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Beauty Favorites Nail Polish

Five Neutral Nude Pinks I’m Loving Right Now

May 24, 2022

Nude Pink Nail Polishes

opening image: round marble tray, coffee table book, sunglasses

You girls know I love a good neutral nude nail, there are so many good shades out there! Wanted to round up 5 I’ve been wearing lately I think are worth checking out. Essie, Olive and June and Gucci shades are applied with 2 coats, the Chanel and Dior have 3 coats.

Essie Topless and Barefoot

Essie Topless and Barefoot

Essie Topless and Barefoot is probably one of the most-complimented nail colors I wear. It’s a great perfect pale nude pink. If you’re looking for a quick-dry version I highly recommend checking out Expressie Crop Top and Roll. It’s not exactly the same but it’s really close.

Chanel Onirique

Chanel Le Vernis Onirique

Chanel Le Vernis in Onirique 923 is a really pretty soft pink nude with a hint of peach. It’s on the sheer side but has smooth coverage. If you want a more transparent finish 2 coats is sufficient. I applied 3 for a bit more color. It’s part of the Reve de Chanel collection which I hauled but didn’t review. I think all 3 nail colors are really pretty (if you don’t mind semi-sheer colors). So far I’ve only seen the collection available online at Chanel.com. (P.S. I still love Organdi, but I wore it so much I’m trying to switch it up a bit!)

Olive and June

Olive and June CHM

Olive and June has quite a few good neutrals. It’s hard to pick one favorite, I love CDJ, MM, GH, EC, HZ, the list goes on and on. You can check out all their NEUTRAL colors here. I am really loving CHM which is a beige neutral.

Gucci Beauty

Gucci Beauty Annabel Rose

I wish Gucci Beauty would launch more colors because I love the ones I’ve tried so far! Anytime I wear Annabel Rose I always get questions “what nail color are you wearing?” It’s a nice everyday neutral with a tiny bit of shimmer to give it some dimension.

Dior Vernis

Dior Vernis in Nude Look 100

I know a lot of you used to be die hard Dior Vernis collectors. I used to be too. They seemed to have slowed down on new color launches but I recommend checking Dior.com for the latest. They don’t always launch new colors at other retailers but you can usually find them online at Dior (I love the three new ones for summer!). I hauled Nude Look 100 since I love the lipsticks in this color. Nude Look 100 Nail Polish is a nude pink. It’s a tiny bit transparent with a bit of a jelly finish. Two coats covers my nail maybe 85% of the way. It’s smooth and non-streaky and just a tiny bit of my nail shows through. I love it. I think it’s a great rose nude pink.

I have a lot of other nail polish features on the blog. You can click on the NAIL POLISH category to pull up all the other roundups I’ve done. If you want more nude/neutral swatches you can check out these posts:

For those new to the blog and my Hand/Nail Care Essentials rounded up here. My current go-to base coat is the OPI Natural Base Coat. For top coats I love the OPI Top Coat, Essie Speed Setter and Gel Setter.

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What are your favorite neutrals?

Beauty Favorites Nail Polish Skincare

How to Maintain Hands for Healthy Looking Nails + My Personal DIY Manicure Tips

February 7, 2017

Hand and Nail Care Essentials | The Beauty Look Book

The most frequently asked questions I receive from readers relate to hand and nail care. For my nail polish posts I feature a mix of DIY and salon manicures. Finding a good salon and a reliable manicurist can take some time, then maintaining the nails with professional care can take up to 1 hour for a regular manicure so that requires additional time. Because I did so many polish reviews and swatches over the past years I could not afford to get regular manicures with the frequency of reviewing polish – both with the cost and time. I had to learn how to do it on my own so I observed the techniques of my favorite manicurists and practiced on my own. I will say that regular salon manicures and pedicures are 100% worth the splurge. Often times during high-stress periods in my life I found it impossible to shut off my mind and de-stress, even after work hours. Manicures kind of helped me stay sane because when someone is working on your hands you’re pretty much stuck doing nothing except for fun brainless tasks like reading magazines or listening to music or watching YouTube videos on your phone. It helped my brain go into hibernate mode so to speak. Also there’s something refreshing about having freshly groomed fingers or toes that makes you feel instantly alive and more put together.

For hand and nail care I typically stick to a few tried and true items and it has been the case for several years. I did my Nail and Hand Care Essentials back in 2014 (wow time flies!) but many of you have asked for an updated post with a tutorial. I finally have one to share with you today and if you compare the posts you’ll see that not much has changed. A few notes for newbies. If your nails are not in the best state I would highly recommend getting them cleaned, cuticles trimmed and polished professionally. Doing something like a manicure once a month or every other week for a little while can help improve the look and health of your nails. I think they can work miracles! If you have any cracks, chipped nails, or problem areas, a manicurist can help smooth everything out nicely. Once they’re in a better state you can do touch ups or manicures at home in between professional manis.

Up first are the tools then a DIY manicure tutorial of how I maintain and paint my fingers. Note that even after all this time of practice I can’t give myself a pedicure without it looking like I gooped a bunch of finger paint on my toes.

Tools of the Trade

Nail Files, Trimmers, Tools | The Beauty Look Book

I wish there was one brand or store where I could find all the best tools, unfortunately there is not. If you’re going to use my list as a shopping list for yourself, you will have to do a bit of shopping around. Most of the items I’ve bought can be found at Sephora, Ulta and Nordstrom (my 3 favorite beauty stores). Many of the items can also be found online at Amazon. If you’re shopping in store – check the online store locators to check inventory first. Often times I’ve gone to Ulta and found they were sold out of all the items on my list. They do restock frequently but to save time it’s best to research online and make a list first if you’re going to go out to multiple stores. As usual I’ve linked all the products to where I’ve bought the items in the past.

  • Revlon Nail Clippers – these are an older style, I can’t remember how long ago I bought these, the current versions have an embossed pattern on the surface, to clip nails I recommend clipping about 1/2 to 1/4 of what you think you need to trim. It’s better to do it in stages and then clip more. My biggest challenge was over-clipping.
  • Nail files – I usually accumulate cheap ones here and there, I’m not brand loyal to any particular type.
  • Ulta Beauty Crystal Nail File is no longer available online but you can find one from the Sephora Collection that is only $10. These are great for those with sensitive nails, there’s no grit texture like with traditional files so it’s more gentle on the nails.
  • Deborah Lippman Cuticle Remover is what I call my secret weapon for nails. It softens the cuticle area so you can push back any excess skin to trim them. This is an essential in my routine. I don’t know if she changed the packaging – I’ve seen a few in stores with a brush applicator instead of the dropper.
  • Tweezerman Cuticle Nipper is what I use to trim cuticles, it fits well in the hands and does the job well, mine has lasted since 2014, I do need to replace it soon though.
  • Face It Pro Salon Nail Pusher is something I bought at a local Korean Supermarket (Zion Marketplace in San Diego), I have super tiny fingers so this one is a bit large for my hands but still works, I like the shape of the tools and quality.
  • Tweezerman Pushy Nail and Cuticle Cleaner has been my go-to tool to push back the cuticle area and keep fingers looking groomed. Also available at Amazon for a cheaper price.
  • Not shown above, but there was a limited-edition Zwilling Manicure Set my husband uses and loves, this has been discontinued but he likes the quality of their tools if you’re looking for items for your man.

Base and Top Coats

Base and Top Coat Favorites for a DIY Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

My absolute favorite base and top coats have now been discontinued (Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat, Formula X Base Coat, Chanel Brilliance Top Coat and all the items from Rescue Beauty Lounge). I have still found some others that I really like.

  • Nails Inc. 45 Second Top Coat with Kensington Caviar is a great top coat that doesn’t have any shrinkage with polishes like Chanel, Dior or Tom Ford. Mine lasted about 2.5 years before it got thick and I had to throw it out. It lasted me so long because I rotate top coat brands. This one does dry within 45 seconds – just make sure your polish coats have properly dried first before applying. This gives the nails a super glossy cushiony look.
  • Nails Inc. base coats I’ve tired include the Nailkale Superfood Base Coat and the Base Coat with Kensington Caviar. I prefer the Nailkale Superfood Base Coat because it’s nourishing and doesn’t tint the nails. It has kale to strengthen the nails and keratin to help harden and stimulate growth. This is what I attribute to having healthy looking nails. With base coats I think it’s important to not apply too much – if it’s too thick it doesn’t dry properly and then polish on top just sits there. The Base Coat with Kensington Caviar has been a long-time go-to as well, but it can get a bit thick with age and it also can tint the nails pink.
  • Formula X Base Coat has been my favorite for a long time. Unfortunately it looks like the line has been pulled from Sephora. If you visit your store you may see a bunch of items on clearance. So stock up if you see any favorites there.
  • CND has been a long-time favorite. One of my salons used both the Stickey Base Coat and Super Shiny top Coat. They’re reliable staples and I highly recommend both.
  • Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat has never really been a favorite because it has major shrinkage with brands like Chanel, Dior, Tom Ford, YSL and pretty much all the brands I use. It does work well with OPI, Essie and Louboutin though and since it dries quickly I like the way it works and looks. Your mileage may vary depending on what polish you use. If you find that Chanel or Dior gets really quick tip wear on you, check what top coat you’re using. Some formulas are not compatible with 5 free formulas and cause shrinkage which pulls back the polish from the ends like tips or cuticles.
  • Chanel Le Gel Coat is a newer top coat that Chanel launched. It wears really well and gives the nails a cushiony shine. I love this with Chanel polishes and it also works well with Dior.
  • Louboutin Loubi Primer and Loubi Gloss is one of the best nail care duos I’ve used. The price point is high and this comes as a duo. The primer keeps nails from yellowing and helps to hydrate them well. The top coat gives one of the best high-gloss shines I’ve ever seen and keeps polish lasting long for up to 7 days for me. It’s not the fastest drying duo but well worth the extra time it takes.

Extras

Best Hand and Nail Care Essentials | The Beauty Look Book

The extras that make a huge difference in hand care rounded up below:

  • L’Occitane makes some of my favorite hand creams, they’re great for dry skin and I love the fun packaging. For those with sensitive noses the Shea Butter is the best and most gentle. It has a very natural smelling scent that is soothing.
  • Molton Brown makes my favorite scented hand creams, they have a lightweight texture so they’re not greasy and I love their scents. Pink Pepperpod and Coco Sandalwood are my favorites but really all the options are great.
  • Kiehl’s introduced scented hand creams in a Limited-Edition Trio this year, you can buy them separately in a larger size, but the minis are exclusive to Neiman Marcus (while supplies last). The Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is the unscented version and I also really like it. I don’t have one at the moment because my husband uses it as well and we go through them frequently.
  • Molton Brown Alba White Truffle Hand Treatment and Scrub are amazing for a hand cream and scrub. I’ve written about this duo before and absolutely love it. I’ve never done a hand scrub before trying this. Over the holidays a year ago many of you mentioned you do regular hand scrubs and that it works wonders on your hands.
  • Deborah Lippman Cuticle Oil has been my go-to for years. I’ve gone through several bottles and love it.
  • Dior Huile Abricot was interesting to me because it seemed to be less messy and easier to apply compared to most oils. It’s a great touch up for the cuticles and is super hydrating without getting messy. I really like it.
  • Two polish removers I swear by are Deborah Lippmann The Stripper and Zoya Remove +. If you find your nails peel it may be because you’re using harsh polish removers. Both of these are super gentle and good for sensitive nails. Amy from Cafe Makeup recommended the Zoya remover to me years ago and as her nails always look pristine I took her advice and am forever grateful for this discovery.
  • Chanel Le Coton is one of my favorite facial cottons, it’s bit spendy to use for polish remover but it soaks up a lot so you can use one square for one hand for lighter polishes. Facial Cotton review and comparison here.
  • Sephora Collection Cotton Rounds are great because they’re cheap and don’t leave fibers behind which can be super annoying when you need to get the nail surface completely clean. Love these and have have lost count of how many times I’ve ordered these.

The DIY Manicure

Step 1

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 2 is optional, let the fingers soak with warm water and bit of hand soap to soften the cuticles. I absolutely love the Molton Brown Hand Washes – they smell amazing, don’t dry out the skin and I love the packaging.

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 3

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look BookDIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 4

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 5

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 6

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 7

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 8

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 9

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 10 – Color is OPI Be There in a Prosecco

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 11

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

Step 12

DIY At Home Manicure | The Beauty Look Book

A few personal notes on nail care. I’m not a manicurist or nail professional but based on my experience I think the only way to avoid breakage is to keep nails on the shorter side. I do believe there are a lot of nail strengtheners and sometimes nail hardness depends on diet and health, but no matter what I do I can’t avoid breakage when they get long. For me playing frisbee always breaks my nails. On tip wear your mileage will vary depending on hand activity and nail length. The longer the nails the easier it is for the tips to come in contact with things like a keyboard or anything else you touch and therefore they get more wear than shorter nails. If you have broken chips, hang nails, cuts or any issue I highly recommend that you try to get them fixed by a professional manicurist – the few visits to get them to a healthy state is well worth the splurge. Also depending on hand or foot activities a salon can work wonders. I did ballet from the time I was 7 years old until 18 and my feet were badly calloused for years. I didn’t think there was anything I could do to get them fixed to a normal state. I did not get my first mani or pedi until I was 21 and was amazed at how much it improved my feet. It took about a year of regular pedicures every other week or so to get them into a presentable state.

Also a note on gel nails, I’ve never had my nails with gels so I can’t give any advice or input on those.

Best Hand and Nail Care Essentials for a DIY Manicure

An extra step that I just started doing is masking my hands. I used on a few occasions the Glamglow Thirsty Mud Mask and SK-II Facial Treatment Mask on hands and afterwards it was like years had been lifted. I don’t know that I have the patience to do this on a regular basis but on super dry skin days with the dry weather this helped a lot.

I hope you found this roundup helpful! With nail care there are so many options to try – the fancy packaging and pretty bottles are always so tempting at the store. I get overwhelmed at Ulta and whip out my phone to look for online reviews, realize it’s going to take too much time to research and end up sticking with what I’ve tried and loved.

If you have any favorites, tips or tricks please share in the comments! My advice is practice makes perfect! It does take time and there were many times in the beginning I just gave up and ended up going to my salon because it would be faster and more efficient for them to take 40 minutes to an hour to do them rather than try to finish myself. I gave up many many times. Eventually I got better and can do both hands easily at home on my own. I still get professional manicures when time allows. I would say over the past year for reference that the vast majority of the nail polish reviews I did were done on my own. Ballpark figure is over 80% of the nail swatches were done on my own.

Press samples include the Molton Brown Alba White Truffle duo and Louboutin Loubi Nail Kit.

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Chanel Fall 2011 Le Vernis Comparisons

June 19, 2011


No dupes to be found. Here are the shades Quartz, Graphite and Peridot compared to prior releases from Rococo Nail Apparel, Chanel and Dior.

The fall shades

Comparisons L to R: Rococo Nail Apparel R2T2, Chanel Trapeze, Chanel Quartz, Dior Silver Pearl, Chanel Graphite, Chanel Kaleidoscope, Chanel Peridot, Dior Timeless Gold


Swatches with 3 different views (since metallics look different depending on the light)



FYI: Polish Police has a comparison of Chanel Graphite to OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous. Those who think it’s a dupe will see from her blog that it’s really not 🙂
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Chanel Le Vernis Shades For Summer 2011: Morning Rose, Beige Pétale & Mimosa

April 13, 2011

Chanel’s Summer Collection has hit counters and I snapped up all three new Le Vernis shades in Morning Rose 557, Beige Pétale 567 and Mimosa 577 (yes, I caved for Mimosa). These are mood changing shades and as soon as I put these on I instantly forgot that it was cold and gloomy. Hours after swatching these, I still have a different shade on each finger and I feel like I’m wearing candy on my fingertips.

The Le Vernis shades have recently increased in price to $25 each which is fairly steep. I remember when Chanel nail polishes were $18, but in all fairness the formula wasn’t quite as good as they are now.

  • Morning Rose 557 is a warm candy pink with gold sparkles (the sparkles are subtle)
  • Beige Pétale 567 is a sheer transparent cool-toned cream (I’m loving this shade even though it’s so basic, it applies so smoothly)
  • Mimosa 577 the most highly anticipated shade of summer is a vibrant pearly yellow (I wonder if I’ll be brave enough to wear this to the office)

The texture and pigment of the nail colors seems slightly different from the classic Chanel Le Vernis texture. I will have to play around with these more but all the shades for summer are 3-coaters. Morning Rose and Beige Pétale applied wonderfully smooth and without any issues. Mimosa, on the other hand, was a disaster for me. It took 5 attempts for me to get a decent finger swatch. I tried it on a bare clean nail, over Chanel’s Base Coat, over Seche Vite’s Base Coat and RBL’s Base Coat. The texture is thick and applies unevenly. It took a super slow and steady hand for me to get it to work. It was difficult to get the right amount of product on the brush. In the end, I applied 3 thin streaky coats. It evens out by the 3rd coat. I highly recommend reading British Beauty Blogger’s experience and Beauty Moogle Zone’s thoughts as well. Close ups below:




Swatches on fingers, 3 coats each color:


Added in Miami Peach (Neimans exclusive, repromote, reviewed last week) for fun:

My favorite shades are Beige Petale and Morning Rose. I’m smitten with Miami Peach too. Mimosa is surprisingly a wonderful yellow (the shimmer on the nail is beautiful) just very difficult for me to apply on my own. I think with practice or a professional application it will look amazing. I’m just not used to having such a streaky finish with the first coat (at least not for Chanel) but much like others have noticed, Mimosa evens out with 2-3 coats.

I did not have time to do any comparisons yet but will try to do some before the end of this week. Off the top of my head, Beige Pétale is more beige than Allegoria which I find more white.

Note all content is copyrighted. Please do not republish, hotlink or steal images. Thank you!
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Recent Dolce & Gabbana Additions from Saks

June 19, 2010
Happy Friday everyone! Here are some recent Dolce & Gabbana additions from the past few months. A bit from spring, summer and the regular line. I really love Dolce & Gabbana for their high quality products. The pigment is great and textures/finishes are superb. Blushes have a soft flawless finish. Nail polishes are richly pigmented, creamy and apply extremely smooth. Lipsticks have a subtle rose scent that fades and have great coverage (lasting power varies per shade). If you remember my first article on Dolce & Gabbana (back last May when the line first launched) I wasn’t sure that the price justified the purchase. In playing around with my purchases more, I have come to really appreciate the quality of the products. Granted the prices are still hard to swallow sometimes – I have been happy with most of the things I’ve purchased, even with a couple things I didn’t think were really me (such as Apricot Blush and Caramel Lipgloss). The customer service of the Dolce & Gabbana sales reps I’ve worked with is excellent as well. There’s nothing that can compare to having a great experience with knowledgeable sales associates who are helpful, professional and know what they are talking about.

In the U.S. these are exclusively at Saks stores and saks.com. I prefer to order through the stores because they occasionally have great gift-with-purchase events. Various GWPs include full sized mascaras and lipglosses – although the minimum purchase requirements are typically higher (ranging from $100 to $250 depending on the event). I definitely recommend calling your local store to check out their upcoming events. Check DolceGabbanaMakeup.com for locations and more product info.


Left to right: Tan Blush, Glossy Lipgloss, Delicate Lipstick,
Emotion Lipstick, Petal Nail Polish,
Nude Nail Polish, Drama Nail Polish

  • Glossy Lipgloss – I exchanged my Caramel Lipstick for this at Beverly Hills. I was a bit nervous about exchanging it because I hate returns, but the sales associate was very kind, especially since it was unused and still brand new. Even he agreed that Caramel was an unflattering color. Glossy is a really pretty gold shade – but on the lips it’s a bit too glossy for my taste but I guess that’s the point of lipgloss. I have to use this one sparingly.
  • Delicate Lipstick – A lovely fresh and light golden apricot, really pretty for both spring and summer.
  • Emotion Lipstick – Another winner, lovely cool pink with gold shimmer. Reminds me of MAC Fabby but better.
  • Petal Nail Polish – A cream nude pink shade. It’s like Chanel’s Jade Rose but a notch up in color and without any iridescence.
  • Nude Nail Polish – I love this nude shade. My application was sloppy but I think if applied the right way, it would give a perfect nude manicure.
  • Drama Nail Polish – A neutral lavendar cream. I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Purple creams like Paul & Joe 06 and this one look pretty in the container but on my fingers the just seem a bit muddy looking.
  • Tan Blush – I ordered this sight unseen and have to admit I was shocked at how flat and greyish looking it was when I received it. However, on the cheeks it makes a really nice contouring shade. There are some comparisons to other brands (MAC & NARS) below, but due to their nude-ness, I couldn’t get swatches to show up.

L to R: Delicate, Emotion & Glossy

L to R: Petal, Nude & Drama

Tan Blush:

Dolce & Gabbana Tan compared to MAC Emote, MAC Strada and NARS Zen

Have you seen the Dolce & Gabbana Spring or Summer collections yet? Any winners for you? In case you missed it, you can find my report on the Dolce & Gabbana Spring Collection here.
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Love Dior Set by Tyen

April 2, 2010
I am so excited to tell you all I have found the Limited Edition Love Dior Set by Tyen! For this purchase, I have Marina from Makeup4All to thank for writing about the set back last October in her Tyen: 30 Years of Creation Love Dior Palette and also my fellow makeup guru Parsi who told me she spotted it at the Dior Boutique in Las Vegas and immediately sent me a rave review knowing this would be something I would be interested in learning more about. The Dior Boutique in the Forum Shops did have a few left in stock and I was ecstatic!

The set is called Love Dior which retails for $80 US. It comes with an Eyeshadow Palette that is called Love Dior, but can also be used on cheeks as a highlighter. There is also a gorgeous nail polish that has complex shimmers of burgandy-wine-purple-fuschia which I am absolutely in love with.



One more shot, natural light:

I haven’t had a chance to play with the palette yet. It’s too pretty, I don’t know that I want to touch it. The “i” in the Dior arrived crumbled, but no biggie. I will try to pull some similar nail polish shades to do a comparison post soon!
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Color Focus: Neutral Sparkle & Glow

October 13, 2009
This is an expansion on some color focus features I’ve done in the past for face/eyes, nails and lips. When I was getting into makeup, there were only 4 loose shimmer powders I knew of and was always looking for something in between since the silver ones were just a tad too white and the bronze ones were way too dark. Now there are a lot more options out there!

I have medium golden-toned skin, so this is a post on more neutral glowy nude-beige products that work for me to give that natural glow. I love these because they are so versatile, you can use these alone or layered over other colors to add shimmer. Laura Mercier Stardust and MAC Silver Dusk are featured even though they are on the paler side and look more silvery because they still work if used with a very light hand.

Loose Shimmer Powders: These are my most neutral natural loose shimmer powders. I have a lot more colors of peach, pink, and bronze variations, but those I will save for a later feature. For these, I would say the most sparkly ones are MAC’s Silver Dusk and Dancing Light. The most subtle ones are Armani’s Midnight Shimmer Powder and Becca Hyawatha. The rest are somewhere in between.


Laura Mercier Stardust:

Laura Mercier Candlelight:

Laura Mercier Starlight:

MAC Silver Dusk:

Scott Barnes Diamond Dust:

FACE Stockholm Gold Shine:

Becca Hyawatha:

MAC Beauty Powder in Dancing Light:

Giorgio Armani Midnight Shimmer Powder:

Swatches: 1) Laura Mercier Stardust, 2) Laura Mercier Candlelight, 3) Laura Mercier Starlight, 4) MAC Silver Dusk, 5) Scott Barnes Diamond Dust, 6) FACE Stockholm Gold Shine, 7) Becca Hyawatha, 8) MAC Beauty Powder Dancing Light, 9) Armani Midnight Shimmer Powder


For liquid/cream products, I find colored products (bronzey and peachy included) more forgiving because you can blend the colors out easily or mix them with your foundation. Nars St. Barts is my holy-grail nude highlighter because it blends out to give that perfect contoured and slightly tanned look without any orange or bronze.

Left to right: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Topaz, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Opal, Chanel Brilliance Pur Sunkissed, Armani Fluid Sheer 2, Armani Fluid Sheer 10, Nars Multiple Maldives, Nars Multiple St. Barts


Swatches in the same order as above (note that these are not blended out):


For nails, I’ve always been into that barely-there natural manicured look. These are natural with a pretty sheen. I don’t have swatches as I just got my nails done. I highly recommend searching Nailgal.com for awesome pictures with different lighting and also swatches on different skintones.

Left to right: Chanel Galactic Touch, Nars Adelita, OPI Sand in My Suit, OPI Hollywood Blonde, Rescue Beauty Lounge Ani, MAC Golded


For lips, I have yet to find that perfect glowy lipstick that works all the time. I do have glosses that I love which gives that glow:

Left to right: 1) Bobbi Brown Rose Gold, 2) Bobbi Brown Sand Sugar, 3) MAC C-Thru, 4) MAC Young Thing, 5) MAC Instant Gold, 6) Nars Greek Holiday, 7) Chanel Gold Light #118, 8) Chanel Beige Guitare #121, 9) MAC Sugarrimmed Dazzleglass, 10) Dior Addict #137 Trenchcoat Beige, 11) Laura Mercier Champagne Glace (old packaging)



For eyes, I like to use the loose shimmer powders a lot, but there are quite a few beige-gold shimmer eyeshadows that enhance your skin making it look like a subtle glow. Basically your lids-but-better in a warmer nude glow. MAC Bagatelle is my favorite for this, but has since been discontinued, here are some other alternatives:

1) Bobbi Brown Copper Penny Shimmer Wash, 2) Benefit Rich Beach, 3) Chantecaille Rose Gold, 4) Chanel Gold, 5) MAC Bagatelle, 6) MAC Creme de Miel, 7) MAC Blonde’s Gold Pigment, 8) Paul & Joe Pearl Powder 01, 9) Bobbi Brown Sunset Gold Metallic, 10) Armani Maestro #2, 11) Urban Decay Blaze, 12) Becca Loose Shimmer Powder in Odette

Swatches, same order: