Holiday Gift Guide 2013

The holidays is the perfect time of the year to load up on skincare favorites, makeup sets, and all the glorious products that are brought out this time of the year. In the video linked below I go through some of my favorite picks that have been released this season. Keep your eyes peeled for after the holidays, when these items are likely to go on sale. Enjoy the video!

Products Mentioned:

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega Relief
Origins Greats
Perricone MD The Science of Cold Plasma
Ole Henriksen Ole La La Glow From Head To Toe Blockbuster Set
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Steamer Solutions
Archipelago Winter Frost Gift Box Candle
Smashbox Wondervision Mega Palette
Tarte Stop & Stare 6-Piece Eyeliner & Lash Set
Sephora Give Me More Lip Kit
Marc Jacobs The Showstopper Set

Hope you enjoy!

Love,

Claire

Favorites: August 2013

Over the month of August I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Australia (travel post and haul coming soon)! Many of the products featured in my August Favorites came along for the ride as well. One of the star items is the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Booster which I am so happy is now part of my everyday skincare routine. For more lip product recommendation and one new limited edition product by bareMinerals, check out the video below.

Products Mentioned:

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner

Joico K-PAK Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor

Bioderma Crealine TS H20 Micelle Solution

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster

Tarte Waterproof Bronzer Park Avenue Princess Matte

MAC 150 Large Powder Brush

bareMinerals READY Colorboost The Adrenaline Rush

Dior Hydra Life BB Eye Creme

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil Naked

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Sweetheart

Dior 'Addict' Lipstick 578 Diorkiss

I promised that I would do some research on the rumors of the accessibility of Bioderma via Sears.com.  I come to you with good news! Sears Online is now carrying Bioderma Crealine TS H20 Micelle Solution, along with many other Bioderma products! I am so excited to get my hands into more Bioderma products to test out and report back to you guys. Definitely leave comments below of your favorite Bioderma products. See the link above to be taken directly to the Sears Website. 

Love, 

Claire

Empties: March 2013

You would think that after months and months of doing these empties posts/videos there would come a point where the sheer quantity would slow down. Apparently not. I won't lie, I love collecting the products and watching my bag of empties grow more full as the month progresses. It's a sick satisfaction. I am a consumer. It's that simple.

Anyway, as far as the products go, I finished a few interesting skincare bits (yes, cleanser is interesting to me) and a few makeup items that always seem to shock the masses that I get through (the masses being my one friend who reads this, HI DIANA). Regardless, I hope you guys enjoyed the video and snazzy empty-product-porn.

Products Mentioned:

Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Golden Sugar Scrub*

Lush Christmas Eve Bubble Bar*

Lush Santa's Sack Bubble Bar*

EOS Lavender Jasmine Shave Cream*

h20+ Seaweed Mud Treatment*

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash*

Lush Hair Doctor*
DevaCurl One Condition
DevaCurl No-Poo
Bumble & Bumble Classic Hairspray*
Lush R&B*
Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Lite Leave-In Moisterizer*
Lush The Sacred Truth*
Caudalie Beauty Elixer*
Klorane Soothing Eye Make-Up Remover with Cornflower Water
Avene Cleanance Gel*
REN Hydra-Calm Cleansing Gel*
This Works Super Moisture
Jemma Kidd Mineral Skin Tint SPF 20*
Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Natural Lash Enhancing Primer*

Travel/Sample Sizes:

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Scrub*

Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub*

Love + Toast Clementine Crush Sugar Scrub*

Sundari Gotu Kola & Walnut Body Exfoliator (x2)*
Kiehl's Nashi Blossom & Pink Grapefruit Hand & Body Lotion (2)*
Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner*
Kiehl's Amino Acid Conditioner*
Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo*
Bumble & Bumble Color Minded Shampoo*
Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque*
Matrix Biolage Exquisite Oil*
GLAMGLOW Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask*
Caudalie Cleansing Water*
ShuUemura Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium a/o Advanced Formula*
Lancome Creme Mousse Confort Creamy Foaming Cleanser*
Clarins 'UV Plus HP' Multi-Protection Day Screen SPF 40*
Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream*
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Repair Eye Serum*
bareMinerals Multi-Wrinkle Repair
Love + Toast Gin Blossom Shea Butter Hand Creme*
Narciso Rodriguez for her Eau de Parfum
Betsey Johnson Too Too Pretty Eau de Parfum
Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara
Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum
bareMinerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener

* = products i would repurchase

Love,
Claire

Top 5: High End Powder Blushes

Another new series to begin here on The Makeup Architect and on the accompanying YouTube channel, Top 5. In this series I will pick a category, i.e. high end powder blushes, select my top 5, and talk away about why they are so fantastic and how they've changed my life. This is serious business. This time around powder blushes hit the stage. Hope you guys enjoyed and let me know if you have any ideas for what other categories would be of interest; eyeshadow bases, eyeliners, lip treatments, foot creams, hair masks, or anything you can think of!

Products Mentioned:

Nars Douceur

Tarte Exposed

Lorac Exposed

Laura Mercier Lush Nectarine

Nars Gaiety

Hope you enjoyed!

Love, 

Claire

FOTD 3-13-13

I thought I would start a new series here on the blog. Face of the Days aren't new friends with blogs, but definitely new to The Makeup Architect. I think they are great ways for me to share the makeup that I'm using, and a way for me to share mini reviews on the products I'm trying out. Let me know what you guys think and if I should continue with these kinds of posts. Hopefully yes, because I thought it was so fun to do!

For the look I first started out by smoothing the Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum all over my face. I'm enjoying this product sample, but not enough to shell out the money, it's good, but not life changing. After letting that set and sink in, I used my trusty Chanel Lift Lumiere Foundation in Ivoire (14). This is one of my favorite (and most expensive) foundations. It gives a beautiful satin finish and the medium coverage, buildable foundation lasts all day (the plastic packaging is obviously not very durable).

To cover the dark circles under my eyes and the redness around my nose I used my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 20. This is a full coverage and very blendable long-lasting product. My only complaints are the smell and the over zealous pump dispenser, otherwise its perfect for those of us with those genetic deep purple under eyes. To ensure that there would be no creasing and migrating into the fine lines under my eyes, I used the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil to set the concealer. To cover my blemishes and scars, my favorite is the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW 20, it doesn't budge all day once it's been set with powder; this time was my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.

MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot served as the perfect base for the star of the show, my new Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in Rosewood. This is THE ultimate in luxury eyeshadows. There is no going back now that I've tried this shadow, it has reset my standards for the possibilities of makeup; over dramatic much? I placed rosewood all over the lid, into the crease, and took it under the eye. I used The Balm shadows from the Nudetude Palette; Sultry to blend out the crease and Sassy on the brow bone as as inner corner highlight. Finally, a little brown eyeliner, Nars Laguna as a contour, Tarte Magic on the cheeks, Revlon Coral Reef on the lips, and Covergirl Clump Crusher Waterproof on the lashes.

This has been my go-to-lookfor a while now and I am absolutely in love with it!

Hope you guys enjoyed!
Love,
Claire

Favorites: December 2012

The month of December was hectic to say the least. Not only are the holidays usually a fun but overwhelming experience, but I also decided to move 1,000 miles only a mere 4 days after graduating from my masters program. As far as products went, I used very little makeup and stuck to my skincare routine. Falling back in love with some of my regular products while being able to really focus on a few new ones (my blushes) actually produced a few favorites form to talk about. Watch the video to see my full explanations on the products.

Products Mentioned:

Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

Bath & Body Works Cashmere Glow Shower Gel 

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser

Kryolan for Glossybox Glossy Rosewood Blush

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fantastic

Kat Von D Little Sinners Eyeshadow Palette

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

REN Mayday Mayday Rescue Balm

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Concealer
Cargo 3 Triple Action Mascara

Thanks for watching!
Love, Claire

Empties: September 2012

As per usual my makeup and beauty product addiction is blatantly obvious via my empties posts/videos. I still will never understand how it is possible that I finish this many products. Even though 95% of these products took more than a month to finish, I never realized how fast I fly through products. At least I know I'm getting my money's worth since I'm getting through the products and enjoying the whole process of trying out new things.

Products Mentioned:
The Balm Balms Away Eye Makeup Breakup*
Kenra Volume Spray Super Hold Finishing Spray #25*
Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops*
Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Intense Moisturizing Treatment*
Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Alcohol Free Toner*
Earth Therapeutics Peach & Pasion Loofah Scrub*
Lush American Cream Conditioner*
Vitacare Multicare Acai Toothpaste
Ahava Hand Cream (old packaging & formula)
Dove Visibly Smooth Deodorant in Natural Fresh*
H&M Coconut Lime Shower Cream*
MAC Wipes*
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen*
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream*
Studio 35 Beauty Textured Cotton Rounds
MAC Fast Respons Eye Cream*
Lush Curly Wurly Conditioning Shampoo*
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat*
Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Soothing Organic Milk & Oat Bath
Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara*

* = I would repurchase

Hope you guys enjoyed!
Love, Claire