Reviews and Other Stuff

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019 Top Picks

July 19, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi guys. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019 is currently on and today it’s going to be open for everyone until August 5, Monday. I didn’t have a chance to shop during the early access for cardholders because I’ve been busy traveling and had just gotten over my jet lag. I do have some items on wishlist though, and a lot of these items are the ones I’ve been eyeing since last year. Speaking of last year’s sale, I didn’t get to shop that much either, so with this year’s Nordys Sale (which I think has the best selection of on sale items so far), I am definitely purchasing some stuff.

Check out my wishlist and top picks below. The prices shown are the current sale price.

1. Bobbi Brown Instant Glow Lip & Highlighter Set (35 USD)

2. Charlotte Tilbury Easy Portable Pocket Sized Eye Palette (55 USD)

3. Giorgio Armani Iconic Glow Set (90 USD)

4. Diptyque Set of 5 Travel Size Candles (55 USD)

5. Nest Grapefruit, Ocean Mist & Sea Salt & Bamboo Votive Candle Trio (30 USD)

6. Tom Ford Eye & Mini Lip Set (88 USD)

7. Beautyblender All That Glitters Makeup Sponge Set (35 USD)

8. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil Mini Duo (72 USD)

9. NuFace White Trinity Anniversary Facial Toning Kit (217.75 USD)

10. Nars Private Paradise Face Palette (42 USD)

SHOP THIS LIST BELOW

Last year’s sale, I wasn’t able to purchase any Tom Ford items since they got sold out immediately, so, this year, I’m really loving all the TF sets. Also, the Giorgio Armani Iconic Glow Set is TDF, and if you’re a fan of scented candles, the Diptyque Set of 5 Travel Candles is such a good deal. If beauty and skincare tools are your thing, I’ve been eyeing the NuFace White Facial Toning Kit which has always been pricey but it seems really good for toning the face. Additionally, who couldn’t resist the Nars Private Paradise Face Palette? You’ll get a contour, highlighter, and blush in one single palette, along with shades that match to your skintone.

Not really sure what’s my criteria in choosing the items below. I do notice that a lot of the items in the Nordstrom Sale are mostly wardrobes that are meant for Fall. While that’s also nice, for me, I think I don’t really plan to buy my clothes in preparation for the upcoming season. I have more of a “buy now, wear whenever” approach to clothing, LOL.

1. Vince Camuto Cabbage Rose Toile Sleeveless Chiffon Blouse (52.90 USD)

2. BLANKNYC Suede Mini Skirt (64.90 USD)

3. Caslon Long Sleeve Crewneck Tee (18.90 USD)

4. Halogen Check Blazer (89.90 USD)

5. Thread & Supply Wubby Fleece Pullover (49.90 USD)

SHOP THIS LIST BELOW

I’ve always been curious about the Thread & Supply Fleece Pullover. I don’t own one. It seems really comfy and I think I could use it for whenever the temps go low. The BLANKNYC Suede Mini Skirt is really nice.

6. All In Favor Wrap Top (25.90 USD)

7. ASTR The Label Lace Midi Dress (58.90 USD)

8. Halogen Ribbed Sweater (29.90 USD)

9. Halogen Tie-Waist Twill Pants (65.90 USD)

10. Spanx Thinstincts Mid Thigh Shorts (38.50 USD)

11. Spanx Power Short Mid Thigh Shaper (23.90 USD)

12. Halogen Single Breasted Blazer (85.90 USD)

13. Something Navy Flecked Crewneck Sweater (49.90 USD)

SHOP THIS LIST BELOW

Now, there’s a lot of things on this list that I love. First of all, the Nordys Sale is the best time to buy Spanx at a cheaper price. These things are useful to smoothen the lumps and the bumps. The Halogen Twill Pants seem really chic, and I’ve got to try that ASTR The Label Midi Dress that everyone’s talking about. I’m just not quite sure about the sizing of that dress though. Also, not sure if I could pull off that All In Favor Wrap Top.

14. BLANKNYC Faux Fur Teddy Coat (64.90 USD)

15. Rails Whitney Print Shirt (98.90 USD)

16. J.Crew It’s in the Stars Tee (25.90 USD)

17. Spanx Higher Power Mid-Thigh Shaping Shorts (24.90 USD)

18. Frame Le High Waist Skinny Jeans (139.90 USD)

19. Spanx Undie-tectable Lace Hipster Panties (15.90 USD)

20. Rails Hunter Plaid Shirt (99.90 USD)

21. Rebecca Minkoff Jody Croc Embossed Leather Circle Crossbody Bag (185.90 USD)

SHOP THIS LIST BELOW

Last Winter, I was dreaming of Teddy Coats. This year, I’m eyeing that BLANKNYC Faux Fur Teddy Coat. I also love the Rails Clothing because they’re all so comfy and that Whitney Print Shirt is giving me a laid-back Summer vibe. I also saw the Rebecca Minkoff Jody Croc Circle Crossbody bag IRL and it’s really sleek and stunning.

And that comprises my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019 Wishlist and Top Picks. Are you shopping for this year’s sale? What’s on your list?

Favorite Cushion Foundations

July 16, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello guys. I am back from the cave, LOL. As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a massive jet lag and just when I thought I was feeling a bit more alert, I realized that I had to go on Jury Duty (Hurray! Hurray! LOL). I can tell you all about that experience in my upcoming posts. Anyway, I stood through my role as a Juror and just when I thought I could get back to blogging, my shoulder started bothering me and I had to rest it for a few days. Such is life! but hey, I’m back and as I promised, I’m about to do a roundup review of my favorite cushion foundations.

If you’re a fan of cushion foundations like me because they’re so much easier to apply than a liquid or a powder type of foundation, not to mention that they look absolutely fab on the skin, well, you might find this review very useful. I love using my cushion foundations when I’m in a hurry or when I’m traveling. A powder foundation is usually a no-no for me because I tend to be clumsy and I could spill it all over my clothes, and even if I won’t, I’m afraid there might still be powdery residues that could get stuck on my clothes. A liquid foundation is fine but I may be too lazy to reach out for a brush or a beautyblender to apply it when I’m in a hurry. So, I tend to use my fingers, and that entails some handwashing, some wet wipes, being very careful not to stain my clothes, and so on. A lot of hassle definitely.

I haven’t experimented on a lot of cushion foundations so far, and there are a lot of them nowadays. The ones I have are the ones I’ve tried and have become my holy grails, though a few of them are unfortunately discontinued but you may still find some of them in some stores online.

High-End

Clé de Peau Radiant Cushion Foundation in 020 Light Ochre (90 USD) – I like this cushion’s clean fresh scent and it gives a soft dewy finish on the skin. The effect looks like a natural youthful glow and it lasts pretty much the whole day. It’s pricey though and it has no SPF, but it looks really perfect on my skin and I get lots of compliment whenever I use it. Read more HERE.

Dior Capture Dreamskin Cushion Broad Spectrum SPF 50 in 020 Light Beige (82 USD) – This has a noticeable somewhat floral scent and I like this because of the SPF. The finish is naturally dewy and radiant and it feels light on the skin. Overall, this is a solid cushion foundation for everyday use.

Iope Air Cushion Natural Glow in N23 Natural Sand (28.83 USD) – This is my first cushion foundation and I’m almost running out of it. This does tend to get dry pretty easily and I noticed that there’s not really much product in it, though it does come with a refill. This gives a nice natural coverage on the face and it also contains SPF 50.

La Mer The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 in 23 Warm Vanilla (120 USD) – Reviewed further HERE. This is one of the most expensive cushion foundations I own and it really lives up to its name. I find that this lasts a really long time for me and it gives a nice dewy glow that doesn’t look oily. It has a very good coverage and it’s got a lot of product in it. It also comes with a refill and really soft cushy applicator. Additionally, the scent of this is fab.

Not pictured here is the La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In Foundation. I’ve tried it before from samples, seen HERE. I’ve been planning to purchase it but it’s just so expensive. It is so good and it might just be the best cushion foundation I’ve ever tried but I’m not sure if I could justify the price. Also, I remember it having a really divine scent.

Drugstore

I actually think that a lot of drugstore cushion foundations are really good, though sadly, some of the drugstore brands are almost discontinuing them and I don’t know why.

Up next are not really cushion foundations, but they can work as such. I discovered them when I forgot to bring a cushion foundation during one of my travels and I had to rush into the nearest drugstore to see if I could find an affordable alternative that I might like. I found the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 55 in 30 Buff & 20 Natural Ivory (14.59 USD) and though they’re actually cream foundations, they can work as cushions especially if you moisten their sponge applicators. They do kind of feel a bit scratchy and a bit powdery, but if you tap them on the skin lightly, then they’ll do the job. I like that these have no scent and they do have a high SPF.

L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation in N3.5 Classic Buff (12.95 USD) – Discontinued but still available HERE and HERE. This foundation and the Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation in 20 Classic Ivory (10.49 USD) – which is also discontinued but can still be found HERE, have a very similar design in terms of packaging and even the finish. Both have no discernible scent and both have a cheaply-made sponge, but they still deliver a fresh-effect dewy finish. Between the two, I kind of like L’Oreal’s finish better because the Maybelline one tends to be a bit more matte.

Wet N Wild MegaCushion Foundation SPF 15 in 108A Nude Beige (8.99 USD) – This a very affordable cushion foundation and it looks and feels great on the skin. The effect is dewy, glowy, youthful, natural, and really almost like a second skin due to its lightness and very good coverage. This does tend to oxidize, so you may wanna choose a lighter shade than your skintone when buying this.

Other cushion foundations I’m planning investigate are the YSL Touche Éclat Cushion Foundation, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation, Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Foundation Compact, and the Amorepacific Color Control Cushion Compact.

That comprises my favorite cushion foundations. Have you tried any of these before? Are you also a fan of cushion foundations?

Favorite Drugstore Dry Shampoos

July 2, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hallo guys! My apologies for being MIA lately. I just got back from my short European trip. My head is still above the clouds and I’ve got a massive jetlag. For more vacay photos and short videos, please check my Insta @reviewsandotherstuff. The travel post will be up soon on the blog, but for today’s post, I’m about to do a short roundup review of my favorite drugstore dry shampoos.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a review of my favorite dry shampoos of all time, you can check that out in this link. In that said review, I mentioned that I will be reviewing the different types of Dove Dry Shampoos since I was really quite impressed with its quality. However, upon further tests, I found out that all the Dove Dry Shampoos worked pretty much the same way on my hair. So, I decided to just talk about my top two favorite Dove Dry Shampoos in this review. Here they are.

Dove

Detox and Purify Dry Shampoo (5 oz: 4.89 USD, 7.3 oz: 5.88 USD) – This is the first Dove Dry Shampoo I’ve tried and I really love it. It’s got this sort of perfumey apple-ish scent that kind of lingers, and there is also a very subtle white residue on this but it goes away easily. It gets rid of excess oil and makes the hair look clean fairly easily and it adds a bit of volume as well.

Volume and Fullness Dry Shampoo (5 oz: 4.89 USD, 7.3 oz: 5.88 USD) – I was excited to try this hoping that this would give my hair more volume than the Dove Detox Dry Shampoo above. While this has a nice sort of sweet scent, I feel like this didn’t really add much volume to my hair when compared to the detox dry shampoo. They both have the same effect on my strands. Overall, I realized that I could pretty much use any kind of Dove Dry Shampoo for my hair type. So, having at least one or two of these dry shampoos would be enough.

SGX NYC Dry Touch Volumizing Dry Shampoo (6.5oz: 6.99 USD) – I was really surprised at how good this dry shampoo worked for my hair. It has no residue, and it kind of works like my favorite IGK First Class Charcoal Dry Shampoo, reviewed HERE. The scent of this is really nice and clean, plus the packaging is cute.

TRESemmé Between Washes Volumizing Dry Shampoo (4.3 oz: 5.99 USD, 7.3 oz: 5.98 USD) – This dry shampoo leaves no residue and has a somewhat fruity apple scent but it’s not too strong. The 4.3 oz bottle looks quite thin and I feel like I’ve consumed almost all of it already at first spray, but yeah, this is still a pretty solid drugstore dry shampoo.

L’Oreal Paris Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo (4 oz: 5.22 USD) – Also called Elvive Extraordinary Clay, this dry shampoo has a berry fruity scent and it’s not that overwhelming. This leaves no residue though it’s not the best at volumizing the hair. Yet it does make the hair look clean and fresh the following day.

Bottom line, I really love this drugstore dry shampoo finds. They’re affordable and I’m actually quite impressed with their qualities, especially the SGX NYC (Salon Grafix) Dry Shampoo which is super affordable and it works just like a high-end dry shampoo or even better.

Have you tried any of these products before? What’s your go-to dry shampoo?