Hey there, loves! First and foremost, thank you so much for those of you who joined me during last night’s IG Live. I seriously had so much fun, although the experience was one that was a little tough to get used to at first so I appreciate y’all being so interactive and dismissing any and all awkward pauses hahah! I hope y’all enjoyed it, as well!
The topic of last night’s IG Live was the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale beauty products. If you missed the live, or if you caught it but need a reminder about a product, I thought it’d be helpful to summarize my thoughts on the items I wanted to try out at home. I realize that this many products is not realistic for most people, which is the whole point. I want to make shopping this sale EASY and, while I can’t buy it all, I want you to know whether or not something is ACTUALLY worth the money you’re spending. We all know that sometimes the quality aspect isn’t present in sale items so let me be the guinea pig and let ya know what the hits and misses are!
Now, remember … my opinions are NOT the end all be all. What works, color wise, for me might not work for you and vice versa so don’t take my opinion as truth! I am also going to be sharing my thoughts on the items included in the sale that I have used for some time now and personally love! Overall, I hope this post is useful!
Here we go!
BOBBI BROWN EYE & CHEEK PALETTE – I have a few highlighters that I love by Bobbi Brown but none of her blushes or eyeshadows so I was curious about whether or not I would like them. Who doesn’t love to discover new beauty products that you ‘can’t live without’, right? So, I got this palette being that it’s one of the best beauty deals included in the sale and I can try her eyeshadows AND blushes in one go! EYESHADOW PALETTE: The eyeshadow color options included in the palette are versatile and perfect for neutral lovers, like myself. However, I did feel like her sparkle shadows lack the pigment that her matte and shimmer colors definitely possess. With that said, there are only two sparkle shadows and ten matte & shimmer colors so that’s a plus. I would say her shimmer colors aren’t overwhelming, so don’t think you’ll be a shimmery mess when you opt for those. CHEEK PALETTE: The two blush options are absolutely beautiful. One is pink and the other is a peachy pink color. They both have strong pigments so you don’t need to pick up a lot of product on your brush which, in turn, means that these will last you a long time. In addition, the highlight and bronzer both consist of pigments that are complimentary to most skin tones. • PRO: Great for travelers who want to minimize the number of items in their bags; amazing price point considering the value within the palette; long-lasting due to strong pigments in the eyeshadows and blush • CON: A bit heavy
SALE PRICE: $98 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $365 [value] • VERDICT: BUY
T3 FEATHERWEIGHT 2 HAIR DRYER – Some of y’all may know my extreme distaste for washing and drying my hair, which is why I typically only opt to go through the process once a week. Yes, that’s right. And, if there’s anything that has made the process even just a little less gear-grinding … it’s been this hairdryer. It dries my hair so fast. Considering this product is normally $200, I would definitely take advantage of the almost $75 discount being that you’ll use it two to three times a week – being that most girls wash their hair MUCH more than I do, hah!
SALE PRICE: $134 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $200 • VERDICT: BUY
NARS ‘ANGEL PRIDE’ CHEEK PALETTE – Ever since I started shopping the sale a few years ago, I have always purchased the NARS cheek palette and, I have to happily report that they have never disappointed. Every year, the formula of the product is the same as an individual blush or bronzer and around the same size. Therefore, I feel like this is one of the best values out of all of the items that I purchased. I definitely intend to use mine us as I have for the past couple of years. I love the colors they incorporated into it this year, especially the peachy color.
SALE PRICE: $59 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $175 • VERDICT: BUY
CLINIQUE THIRST QUENCHERS SET – So, I bought this while I was in the airport a couple of months ago prior to an international flight. I knew my skin was so dry and that the flight would only make it worse. I ALWAYS bring moisturizer with me in one of my pouches [read more about what I bring on international flights HERE] but, this time, I didn’t pack mine for whatever reason. I grabbed the Moisture Surge Thirst Relief and y’all …. that perked my skin RIGHT up. The consistency is a thick and creamy and, over time, it seeps into your pores to plump and rehydrate your skin. I cannot recommend this product set enough!
SALE PRICE: $99 • ORIGINAL PRICE: [SET IS EXCLUSIVE TO SALE] • VERDICT: BUY
SIGMA BEAUTY INNOVATION DUO – A couple of years ago I started using the Sigma Beauty Cleaning Pad to clean my makeup brushes and I cannot tell you how happy I am with it. It really gets the job done. [I use Dawn Dish Soap, though, to clean mine] And, I’ve never met a Sigma Beauty brush I didn’t like so, while I don’t have the brush included in this years kit, I can imagine it’s pretty amazing for applying your foundation. Highly, highly recommend this! We all need to be cleaning our brushes more than we do. Lord knows how much bacteria we put our face every day from not being good about cleaning them!
SALE PRICE: $35 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $50 • VERDICT: BUY
NARS VELVET MATTE LIPSTICK PENCIL SET – This pencil set is another PASS in my book. I found the colors to not be as pigmented as I’d hoped they would be. They’re also not as matte as it seems like they should be nor do they offer long-lasting wear.
SALE PRICE: $59 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $110 • VERDICT: PASS
VERSACE FRAGRANCE SET – This has been my absolute favorite perfume … ever!I’m really sensitive to perfume and this is one of three perfumes that do not give me a headache in the slightest. [The other two are Viktor & Rolf ‘Flowerbomb’ and YSL ‘Mon Paris’ ] The kit included in the sale is currently sold out but, if you love this scent, like I do, write it down on your list of items to check and see if they were restocked tomorrow. You will get a 3 oz. bottle and a travel size 1.0 travel bottle, as well. I didn’t buy this this year because I currently have PLENTY and don’t have the need for more but wanted to share this with y’all as a favorite beauty buy from the sale!
SALE PRICE: $99 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $160 value
PHYTOPHANERE SUPPLEMENT FOR HAIR AND NAILS – I’m excited to try these! They’re daily vitamins full of essential nutrients that will promote nail and hair growth. What girl does not want that? I will be to let you know how well they are working as the weeks go by! I’m sorry I can’t say for sure if this product is going to work, and essentially if this is a good deal or not, but I did have some girls that joined in the IG Live last night say they take them and that they work!
SALE PRICE: $60 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $120 • VERDICT: BUY IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET FOR THEM
BOBBI BROWN NUDE LIP TRIO – The quality of each of these lip products are STELLAR. The consistency of the product is creamy and goes on so smooth. Both lip colors can be worn together or separate and give your lips a semi-matte finish. While I love that about these products, I personally didn’t love the colors in the kit on me. I do, however, love the Beige lip liner and am positive I’ll get quite a bit of use out of it.
SALE PRICE: $50 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $83 • VERDICT: PASS
NEULASH LASH ENHANCING SERUM DUO – This product really does what it says it will do for you. It promotes lash growth and fullness. Simply apply consistently each night along your lash line. You should definitely take advantage of this amazing deal. You will be getting the travel size bottle for free, essentially, which is half the size of the full-size bottle. The full-size bottle lasts me about 6 months if I apply it 5 nights a week, so your money really does go a long way!
SALE PRICE: $150 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $245 • VERDICT: BUY IF YOU DON’T HAVE EYELASH EXTENSIONS
ORIBE ‘GOLD LUST’ SET – I use all three of these products in my hair care routine. They full size products are pretty pricey so if you’ve been wanting to test them out for yourself, now is the time! Personally, the shampoo and conditioner leaves my hair feeling so soft and the appearance shiny. It makes my color extra vibrant, as well. The texturizing spray has been a staple of mine for a couple of years now. It smells so yummy and thickens up my fine hair! Love it!
SALE PRICE: $39 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $57 • VERDICT: BUY
LAURA GELLER BEAUTY ‘IT’S GLOW TIME’ HIGHLIGHTING COLLECTION – I actually haven’t received this in the mail yet so my review is TBD but I wanted to share this with y’all as one of the items I have purchased. Stay tuned for the review! I’ll do it on IG stories next week.
SALE PRICE: $32 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $84 • VERDICT: PENDING REVIEW
OUAI HAIR CARE KIT – So, I love this hair oil by Ouai but I haven’t tried the Beach Wave Spray but I was extremely unimpressed by their Foam Dry Shampoo when I tried it a few weeks ago. It does NOT eliminate oil and, actually, made my hair feel even dirtier and heavier than it did before. So, I thought I’d include this here to let you know this is a PASS in my book.
SALE PRICE: $26 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $38 • VERDICT: PASS
SMASHBOX ‘LIGHT YOUR LOOK’ KIT – Okay, so I love every product in this kit except for the mascara. However, I still feel like this isn’t a kit you necessarily NEED. I think the eyeshadow palette is the best because the colors are bomb, the quality of the eyeshadow formula is stellar and you get EIGHT colors in such a small, lightweight package. However, if you already have an eyeliner and mascara that you like … then, I’d likely spend my $49 somewhere else. Unfortunately, this combination of eyeshadows are not sold individually, like it was mentioned last night in the IG Live. Sorry guys! They have THESE but none of those are the one included in the kit. : That’s how they getcha, huh?
SALE PRICE: $49 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $94 • VERDICT: PASS
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS MINI LIP GLOSS SET – I absolutely love Anastasia Beverly Hills’ lip glosses. They’re creamy and moisturize your lips at the same time. I don’t typically say that about a lip gloss, but these definitely do. I love the variety of colors you get in this pack. I think most will work for most skin tones.
SALE PRICE: $28 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $42 • VERDICT: BUY
CLARISONIC ‘MIA FIT – PINK’ SKIN CLEANSING SYSTEM – I love my full-size Clarisonic. It deep cleans your skin when you’re doing your twice a day skin routine. I bought this pink Mia Fit this year because I never opt to bring my Clarisonic with me when I travel because it’s too big. This mini one does the same thing but it’s more compact and perfect for travel, which I’ve been doing a lot of lately. If you’re like me, I’d recommend taking advantage of the savings because, we all know Clarisonic’s aren’t cheap!
SALE PRICE: $146 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $219 • VERDICT: BUY IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET
MAC ‘LOOK IN A BOX – NICE N’ SPICY’ LIP KIT – If I could only choose one lip kit, this one is it. The MAC Liquid Matte Lip Colors are actually what they say they are. They are liquid and they turn into a matte finish lip color. They’re not creamy. They feel dry like they’re not going anywhere and provide long-lasting color. That’s not something everyone likes but if I want a matte color, that’s what I want.
SALE PRICE: $36.50 • ORIGINAL PRICE: [SET IS EXCLUSIVE TO SALE] • VERDICT: BUY
BEACHWAVER PRO PROFESSIONAL ROTATING CURLING IRON – If you tuned in to IG Live last night you probably got a huge kick out of how I clearly had no idea what I was doing with this thing! I had no idea that this thing had an auto-rotating barrel to allow you to curl your hair with only one hand, which is impossible with a normal curling wand. After looking into this more, I guess this auto-rotate curling wand thing seems to be the latest and greatest in hair tool creation. As y’all could tell on IG Live, that figuring out how to use it is not for the faint of heart. I’m used to holding the curling wand I use now upside down and wrapping my hair around it, away from my face, with my free hand. You don’t have to hold this one upside. Actually, you’re supposed to hold it straight up with the clip facing away from you then clip the end of a small section of your hair in to the clip and press the GO button to make the barrel auto-rotate and curl your hair. The L and R buttons are for what side of your head your curling. Once you know all of these things, it’s super easy. Ha! I guess I should have watching a tutorial on this before I went to figure it out on my own BUT … oh well. So, anyway, once you get that down and get used to knowing where the GO button is … then, I’m certain you’d like it, as well. • PRO: You don’t have to use both arms to curl your hair like you do with most other curling wands; the 1.25 inch barrel creates the prettiest curls for long hair, in my opinion; there are multiple heat settings depending on your preference • CON: There’s a significant learning curve [at least there was for me] and I’m sure the ends of my hair paid a small price for that but hopefully you won’t have as much trouble since I just told you how to use it 😉
For those wondering, my heat setting in my IG stories today was at 430.
Once I get a little more experience and time with it, I’d be happy to do an YouTube video going over how to use it. Let me know!
SALE PRICE: $167 • ORIGINAL PRICE: $250 • VERDICT: BUY IF YOUR ARMS GET TIRED DOING IT WITH A NORMAL WAND
Alright, that about does it!! I hope this was helpful!! Be sure to stop by here tomorrow morning! I’ll have a full list of the popular items from Early Access that were restocked for Public Access as well as my favorites under $50 and under $100 for you guys! Have a great night! xo.
OH! My lip combo for today is …. THIS lip stick in Marrakech and THIS lip gloss inButterscotch
