Lancôme 'Pure Focus' Pore Tightening Toner with Matifying Powders

I have always had a problem with large pores. No matter what facial cleanser I tried or what type of exfoliator I used, nothing really helped. I bought so many beauty products that claimed to be pore tightening (drugstore & department store brands) but I never noticed a difference.

I have been wanting to try a new toner lately (I was using Clinique for a while). Nothing was wrong with my Clinique toner but I get bored with products - even if I like something. Plus, the Clinique toner didn't seem to do anything amazing - it just tingled when I would use it but I didn't notice much else. So, I have been looking for a new toner for a while and came across Pure Focus from Lancome.

I really like how Lancome described this toner - skin purifying, pore tightening & matifying to help shine disappear for fresh matte skin. The matifying part really sounded great because on top of having large pores, I have oily skin -especially on my t-zone, so I bought it.

Well, I have been using this toner for about a week and I am shocked that my pores actually look tighter already!!! I am so happy - it also keeps by face looking less oily. To me, when your pores look smaller, you look a little younger. I absolutely love this toner! Another bonus is that it isn't too expensive - $24.00 If you have a problem with large pores & oily skin, you should definitely try this one - I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Plus, if you buy Lancome from Nordstrom & spend $50, you get a beautiful eyeshadow compact (pictured below & ONLINE ONLY). So, if you're looking for a new toner or just want to try this fabulous toner, order it from Nordstrom online and get a great gift as well. I was searching all of the department stores to buy my toner from and maybe get a gift with purchase, but nobody is giving any gifts lately - not sure why.

NEW Covergirl Smoky ShadowBlast Eyeshadow

Covergirl has this awesome new eyeshadow to help you do a smoky eye look. There are 2 sides to this cool eyeshadow stick. One side is specially shaped to spread the color on the eyelid and the other side is tapered to line above the lashline and to contour.

I bought the Onyx/Smoke pencil combo. It is so pretty and easy - I didn't know you can apply eyeshadow this easy. Usually, my makeup routine takes about half an hour. This helps me do my makeup so much quicker. I was looking for a way to do my eyeshadow quicker for those days when I don't have as much time. Now, instead of not doing my makeup at all when I'm in a hurry, I just use this - I LOVE it!!!

I'm sure the price varies from store to store, but I found this on drugstore.com for $ 8.50 which isn't too bad. Definitely a lot cheaper than most department store eyeshadows.

Philosophy Eye Hope™ Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream

I was waiting to try Eye Hope from Philosophy for quite some time, but I had to finish an eye cream that I was using plus many samples. I finally bought this eye cream about 1 month ago and I absolutely love it.

Eye Hope is an anti-aging eye cream that also helps with puffiness and dark circles. Since I have dark circles no matter what I do, I had to try this. I always thought that I would just never get rid of my dark circles, because I have tried so many eye creams and I never saw any change.

When I first applied Eye Hope, I noticed that it tingles a little. It didn't bother me, but people with sensitive skin might have more of a burning sensation. To me, it makes me think that it's working. I like the way it goes on, not too greasy - but not too thin either.

After using Eye Hope for a while, I noticed that the circles under my eyes were not as dark anymore - yay! I'm so happy that an eye cream finally works for me and does what it says. The skin around my eyes looks moisturized and healthy and my dark circles look much, much lighter.

I would definitely buy Eye Hope again since this is an amazing eye cream. I love Philosophy beauty products because for me, they pretty much always do what they claim to do and I love that!

Makeup & Beauty Product Christmas Gift Ideas !!!

Hello Everyone!

I was searching the internet for gift ideas for all of the Makeup & Beauty Product lovers in your lives. I was looking for gifts that were not just one item, but something a little more interesting, like gift sets.

You can find sets everywhere like Nordstrom, Bloomindgales or Macys, but I found quite a few gift sets at Sephora. Some of them aren't even too expensive and they are very cute makeup or perfume sets that anyone would love! Hopefully, this can give some of you gift ideas if you're having a hard time finding things for everyone. Just go to Sephora.com like I did!

I know I mention these gift sets all of the time, but I love them. I hope these posts are helpful because I am always searching store websites looking for great ones - and I found another one.

Macy's is offering this beautiful Lancome train case but this time it's not free - it's $52 (with a Lancome purchase). This could be a great gift for yourself or someone else who loves makeup.

It comes with a great eyeshadow compact, lip gloss, lipstick and more. Lancome is one of my favorite brands because of the quality of their great products.

If you love Lancome beauty products or you know someone who does, you should definitely get this.

Viktor & Rolf 'Flowerbomb' Perfume

Flowerbomb Perfume by Viktor & Rolf is probably one of the best fragrances ever! I LOVE this perfume, it is my "go to" scent. When I'm not sure what to put on, I always put on Flowerbomb.

This perfume is so feminine and sexy. It lasts all day without having to put on more. You can find it online for less, but just be careful that you're not ordering a "tester" bottle. Now, Nordstrom is offering this gift set though, which makes the price a little more bearable. It's $105 and it includes: eau de parfum (1.7 oz.), body cream (1 oz.) and shower gel (1.7 oz.).
A $123 value.

If you haven't tried Flowerbomb yet, you definitely should, you'll love it!!!

Estée Lauder 'Color Spectacular' Collection

Nordstrom is offering this beautiful makeup collection from Estee Lauder for $55! All in a must-have cosmetic traveler with a companion makeup case and great standup mirror.

Collection includes:

- Deluxe Eyeshadow Compact with 15 coordinating shades (Sugar Cube, Ivory Box, Honey Drop, Lavender, Chocolate, Tea Biscuit, Copper Penny, Petal, Mulberry, Pale Moon, Cinnamon, Apricot and Mocha Cup in Pure Color Eyeshadow, plus Sage Duo in Estée Lauder Signature Eyeshadow).- Deluxe Face Compact (Estée Lauder Signature Silky Powder Blush in Rosewood and Nude Rose, and Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer).- Four Pure Color Long Lasting Lipsticks (full-size, in Candy, Rose Tea, Fig and Tiger Eye).- Three Artist's Eye Pencils (great for smoky eyes, in SoftSmudge Black, SoftSmudge Brown and Slate Writer).- Projectionist High Definition Volume Mascara (10-day supply, in Black).- Lash Primer Plus (10-day supply).- Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (3.4 oz.).- Four deluxe makeup brushes (powder, blush, lip and eye).- Look Book with tips on creating four fabulous looks.- Golden standup mirror.- Cosmetic traveler case.- Companion makeup case.
A $340 value.

Very beautiful set, great for yourself or as a gift !

New Velvet Amber Blackberry at Victoria's Secret

I just bought the new Velvet Amber Blackberry Fragrance Mist from Victoria's Secret. I love this stuff! It smells so beautiful and isn't overpowering. The whole collection is adorable.

The best part - it's only $25!!!

I fell in love with how subtle the mist is but they also have a parfume as well, it's $45. The lotion smells great too.

Plus, if you buy something from Victoria's Secret for the month of November, you'll get a secret santa gift card. They are worth at least $10 and go up to $500! How can you not buy something ???

Clinique 'Superbalanced' Powder Makeup SPF 15

I went to Nordstrom to get this new Clinique powder after I saw it in a magazine. It says it will keep oily areas more dry and dry areas more comfortable which sounded great for my combination skin.

The compact grinds the makeup for you so that you can apply it with your brush, it gives you fresh shaved mineral powder. It comes in 8 colors and lasts for 8 hours, which is great. It is an amazing face powder and I love it. If you love Clinique, you'll love this makeup. If you haven't tried Clinique makeup and beauty products, you definitely should.


Another great bonus is the amazing free gift Nordstrom is giving away when you spend $25, it's a Trina Turk designed makeup bag with very cool Clinique deluxe samples (pictured below).

Dylan's Candy Bar Coconut Bon Bon Ice Cream Sugar Scrub

I just have to tell everyone about Dylan's Candy Bar beauty products. I tried the Coconut Bon Bon Ice Cream Sugar Scrub and it is amazing. It has Jojoba Beads, Pumice, and Vitamin E so it makes your skin really soft. It is so cute in it's little ice cream container and it smells awesome!

I love how it makes you smell like candy and leaves your skin really smooth. You can get it at Sephora for $20 which is not bad for a body scrub, many of them sell for a lot more. They have so many amazing scents and other products as well. There are shower gels, body butters, body lotions and lip balm.

New Chanel Fall Eyeshadow Compact

Look at this beautiful Chanel eyeshadow! It's a gorgeous new compact for Fall that can be applied wet or dry, depending on how dramatic you want your look to be.

It's made with organic derivatives so it's smudge proof and long lasting, which is great. This eyeshadow is made to hold up well in high temperature and humidity.

As always, Chanel has made another great and timeless eyeshadow compact. It's available at Nordstrom for $60.

Mac Cosmetics has an amazing new holiday collection called Magic, Mirth & Mischief. The makeup is so beautiful. I listed some of my favorites below but there is so much more to this makeup collection. You have to check out this collection, you'll love everything like I do!

This is my favorite eyeshadow from the collection, I just love the colors.

This is my favorite lip palette, the colors are amazing!

I just love this makeup brush set with the beautiful little bag that they come in.

Luna Twilight Makeup

Nordstrom carries Luna Twilight cosmetics collection—for perfectly blood-stained lips and more. This makeup has great colors for fall. They have a DuWop lip venom stain that is perfect for the season or for Halloween parties!

This makeup collection consists of a lip stain, lip gloss, eye & cheek palette, body glow, face glow, blush, eyeshadow, mascara & lipstick.

You have to check out this collection, it's great!

Laura Mercier Master Toolbox

Look at this gorgeous Laura Mercier eye & lip palette. This is available this holiday season and is a must have! You have the best eye & lip colors that will go with everything.

This is so versatile, you can mix the eyeshadows & lipsticks and you get an amazing black turquoise eye liner. This 2 tier palette comes with an eyeshadow & lip brush.

You can get this beautiful palette at Nordstrom for $65!!!

Bloomingdale's is giving away this very cute Lancome gift if you spend $35. You can pick from neutral or cool shades...very cool!

Love Lancome and love the free gifts you get from them, very deluxe samples...so worth it.

If there is one thing I can't get enough of, it's eyeshadow! I love beautiful eyeshadow compacts, especially nudes. I also like mixed compacts because they do the hard part for you of deciding which colors are compatible.

This new Bobbi Brown customizable 3 pan palette is amazing! You have a set of warm & cool eyeshadows along with a pot of rouge. Plus, it comes with an eyeshadow brush (Bobbi Brown has great makeup brushes). It's limited edition and available only at Nordstrom (for $60 -which is great for this much makeup).

I love limited edition makeup because it's always something unique. The only think I hate is that you can't find it again. So, when I see something this fabulous, I have to get it right away! If you love Bobbi Brown products like I do, this great compact is a must have in your beauty kit.

FREE Clinique 8-Piece Gift !

Bloomingdale's is giving away this beautiful Clinique gift set with a Milly bag if you spend only $25!!! This makeup bag is soooooo cute! The free gifts are some of Clinique's best products.

I love Clinique products. Clinique is great for anyone with sensitive or easily irritated skin. I love how my skin looks when I use Clinique, it's always even toned, moisturized and you look great!

If you're new to Clinique, it's good to try their products when they offer one of their great gifts so that you can try a few things without having to buy them. If you already love Clinique, make sure you get this cute bag & amazing samples!

Great beauty product giveaway!

There is this great giveaway going on now by Gem. It's so easy to be a part of, you just have to be one of her followers and then just post the giveaway on your blog. This ends on Sept. 27 so join NOW!

Bobbi Brown Nude Eye Palette

If you love nude eyeshadow (like I do), you'll love this nude palette from Bobbi Brown. It can be hard buying nude eyeshadow. Either they're too light (and you can't see anything) or they have a weird color (like an orange hue).

This palette is perfect! You have 6 colors to choose from (not the usual 4) and they are all beautiful. You can easily change your look from day to night. The other cool thing is that you can replace the duo that you use the most since the compact has 3 separate pans. You can replace the pans with eyeshadow or blush and make your own customized compact.

This compact is a must-have for anyone's makeup bag, especially for fall.

Choose your FREE sample with any 2-piece Chanel Skincare Purchase!

Macy's if offering a choice of one of these deluxe Chanel samples if you spend $45.

Chanel has some amazing products, it's always great when you can get some Chanel freebies.

Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Crème

This body cream is amazing. It smells great and soaks in without feeling greasy. The beautiful smell lasts all day. It feels so rich when you put it on.

All of them smell amazing but I love the French Vanilla, it's the best! It's $55 but it lasts for quite a while - it's so worth it!

You can order it by clicking on the picture in my carousel to the right of the page, it's so easy.

Lancome Gift!

Lancome is giving this great gift at Macy's if you spend $29.50. Like I said before, this is a great way to try new products if you're not familiar with a brand. If you already love Lancome, like I do, you'll love the great freebies!

Laura Geller - Eye Rimz

This is a baked eyeshadow that has several colors mixed together to create a unique look each time. I have this one (potion) but there are 4 to choose from.

It comes with a little brush so that you can easily blend and apply. Potion is a blend of black, deep violet and pearl. Sometimes it looks like a smoky charcoal color and sometimes it looks like a dark purple. It is such a cool eyeshadow and looks great.

You can get it at Sephora and it's only $26!

Nordstrom Gift

Nordstrom is giving away this great gift if you spend $100 (on fragrance or beauty products). It has some great samples from some of my favorite products.

St. Ives Microdermabrasion Scrub

I have tried many facial scrubs over the years, some of which were very pricey, but I always come back to this one because it works the best!

This scrub gets rid of blackheads and leaves my face looking younger and refreshed instantly. It also works great on your entire body, I've used it from head to toe. You're left with a wonderful scent afterwards as well.

The best part is that it is only $ 7.99 (or less).

CHANEL Vitalumieries Cream Concealer SPF 15

This Chanel concealer is the best concealer that I have ever tried! It is smooth and creamy so it goes on great. You get the little brush to apply it so that you don't have to rub or dab it on with your finger (because you know that can cause wrinkles!).

It doesn't settle into fine lines like some concealers do, it blends perfectly. It doesn't really look like you have any on. It looks great under your makeup and doesn't have any weird tint that some concealers do.

It is a bit pricey (around $52) but it lasts forever - I can't even tell you how long I have had mine. You apply exactly how much you need since you use the little brush, you don't end up wasting any since you don't use your fingers.

Clinique Moisture Surge

When Clinique came out with Moisture Surge, I wanted to try it because I love Clinique products. Of course, this was another great product from Clinique. Moisture surge is a gel like cream that you can use over moisturizer or on bare skin. It's very lightweight and instantly hydrates your skin when you need it.

I use Moisture Surge when it's a little too hot for any other kind moisturizer but I don't want to skip and not put on anything at all. It feels light and isn't greasy, plus it absorbs right away.

In the winter, I use it over my moisturizer when my skin gets dry. Sometimes, when it's so cold and it feels like your moisturizer just isn't enough, this stuff is great. It's kind of like a multi-purpose moisturizer.

This is a great cream to have instead of having so many different jars of cream because you never know what you'll need everyday. Plus, this isn't as expensive as many of the regular beauty creams are (1.7oz. is $34 & the big 3.4oz. is $46.50). So, you can have your favorite moisturizer and keep this for whenever you need it.

Another great Estee Lauder gift

Nordstrom is giving away this Estee Lauder gift when you spend $29.50. It has cute makeup bags and really nice makeup. Like I said before, this is a great way to try out new products. Even if you're not happy with what you bought to receive the gift and return it, you get to keep the stuff. If you already like certain brands, this is a great way to get freebies!

Free Estee Lauder Gift at Macy's

Macy's is offering this great Estee Lauder gift if you spend $29.50. Estee Lauder has some great products and this tote & makeup bag are cute. I love getting these gifts because it is such a great way to try new products.

Chanel Les Quatre Ombres Eyeshadow

This Chanel eyeshadow is probably one of my favorite eyeshadows! I bought the compact in Dunes (not pictured), it is more of a neutral palette. This compact has a combination of matte and shimmery colors, not like some compacts where you either have only matte or only frosted colors.

This is what makes the colors so great together because they blend so beautifully. It's hard to work with some compacts because if all of the colors are matte, it sometimes looks like you didn't put any eyeshadow on. If all of the colors are shimmery, it looks ends up looking like more of a 'night time' look that you probably weren't going for. That doesn't happen with this compact, no matter how you apply it, you look great.

For a more natural look, you apply the eyeshadow dry, like you normally would. For a more dramatic look, you can wet your brush or the applicator and the colors will go on a bit darker. It's also long wearing so you don't have to worry about reapplying it. And it's great in humidity too! It's also Ophthalmologist tested so it's safe for women who wear contacts.

It is a bit pricey ($56) but it is so worth it. Chanel has 12 color palettes in this collection and they are all classically beautiful. I haven't found many eyeshadow compacts that are perfect like this one is, and I've tried tons of them!!!

Today, I wanted to talk about Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate. I bought it as soon as it came out. I just had to try it with all of the great things they were claiming it would do and because Lancome has some amazing beauty products and cosmetics. The price was a bit high, but I thought it would be worth trying.

Lancome claims that you will notice a difference as soon as you put it on. I mostly noticed that my face seemed softer. The next couple of days, I noticed my skin starting to look a little more even-toned. I was pleasantly surprised that I could notice a difference after just a couple of days (after trying tons of products that don't do what they say at all). I have also been using it once a day instead of two, just because it's easier for me. They suggest putting it on twice a day for best results.

The next couple of weeks were different - my face looks slightly more toned, I'm having less breakouts and even though I haven't been tanning - my face has a nice, lightly tanned color to it (like a healthy glow).

I am stilling using Genifique after about 4 months now (it's a serum so a little goes a long way) and I LOVE it! My face looks great, my pores look smaller, I have an even-skin-tone and I barely break out anymore. I have a healthy glow and feel more comfortable without any makeup on because my skin just looks better. Before, I would always feel better wearing makeup when I left the house.

I think Genifique is definetly worth the money. You'll love the way your skin looks and feels. It is a bit pricey, but it does last. I've been using mine for a little over 4 months and still have almost half a bottle left.

Lancome Gift

Lancome is giving away this free gift at Nordstrom if you spend $29.50. I always love the free gifts from Lancome, they have great samples and always give some type of make up bag or tote bag - like they are now. Lancome has some amazing products and this is a great way to try them!

philosophy

I am sure by now you have heard about Philosophy. Well, I recently tried their products and I am in LOVE! I have never used anything that makes my skin look the way it does when I use this stuff. Their facial cleanser, Purity, is great. It makes your skin look beautiful and even-toned. It doesn't leave your face squeaky clean like some cleansers do. Purity is a 3-in-1 (cleanser/toner/mositurizer), but it's not oily or heavy, you can still use your moisturizer afterwards without it being too much. Their face cream, Hope in a Jar is a lightweight cream that moisturizes your skin and also gives it an even tone. This moisturizer is great, it's not heavy and it absorbs nicely, some face creams leave your face greasy which can be annoying.

Philosophy products don't have the harsh chemicals that some products do. So, not only do you look great but it's good for your skin too! You can try all of Philosophy's best sellers (like I did) that come in a Best Sellers Collection. That way you get a smaller size of their most popular products. You get the skincare, micro facial scrub and a small bottle of Amazing Grace, their amazing shower gel/bubble bath/shampoo. I love this shower gel! It makes your skin so soft and you can still smell the fragrance later on. Once you try Philosophy, you'll get hooked - just like I am!

LAVANILA - The Healthy Body Butter

This awesome body butter smells amazing and is not too thick and greasy like other body butters are. I have been using this cream for a while now and I love it! It absorbs quickly so you don't feel sticky afterwards. It has a subtle scent (not overwhelming like some creams) so you can layer it with a fragrance or wear it alone. The other great part - it's all natural. It's loaded with natural ingredients and antioxidants so it's great for your skin! My favorite is the Vanilla Cocunut.