Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks

I love Nordstrom anniversary sale time. There are always some pretty awesome deals. This year is no different. As a Nordstrom card holder, I got early access to the sale, which gave me a little time to compile a list of some of my favorite items I think you might just want to check out.

Beauty

1. Clarisonic Mia package ($149) - I'm of the opinion that everyone needs one of these in their life. The gentle sonic cleansing will really help improve your skin. Not only will it help you get a better clean, and hence reduce pesky blemishes, it'll also enhance your skin's texture and overall look. And with this deal you get an extra replacement brush, a carrying case, travel bag, and two travel-size cleansers -- all for the price of getting the Mia. By the way, the replacement brush head itself runs $25 each. Plus, you can choose from a variety of fun colors. My favorite its Jade.

2. Clarisonic sensitive skin replacement brush pack ($75) - If, like me, you already have a Clarisonic, you should definitely consider picking up this replacement brush pack (it also comes in the deep pore cleansing version). It's basically buy 3, get one free. Plus, you get a cute carrying case. That's a whole year worth of replacement brushes!

3. Purity Made Simple duo ($50) - This was on my list of picks last year and it's such a great deal, it made it on to my list this year. I love this face wash. It's gentle, it tones, it makes my skin feel really soft (even before I got a Clarisonic), and it doesn't over dry. I've yet to find a suitable drugstore alternative for this. It appears no one's been able to duplicate it's awesomeness. With this duo, you'll have enough Purity face wash to last you all year long. You get a 32 oz bottle (with a pump) and a free full-sized 8 oz bottle (a $20 value). 

4. MAC Illustrated face kit ($49.50) - Not sure my pick list would be complete without a MAC item. What can I say? I love their kits. I'm especially fond of this year's adorable packaging, designed by Rebecca Moses. I'm really digging the brown kit, which offers a really nice neutral color selection that includes four shadows, a blush, and two lip glosses. Kudos to MAC for also including a little plastic cover to protect the glosses from getting covered in powder. The kit also comes in plum. 

5. Lanvin Me perfume set ($98) - OK, I bought this set on the first day of the pre-sale, so how could I not include it in my picks? Hear me out. I know $98 isn't cheap. But with this set you get the 2.6 fl. oz. bottle (reg. price $98), plus a 1 fl. oz. bottle (reg. price $55) for free, and I received a small 0.25 fl. oz. travel-size vial (think the size of a roller ball, but this one is an atomizer). I'd been holding out on purchasing this perfume because I had sticker shock. But when I saw this deal, I couldn't wait any longer. P.S. If this isn't your scent of choice, they have a similar deal with Jimmy Choo Flash as well as some other great perfume deals. 

Don't forget to check out Nordstrom's Beauty Bash at a Nordstrom near you. Click here for details. 

Shoes

Halogen Leesa Flat (sale price $59.90)

Nike Free 5.0 V4 Running Shoe in leopard (sale price $66.90)

I love a good animal print, especially leopard. And, while I think leopard is year-round print, I can't help but notice I gravitate toward it more in the fall and winter. And really, do either of these shoes need much justification? They are totally adorable. A word to the wise, the leopard running shoes run small, so size up. 

Apparel

Zella live-in capris (sale price $28.90)

A good, affordable pair of workout leggings can be hard to find. You want (or at least I do) a wider waist band to give a flattering and slimming look (and reduce muffin top). But most importantly, you want it to keep your private parts covered. And by that I mean, you don't want it to go see through once you start moving around. Yep. I said it. And I think many women out there don't know this happens. I see them at the gym often, doing squats or any other variety of exercise that requires bending down or cause the legging material to stretch and expose their lady parts. So, I'm putting everyone on alert. When you buy workout leggings, do the squat and bend test in front of the mirror. Yes, it looks awkward, but at least you'll avoid some unintentional exposure. Let me tell you, some of those cheaper pairs go so sheer you may as well be doing squats without pants on. I'm not exaggerating. Picture that for a moment.

These Zella live-in capris pass all those tests. And, while they're on sale, the price point is much easier to swallow. I have a hard time paying a lot of money for a pair of pants I'll be purposefully sweating (like crazy) in. In my mind, it's like spending a fortune on clothes only to go paint a house. And while I feel these are worth the price, I'd prefer to grab a few pairs at a discount. 

BB Dakota faux leather bodice dress in blush and leopard ($64.90)

I love how this dress combines the toughness of leather with the daintiness of the chiffon-like skirt. I think this dress would be great for fun night's out, dates, cocktail parties, and maybe even a fall wedding (depending on the dress code of course). And the price point is pretty great too. I can't decide which I like better, so I included them both.

Rubbish faux shearling lined slouchy jacket ($64.90)

I love a good slouchy casual jacket and I'm really digging the camo print on this one. Plus, the lining is removable, so I can actually get some wear out of it in Florida since our winters are a bit balmy and our fall doesn't really exist. 

What do you think of these picks? Did you shop the pre-sale or do you plan to shop the anniversary sale? What are some of the items you're planning to get?