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| Above: Last weekend, my incredible husband and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary…a blessing indeed! |
Two trips in two weeks (full recap soon) and an insane five days of work have collectively made me glad it’s finally Friday…in turn, I am happy to share my third installment of Office Hours, a post dedicated (mainly) to beauty and (a bit of) beyond!
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| Above: Well-loved shampoo. |
I rarely think to post images of my empties but wanted to share this shampoo discovery before I dispose of these thoroughly-squeezed tubes! While on the search for a sulfate-free option, I randomly picked up the L’Oreal EverStrong Shampoo and Conditioner at my local drugstore and am super pleased with the results: hydrated, silky hair with none of the chemical risks…a definitely repurchase!
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| Above: The Omorovicza BB Complexion Perfector contains only physical SFP…magnificent! |
I recently had the chance to try the Omorovicza BB Complexion Perfector, and, while a full review is certainly in the works, I must preface said post by stating that this formula is extremely unique and utterly magical. It has a texture, the likes of which I’ve never encountered, and the coverage, for a BB cream, is significant. Have you, dear reader, tried it yet? Thoughts? More musings from me soon!
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| Above: One of my many Mujis…they have revolutionized my cosmetic storage approach! |
The amount of makeup and skincare that regularly enters my life is insane…that being said, I have invested in a cadre of Muji acrylic drawers to house products in my bedroom, bathroom and office. These simple, streamlined, transparent wonders make storage feel so luxe and I adore the fact that I can see everything before opening the drawers. To put this in perspective, I purchased ten of varying sizes and shapes and will do a full post on how I’ve arranged them soon! How do you like to organize your stash?
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| Above: Style and substance…this compact is a dream team for the face. |
New product alert…the La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye and Lip Perfector features two layers of hydration for the areas of our face that need it most. Tucked into a stunning white case, the silver compact holds a silky lip salve on the lower level and illuminating, line-erasing eye balm in the upper portion…this purse-friendly innovation is simultaneously extravagant and utilitarian…comprehensive review forthcoming!
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| Above: Contents from my “Healthy Aging Month” gift basket from RoC Skincare. |
In addition to “Breast Cancer Awareness”, October is apparently also “Healthy Aging Month.” In turn, the dear folks at RoC Skincare sent over a lovely basket full of products that combat aging in a healthy manner…retinol, green tea and a filtering water bottle…what else does one need to stay young, I ask you?!
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| Above: I ordered the Suqqu Frame Fix Foundation in 002 and 003. |
I finally received my Suqqu Frame Fix Cream Foundation. This illusive formula was shipped to me from Hong Kong. Full review soon….in the meanwhile: This. Foundation. Is. Insanely. Good.
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| Above: A bevy of reds from the Jouer Holiday 2013 Collection. |
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to attend a special Jouer luncheon (recap pictures to come); this fete featured fine company, delicious cuisine, an idyllic rooftop setting and, most importantly, introduced the Holiday 2013 Collection, replete with a spectrum of reds for every skin type and preference. Not being a particularly “red” person, I am delightfully shocked by how much I adore wearing the subtle, warm-toned Sophia…full swatches of everything in the collection in the very near future.!
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| Above: A sneak peek of the Jouer Holiday 2013 red lip I’ve been embracing this week…this shade is called Sophia. |
Bottom Line: I truly hoped you enjoyed this installment of Office Hours…there is a plethora of good things on the BP blog horizon including a full breakdown of the Jouer Holiday 2013 Collection, my review of the elusive Suqqu Frame Fix Foundation, an overview of some new luxe Neiman Marcus beauty offerings and a haircare tutorial!
What’s new with YOU?
Have beautiful weekend…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
**PR samples provided for review, however, as always, all of my opinions are expressly and unequivocally my own. This post contains affiliate links; my disclosure policy contains additional details on how these work.
Comments (35)
Rachel your skin looking gorgeous , im trying to order suqqu but i dont know what color to go for im one shade liter than you and i dont have the yellow tone helpppp
i cant make mistake with this not cheap and cant exchange lol
i tired omorvicza bb cream it was ok i thought for the price it want anything special honestly
maestro compact is lovely i have it in shade 4
pllz if u can help me with suqqu will be great and if can give me the link to buy it from hongkong thank you Rachel again
oh BTW what foundation ur wearing in the first pic
looks flawless
Hello Nona!
Thank you so very much! Ordering the Suqqu is quite challenging since it is nearly impossible to find swatches online. I think you might be OK with the 002 because it is a neutral light beige (not super yellow) but I don't want to say for certain since it is such an expensive foundation. I'll be posting swatches soon, so hopefully that will be helpful for you before you order ; ) I ordered mine from Bobodave.com…I've ordered many difficult to find Asian cosmetics from him in the past and have always been pleased.
In the first picture, I am wearing a combination of By Terry Sheer Expert in #7 and Ardency Inn Custom Coverage Concentrate in Light-Medium Olive (applied with a beauty blender).
Have a beautiful weekend and the Suqqu post should be live very soon…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
lo i have ardency inn and by terry thanks to you im having addiction to foundation like you omg im so so weak when it comes to foundation , can u plz compare in swatch to ks 102 ans 103 that what i have in kanebo plz special request this way i know what color exactly to get
and i got the maestro compact in 4
if u dont mind put the three next to each other if u dont mind ,cause this foundation cant exchange if doesnt work lol
thnks rachel again ur the best
Hi nona,
You can either order Suqqu from Ichibanko.com (international shipment included) or Selfridges.com. Selfrisges charges 25 pounds for shipment to US, but they exclude VAT in the price which is literally 17% off. So if you wanna order say $250+ merchandise, Selfrdges is definitely a bargain (plus they gotta have 10% off event next month!). The thing is Suqqu is only sold in UK, Japan and Thailand, so i assume the HK seller charges more than the above websites that I mentioned.
So glad you have the Ardency Inn + By Terry combination at your disposal…I love combining the two. I will make sure to post as many swatches of the Suqqu as possible so hopefully you will be able to comfortably order your perfect shade.
xoxo and have a great week,
–The Beauty Professor
Hey BP,
Where did you get the suqqu foundation from? Dying to get it but I think it's 105.00 plus 40 shipping from selfridges. Just curious love to try it.
Can't wait for new LMDB news. Happy anniversary
Hello Melissa,
Thanks for your question. I ordered it from bobodave.com…I have ordered many difficult to find Asian cosmetics from him in the past and am always pleased with the service and quality!
I am told that the LMdB powder should be available at the end of November…wish it was sooner, but I shall wait diligently ; )
xoxo and thanks so much for the sweet anniversary wishes,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi BP,
Happy Anniversary 😀 I wonder if you can post a detailed review of Suqqu Cream Foundation. I'm frenzy about their eyeshadow quad and super hydrating lipstick. Can't wait to try eyebrow products, foundation, brushes etc…
Thank you!
Lu Ye
Hello Lu,
Thank you so much! I am hoping to prepare a detailed review of the Suqqu this weekend, time permitting…the line is superb and I look forward to writing about it ; )
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi 🙂 Congrats to you & your hubby on your anniversary- you two are gorgeous! Looking forward to your review on the Suqqu Foundation & Jouer lipsticks… If you haven't already- I suggest you check out originalbeautybox site, I think you might like those if you like the mujis. I use to have quite a few of the muji acrylic boxes too, but once I got the original beauty box in the regular version I sold my muji boxes. I like having one big acrylic box so I can see everything I have at once & make sure I don't let my makeup stash get out of hand by containing everthing in that one box. They are pricey, but once in awhile every so often they have a 20% off code so it's not too bad 😉
Have a great weekend!
x Maria
Hello Maria,
Many thanks for the kind wishes and compliment! I appreciate your suggestion regarding the original beauty box…will definitely take a peek!
Enjoy the weekend as well…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
So sorry Strongestrose…somehow, I accidentally deleted your lovely comment from my phone (rather than publishing it, of course). In addition, I cannot recover it…so frustrating! Fortunately, I was able to copy and paste it from the original email notification so hopefully you check back here and realize I published and responded to it ; )
From Strongestrose: Oh my goodness! What a fun post!! First of all, congratulations on your wedding anniversary! It is truly a blessing, and what a gorgeous couple!!! Sheesh! Secondly, cannot wait for the Suqqu review! Thirdly, you make me want ALL the things!! Ahhh!!! Finally, have you had a chance to check out By Terry's new foundation, Terrybly Densiliss Foundation? Would love your thoughts on it! Oh, and the lipstick is so pretty! Very wearable red!
Hello Strongestrose Shoshanna!
So glad you enjoyed my post…thanks so much for all your sweet sentiments! I plan to go take a peek at the new By Terry foundation tomorrow…I talked with their national trainer on the phone today and she mentioned so many promising attributes to this formula. Absolutely cannot wait to see it in person…of course, I will try to swatch all shades as well ; ) Have you tried it yet?
Hope all is well…xoxo and talk soon!
–The Beauty Professor
Thank you for finding a way to post my questions and comments 🙂 Technology….can be so frustrating. Very excited to hear your thoughts on the foundation. I am a freak and ordered the By Terry unseen based on a review by the BlackPanties. I am almost sure I got the wrong color lol. I will be excited to hear your initial thoughts, and of course swatches would be fantastic! Have a lovely weekend!
I am so glad it worked~~I totally know which review you mean (read it last night!)…very compelling content, indeed. I can't wait to go swatch all the shades in person today and should have them up early next week. Which shade did you end up choosing? I can't tell if I'll be #4, #4, #5, or #7…we shall see!
Have a wonderful weekend as well…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
I ended up ordering #7 even though I usually wear their shade titled Vanilla Beige! That's what makes me feel like I may have chose incorrectly, but Vanilla Beige seems so light on the spectrum. Ugh…I think I will wait until I see your swatches before I crack it open.Maybe I can exchange if it's way off. Think people like us, will ever find THE one?! Nah, it wouldn't be fun.
I bought the #7 as well (though I asked for samples of #4 and #7 to try first). I will say that, as of this morning, #7 is the right match…#4 is quite light (NC20 or so) and doesn't seem to oxidize to a more suitable shade over time. I will try to post swatches early this week and will be trying the #7 a couple more days before officially opening up my bottle as well ; ) You are so right…if we found "the One," our foundation pursuit (which is so endlessly amusing) would be over and that would be sad!
xoxo and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi, BP! I want the Suqqu Foundation now! I have the Kanebo Sensai on it's way 😀 What shade do you think I am for Suqqu, I'm usually NC30? Thanks again
Hello August!
I suggest the shade 003 (which I'll post swatches of this weekend!). It is the closest to NC30 available in this formula.
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
HI! Happy Anniversary 🙂 I can't wait to read your thoughts on the Suqqu foundation especially how it compares to the Kanebo Sensai Cellular foundation.
Hello Anon!
Thank you so much! I hope to prepare the Suqqu review this weekend and will make sure to throw in a compare/contrast dimension with my favorite formulas (including the KS CP foundation!).
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Congratulations on 6 years; I hope many decades more for you both!
I can't wait to see how you do your storage cubes et al. I am in TWO bathrooms and not liking that too well. Especially since most of it is now in the "kids" or company bathroom. I'm planning a vanity remodel, and thinking to add drawers to part of it. At least both bathroom vanities have seating. I ADORE YOU IN LIP COLOR!! I was so hoping you'd venture out into the "dark" world! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous as I knew you'd be.
Loving your post; sorry I don't write more often, but I read them even if I'm not commenting. Time sure gets busy in retirement LOL! Big bear hug, Susan
Hello Susan,
How wonderful to hear from you! Thank you for your kind words!
I know, first hand, how insurmountable it can feel to organize all of one's beauty products, especially when they start extending into different rooms of the house ; ) I love that you have vanity seating in your bathrooms…a girl can wish!
Thanks for your mention of my darker lip color…I know you've always been a proponent of me venturing into this world and I so appreciate the positive feedback : )
It's nice to know you're reading, even if you don't get the chance to comment…totally understand! Enjoy the weekend, dear Susan, and talk soon!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
I am going to check out the LOreal hair products. I just discovered another LOreal product I adore and am now wanting to explore the brand more. Maybe straying from their more expensive Kerastase. 🙂 Check out: http://www.lorealparisusa.com/en/products/hair/hair-care/treatments/advanced-haircare-total-repair-5-damage-erasing-balm-85oz.aspx
Hello Jordan,
Thanks for the comment…yes, the L'Oreal sulfate-free line has really impressed me. In light of how much I spend on high end beauty products, it is always nice to save a little money in the shampoo department, no?
Thanks for the link…will make sure to take a peek…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Happy anniversary:). I can't wait for your review on the Suqqu frame fix foundation. But I have to ask, does this foundation flashback in photographs? I know it has SPF (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) in it, but I'm not sure if it's enough to flashback. I've heard so many wonderful things about this foundation that I'm quite tempted to buy it!
Hello MG,
Thank you ! I am still in the midst of preparing my Suqqu video and hope it lives up to expectation ; ) I haven't experienced flashback with this foundation as of yet, but it does have (as you mention) physical SPF, so I suppose the potential is there should the conditions be just so. As a preview, it is a fantastic, all around foundation…so glad I was able to procure it!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hello dearest B.P!!!
First of all…CONGRATULATIONS on celebrating your 6th wedding anniversary!!!! I hope that you were lavished with attention and praise (what are birthdays and anniversaries for), and that you both had a special day filled with with whatever brings you happiness and joy. Hopefully Jethro was particularly well-behaved as well:).
Thanks for giving us a sneak peek at some of the wonderful new products coming up on the horizon, it is so handy to be able to check out your blog for new and innovative items. The Jouer collection looks absolutely divine (I absolutely love to wear red), and I am looking forward to gaining some handy tips on effective beauty storage! I currently have a venetian mirrored makeup table and mirror which is lovely, but lacks in the drawer/storage department so clear containers may be a good alternative.
I am currently using the same Loreal shampoo (sulphate free products are also important to me as well), and I have to say that so far it has done a thorough job. I actually can't believe how much the shampoo lathers for a sulphate free product. Whilst I haven't tried the condition yet I will have to give that a go soon too. I can also recommend the David Babii shampoos and conditions which are lovely and conditioning.
I recently recieved my LmDB products and am in love with the Mystique creme blush which is a perfect shade and appears to rival the Chanel Inspiration in terms of longevity, and I can't wait to try Coral nymph. I purchased the classic foundation in shade 4 which is equivalent to NC20 from MAC, however it a fraction too light for my skin so I was thinking about combining it with another foundation that I have which is a little too dark, so that the color sort of equalizes. Dear B.P, what would you recommend in this situation?
Dear B.P I wish you a fabulous week and eagerly await further posts!
PS: Would love to see an updated foundation application routine, skin care routine and a couple of Christmas/holiday looks down the line, for those all important parties and social events.
Cheers, Karen
Hello Karen!
Thank you ever so much! Our anniversary weekend was lovely…sadly, I ended up having a cold from too much travel in the past couple of weeks (I always feel like airplanes are germ incubators!) but we blissfully stayed home and just enjoyed "staying put" for a few days. My sweet family brought also over dinner and gifts (lots of Iron for year six)!
So glad you enjoyed my post…I''ll have the full Jouer red lipstick collection live later this week and your Venetian mirror sounds gorgeous! Hooray for the fact that we are both using and loving the L'Oreal sulfate-free formulas. I agree, the lather is exceptional for a sulfate-free product. I haven't tried the David Babii line but may have to take a peek soon ; )
Thrilled to hear that you love the LMdB Mystique tint…I rarely go a day without using a bit. Ahh…finding the perfect shade of foundation is a "forever quest" for me, too. I would just integrate a drop of liquid or cream bronzer into a pump of the LMdB #4 to ameliorate the shade difference issue. It's quick and easy and won't dramatically alter the texture and finish of the foundation!
Thanks for your well wishes about my week…I hope yours is wonderful as well! Also, I appreciate the blog post suggestions and will add them to my "to do" list!
xoxo and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor
Firstly congratulations on your anniversary, what a beautiful couple you are 🙂
I love your office hours posts, nice to see a few different things in one post.
I really like the look of the Loreal sulphate free range I was going to buy it when I did my shopping last week but changed my mind, now after reading that it impressed you (and your gorgeous hair) I will give it ago.
Can't wait for all your up coming reviews some very exciting things to hear about.
Also I loved the Jouer red lip stick on you a very wearable colour.
My wee girl Miller just celebrated her 3rd birthday so we took all the kids to Seaworld for the day which was really fun.
Take care and I look forward to what's coming up with you
Julie. Xxx
Hello Julie,
Thank you for your kind words…I am heartened to hear that you like reading "Office Hours"–it's a fun departure for me from time to time ; ) Yes, yes…I wholly recommend the L'Oreal sulfate-free line…it truly is a drugstore asset.
I have a host of reviews about which I am excited coming up this week…hope you enjoy! Happy Belated Birthday to little Miller…how fantastic and adorable!
Have a beautiful week ahead…xoxo and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor
Based on your wonderful swatches and descriptions of the new Armani Masetro Compact Foundation, I ordered in shade 4.5 from Nordstrom so I could easily return it to the store if the shade didn't work for some reason. While it looks a bit dark in the compact, it is a perfect color for my coloring which is now in-between NW20 & NW25. I applied this w/ a damp sponge and the finish is gorgeous!! I did have to touch up during the day but I've never found a foundation – liquid, cream or powder – that I don't have to touch up with – my skin is weird…
Thanks again for your amazing blog!!
Hello Crista,
Thanks for sharing the wonderful news about your Maestro Compact! It is always a personal joy for me to hear about other's perfect color matches ; ) It is a fantastic foundation and I am so glad I was able to add it to my collection!
Have a wonderful week…thanks so much for your readership…xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
Hi again B.P, so I want EVERYTHING as well! haha I need the Suqqu, By Terry, Ardency Inn and a bunch of Muji boxes. Rachel, your the Best! I would never have time to do all the research on the great high-end new stuff like u do. I come to 1 site, your site, and everything I need is right here. Thanku from the bottom of my heart!! Just want to clarify the G.A was a nice finish, glowy like I like. But the lasting power in the salon was'nt like the Kanebo. Talk soon. 😉
Hello Lynn…love it ; ) Yes, you totally need all of those products because I have a hunch you will like them as much as I do! Thank you so much for your encouraging words…it is such a joy to interact with you here and I am honored that I am your "go to" blog.
I can see how you get more lasting power from the Kanebo than the GA compact…the Kanebo is unprecedented!
xoxo to you and talk soon,
–The Beauty Professor