Tag: Dior

Gift Guide Holiday 2015

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 1 December 2015

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Hello December!

Here is my Gift Guide Holiday 2015 with prices ranging from $6 to $96. These gifts are obviously things that I would love to receive, but also gifts that many people in your life would probably like to receive as well.

Tea Infuser
- I’ve been loving loose leaf tea vs. tea bag tea. Better flavor and “more health benefits”… I love all the cute tea infusers too; this one is like a tea wand. ~$7.
iPhone 6s case
- This phone case has a double barrier, plastic casing with water and glitter in between. Yes, glitter! It’s so pretty and sparkly. ~$13.
Josie Maran – Argan Oil
- Obviously, Josie is on my list. Especially in the winter time, this argan oil is so hydrating and amazing with multiple uses — a little goes a long way. $96.
Yarn
- Knitting is such a fun, and relaxing hobby. I love knitting (still working on that blanket!) and these colors are so bright and soft. ~$6.
Starbucks Tumbler – Venti
- A good tumbler is a must-have for me. It really encourages me to drink water throughout the day and you can get new lids/straws to keep your tumbler fresh and exciting. ~$17.
Creme De Rose – Dior Lip Balm
- This lip balm is so smooth but not sticky. Its hydrating and luxurious. I like to wear it at night as a “mask” and when I wake up, my lips are soft and revitalized. I love this during the winter time. $28.
NEST Fragrances – Bamboo Reed Diffuser
- These NEST Fragrances are great for the home. I love how rich the oils are; the scent really permeates throughout the entire house. $42.
FlowerBomb – Viktor & Rolf
- My favorite fragrance! I think this will be my signature scent forever; it’s very floral and delicious. Get a small size as a gift for your sister or bestie. $50.
Anastasia Beverly Hills – Brow Wiz (Ebony)
- I love the Brow Wiz. It really helps me shape and define my eyebrows. I love the texture of the pencil and the spoolie at the other end lets me blend everything together for a natural, defined look. ~$23.
Golden Wonder Bath Bomb – LUSH
- This lovely bath bomb makes your bath into a swirling, shimmering gold sea of warm unicorn magic. I love it. It’s perfect. Yes. $7.
Essie – A List
- Super pretty red nail polish for the holidays. Nice stocking stuffer or a filler gift for your friends or yourself! $8.50.
Doctor Who – Season 8
- I love Doctor Who. If you or your friend does too, give this DVD set or even just gift them on iTunes. *hums Doctor Who theme song* ~$55.

Don’t forget to wrap all of your gifts in Erin Condren gift wrap! The designer wrapping paper and labels all coordinate to make your gifts look extra special. Plus, get $10 off your Erin Condren purchase by creating an account through my link. Happy Holidays!

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Blog Health + Beauty Lifestyle

Sephora VIB Rouge | Beauty Before Brunch

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 12 April 2015

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

We went to Sephora’s VIB Rouge “Beauty Before Brunch” event this morning and we had a great time. The Beauty Before Brunch event was an exclusive VIB Rouge shopping event to launch the 15% off spring sale. I attended last year’s spring event, and overall, I would say that this event was better.

I RSVP’d right away for myself and a guest. We arrived today at around 9:30am and they checked us in at a table near the entrance — everyone was super friendly and energetic. I was really fun to be around people who are all excited about beauty, skincare and makeup.

For the Sephora VIB Rouge event there was a small setup of food in the back of the store — way smaller than last year’s spread. It was kind of disappointing, but I didn’t come here for the muffins & bagels…

I already had a list ready to go…with a few minor changes. And I found everything on my list! Yay!I got the new Marc Jacobs #InstaMarc Light Filtering Contour Powders in 40 Mirage. This was the main reason I went into the store instead of ordering online. The 40 Mirage shade has been sold out online for a while but they said it was available in store. I went to the Marc Jacobs section right away and they were out of this color….I was super sad until I turned around and saw it on a “Contouring” podium. hallelujah!

These powders are so soft and the brush is mega soft, plus the compact is HUGE!!! I can’t wait to use it!

With 15% off, I picked up another Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. I love the coverage of this foundation and how easy it is to apply. I first picked this up at Sephora’s Spring Sale last year!

I picked up the Dior Lash Plumping Serum as an eyelash primer and I got the waterproof version of my favorite mascara — Lancome Hypnose Drama!

I’m really happy with my purchases and the sample baggie we got. Great customer service today as well — really makes VIB Rouge feel a little extra special. We got a ton of awesome samples and color matched for two great foundations. Everyone was awesome today and I’m really happy we went.

What did you pick up today? Or what will you be getting during the sale? 🙂

Tags amazonian clay, Beauty, beauty before brunch, Contour, Dior, haul, instamarc, Lancôme, makeup, marc jacobs, Mascara, sale, Sephora, sephora haul, spring, tarte, vib, vib rouge

Blog Lifestyle

Valentine’s Day Love List | Gift Guide

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 9 February 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

1. Starbucks Gift Card | Starbucks, various denominations

If your Valentine likes Starbucks, gift cards are the way to go. They even have cute, Valentine’s Day themed cards online and in-store. Even just $5 is super sweet to give to school friends, family or a co-worker.

2. Veranda Place Bee Wristlet | Kate Spade, $98

This wristlet is so cute! Pink with bows? You can’t go wrong. It’s great because it can hold your cards & money and be a sort of on-the-go wallet or throw it in your purse to help you stay organized. Perfect for your sister or best friend….or yourself!

3. togoPower Boost Keychain | Photojojo, $40

This keychain holds up to 1.5 hrs of extra battery life for your phone. It’s small and fits on your key ring. This would be great for anyone, even the guy in your life. A boost of power can help you stay connected with your Valentine when they need it most.

4. Valentine’s Day socks | Nordstrom, $10

Everyone loves a cute pair of socks. These pink, heart socks are sweet and cozy. Perfect for your sister or school friends. Tie them up with a ribbon and some candy & you’re good to go!

5. Too Faced Plump Gloss Glow | Sephora, $42

This set from Sephora comes with a mascara, nude lipstick, and a heart shaped pink blush. Very Valentine’s Day appropriate! The blush looks nice and rosy with a shimmer highlighter built in. A great Valentine’s Day gift for the makeup lover in your life.

6. Rue iPhone 5 Case | Marc Jacobs, $48

This iPhone case is so fun and pink! With a black cat with white mascara detail around the eyes, this gift is perfect for your best friend or sister who like trendy things or anything Marc Jacobs. The case bulges in certain areas around the phone so you’ll always have a good grip!

7. “Love Edge” Stud Earrings | Marc Jacobs, $42

Sleek, simple heart earrings are perfect for a casual day or a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. Delicate & dainty and perfect for the girly girl in your life.

8. Hanalei Triangles iPhone 5 Case | Pura Vida Bracelets, $20

This case is fun and beachy. Perfect for your friend who isn’t really into Valentine’s, but you still want to get them something. It has a slightly romantic feel with the layers of colors, but it’s perfect to give year round. Check the site for other fun case options!

9. Heart Compact | Marc Jacobs, $7

This mirrored compact is super cute to give to your teammates, school friends or anyone who would like a heart shaped mirror. At just $7, it’s a cute gift for everyone.

10. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Gift Trio | Sephora, $120

My favorite fragrance of all time! Flowerbomb is a super floral scent that just makes you happy when you smell it. This set comes with the fragrance, a shower gel, and a body cream. And if you get it from Sephora with your Beauty Insider card, you’ll earn triple points. This gift is great for a girlfriend/wife.

11. Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Complexion Kit | Sephora, $68

This set is perfect for your mother, your sister, or anyone who likes makeup/skincare. The set comes with a bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light, Cheek Gelée, Matchmaker Powder Foundation, and Matchmaker Serum Foundation. It’s limited edition and there are three color options.

12. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm | Sephora, $27

Love this lip balm! It’s amazing! Perfect for the bestie or family member in your life who cares about skincare or lip products. This balm will heal chapped, winter lips and can be used as a primer, on its own, or as a treatment. Plus, it’s sheer pink and romantic in its embelished white case.

Blog Health + Beauty

2014 Nighttime Skincare Routine

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 17 January 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

One of my resolutions this year has been to wash my face every night. I’m usually really good about it, but we all have had those late nights where you just want to fall into bed rather than washing your face. On nights like that, I would sometimes use the Neutrogena makeup removing face wipes which seemed to get the job done. But this year, there will be no excuse for being lazy and not washing my face.

Your body repairs itself while you are sleeping; how can you expect optimum results when you are leaving a mask of the day’s dirt and bacteria on your face all night? I’m sure everyone’s heard the saying, “The best makeup is good skincare!”

To remove my makeup and cleanse my face, I start with my trusted Clarisonic Mia and Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser. I recently got the sensitive brush head for the Mia and I am really liking it.

After using the Clarisonic on my face, I’ll use my fingers and some more of the Purity to gently remove my eye makeup/cleanse my eye area.

If I have any blemishes or problem areas, I’ll use a pump of Grease Lightening from Lush. It’s called a cleanser but it works more as a toner or spot treatment for me.

The newest addition to my nighttime skincare routine is the Josie Maran Argan Milk. It works with the Argan Oil to be an intensive hydrating treatment. Full review here.

I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil right behind the Argan Milk — just a few drops for your face and neck. I kind of pat/press it into my skin so it really sinks in. Check out some other ways I useArgan Oil here.

Next up is my under eye area. I find that I don’t really like the feel of a night cream under my eye, but I really love the Lancome Genifique Yeux eye concentrate. It’s like a cooling serum to help de-puff and brighten the eye area. The secret is in the application because the wand has a pivoted “pearl” at the end that helps gently massage the under eye area.

I then seal everything in with my favorite night cream ever — the Lancome Absolue Night Cream. It smells amazing and isn’t too thick or greasy.

Then to moisturize my chest and the rest of my body, I use Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil. This stuff has been amazing for me! Click for my review. This is the jumbo sized jar from QVC in the unscented version.

And, of course, I couldn’t forget the Dior Creme de Rose lip balm. I use this at night as a lip treatment and, as you can see, I’m going through it pretty quickly. See my full review here.

And that’s it for my nighttime skincare routine! It may seem like a lot, but skincare is important to me. No matter your age, it’s never too early to start really taking care of your skin. What’s your current skincare routine?

Blog Health + Beauty

DIOR Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm | REVIEW

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 27 December 2013

CREME DE ROSE PACKAGING

muffinchanel-dior-creme-de-rose-lip-balm-smoothing-plumping-2-1024x768 — This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here.

The Dior Creme de Rose lip balm comes in a .25oz white, circular pot inside of a small box. The white pot is quite sleek and feels substantial but not overly heavy. There is a nice filigree around the edges of the lid of the pot and the ‘CD’ initials are engraved in the center. Very simple but it has a quality feel. The lid twists on/off and when you first open it, there is a thin protective layer of plastic covering the balm.

There’s always the concern of potted balms not being hygienic because you’re dipping your fingers into the same pot and then smearing it on your lips, but I think it’s fine as long as you’re keeping your hands clean. You really should avoid touching your face at all unless your hands are clean but sometimes that’s just not practical. In the end, I’m more concerned with the results, so back to the review!

ROSE SCENT

The rose scent is amazing; not synthetic. I love roses and this smells just like the flower, but it’s subtle. I know some people aren’t a fan of rose scents so this may not be the product for you. The scent does, however, seem to wear off after 15-20 minutes.

BALM TEXTURE

The balm is light pink but is sheer on the lips. When you open the pot, the surface of the balm is quite firm; it’s like a barrier on the top because the balm is more creamy once you break through that layer. I don’t recommend just ramming your finger through the top layer though. Just keep using it like you’d use any balm, lightly rubbing your finger over the top. Otherwise, you’ll just end up wasting product and creating an unattractive crater in the balm.

The balm is thick, but not sticky or greasy. It feels smooth and silky on the lips — less waxy than Chapstick, but thicker and creamier than Rosebud Salve.

APPLICATION

You can use the Creme de Rose balm as a treatment — applying a thicker layer at night to the lips and area around the lips. When I wake up, my lips are always soft and feel hydrated; it really soaks into the lips.

Use as an everyday balm. Creme de Rose has SPF 10, so your newly soft lips will be protected from the UV rays. The balm penetrates deep down into your lips so you don’t need to reapply often to get that moisturized feeling.

Or you can use the balm as a primer for your lipstick or lipgloss. I like to use the Benetint lip stain on my lips and then apply the Creme de Rose on top. My lips feel great, but I have a festive red shining through without having to think about reapplying color throughout the night.

MY RESULTS

I’ve been loving this balm! During these winter months, my lips have been smooth and soft which is amazing for me. My lips were always peeling or cracking before and I definitely didn’t help the situation by peeling the skin; gross, I know. My lips seemed to be really sensitive too. I’d been on the hunt for a hydrating/healing lip product and used all types of drugstore products, even medicated products, from Blistex to BabyLips with only temporary relief. So, the Creme de Rose lip balm definitely makes good on the “smoothing” claim.

As far as “plumping” goes, I don’t see my lips looking fuller, but I do feel that slight tingling feeling (very slight) that you feel with those plumping lip glosses. If anything, I can see how a healthier, more moisturized lip could appear fuller and plump.

I recommend Dior Creme de Rose to anyone who has dry, chapped lips or someone just looking for a nice hydrating lip treatment. I’ll continue to use it for many years to come.

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Tags balm, Beauty, creme de rose, Dior, Dior Creme de Rose lip balm, face, lip, Lip Balm, lips, makeup, packaging, plumping, review, rose, Sephora, skin, smoothing

Blog Health + Beauty

Mascara & Primer – Sephora (mini) HAUL

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 29 May 2013
2 Comments on Mascara & Primer – Sephora (mini) HAUL

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Mascara just seems to go on smoother and stay on longer with a good primer. On my latest trip to Sephora, I picked up my favorite combination — Smashbox’s Layer Lash Primer and Lancome’s Hypnose Drama Mascara.

Primer prevents your mascara from drying out your lashes. Not only will it keep your lashes hydrated, but it’ll help your mascara glide on without clumping.

I’ve tried primers my Dior and Lancome, but this Smashbox primer is my favorite. It protects and adds volume while lengthening your lashes.

On top of one coat of Smashbox primer, I apply Lancome’s Hypnose Drama mascara generously. Hands down, my favorite mascara ever. I’ve tried other high-end mascaras, but I keep coming back to this one.

With a slight curve in the brush, you’ll be able to coat those harder to reach lashes for a perfect fanned-out look.

Definitely pick up these items if you get the chance!

Tags Dior, haul, Lancôme, Mascara, primer, Sephora, Smashbox, vib