Sephora Beauty Insider Event! My Picks!

It's Sephora's Beauty Insider Event and i am here to share some of my favorite Sephora picks! Listen, it's super easy to get lost in these sales and end up shopping mindlessly.  Believe, i've done this many times!  This time, i am going to focus on items that i personally own, love and need to replenish!  However, in addition to showing you my purchases, i wanted to highlight some products that i consider this my everyday go-to situations!  These are products i wear daily and have purchased over and over again therefore i can easily vouch for their effectiveness and overall performance!

Let's start with what i purchased thus far!  My absolute favorite fragrance is this one!  I'm a huge fan of Neroli and it's sort of become tradition for me to repurchase a bottle every time Sephora has this event because why pay full price.  It literally smells like Summer beach days in Capri (I'm not quite sure what that means but in essence that's what this fragrance makes me feel like every time i wear it).

So here's the thing, i like to invest in my hair, particularly because my hair is in bad shape from
excessive heat paired with going platinum last year!  One thing i learned is that if you bleach in your hair in any way, OLAPLEX is your bff!  This is essentially how celebs can switch up from dark to blonde constantly without major damage! I currently have the shampoo, conditioner, the N.3 Hair Protector which is a concentrated treatment that strengthens the hair from within, reducing breakage and improving its look and feel.  I use this before coloring and every other week.  Lastly, i love the N. 6 Bond Smoother Leave In Conditioner!  These products are incredible for your hair!  My hair stylist has been using OLAPLEX on my hair for quite some time so i was thrilled when i learned they're finally available to non professionals!  I re-ordered another N.3 because i was running low!


Next, the other hair care brand that i've loved for YEARS and will forever be loyal to is Alterna!  I am LOVING the bonding collection and it's one that seems to be instrumental in helping to rebuild my hair from all the damage i caused it. I'm running super low on the Smoothing Anti-Frizz Oil Mist that's blended with omega oils to add shine while taming frizz.  Also super important to me, this product protects hair up to 450 degrees!  I have purchased this three times and just ordered my 4th!  This product is a bit pricey so this is the perfect time to stock up!  A little goes a long way. It does last me for quite a while and i try to order this every time Sephora has this event!  The last product i ordered so far (yes, there may be more but i can only chat about what i've already ordered) is Ouai Memory Mist... a favorite of mine!  I've been using this for a while and love a few things about it.  First, it's a great product to apply to the hair while styling because it really helps the hair maintain it's shape for hours.  Additionally, it protects from heat which is essential to me as well since i do blow dry my hair and occasionally use a curling wand.  I included a couple of other products that i really love in this photo though i have not reordered only because they're still relatively full and i use such a tiny amount that i think these will last me for a few months.  Basically i love the Alterna Anti-Aging Caviar Reconstructing Bond Repair Leave-In Heat Protection Spray!  This stuff is a  must for me right now for a multitude of reasons but i love that it makes my hair feel soft and manageable as well as protected from heat.  As you can see, i learned my lesson BIG TIME and make sure all products i use have heat protection.

Ahhh now on to my favorite topic... makeup!  So to be clear, i am not purchasing any of these items for this sale simply because i have plenty of product left with the exception of the Erborian CC Cream. However, i purchased a backup during the last Sephora event sale so i'm good!  Thing is, for those of you who want makeup recommendations, i thought i'd take a peek at the products i reach for mostly every day and share those much loved products with you!

When it comes to face powders, Laura Mercier does it RIGHT!  I have an obsession with both the translucent and GLOW powders, they're just so finely milled and set my makeup beautifully.  As for skin products, i don't like to wear foundation on a daily basis.  There are two products that i alternate and i know you've heard me talk about them over and over but being that these are permanent fixtures in my makeup routine, i feel compelled to share them again.  First Aid Beauty's Tinted Moisturizer leaves the skin feeling hydrated while providing a very mild coverage.  If you pair this with a good concealer (i recommend IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye) that can spot treat any blemishes or redness than you should be able to create a beautiful canvas.  This concealer is powerful and packed with skin loving anti-aging ingredients, however, proceed with caution as a tiny bit goes a long way!  The other skin product i'm obsessed with is the Erborian CC Cream.  Now this product i use quite generously!  I pack it on and it gives the skin a bit of a blur effect while providing mild coverage.  Again, use your concealer to spot treat and it will achieve enough coverage for a day look.  I personally prefer this over foundation for day time.

Charlotte Tilbury is one of my biggest obsessions... hello, have you seen the new GLOWGASM collection?  OMG i need it stat! Ok focus Carla!  A must have from this amazing brand is the Flawless Filter.  If you love a glowy look then you'll want to dab this on the highs of your cheeks, cupid's bow or anywhere you want to highlight.  There is no glitter here, it's simply Goddess level glow! The Light Wand is also one of my holy grail highlighter situations.  Ugh so so so good! I also love this Fenty highlighter! The Cheek to Chic blushes are insanely beautiful and i can't imagine life without them!  If you're looking for the perfect nude lippie, pick up Charlotte Tilbury's Bitch Perfect and be sure to line your lips with Pillow Talk.  This combo is what nude lip dreams are made of! I love the Golden Goddess and Exagger Eyes Palette.  I also have my eyes on Pillow Talk!

Looking for sun kissed looking skin?  I have been reaching for Tarte's Hotel Heiress bronzer for months now and love the beautiful bronzy look it graces my skin with. It's a nice warm tone and i use it everyday.  These mini Natasha Denona palettes are a great value at just $25 when you consider her larger palettes are in the $125 range.  These are incredibly beautiful and have a great range.  I own three of them and highly recommend, particularly the nude palette because it's so versatile!

OK let's chat eyeliner and mascara.  Urban Decay's 24-7 Glide-On Eye Liner is all i reach for every day!  The formula is so creamy and easy to work with but stays put all day!  I smudge some on my upper lash line and then use a flat angled brush to sweep outwards for a gorgeous cat eye without the fuss of a liquid liner! Follow this with IT Cosmetics Super Hero Mascara for beautifully coated lashes!  This mascara is not only lengthening but voluminizing!  It's so powerful and i always have a backup tube in my stash!

The L'aneige Lip Sleep Mask is a holy grail of mine. I keep one on my nightstand and one in my makeup pouch.  I apply every night before bed and every morning when i wake up.  This leaves my lips so moisturized! Lastly, i set my makeup every day with Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray!  I have a back up of this product as well because i love it so much.  I even spray my beauty blender with it when i apply my concealer and it works like a dream!

Ok I could go on and on about makeup because there are so many products out there that i'm loving.  For instance, this Natasha Denona Cheek Palette is SO GOOD... but i wanted to really focus on the products i use over and over and over again.  My recommendation for shopping this sale is to restock on products you know you'll use a ton.  Perhaps select an item that you're curious about in addition to your restocks for a bit of fun.  You don't have to go crazy or break the bank.  Really, just focus on what you truly need and think you'll use!

I hope this post helps you narrow down your choices. Rouge costumers can save 20% now with code HEYROUGE at checkout! Happy Shopping and be sure to let me know what you picked up!  Xo, Carla - FMM

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Urban Decay NAKED Cherry Collection

I have been an avid collector of ALL Urban Decay NAKED palettes.  There is just something so nostalgic about my collection.  Each palette is a reminder of a special time in my life and i treasure each and everyone of of them.  When i first laid eyes on the new NAKED Cherry palette, i was immediately drawn to the gorgeous, warm tones!  They seriously scream Fall and i'm all about it.  I had this palette in my virtual shopping cart awaiting the Sephora sale when it unexpectedly arrived in the mail with the entire collection.  I don't think i've ever screamed so loud over a PR package before! I have been playing with this beauty and the rest of the collection since its arrival and boy, it did NOT disappoint!  This palette has a nice mix of mattes and shimmers. It is very pigmented and blends like a dream.  You will easily create an endless array of looks with this beauty and is worth every penny!  If you get anything at all from this collection, this is certainly the hero product!

The collection features three beautiful lipsticks in Cherry (a deep, berry wine color), Juicy ( a light peachy pink with copper micro shimmer.  It's so unique and wears beautifully) and Devilish ( a bright pink with micro shimmer).  Cherry is a satin finish and makes a bold statement... it's so perfect for Fall!  Juicy and Devilish are both shimmers and wear very comfortably.

I have collected Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils for quite some time.  They apply so smoothly and are strongly pigmented... a combination i look for in an eye pencil for sure!  Black Market is a rich satin black that is a must in every girl's makeup bag!  I'm equally obsessed with Love Drug, a deep wine metallic that is perfect for the waterline! I definitely recommend picking up a few of these!

I love a good highlighter/blush palette.  The NAKED Cherry Highlighter and Blush Palette is perfection.  It features a universally flattering blush alongside two stunning highlighters! This palette packs on the glow and is the perfect finishing touch to any look!

If you ask me what my favorite setting spray is, my response without hesitation is Urban Decay's All Nighter Spray!  I have two in my stash because i simply can't live without it.  I initially hesitant about the idea of this being scented but truth is, it's very light and actually enjoyable!  I have been using it nonstop and i LOVE the size!  It's perfect for travel.  In fact, i have traveled with it twice this month and it will once again tag along for my third trip at the end of the month!

If you have a beauty lover in your life and are looking to gift them the ultimate beauty gift... look no further than the Urban Decay Naked Cherry VAULT!  It features most of the collection and is perfect for creating a ton of amazing looks! 

Overall, this collection is beautiful and worth the investment! If you love warm, Fall tones, this is one you won't want to miss!  You can shop the collection here!  Thank you so much for reading! Xo, Carla

*Press sample - all opinions are my own based on my experience with this collection.

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My Recommendations For The Sephora VIB SALE

It's a happy time of year when we can score some major beauty deals at Sephora!  For this sale, i thought it might be fun to create a post with a few of my suggestions to help you shop the sale.  I mean, these are just a tiny few items that I'm loving in the grand scheme of amazing items but I'm sure you'd rather me be short and sweet than go on and on about every.single.product.i.love in one post! So here they are... i incorporated a few skincare, haircare and makeup faves.  I even tossed in my absolute favorite fragrance of all time... i purchase a bottle every single time Sephora has a sale!

1.  Fresh Beauty is among one of my favorite skincare brands.  My skin LOVES their products.  My two HOLY GRAIL Fresh Beauty products are the Rose Toner and the Black Tea Kombucha Essence.  These two alone work wonders but together, they're MAGIC! The toner balances your skin's PH while ridding it of all impurities while the Essence maximizes the way your skincare works for you!  It also protects your skin against environmental pollution which lets face it... is very necessary!  I can't live without these two!

2.  First Aid Beauty is a brand i trust and love!  The Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer is a product that I've loved since the day it gently touched my skin. This is the perfect product for those who don't want to wear foundation everyday but need a little evening out.  In addition, you'll benefit from moisturized skin as well as sun protection.  This is a staple in my makeup vanity!

3.  Buxom Lippies are incredibly fun to wear.  Their lip plumping formula is easily my favorite because it doesn't make your lips burn or tingle!  It's just like wearing a regular lippie!  I'm especially LOVING the VA-VA PLUMP Shiny Liquid Lipsticks so much because they pack on the pigment, shine and look STUNNING!  Psssst... currently giving four of these away on my instagram!  GO ENTER!

4.  Tarte has been KILLING IT LATELY!  They're packaging game is so strong it hurts!  This palette has me all kinds of smitten!  I reach for it constantly because the shades are so beautiful.  It's filled with beautiful earthy jewel tones that make your eyes stand out in the loveliest of ways.  Besides, the packaging is stunning beyond words.  You will NOT want to tuck this away in a drawer... it must be displayed.... MUST!

5.  IT Cosmetics will always be a brand i hold dear to my heart.  You can rest assured that when using their products, you will get skin-loving ingredients 100% of the time.  The Bye Bye Under Eyes has been a holy grail concealer for me for many years.  I've recommended it to so many friends, family and readers!  Here's your chance to score it during this sale!

6.  Alterna is perhaps one of my most reached for hair care brands!  I don't think I've ever not loved one of their products.  I've been a loyal customer for many years and i wanted to recommend two products in particular that i find really work miracles on my hair.  First, the CC Cream is a must-have leave in conditioner.  It will make your hair silky smooth while nourishing it with amazing ingredients that strengthen and protect.  The Smoothing Dry Oil Spray is one that i recently repurchased because in my attempt to try another brand with a similar product, i learned quickly that when i product works so beautifully for you, just stick with it!  This spray adds shine to my dry ends and protects it from the heat which is a major concern of mine!

7.  Olaplex has been life changing for my hair.  My hair stylist always uses steps 1 and 2 on my hair so when i learned that Sephora now carried the line, i went ham!  This is a wonderful hair bonding treatment that seriously WORKS!  I have recently added the shampoo and conditioner to my hair care routine and WOW WOW WOW!!!  This is a wonderful time to try these or stock up on them if you already tried and loved them!

8.  Tatcha is also a skincare brand I've used and loved for several years.  Their Rice Polish Enzyme is a fixture in my skincare routine.  During the Sephora Sale, i decided to try a product I've been dying to try! While I've only used the Silk Canvas Protective Primer twice since it arrived, I'm really loving how it smooths my pores so nicely and leaves my skin ready for my foundation.  Definitely worth checking out!

9.  Hourglass Arch Brow has been my brow pencil holy grail product since it launched!  If you're in need of a good brow pencil, trust me, this is your jam!

10.  Tom Ford Neroli Portofino is my ABSOLUTE FRAGRANCE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! It smells so fresh and beautiful!  I can't get enough of it and always purchase a bottle when Sephora has a sale!  ALWAYS!

Don't miss out on this amazing sale!  If you're a VIB ROUGE member, use code YESROUGE at checkout for 20% off.  If you're a VIB use code YESVIB to save 15% at checkout.  If you're an Insider use code YESINSIDER to save 10% at checkout!  Thank you so much for reading and happy shopping! xoxo, Carla - FMM

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Sephora - MAJOR SALE EVENT!

Hello again! I would not be a true friend and beauty enthusiast if I didn't share the mah-jor sale happening over at Sephora right now! In fact, if you use the code EXTRA20 you'll get an additional 20% off already marked down items!  So I thought it'd be fun to show you what I've got in my virtual shopping cart... after all, shopping is so much more fun when you can share the experience with those you love... and I LOVE my readers!  So check out some of my faves!

OK are you sitting?!  Check out these two NARS lip glosses for only $10 each!  Whaaaat?!  I know... I'm excited too!

Stila's kitten is perhaps one of the brands most iconic shade!  This beauty has graced my makeup pouch for years and now you can actually get the Best of Kitten Set ON SALE!  Check it out!

OK I'm obsessed with MUFE products... i swear by their Aqua Rouge collection when I need major stay power!  Well the MAKE UP FOR EVER Wild and Chic Palette is the perfect blend of earthy neutrals that is guaranteed to look amazing on just about anyone AND it comes equipped with my favorite Aqua Eyes liner.... I promise that once it's on, this baby will stay put all day long!  OH and did I mention it's only $19?  Yep!  Score!

Ok can we talk about how adorable this Too Faced Loves Sephora 15 Years of Beauty palette is?!  It's truly a one stop shop complete with everything you need to crate a fun look! This $245 value is now on sale for a mere $39... oh and throw in that extra 20% off and you've scored yourself a major deal! 

I cannot WAIT to get my hands on this Marc Jacobs Beauty Lightshow Luminizing Powder!  This limited edition beauty was inspired by Marc Jacobs Fall 2013 runway show but no worries... gold is a MAJOR spring trend so this baby will not be outdated!  This multidimensional powder promises to compliment all skin tones providing a hint of shimmer and gold for a subtle glow.  Sounds delish!

I love Nails Inc. Nail Polishes and at $5 plus 20% off, I definitely need to stock up.  I use the term 'need' loosely of course!

OK so I could go on and on.... seriously I'm a kid in a candy store at Sephora and I do need to exercise some control here.  OH who am I kidding!  Anyway, I hope I've given you some great options.  I wanna know what you get so be sure to let me know!!!  Enjoy these last few days of 2013!  xo Carla - FMM

Clarisonic Mia ON SALE!

You guys!  Sephora is having a major deal on the Clarisonic Mia!  You know how much I LOVE mine (you can read all about it here)... so much so that I want everyone on earth to own one!  This thing is a game changer when it comes to skincare!  Soooo... wouldn't it be nice to finally treat yourself?  At this price, you might just have to!  Check it out.. it's only $99!!!!  Happy Shopping!!!