Author: Nikki

The Wanderlust list is about pausing before buying something new to see if you have a product that already fits that “need.” If you like this style of content, you can check out my other versions of the Wanderlust List below:

• The Wanderlust List #1 (Natasha Denona Bronze Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #2 (Uoma Black Magic Poise Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #3 (Becca Light Shifter Veil Finishing Powder)
• The Wanderlust List #4 (Sonia G Cheek Pro Brush)
• The Wanderlust List #5 (Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick)

When I saw that this highlighter was being released, I got very excited because I liked the shade range, and it was fragrance-free. It is very uncommon for luxury makeup to be fragrance-free. I have sensitive skin and a sensitive nose, and it doesn’t take much to aggravate my allergies, so I avoid fragrance as much as possible. But as you know from the title and intro, this post is about not buying the new item I coveted. Today’s version of the Wanderlust List is a little different than older ones because I had every intention of purchasing the Gucci Glow Powder Gel Highlighter in the shade 03 Warm Gold, but I changed my mind once I saw it in the store. I love how Gucci’s packaging looks in photos, but when I physically pick it up in my hands, I’m always a little disappointed that it isn’t heavier. This highlighter is $59, so I want to be happy with every aspect of it.

Keep in mind that this is only my opinion. Tastes and preferences are very subjective and don’t always stay consistent from product to product. If you already like the Gucci Packaging, I don’t think you’ll have any issues with this highlighter’s packaging. It is not cheaply made; it looks pretty, and I didn’t notice any quality issues with any of the testers in the store. I just, personally, wish it was heavy like Westman Atelier packaging. If that extra weight doesn’t make a difference to you, then this could still be worth checking out.

While I was at Sephora this past weekend, I swatched 3 shades (03 Warm Gold, 04 Opal Pink, 05 Warm Bronze). I’ll show you those first and then wrap up with my thoughts on the formula.

The Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation is another NARS product that I wanted to share my thoughts on since there is still time left to shop their summer sale. On their website, you can get 20% off by using the promo code SUMMER. The sale ends at 3AM EST tomorrow (September 14, 2024). I know this is an older foundation to post a review for, but that’s kind of my thing lol. With how fast beauty releases move, it does seem old. However, it’ll only be 3 years old next year. It was released in January of 2022. 🙂

I briefly discussed this foundation in my Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Skin Perfecting Foundation review. So you may already know that while the two foundations aren’t dupes, they are both glowy skincare-heavy foundations. I don’t think I remembered to mention it in the Patrick Ta review, but I do still prefer satin and matte finish foundations. So, while I can appreciate the formula of this foundation (and the Patrkc Ta), it isn’t my first choice for formula. Getting back to the current review, the NARS Light Reflecting foundation provides medium coverage, blurs minor blemishes and redness, and wears incredibly well for a glowy formula. I’m over 40 and have dry, eczema-prone skin, so keep that in mind as you read my thoughts.

The NARS Light Reflecting Eye Brightener is one of the brand’s newer products. I figured I’d finally post my thoughts on it since they have a sale going on right now. You can get 20% off by using the promo code SUMMER on their website. The sale ends at 3AM EST on September 14, 2024. [Update September 13, 2024: If you are also curious about the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, click here to read my review of the shades Syracuse and Tahoe in that formula.]

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**The NARS Eye Brightener retails for $34 and is only available in 6 shades. It would be amazing if they expanded the shade range in the future. I bought the shade Magic Hour, which is the fourth darkest shade and is described as medium-deep. It was hard to decide on a shade because the next shade down (impossible dream -medium) was a better depth for me but showed up way too pink against my olive undertone. Magic Hour is a little too dark and orange for my skin tone (NARS Tahoe, Estee Lauder 4W4), but I thought that made more sense than something looking so pink. It would work more effectively for me if the shade was a little lighter. When used as a corrector before concealer, it is too dark and deepens the color of my concealers. I also can’t use it as an all-over brightener for the same reason. I was, however, able to test it with concealers that are lighter than my skin tone to get to know the formula.

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The brand-new **Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation from Patrick Ta has many people up in arms. There are many complaints about how glowy it is and that it doesn’t look good on textured skin. I have to say, based on the name alone, I feel it should have been obvious that you are in for a lot of glow. On the other hand, I get that several people review new releases even if they aren’t suited to their preferences. So, I think this foundation is getting somewhat of a bad reputation, but it delivers on what the brand claims. Before we get into some pictures of what it looks like on my dry, eczema-prone, 41-year-old skin, I want to also point out that this is ideal for dry, combo, and normal skin types (according to the brand and Sephora websites). So, if you have oily skin, this might be something you want to pass on by.

Another big complaint has been the price, which is $58 for the standard 1oz size for foundations. I can’t tell you if it’s “worth” $58; that is a personal decision, but I can tell you that the packaging is very luxe. It is a heavy glass bottle with a pump and a metal plate displaying the logo and name. It feels more expensive than his **$52 Creme Foundation and Finishing Powder Duo, and more importantly, I think it is a good formula (especially for my dry skin type). Would it possibly have made more sense to people if this had been priced closer to his previous foundation? Yes, I think so.

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

Lancome claims the **Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer ($31) is a crease-resistant, natural matte finish, full coverage concealer with up to 24 hours of hydration. The website also lists some additional benefits, such as sweat resistance, ultra-blendable, comfortable wear, suitability for sensitive skin, and the fact that it doesn’t cling to dry spots. As with many brand claims, they are promising a lot, and I’m shocked to tell you that several of these claims are true for me. I disagree that it provides full coverage, and for my personal facial features, it is only crease-resistant when used for spot concealing. As I mentioned in my concealer ranking, I have chubby cheeks, and when I smile, a lot of crinkling happens around my eyes. That causes me to work a little harder to keep concealers from creasing in the eye area. So, anyway, I need to pair this formula with powder to prevent creasing under my eyes, which is typical for me. However, it wears well without powder when applied to the face to cover dark spots. When I wore it without powder on the under-eye area, it was easy to re-blend with a brush or my fingers, and it looked good. This, however, causes a loss in coverage throughout the day.

Getting back to the coverage. If you have intense darkness, medium is the best you will get from this concealer. It does have a slight blurring effect due to the matte finish, which can make it appear to have higher coverage. However, if you tend to use color correctors, I don’t think you’ll experience this as full coverage, either. I do think it will be buildable to full coverage for some people, but since they are claiming full coverage, I have to disagree. This formula builds on itself well for me, but I’d still call it a medium coverage concealer.

This year’s Fall 21 Days of Beauty starts today (August 30, 2024) and runs through September 19, 2024. If you are a regular Ulta shopper, you likely already know about this. For those of you not familiar with this sale, during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty, you can get select high-end beauty products for 50% off. It can be a great time to restock your staple products or maybe try something new. Each day, different deals happen for that day only (ending at 11:59 pm CT). Certain deals are online only so be sure to pay attention if you prefer to shop in-store. If you can purchase in-store, that is really the best way to do it, in my opinion. Then, you can just buy the one item you want on the day it is available, and you can avoid the temptation to add things to your online cart that weren’t on your radar before. The free shipping threshold for Ulta online is $35, but in the past, diamond and platinum Ultamate Rewards members qualified for free shipping on any of the beauty steals.

I’m only talking about the deals on products I have experience with, but there are many more offers than I have here. So check the Ulta website to see everything.

• Wednesday, September 4 – Bobbi Brown Powder Blush $18 (regular price $36): I’ve reviewed and swatched the shades Sand Pink and Gallery. Long story short, this is a nice talc-free blush formula with a good shade selection.

• Friday, September 6 – bareMinerals BAREPRO Powder Foundation $21 (regular price $42): I’ve reviewed and swatched the shade Medium 35 Warm, but the shade Medium Deep 40 Warm is a better shade match for my NARS Tahoe skin tone. Medium 35 Warm is ok for a winter shade, but Medium Deep 40 Warm works for more of the year. Although it feels comfortable to wear, this formula looks too dry and textured on me. Despite this, I would recommend it for normal and oily skin types, but I will warn you, it is messy. There is a lot of powder kick-up, regardless of the kind of brush I use. There is less mess if you use the included sponge, but in my opinion, a brush gives a better finish. There are also a lot of reviews saying the powder is fragile and shatters easily, but I have not personally had that issue. I have traveled with this powder, but it was a road trip both times, so I’m not sure how it would go if you were flying and your luggage was thrown around.

• Saturday, September 7 – Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation $26.00 (regular price $52): I already have a full review and swatches of the shades 5W1 Bronze, 5W1.5 Cinnamon, and 5W2 Rich Caramel if you want the full rundown of this foundation from skin prep to removal. That review also has a picture of me wearing shade 4W4 Hazel, which became my preferred shade after the brand expanded its shade range some years back. This formula is still a beautiful matte medium (buildable to full) coverage foundation. My dry skin needs extra prep to wear it, but the longevity and transfer resistance is still unmatched.

Welcome back! 🙂 I know it’s been a while, and I expect it to take some time to get back into the swing of things, but regardless, I’m back at it. So, let’s just jump back in with some new talc-free formulas from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.

I believe this new formula from Bobbi Brown was released at the beginning of 2024. I purchased mine in April 2024 and think they had already been out for a few months by then. The old formulation contained both talc and lanolin, and both have been removed, so this will be a welcome change for some people. On the other hand, the new talc-free formula now contains coconut oil, which will be an issue for those needing to avoid coconut products.