066. MOB Everything, Emmy Nominations
Talking a new blush that I can’t put down, a sale, recycling, and reactions to the Emmy noms
Hi, I’m Maggie, and welcome to Tender Forms Off-Camera: a weekly newsletter on all things slow: beauty, fashion, living. Links in this newsletter may include affiliate links or discount referrals. If you enjoy and would like to support this newsletter, click the button below or shop through my links! No pressure but thank you if you do.
Before we get into everything MOB-related, I just want to reiterate that the following is not sponsored, in collaboration with, or affiliated. The brand is very generous to send me the items below, but opinions and raves are my own.
For the last several weeks, there has only been one blush I’ve wanted to use. I have not been able to put it down. Seeing it every time I open my makeup drawer makes me happy; using it makes me happy, just thinking about using it does the same. It brings me so much joy. It is the MOB Beauty Cream Clay Blush in M75.
The MOB Team kindly sent over four shades for me to try, but it being the peak of Summer, I knew this was the shade I wanted to open first. M75 is described as a “hot pink coral,” and that’s precisely what it is. Whenever my eye catches a glimpse of it, it makes me think of sinking my teeth into a juicy piece of watermelon. But let’s backtrack for a second and talk about the details.
MOB Cream Clay Blush in M75* ($25 refill, 3.2g | .11oz)
As with all items from MOB, they fit perfectly in their single compacts and palettes. One of the things I love most about the brand is its refill system. Everything is modular and can be arranged and curated based on your mood, needs, and desires! The price is the same as the rest of their powder face items (blush, bronzer, highlighter), but this is the category’s first cream formula. A refill retails for $25, or you can get the blush in one of their single RePurpose Compacts for $30. Of course, if you already have one of their palettes, you’re set!
When they first launched, I was already intrigued by the name: “Cream Clay Blush.” There are many cream blushes out there, in and outside of clean beauty. But the word that caught my eye was “clay.” The formula utilizes clay with mica to achieve a soft-focus, radiant matte finish. And it truly does!
You know that I dislike any sort of tacky or sticky texture on my skin. Unfortunately, it’s mostly unavoidable in clean beauty, which is why this has quickly become one of my favorite cream blushes, hands down. Below are some of the top reasons why I love this:
Matte finish: no tackiness to the touch, no (hair) flyaways get stuck in it, and while matte, it doesn’t look flat.
Multipurpose: beautiful on cheeks, lips, and eyes.
Buildable: the range is spectacular. You can get the sheerest of washes to the most pigmented of punchy color.
Refillable: the sustainability lover in me, as well as the curator, loves this aspect.
All of the above is amazing, but let’s talk about texture. Wow, this blush has one of the most interesting textures I’ve ever felt on the fingertips. It feels like a cream to powder, but it’s cushiony and oh-so-velvety. A little goes a long way because these are so pigmented, but don’t fear; they easily sheer out as well. This means that application is a breeze, especially for those (like me) who aren’t always the best with makeup.
My favorite way to use it is to gently swirl my fingertip in it, dot it along the cheek, and blend it with a synthetic brush. Currently, I’m using my tried and true Kjaer Weis Blush-Foundation Brush. Though creamy, it delivers a true matte finish and blends better with a brush for me. You can absolutely use your fingers, but I’m not the best with fingers when it comes to blending out cream colors on large portions of the face. However, I do use my fingers to apply this to my eyelids and lips! It glides on smoothly thanks to its velvety texture and is a perfect sheer wash or pop of color. I adore it on the lips because I love matte lip looks. Just make sure to moisturize beforehand if your lips tend to be on the dry side.
Below is a short comparison of my favorites.
MOB Beauty / Cream Clay Blush Refill / .11oz / $25 ($7.81 per gram) / 8 shades
Rituel de Fille / Inner Glow Crème Pigment / .13oz / $29 ($7.63 per gram, not refillable) / 11 shades
Kjaer Weis / Cream Blush Refill / .1oz / $32 ($10.67 per gram) / 13 shades
Westman Atelier / Baby Cheeks Blush Stick / .21oz / $48 ($8 per gram, not refillable) / 6 shades
Both MOB Beauty and Kjaer Weis have refillable packaging. While Rituel de Fille is the most affordable per gram, it’s not refillable and is not as matte a finish as MOB’s Cream Clay Blush, though it’s pretty close in all other aspects! Kjaer Weis offers the most colors, is refillable, but is the most expensive per gram. But for all major factors such as price, sustainability, and performance, MOB is the current winner for me.
I honestly can’t wait to try the other shades because I am so in love with the formula. Below are the other three I was sent. Which would you like to see next, or should I just open and swatch them all? Comment, DM, or reply to this email to let me know!
M68 “strawberry pink”
M70 “soft coral”
M71 “deep plum”
Speaking of MOB, they’re having their first friends & family sale: 20% off sitewide!
Code: MOBNATION
It’s no secret that I love everything from MOB. But here are my top four suggestions (1 being most loved):
Cream Lipstick: comes in 17 shades and is my favorite lipstick out on the market. Shade M58 “tawny rose” is my favorite! I would recommend getting it with the RePurpose Lip Capsule so you can refill with another cream lipstick or their lip balm since it fits both.
Build a Palette: I think the Palette 4+ is the best option if you’re new to MOB. Price comparison-wise, if you were to buy 4 face refills separate, it would be $100 plus $10 for the palette totaling $110. That’s a $34 difference with the sale! And if you’re not new to MOB and want to stock up, Palette 6+ is the way to go if you don’t already own a palette.
Cream Clay Blush: Available in eight shades, and for all the reasons I raved about above!
Eyeshadow + Cakeliner: Yes, I’m cheating a bit in this one to include Cakeliner, but it’s just so good! Below are a few eyeshadow shades I can’t live without.
M6 “matte cool peach”: my everyday one wash favorite (office or outing)
M33 “matte peach pink”: if I want a brighter, warmer eye
M4 “matte espresso”: my everyday soft eyeliner, lash definer
By no means do you have to shop this sale, especially if you’re on a no-buy or needing to save a little (I’m right there with you)! But if there’s a birthday or a treat-yourself moment, I can’t recommend this sale enough! And a sneaky reminder that you can always point your friends and family towards this sale for getting your birthday present too. The sale ends tomorrow, 7/26!
This is possibly the most exciting launch of this year for me. Sustainability has been a pillar of Tender Forms since its inception. I put perhaps too much time into cleaning out empties and finding ways to properly recycle or offer them a second life. Still, it always brings me happiness to know this is a small part that I can do. Previously, I’ve used Ilia Beauty’s mail-back program, but they only accept 5 products at a time, and it takes a long and unpredictable amount of time from requesting a mailing label to receiving one.
Thus, I am beyond happy that MOB Beauty, one of my favorite brands, has partnered with Credo and Hudson’s Bay Company* to form Pact: a non-profit dedicated to making recycling those hard-to-recycle beauty packaging easy. We all know and have these. They’re either too small to toss in our curbside recycle or made up of unknown materials that make sorting impossible. Here’s how the Pact Mail Back Program works:
Clean your empties. You can find the complete list of eligible products for mail-back here. I use a (really old) dual-ended stainless steel spatula and silicone beauty spatulas; both are available on Amazon or Ulta!
Fill out the form with your address and pay $5 for shipping. You will get a 15% off MOB Beauty discount code.
Place 5–10 clean empties into a small envelope (no larger than 8”x12”) or a box (no larger than 6”x6”x3”).
Drop off your package, and Pact will do the rest.
*If you live by a Credo Beauty or Hudson’s Bay if you’re in Canada, dropping off your empties into their Pact Recycling bins is the better option!
I wanted to cover a few of my personal, most challenging to recycle items that are eligible to send. I always have mini, and sample size empties lying around waiting for this moment! The same goes for these often overlooked plastic covers to keep pumps locked and the actual pump mechanism, which I accumulate along with all my skincare (90% glass).
Speaking of glass, one category that is also eligible is “colored glass.” Aside from my sample size of the Marie Veronique SPF, I currently do not have any empties in this category. I’m guessing this covers amber, Miron violet, or any glass with color (Monastery skincare bottles come to mind). Because I have a few mini empties that are glass, I chose to wrap them just to make sure they survive the trip in the compostable mailer!
I don’t live near a Credo Beauty, so these mail-back programs are my only option for hard-to-recycle empties. This is also the first brand that allows more than 5 empty products, which means I can finally mail back more in one trip than anywhere else. Plus, any bonus 15% off code is always welcome!
On July 13, the Emmy nominations for 2022 were released. Let’s briefly talk about how to get an Emmy nomination:
The performance or program must have aired between 6pm and 2am between June 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022.
Performance or program must have been broadcast in at least 50% of the U.S. television market or made available via website (in today’s case, streaming).
The total number of submissions determine the number of nominations per category:
1–19 submissions = 0 to 4 nominations (on a sliding scale)
20–80 submissions = 5 nominations
81–160 submissions = 6 nominations
161–240 submissions = 7 nominations
241 or more submissions = 8 nominations
Programs and individuals can nominate themselves.
The kicker is that as long as the program or performance hits the first two items, they can nominate themselves. That’s how the Emmy’s occasionally gets unusual circumstances of 4 actor nominations within in a single category (this year it’s ‘Ted Lasso’), or a seemingly crazy gathering of shows that don’t entirely reflect the same genre (this year’s nominees for Best Drama Series). Because programs and individuals can nominate themselves, that’s also why we got that record-breaking 26 nominations from the final season of ‘Game of Thrones’ that one year.
Here is a link to all nominations. I focus on the “73rd Emmy Awards Nominations Key Categories” PDF. Below are my two cents on the nominees and possible winners versus Tender Forms winners.
The following might be very biased since I have not watched all of 2021’s television series. I don’t know who could besides critics where their work and pleasure reside in the same realm.
Drama Series
I have only watched four of the eight nominees (guess which ones), but ‘The Crown’ should win. I’m currently only on Season 1 of ‘The Mandalorian.’ While I really enjoy it, I don’t know if it’s worthy of the Best Drama Series. Unless there’s a fantastic story arc that I don’t know about in Season 2. *Writing this reminds me of a spoiler I recall. I may have to retract this statement once I finish seasons 1 and 2. I’m happy ‘The Boys’ were nominated, but in no way do I see them winning. The same goes for ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘Pose,’ ‘This Is Us.’ I’m guessing it will be between ‘The Crown,’ ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ and ‘Lovecraft Country.’
Comedy Series
1000% it should be ‘Hacks.’ Though it’s more a dramedy, most of the nominees are, so all is fair in love and war. *I binged the entire season while recovering from oral surgery, and it was fantastic from beginning to end. For all its controversy, I laughed aloud when I saw that ‘Emily in Paris’ is nominated. The rest I agree with. While I love ‘Ted Lasso,’ it doesn’t hold a straw to ‘Hacks,’ though I think the general public loves it more.
Limited or Anthology Series
Hands down, ‘Mare of Easttown.’ I imagine it will be a toss-up between that and ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ but if Mare doesn’t win, I’m going to lose it. *Just kidding, maybe. This is one of the few categories, if only category, where I agree with all nominees.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
As much as I love Olivia Colman, it has to be Emma Corrin for her portrayal of Princess Diana.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Give it to the lovebirds, Josh O’Connor, for the win! Though out of sheer numbers of women, young and old, across the country swooning after Regé-Jean Page, he could very well win.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Jean Smart. It is her time.
Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (what a bloated category)
Obviously, Kate Winslet for Easttown’s titular character. But again, I can see Anya Taylor-Joy creeping in. People really loved that show. This was another category well nominated. I appreciated seeing Elizabeth Olsen’s range in ‘WandaVision,’ I was a fan of hers long before she was part of the MCU. Still, the series didn’t do her enough justice to win here. Michaela Coel will be a dark horse to take this category. I’ve yet to watch ‘I May Destroy You,’ but have heard only great things.
Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Hugh Grant for being the creeper in ‘The Undoing.’
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
GILLIAN ANDERSON. SHE TRANSFORMED. I think nominating Emerald Fennell isn’t right here. Feels like an agent’s tactic to piggyback off her ‘Promising Young Woman’ success.
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Going in blind having watched none of these except for John Lithgow in ‘Perry Mason,’ I just want to give it to Giancarlo Esposito. Blame ‘Breaking Bad.’
Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Jean Smart for ‘Mare of Easttown.’ I just want her to sweep the Emmys!
First Time Performer Nominees
I was just curious about those getting their first-time nominations, and there are some surprising ones on this list!
Daniel Kaluuya: It makes sense this is his first for television, but it feels like SNL shouldn’t count. However, always yes to Daniel Kaluuya, so let him have it!
Ted Lasso cast members including Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, and Hannah Waddingham. It’s funny to think that Ted Lasso put some of these great actors on the Emmy’s map like Jason Sudeikis, Nick Mohammed (recently spotted as NASA Employee #300 in 2015’s ‘The Martian’), and Juno Temple. I think Temple is such an underrated actress. I find everyone in this entire list to be funny, charming, and endearing. Go, team.
Thanks so much for reading! Today’s newsletter turned out to be a long one. The Emmys took up a lot more room than I had anticipated! Let me know which series, people, characters you’re rooting for, and if you’d like to see swatches of all the MOB Cream Clay Blushes I have! You can leave a comment (click the comment bubble icon), DM me on Instagram (@tenderforms), or reply directly to this email to chat one-on-one.
As always, I hope you have a great start to your week! See you next Sunday.