Tag Archives: sephora

easter basket beauty

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easter basket beauty

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i haven’t seen the likes of the easter bunny in well over a decade, but if his hippity hop highness were to pay me a visit i would love to see these treats hidden inside my basket – or, better yet, tucked into this holographic bag from sephora.

dr. hauschka eye shadow trio, $40
deborah lippmann rockin’ robin, $19
bobbi brown lilac rose shimmer brick, $42
mark. stack and style rings, $18
smith’s minted rose lip balm tube, $6
sephora the perfectionist makeup sponge, $12

happy easter sunday to you!

little wishes

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merry christmas eve, beauties!

i think this is my most favorite day of the year. it’s all about family and festive cocktails and anticipation for the excitement of the following morning. we’re spending it at my in laws this year where my mother in law makes a full feast of the seven fishes and the portuguese tradition is to wait up until midnight (passing time playing board games, watching movies) and then open gifts!

the husband and i treated ourselves to a christmas kitten last week (a seven week old british shorthair named ivy – we’re pretty obsessed!) so that only leaves me wishing for a few little surprises underneath the tree:

christmas wishes 2012
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cozy slippers for working from home

a blush to brighten dreary winter days

a punchy champagne duo to ring in 2013

a soft bristle facial brush to gently exfoliate

a sparkly topcoat to refresh chipped manicures

the new fragrance i can’t get enough of!
(discovered by my mom via birchbox)

a sweetly simple pouch for staying organized

hope you get everything you wish for – have a very merry christmas eve!

pretty gifty: kits and sets

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pretty gifty: kits and sets

my younger and wiser sister suggested a pretty gifty post centered around sephora’s amazing selection of combination sets and makeup kits that crop up by the dozen around the holidays. her exact words were “whoever said it was better to give than to receive clearly never got one of these!” she touts these selections for their wow impact and general bang-for-the-buck’ness – and who am i to argue with that kind of genius?

her picks for an extra beautiful holiday (in miniature) are as follows:

bareminerals the total package collection, $36
benefit cosmetics she’s so…jetset! $36
sephora favorites glitz and glam party sampler, $45
tarte the stand outs limited edition best sellers kit, $25
too faced beauty editor darlings set, $19 <– steal of the century!
smashbox try it kit, $19

recent beauty buys: july 12

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1 – i’m embracing my natural curls in the heat by tucking my wet
hair back with these and letting it air dry; goody mini spin pin, $5.66

2 – softer than a scrub, this pink pad exfoliates my skin gently
yet effectively; sephora collection pore cleansing pad, $5

3 – the rose gold trend continues and i’m so excited to
wear it on my nails; essie penny talk, $7.79

4 – this blush is fiercely hot pink with swirls of gold shimmer, it’s not for the
faint of heart and it’s really testing the skills of my often-heavy hand
(but i love it!); mac ‘heavenly creature’ mineralize blush, $23.50

5 – stumbled on the sweetest group of tiny perfumes on a recent
boutique shopping trip, they’re perfect for travel and the scents
are so unique; love+toast little luxe perfumes, $9 each

what’s new in your beauty bag?

for more of recent beauty buys, keep an eye on my
‘in my beauty cabinet‘ pinterest board!

brand new nail candy

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sometimes i feel like there are so many fun things popping up in the nail category that i can’t even keep up! i rounded up seven of the sweetest new nail products – from fresh shades to nail art tools, a crazy convenient cuticle oil and one seriously speedy top coat. take a peek:

new nail candy

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one – nailezee: a new-to-me brand started by a sweet sister trio.
lacquers come in a whopping 66 gorgeous shades for $10 each.

two – essie good to go: i’m apparently the last person on
earth to know about this holy grail of top coats!

three – julep essential cuticle oil: comes in a rollerball for easy application.
just run it around the edges of each nail - how genius us that?!

four – sephora nail art set: a teeny tiny paint brush and double ended
marbling tool make perfecting your painting skills a piece of cake.

five – sheswai in fuckyeah: a wickedly hot new shade from my favorite brand.

six – sephora collection nail lacquer in myrtille: this $4 cornflower
blue is going to be my shade of the season.

seven – topshop nail art pen in fool’s gold: draw golden nail art
onto bare or polished nails. seal with a top coat and go!

keep it pretty: diy manicure bowl

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keep it pretty: diy manicure bowl

my diy manicure skills are gradually improving! i’ve picked up some tricks and finally found the right products to make painting my nails at home a pleasure instead of a chore. i keep everything on my dresser in this zelenka bowl from anthropologie. here are the steps and tools that have boosted my at-home mani confidence:

1. a soft cuticle pusher really makes it easier to paint polish on without making a mess. this $1 version from elf is a no-brainer.

2. a glass nail file smooths and sculpts nails far better than a classic emery board. it’s better for your nails and works so much faster. i’ve been using this $3 one from sephora.

3. a good base coat is crucial to making your mani last longer. i’m loving deborah lippmann ‘fast girls’ – it creates a smooth canvas and i swear it makes application easier. it’s also super quick drying!

4. i like to add a top coat for protection and extra gloss. deborah lippmann umbrella is high-shine and chip resistant.

5. finally, the cleanup. i *always* end up with polish on my cuticles, but there’s a perfect solution: dip the absolute smallest eyeliner brush (or paint brush) into some acetone remover and drag it along your cuticle to get that super clean edge. the result is almost better than what you can get at a spa!

do you have any diy manicure tips and tricks? where do you keep all of your tools?

ps – allure voting is extended through the weekend! if you think of it in between all of that boating and barbecue-ing, please vote, vote, vote!

what’s in her bag?

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when the super sweet justine of ‘short is the new black’ asked me to be a part of her ‘what’s in her bag?’ series, i was more than happy to oblige. the beauty blogosphere is such a wonderful place when you get to meet and share audiences with someone like miss justine. i hope you’ll click on over to her little spot on the web and take a peek at my dailies. wait until you see just how shockingly simple my beauty routine really is!

ps – since you’re here, you must love the glossarie! please visit this week’s allure beauty blogger awards challenge and vote for me – i’d be so grateful :) (you can vote once per day, now through friday, and did i mention you can win diamonds?!)

josie maran argan matchmaker powder foundation spf 20

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for a smaller beauty brand, josie maran has been cranking out winner after winner in my book. the former model-turned-makeup-mogul has now created a self-adjusting powder foundation with the nourishing and hydrating benefits of argan oil … and there are so many things right with this product, i’m not quite sure where to begin!

first of all, it feels like heaven and magically disappears onto skin, creating the best powder match of any product to date. it mattifies my complicated combination bits, but isn’t drying or itchy like other powders. the coverage falls perfectly between sheer and medium and i just can’t stress enough what a pleasure it is to wear. pile all of those compliments into a formula that also comes complete with spf 20, and josie just hit gold with this flawless face in a compact.

note: this product is flying off shelves (my sephora was already out of the two lightest shades and they are currently out of stock online – make sure to request an email for when they’re back in action!) and while i don’t hesitate to gamble it will be around for awhile, you’ll want to get your hands on one of your very own asap.

josie maran argan matchmaker powder foundation spf 20 is available in three shades for $34 at sephora.

march bag + balm

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march bag + balm

bag: stephanie johnson mini pouch in malibu crinkle patent, $30

balm: sephora color reveal balm, $12

this month’s bag is a staple for me. it lives in my handbag and travels from work to play, stashing my pill box, headphones, lip balm, hair tie, mints, and business cards. it’s so versatile that it could serve virtually any purpose and it even works well as a wallet to carry cash, cards, keys, phone, etc. it’s no secret that i adore stephanie johnson and this pouch is just one of many reasons. she’s made it in a slew of colors and textures (i believe i count a whopping 47 listed!) and she’s also created this genius wristlet that you can purchase as an add on. i’m digging the six colors in malibu crinkle patent for their bold brightness and laid-back vibe, but the beauty of steph’s line is that there’s something for everyone.

this month’s balm is rocking my world. lip balm is the finishing touch to my morning makeup routine, but the naked lip can make me look a little washed out first thing in the am. sephora’s color reveal balm has vastly changed all of that. after swiping it on (and smelling it’s yummy vanilla scent), it blooms into a customized pink shade that’s not the normal nuclear fuchsia that these types of products tend towards (not flattering on anyone, let alone everyone). it’s a sheer wash of pink that’s not too soft, not too bold and it takes my look up a notch, making me look just a bit more lively than a clear balm would. i’ve bought two of these, keeping one in the bathroom beauty basket and one in my mini pouch because i love it that much. rumor has it that this little beauty is limited edition, so hustle on out to get your own if you must have!

ps – this little series is one year old this month! happy birthday, bag + balm