Kiss Mix lip balm in a cute ornament box
Clinique Chubby Stick Sampler Set ($25) this one has three chubby sticks and a mascara with colors coordinated to create a perfect holiday look
IPKN Twinkle Lips Candy Set ($25) I don’t know if I’ve swatched these before but they’re the next best thing to the Dior Addict Glow balms, these IPKN twinkle lips change color depending on your chemistry for a healthy glow of color, they’re smooth and balmy

A few more options linked below:

Hope this gives you some ideas for beauty gifts under $25. If you’ve found any other good stocking stuffer options under the $25 price point let me know in the comments! More gift guides to follow soon. Have a great Monday!

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Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Beauty Gifts and Stocking Stuffers Under $50

November 17, 2016

Best Beauty Gifts Under $50

The holidays are approaching and if you’ve started to look for gifts I have a roundup of some super cute beauty gifts under $50. There are tons of great gift sets and minis at Nordstrom and I’ve teamed up with them to share some of my favorites. I like their site because it’s easy to shop their gift section and filter by pretty much any category like him, her, kids, home and also by price point.

Up first are some cute lip sets which I actually want to keep for myself. I love the minis because they’re a great way to try tons of colors, you can use them up quickly or you can split them up for stocking stuffers or little gift bags. Three that caught my eye include: the Clinique Tiny Temptations which as 20 minis of their Chubby Stick in the most adorable pink tin, Fresh Sugar Lip Charmers which has 4 mini lip balms, and the Fresh Sugar Bliss Cracker. There are tons of options from both brands under the $50 price point so I’ll link them below.

Clinique Tiny Temptations Set and Fresh Sugar Lip Sets Holiday 2016 Clinique Tiny Temptations and Fresh Sugar Lip Sets

Kiehl’s always has the best skincare sets for both men and women. It’s one line my husband loves and he got into the line when I bought him a starter set a few years ago. Since then I’ve bought quite a few for him, my brother and my brother-in-law. This year they have great eye-catching packaging. I picked up the Jeremyville Healthy Skin For Him (it’s only $26) and also the Must-Haves Mini Masque Set. (I’m keeping the mask trio for me!) Sometimes finding universally appealing gifts are challenging. If you’re the type who wants to get multiples of the same sets for all your loved ones to make things easy, I really don’t think you can go wrong with Kiehl’s.

Kiehl's Holiday Skincare Grooming Set and Mask Trio Minis

A closer look at the masks – have you tried these? I cannot wait to test them out!

Kiehl's Must Have Mini Mask Trio

Rounding up some more gift sets, all still under $50 although there are more options online at higher price points if you want to splurge 🙂

For the hair lover, two favorites are the Drybar and Moroccanoil. They have great minis and this year the Drybar has the Four-Pack with the Money Maker Hairspray, Sparkling Soda Shine Mist, Detox Dry Shampoo and Tripe Sec Spray. You can buy the minis separately (most of them start at $13 each) but the set gives you a price break with some savings. Moroccanoil has a cute mini Moroccanoil Ornament for $15. There are also some nice value gift sets this holiday. It’s my husband’s favorite line and one of mine as well. He likes it so much he uses the hydrating shampoo and conditioner to wash our dogs so they smell good (yes I’m horrified he does this!).

Drybar Four Pack Spray and Moroccanoil Mini Ornament

Jo Malone, Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown all have great beauty gifts to choose from as well. Jo Malone always created the most elegant splurge gifts. Most are on the spendy side but there are a few options under $50, one is the Christmas Cracker Set which has a mini Mimosa and Cardamom Body Cream, Basil and Neroli Cologne, Blackberry and Bay Body Wash. For the vanilla or sweet scent lover, Laura Mercier has the Hand and Body Creme Collection for $32. This year’s set has Almond Coconut Milk Hand & Body Crème, Ambre Vanillé Hand & Body Crème, Crème Brûlée Hand & Body Crème and Tarte au Citron Hand & Body Crème. For the mascara lover Bobbi Brown Party All Night Duo has the No Smudge and Eye Opening Mascara. I love the Eye Opening one and wanted to buy it anyways to stock up so I picked up the duo to try the other one.

Jo Malone Holiday Cracker Laura Mercier Body Hand Cream Minis Bobbi Brown Party Mascara Duo

Last but not least MAC and Nordstrom have an exclusive Nutcracker Sweet Nude Mineralize Kit. It has a mini mineralize skinfinish, full size mineralize lipstick and lipgloss in a bright zipped makeup bag. My friends love MAC and a handful ask for something MAC-related every year for Christmas. There are tons of great options in makeup, sets, minis and brushes. This one is one of my favorites but if you’re a nude pink lip lover be sure to check out the Nutcracker Sweet Nude Lip Kit too.

MAC Nutcracker Sweet Nude Mineralize Kit Nordstrom

That wraps up my Nordstrom Beauty Holiday Gift Picks for sets and minis under $50. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to check their Gift With Purchase page as it gets updated frequently. If you have any recommendations please let me know in the comments. Please note that I’m working to get the comment section up and working – my site is going through some updates this week and there are areas I’m working to get fixed. If you have issues – shoot me an e-mail [email protected] and let me know what errors if any you’re seeing.

Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!

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