So many of you liked the my last home decor post I decided to do another one! I’m rounding up 10 things I’m loving for the home including a few favorite home accents, my favorite hand washes and a few countertop organizers to help keep things more tidy.
We’ve been loving nice hydrating hand washes for the home as we’ve been washing our hands more frequently! Molton Brown sent over a cute care package with their Delicious Rhubarb and Roses Liquid Hand Wash (1) and Hand Lotion (2) and I love how fresh and floral it smells! You can also find these in a Duo Set (nice for gifting) and also Travel Sized Minis (love that these come with pumps too).
Another long-time favorite is the Aesop Resurrection Hand Wash (3) for a nice cleansing gel that won’t strip the skin. It’s invigorating and is easy to rinse. We love the rinse-free version too, but my favorite is the one you can wash off.
For the bathroom I’ve been trying to find some countertop solutions for my hair dryer/brush. I decided to try the Haircare Holder (4) from West Elm which is made by Yamazaki Home. It’s small and compact so it won’t take up a lot of counter space. It’s made with a powder-coated steel. (Also available in black). It works for the hair dryers I alternate between which include the Dyson Supersonic (reviewed here) and the Harry Josh Ultra Light (review here). The stand itself fairly small and compact so if you own a larger hair dryer it probably won’t work for your needs. So far it’s held up really nicely over the past few months since I bought it.
Also below shown with the Harry Josh Ultralight dryer in the larger opening. You can also put curling irons or flat irons inside. There is an attachment that comes with this for you to hang on the cabinet door/under the sink if you want to store it a different way.
I’ve also been loving these Wood Handled Bathroom Caddies (5 and 6). You may have seen these several times on the blog or on my Instagram as I use them to store sheet masks. I ordered these from West Elm in the Small (base is 5″ wide, 3.25″ tall, 5″ deep) and the Large (base is 10.25″ wide, 3.25″ tall, 5″ deep). These are the same material and brand as the Hair Dryer holder – made a powder coated steel. They are on the small side so they won’t hold larger items but to keep smaller things in place they’re perfect!
Below the small vs large:
As a huge Diptyque fan I’m obsessed with their Photophores in all the sizes! I have both small and large sizes (7 and 8). The ones I own have an opening at the top so you can burn the candle inside it. However sometimes the flames get too high/strong so I mainly use the glass ones for decorative purposes these days. The Large Glass twist version is an older style which you might still be able to find in boutiques, but for now they the Full Twist with a black stripe. The Coast Glass is still available in the small and large options. They come out with sets and new variations during the holiday season so if you don’t see one you 100% love, I would recommend waiting until later in the year for the limited-edition launches.
Below small coast vs. full sized twist:
I’ve been looking for some candle covers to keep some opened ones dust-free. I ordered a few Glass Cloches (9) from Crate and Barrel which is on the small side. It will fit a standard size Diptyque candle inside but for anything larger it’s a snug fit. Target has a similar style that’s slightly larger but I have not seen/tried it. I do like the look and feel of the ones I ordered though!
Last but not least are the Mini Countertop Trash Cans (10) from simplehuman. These are small at 1.5 liters but perfect for things like counter tops, small spaces or even an at-home coffee bar area for sugar packets/stirrers etc. I ordered mine from simplehuman online but you can find these at a number of places like Target, Amazon, etc.
Below is the small white one we have in our kitchen next to our coffee machines.
What are you loving for the home these days? Any organization favorites or boxes you love? I would love to hear how you store your hair appliances whether it’s in the drawer, on counter or some other storage solution! I’m always looking for ideas and inspiration.
Molton Brown hand wash + lotion provided for review. Other items purchased.
Today I’m rounding up all of the best decorative trays for your vanity! I’m always on the hunt for better ways to organize, display and store my beauty products. I love trays of all shapes and sizes because it helps me keep things in place and makes things look less cluttered! So many of you have asked questions about where I get all of my trays so today’s post is a comprehensive roundup.
Many of you have also asked for an updated makeup storage/organization post. You want to know how I store everything from the best acrylic organizers, boxes, shelving, drawers etc. I haven’t done one since we were in San Diego in my Home Loft Tour (3 years ago!). We’ve done a lot of moving around over the last few years since we’ve moved to Florida. I feel we have been in a long transition phase as we took our time to explore the different areas of Tampa Bay. We’ve finally found an area we truly love that feels like home to us now. I will be putting together my full beauty organization setup in a separate post. Today’s roundup focuses on all my vanity trays.
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Restoration Hardware Bath Tray
Measures 12″W x 7½”D x 1¼”H
I’ve loved and used my Restoration Hardware trays for years! It’s held up really well over many years and moves and it’s such a classic piece. The one you see in most of my photos is their White Italian Carrara Marble Bath Tray and it’s a single solid piece of marble with the center interior carved out. It looks like the rectangular ones I own have been discontinued from their website although some of their other Bath Accessories are still available. I’m trying to find a high quality dupe but haven’t found one yet.
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Crate and Barrel French Kitchen Marble Rectangle Tray
Measures 14″W x 8.5″D x 1″H
I ordered this Crate and Barrel French Kitchen Marble Tray because of the rave reviews and the $39.95 price seemed like a steal! I think for the price it’s a great buy. However it is not a single piece of solid marble. The base and four sides are bonded together with some kind of smooth white grout or epoxy which is visible where the pieces are connected. The cut isn’t 100% exact so some of the corners have more white grout/glue showing in between the corner lines than others. It’s not a deal breaker and overall it’s well made. Also this is not totally noticeable once you have product (or food) set on it.
Side by side of the Crate and Barrel (larger on the left) tray next to the Restoration Hardware Tray (smaller on the right). If you look closely at the photo, you can see the white grout showing in the corners on the top right and bottom right corners of the Crate and Barrel Tray – I do think each piece will be different though. Yours might not show any!
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Goop Marble Petite Round Tray
Small measures 8″ in diameter, 1.5 inches high
I love the small but still practical size of the Goop Marble Petite Round Tray ($50). I do not think it’s carrara marble as the veining and coloring isn’t quite as nice as other marble furniture pieces I own, but I think it’s really well made and I love the size. The Petite Size is currently in stock ($50 for 8 inches) and I just ordered the Grand Size ($80 for 12 inches, currently on waitlist). They’ve restocked multiple times since I first ordered mine. More views of it and full breakdown of the makeup in the photo listed in my Everyday Makeup Favorites post here.
I also love the rectangular Marble and Brass Cheese Board ($49.50). You’ve seen this in my bathroom, on my vanity, on my desk etc. It’s heavy and I love the quality. There are some other options that I think are super cute including the Cake Stand (could double as a stand for beauty products) or their Marble Brass Footed Board.
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Acrylic Trays
CB2 Measures 14″W x 6.25″D x 2″H
I’ve gone through several acrylic trays over the years. I had some larger square options from West Elm and CB2 that I loved but got rid of over some past moves. Acrylic tends to scratch as you move product over the surface (even the sturdy durable options). Over time they wear down. I do like the CB2 Acrylic Tank Tray for my sunglasses and also for my desk. Note that this style does not have rubber feet (I added them on my own) so if you don’t want it sliding around I’d recommend adding them. They’re easy to find at a wide range of places. I ordered some from Amazon and really like them. The Container Store has some options for acrylic trays which are decent and functional, but in my experience not the best quality.
For those curious the sunglasses from top to bottom in the photo: Black round (Celine), Brown square (Tom Ford), Honey brown round (Ray-Ban), Beige round (Ray-Ban), Dark brown round (Ray-Ban), Pink small (Chanel, old style).
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West Elm Mirrored Trays
Small Size Measures 15″ x 10″
I love the look of mirrored trays, especially with any brass or gold accents! However they’re high maintenance as they scratch easier than other surfaces and show every speck of dust or finger prints. Mirrored trays are easy to clean, I just find I have to clean and dust them frequently. This Fishs Eddy Gilded Cafe Mirror Tray – Brass from West Elm has held up for many years though. It’s the same one I’ve had since I lived in San Diego. There are a few scratches as it has been well loved. I have the small size but they have a larger option too.
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Lacquered Trays
Medium Shown measures 7.2″w x 10″d x 1.1″h
Most of my lacquered trays (gloss or matte finish) have been from West Elm. I’ve loved and used them from years! I’ve bought them long before I started blogging. As we’ve moved around I have switched and rotated them with other styles. This one is the Color Block in the Medium Size. I like that it’s on the compact side and easy to fit in small places/shelves. They also have other colors and sizes which I have but haven’t put to use yet. CB2 also makes nice options!
If you want an extra small tray to keep things super tidy, I think the Small Brass Inlay Marble Tray ($40) from West Elm is really lovely. It’s quite small and only holds a few things but it well made, heavy and looks lovely on the night stand, shelf or desk!
Trays added to my Ikea Billy Bookcase shelf (option is with doors):
A few extra tips on finding the perfect tray(s) for you:
Some trays do not come with anything on the base. You might want to buy a set of thin small felt pads if you have a surface that might get easily scratched. Adhesive bumpers/rubber feet are also another option if you want the tray to stay in place and prevent them from sliding around. I ordered a bunch from Amazon (also for furniture too). You can find these easily at Target or any home improvement store etc.
Look for products that aren’t labeled “tray.” Some other things will pop up on search that can double as display trays. For example on home good sites like West Elm or Crate and Barrel (etc.) type in the search bar words like dish, board, trivet, cake stand, coaster etc.
I tend to look for small to medium trays for beauty product storage as larger ones can get cluttered REALLY fast for me. If you’re organized it should not be an issue or problem at all though! I also have a console and shelves that are on the narrow side so finding a smaller tray has been ideal for me.
Sites like West Elm, CB2 and Crate and barrel often have sales on their sites. Lots are happening this weekend for Memorial Day. Target has some really nice affordable home decor options but the seasonal launches tend to sell out quickly.
If you stain your marble with watermarks or oil, it’s possible to remove by applying a baking soda + water mixture. Mix it into a paste and apply to the stained area. Leave on for 24 hours and then wipe away. For smaller stains that haven’t settled too long it should absorb any oil and remove them! This has worked for me when oil from skincare or water from a cup/jar has left a ring on my tray. Your mileage may vary depending on what the stain is made of, how big it is, how long it’s been there etc.
Beauty organization post to follow soon but leave all your questions in the comments below so I can add them to my list for FAQs! I hope you found this roundup helpful. I’m asked on a daily basis “where did you get your marble tray?” – the answer is usually that I have several! This post has them all in one place so now for reference.
Trays featured:
Other decorative accents/accessories featured:
Do you have any trays you love for your beauty products? Or do you tend to display them on a shelf, drawers or boxes? I’d love to hear how you organize your beauty stash!
Just wanted to do a quick check in post to say hi and see how you are all holding up. The world feels like everything has been turned upside down and life feels like one long extended nightmare. In Florida we are now on a state-wide stay-at-home-order although it started earlier in our county with lots of businesses closing except for the essentials. Grocery stores, pharmacies, take-out food and pet stores etc are still open, but our beaches have been closed as well as some parks. A lot of our favorite bakeries and cafes have closed. The panic buying continues here (it started a lot later here than other places). It’s still nearly impossible to find toilet paper in stores. The paper towel aisle and cleaning sections always seem to be cleared out.
We are holding up just fine – we are social distancing but continuing outdoor walks to stay active and trying to support local businesses with take out as much as we can. We took our bikes for a ride last weekend at some parks and nearby trails – although with many parks being closed we aren’t sure how long we can do this. At home we are enjoying time in our backyard, doing more home work outs, cleaning and organizing. We just started watching the new season of Ozarks and Westworld. Better Call Saul is also on my list. I’m trying to stay distracted to stay sane and positive. Really looking forward to the days when things can and will go back to normal.
So how are you holding up? What have you been doing to stay busy at home? I wanted to answer some FAQs on new beauty launches – so many of you have been asking about things since everything now is literally online only. On my more immediate to-do list I will be reviewing the new Armani concealer, Chanel Les Beiges, By Terry summer and new Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks.
From recent posts, several of you have asked where this round mirror is from. I found it at Target and think it’s super cute. My other favorite makeup mirrors here.
I haven’t been getting good sleep lately. Unfortunately I’m sure this is the case for many of you. I’ve woken up with puffy eyes more and these 111Skin Eye Masks have been life savers for me. I really love the Sub Zero De-Puffing Eye Masks (blue ones) are my favorites. I also really like the Rose Gold Illuminating Eye Masks as well (pink package). They’re a really nice treat in the mornings and I think they’re 100% worth the splurge. Some retailers carry them in 1 sheet packs too. I haven’t had much luck with melatonin sleep aids in the past but I’ve ordered the HUM Beauty zzZz to try as I really like their other supplements. If you have any favorites let me know.
My favorite at-home comfy things to wear are the APL Techloom Slides. I own them in so many colors and bought some for Andrew too. They have nice support and are so much better than flats or sandals that have no cushion. We wear ours everywhere. The lighter colors are easy to clean up – I just throw them in the washing machine but air dry them. Below is the color Parchment (toes is an older nail polish color in Chanel Resplendissant).
My sweet girl Lucy and me in our backyard, she’s 15 this year! We really miss Jake who passed away over the summer. (Wearing Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine in Peace Star.)
For those asking about DIY manicure tips, I’ve done several hand nail care routine posts in the past. I’ve been doing my own since we moved to Florida (for over 3 years now) since I’ve never quite found a salon that I really liked. In case you want to do your nails at home and want some tips you can find my most recent Hand and Nail Care Routine article here. Quick note that I think some of my holy grails from Deborah Lippmann have been reformulated. I ordered replacements and they don’t perform the same! I’m trying out some other cuticle softeners/removers from Sally Hansen and CND hoping they’ll work better.
Will have the Chanel Les Beiges 2020 collection review soon! (Ordered everything except the 2 nail colors, still undecided about those.) I will also review the new Armani Luminous Silk Concealer (ordered 6.5 which is a good match for the 6.5 foundation).
How are you all holding up? What are some things that have helped you remain calm or sane? Any good new TV shows to binge watch? Good movies you love to re-watch? How are you staying active at home or are you able to go outdoors?
Hoping you are all well and safe. Sending lots of love. I’m doing a lot of stress eating at home to cope!
I’m sharing something a little different today with a look at some of our home decor pieces for the holiday along with some fun gifting accessories. An overwhelming number you requested a home decor post in a recent poll and so I have a peek at a few things we’ve done to make our place a little more cozy. We have one holiday themed corner in our living room to get in the spirit and everything is fairly simple and minimalist. I do love the beautiful elaborate wreaths and garlands I see everywhere else and maybe when we find our forever home someday we will go all out. For now I’m really just happy to keep things simple with a few key accents. Fur babies are included below. Our two Jack Russells Jake and Lucy are 13 years old this year! Kitty turned 6 in August.
Our tree is a 7.5 foot Flocked Tree we bought at Home Depot. We considered getting a real tree but after some thought we opted for an artificial one and I love it! It’s pre-decorated so it already has lights and pine cones. The tips are flocked which give it a festive feel. I particularly love that we don’t have to water it and we can use it again in the future!
We did add some ornaments to it. Over the years we’ve found some pretty ones from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and other places but when we moved a couple years ago we didn’t bring a lot of our little things (we gave a lot away). This year we stopped by Target to get some wrapping paper and I was so thrilled to find a wide range of beautiful affordable ornaments. They have a wide range of colors for the ornament balls. We also stopped by Michael’s which I find has even more affordable budget options, for the quality and price Target has better ones.
Left Silver, Clear, White, Blue set (42 pieces) from Target, middle silver ornaments from Michaels, right red and gold mini ornaments from Target. 20 mm silver bells from Michaels. String star twinkle lights are Philips Lights from Target. Throw from West Elm.
As much as I love beautiful wrapping paper for gifts I feel like it can often times be so wasteful as it always gets thrown out! Target had some really nice budget options from their Wondershop and their Sugar Paper line. Ribbons and string are also from Target and Michael’s. If you need a specific color of ribbon Michael’s literally has every thickness, material and color you can imagine. Most of them were on sale for the holiday too.
For the gifts we are putting together ourselves that require a box we found some nice sturdy simple options at Michael’s. They come in a wide range of colors including the basic brown tan which can be easily dressed up with a simple ribbon, gift topper or cute gift tag. Target Sugar Paper has some nicer pre-decorated options as well. I can’t find the cute North Pole gift tags online but I did find them in store at Target.
Other fun things include these Gold Jingle Bells from the Sugar Paper Line. I found some cute take-out boxes also at Target which you can fill with candies or use to send guest home with baked goods.
Perhaps the easiest and simplest way to add some holiday cheer to the home is with candles. My favorite holiday ones already rounded up in my Favorite Luxury Candles for the Holiday post. I was able to buy the full-size Diptyque Carousel when it restocked, but it sold out again. The small one is still available in the Carousel and Candle Set with Baies + Tubereuse.
I’ve really been loving Byredo as their scents are so unique and the candles have amazing throw. Chai is new this season, I don’t know if it’s limited-edition or not but it smells just like chai tea and it’s so cozy! I think Woods and Tree House are also amazing options for Christmas but versatile enough to burn year round as well.
I hope you enjoyed a peek into our holiday decor! If you’re still in the process of picking up things to decorate a quick tip is to always check online for items first, even if you’re going in store. So many places like Target and Michael’s have a store stock locator option which is so helpful! Sometimes you can reserve online to pick up in store. Other times if you just want to go in yourself but want to check to see if they have things in stock it will tell you which aisle items are located. It’s super handy so you don’t end up driving all over the place searching for things!
The Christmas countdown is on and my goal is to have everything wrapped by tomorrow. I do think the best and most efficient way to shop for gifts is to simply order online and have things shipped directly. But if you have gifts you’re giving in person I hope you found these ideas helpful!
Do you decorate your home for the holiday season? Any tips or tricks or traditions you want to share? Let me know in the comments! Two notes:
I’ve started up Instagram giveaways again are announced every Wednesday on stories. In case you missed the announcement last week this week’s giveaway is a Diptyque Miami + Vanille Candle. All you have to do is follow me @beautylookbook, comment on at least 2 posts during the week and like my posts! Super easy 🙂 I announce winners and contact via DM on Instagram.
I’ve also decided to start up my blog giveaways again. Every Sunday on the blog I’ll announce a new one. For the blog this week I’m giving away two Diptyque Candles to one reader! Simple enter through the widget below and one person will be selected on next Saturday to receive one Miami City Candle and one Tomas Maier WDR candle (both purchased by me). Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Not sponsored or affiliated.
Today I’m taking you inside our loft with a peek at our living space. Over the past couple of years so many of you have asked for a home tour. I’ve shown snippets here and there but as a rather private person I’ve been a bit hesitant to share our home, but today I’m finally giving you a look into our loft. This post is bittersweet for me because as this post is being published we’ve actually packed everything up inside a moving truck and are on the road as we are relocating to Tampa, Florida! If you remember our Florida trip over the holiday this was a trip to explore the area and see if we could actually live there. I’ve lived in California for pretty much my entire life but both my husband and I felt like we were ready for a change of scenery and so decided to embark on a new adventure. There were a number of reasons we picked Florida, but the main reasons were weather and pet-related. We both like warm weather (I can’t remember the last time we’ve seen snow!) and the warm Florida climate seemed like the perfect place to transition to. Also because we have two dogs and a cat we ruled out cities for the time being. Our dogs need a nearby park or a backyard to run around in. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions for me. I can’t help but feel excited, sad, thrilled, apprehensive, and happy all at the same time. California has been home and I’ve never lived in another place since I was seven (aside from a couple months of travel) so leaving kinda breaks my heart. However we aren’t really saying goodbye. Who knows what will happen in the future, we may return or might find we fall in love with another city. Right now we’re saying yes to new adventures.
Enough rambling, onto our home tour. When we moved into this loft we were looking for a small-to-medium yet modern looking space. The floor to ceiling windows were just to die for beautiful and we fell in love with it as soon as we saw it. The concrete building was so different from our beach house that we had lived in previously for almost a decade. Out of all the places I’ve lived this has definitely been one of the most unique and memorable. I wanted to document bits here and there for memories and thought I’d share it with you too.
I have an empty space photo to show, this is what it looks like right before we moved out, empty just like it did when we moved in. Since it’s a loft it’s primarily an open space although the kitchen area is lined up on a dividing wall to separate the bedroom/office area. Shown below our Away Carry-Ons reviewed here.
How we furnished the living room below. Since lofts tend to be small, all space had to be used or multi-purpose. The living area also has a work out section with a treadmill and a marble desk that doubles as a dining area and work space. By the time I took these photos we had already started packing up some of our things but this is pretty much what it looked like while we lived here. I’ll list our furniture at the bottom by room.
Our loft is basically one big open space however we did have a partial dividing wall to separate an area for the bedroom and a corner by the window that I could use as my blog/work/storage area. The bedroom area was large enough for a king size bed and Ikea closet units with plenty of room for dressers and a side chair (not shown).
Bathroom:
My work corner and a peek at how I organize my beauty products. Organization has always been a challenge. As a beauty blogger I go through quite a bit of product for testing and also for use. Being able to find things is essential especially for referencing items for comparisons or just know where something is when I want to use it. The organization system has always been evolving. I’ll do a separate post on organization for beauty. For now here’s a look at the different items I’ve tried. My husband had begged me for months to invest in a good tall cabinet or tall drawer unit. I was reluctant to install a closet system anywhere because for beauty products I either needed shallow drawers to be able to see things laid out versus stacked. Or I needed something clear to be able to see things easily.
Since I don’t use products from a single brand, bur rather many and also since makeup and skincare comes in a shapes, sizes, heights, widths etc. finding something to store a wide range of items has been challenging. I started with Muji acrylic drawers which I find great for lipstick, glosses, small compacts, but it requires you to lay things flat. Also sizes are limited. It took me over a year of research to decide what other acrylic units to invest in. Many are expensive and the biggest deterrent for me was the time it took to make and ship the units. Some said it would take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks as each one was custom made. I lack patience when it comes to shipping so I didn’t order one until I found two options that would ship immediately. GLAMboxes launched on QVC with inexpensive quick shipping so I ordered the GLAMboxes GLAMpetite with a Partial Lid ($199). Another one I found with good reviews is the Original Beauty Box and they did not have a long wait time for shipping so I also ordered the Deluxe Beauty Box ($159) to compare. Both are well made and the drawers slide easily and smoothly which was really important for me. I haven’t seen a wide range of acrylic units so I can’t report on quality comparisons to other brands, but both are functional, well made, sturdy and work well. Since the Original Beauty Box has drawers that are taller it worked better for me. Although it can get heavy if you stack items – I haven’t had any issues opening the drawers with what I put inside though. I liked the Original Beauty Box so much I ordered two more.
Other storage units include Ikea Alex Drawers (I like the wider ones). Inside I use Container Store plastic bins and lipstick dividers to store and organize products. They aren’t completely filled with plastic bins as I find some items are ok free floating.
To organize new products to be tested or swatched I started using clear plastic shoe boxes from the Container Store. The ones I bought were relatively cheap in price and look and feel cheap, but they are functional and fit my bookshelves perfectly so right now they work.
I’ve tried to list everything by room for those curious about where we bought our home furnishings. It took us at least six months to fully furnish the place as we found it challenging to find what we wanted that would ship within a reasonable time. It had been a few years since we did major furniture shopping so we did not realize that buying furniture would require sometimes several months for delivery time. If there’s anything I missed let me know – I will be traveling cross country this week but will get back to you as soon as we’ve had a chance to settle in.
Makeup organizers from Muji, GLAMboxes and Original Beauty Box (I will do a separate review on these detailing why I ordered what I did and what I ended up liking or disliking about each style)
Clear containers in drawers from the Container Store
I hope you enjoyed this home tour even though by now we have moved on. There were some areas such as our closet, kitchen details and bathroom areas which I didn’t photograph but hope this gives you a glimpse into how we decorated and styled our home. My husband and I have similar but different tastes. He loves more color and fun accents while I would be thrilled to have an entire monochrome house with neutrals. I think we found a good balance with this one. For our next home the space we will have is going to be 2x the size of our loft so there will be a lot of space to fill and decorate.
Many of you have asked how we keep the loft clean with three fluffy pets, all of which have white fur and shed a lot. My husband is the organized and clean one so he did a lot of research on vacuums and pet grooming. We have used an iRobot Roomba for the past 10 years. They get regular use on a daily basis so we’ve gone through 3. We always bought the cheapest option which runs around $400. For Christmas Andrew decided to get the iRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum 980 as my Christmas present. It’s more than double the price but works noticeably better and hands down well worth the investment – especially if you have pets or if your home gets dusty easily. If you want a list of the other vacuums he’s bought I can list them in this post, but the Roombas are a life saver.
I’ll be on the road for the next several days and will have limited access to my computer while we make our way across the US to our new home. You can follow along on Instagram @beautylookbook as I’ll be posting a few things here and there along the way.
Hope your week is going well! More fun beauty reviews to come as soon as I’ve settled in. I was able to get a sneak preview of the new Tom Ford Soleil items yesterday (details on Instagram and if you can catch IG stories before they disappear) and everything is to die for! I also bought three of the Rouge Coco Glosses which I’ll be putting to the test while on the road.
It’s a tradition for Diptyque to launch a special limited-edition rose-themed candle for Valentine’s Day every year and this year they’ve brought back Rosa Mundi. It comes in a Standard Candle ($68 for 6.5 oz), a Mini Candle ($35 for 2.4 oz) and a Scented Oval ($50). I look forward to each release for the whimsical designs of the jars as they create something beautiful and special every year. Rosa Mundi was last launched in 2014 in a white glass jar and pink tinted wax. This particular year Diptyque partnered with Antoinette Poisson, a creator and restorer of domino paper. The design has a thick label sticker as the exterior. As one who is usually really skeptical about sticker labels in general I have to say that I was pleased with the quality and placement of the labels. They are placed firmly on the jar without any visible bubbles and the paper feels like a high quality thick texture almost like wall paper.
Close up below of the mini versus standard. For those not familiar with Diptyque sizing you can see all the details like burn time and comparison for them in this post here. My personal candle care tips in this post here.
For those new to Rosa Mundi, this year’s is similar to previous launches (it has been launched twice before). It has excellent throw and the scent will fill up the rooms in my home within minutes just from opening the box. This one has a mix of damascena, the damask rose, and centifolia, the May rose. Additional notes include currant, bergamot, lychee and geranium. To me it smells like a young bright sweet rose. It’s very girly and I absolutely adore it. I haven’t kept every single used up candle jar I’ve burned although I do try my best to keep the special edition jars. I like to recycle them and keep them to store makeup brushes, pens, flowers, Q-tips, mini perfumes, rollerball perfumes, tiny skincare samples – basically anything. For those who just started getting into or noticing Diptyque, previous Valentine’s Day candles I have reviewed:
Bottom line love. By the time this post is going live I’ve already burned through a mini one. As always with these I recommend going with the bigger one even though they are more expensive. The recycle options are more versatile versus the minis. If you’re looking for a way to treat yourself either of these are great options. For those curious about the scented ovals – I’ve been gifted a few over the past years. They make lovely decorative pieces but the scent doesn’t last quite as long as I had hoped. They are also fragile – we have docile animals and they’ve knocked over quite a few things and the ovals did not survive the fall. If you have carpet they probably won’t break.
I discovered Antica Farmacista over the summer thanks to a recommendation from a friend and have been enamored with what I’ve discovered so far. The team sent over a few pieces for holiday and I was so smitten with the Champagne Black Label scent I went ahead and ordered other items such as the candles for the home and for gifts. I included items in my Luxury Candle Holiday Gift Guide and today I have more items to review. Home fragrance comes in a number of options and formats. While I love burning candles for creating the perfect relaxed ambiance, diffusers and room sprays are great alternatives.
Home Ambiance Diffuser Trio ($64 for three 3.4 fl oz diffusers) with Champagne Black Label, Manhattan and the Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin
The Champagne Black Label scent is one of the prettiest feminine home scents I’ve ever smelled. It’s sparkling, sweet and has a very fresh feel – reminds me of what a luxury spa smells like. It has Satsuma citrus, muguet, apricot, passionfruit and sugared black currant. The throw of the mini diffuser in the trio set has decent throw that it fills up the entire bathroom (we have a small one). It’s girly but not too girly that it bothers my husband. For the candles I prefer the larger size, the small one is cute and the packaging is adorable but it burned through quickly. Throw and lasting power of the Room Fragrance Spray is good as a refresher and it lingers for at least one hour. If you want something that lasts longer, opt for one of the larger diffusers or candle.
Little details and touches make all the difference and I’m absolutely smitten with the fact that the Champagne Black Label Candle (in the full size) comes with matches inside the lid of the box. I get easily excited about small things like this but I have never bought a candle before like this with such pretty packaging.
The diffuser I reviewed back in July is about 75% used up. I bought several other scents during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and gave a few to my husband to put in his office. Several readers who have tried the line commented that some scents have good throw for the reed diffusers while others do not and I agree with their assessment. The ones for holiday have very good throw in my experience – I have both the mini 100 ml size and full size 500 ml size.
Another beautiful limited-edition set is the Home Ambiance Diffuser Trio. My husband has a full-size Manhattan in his office and likes it for a nice subtle warm citrus with spice and pepper. He put it in the restrooms of his office to keep them smelling nice. I’ve have the Champagne Black Label opened in our home. I have not yet tried or smelled the Vanilla, Bourbon and Mandarin and given the fact that these diffusers seem to last a long time it may be a few months before I open it up. The holiday set is beautifully packaged and fairly reasonable at the $64 price point. I think it’s one that can make a great hostess gift and can also work well for co-worker or office gifts. Home scent can be tricky for gifting as fragrance of any kind is personal but I do think these will be suitable for any age or style.
Tray from West Elm but no longer available, similar style here and here
Overall I’m impressed and everything I’ve tried from Antica Farmacista so far is just exquisite. The scents are strong and long lasting. They add a sophisticated touch to the home and I love that the scents are feminine but not too girly. The Champagne Black Label is limited-edition and if you’re looking for a good holiday scent that won’t leave the home smelling like a Christmas Tree or Pumpkin Spices this is a great one to try this season or gift. All my friends and family say that I’m the hardest to shop for and I always tell them not to stress and if they want to get me something, I’m beyond thrilled with something simple like a Diptyque candle (because I do use them a lot) or candy because I’m the biggest sugar addict. For those who are hard to shop for this line is one line I think you can’t go wrong with.
(old style, but it’s the PRO version)
