Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude cushion stick radiant makeup foundation review

Foundation c/o Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude cushion stick radiant makeup (outfit details here)

Estee Lauder has a new foundation! It is SO FABULOUS! One of the things that drives me crazy about foundation is how it is packaged. I don’t like having to pour out, or dip into, a small little bottle. The foundation always seems to go bad before I finish the bottle, so it always seems like a waste.

The new Double Wear Nude cushion stick radiant makeup foundation is perfect for someone like me, who finds bottles annoying. I was thrilled when Estee Lauder sent me a sample to test out! It was a like a dream come true!

For Estee Lauder’s new foundation, the packaging is a wide tube, with a small sponge attached to the tip. In the center of the tip, the foundation comes out in a small amount; allowing you to use the sponge to apply the foundation to your face. This is SO EASY!!! No more messy brushes or fingers. Love that!

This is a great design for travel, a gym bag, or anytime you need to apply foundation on the go. I am hooked! My color, which is “Pure Beige,” will be heading to New York with me for fashion week in February. Love!

If you were wondering about the sponge, it is detachable. The sponge comes off so that is can easily be cleaned, and then re-attached. When I apply Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Nude on my face, I make a few dots around my face by tapping the sponge applicator, and then I use the sponge to even it all out. Works like a charm!

In addition to fabulous packaging, the foundation itself is amazing. The Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude foundation applies evenly, thinly, and smooth. It leaves a flawless look on my face which is fabulous. I have some acne scarring, and sun damage on my face, so this foundation does the trick at covering all that junk up! My favorite part is that it does not cause any breakouts; I am prone to them so this is a key point!

I love this foundation! If you are looking for a weightless, non-acne-causing foundation, in an easy-to-use tube, which is also travel friendly, then this is for you! You can find the Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude foundation online here.

*Thank you Estee Lauder for partnering on this post.

Lunch on a sunny winter day

how to wear slides in wintersan jose fashion bloggersblack gucci slidessaratoga street stylemansur gavriel circle tote san francisco street style

Wearing: Kendra Scott earrings / Chanel spring lipstick / Banana Republic sweater (on major sale!!) / c/o Kendra Scott ring / Mansur Gavriel Circle Tote / Gap Jeans (on major sale!!) / Chanel spring nail polish / Gucci slides (so comfortable-I’m obsessed!)

So, since early fall, I have been coveting these Gucci slides. I saw them on so many fashionable feet at fashion week, and I am sure you have noticed they are splashed all over social media. There is something simple, classic, and chic about them.

Slides are all the rage in 2017. The trend started last year, but was lost in a sea of lace-up tie shoes which dominated the warm weather fashion scene. Well, in 2017, slides take center stage; so why not snap up the perfect pair! This pair is great because they are black, and have a classic look. This will allow these Gucci slides to easily transition from winter, into spring, into summer, and into fall! Love that! Plus, did I mention how comfortable they are? They are SO comfortable!

These photos were taken by my friend Dawn Lucy from Fashion Should Be Fun. If you are not already following her, be sure to follow along! She is based right here in the Bay Area; in San Jose. If you noticed, we traveled together at fashion week in September.

On this winter day, we met in downtown Saratoga for a yummy lunch. There is a Peruvian restaurant named Sipan which we thought would be fun to try. It was fun! The food was yummy, and the service was great. The atmosphere was casual chic; so very Bay Area!

After we ate, we walked around downtown and window shopped. By the time we met in late December, I was already financially tapped out from Christmas shopping; window shopping was all I could do! haha

These Gucci slides were great for walking around town. They were comfortable, and they never slipped off my feet. I have to admit, I was a little concerned about wearing slides. When they were popular in the 90’s, they were known to slide right off my feet! Hence the name; “Slides.” Ugh. Thankfully, this pair seemed to magically stay on my feet, so I could comfortably walk around without worrying about losing a shoe. Love that!

Have you tried wearing slides now that the trend is getting hot? How have they worked for you?

Outfit details:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*Photo credit: Dawn Lucy/Fashion Should be Fun

casual winter outfit

Top 5 IT bags under $1000

mansur gavriel lady bag in black

For those of us who love handbags, the search for the perfect IT bag is an ongoing process. Styles and tastes change every year, and most disturbingly, every season. Keeping up with the IT bag fury can cost thousands of dollars! Thankfully, there are some IT bags which are also considered classic “must-have’s” for every fashion girl’s closet, that are under $1000. One is even under $500! Whaaaaaaat?? Here they are!
top 5 it bags under $1000

Pictured from top left: 1) Mansur Gavriel bucket bag / 2) Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC convertible shoulder bag-clutch. Under $200! / 3) Philip Lim Pashli large size / 3) Philip Lim Pashli mini which is under $700 / 4) Tory Burch Robinson current version / 5) Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag

Mansur Gavriel has mastered the IT bag market with high quality handbags that offer clean lines, and classic styling. It is no wonder the drawstring bucket, which put Mansur Gavriel on the map, is ranked #1 on the list of the top five IT bags under $1000. Thier more recent design, the Lady Bag, has proven to be just as desirable as the bucket bag over the past couple of years, elevating it to the list at #5.

Coming in at #2 on the list is the classic Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag. This cute little handbag has been around for what seems like forever! It comes in new colors every season. If you want longevity, pick it up in black. It offers the best IT bag value at a price point under $200. Plus, the mini MAC converts from a clutch to a shoulder bag. Love that!

The third moderately priced IT bag on the list is the Philip Lim Pashli. This bag was on the IT bag throne a few years ago, but it has moved into classic IT bag status by continuing to be highly sought-after by handbag fans everywhere. Philip Lim puts out new colors every season, but for longevity, look for black or beige. This bag is also hot in the mini version and large version; hence the reason both sizes are featured on the collage above. Pick your size, and you are hotter than hot!

The forth hot IT bag is the Tory Burch Robinson satchel. This bag reinvents itself every season in new colors, textures, and fabrications. This season’s version is a beautiful woven, black and white design. It is a classic color combo and texture; perfect for resort, spring, and summer, why not grab it for under $1000!!

While many of us feel the pressure to purchase a shiny new IT bag for $3000, we don’t have to! These five bags prove we can carry an IT bag for less than a mortgage payment.

I own the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag and Lady Bag. They are both high quality, and extremely functional; which adds to their allure in the marketplace. I also own a Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC which my teenage daughter stole from my closet and refuses to give back. (It’s coming out of her allowance!) It too is high quality, and easy to use. I highly recommend these bags!

A few of the top 5 IT bags under $1000 around the web:

What is your favorite IT bag under $1000?

mansur gavriel classic bucket bag