Showing posts with label gift guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gift guide. Show all posts

Sunday, December 20, 2015

My Favorite Things Holiday Giveaway - Three $300 winners!

**Update: Thank you so much to everyone who entered! Congratulations to the winners Amanda M., Jessica C., and Rachel G.! Each winner was drawn at random via Rafflecopter and has been notified through email : ) **buffalo check christmas pajamas gift wrapping

With my belly full of one too many cups of mulled cider, I'm procrastinating on packing for as long as possible to share one more holiday giveaway with you guys (congrats to Christy L. and Priscilla S. G. for winning my earlier ones this month!)! I loved doing a favorite things giveaway last year, so am excited that one of my favorite stores, Nordstrom, has agreed to team up again for another one. I'm giving away three $300 gift cards this time, perfect for treating yourself with after the holiday rush. I'll be offline a bit traveling for the holidays, but will draw the lucky winners after Christmas!
buffalo check gift wrapping paper minnetonka moccasin
This is the glass box from Target that I Snapchatted the other day - cute for packaging jewelry or something like nail polishes inside, as a DIY gift set! One of my friends who always compliments my Baublebar necklace is finally getting her own : ) And oh, for fellow PJ collectors this thermal sleepshirt is a very comfy thermal waffle knit with cute chambray trim detail. I either pair black leggings under it or just wear it as a sleep dress. The sleeves have a thumb warmer which I like on coats but thought was odd for sleepwear, so I just roll them up once on my shorter arms. Nick apparently couldn't resist poking fun at me in this, but I suspect that he -an avid lover of buffalo check- is just envious he doesn't have one.
buffalo plaid christmas tartan PJ gift
being that kooky lady matching my gift wrap

This giveaway is open to those who are 18+ and have a mailing address in any country that Nordstrom ships to. One entry per household, please! Just fill out the Rafflecopter giveaway entry form below with one of your favorite things from their store. This could be either a wishlist item you'd get if you won a giftcard, or something that you already own/use and would recommend. I enjoyed reading all the recommendations from last year and getting to know some of you a little better! As an optional entry, I'd love to hear how you first came across this blog, out of curiosity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you're in need of shopping suggestions, here's a walk down memory lane of some of my most-reached for things from over the years (also for last-minute gifts, there's free shipping on most items with delivery by Christmas Eve). Some of these favorites have made it on this blog a record # of times, while others are silent but hard-workers!


$100 or less
- Nike Free 5.0 training sneakers - I update my fitness gear once in a blue moon, usually when something is worn to shreds. On a whim I tried on my friend's Nike Frees, and was shocked that my own sneaks felt like bricks in comparison! I was living under a rock, but am now loving these which feel light as air and very soft around the foot.
Morrocanoil hair treatment (great lil' stocking stuffer) - another recommendation by my hairdresser as an everyday leave-in conditioner for dry hair.
BP booties (see my review) - IMO, still one of the best value booties out there and very comfy. My pebbled black ones get the most wear out of all my boots.
Bobeau fleece & fuzzy cardigans (see both on me) - I won't bore you by gushing again about these, but for newer readers, these are a must.
Blank NYC moto jacket (see on me) - another old fave that I won't chatter on about, but I do want to say mine has only gotten softer with wear over the years.

$200 or less
- Ivanka Trump Tropica lace-up flat (on sale; see on me) - my go-to shoes for if I want something stylish/dressier yet need to wear flats, and it's too warm out for boots.
Ugg kids classic boots (on sale down from $140) - one of the few items I still have since college days...eep! A "big kids" size 4 which fits me like a womens 5 to 5.5, and the kids goes up two more sizes so might suit ladies who wear up to sz 6.5 to 7. For inclement weather, they also make a water-resistant leather.
Hunter packable Tour rain boots (see on me). I'm still getting messages asking if these are the Original Tall, so want to clarify again that they are very different! Please be sure to read my review if you are considering them. The Original Tall were a tad too tall in the shaft for me and also heavy in comparison.
Longchamp Neo tote (thicker than their standard Le Pliage) is the current version of my water-resistant, foldable and lightweight tote that I still love for travel or hauling a laptop.

Splurge:
- Manolo BB nude pump - I actually don't think I've blogged these in nude (see the green ones on me), since I usually wear them with less interesting outfits that just need a classic neutral pump. There is something about the low front cut of BB pumps that I feel just looks really clean, sharp, and high-end, lengthening the legs like none other. Contrary to the listing I wouldn't recommend sizing up at all - I'm usually between a 5 and 5.5, and a 5 in these were the best fit.
- Bric's Bellagio 21" carryon suitcase (see my pics) - thank you Jen for the awesome tip about using Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser to get rid of scuff marks on the white surface!

And for your men, here's a few items that I've seen lingering on Nick's browser tabs many a times. His actual holiday wishlist was of small, random items (ie. a specialty flour...I guess the boy does love to bake!) so I'll also be tapping into these options. I think most guys wouldn't mind receiving any of the first few items!

Bose bluetooth speakers - oftentimes we've had friends over and want to move the party to the deck...only to have to scrounge up a plastic cup to stick an iPhone in for "acoustics." These are on sale, plus I noticed they have a couple thousand 4 to 5 star reviews around the web at other retailers.
- more cedar shoe trees - I guess he rather liked the ones I got earlier this year
- Herschel Novel duffel bag with exterior zip shoe pocket, to keep everything else dirt-free!
- Shinola The Runwell watch - the brand has some great videos of the craftsmanship behind their products, perfect for guys who love to support Made in America.

Happy holidays, and good luck to my fellow last-minute gift shoppers! 

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Holiday gift guide: Beauty under $50

ulta tarte lipsurgence lip creme swatches
J.Crew Factory dress, Talbots necklace (last worn here)

Today I'm sharing a few picks from Ulta Beauty's holiday gift guide that are each a great value, perfect for holiday exchanges with your girlfriends or a small present-to-self to get ready for this season's parties! First up on my list is the Tarte Dressed to the Nines LipSurgence Lip Creme set with nine mini tubes of color. They're super creamy and easy to glide on, and the colors range from light & buildable to bold - I'm testing 4 of the limited edition shades up above!
Ulta makeup holiday stocking stuffers tarte opi anastasia
Ann Taylor bow heels (last worn here)

I like that they're packaged in sets of 3, so you can gift as a whole set or break it up. I own a full-size lip creme from them which is $24 a piece, so thought the variety set was an awesome value for $34. I see this set just sold out online, but was told Ulta Beauty stores should have it in stock.
tarte lipsurgence lip creme dressed to the nines swatches
Another product on my gifting list is one that I started using this year at the recommendation of a friend - the popular Anastasia contour palette. I use the "light to medium" powder palette and would love to hear anyone's thoughts on how it compares to the cream version! My daytime makeup routine is pretty minimal so I usually reserve this for going out at night, or times when I know I'll be in a lot of photos. Here's a before and after:
anastasia makeup contour palette before after asian skintone
After applying foundation, I just do a little contouring along my nose and cheekbones to give them more definition. You can use a variety of brushes, but a denser one like this Real Techniques flat contouring brush works well for precision shading along the cheekbones. And for the nose bridge I simply use a small eyeshadow brush. Definitely start with a light hand and just accentuate your natural features; a little bit goes a long way - it's easy to be overzealous with shading and end up looking like a patient on "Botched" ; )

Next up is this cute TOO FACED "La Petite Maison" eyeshadow palette with a good mix of smokey neutrals and highlighting shades. I made one of my first smokey eye tutorials with my other Too Faced palette which lasted me for years. This one comes nestled in an Parisian-inspired box along with a small tube of their "Better than Sex" mascara, which a few of my friends swear by.
anastasia contour palette too faced shadow palette
Last but not least, I love a good mini polish kit, especially with holiday colors that you're not likely to use up a full bottle of. My tip is to search on Google images for swatches beforehand, so there's no surprises of how polishes look when applied! The OPI All-Stars 4-piece mini set has a nice variety for this season ranging from a true festive red to a deep, rich plum and two metallics. The champagne silver is probably my favorite, esp. with a coat of Essie Luxe Effects glitter topcoat layered on.
opi holiday all stars nail swatch
(left) "Love is in my Cards" and (right) "Press * for Silver," both with glitter topcoat

Thank you to Ulta Beauty for partnering on this post! Would love to get some more ideas for my makeup-loving friends...please share some of your favorite beauty gifts to give (or receive)!

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Neiman Marcus holiday gift guide + Jo Malone set giveaway!

burberry trench coat red hunter boots holiday outfit
Burberry Daylesmoore coat sz 2 (sleeves shortened), Hunter Tour boots sz 5, J.Crew hat

I'm excited to partner with Neiman Marcus this holiday season and share some of my favorite gift picks ~ I'm usually the biggest procrastinator, but have gotten a jump start this year taking advantage of the promos around this time! They have a gift card promo going on right now for Cyber Monday, plus free everyday shipping, returns, and gift packaging. I am giving away one of my favorite gifts from their Christmas Book this year...read on below for details!
tartan holiday presents gift wrap FS
burberry daylesmoore trench coat holiday
Here are my top gift picks which friends & family are bound to love (and I surely wouldn't mind finding any of these under the tree for myself!)...

For best girlfriends (or yourself): Jo Malone gift set - I don't wear much fragrance but I love, love Jo Malone fruity ones (and Nick likes to steal a pump or two every so often). This set has some of their most popular ones in a gift-ready package, and allows for layering of scents to create your own mix!

For mom, MIL or sisters: Button or Bailey Bow Uggs or customize your own (all of which are currently 20% off!) - I admit Uggs are still my shoe of choice when I just want to be super comfy and warm...I also keep a pair just for at-home wear against our ice cold floors. You can't go wrong with the classic but the bailey bow style is adorable.

For makeup-loving friends: Clinique A Case of the Pretties Palette (a $129 value for under $30), Lancome mascara value sets on some of their best-selling eye products, or the YSL Glossy Stain gift set of 4 lip products (the stains are usually $36 each).

Splurge treat for self: the limited-edition jeweled Manolo Blahnik butterfly shoes

For the men in your life: reversible Ferragamo belt kit - a discreet & functional luxury gift that won't ever go out of style.

For a secret santa exchange with your girlfriends Deborah Lipman mini polish set (also in neutrals for just $34) - I love scoping out all the mini polish variety sets that come out around the holidays, as I'm rarely able to finish a full-sized bottle without it becoming gloppy or separated. jo malone fragrance gift set neiman marcus
I also wanted to help kickstart your holiday gifting with a little giveaway! I bought a set of my favorite item from the list above for one of your friends or loved ones (or yourself!) to enjoy. To enter to win a Jo Malone gift set: fill out the quick Rafflecopter giveaway form below by Friday, December 4th midnight EST. 1 winner will be selected at random using the app; limit one entry per person and entrants must be 18+. Giveaway is open to those with a US-based address only - sorry international friends!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

burberry camel winter coat jcrew pom hat
Thank you to Neiman Marcus x Shopstyle for sponsoring this post!