Corrine StokoeHolidays are all glitz and glamour and my makeup has to play the part! Nordstrom beauty is one of my go-to destinations to update my makeup kit and buy beauty gifts! I LOVE that they offer complimentary gift wrapping, tons of gifts with purchase, and all the FREE shipping and FREE returns your holiday gifting requires.
Today I'm sharing my TOP beauty faves this year for treating yo self OR giving to the beauty lovers on your list, or nudging your significant other who could use a little help on what to give you. Let's dive in!
Prep that skin
To prep for my makeup routine, I love using the Elemis Marine Cream. It's my go-to for super moisturized skin, and goes under makeup beautifully! I also used the Elemis Pro-Collagen Insta-Smooth primer. It's so lightweight! The duo creates the perfect smooth canvas for makeup application. TIP: make sure you put your moisturizer UNDER your primer for the most effective layering!
Foundation & Concealer & Set
Estee Lauder's Double Wear matches my skin flawlessly! It stays all day, doesn't rub off, and has such amazing coverage! I tried Estee Lauder's Double Wear Flawless Wear Concealer for the very first time and I.LOVED.IT! It brightened up my tired under eyes SO well AND covered up some lovely imperfections (my skin's gift for traveling!) seamlessly. This concealer is one of THE most highly rated on Nordstrom's website and has almost 500 PERFECT reviews, so it's a guaranteed win!
I set my foundational makeup with this super popular Becca setting powder! I always set my under eyes pretty well with powder and then loosely brush some powder over the rest of my face! TIP: Try using your beautyblender to pat powder under your eyes to set the concealer. Let that powder sit for a minute or two and then gently brush away the excess. The result is super long-lasting and BRIGHT under eye makeup!
Beauty Tools
The Beauty Blender Dripping in Diamonds set is the PERFECT gift! It's a $56 value for only $35! AND right now it's on sale for under $30!! It comes with two beauty blenders and two cleansers, so it's an amazing value. For those naysayers that think regular soap works as well as the Beauty Blender cleanser, I'm here to debunk that myth! There is just something about their specially formulated cleanser that nothing else compares to when cleaning your makeup sponge.
I get asked all the time about my very favorite makeup brushes! I have a little bit of this and a little bit of that, BUT my all-time favorite brush set is from Sigma! I've had this set for YEARS and the quality is unmatched. I love that they have larger and smaller kits for people with different makeup needs, so they make an amazing gift!
The Essential Kit literally has all the brushes you would ever need for day to day makeup application! It's $160, but a $228 value! The holidays are the BEST time to get brush sets because the value at this time of year is unmatched. Truly, the Sigma brushes are the best in my arsenal, and I cannot recommend them highly enough!
All in One Palette
All I can say is that Santa came early because this palette is the true HERO of all my recent makeup looks! I took this palette with me to Utah for Thanksgiving and literally felt like it was all I needed! This palette has more than I've ever seen in such a compact kit. It includes a contour, blush, and highlighter as well as three gorgeous eyeshadows! What more could you ask for, really?! The shadows are neutral but have just enough pop to make any look special.
At the Nordstrom opening in NYC, the girls in Nordstrom beauty & cosmetics showed this to me and they were like, “TRUST US! This is the ONE palette you need this Winter.” and they were right. It's EVERYTHING in one. My top recommendation for a beauty gift this year HANDS DOWN.
Mascara
This Hourglass Caution Extreme Mascara is one of my favorites to reach for. It's gentle enough to wear over my lash extensions for special occasions but it brings all the DRAMA!
Liner & Brows
This cream liner from MAC is SO easy to use, everyone will wonder if a professional applied your eyeliner! And because it's gel-based, it doesn't dry out as quickly as its competitors!
If I don't feel like using a pencil on my brows, my immediate go-to is the Lancome Eyebrow Gel-Cream (I use the color Taupe!). This is the QUICKEST way of doing my brows (hello, passenger seat in the car), and is waterproof! Usually, I'm not a huge fan of having to buy a separate tool to use with a product, but this brow brush is INSANE. It's SO GOOD and so easy to use!
Dyson Air Wrap
This is the perfect luxury beauty tool to ask for for the holidays! You can dry AND style your hair in one step! It really takes the guesswork out of doing your hair and you come out looking salon-ready every single time, but without all the damaging heat!
Finishing Touches
This lipstick is the NUMBER ONE selling lipstick on Nordstrom's site, in the shade pillow talk! It's the perfect neutral EVER and I can't stop, won't stop wearing it! TIP: I usually put the lipstick on first and then line my lips with the Lip Cheat Lip Liner in the same shade (pillow talk) to seal it in, BUT if I want to make my lipstick last super long I will line first and fill in my lips completely with the liner then put on the lipstick!
Lastly, I finished off the look with spritzing MAC Fix+ setting spray to ensure all day wear! This spray gives a boost of hydration while binding your makeup for a flawless look.
Elemis Marine Cream
Elemis Primer
Estee Lauder Liquid Makeup
Estee Lauder concealer
Becca Setting Powder
Beauty Blender Set
Sigma Beauty Essential Kit
Gorgeous Glow Complete Face Palette
Hourglass Mascara
MAC Fluidline
Sourcils Eyebrow Brush
Sourcils Eyebrow gel cream
Dyson Air Wrap
Lipstick
Lip Liner
MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Finishing Mist
Pajamas
Photos by Arielle Levy
Nordstrom beauty, always
It's no secret that the best shopping experiences happen at Nordstrom. But the Nordstrom beauty department takes it over the top! Nordstrom has an AMAZING variety of holiday kits and everything you need to update your makeup drawer this season. See my faves for Holiday 2019 in one easy clickable list below!!
