Tag: smashbox

Beauty

Best Makeup Products of 2022

by Nikki2 Comments on Best Makeup Products of 2022

I hope you enjoyed the holidays. It has been busy and a little crazy moving so close to Christmas, but I’ve survived so far 😅. We stopped on the way to our new home to enjoy the holiday with family and that has been a welcome break.

So anyway, I wanted to share some of the best products that I tested this year. These items aren’t favorites of mine but I can still appreciate them for how well they perform. For more stand-out products, check out my recent post on the Most Surprising Products of 2022. Let’s get into it.

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

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Quad, $53**

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Quad Swatches and Review
Pillow Talk Dreams Luxury Palette

The Pillow Talk Dreams Luxury Palette is a great option for anyone that likes to keep things simple especially if you have a medium to dark skin tone. Those with lighter skin tones can still use this quad, however, all of the shades being mid-tones and darker keep it from offering as much versatility. That is just my opinion, of course, so don’t let me discourage you if you feel that I’m off base with that assessment.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Quad Swatches on Medium Dark Skin
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Quad

All of the shades are nicely pigmented and although the shimmers offer a nice amount of shine, they are forgiving to eyelid texture. One thing that may be important for some of you is that the mattes in this quad do darken when they are applied over anything that may still be wet. If you want to see how dark they get, check out my full review post by clicking here. So if you use a cream base or concealer, the matte shades will look darker. You can also check out that same review if you want more details on this quad.

Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer, $41**

MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body C5, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer 5W2, and Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer Medium Tan Swatches

When I wear the Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer I feel like I’m having a good skin day. Even on my driest days, it makes my skin feel moisturized and it wears comfortably all day. One caveat is that it isn’t as forgiving to eczema texture as something like the MAC Face and Body is, but honestly, that is a lot to ask of a product. It’s a dewy finish that can benefit from a little powder if you don’t like a tacky feeling on your skin.

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Sales

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Starts Sunday (Feat. Smashbox x Becca Champagne Pop Swatch)

by Nikki4 Comments on Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Starts Sunday (Feat. Smashbox x Becca Champagne Pop Swatch)

The sale runs from August 28 to September 17, 2022. If you are a regular Ulta shopper then you likely already knew 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 there are different deals happening for that day only (ending at 11:59 pm CT). Certain deals are online only so make sure to pay attention if you prefer to shop in-store. If you have the ability to purchase in-store, that is really the best way to do it. 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 cart to get free shipping. The free shipping threshold for Ulta online is $35, but if you are a diamond or platinum Ultamate Rewards member you will qualify for free shipping on any of the beauty steals.

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

Click here to see the listing of every product featured in the sale.**

Continue reading “Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Starts Sunday (Feat. Smashbox x Becca Champagne Pop Swatch)” →
Beauty, Sales

40% Off Smashbox Cali Contour Palette (Product Update and Smashbox Bestsellers Sale)

by Nikki5 Comments on 405 Off Smashbox Cali Contour Palette (Product Update and Smashbox Bestsellers Sale)

The Smashbox website is currently having a sale for UP TO 50% off Bestsellers and the Cali Contour Palette is one of the featured items. I reviewed this palette back in May of 2021 and while I still think that it would be best for normal, combination, and oily skin types, I figured that this was an excellent occasion to share how I get it to work for my dry skin. I can use the top right and top left shade on my dry skin throughout the year without any issues. However, the yellow setting powder, two highlighters, and the bottom right bronzer shade are the ones that give some trouble.

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

Offer valid until 8/23/2022 at 11:59pm ET at smashbox.com while supplies last. No code needed.**

It’s really not difficult to work with if you have dry skin, it is just that, in my opinion, these powders need to absorb some moisture to look their best. I find that when worn over dewy foundations (the more moisture the better), they melt into the skin and do not appear dry. When I wear some of the powders in this palette with my top foundations (Estee Lauder Double Wear, NARS Natural Radiant Longwear) they can look dry and powdery. However, over dewy bases like the Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer and the Urban Decay Hydromaniac, they melt into my skin nicely with no dryness.

Smashbox Cali Contour Medium-Dark (Deep) Palette swatches Medium dark skin
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Commentary

On Wednesdays We Window Shop (August 3, 2022)

by Nikki3 Comments on On Wednesdays We Window Shop (August 3, 2022)
Ulta Forever Fabulous Sale August 3 -4, 2022 plus my thoughts on new beauty releases: MAC Powder Kiss Velvet Blur Slim Stick, Smashbox Halo Cream Cheek Lip Tint, Benefit Gimmer Brow Volumizing Fiber Eyebrow Pencil.

If you follow the beauty industry closely, then you know that new releases are happening all the time.  So let’s discuss what new products are on my radar right now.

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

Mac Powder Kiss Velvet Blur Slim Stick, $27.00**: To me, this formula from MAC sounds a lot like the Powder Kiss bullet lipsticks that they already have. The promo images for the Slim Stick do look a little less matte than the promo images for the bullet lipstick, but they are both described as a weightless moisture-matte. So I guess the big difference between the two other than shape and size is the 12-hour wear claim on the Powder Kiss Velvet Blur Slim Stick. You know I love MAC, so I am always excited about new releases, but I do not like the blurred lip look on myself. I also wasn’t crazy about the scent and taste of the original Powder Kiss lipsticks, so I won’t be trying these out.

Smashbox Halo Cream Cheek + Lip Tint, $28.00**: If you’ve been around you probably know that I don’t like liquid products, but this new release from Smashbox has me excited for the brand. Smashbox doesn’t get much hype but to me, they are a solid brand. So I think it is exciting to see them release a product that is more on trend. I personally love that the shade range sits on the deeper end of the blush spectrum and that the shades seem saturated. It can be hard to find these types of shades on the market. I do think the shade range is missing some lighter shades but the brand does say it is sheer to medium coverage so maybe there’s some wiggle room.

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Beauty, MAC Cosmetics

Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)

by Nikki2 Comments on Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)
MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body C5, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer 5W2, and Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer Medium Tan Swatches (Skin Tints)

Now that summer is underway, many of you might be looking to lighten up your makeup so it feels like a good time to talk tinted moisturizers. Whether you are looking for something with less coverage than normal or something that just feels lighter on the skin, there is a product here that would work for you. I’ll be talking you through my experiences with Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation (C5), Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer Long-Wear Makeup SPF 19 (5W2 Rich Caramel), and Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25 (medium tan). For context, I have dry, eczema-prone skin so hydration is a huge plus for me as well as how complexion products sit on top of texture/dry patches. For shade reference, two of my best matches are Estee Lauder Double Wear 4W4 Hazel and MAC Studio Fix Fluid C8 and you can see me wearing them by clicking here.

Continue reading “Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for Dry Skin (Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Sheer, and Mac Studio Radiance Face and Body)” →
Beauty

If I Could Only Keep One Tag/Shop My Stash

by Nikki2 Comments on If I Could Only Keep One Tag/Shop My Stash
MAC Eyeshadows (What Clout, Couture Copper Dazzle Shadow Extreme, Cranberry, Swiss Chocolate), NARS Savage Blush, NARS Punta Cana Bronzer, Dior Skin Correct Concealer 4WO, Estee Lauder 4W4 Hazel, Chanel Antoinette, Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer, Sonia G Soft Cheek, Smashbox Blurring Foundation Brush, Sigma F79

I’ve wanted to do this for a while, but I always took it way too seriously and got overwhelmed 😂. I’ve been spending the last few weeks shopping my stash and getting reacquainted with a lot of my things and suddenly I felt like I could probably do it. It’s only hypothetical after all. This tag pops up ever so often, but I believe it was initially started in 2018 by Kelly Gooch on YouTube. As Kelly points out in her video, the interesting thing about doing this is that it narrows things down and not necessarily to your favorite products. If I had to just use one product every day (and of course, I want a cohesive look), it really did change the products that I initially would have picked. So let’s see what made the cut.

Continue reading “If I Could Only Keep One Tag/Shop My Stash” →