weekends / saturday six (2016.02.27)

(1) Baggu mint dot bags. So cute!

Image: Baggu

to shop / 2013 nordstrom anniversary sale picks

Nordstrom‘s annual anniversary sale is now open to the public! I get much more excited by the skincare and beauty deals than clothes. Here are my faves (clockwise, l to r). Don’t forget about Nordstrom‘s amazing return policy and customer service.

• Nike Free TR Fit 3 training shoes – I recently got a pair and what a difference it makes when I’m training in the gym (versus wearing running shoes)! They are also super lightweight and easy to transport. I found mine to be TTS and not half a size smaller like many reviews recommend. It comes in various colors and is a whooping 33% off.
• Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta® Peel treatments – This is a great deal for these alpha beta peel pads.
• Somme Institute Transport Pads – I’ve waxed poetic about these pads before. I stock up once an year during this sale. I seriously love these pads.
• Longchamp Le Pliage expandable tote – This is another mainstay of the anniversary sale and exclusive to Nordstrom. It already sold out during pre-sale, but I’d check back if I were you.
• Diptyque Baies and Figuier Candle set – Their two bestsellers and wick trimmer.
• Shiseido ‘Future Solution LX’ Set – I would get this if I needed eye cream, but I’m far from done with my Fresh Ancienne!
• Clarisonic Plus – Dahlia (with body brush extension handle) – This set is a pretty good deal. It comes with the standard skincare, extra heads, and the new nifty body brush extension handle.
• Supergoop! SPF 30 Antioxidant Infused Sunscreen Mist Set – I love SPF and in the summer time I spray my decolletage, neck, arms, and legs before I step outside. You can read reviews at Sephora.

to shop / major sales on skincare, karen walker, clare vivier, etc.

It’s major sale season, if you haven’t noticed. I will be highlighting two e-tailers today: SkinCareRX and wconcept.

Through tomorrow, June 30, SkinCareRX is having a great 25-50% off tiered discount (the more you buy, the more you save) with no brand exclusions, which is a big deal. I finished my Renee Rouleau Vitamin C & E Complex (post) a week ago and after doing a little research decided to go back to the SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum. This serum retails for $150 and since I couldn’t find a good “deal”, I halted my search. I’m so glad I did, since buying two bottles through this sale is effectively 50% off (although I’m not sure if it’s good to stockpile this serum given its ingredients).

SkincareRX carries higher end skincare. Some of it intersects with what you may find at Sephora. I highly recommend the Colorescience SPF portable powder brush (Cameron Diaz swears by it), the Alpha Beta Daily Face Peels from Dr. Dennis Gross, Clarisonic (there is also a $50 off $150+ purchase for this brand only, *light bulb*), La Roche Posay Anthelios sunscreen, or the Dermalogica line. Read the rebate carefully to make sure your final purchase amount is sufficient for the discount you’re shooting for.

I’ve mentioned wconcept a few times before. They are located in NJ and carry a good assortment of boutique brands. I am assuming they are Korean-owned since they are located in Fort Lee, carry non-labeled clothing imported from Korea, and the rest of their items have a very Francophile edit (which is fine by me!). The wconcept sale is also a tiered 20-40% discount through July 4th. This is a great deal considering the amount of Clare Vivier that they carry! They started their sale earlier in the week and I haven’t had time to blog about it, so sadly many of the more coveted items are now sold out. But I was able to finally snag a Comme des Garcons luxury leather pouch.

Other brands I love are Comme des Garcons, Bensimon (which are already discounted, size up (8=39)), Karen Walker, Repetto (very low inventory, but don’t fret because there are better sales about), Saint James tees, Ray Bans,… Click here for the full list of designers. There are quite a few brands for the gents too. If you’re considering a Clare Vivier la Trop bag or messenger bag, don’t hesitate and you should really aim for the maximum discount.

Happy Shopping!