TOM FORD COMPLEXION ENHANCING PRIMER - NEW / FALL 2015

New for Fall 2015 is the Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer. It is both a skincare and makeup primer which hydrates and brightens the skin, reverses signs of aging, dullness and tiredness all the while minimizing pores. Sounds promising!

There are two primer shades: 01 Pink Glow and 02 Peach Glow. Both shades are said to complement a wide range of skin tones and the primer can be worn alone or under foundation. I purchased the Pink Glow primer and I have been wearing it under my foundation for the past few days. I'll post a review once I finish testing it out. So far though I'm really loving it. My skin doesn't look as dry and there is a slight "glow-y" almost dewy look to my face.

Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer - $74.00 USD

Available now: Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus

NORDSTROM HAUL / SHOP SPREE

This is a recent haul of some items that I ordered from Nordstrom.com. The first item in my basket was the Guerlain Meteorites in Perles Du Dragon which is part of the Guerlain Holiday collection. I've never tried any of the Guerlain products before so I'm not quite sure what to expect quality wise from this brand. Although I didn't let that stop me from getting the meteorites which look absolutely gorgeous in their tin container. Anyway, when making a Guerlain purchase you receive a sample size of the Guerlain Meteorites Perles Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer. Since I am fairly new to this brand I'm super excited to try this product as well. The last item I was looking for was the Bobbi Brown Bronzer Blush Duo powder. The Duo powder was part of the Desert Twilight collection which was released in the Summer but is part of their Fall 2012 collection. I had been scouring department stores and online for the duo but I hadn't had much success but I eventually found it on the Nordstrom website. The blush part of the duo powder is Bahama Brown and the bronzer side is Pink Peony. The two together are supposed to create a gorgeous glow that enhances your all-over appearance while the blush is said to give a nice pop of color to the cheeks. However, I'm so fair skinned that I plan on doing the exact opposite and will be using the Bahama Brown as my bronzer and the Pink Peony as my blush.

Check below for swatches and prices for each of the items.

Guerlain Meteorites in Perles Du Dragon $58.00 USD

My initial reaction or my first thought was "Is this all that there is" and then I asked "Why wasn't this sealed". It looked like what few meteorites there were barely filled the tin container. It seemed as though more could have been added seeing as how much room was still remaining. Also, it would have been nice to have a sealed cover for the product because there was a light dusting of powder that coated the inside of the lid and it also coated the sponge cover that sits on top of the meteorites. Overall this is a nice product but I'm not sure that I would repurchase it again.

Guerlain Meteorites Perles Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer

I must say that I am totally weird-ed out by this next product. If you look closely you see a liquid solution that the primer meteorites float around in. I just don't understand the whole concept behind this product. Do the primer meteorites dissolve or melt in the liquid solution? How does this work, does it need to be shaken, or how much should be used per each application? I need some answers!!!    

Bobbi Brown Bronzer Blush Duo powder $36.00 USD

I'm going to be totally honest with you about this last product. When I first saw the duo I truly believed the bronzer was the Bahama Brown and the blush was Pink Peony. I mean seriously! Who would ever think something as pink as Pink Peony would ever, EVER pass as a bronzer - definitely not me! Don't get me wrong, I still like the duo but I think I will be more inclined to use it as I had originally planned.

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How Ebates Works

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Here is my personal referral link so that you can start earning cash back too: EBATES REFERRAL LINK

SEPHORA 2011 FRIENDS & FAMILY HAUL / SHOPPING SPREE

This year there was a change in the way that Sephora offered their 2011 Sephora Friends and Family 20% discount. I'm not going to go into the details again, but you can read my earlier post here to find out exactly what happened.

Anyway, on to the good part...my Sephora haul!!!

Here are the items that I purchased in no particular order:

• Nars Blush - Oasis
• Nars Nail Polish - Bad Influence
• Fusion Beauty IllumiFill Line Filling Luminizer
• tokidoki compact mirror
• Laura Mercier Luxury sized Hydrating Foundation Primer
• Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel
• Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick - Rose Quartz
• Clinique Black Honey Shimmering tones powder
• Nars Danmari All About Cheeks palette

In addition to the above items, I really wanted some of the Bobbi Brown eyeshadows but I decided to hold off on those for now and mainly focus on building up my blush collection.

Upcoming: 
Chanel, and even more Chanel. Yep, I picked up some goodies from my local Chanel counter and I'm so excited to share it with you all! Also, I will be posting swatches / reviews of all the items listed above so check back ♥♥

SEPHORA 2011 FRIENDS & FAMILY: Wishlists and Survival Skills

So the word on Twitter is that Sephora is having their "Friends and Family Sale" starting Thursday, October 20th and it will last until November 2nd. Typically Sephora offers 20% off everything in store and on their website with little to no exclusions. If you've never shopped a Sephora Friends and Family sale before, then you really should keep reading...

Start by visiting your local Sephora store and make a list of the products that you know you want to buy. Then check the Sephora website for those web-only exclusives that might garner you a better deal than those found in the stores. Next, scour the web for reviews, swatches, videos, etc., for any of the products that you have on your list that you are wanting to try for the first time. It saves you time and heartache when you know ahead of time if the product is any good. But keep in mind that although it didn't work for one person someone else may have had more success with it.

Check to see if there are any combo sets or value sets that include any of the products that are on your list. This is a good way to try out a variety of products from the same brand without having to spend a lot of money. Another thing to remember is the more popular a product is, then it will likely sell out within the first day or so of the sale. So if there are any of those items on your list make sure that you purchase them immediately otherwise you might not get them.

Some of the items that I have on my wishlist include foundation primer, some nail polishes, a few makeup brushes, a couple of blushes, two highlight powders, and a couple of gift sets for my sisters. I might even try some Bobbi Brown products as well. I really like that brand but I find it to be a little more expensive than what I want to spend so this might be the perfect opportunity for me to pick up some of her products. One thing to keep in mind is that Sephora has an excellent return policy. So if you get caught up in the excitement and then later you have buyer's remorse, it is very easy to return the products to your local Sephora store.

GET YOUR SHOP ON... ♥♥♥

 

5 hours only! Double points in awesome Smashbox rewards program

5 hours only! Double points in our awesome rewards program

Let's Do Lunch! Today's offer: Double Pretty Points 5 hours only! From noon to 5PM (ET) today, we're doubling your points for double the rewards! - For every $1 you spend, you'll earn 10 points (instead of 5); hit 500 points and we'll add a $10 rewards certificate to your account - Bonus deluxe sample with every order Offer begins 10/4/2011 at noon (ET) and ends 10/4/2011 at 5PM (ET).

Promotional offers and discounts may not be applied to the purchase of Smashbox.com e-gift cards. Offer applies to authorized purchases. Only authorized orders will be processed and shipped. We reserve the right to cancel any order due to unauthorized, altered or ineligible use of offer, and to modify or cancel this promotion due to system error or unforeseen problems.

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This is such a great deal and those Pretty Points can really add up quickly which translates into lots of rewards certificates!! I just placed an order and I can't wait to share it with you all! Lots of AWESOME freebies too!!! ♥♥♥

Laura Mercier 'Classic Chic' Color Collection (Nordstrom Exclusive)

"Always classic, always chic, this exclusive color collection allows you to create versatile looks for every occasion. Start with Foundation Primer (1 oz.): It is the first step to a flawless face and creates the perfect canvas for longer-wear makeup. Next, add extra impact to eyes with four neutral shades of Eye Colors (0.05 oz. each), ranging from allover color to a mid-tone definer and highlighter. Wear two for day or all four for night—the choice is yours. Finish eyes with Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara in Black (0.4 oz.) for long, voluminous lashes. Add Cheek Color in Plum Radiance (0.13 oz.) for a hint of color and soft glow. Finally, give your lips glossy color with exclusive Raspberry Lip Glacé (0.15 oz.), a rich, cool pink that's perfect for all skin tones. Best of all, this collection includes professional Ponytail, Smudge and Cheek Color Brushes for flawless application every time."

I bought this set during Nordstrom's Anniversary sale and I have been loving it! I really love how you can use the softer, lighter colors for a "Day" look and then touch up with the darker shadows for a smoked out "Night" look. Although at first I almost didn't get it...

When I first saw the Laura Mercier 'Classic Chic' Color collection at Nordstrom, it was the first day of their Anniversary sale and I had went there on my lunch hour to do a little shopping. It was sitting on a display on one of the tables in the back of the cosmetics department and had a retail price of $75.00. Ouch! One of the SA there had mentioned that this collection was only available during their Anniversary Sale and was expected to be a bestseller. While I continued with my shopping I kept coming back to the table where this set was displayed. I knew this collection would be perfect for me because of the pink to neutral tones within the set. I wear a lot of browns, pinks and light plum colors and that is what this collection is all about but I was a little hesitant due to the price. The more I kept looking at it, the more I wanted it (you always want what you can't have "or afford". LOL) but I talked myself out of buying it and left to go back to work.

For the rest of the day, I kept thinking about that makeup set. I really, really wanted it but was I willing to fork over $75 for it and would I really use everything? I kept trying to justify my reasons for not buying it and then I kept trying to justify why I needed it so badly. I even made a list of the pros (everything was gorgeous and wearable) and cons (too expensive and I have enough makeup already) of why I shouldn't purchase it. I just couldn't let it go. I REALLY wanted it.

Well, it isn't very often that I regret not purchasing something but I knew that if I didn't go back and get it I would definitely regret it. So after work I headed back to Nordstrom and I picked up the collection. Earlier in the day there had been about 50-60 of the sets but now there were just a handful left so I was extremely grateful that they still had some left and I was able to purchase one of them.

Final thoughts:
If you were fortunate enough to purchase this set, and I'm so glad that I did, I hope you love it as much as I do. The makeup brushes that come with this set are extremely soft, they do not shed, and the over-all quality of the brushes is excellent. No skimping here! The blush is very versatile, not only because of the color, but also because the pan pops-out and can be replaced with other blush colors which makes it all the more worthwhile. However, if I had to choose one "favorite" item from this set it would be the eyeshadow palette. The shadows are extremely pigmented, as you can see from the pictures, the texture of the shadows is buttery soft and not chalky, and the colors are flattering for just about all skin tones. Overall. this collection has a lot to offer and is definitely well worth the price.