Inquiring minds want to know! What shampoo, zit medicine, exfoliating face scrub, mask, liquid liner or eyeshadow has been making you swoon? Hair, makeup, skin care, perfume, you name it — please share. I want to hear the deets.
I’m always curious about the things my beauty buddies adore and recommend, so please don’t hoard this critical information! Share it with me! I want to know everything you’ve been into lately and why you love it.
Truth bomb — I’m partly motivated to ask this because I’ve got a Nordstrom birthday gift card burning a hole in my Kate Spade purse. 😁
Here are some of my beauty loves as of late, and if it feels like I talk about these things nonstop here…it’s almost certainly because I do, ha! (Sorry, not sorry.)
Things have changed a bit as I’ve scaled down my beauty collection over the past few months. Like, I’ve discovered that I’m straight-up happier with a smaller number of products I absolutely adore than I am with a larger collection of items I hardly ever wear. This has also changed the focus of my coverage here on MBB, for sure, so before I get into the lurvable products themselves, I just want to say thank you for sticking around. 😊
Anywho, my current (as of right at this precise moment) beauty loves! (Note: Subject to change in about 10 minutes.)
Honest Beauty Get It Together Palette
For now at least, this feels like the only palette I need! There’s a good variety of colors and finishes in it (mostly mattes and satins, with a few non-disco shimmers). It also includes all of the practical-slash-useful shades one needs to put the fine-tuned finishing touches on an eye look, like a matte bone (which I use as an all-over lid base in lieu of a separate primer) and a matte black (handy for lining or smoking out any of the colors). Quality-wise, the shadows blend well and don’t crease, so this is a winner, winner chicken dinner. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chantecaille Cheek Gelee and Radiance Gel Bronzer
So, it’s hot here right now, like it is throughout huge swaths of the Western United States, and the thought of wearing anything remotely powder based on my face…is very unappealing to me. I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing five pounds of product on my skin. Consequently, this gel blush and bronzer add casual, lightweight color and life to my cheeks while simultaneously not spotlighting ye olde pores, and they stay put even when I’m glistening with nature’s highlighter, a.k.a. when I’m sweating buckets. LOL!
Chanel Boy de Chanel Brow Pencil
This brow pencil is sold in Chanel’s makeup line marketed for guys, but don’t let that stop ya! It’s sweat-proof (YES) and perfectly pigmented. Yes, you can see it, but ooh — it looks so natural!
I rarely swoon over brow pencils, but this one will sweep even the most seasoned makeup lover off her feet, because it works so darn quickly. Figuratively, I can do my brows with a snap of my fingers! If El Hub ever asked me to buy him a brow pencil…I’d buy him this one, and then I’d keep it for myself. 😁
Can’t wait to hear about yours!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m the most boring with product recs. I will say that I’m so happy to be wearing tinted moisturizer/sunscreen and blush again. I look so much less like grim death with some color. 🙂 Still my old standby’s: Tarte BB cream and Chanel Malice.
Fun fact: my coworker’s daughter-in-law named her teacup Yorkie-poo “Chanel”. Adorable.
PS Have you watched the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix? I think you’d love the makeup and wardrobe. 🙂
Yeah, that Honest palette looks like the perfect work horse eyeshadow palette. I started another no-buy year, otherwise, I’d be popping over to the website and buying it!
I’m currently over the moon with the Typology Tinted Serum and Jones Road Beauty. I have the Miracle Eye Cream, Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose, Sparkle Wash in Cool Pink, Cool Gloss in Peony. If I run out of brow pencil within the year, I’ll probably try the Brow Pencil (because brow product is something I use everyday and will permit myself to replace it during the no-buy year). But I’ll have to wait until my next birthday to try the new Miracle Balm colors (like SUNKISSED!) because I’m SURE I will not run out of Dusty Rose before then!
I am in that “almost done with summer makeup” feeling. I am still loving my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Nude 2N1, The LM fusion blush in Strawberry and my Anastasia of BH Medium Brown Brow Wiz. Other than that, I am gearing up for Fall. I am interested in some longwear foundations with radiance since I feel like I am still going to wearing a mask for a while longer.
Be well.
I think I’m wearing the same old stuff on my face–Dior Face and Body, Becca First Light primer, a pink lip, Bobbi Brown pink blush, a spritz of charcoal makeup setting spray by Boscia to keep everything in place.
I am trying some new skincare. I got a 7 day trial of Tatcha Dewy Serum and now I’m in skin lust. I need to order a bottle. I bought the Tatcha Kissu lip mask and I love that too. It’s a thousand times more effective on my lips than the Laneige lip masks everyone seems to be nuts about.
And I got a tube of Summer Fridays R&R mask, which is another favorite. It’s good if you’re a bit dry and want to live in a bed of roses.
Also I finally got a gel manicure that didn’t suck. I rarely get a gel polish because the few times I have the light has made my nail beds hurt and the technician has been a bit sloppy leaving me with a mess that’s hard to remove. It will be six weeks on Friday since I got it. Their lights didn’t hurt and I got a woman named Scarlett who really knows what she’s doing. I chose a silver glitter because in my universe, silver glitter is a neutral. It’s grown out a bit at the cuticle of course but it just looks like I asked for ombre.
I love the Tatcha refining cream – just ordered the serum! Thanks!
Oh good! I bet you love it, I haven’t tried the refining cream yet—I’ll have to check it out. We’re all such enablers😂
I’m swooning over (and using lavishly) Le Lobe’s ‘Fleur D’Oranger’ fragrance – so fresh and divine!!
Also, too hot for foundation but I have too much redness so…I’m buffing on Dr Hauschka’s colour correcting powder palette with a big brush. You need to use quite a bit but it works and has the bonus of stopping you looking sweaty too!
What’s that pink leather look bag in the photo please?
Hi Sarah! It’s an old pink train case by Jouer that I got years ago!
I’m always intrigued by those Chantecaille Cheek Gelees but I’ve never tried anything from the brand. I’m also curious about the brush in your photo!
Lately I’ve been loving a few things from brands that are new to me.
1. Minori beauty cream blush. This is a new line that’s focused on minimal beauty. I’ve tried both shades (orchid and scarlet). And they are lovely! I do find I have to build them up for intensity but they blend like a dream. They are also not the most long lasting but that’s not a deal breaker for me.
2. Context skin nude lip balms. I read about this brand somewhere in a search for a new eye cream but instead these caught my eye. They are very comfortable and provide a nice wash of color. I got a mauve and a brown/peach. They are sheer but different enough from each other that I don’t regret getting both. I may go back for some of their skin care but I’m covered on that front for now.
I agree that minimal products in this heat are the way to go!
Hi Karen,
I have been loving the Bobbi Brown double ended cream eyeshadows that I picked up during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. It come with two separate dual ended sticks so you actually get four different cream eyeshadows.
I am really liking the three MAC lip kits that are also part of the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. One is nude or neutral, another is deep or berry coloured and one is bright colours led. If I had to pick one favourite I would go with the bright which is a gorgeous fuschia – I highly recommend this one – it is gorgeous.
And, lastly I have just been trying out the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer and even with my rosacea and intolerant skin that results it is a dream. I do have to add sunscreen underneath in cream form or a powder with SPF on top as here in Canada it does not contain any SPF (some products do not here but do in the US).
Thank you for the Honest Company review of the palette. Have you tried the mascara primer and mascara duo? I am considering that one too and before I order was hoping to hear your thoughts if you have tried it out!
Have a great Wednesday – Hump Day!!!
So glad you mentioned the Nordstrom sale-I ordered some boots for fall but keep forgetting to check out the beauty sale!
Current loves:
Revitalash lash serum–I feel like it makes my lashes longer, thereby lifting my eyes, thereby making my eyes look younger…maybe..I know I’m reaching. But nevertheless it does the trick and my lashes are longer and fuller.
Shiseido microliner–best tightlining thing I have ever tried with having to wear contact lenses
Nordstrom Anniversary sale did a Tom Ford travel trio of Soleil Blanc, Soleil Neige, and Soleil Brulant and I feel like I died and went to heaven with Blanc and Neige. The Brulant is spicy and heavy but will be really good in the winter.
That palette looks so good! Have been waiting for the Nordstrom Mascara Madness sale (which doesn’t seem to be happening.) Have been using/loving Hourglass caution extreme, and was going to get LM caviar, but decided to try minis of the Lancome Idole and Armani eyes to kill (meh.) Love the Idole, and Nordies had Lancome 25% off the other day, so I ordered a full size tube.
I’m currently living the Dior face and body foundation and the flower beauty jungle lights palette. That honest beauty palette looks so perfectly composed. Also I love the lip and cheek in your final picture in this post. What products did you use?
Hi Aditi! I have everything listed in this post. Feel free to ask me questions about any of the products.
I can see where that would be a great every day palette.
I’ve been obsessed with the Estee Lauder Limited Edition Rebellious Rose Blush. I even used Nordy Notes to buy a backup(!).
I’m really loving the Sydney Grace x Temptalia Palettes, especially On the Horizon (Light), and Kaleidos Flower Punk Palette. For lips, I’m liking the Moira Beauty Glow Getter Hydrating Lip Oils, ColourPop Lux Lip Oils, and Fenty Gloss Bombs. I’m loving Juvia’s Place Blushed Rose Palette as a cheek palette (it’s supposed to be an eye palette).
I can’t use chemical sunscreen on my face any more because of rosacea. I’ve been enjoying Supergoop mineral sunscreens this summer. I got the Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40, Mineral Sheerscreen SPF 30, and (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 35. All three have been working for me really well, and they’re all going to Oahu with me next month.
I love Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes and NARS powder blushes-both formulas are smooth and provide great color payoff without feeling heavy.
On the majorly bougie side of things, I don’t have it yet-last month I finally got brave enough to overcome the sticker shock and I’ll actually be buying it this month-but I’ve loved the color story of and been carefully eyeing the Natasha Denona Circo Loco palette ever since it came out in February.
I’m loving the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear brow gel in taupe. It comes in a port and I apply it with a spoolie, it looks really natural and holds my brows in place while adding a bit of color to my blond brows.
I also picked up the Clinique Pep Start facial sunscreen and it would definitely be a bit drying in winter, it’s perfect for right now, it has a nice texture and look.
Thanks for the Brow gel recommendation! I’ll give it a shot.
Carol
I’ve been married to the all mineral Mychelle Sun Shield Liquid SPF 50 (tinted) in light/medium shade sunscreen as foundation. It dries down rapidly and doesn’t feel heavy. It’s a new love.
As for fragrance, Garden Botanika’s Heart, which is fresh, cheerful and cheap. I can only find it on Amazon but it’s a rediscovered favorite and well-suited to the hot and humid climate of Florida.
Too many blushes and lippies to list :+)
Eyeliner, mascara and some brow gel and I’m ready to meet the world.
Getting some great recommendations from reading the comments – hooray!
I don’t have much new stuff to share, my makeup has been same same lately, with MAC Satin Taupe being my most worn eyeshadow. For hair I still love the Dyson Air Wrap, but for beauty I have been trying more Centella products lately and my skin feels so much calmer.