When I looked out my window this morning, I saw a hopeful reminder that spring is right around the corner. The oak trees outside, which had been nothing but scrawny twigs and branches for months, have sprouted new leaves!
It’s nice to know that even though it’s wet and gloomy outside, the trees are still paying attention to the calendar. 🙂
Doesn’t the outside scene above almost look like it could have been painted with the browns and greens in Josie Maran’s new limited edition Eye Love You Too Argan Eyeshadow Palette ($42)? I reviewed it a while back, but I thought you might like to see it in action…
Top row from the left: Campfire, Rejuvenate, Dragonfly and Chirp; Bottom row: Bunny, Cinnamon, Meadow and Branch
Swatches from the left: Campfire, Rejuvenate, Dragonfly and Chirp
Bunny, Cinnamon, Meadow and Branch
With the flash
Wearing Dragonfly, Chirp, Branch, Campfire and Cinnamon
Additional makeup worn in this look: Benefit Instant Brow in Medium, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and Panthera Mascara on eyes; Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Rosey and Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer on cheeks; MAC Lipglass in Nymphette on lips
It’s a follow-up to last season’s Eye Love You palette, which had some smokier, darker colors. Like that palette, the eight shadows in this new one also contain Argan Oil, Josie’s signature ingredient. Argan is rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E.
The pigmentation of the shadows varies. One layer of Bunny (a shimmery off white), Cinnamon (a shimmery pink), Chirp (a shimmery golden brown), Branch (a shimmery dark golden brown) and Campfire (a matte chestnut brown) isn’t quite opaque, maybe half way there; the green shades — Rejuvinate (a shimmery mossy green) and Dragon Fly (a shimmery brownish teal) and Meadown (a shimmery lemon lime) — are even less pigmented than the others.
Several of the lighter shades have a very frosty finish, so if you aren’t a fan of shadows with a mirror shine then that’s something to keep in mind. I’ve noticed, however, that as the day wears on, the frost seems to mellow out, which could either be a good or bad thing depending on whether you’re Team Frost or not.
Eye Love You Too might seem expensive at $42, but the shadows break down to $5.25 each, which sounds better if you say it like that. Like all Josie Maran products, it’s made without parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, and Tabs tells me it’s also cruelty-free. If you like practical palettes with sheer-to-medium neutrals and some greens thrown in for subtle flair, you might look this one up.
PRICE: $42
AVAILABILITY: Sephora stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A
A question for the chefs out there…
Last night I made a new dish for dinner, homemade spaghetti dish with turkey meatballs that, truth be told, looked more like turkey nuggets than meatballs. I think everything tasted pretty good (El Hub scarfed it down), but, I don’t know, it didn’t make my eyes roll back.
I had the leftovers for lunch today, and for some odd reason both the nuggets and the sauce tasted exponentially better — like a completely different dish! What’s going on here? Was it just in my imagination, or does it happen for a reason? Fill me in if you happen to know.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Pretty pretty! The colors for the palette are lovely.
As for the food – I don’t do the cooking in this household, haha. Though I think that usually happens with sauces and stews – they sink in, or something, so that they taste better the next day. A lot of recipes suggest you make things like chili a day in advance, so that the flavors have time to, um, settle? I guess. I don’t know. I prefer to make cookies. 🙂
Hi Larie,
It’s a really nice palette, especially if you like neutrals with a little bit o’ green.
LOL, I wish I didn’t have to do the cooking because I kinda suck at it, but if I left El Hub to his devices we’d be eating canned chili every night of the week. I do enjoy baking, though! I’m more of a cake person than a cookie person, but I’ll happily eat both. What are your favorite types of cookies?
Gingersnaps or soft ginger cookies or gingerbread…do you sense a theme? 🙂
A lot of braises and stews need the rest time in the fridge for the flavors to meld together. When you reheat them, they showcase their combined flavor profiles and not the individual ones that came out as the dish reach different temperatures or for ingredients with different solubilities. Plus, as the meatball/nuggets cooled, they also absorbed some of the liquid from the sauce — making them both juicy and flavorful.
There are a bunch of dishes I make that I won’t consider tackling unless I can make them a day or two before I want to eat them. Brisket, beef daube, posole, ratatouille. All better the next day.
Fascinating! I’m so glad I decided to give them another try. Next time I make them I’ll be sure to factor in an extra day. Hopefully I’ll be able to figure out how to get the nuggets to stick together… they kept falling apart in the pan.
What was in the nuggets? We can help you pull them together.
Okay, here’s the meat nugget ingredient list:
1/3 cup cracker crumbs (the recipe says you can also use bread crumbs, but I had crackers around)
2 tablespoons milk
1 pound ground turkey
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (I had the the type with big grated flakes, could this possible be the issue?)
1 onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Looks like a good mix of things. I’d reduce the crumbs a bit as that seems like a bit more than I’d expect. I usually use just two tablespoons per pound of meat. Did you soak the crumbs in the milk before adding? You want them soggy enough to break down the structure of the crumbs but not dripping — if dripping you are adding too much liquid and you can just squeeze the excess out.
Once you mix it all together, it should seem a bit moist, but not too liquidy. Try beating the egg before adding so you can add a bit at a time.
I did. Hmm, now that I think about it I may have been too liberal with the crumbs. I’ll scale back next time.
the pear trees in my neighborhood are blooming already and smell disgusting 🙁
you look great, as always! I think this is the perfect palette for spring!
some things just taste better the next day! maybe gives the flavors more time to mingle, or something, lol!
Ya know, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a pear that was just picked off from a tree. Wow, that’s neat (and weird, LOL!). We have some trees that smell funky here too. I don’t know the names of them, though.
What are you having for dinner tonight? Strawberry Pop Tarts? 🙂
oh I should have specified, they are bradford pear trees. the fruits are like cherry sized and not really suitable for eating. the flowers are pretty but they smell fishy when they bloom. yuck!
lol, my dinner was a pbj on toast and then a while later some froot loops. I need to eat again later tonight since I have to fast starting at midnight and I’m already grumpy about that 🙁
Eww! Sometimes there’s gotta be a good reason for that. Maybe it attracts pollinators?
I haven’t had Fruit Loops in years but man, I sure do like them. Now I’m craving them… and a DOUGHNUT.
First, I love love love living in Northern California. Even with this gloomy weather, I just think it’s so amazingly beautiful. I live in the east east bay, and every day I get to see beautiful green hills and Mt. Diablo. Love it. Second, though I LOVE neutrals, I’m thinking this might be a bit too light for me. I like a dark bronzy brown eye. I don’t really see this color in the this pallette. Speaking of, have you seen the Tarte “Today’s Special Value” on QVC.com? It’s amazing. I can’t wait to try one of their new powder blushes!
Hi Rachel,
I grew up in the East Bay! I love how the hills turn green this time of year. I hadn’t seen that kit, so thanks for pointing it out. The eye palette looks gorgeous!
anything you cook w/ tomato sauce (eg stew) tastes better once its sat overnight and the flavors have had more of a chance to meld and integrate. 🙂
yum @ spaghetti. weirdly enough, the hubs was asking for that for tomorrow’s dinner … but my sauce kinda takes a couple of hours to cook on super low heat!
makeup related – what an adorable look you did w/ the palette!
Good to know! Next time I make it I’ll factor in an extra day to let it sit overnight.
Oh, and ya know, this was the first time I ever made my own spaghetti sauce. It was easier than I thought. Is your version very complicated?
And thanks re: the palette! I rocked it to Target today, LOL.
no its not … it just needs some patience to make sure the onions and garlic sweat enough, the meat browns enough and the flavors develop.
its a quick sautee, then a lot of long, slow simmering. 🙂
yay @ Target – always a good place to visit!
I’m a little obsessed with cooking a kick-arse sauce now. Did it take you long to figure yours out?
GURL, I am ALWAYS at Target!
me too! im always @ Target.
i think it took me several tries across a few months (cannot eat spaghetti every week!!!) to get the proportions right ….
its pretty simple – garlic, shallots, ground meat (can be turkey, beef, pork, sausage etc), 3 cans of san marzano tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper and some sugar.
i sautee everything, add the tomatoes and simmer for a couple of hours on very low heat. 🙂
LOVE the look you created, it’s GORGEOUS!
Thanks, Dani!
How have you been? Are things good on your end?
pretty good! have 2 exciting gigs this month 🙂
Cute pallete. There is a tree near my work that smells of pee.I don’t think it’s dogs either 😀
LOL, that’s so weird! We had a tree like that in my neighborhood when I lived in central California. I tried to avoid walking/running by it!
You have such a gorgeous view. With all those green hills it looks like something from a storybook. I think I can see Pooh off in the distance. 🙂
Haha, want to know something funny? I actually call it the “100 acre wood” sometimes.
The shadows look like they’d be very unflattering on me. xP
Aw, you never know. Just try it!
Great review! The Josie Maran is gorgeous!!!!! 🙂
As for the food, you are not crazy! Food always tastes better the next day because the flavors have had the time to cool down and incorporate into the dish. The oils from the food really marry with the sauce and it matures into deliciousness! =) Once a week, I “cater cook” all my foods.. meaning I spend one Sunday (or Saturday cus I have no life LOL) and cook for the entire week. Foods that taste exceptionally better the next day are usually the pastas (turkey meatballs in your case :)), soups, curries and stews.
🙂
Thanks, Jen!
Wow, I’m learning a LOT about cooking from this blog. Seeing how I’m challenged in the kitchen, this is a GOOD thing. So, when you cook on Saturday do you actually make the meals? Or do you just do the prep work for them?
Maybe it’s just me but the colors in that palette do not look inviting. The look that you did with it looks very nice.
Thanks, Vixxan!
These colors look great on you and it’s uncanny how much they resemble your view!
Lots of people have already answered your question about food sitting overnight, which is awesome. The key to a good sauce is definitely a low, slow simmer. I bake my meatballs for 15 minutes and then add them and the drippings to the sauce. The whole thing then simmers for 4 hours. And I agree with Steph B – 2T of bread crumbs for 1 lb of meat. I have the best luck with dry crumbs in a canister (rather than food processing dried bread into crumbs) but my meatballs have to stand up to all that simmering in the sauce so they need to be a bit firmer. 🙂
Sauces, soups and stews usually taste better the second day. The flavors of the meat and base blend with the spices to create a more complex flavor profile.
yeay for leaves on tree brunches 😀
I mean branches :p
LOL, no worries, girl! 😀
i love the complexity of your look!
Thanks, Eileen! Hope you’re having a nice day.
i’m not usually one attracted to pale e/s colors, but for some reason this palette looks mighty attractive to me. could be you, karena, with your awesome blending. 😀
Aw, thanks Lena. 🙂 Do you think you might give this a try?
I have been wanting this palette for awhile, so now I’m going to get it. The look is awesome Karen. I know you listed the colors, but can you tell us what colors you put where (lid, crease, outer corner)? Thanks!
I have started to use whole wheat pasta with my spagetti. It goes well with hearty sauces. I go to this blog when I need cooking inspiration.
Smittenkitchen.com
The writing and pictures are great and the few things I’ve made have turned out great.
I love how iridescent the pigments are. Despite layering them on, the colors stood out individually!
They do stand out!
These colors are PERFECT for Spring. Reminds me of my palette by Smashbox “mother earth”