Coquette

March Favorites: Dior Skincare, Clinique Makeup + Big Little Lies

Hi Lovelies,

I have lot of favorites to share with you this month since I'm merging both my February and March favorites together here. For skincare, I have been absolutely loving using both the Dior One Essential and the Dirt Capture Totale Dream Skin. I have been using them everyday for two months and my skin has been looking radiant.

I'm now looking forward to April as spring is here and the weather has been getting nicer around SF!

Enjoy this month's favorites!

1. Cocokind Organic Rosewater Facial Toner ($16.99 at Cocokind)
This is one of my absolute favorites to use everyday because it's so light and refreshing to the skin. It now comes in a spray glass bottle that you can easily spritz onto your face after you cleanse it.

2. Pony Effect Conceptual Eyes Quad #BeRomantic ($29 at Memebox)
This eye quad from Korean Beauty brand Pony Effect makes me so excite for spring weather. I love the rose gold tones here and I usually mix the top two colors to create a soft wash on my lids. Then I line it with a dark brown liquid liner. The look is that fresh, modern peachy, gold warm look on my lids that I love right now. The colors all blend really well together. This makes me want to get another Pony Effect Eye Quad because the shadows are really finely milled and the price is just right at $29!

3. Clinique Crayola Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm ($17 at Sephora, limited edition)

I've been addicted to carrying around my adorable Crayola Chubby Stick in Wild Strawberry. The color is just perfect on my lips to give a soft wash of tinted color. Grab these in as many colors as you can or pick up the mini box set of four colors for $25.

4. Clarins Fix' Make-Up ($29 at Clarins USA)
I don't like the idea of using a setting spray filled with chemicals to just keep my makeup fresh. Instead, I am loving what Clarins has come out with. This is a new formula that not only helps to set your makeup, the spray is enriched with grapefruit extract, aloe vera and allantoin. The organic rose water scent is so refreshing. I also love that it has Clarins' anti-pollution complex so it protects your skin from all the pollution in the city. I'll do a full review of this soon but with spring and summer coming up, this is going to be one of my must-haves!

5.Dior Capture Totale One Essential ($125 at Sephora, 1.7 oz)
I remember getting a facial at the Dior Institute in Paris around four years ago and the facialist I had recommended I use this serum. For some reason, I didn't want to give into the hype. Years later, I don't know what I would do without this serum! I have been using it twice a day, everyday for two months now and it's really made my skin great. When I recently had a facial at the Dior boutique in Santa Clara, Sarah my facials told me it prevents blackheads. It's true! I haven't had one since I started using it and the pores around my nose are really clean. I have the 1.7 oz bottle and it definitely lasts. (I use two pumps each time I am using it.)

6. Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Advanced ($150 at Sephora, 1.7 oz)
This is such a wonderful primer to use before your foundation or for something to wear on your skin when you don't want to wear any foundation. I find it really evens your skin tone and gives your face a smooth, blur-like effect. I honestly wear this everyday when I am not wearing full makeup and it just makes my skin look wonderful. What I love about getting the larger 1.7 oz size is that you can just buy the refill bottle when you are finished for only $128.

7. Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes in 103 Egyptian ($17 at Clinique)
This is one of my favorite eyeliners. I wrote about it two years ago (review here) but I just wanted to bring it up again for any of you new readers. I read about this in a Refinery 29 post about American beauty products that Korean girls go crazy for. It is true - the eyeliner is just such a flattering color brownish-dark green color with gold flecks that bring out your eyes.

8. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty ($9.93 on Amazon)
If you are loving the HBO TV series staring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, you have to pick up this book to read the original story. Pick it up, even if you are not watching the show. I read the book first and they are somewhat different. The TV show takes way more liberties in changing some of the story. The TV show takes place in Monterey, CA while the book takes place in a coastal town near Sydney, Australia. I love that the book gives you insight into all the main characters so you really know why they are feeling *what* they are feeling, plus all the gossip and backstories. This is such a fun book to read I devoured it within a week. If you're a mom, you'll love this book even more! I also really recommend watching the HBO TV series. It's soooo good!

Clarins Spring Breakfast in SF

(Photos: Courtesy of Clarins)

Last week I had a great time at MKT Restaurant at the Four Seasons in San Francisco getting a preview of all the new Clarins Spring and Summer skincare and beauty products.Nassima from Clarins came out from New York and gave us the skinny on all the new products. I've been working with Clarins and using their products for many years now so I'm always amazed when they just seem to top themselves with new and better things. It was great to have my friend Tami from Fete a Fete at the breakfast as I missed seeing her at SF events since she moved to Seattle a few years ago. I also loved the new breakfast format as I got a better chance to get to know my fellow SF beauty bloggers as we ate breakfast and talked beauty!

I'll be trying these products out over the next month and will of course post my reviews for you here on Coquette. I've linked some of the recent reviews to some of the products here that I've already tried.

I love the new Clarins Hydra-Essential skincare line (my review from Feb) and have been using it daily since I received it earlier this year.

What I didn't know that was that there were so many different versions of the cream, including a Hydra-Essentiel Cooling Gel ($48) which will be perfect when the weather gets warmer!

I'm so excited to try the new Clarins Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert ($70). It's a new formula that helps visibly smooth, firm and lift the skin on your body. It's time to get ready for swimsuit season!

Now on to makeup! I love Clarins makeup because they bring their skincare benefits to their makeup products. I received one of their new 4-Colour Eyeshadow Palette ($43) in Smokey to try out. I am currently using the Face Contouring Palette ($42) everyday. There are 3 colors in one compact perfect for contouring your face. The blush color is perfect on me and I love that the highlight isn't sparkly for daytime wear. (review here).

I also love the Clarins 4-Colour All-in-One Pen ($30). This has been a bestseller for Clarins and looks like they will continue to have this special 4 liner in one ongoing with new colors to come out in different seasons. It's perfect for your makeup bag and when you're traveling to have your essential eyeliner and lipliner in one! (review here)

The new Clarins Pore Perfecting Matifying Kit with Blotting Papers ($48) is going to be my new spring/summer essential! The compact is too cute and I love how under the sponge there's a secret compartment for the blotting papers.

There is also a new Pore Perfecting Matifying Foundation ($38) that comes in 5 shades. It feels so light on the skin and it's matte, so it's really shine free!

The Ombre Iridescente eyeshadows ($25) are my favorite. You don't need a primer with them and you can also easily apply them with finger tips. I have two shades I wear all the time (Silver Pink and Silver Plum) so I am excited to try the new colors: Silver White, Silver Rose, Silver Grey.

There are some new shades of the Joli Rouge Brilliant Lipsticks ($29). I have it in 31 Tender Nude.

Here I am with Danielle on my way out armed with lots of new Clarins products to try. Thank you to Clarins for the wonderful breakfast!

Review products received from Clarins

Spring Trend: Reworked Shirts

Hi Lovelies! It's been a little while since I had the chance to do a blog post. My daughter was sick from late last week till early this week and then I of course ended up getting sick! I had planned on doing my February favorites but now that we are way more into March, I'll just note those down for my March favorites and have a bit more to share with you at the end of the month! I wanted to get this post up quickly because Bloomingdales is having an amazing sale for their loyalists. You can triple points from now through the weekend and you can take $25 off your purchase if you spend $125-$249 (the discount goes up the more you spend).

For spring I am loving the new trend of reworked shirts, especially when they are striped like a mens shirt. The look now is all about ruffles, showing some shoulder or showcasing sleeves. This Joa One Shoulder Stripe Peplum Top ($78, there's also a solid blue version here) and the Bardot Ruffle and Frill Shirt - 100% Exclusive ($89) are both exclusive pieces to Bloomingdales. I think both will look fresh paired with jeans or skirts. I know that baby pink is *the* color of the moment, but I can't get away from shades of blue this spring -- especially chambray blue.

Here are more of my picks for the reworked shirts trend:

Joa Stripe Bell Sleeve Top ($78 at Bloomingdales)

Aqua Striped Off-The-Shoulder Top ($48 at Bloomingdales)

Aqua Stripe Off-The-Shoulder Top ($48 at Bloomingdales)

Asymmetric Striped Shirt ($49.90 at Zara)

Striped Top with Scalloped Hem ($35.90 at Zara)

Cropped Shirt ($39.90 at Zara)

New Clinique Fresh Pressed Vitamin C - Take the 7 Day #FreshPressed Challenge!

Just launched is the new Clinique Fresh Pressed 7-day System with Pure Vitamin C ($27 at Sephora). The system includes two formulations that help with anti-aging -- a powder cleanser and a serum booster that works with your moisturizer.

I received the Clinique Fresh Pressed 7-day System to try out and am currently on day #3. My skin has been feeling really great and I feel like it's already looking brighter. I really recommend going with this to start out because you'll get everything you need for the week and you can try out the system to see how it will work with your skin.

There are 7 packets of the Renewing Powder Cleanser which I use in the mornings. It's a single serving packet so it's so easy to just rip open the package and know exactly how much to use. I first wet my hand and pour the powder in. Then I add a tiny bit of water from the faucet and lather up the powder/water combination in my hand. I massage this all into my face and leave it on for 1 minute so the Vitamin C can work it's magic. (This is the time when I clean my retainers I have to wear at night.) After a minute, just rinse it all off your face. My face feels fresh and clean. (You can also purchase the cleanser packets in a set of 10 packets separately for $29.50.)

The Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% is included in the 7-day system. (You can purchase a bottle of the Fresh Pressed Daily Booster separately for $19.50 or for $76.50 for a pack of 4 bottles.) It's all about freshness so with the bottle, you'll first need to peel open the foil on the bottle making sure to leave the cap on. Then press the inner orange rubbery bulb so that the Vitamin C powder is released. Shake the bottle for 15 seconds and also before each use. To use, remove the cap and press the orange bulb to squeeze 2 drops morning and night with your moisturizer.

I recommend checking out to the Clinique Fresh Pressed page on their site for the directions on how to use the cleansing packets and the booster. 

Vitamin C is so good for your skin so it's great that Clinique has a new system so you can get it at it's most powerful -- when it's fresh! I'm really loving the results on my skin. It's a great way to give your skin a beauty boost before the start of spring!

Purchase the Clinique Fresh Pressed 7-day System with Pure Vitamin C at Clinique counters, Clinique.com or Sephora.com.

 

Review product provided by Clinique

Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum

I have been taking care of my skin for years but one of the bad things I do is squeeze out all the "gunk" from the pores around my nose. The pores around my nose are larger and I have some broken capillaries around my nose. Not good! So I made a new year's resolution to stop doing this starting in 2017 and to find a way to shrink my darn pores! When I usually find myself with a skincare dilemma, the brand I turn to for help is usually Clarins. And I swear like a miracle, Clarins products always work!

I have been using the Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum ($54 at Clarins USA) for about a month now. I started using it each night and I use it in the day only if I am wearing makeup. I think it took about a week for me to notice that my pores around my nose were less noticeable. The Pore Minimizing Serum uses Alpine Willow Herb to help instantly tighten and minimize enlarged pores. It helps to keep the skin area matte too, giving you shine control.

I only use the serum on my nose area and mid-area of my cheeks. I put about one or two pumps of the light green serum in my hand and gently rub it into my skin. It is very light and absorbs quickly. It has a very light fragrance to it that dissipates once you put it on.

It's been paying off not squeezing my pores around my nose these past two months. Instead I am really focusing on cleansing my nose area using the Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract a couple of times a week.

Purchase the Clarins Pore Minimizing Serum at Clarinsusa.com

Review product provided by Clarins