Welcome to my blog! I’m Nikki, a Military Spouse and former buyer turned beauty blogger. The military lifestyle demands flexibility and as someone who avoids change, I needed something that could travel with me anywhere. This site gives me a little space in this world that I never have to give up because it can move with me. I wouldn’t change who I am as a person, but I tend to spend much of my time focused on others, and what time is left often goes to taking care of basic needs. I don’t think this is unique, but it does mean I have to put in extra effort to have fun and do things for myself. With that in mind, you can expect to find a lot of makeup (which I find the most exciting) with some advice, and hopefully, some lifestyle content to come in the future.
For some more context on my background, I have a long history in retail both as a cashier and as a store manager; I’ve operated my own small business selling makeup bags and brush rolls; and I’m an experienced government buyer (sometimes called a contract specialist or purchasing agent). So while I’ve never worked for a beauty brand, I do have a strong understanding of retail, logistics, and supply chain operations. My point in telling you this is that throughout my reviews and commentary, I’m considering not just the consumer perspective, but also attempting to consider what may be happening behind the scenes of these brands.
Although my posts are guided by what I find the most interesting, my aim is always to be helpful. I’m here to give you the information you need to spend your money wisely. I hope you’ll consider signing up to follow me either through WordPress or by email. You can find the follow me form on the sidebar or if you are on mobile, it is at the bottom of the page. Thanks for reading!
For makeup reference, my best shade matches are Estee Lauder Double Wear 4W4 Hazel, MAC Studio Fix Fluid C8, and NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Tahoe (I’m wearing this in the above photo). I also want to point out that C8 is deeper than my actual skin tone but because the undertone matches so well it isn’t obvious. So if you are darker than me, you may still be able to use C8. You can see me wearing Estee Lauder 4W4 and MAC C8 by clicking this link. I have a warm olive, medium-deep skin tone (sometimes medium or tan depending on the shade range). Some other foundation shades that can work for me are L’oreal W7, Maybelline 332 Golden Caramel, Lancome 435 Bisque W, Estee Lauder 5W1 Bronze, Estee Lauder 5W2 Rich Caramel, Clinique WN 82 Latte, Clinique WN98 Cream Caramel, NARS Moorea, NARS Syracuse, and ABH 365C.
I’m 40 and my skin type is dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone. I Prefer medium coverage but appreciate it when products are buildable to full coverage. Despite having dry skin, I don’t like products that remain feeling tacky on the skin. Since I have some texture issues I prefer satin, natural matte, and matte finishes.
When using my swatches for guidance please keep in mind that lighting, as well as differences in monitors/phone screens/tablet screens, may alter the way a product looks. Nothing looks the same in a picture as it does in person, so I encourage you to go to the store when possible and take a look at things for yourself.
Recognize me or my swatches? You aren’t going crazy, I do also own the website SensitiveBeautyBlog.com, but it is no longer being updated.
If you are new here, this page will get you started.
Disclaimer:
Unless otherwise stated, I purchased all products featured with my own money. If you’d like to support this blog you can use my affiliate links to do your shopping. When you make a purchase after clicking on one of my image links or links marked with asterisks (**), I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you). This site also participates in the WordAds program, receiving a minimal commission from displayed ads. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
Shop with me:
The stores that I have affiliate links for are listed on my shop with me page. When you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Thanks for your support!
Ways to get in touch with me:
- Leave a comment at the bottom of any of my blog posts
- Have other questions or concerns that you’d like to keep private? You can email me at editor.nikkifromhr@gmail.com
Nikki From HR 