It's the BALM

Glossier's Balm Dotcom

You guys know I’m a sucker for a luxurious lip balm.  By Terry & Omorvicza are my go-tos but, I also adore Smith’s rosebud salve, Sara Happ’s lip slip & countless others…

Well, you can imagine my delight when one of my favorite bloggers launched her own product line.  How could I possibly not order “balm dotcom” dubbed as a universal skin salve???  SOLD.  I am anxiously awaiting arrival in the mail and cannot wait to post a review.  Until then check this sure to be killer line out:

 

 

 

 

You even get to customize your products with quirky stickers!  Yay!

 

*Photo credit glossier.com

 

http://intothegloss.com/2014/10/emily-weiss-glossier/

 

Primers -- sigh...

I swear I think I’ve tried every primer on the market… I get really excited about them at first & then within a few days usually end up realizing – on my skin – they’re all pretty mediocre.  I rank Smashbox in the top tier of primers and have always wanted to try Cle de Peau’s priming products.  However, I made a knee jerk decision to try a MAC primer when I happened to pass the store in the mall the other day instead of having to leave the mall and go somewhere else or wait for a primer I ordered online.  I hate being in the mall, my child was with me, and so I just ended up grabbing a primer, this one:

 

& I hated it.  It left streaks, was too drying, and made my lovely YSL foundation streak.  It was $22, I should have known it was too good to be true.  But, that being said, I didn’t love Tom Ford’s uber pricey primer either (sorry Tom, I love all your other creations!).  I took the $22 primer back to the mall (ugh) & justified trying another slightly more expensive MAC primer because MAC is stage/ professional makeup of sorts and with all that heavy lighting, primer is a must, right?  Also, let's face it, I'm running low on options.  I ended up with this guy:

 

 

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/mac-prep-prime-skin/2864444?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=60137856&fashionColor=&resultback=1060&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_3_B

 

I’m about 5 days in & I do like it – I think I like it a lot, maybe??  It looks pretty damn sensational and smooth when I leave my house in the morning or at night before dinner but 3 hours later I’m oily again.  The general public seems to love this primer so I’m giving it some more time… The consistency is nice and it leaves a faint glow that looks healthy & youthful.  I have no qualms with a dewy look but that is a slippery slope (pun intended) and best left to those with close to perfect skin.  My skin is good but not great – grass is always greener, right?  Thank goodness for setting powder! What’s your favorite primer??

 

Details

It’s finally Fall.  I’m loving all things plaid, my Anine Bing boots, loose & light weave sweaters, being able to keep my blowouts smooth and sleek thanks to a maj drop in humidity & this to die for Saint Laurent Betty bag (thank you, Bubby!)

 

 

 

More next week on hair, primers, lip balms, & my Halloween costume.  Until then, I leave you with this pic of my little pumpkin and a hint of my Halloween look…

 

YSL Foundation

YSL Fusion Ink Foundation

Oh. My. God. This stuff is heavenly.  It is the absolute lightest foundation I’ve ever encountered.  It is like nude ink, the texture, however, is a silky velvet that glides on your skin so beautifully and almost leaves a stain.  It’s traceless, seamless, & gorgeous.  Your skin feels naked – it just beautifully blurs imperfections and evens skin tone and the best part is it lasts all day.  Seriously, I have never looked matte and even toned at 5 pm.  I am truly blown away.  Also equally amazing is the incredibly wide range range of shades – there must be a perfect match for every skin tone out there.  This formula sinks into skin – minimal blending required – seriously “soft, matte, comfort that lasts all day.”

 

 

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/yves-saint-laurent-fusion-ink-foundation-broad-spectrum-spf-18/3840368

 

TKO

J Brand 811 mid rise skinnies in "Pure"

I’m such a denim fanatic (I wear jeans every day) that often times I end up with like 5 pairs of very special jeans in my rotation… drop crotch, heavily distressed, high waist, black, gray, zippered, flared – these “special” jeans usually only look good with certain items of clothing like a cropped blouse or only pointed toe pumps.  I lately end up feeling like I’m lacking a good staple that works with all shoes and all tops.  A pair that can just as easily work for the office as it can for a night out as it can for brunch with my family. 

I mentioned these old school J. Brand jeans a few posts ago & felt they deserved a little extra love… First, they are the plainest of plain.  They’re not even J. Brand’s most popular old school Ink wash, they’re the Pure wash.  Pure is like the first pair of blue jeans ever created – think old man on a farm blue worn with a plaid shirt in the 70s.  In any event, I’m now reaching for them almost daily.  They’re super flattering, super comfortable & they literally look great with everything… here’s the best part… they’re by far the least expensive jeans I’ve bought in years.  The 811 is mid rise and ankle length (keep in mind I’m 5’11). Coming in at a totally reasonable $145 – this guy is a total knockout!  Sometimes it pays to keep it nice and simple. 

 

http://www.jbrandjeans.com/store/productdetails.aspx?productid=4229&kpid=4229:10525:53056&country=US&currency=USD&mr:trackingCode=43E38CF0-EB35-E411-B421-001B21A69EB8&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=48120441633&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=74158751959&gclid=CIXX6IipjsECFeXm7Aod7Q4AWg