Smith & Cult Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Top 5 Best Nude Nail Polishes

February 15, 2019

By popular request I’m sharing my top five most worn neutral nail polishes. I’ve done a few rounds of my favorite neutrals in past years and these days I feel like it’s all I want to wear on my fingers. I’m constantly asked for neutral polish recommendations every single week! There are so many different definitions and variations of “nude” for polish. When someone asks me for a good everyday nude polish they can mean so many different things. Some think of a pale off white neutral, others a pink neutral, some envision a camel beige, neutral beige, pink beige, brown pink, mauve nude etc. What neutral looks like also depends on skin tone and how well the color matches or contrasts with your skin tone.

I like something that is lighter or a lot lighter than my skin tone. Something that matches exactly ends up looking like mannequin hands which is not a good look on me. These are my current top five nude nail polishes I wear the most and also always get compliments or questions on.

Top 5 Neutral Nail Polishes for Sabrina

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Smith and Cult Peaceful Paranoia is a neutral creamy neutral cool beige-pink that flashes iridescent pink. It is one that matches my skin tone fairly close but has enough contrast to give a polished look. Marc Jacobs Flourescent Beige is similar but something about the mauve-grey base didn’t go well with my skintone. More swatches of Peaceful Paranoia here.

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OPI Machu Peach-U is the most perfect neutral nude peach ever made. I’m so sad it appears to be limited-edition. If you can locate it buy it immediately. It’s part of the Peru Collection and I think it should be made permanent! I was able to find some at my local Ulta even though it’s not online. You can still find it on Amazon.

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OPI Tiramisu for Two has been a go-to neutral beige pink for years. I love that it has full smooth coverage and doesn’t turn or look yellowish on the hands. It has a tiny bit of pink/cool undertone to prevent it from looking too beige. It’s the perfect everyday neutral. OPI has so many great neutrals but a lot of them are sheer. This one is opaque which makes it a winner in my book.

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OPI Samoan Sand is one of the sheer ones but it’s not as sheer as Bubble Bath. I still need 3 coats for full coverage but for a beige it’s really so perfect I don’t mind. Finding a good beige nude is hard because of the yellow undertone in so many. It ends up making my skin look sallow. This has enough peachy undertone to make for the perfect sheer beige nude.

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Chanel Le Vernis in Organdi is the most complimented nail polish I own (as listed in this post here). It’s neutral and pink and just perfect for any season or occasion. It applies perfectly with just two coats. The Le Gel Top Coat is the best one to make Chanel polish last.

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I wanted to add one more swatch for you since so many of you sent me Direct Messages about the spring colors from Chanel. I was pretty let down by the offerings this season (and last season too) so I only bought 2 of the spring nail polishes. Neither made my heart sing even though I really tried to love them. This Instagram post I did about the Bleached Mauve Le Vernis was one of my most liked posts on Instagram this year though which means it might be right up your alley! It matches two of their Rouge Coco Glosses which I love in 714 and 716 so I thought it would be perfect, but I’m sad to report that it did not work for me. It’s too brown/warm but maybe my skintone isn’t the right shade to go well with this. I feel like OPI’s Dulce de Leche is close but has a tiny bit more pink to make it more wearable. I do think the new Pierres de Lumiere polish colors look absolutely stunning based on stock photos. The entire collection just launched online.

Runner ups for color:

OPI Infinite Shine in Half Past Nude is more of a pink neutral cream, I’m not the biggest fan of the Infinite Shine formula, I prefer the regular one a lot more
OPI Infinite Shine in You’re Blushing Again is similar neutral-cool/pinker option to Tiramisu for Two
Tom Ford Sugar Dune is still one of the prettiest pale neutral nude pinks (swatched here), I just find that it takes a few more coats for full coverage
Essie Spin the Bottle or Barefoot and Topless are perfect colors, but even though my friends LOVE this formula to death, I can never get it to last on me more than 1/2 a day

Other recommendations:

If you want a super pale neutral that’s almost off-white, opt for OPI Be There in a Prosecco (neutral), Climb Every Castle (creamy, Ulta exclusive) or Lisbon Wants Moor OPI (cool)
If you want a deeper nude try Dior Incognito or OPI Dulce de Leche
If you’re looking for a good mauve nude try OPI Tickle My Francey
If you want something super sheer opt for OPI Mimosas for Mr. and Mrs or Bubble Bath

I’ve accumulated quite a few polishes over the years. My 2017 favorites linked here. I’ve since found myself wearing the same neutrals more often on the fingers. Recent pink polish colors have been from the OPI Tokyo Collection which I’ll review soon (Rice Rice Baby and Another Ramen-Tic Evening are perfect!). On the toes I often do nudes or bright corals. I don’t have any go-to rule about mixing or matching nails on tips and toes, I feel like you can really do anything your mood calls for!

Hope you found this helpful for my top 5 most-worn neutrals! Would love to hear about yours and what your definition of nude polish is!

Have a great weekend!

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Birchbox Beauty in Bloom Box for Spring (Limited-Edition)

May 14, 2016

Birchbox launched a new limited-edition box for spring called Beauty in Bloom ($64 for a $188 retail value). Many of you are familiar with the monthly subscription boxes they offer for both women and men, but they also have special Limited-Edition Boxes available that are really good deals. The Beauty in Bloom Box is one of those boxes you can purchase whether or not you’re a subscriber that has a pretty mix of makeup, skincare and accessories – all of which I will use. Sometimes pre-made kits can be a miss even if the set is a good deal – if there’s a good portion in the set you don’t think you’ll use or are interested in trying, even a good deal can be a waste. This one is a really good one and has a mix of full-sized items with trial-sized minis.

Here’s what’s in the box, I’ve linked the full-size individual items from Birchbox in the image for reference if you’re only interested in some of the items but I’ll list them below as well:

The box comes beautifully packaged in a large pink box which makes it all ready to go for gifting if you’re looking for a spring birthday gift (or for any occasion):

NEST Fragrance Votive Candle (mini) in Grapefruit – I tried NEST for the first time over the holiday and was so impressed with the throw and strength of the candles, I find they are reasonably priced, this is my first time smelling grapefruit and it’s sweet but not overly sweet – the little votive fills our entire place with the scent in a matter of minutes
NEST Fragrances Indigo Eau de Parfum – this is my first time trying NEST fragrances, the little one comes with a rollerball tip which is really convenient, Indigo is a very sweet blackberry floral, along the lines of Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay but more floral, it’s very strong but doesn’t cause migraines for me, I’m undecided on this one because it’s extremely sweet, but I like having a decent sized mini to try out
Lollia Relax Shea Butter Hand Cream – Travel Size – my box has the lavender one which I have not yet had a chance to try but the packaging is really cute and I like lavender scents for hand creams, since the box is limited-edition I wanted to write about it and let you know before it sold out
Davines OI/Oil – I used this many years ago and did a blog post on this in the early days of the Beauty Look Book blog, my local salon carried the line but over the years they downsized what they carried in store so I never repurchased, it’s a versatile oil you can use pre-heat styling or after, I love the way it smells which is hard to describe but it adds shine and makes the hair super soft without feeling heavy or greasy, there are over 4,700 reviews on this one online at Birchbox, I really believe this one is worth the splurge of a full bottle, I need to make a note to myself to order
Laura Gellar Baked Blush in Maui (full size) – different boxes get different colors, mine had Maui inside which is a soft matte pink, in general I don’t like baked matte blushes because they almost always darken on my skin and make it look flat/lifeless, Maui is a soft buildable pink with a smooth texture that’s flawless, I’m still testing this out but it didn’t darken on my skin
Stila HUGE Extreme lash mascara – I love mascara minis but am the biggest skeptic when it comes to trying mascara, I have straight lashes and often times mascaras do not hold the curl or smudge like crazy on me, I had little to no expectation for this one and was surprised to find how amazing this one is, it held the curl, made lashes look huge without being clumpy and did not smudge, the only downside is I found it very challenging to remove at the end of the day, but given the effect and results I’m willing to overlook that
Mally Beauty Eye-Amplifying Shadow Liner (full size) in Stone – there are different color options for the boxes, I’m not sure if you’re able to pick out the color, Stone is a cool silver taupe that blends with impressive pigment, you do have to blend quickly because once it sets it does not budge at all, I like the formula but the color seems on the light side to be a liner, it works well as a shadow for me
Darphin Intral Toner (travel-size) is something I’ve always wanted to try but didn’t want to buy the full size without being able to test it, I haven’t used this one yet but it’s on my list to try out in the upcoming week
Smith and Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer in Hi-Speed Sonnet is a medium rosey pink with high shine and shimmer, as many of you know most of the Smith and Cult glosses are very sheer in color, this one had a lot more pigment and color payoff compared to the others I’ve tried
Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist (travel-size) is a classic staple as far as face mists go, it’s a gentle and soft refresher you can apply before moisturizer
Umbra Prisma Tray is the cutest tray I’ve seen in a long time and well made for the price (it’s $15 separately), I love how the brass accent adds an edgy but classic touch to it while the neutral canvas base makes it look feminine and soft

Swatches of some of the color items:

Quick snapshot of the lips and cheeks:

One last look:

For $64 I think the Beauty in Bloom Box is a steal. I think it’s a well balanced kit that has a little bit of everything and all the items in it are products I can see myself using. I think accessories are sometimes hard to pick out for others or for kits – everyone has different styles or tastes. There have been some kits with hair accessories I would never ever wear. The tray in this one is one I think is possibly universal regardless of style or age – it makes a great accent piece. The minis are generously sized which gives you more than just a 1-3x use so you can give them a better test drive before deciding to buy any full sized version.

I give this one a thumbs up. You can find the Birchbox Beauty in Bloom Box for $64 online at Birchbox. Do note it’s a limited-edition box.

Beauty in Bloom was provided courtesy of Birchbox for review consideration.

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5 Brands to Check Out at Space NK

October 23, 2015

There are two more days left of the Space NK Explore Promotion where you can save $25 off any online order of $100 or more with promo code EXPLORE15 at checkout (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here). If you’re looking for something new to treat yourself but want something that’s going to be a classic staple, I have a roundup of products from five brands I’ve been loving. The bonus is that that you can find these at Space NK and save a little with their promo.

Nudestix is a fun line filled with wearable neutrals with products in pencil form. My favorite item from the line is the Magnetic Eye Color Pencils ($24 each). These are creamy pencils that double as shadow sticks. They blend beautifully on the eyes and layer nicely together. Once they dry, they stay put all day long (pretty much budge-proof on me). I received 3 colors as press samples and I loved them so much I bought the rest of the colors (and accidentally bought one twice). Here are the colors. Left to right: Moon, Lilith, Gilt, Twilight, Angel, Spirit, Immortal and Night.

Eve Lom is a skincare line that I absolutely adore. The price points of the items are on the high side so I’ve rationed samples and minis, but I’ve been really happy with everything I’ve tried. The Hand Cream is one of the most gentle fragrance-free hand creams I’ve bought that still hydrate the skin well. The Brightening Cream ($110, c/o) is my favorite gentle moisturizer, I’m almost out of mine and it does brighten the skin and hydrates gently without feeling too heavy. I have high hopes for the Eye Lift Eye Cream ($75, c/o) which has really high ratings. I just started using it and am really eager to see how it works. Be sure to check out the gift set options for Eve Lom, there is a price break if you buy the sets versus individual items.

By Terry products are always a luxurious treat to have. These are extremely pricey but I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve tried. It’s hard for me to take the jump and splurge on her items but I end up loving the items I buy. The Baume de Rose ($60) is the most luxurious rose scented lip treatment. There are a lot of other cheaper alternatives, but none have the same lush texture as the By Terry. She also introduced tinted versions of her lip balm called Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur ($56). Lip balm is really just lip balm, but the ones I have from By Terry are really quite lovely. I can’t call them a must-have due to the high price point, but they are a luxurious splurge. (Lip swatches here and here.)

For lips, her Velvet Rouge ($46.50) in #1 Lady Bare is one of the prettiest velvet lip colors I’ve tried. It’s the perfect peachy nude. It feels like it has a slightly whipped texture. If you have dry lips this might not be the best option for you, but I adore the color.

For eyes the Ombre Blackstar ($43.50) is also on the pricey side. The colors are mostly metallic or shimmery but aren’t over the top glittery. I like them layered together or as a base for powder eyeshadow. Swatches of Bronze Moon here. Misty Rock, Frozen Quartz and Ombre Mercure swatched here. The best part of these sticks is that the formula is creamy but sets. So many shadow sticks end up drying out in the container before I can use it up. These haven’t dried up for me.

R+Co is a relatively new hair care line to me. I’m obsessed with the Moon Shine Shampoo ($24) and Conditioner ($25). Both have an amazing scent and make my hair super glossy and healthy looking. I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily shampoo but I use it 2-3x per week. Two other items I’ve been living are the Death Valley Dry Shampoo ($17 to $29) because it doesn’t leave any white residue on the hair and doesn’t make it look matte and dusty like many other dry shampoos do. I wash my hair daily on a regular basis. On the rare occasion that I am rushed and don’t have time to wash my hair, I like to use this to refresh the roots. The Rockaway Salt Spray ($25, c/o) gives textured beachy waves. The key to using this is to use it very sparingly. I hold it about 2 feet away from my hair, give it two very loose spritzes then run my fingers through the hair quickly distribute. It gives texture and smells incredible. I think it would be easier to use if the mister/dispenser sprayed out a finer mist though.

Last but not least, Smith & Cult is a fun cosmetic line to check out. The line was created by Hard Candy founder Dineh Mohajer. Her Nailed Lacquers ($18) are 5-free without Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.

Swatches below of Nail Polishes in three colors. So far the shades have a mix of pigment. Some are sheer but they are smooth jelly sheers (like Ghost Edit). Pillow Pie was easy to layer for full coverage. Dark Like Me is a jelly color, I was able to get full coverage with two coats but some of the nail still shows through. I tested two of the lighter shades on separate occasions. Both lasted around 4 days before I saw any tip wear. No chipping occured.

Ghost Edit (sheer peach nude, two coats)

Pillow Pie (pastel pink, three coats applied)

Dark Like Me (c/o, vampy plum, two coats)

The Shining Lip Lacquers ($22 each) have a lush glossy shine to them. They are pretty smooth on the lips. I bought several colors sight unseen. The formula is pretty sheer on the ones I ended up with.

Life in Photographs is a clear sheer pink
Flesh Riot is a sheer golden pink shimmer, also sheer (c/o)
One Word Chorus is a newer color with better pigment and coverage, it’s a medium rose with silver shimmer
Fade the Sun is an iridescent peach
Her Name is Bubbles is a sheer medium pinky peach cream

Have you ordered anything yet from Space NK for their Explore Promotion? I’m getting ready to place an order tonight to restock on some shampoo and conditioner from R+Co. I’m debating whether to re-order the Shine items or try something new. If you ordered anything let me know! I’m always looking for ideas of what to check out at Space NK.

Be sure to enter promo code EXPLORE15 online at checkout Space NK Explore Promotion to save $25 off any online order of $100 or more (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here, note this is for US only).

Select items featured are press samples that were sent for review consideration. Items marked with the note c/o beside them. All others purchased by me.

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On My Radar / New In Beauty

October 20, 2015

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.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?

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Birchbox Everyday Glamour Limited-Edition Box

October 5, 2015

Today Birchbox is launching a new limited-edition box called Everyday Glamour ($48 for 8 items, approximately $200 value). It’s a really cute box filled with the perfect items to treat yourself or a friend with a transition into fall theme. For those new to Birchbox, this is a special limited-edition box that is different from the monthly subscription boxes. The Birchbox Team was kind enough to send me one as an early preview to share with you today. The contents of the Everyday Glamour Box:

All items are available to purchase individually (P.S. Juliette @jdalfeen, one of Birchbox’s Social Media Managers has a live unboxing video on Periscope):

NER:D Skincare Repair Master Mask (1 sheet)
Cargo Texas Lash Mascara in Black
Caudalie Divine Oil (mini 15 ml size)
Ciaté Nail Polish in Paparazzi
Jouer Powder Eyeshadow (shades will vary per box, mine has Espresso)
Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer (shades will vary, mine has Life in Photographs)
Stephanie Johnson Tinseltown Gunmental Medium Flat Zip Pouch
Michael Todd Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum

I’ve been playing with the box over the weekend, some items are classic staples for me, others are new discoveries. First up are the four color items. The Cargo Texas Lash Mascara comes with a large plush brush. It’s a true deep black that doesn’t turn color once dry. I like how it thickens the lashes without clumping. In texting it over the past weekend it didn’t smudge or flake. It holds the curl for a long time. It doesn’t hold it all day, but I would say the curl stayed put for about 4-5 hours but I have super stick straight lashes.

Also in the box will be one Jouer Powder Eyeshadow (colors will vary per box). I owned several Jouer Powder Eyeshadows many years ago – I should explore these more. They have a wet-to-dry formula that’s super soft and blendable. The colors are good everyday kind of shades and the packaging has these little sliders on the side so you can connect multiple colors together. Espresso is a natural medium brown with a hint of shimmer.

Each box will have one Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer, mine came with Life in Photographs which is a sheer pale milky pink. On my lips it’s almost clear – but if you’re the kind of person who likes to line and fill lips with a natural lipliner and top with a sheer gloss, this is a good one because it smooths out the lips, adds shine and doesn’t feel goopy or too sticky. The glosses have a very moisturizing feel and stay put without sliding around. There’s a soft vanilla scent but on the lips the scent fades after a minute. I have a few of these glosses and really like them.

The last color item is a Ciaté Nail Polish in Paparazzi which is the perfect cream vamp plum shade for fall. It goes on smoothly. Full coverage is achieved with two coats. I’m on day 2 of the manicure and so far no tip wear or chipping yet. I’ll update the notes here after testing if for a full week on lasting power.

Swatches of Paparazzi and Life in Photographs:

For skincare items, the Everyday Glamour Box comes with three items to try. The first is a NER:D Sheet Mask called the Skin Repair Master Mask. I haven’t had a chance to try this but I hope to this week. If you’ve tried anything from NER:D, I’d love to hear your thoughts. This one is supposed to have healing and soothing properties which sounds like the perfect end-of-week treatment.

There’s a mini vial of the Caudalie Divine Oil which is a classic staple for me. It’s an amazing dry oil perfect to add moisture and glow to the skin. I use mine on the body – it absorbs quickly and and has a really nice relaxing scent. I like to apply it on in the morning or night after showers. It’s a good touch up product if you’re feeling dry mid-day. The minis used to come with a spritzer, I do wish it still did. These days the mini vials don’t have one.

Last but not least is the Michael Todd Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum. This is a new line for me. I’m super hesitant to try new serums on my face since I have very sensitive skin and in general extremely picky with serums. I’ve only tried this for a couple days – but first thoughts are that this is an extremely moisturizing and hydrating serum. If you have super dry skin I recommend giving this a try. I always layer moisturizer on top of serum. The dry-down texture of many serums doesn’t work so well with foundation if you wear it alone. The texture of the Michael Todd is on the thick side, I was worried it would be too heavy because you can really feel it on the skin. However once it’s absorbed it feels weightless. Throughout the day my skin feels less oily and greasy – it seems to hydrate while controlling oil. It’s supposed to have ingredients that repair sun damage and reduce brown spots. It will take time to see results but so far I like the way it feels on the skin.

Overall, thumbs up. The Everyday Glamour Box does indeed have a good selection of items for everyday glamour. The plum nail lacquer in Ciaté Paparazzi couldn’t be more perfect as a fall transition color. Smith & Cult Lip Lacquers add a nice natural shine to the lips, good to layer over your go-to fall lip color. The Caudalie Divine Oil is a must-have in my opinion, the travel size is pretty affordable so if you’re looking for one new body product to try, I highly recommend it. The other items in the box are pretty new to me and I like the variety offered in skincare and body. I think it’s a nice way to try a lot of items at a value price.

If you’re looking for a treat yourself gift or a box for a friend, the holiday boxed sets are starting to trickle in. I’m usually a pick-your-own-individual-items kind of person but last year’s sets were phenomenal and the ones trickling in this month look even better. The Birchbox Everyday Glamour Box is definitely worth looking into. You can find the Everyday Glamour Box online at Birchbox now. It is limited-edition.

Do you spot any favorites in this box? If you’ve tried anything from the brands, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Many thanks to Birchbox for sending a preview box for review.

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Loving Right Now

August 26, 2015

It’s the last week of August which means summer is coming to an end soon. I suspect we will still have really good weather in Southern California for the next few months – although I haven’t been to the beach nearly enough this year. Right now I’m working my way through Chanel, Tom Ford, Sara Happ, and Eve Snow reviews along with some roundup features. Sometimes I feel as though the days go by so quickly and I find it challenging to accomplish as much I as I would like to. I need some organization and time management inspiration!

Right now I’m obsessed with Smith and Cult in She Said Yeah. It’s such a pretty vibrant girly lilac periwinkle colored nail polish – I like it on the toes. For bronzers I’m obsessed with Tom Ford Small Bronzing Powder compacts. I don’t know if they are limited-edition or not, but I picked up 2 of the Gold Dust. Armani Maestro Liquid Summer I got last year has still lasted me a long time (with a long way to go, I don’t know if I will ever use it up). I like how it blends into the skin naturally. There are three shades now.

For the lips, I’m still obsessed with the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfectors. I almost always have one or two colors in my purse. For fragrance I’m on a rollerball kick. I ordered this Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Coco mini recently. I’m forever in search of a good vanilla perfume I can wear that isn’t too sweet. I’m completely in love with it but my husband is not a fan. He doesn’t like vanilla scents on me at all (inserts sad face).

I featured R+Co in my July Favorites and I’ve been exploring more from the line. I’ve stocked up on a few mini sample packets from various gift with purchase offers. Most recently I was sent a sample of the Rockaway Salt Spray and it smells so so so amazing. The first few times I used it I sprayed too much too close to my roots. It does dry down even if you use too much but I recommend spritzing at least 6 inches from your hair. It gives a nice textured look and volume without making the hair feel crunchy.

The Supergoop! Sun Defying Sunscreen Oil with Meadowfoam SPF 50 has been on regular rotation for body. It absorbs quickly, doesn’t feel greasy, doesn’t have that sunscreen smell, keeps sunburns away and doesn’t irritate my super sensitive skin. I started testing the cream Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology and it also works well without irritation issues. I’ll have a sunscreen testing roundup soon.

Last but not least, Truffle has new Clarity Pouch colors! Above shown are Large Seafoam Mint Cranberry and Small Pewter Lime Slate.

What have you been loving this week?

Press samples in this feature include items Smith & Cult, R+Co, Clarins and Truffle.

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Summer Loves

August 7, 2015

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week – mine was a very long one and I’m glad it’s almost the weekend. A few things I’m loving right now are summery-themed.

Glossier Coconut Balm Dotcom $12 is described as a “vacation in a tube.” It does indeed smell like a dreamy vacation with a delicious coconut scent. It’s Glossier’s do-anything skin salve for the lips, eyes, cheeks or cuticles – basically anywhere you need an added moisture boost. It’s very creamy so I’ve only been brave enough to test it on the lips and so far I love it. It’s hydrating, soothing and smells incredible.

Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino $215 was one of my biggest summer splurges. It’s a summery white floral citrus. Similar to the Neroli Portofino and Mandarino di Amalafi but with a floral twist to it. It’s bright and very rich. Lasts all day on me and makes me feel like I’m at the beach. If you own either of the others I would say you probably don’t need the Fleur de Portofino as they are similar. There are noticeable differences, the original Neroli is the strongest and more unisex, Mandarino is the most citrus, Fleur has floral notes which I like the most.

Supergoop! Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50 $12-34 has been in regular rotation. The concept of a sunscreen in oil form is new to me. I’m super hesitant about trying new sunscreens in general but this one has been gentle enough for me to wear without any irritation or reaction. It’s meant for both the face and body but I haven’t been brave enough to test it on the face.

Chanel Tutti Frutti $27 is my favorite coral pink nail color for summer. It’s been on my nails a lot lately. I plan on getting a pedicure this weekend for the toes.

Smith & Cult recently launched Lip Lacquers $22 each. I’ve been testing a few that I ordered sight unseen. They are all relatively sheer in finish but have a lush glossy shine to them with a hint of color. My personal favorite is Her Name Is Bubbles (in large part because I like the name). I’ll have a more detailed feature soon on the glosses but for now below are a few swatches. You can find them at Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, Birchbox. If you want to see Her Name is Bubbles on the lips, you can see it in my peachy makeup loves post.