Lace & Pearls

A Seattle Style blog. Helping women who struggle with their personal style or those who just need a fashion fix!

Get to Know Saints & Sinners Hair Care + Giveaway

I'm so excited to introduce Saints & Sinners! Saints & Sinners is a nutrient-rich hair care brand that can be found in select salons. I’m so excited to introduce Saints & Sinners! Saints & Sinners is a nutrient-rich hair care brand that can be found in select salons. All of the products are free of harsh chemicals, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free. I had the opportunity to test out their products and I loved them so much that I decided to do a giveaway!

Saints & Sinners Hair Care

I'm so excited to introduce Saints & Sinners! Saints & Sinners is a nutrient-rich hair care brand that can be found in select salons. Velvet Devine Leave-in Conditioner detangles and leaves my hair silky smooth and full of moisture. It also protects from heat (major bonus) and environmental damage and is ideal for all hair types. I would also like to try their shampoo and conditioner.

I'm so excited to introduce Saints & Sinners! Saints & Sinners is a nutrient-rich hair care brand that can be found in select salons. Velvet Divine Hair Masque eliminates damage caused by chemicals, heat, and environmental stresses. It’s also great for anyone who has frizzy unruly hair, curly hair, or damaged hair. My hair is very dry and is also relaxed (chemically straightened), so I definitely noticed a difference when using this product.

Divine Styling Potion can be used on wet or dry hair. It protects the hair from thermal damage and is humidity-resistant. I applied this product to dry hair and love the lightweight formula. It’s also very hydrating like all of the aforementioned products and provides great shine.

Saints & Sinners graciously provided me with all of these goodies but all opinions are my own. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below (US readers only) for a chance to win all three products. The giveaway ends on Monday, August 7th and the winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

📷’s by  Luba Kochubey Portraits

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  2. Capture Your Natural Beauty With Pixi by Petra
  3. Giorgio Armani – The Perfect Holiday Fragrance and Lip Gloss
  4. Pixi Beauty Product Review + Giveaway

Lancome Beauty Haul: 3 Must-Have Products

I recently had the opportunity to try three new Lancome products. All of them were top notch and deserve a proper review. I'll definitely be repurchasing them in the future.I recently had the opportunity to try three new Lancome products. All of them were top notch and deserve a proper review. I’ll definitely be repurchasing them in the future.

Lancome Beauty Haul

Lancome Official Visionnaire Crescendo Peel. For this one, I completed the full 28-day program. My pores appeared smaller and my skin looked smoother and brighter. If you have sensitive skin I would avoid this product though, as Phase 2 does leave a burning sensation.

I recently had the opportunity to try three new Lancome products. All of them were top notch and deserve a proper review. I'll definitely be repurchasing them in the future.Out of the two phases, I prefer Phase 1 which reduces pores, improve skin texture and radiance. The first 14 days I could really tell a difference, but I did break out a bit. Phase 2 reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. I have dark spots under my chin and was hoping to reduce those, but I’m not sure Phase 2 was as effective in this area. I should have taken a before and after photo, but I have enough product to try again so I might give it another shot.

Lancome Bienfait SPF 50 Sunscreen. This is the first SPF 50 I’ve ever tried. It shields the skin from UVA and UVB rays that may contribute to skin damage and premature aging. It’s also recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, which I appreciated. I love the oil-free, lightweight formula and how it didn’t leave my skin feeling greasy. It’s also formulated for all skin types, even sensitive. As an added bonus, no SPF smell! I honestly can’t say enough good things about this product.

I recently had the opportunity to try three new Lancome products. All of them were top notch and deserve a proper review. I'll definitely be repurchasing them in the future.Lancome Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick. The sponge-like applicator really helps with creating a precise application. I love the formula, it literally feels like a second skin! 🙌 Another plus, no smudging or bleeding. However, it’s a bit on the dry side and could use a gloss. It’s definitely long-wearing though, which I absolutely love. I can’t wait to try the other colors.

Have you tried any of these products? Share your experience with me in the comments.

Shop the Post:

*Influenster graciously provided me with these Lancome products, but all opinions are my own.

📷’s by  Luba Kochubey Portraits

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  4. Pixi Beauty Product Review + Giveaway

Pixi Beauty Product Review + Giveaway

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.Have you tried Pixi Beauty products yet? Pixi is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand that is available at Target and Pixibeauty.com. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature light green and rose gold packaging is hard to resist.

I’m a bit behind in my monthly reviews and have acquired quite a collection of Pixi products. Some I’ve tried previously and others I haven’t. Unfortunately a lot of the products are oil-based or hydrating and not great for my oily skin, so what’s a girl to do but share the wealth and do a giveaway! It’s going to be a good one so keep reading.

Before we get to the fun, I wanted to share a bit about one of the packages I received. Hello, beauty enthusiast! It’s almost too pretty to use.

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.Here’s what I got:

Since there are so many items in this package, I am only going to review the Get The Look ItsEyeTime Eyeshadow and Get The Look ItsLipTime Lip Colour palette. These two products were created in partnership with ItsJudyTime. If you’re curious about Pixi, check out my other posts: Capture Your Natural Beauty With Pixi by Petra, The No Makeup Look with Pixi by Petra, and Bedtime Ritual with Pixi Beauty.

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.

Get The Look ItsEyeTime Eyeshadow. This neutral eye palette is a good mix of mattes and shimmers. You can easily apply it with your fingers, but some people do prefer a brush. Before I did my eyes I applied my favorite lid primer. I swear by this primer, it keeps my eyeshadow on all day. However, within 6 hours the color starting lifting. I have oily skin and don’t have this problem with my other shadows. This is is a major strike against this palette. The finished look, however, was pretty but not better than other shadows I own. I will continue playing with this set and look to YouTube for inspiration and how-tos.

Get The Look ItsLipTime Lip Colour Palette. The color palette itself is beautiful, great neutrals for every day. But for some reason, most of the shades were too light for my skin tone. I think this palette would work best on someone with fair skin. The last row in the palette does work for darker skin, but I still would not recommend this product. I also prefer a tube instead of using my fingers/brush to apply my lip stick. 

Pixi Beauty Giveaway

Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the giveaway! There will be three winners. Here’s what’s up for grabs:

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.

Grand Prize Winner: (everything in the photo except the Eye and Lip palette).

1st runner up:

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.

2nd runner up:

Pixi Beauty is an affordable, all-natural beauty brand. Not only are the products a great buy, but the signature packaging is hard to resist.

Hello Rose Highlighting set includes:

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below (US readers only). The giveaway ends on June 6th and the winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Pixi by Petra provided me with these products, but all opinions are my own.

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4 Setting Powders that Work 

I have always had oily skin and have trouble keeping my makeup in place, which is why I'm so obsessed with having a shine-free complexion. Having a good skincare regime helps a lot, but a great finishing powder is what can really make a difference.In junior high, a boy asked me why I was sweating after looking at my face, but I wasn’t sweating, my skin was just oily. I was mortified! I have always had oily skin and have trouble keeping my makeup in place, which is why I’m so obsessed with having a shine-free complexion. Having a good skincare regime helps a lot, but a great finishing powder is what can really make a difference. I know that when I get older I will appreciate my oily skin, but for now I still like to use products that keep my skin matte.

If you are looking for a way to make your makeup appear flawless or you struggle to keep your makeup in place, this is the post for you!

4 Setting Powders that Work

  1. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: I recently tried this powder via Influenster. It’s one of the first translucent medium deep setting powders for dark skin. My first thought was, it’s a translucent powder why the heck does it need to be brown! I have to admit, though, having a powder that matches my skin does make it easier to blend and not have to worry about residue. This powder is long wearing and keeps my makeup matte. It also comes in the standard Natural Finish for all skin tones.
  2. Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Setting Powder. This was the first finishing powder that I tried. It is amazing! It absorbs oil, mattifies the skin, and minimizes the appearance of pores. It comes in a compact and loose powder option. I prefer the compact (less mess).
  3. Pixi Quick Fix Powder. The Pixi powder is an inexpensive alternate to the Tarte powder and provides a flawless matte finish. I really can’t tell the difference between the two, and for $12 dollars less, it’s a great choice. If you want to learn more about other Pixi products check out: Capture Your Natural Beauty With Pixi by Petra, The No Makeup Look with Pixi by Petra, and Bedtime Ritual with Pixi Beauty.
  4. Estée Lauder Perfecting Loose Powder: I am a huge fan of Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation in addition to the Double Wear powder so I decided to try their translucent powder. It does control shine and helps minimize imperfections, but for the price, I feel the aforementioned brands are a better option.

What setting powder do you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

📷’s by Luba Kochubey Portraits

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7 Fail-Proof Tips for Getting Ready in the Morning

Marl chunky cardigan, distress jeans, and booties Marl chunky cardigan, distress jeans, and booties

Marl chunky cardigan, distress jeans, and bootiesMarl chunky cardigan, distress jeans, and booties

Most mornings when I’m getting ready for work, I’m in a rush trying to get out the door as quickly as possible. I don’t have time to think about looking cute. I’m more focused on getting my coffee, breakfast, and arriving on time for my 8 am meeting. With that said, I still want to look decent when getting ready in the morning.

 7 Fail-Proof Tips for Getting Ready in the Morning

Beauty

  1. Shower the night before. This might seem obvious, but if you can forgo your morning shower it will save so much time. I prefer to take my showers in the morning to help wake me up, but I recently rediscovered the benefits of showering the night before. I woke up late during the work week and had no choice but to skip my shower. I surprisingly had more time to get ready than usual and got to work on time.
  2. Use a multipurpose foundation or beauty/blemish (BB) cream. I recently started using BB cream. BB cream is a lightweight foundation that evens out the skin tone. BB creams moisturize, protect, and correct. They are known for their broad-spectrum SPF and antioxidants. Depending on your skin concerns you can get one that is formulated for your skin type. Even better there is no need to use a moisturizer, primer, or foundation. It does it all! I don’t know about you but that cuts out three steps in my morning routine. To set the cream I either use a translucent finishing powder or press powder (these are optional). Otherwise, my oily skin will make the BB cream slide right off in a few hours. I recommend using Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water.
  3. Get organized. Arrange your cleansing and beauty products in the order in which you use them. This will make it super convenient when getting ready. If that is too much to ask, keep like products and tools together. Arranging your makeup by color and type will make things easy to find.
  4. Bad hair day? Tease your crown and go for a messy bun or classic ponytail.

Clothes

  1. Check the forecast. I commute to work so this is a necessary step for me when getting ready. If it’s going to rain (which never happens in Seattle), I plan on rain or riding boots, an umbrella, and I allow more travel time.
  2. Plan your outfits ahead of time. Once you know the forecast, you can pick out your outfit the night before or take it a step further and plan for the week. If you have room for a clothing rack you can organize your picks for the week and have them accessible. Another idea is to label your hangers by the days of the week to organize your pre-planned outfits.
  3. The final step in getting ready quickly is to have a few outfit combinations in your back pocket. You want something simple to grab when you’re in a bind. Mine is a pair of black pants/jeans, booties, a casual long sleeve tee, and a sweater. What I like about this look is I can wear it to the office (business casual) by swapping out the jeans for black pants. If you need to look a little more dressed up go for a heel instead of boots.

What tips to do you have for getting ready in the morning? Please share in the comments.

Sweater: Loft (similar) | Tee: Nordstrom | Jeans: AG | Bracelet: Kendra Scott | Necklace: Rocksbox | Booties: Nordstrom | Bag: Michael Michael Kors (similar)| Lipstick: Wet n Wild

📷’s by Luba Kochubey Portraits

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