Each year I swear the gift sets get better and better. Buxom Cosmetics has several amazing holiday sets out this year. There are two lip gloss sets in particular that are beyond adorable. The Don’t Miss A Beat Full-On Lip Polish Collection ($32) has six mini lip polishes. Possibly one of the most impressive lip gloss sets this year is the Leave Your Mark Full-On Lip Polish and Lip Cream Set ($59) for 15 mini lip polishes and lip creams. These contain plumping glosses that come with a sponge-tip applicator. There is a minty feel to these and they do make the lips look full with plumping activity but it’s not numbing or too tingly. The colors in both sets are so soso good! Normally sets have several repeat shades, in these two there is only one color that is in both sets which is Jennifer. This is my first time trying on the Full-On Lip Polishes and Full-On Lip Creams and I really don’t know what took me so long. For comparison, the minis have 0.07 fl oz while the full sized Lip Polishes have 0.15 fl oz and Lip Creams have 0.14 fl oz, both full sized versions retail at $19 each. Here is what they look like in the box – how fun is the packaging?
All the colors laid out along with some other Buxom goodies that I’ve been loving. A few full-sized Lip Creams also shown for size comparison. All the colors are so amazing. It’s rare that I like most of the colors in sets, but in this case I liked all the colors with the exception of one (White Russian was too pale for my lips and settled into lines). These are great to gift yourself, a friend, or if you’re doing a mix of little goodies you can split them up into different gift bags.
Don’t Miss A Beat is the smaller set. The colors are all Full-On Lip Polishes and all have some degree of shimmer. Some are more sparkly than others. In this set, all have either subtle shimmer or tiny flecks of gold sparkle. Colors are: Destiny (peach carnation), Nicole (shimmering strawberry), Ava (berry smoothie), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Kayla (preppy pink), Dolly (shimmering sultry mauve.
Leave Your Mark is an impressive 15 piece set. It has a good mix of neutrals, brights, and sparkly colors. The Lip Creams have medium to full coverage and are non-shimmer. The Lip Polishes range in pigment depending on the color. The most glitzy lip polish is Olivia and Zoe which have more sparkle. The others have a more subtle or less frosted shimmer finish. Colors in this one are listed below.
Mini Full-On Lip Polish in Bunny (fresh peach nectar), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Olivia (pink disco), Sandy (almost naked), Sophia (sweetheart pink), Starr (sweetheart pink), Taylor (crimson flame), Zoe (dazzling orchid).
Mini Full-On Lip Cream in Berry Blast (vivid fuchsia), Cherry Flip (red poppy), Dolly (sultry mauve), Hot Toddy (toasty nude), Pink Lady (electric pink), Purple Haze (ripe grape), White Russian (nude pink) .
Lip Polishes:
For the Lip Creams, the only shade that didn’t work so well for me was White Russian. It’s a light color that contrasts with my pigmented lip tone so my lip lines showed through. I was really surprised by Purple Haze, it looked like an un-natural bright purple in the tube but it has a slight jelly finish which makes it a really pretty plum-fuchsia.
Both sets are winners. I think they are both really good values even without the Sephora Sale discount. The colors are small enough that you can fit several in your purse or clutch without taking up too much room. But I like that they seem big enough that they will last more than a couple uses. If you’re a VIB Rouge definitely take advantage of the holiday 20% off event now through November 9th (use code ROUGE20). Or if you’re a VIB member the sale starts the 13th (use code VIB20). Full ingredient listing on all formulas can be found on each product page at Sephora.
There’s a Beauty Insider 500 point perk with some cute Buxom minis. If you’re looking for a smaller set to buy there is also the 3-piece Pout Out Loud Set ($19) which has Rebel Rose Bold Gel Lipstick, Lip Cream in Hot Toddy and Lip Polish in Gabby (all minis).
Bottom line, there’s lots to love. The Buxom Don’t Miss a Beat ($32) and Leave Your Mark ($59) sets are both exclusive to Sephora in stores and online. Both are limited-edition. Do you have any favorite Buxom Lip Polishes or Lip Creams? I just took a quick peek online and there are so many shades! I need to check them out in more detail this weekend.
The Buxom lip sets were provided as courtesy press samples for review consideration. All opinions my own.
The Sephora VIB Rouge Holiday Shopping Event starts today! VIB Rouge Members can get 20% off all purchases in store and online November 6 – 9. If you have reached VIB Rouge status you should have received a flyer in the mail with the discount card or check the e-mail associated with your Sephora Beauty Insider account and you’ll can present that in store. For online orders use code ROUGE20 at checkout. I have a roundup of my top recommendations along with what’s on my wishlist.
There are so many good skincare sets out this year, First Aid Beauty launched some really good values sets, the Peace, Joy and FAB Kit (4) has their top five selling products
Urban Decay Naked Palettes are my favorite neutral palettes, Naked Smokey (6) is the latest launch although Naked2 Basics and Naked3 are my favorites (swatches)
AmorePacific has several value sets out with minis perfect to test out before committing to the full size, I bought The Moisture Bound Oil-Free Set (8) and love every item, I am planning on purchasing some of the full size items
Bite Beauty Discovery Set (9) has eight pieces with classic staples, I haven’t reviewed mine yet but hope to soon (it’s really really good)
Dior Addict Fluid Sticks (10) are among my favorite lipstick formula although they are a lipstick and lipgloss hybrid, swatches of colors I have here and here
Clarisonic Alpha Fit for Men (11) is something I bought for my husband and he really likes it, everything from the packaging design, function and brush head work really well for his skin and helps with shaving, review and close ups here
Sephora x Hakuhodo Brushes launched earlier this year, for holiday Sephora launched the Kanpeki Perfection Brush Set (13) which is priced at a value price, review of the individual brushes here
Last but not least, the Buxom Leave Your Mark and Don’t Miss a Beat sets are awesome deals and have such beautiful colors, I’m working on swatches of both, stay tuned, but I will say right now, both are must-haves
What’s on my wishlist:
Dior Sauvage Gift Set (14) has an Eau De Toilette, Travel Spray and Aftershave Lotion
Lavanila make my favorite deodorant, the Starlight Deodorant Trio (15) has Vanilla Snowberry, Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Amber and comes with super cute packaging
Guerlain Météorites Powder For The Face And Décolleté (19) for this holiday is the prettiest one I’ve seen to date, I already ordered one last week but think I need a backup, how cute are the little star powders?
Louboutin Silky Satin Lipstick (21) has been on my wishlist since it launched in September, I have the three red shades (reviewed here) which are amazing, I’ve been trying to wait to see the colors in person before splurging, but I’m going to take the jump and order a few colors sight unseen
Bite Beauty Bite Mix and Mingles (22) are back this year, Pepper/Café is the perfect neutral duo (I saw it earlier this week in store but didn’t buy it)
Sephora Collection Colorful Blushes and Highlighters (24) are something I swatched a few weeks ago, they have some colors that look like the perfect contour, I have So Surprised, Jubilant and Tranquil on my list
Last but not least, I keep going back and forth on the gorgeous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette (25), I’m still undecided about buying it because I have 5 of the colors, it’s been calling my name for weeks though
To recap, VIB Rouge Members receive 20% off all orders from November 6 to 9 with code ROUGE20 online at Sephora.com. If you’re a VIB Member you will be able to use code VIB20 from November 13 to 16 for 20% off. If you plan on shopping in store check your mail or e-mail for the coupon/bar code attached to your account.
Do you have anything on your wishlist? Or any recommendations of what I should check out? I’d love to hear what you’ve had your eye on!
Press samples include some items featured in 1, 4, 7, 12 and 13.
I’ve been hauling a few things here and there from Sephora and recently picked up some items from Kat Von D Beauty. The Metal Crush Eyeshadow ($21 for 2.8 g) in Synergy has been on my wishlist for a long time but it’s something I always forget to pick up in store so I ordered it online. It’s a glorious copper bronze with the most amazing texture and shimmer. The Lolita Lip Duo ($19.50 for 2 x 0.10 oz) is a new limited-edition pack of two mini liquid lipsticks in the classic Lolita shade (dark chestnut rose) and a new Lolita II (dark terracotta). The Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick is something that appears to have reached cult status. By the time I decided I wanted to try it, most of the shades in the formula were sold out (and many still are). As soon as the Lolita Lip Duo popped up online I decided this was the time to try it out (although Lolita is also in the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip Set too).
Up first is a review on the Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Synergy which is a super pigmented bronze shimmer eyeshadow. It’s so soft and velvety it’s almost like a pressed pigment. I have nothing but good things to say about this one. One swipe with a brush and it glides onto the lids beautifully. I would say the texture is similar to that of Urban Decay shimmer eyeshadows but the Kat Von D Beauty Metal Crush is softer. The color is high in shimmer but it’s not over the top and wears beautifully as a smokey bronze. On my face it pulls warm. On the hand it pulls more neutral at least on me. Your mileage may vary depending on how warm or cool your complexion is. Being the neutral lover that I am I wish this formula came in more neutral shades like a soft peach, tan gold, or champagne. Most of the colors in this formula are edgy and very bold.
You can apply these with a dry or damp brush. The pigment is so good you really don’t need a damp brush to intensify the color. Even blended out you can see there’s still a lot of color that shows up. Lasting power is very good with this one – it stayed put all day from early morning until late evening without smudging or fading. Since the texture is soft and powdery there is some fallout when you apply it, but once it’s on the skin it doesn’t move unless you rub your eyes.
Up next is the Lolita Lip Duo. I had very high hopes for this as there are over 3,000 reviews on the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick formula online at Sephora, most have extremely high ratings with tons of raves. I think I overhyped this in my head and the fact that Lolita was near impossible to find made me have high expectations. The formula is on point for a liquid lipstick. The texture is super pigmented so you only need a little bit to cover the entire lip. The lasting power is also quite impressive. Even with the matte finish formula the product doesn’t feel dry on the lips. I will say this is half love, and half luke-warm. The regular Lolita is a dark chestnut brown pink which swatches beautifully on the hands but on my lips it turns very dark and cool. If it were 1-2 shades lighter and a bit warmer I think it would be 100% love. On my medium olive complexion I feel like it looks like dark death. Lolita II on the other hand is pure love. It’s a terracotta orange pink shade that I expected to look like an orange brick brown color on the lips but I find the warmth makes it more wearable for my olive complexion. It does darken on my lips after it dries but I still really like it.
After doing some searching on Google it appears Lolita has gone through a few variations. Some show the original one to be lighter and more neutral which is something I think I would have loved. The current one appears to be darker and more cool-toned by 2-3 shades.
Note your mileage may vary depending on your skintone, for some reason these darken on my lips and look different than they do in the tubes and when swatched on the hands/arms:
Overall, two hits and one miss for me which isn’t bad considering I ordered the lip duo sight unseen. I’m not sure if it’s just a combination of my skin tone and lip tone which both seem to turn Lolita dark on my face. Synergy Eyeshadow is pure love. It’s such a pretty warm bronzey color that seems perfect for year round. I hope they expand the color range in the eyeshadow formula because it’s just so so good.
I’m still relatively new to the Kat Von D Beauty line. I do adore and love her Ink Liner which is among the best that I’ve tried. I’ve used up one and repurchased it. If you have any other favorites please let me know what you think I should check out.
The Kat Von D Beauty line can be found exclusively at Sephora. The Lolita Lip Duo is limited-edition while Synergy Eyeshadow is part of the permanent lineup. (P.S. Sephora’s VIB Rouge Sale starts tomorrow 11/6 with code ROUGE20 online, stay tuned for recs and my wishlist!)
Here’s a beauty roundup of new launches I have on my radar this week. From top left, clockwise:
The holiday collection from Chanel called Vamp Attitude just launched. I am still working on swatches for the Rouge Allure releases, but I know I will need the Le Vernis in Rose Fusion and the Le Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir ($27 each).
Wander Beauty is a new brand that’s popped up on my radar. They sent a couple of the Exquisite Liquid Shadows ($26 each) for me to try (they are stunning, review soon). I’ve been browsing their site and the Paris Collection features four items for lips, cheeks, eyes and highlight that look like they could create the perfect polished look. Have you tried this line yet?
Eve Lom has launched a number of gift sets for the holiday. The Icons Gift Set ($260) contains their Cleanser, Intense Firming Serum, Daily Protection SPF 50, Eye Lift and a Muslin Cloth. There is a price break for this set (individually the items total a little over $300). Other options such as The Perfectors Set and The Classics which have different items and are at lower price points. If you’ve been eyeing any of these, don’t forget Space NK US has their Explore promotion that’s going on online through Sunday. Use code EXPLORE15 at checkout for $25 off any orders $100 or more.
Net-A-Porter has this amazing Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer Set ($150). It has eight lip lacquers packaged in a pretty black box. You can find the colors individually in case you’re one who prefer to pick out your own colors.
Bite Beauty always launches cute sets over the holidays. I ordered the Discovery Set ($55) a few weeks ago, I hope to review it soon. The Best Bite Rewind has four mini matte creme lip crayons. This one has more color for those who like something brighter with more variety. This one has been calling my name too.
Holiday season is the season of palettes. I stopped buying holiday or seasonal palettes years ago because I found if I didn’t like all the colors the palettes didn’t end up getting much use. The NARS x Stephen Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette ($69) looks soooo pretty though. It has the Contour Blush in Paloma, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, four blushes in Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita. If you’ve seen or tried this let me know what you think!
MAC Magic of the Night Collection launches in stores this week. There are already some items that popped up online and as usual many pieces have already sold out within minutes of launching online. I was able to order Please Me Lipstick ($18) and Shaft of Gold In Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33). I’m hoping nothing in my order gets cancelled.
Korean Skincare is something that I’ve been interested in for a long time but found very complex and somewhat challenging for me to understand with the numerous steps and options. My friends have been raving about skincare items such as essences, pore packs, watery creams, overnight masks and sheer coverage balms and creams for a long time. Right now, Korean Skincare is trending now at Sephora and thanks to articles and shopping guides, they’ve now made the 10-step Korean Beauty routine easier to understand. As a beauty blogger I find it easy to navigate through cosmetic options, but for skincare, understanding the uses and benefits of creams, solid oils and masks are foreign to me. Sephora has an easy-to-follow Korean Beauty Guide with recommendations that I’ve found incredibly helpful. It’s helped me figure out when and how to incorporate new items into my skincare routine. I’ve teamed up with them to share my thoughts on 10 Korean skincare items I’ve been testing.
I’ve split the items I’ve tested into category type. As always I would love to hear about your recommendations and loves. I purchased the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Oil Free Essentials Set based on your recs and have been really loving it so far (review to follow once I’ve used it up).
Double Cleansing is a something standard in Korean beauty rituals. I usually double cleanse with a wide variety of cleansing oils, makeup removers or cleansing waters as the first step before using a traditional gel, liquid or cream cleanser because it is really the best way to remove all traces of makeup from my skin. I tried the Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil ($39) which is a solid balm cleanser that transforms into a oil when it comes in contact with your face. It comes with a small spatula to remove product. You massage it all over the face and then rinse with water and it turns into a milky lotion. It has a fresh almost green tea spa scent but isn’t too strong. It does a pretty good job at removing makeup but I still think a follow up with regular cleanser is necessary. This leaves the skin feeling moisturized and clean. There’s no film residue.
Another cleanser I tested was the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($20). This is a whipped egg white mousse cleaner with egg yolk extract. It’s a super gentle cleaner and the way it foams up makes it super fun to clean the face. The egg yolk combines milk proteins and amino acids to cleanse skin. It’s supposed to dissolve oil while leaving the skin smooth and moisturized. I found it to be a really good gentle cleaner suitable for my sensitive skin. I like using it in the morning – it leaves the skin clean without stripping the skin and it also makes the face glow without looking greasy. I’ve found the way it cleanses my skin is really nice – skin feels more balanced throughout the day.
Next up is the May Coop Raw Sauce ($14-$43) which is an essence. This is similar in concept to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. You use this on the skin applied with fingers or a cotton pad after cleansing and toning. I always feel this is an unnecessary step in the skincare routine but I am really impressed every time I am disciplined enough to use an essence. It adds moisture and glow to the skin and is supposed to prep the face better for skincare serum and moisturizer absorption. This is made of maple tree sap and cruelty-free. After testing this for a few weeks I have to say I am impressed. This far exceeded my expectations in terms of how it has transformed my skin. I don’t use it everyday but it’s made the skin feel more hydrated. Dry patches have disappeared. Skin does indeed absorb moisturizer better. A little goes a long way. I think it will be a staple for winter.
Another line I just started testing is belif. The True Cream Aqua Bomb ($22 – $38)is a lightweight gel cream moisturizer that is oil-free. It has a bounce to it. In general I really do not like gel moisturizers (I have made a few exceptions) because I feel they end up feeling sticky and too dewy. The belif True Cream Aqua Bomb has made it into the exception category. It’s supposed to be designed for all skin types. For my normal, sensitive combo skin, this is a really nice lightweight moisturizer. I like that it really feels weightless. Skin feels smooth and there is no stinging sensation (I get that with a lot of gels).
Masks are a big deal with Korean Skincare. I tested three. First is the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask ($48). I prefer night creams to night masks because I usually don’t like the feel of product on my face when I sleep. The Dr. Jart+ however is a super lightweight mask. It is a gel formula but doesn’t feel sticky or leave any residue. It feels more like a lightweight lotion. I tested this on 1/2 of my face for a week to see if I could notice a difference between use and non-use. I can. You apply it at night and leave it on then rinse in the morning. The side I used it on looks more refreshed, smoother, plumper and more glowing.
The Erborian Waterlock Mask ($43) is another hydrating mask treatment. This also is a gel formula that feels like a thick jelly. There are a few ways you can use this. I used it as a 10-minute mask then rinsed off. This is one of the most gentle feeling face masks I’ve used that gives instant hydration. The moisturized feeling lasts after it washes off but there is no residue. It has bamboo sap and fibers designed to lock in hydration. There is a slight cooling feel that is very relaxing and soothing. It’s a refreshing moisture mask that I have fallen head over heels in love with.
The third mask I tried was the belif First Aid Transforming Peel Off Mask ($34). This is the first peel off mask I’ve tried that peels off with water. I really like peel off masks but often time they are messy and don’t peel off completely so I end up having to scrub residue off. This one you leave on for 15 minutes. When you rinse with warm water the dry mask turns into a peel off gel that easily peels off. It has lemon balm and white willow bark, which is a natural salicylic acid, which helps to clarify and soothe skin. After using this my pores disappear, skin feels ultra firm and smooth. I’m obsessed.
Pore Packs are new to me but I think if you try one new thing out of this roundup, pore packs should be one of them. Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm ($18) comes in an egg-shaped container. The bottom portion of the egg is filled with product. It’s a self-heating balm designed to target blackheads by opening pores with the heat and then remove dirt and oil. I think it’s a really good gentle treatment that makes a huge difference in cleaning out pores around the nose and mouth. It’s not a dramatic kind of facial treatment. I like to use this sometimes in conjunction with a clarifying mask or regular cleanser after this. The Egg Pore Balm helps open up pores. When I follow with a mask it draws out impurities even more. The heating element is noticeable but super gentle.
The Caolion Pore Pack ($30) is a stronger treatment. If you have sensitive skin you might want to try it on spots first. I used it all over the face and while it was perfectly fine and left my skin looking so much better, it does feel extra tingly. Some might find the tingle too strong. The top half is a dark mask that is the hot portion called Premium Blackhead Steam Pore Pack. This is a stronger version of the Tony Moly and cleans out pores and exfoliates dead skin. It made my nose pores disappear almost 100%. Pores along the cheeks and sides of the nose were noticeably smaller.
Step two is the cool portion which is the Premium Pore Original Pack. It has a menthol element that tightens pores even further and soothes the skin. I have extremely sensitive eyes and the first time I used it, I applied the menthol too close to my eyes which made them tear. It didn’t sting but the menthol is pretty strong. You can really feel it working on your skin and I was worried my face would be red and blotchy after I washed it off, but it left the face looking super smooth with all redness gone. If you have extra sensitive skin I would recommend using this more as a spot treatment on troubled areas.
Last but not least are two items called lightweight finishers. I’ve reviewed the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact ($60) before and still love it. It has SPF 50 and protects against UVA and UVB. This is a very natural glowy product that melds into the skin unlike any other foundation I’ve tried. A huge bonus is that each pack comes with a refill so the price point to me is really reasonable. It’s a your-skin-but-better kind of product. I do think you need to set with a powder.
I also tried the Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm ($39) which comes in two colors, 01 Medium Light and 02 Medium Deep. This is a one-step beauty balm that gives natural coverage and evens out the skin. It’s more pigmented than a lot of other beauty balms I’ve tried. I am a match to 02 Medium Deep which is on the greyish side but adjusts to my skintone right now. I think the downside to this product is the two colors make it hard to find a color match. If you can find a match, it’s a nice smoothing product. It makes my face and skin look more youthful without being overly dewy.
I hope you found this roundup helpful! There’s a lot I’ve tested and covered so I hope the categories helped break down the options by product type. My top three favorite items I tested in this round include the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steamer Balm and Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask although I did discover a lot of new things to love.
The Sephora Korean Beauty Guide and Posts on their blog The Glossy have helped me understand all the options better. Once I started to look at each product individually and incorporate them one at a time into my skincare routine it’s all started to make more sense. The process of using Korean skincare still contains a number of steps, some of which are more complex than my basic routine right now, but I can see a difference in clarity, texture and overall glow.
Sephora has been kind enough to give me extras of some items to giveaway. You can enter via the widget below. Due to liquid restrictions, this is open to US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. Items in the giveaway to 1 lucky winner will include the following:
Eborian Solid Cleansing Oil, Eborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask, Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm, Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, May Coop Raw Sauce, Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Cleanser, Tony Moly Egg Pore, Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo, Shiseido Facial Cotton (selected winner will be able to select the colors for the foundation and bb beauty balm)
You can find a wide selection of Korean beauty products online and in stores at Sephora. I’m really thrilled with the selection and hope they continue to expand the brand offerings. Right now for a limited time you can get 1 of 4 K-Beauty Minis at checkout with code KBEAUTY with orders of $25 or more. In case you’re hesitant to splurge on the full size, there are a number of value sets available with trial sizes you might want to look into.
If you have any Korean Beauty favorites, please let me know!
Many thanks to Sephora for teaming up to sponsor this post. As always, all opinions my own.
Happy Tuesday everyone! I feel as though holiday beauty releases, gift sets and collections are starting to flood my e-mail inbox with daily notifications. I’m really excited about this year’s gift sets – they look better than ever and there seem to some that are well-priced. I will have to make my lists and sort through them carefully before making purchases. A few things on my beauty radar this week.
First, three sales/gift with purchase events you might want to take note of. Space NK is having their explore event, details one post down, but use code EXPLORE15 for $25 off purchases of $100 or more (online only, valid through 10/25). Shopbop is having 25% Off Friends and Family Sale with code INTHEFAM25 (good for 3 days, ends 10/15). Neiman Marcus is having their Incircle Event so many lines have gift with purchase options.
From the top left clockwise:
Le Metier de Beaute and Neiman Marcus have created a limited-edition Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope. I will be picking mine up later this week since they have their Incircle Event. There is a gift with purchase available with any $300 purchase (in store and online). More details once I pick mine up.
Chanel has some gorgeous releases for late fall into holiday. First there is a new Rouge Allure Collection featuring some new Rouge Allure Lipsticks (Inspiree and Eblouissante), Rouge Allure Velvet Lipsticks, new Rouge Double Colors (I picked up Bright Rose), Rouge Allure Gloss (in Ideale and Expressive), two new Le Vernis Nail Polishes in Singuliere and Troublant. Review on my picks soon.
Diptyque Holiday looks absolutely amazing. There will be three limited-edition holiday candles that launch November. You can pre-order some from Neiman Marcus now. Also the Diptyque South Coast Plaza store will have an exclusive early preview event at their store October 15th. You can call them (714) 850-9995 for details. They will have a gift with purchase and small bites available.
RMS Beauty has launched nine Nail Polishes. There are several different finishes in creams and metallics. I’m particularly intrigued with how the Luminizer shade will look on the hands.
The Sephora Beauty Insider 250 Point Perk for October Bite Beauty’s Kir Royale has launched online!! Swatches of the lipstick and lipgloss in this post here. If you’ve been stalking Sephora for this bonus to arrive online, I just spotted it today.
Last but not least, some of Tom Ford Holiday has launched online for pre-order at Neiman Marcus. It’s all very smokey and dark. I have my eye on the Waterproof Mascara in Noir and Nail Lacquer in Black Out (it looks like it could be a dupe for Chanel Steel).
What’s on your beauty radar this week? Do you have anything on your wishlist or are you waiting to see more holiday launches before splurging?
I did a haul last week at Sephora and Nordstrom, both stores are dangerous for the wallet but oh so fun. I had four items on my shopping list and as usual, ended up with more than I intended. These days I prefer to shop online more than in store because it’s easier, more convenient and saves time, but every now and then it’s fun to go see things in person.
From Nordstrom at MAC I picked up the Viva Glam Miley Cyrus II Lipglass. The first one from last year really surprised me – I fell in love with it even though it’s packed with lots of sparkle. Last year’s (which is still available) was a sparkling hot sheer pink (swatched here). This year’s version is a bright sheer coral that’s also sparkly but super pretty. I don’t usually like high-sparkle glosses but I highly recommend checking out both. I also picked up a Cremesheen Pearl Lipstick in Koi Coral for a friend. It’s so pretty I think I need to pick up one for myself.
Sephora has the cutest new shopping bags, although I still see the older glossy bags around. After seeing the October Beauty Insider 250 Perk for Bite Beauty on Instagram, I went to the store to track it down since it hasn’t popped up online yet. This month’s color is Kir Royale which is a deep wine berry plum color. It’s available individually as the Luminous Creme Lipstick. It’s a brighter color than it looks in the tube – but I’m trying to be braver in wearing bolder lip colors for fall.
Here are quick swatches of the Bite Beauty Kir Royale and MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus II:
Burberry Beauty finally launched at Sephora and one near me received items in store! I’ve had the Fresh Glow Luminous Highlighting Pen and Effortless Contouring Pen for Face and Eyes on my radar since August. I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy both. I opted for the Medium No. 01 Contour shade (the lighter option). I haven’t played with them yet except to swatch them in store on the hand but I’ll have a review soon. In the meantime you can see the Medium Contour Pen in action in this lovely video from RaeView on her YouTube Channel in her Tutorial | London Fashion Week GRWM, Burberry SS16 Makeup. Both the Highlighting and Contour Pen are also applied by Wendy Rowe in the Burberry Spring/Summer 2016 Runway Make-up Tutorial | Sephora video too. They look super easy to use and apply for contouring-challenged people like me.
Sheet masks have been on my radar over the past few months. I’m still smitten with Tatcha and Kiehl’s but decided to try some others. Dr. Jart+ Brightening Infusion Hydrogel Mask has mixed reviews but there were single sheets available in store so I decided to pick one up to try it. If you’ve tried any of Dr. Jart+ masks let me know what you think!
Last but not least, I’ve been on the hunt for a new concealer. I did a favorites roundup last year on my tried and true and while there’s nothing wrong with the ones I use, I’ve been wanting something new. I’ve been testing and swatching several over the past few months in store. It’s taken me a while to decide on some. I’ll have a more detailed roundup on the best ones for spots versus under eyes. Two additions are the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer (I picked up Medium Neutral) and the Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer (I ordered 8 online and also picked up 7 last week).
If you have Beauty Insider Points to redeem I think the October Beauty Insider 250 Point Perk for Bite Beauty is worth trying to track down. I suspect it will launch online like the others did (I passed on the pink and coral ones). You can get the lipstick individually, but the gloss is super pretty. I highly recommend it – it’s such a pretty color for fall.
Have you hauled anything recently? Would love to hear about any new beauty picks!
