Today was the Sephora VIB Rouge “Spring Social.” They opened up the store a couple of hours early for a private event and everyone got 15% off. I happened to be up in McLean for work this weekend, so I checked out the Tyson’s Corner store. The girl in the front greeted me excitedly, checked me in (I pre-registered online,) and gave me this cute name tag. They had all kinds of goodies like breakfast pastries and coffee from Panera and they had tons of people working so everyone was really helpful.
They had a ton of services to sign up for – everything from hair to brows to makeup. I wanted my hair done, but got shade-matched while I waited. The guy who matched my shade ended up doing my whole face, and I forgot I was even waiting to get my hair done. He tried the new Becca foundation on me as well as a Kat Von D blush and a Marc Jacobs bronzer. Selfies were encouraged…
I stocked up (I’ll review what I got in another post) and of course I didn’t leave without a touch of the “color of the year,” Radiant Orchid:
If you get an email about an event like this I recommend going. It was a fun experience.
Read MoreTotally gaga over this clear acryllic table from CB2. 
I’ve never had a pair of pantyhose last me more than two or three wears. They ALWAYS get a run. Then, I tried these ones from Target that totally took me by surprise. I’ve worn them several times, they’ve survived the washing machine and they’re still going strong. They even got a tiny, tiny snag from my bracelet, but even that didn’t cause a run. Anyway, I just had to share. Have you tried these? They’re the ASSETS brand by the maker of SPANX. I think $16 is a steal.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is another product that I heard about from Lisa Eldridge on YouTube. She uses the liquid version in a lot of her videos either as a base or to mix with foundation. It comes in Pearl (white pearl), Moonstone (pale gold), Opal (golden opal pearl) and Topaz (golden bronze pearl) and it’s gorgeous. The Becca line only recently became available at Sephora (It’s a British brand,) and it’s not carried at my local Sephora, so all I had to go off of were Lisa’s recommendation and the photos on Sephora.com. Lisa usually used the pearl shade a lot so I ordered that one online.
Pearl has been great for either mixing with my Make Up For Ever HD Foundation or applying to my cheekbones. When you mix this product with your foundation, it gives the most beautiful, dewy finish. I loved doing that for days in the winter when my skin was looking dull/dry but usually I prefer to just dab a little on my cheeks instead of my entire face. It has SPF 25 and there’s something about the subtle sunscreen smell of this product that I love. I wouldn’t recommend mixing with foundation if you have oily skin, as it can make it too dewy. This is one of the reasons why I also wanted to get the pressed version.
Since I couldn’t see the shades in the store, I was going back and forth and couldn’t decide whether to get Opal or Moonstone. I wanted a pretty gold shimmer, so I chose Opal. When it arrived, I was not in love. In the packaging, it almost looks like a rose gold. I had a limited edition bareMinerals “all over color” that I wanted this product to mimic, but it was slightly off. I decided I’d send it back and ordered the Moonstone. Then, while I was waiting for the new shade to arrive, this one sat on my vanity so I tried it out and really liked it. Moonstone definitely more of what I was looking for, but I like Opal now too. It’s so hard to tell from the photos on Sephora’s website, and I couldn’t find any reviews or swatches. Moonstone is more of a true highlighter that I like to use on my cheekbones, down my nose and on my cupid’s bow.
I know it’s a little bit hard to tell from the photo, but Pearl is the top swatch, then Moonstone and Opal is on the bottom. Opal grew on me and I ended up keeping both.
Photos by Lauren Campbell.
Read MoreI’m gaga over this Nili Lotan Pullover I saw on Gal Meets Glam. It looks so soft and perfect!
Update: I found a look-a-like at Forver21! It’s more of a waffle knit, but it’s still super soft and gives the same affect.
I also loved this short-sleeved version:
I have always loved using face masks. You feel like you’re doing something fun to treat yourself AND you also get instant, dramatic results that you can’t with your regular daily products. Most of the masks I use are for exfoliating, since I don’t use any products in my daily routine that do that.
Photo by Lauren Campbell. (Thanks, Lauren!)
Photo by Lauren Campbell.
I heard about Demalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant from Lisa Eldrige on YouTube (love her.) It exfoliates with lactic acid, so it’s creamy and smooth rather than gritty. It’s super gentle and great for if your skin is feeling sensitive/breaking out or a little dry, but you still want to slush of some dead skin on the surface. I apply it to my dry face, usually right after a shower, and leave it on for 20 minutes. This one has the least dramatic results of all the masks in this post, but I like to have it because it’s so gentle.
The Resurface Microdelivery Dual-Phase Peel from Philosophy is great. I don’t use it super often because it’s two steps and I need to bring my iPhone into the bathroom to time it. The first step is a really gritty scrub that smells like oranges. It says not to “scrub” but I totally scrub. The second is a liquid that you place on top of the scrub. It’s supposed to foam up, but that doesn’t usually happen for me. I leave that liquid on for a minute. After I’m finished, my face is a little red but super soft – definitely awesome results. I picked this up for 40% off at a local boutique called LeVisage but they also carry it at Sephora and Ulta. It’s pricey but it’s lasted me a long time.
The Boscia Intensifying Moisture Pack + is a moisturizer and a mask. This stuff is perfect for when you’re SUPER dry. I’ll get dry around my eyebrows, the sides of my nose and around my mouth. So, I layer this on pretty thick over night on top of my regular moisturizer. I also like to use this after with the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant so it soaks in. You can wipe it off, but I usually leave it on. I wouldn’t recommend using this before you use your makeup unless it’s just a small area that’s super dry because it might make your foundation slide off. This is a really thick gel with a strong scent. I love it but I can definitely see how it could be polarizing. This is definitely one of my stand-by products. I’ve repurchased it about three times.
The Glam Glow YouthMud Tinglexfoliant Treatment is my favorite. Everyone has been talking about this one, and I see why. I LOVE using this. It makes my skin super soft and it smells awesome. It’s dark gray, a little gritty and has flakes of something (seaweed?). I layer it all over my face, wait until it dries and then scrub it with wet hands for about 30-45 seconds before I rinse off. I get blackheads and not-so-smooth skin around my nose, so I focus extra attention there and this stuff takes care of it. I use this mask the most frequently of all these mentioned because I like it so much. I purchased it from the Glam Glow website on sale and it’s a special Breast Cancer Awareness version (pink packaging.) It’s also carried at Sephora. This is one of those “it” products right now, so Sephora.com is always offering samples, and they have a smaller $19 size online. Those are two options for trying it before investing in the $69 jar. When this runs out I’ll definitely be repurchasing.
I posted about the REN Glycolic Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask a little while ago when I picked it up in this kit from Sephora. I had sampled this before and really liked it. It’s a little bit similar to the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant in how it works but the texture is slightly different. The smell and color are similar to Step 1 of the Microdelivery Peel. But, instead of a scrub, it exfoliates with acid. I’d say this is my favorite skincare line and this is a great mask.
I’m so excited to try the Ole Henriksen Power Peel Professional Spa Grade Kit. I saw one of my favorite people. Hannah, using it and I had to pick one up. I love that you can buy a mini pack of two treatments for $16. This one has three steps – an almond polish, lemon strip and chamomile comfort. Sounds luxurious. I think it’ll be most similar to the Microdelivery Peel but we’ll see! I’ll let you know how this one goes!
What are your favorite masks?
This Vince blouse is gorgeous. The color is so awesome – the prettiest light blue. I saw it in the store and I keep checking Nordstrom.com to see if it’s gone on sale. Fingers crossed!
