Karen

The Becca Beach Tint Trio Holiday Gift Set Smells Like Fruit Salad

November 19th, 2010 by Karen 54 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog wearing becca beach tint in apricot
Becca Beach Tint in Apricot on cheeks

Okay, so you know the Becca Beach Tints? Talk about makeup salvation for the lazy. They’re these multipurpose, oil-free, water-resistant creams for adding a hint of scented color to cheeks and lips. Not only are they easy to blend without streaks, but you can layer them beneath blushes, bronzers and lip gloss, too.

Tubes usually go for $25 a pop, but you can save a few bucks on them with the limited edition Becca Beach Tint Holiday Set ($63). It comes with three full-size Beach Tints in Watermelon (a pink from the permanent collection), Grapefruit (a coral from the permanent collection) and Apricot (a new limited edition peach).

And the scents are delicious! The Watermelon like watermelon, Grapefruit like grapefruit — you get the picture.

becca beach tint trio review swatches photos tints with box

becca beach tint trio review swatches photos tints
[Continue reading…]

$7 Almay Intense I-Color Trios Take the Guesswork Out of Eyeshadow Matching

November 18th, 2010 by Karen 43 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog reviews almay intense i-color review browns 001 2

Gosh, I haven’t worn any Almay makeup since — when was that? 1992?

I vaguely remember buying something from the line at a Thrifty’s where I cruised for makeup after school. There was something about the products looking kinda stiff and serious that I still remember today. It wasn’t the kind of makeup my friends and I were wearing to school. It was the stuff “grownups” were wearing to work in tall gray office buildings downtown.

But that was literally decades ago, and the line’s changed a lot over the past few years, becoming, dare I say, cooler. Or, maybe I’ve just gotten older, heh. 🙂

I like the new Almay’s easy, breezy vibe. Think Rite-Aid meets Trish McEvoy at the Bobbi Brown counter. It’s a “we take the guesswork out of it for ya!” approach to drugstore makeup, and apparently the line is also hypoallergenic and cruelty free, which Tabs describes as “hella dope” (his words).

Almay stepped up their color game, too, adding groovy shades like the purple from the Almay Intense I-Color Powder Shadow Trio in Browns 001 ($7).

Browns 001 is one of 12 Almay trios with coordinating, reasonably long-lasting shades handpicked to intensify different eye colors. It has a shimmery, sheer purple for lids, a shimmery brown for the crease, and a frosty beige for highlighting — the three of them picked to enhance chocolate peepers.

almay intense i-color review browns 001
[Continue reading…]

These Chanel Cote D’Azur Rouge Coco Lipsticks Are Beachy Keen

November 18th, 2010 by Karen 41 Comments

chanel cote d azur collection taffetas rose chintz perle rouge coco lip swatch open
Rouge Coco lipsticks from left: Perle, Chintz and Taffetas Rose

I know it’s wrong and crazy, but it’s taking all of my willpower to resist painting Tabs’ claws with Chanel Riva Nail Colour.

And it’s a good thing cats don’t have lips…because if they did Tabs would already be wearing one of the four Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colours from the new Cote D’Azur Collection. 🙂

Despite the season, the small five-piece release (four lipsticks and the one polish) is actually a resort collection for Chanel, which explains why it feels so beachy and tropical.

Here are swatches of three of the four shades (I’m missing coral Sari DorÃ©), Taffetas Rose (a shimmery magenta), Perle (a shimmery pinkish golden beige) and Chintz (a shimmery pinkish coral). All of them have the same smooth, moisturizing texture and plush pigments that define the Rouge Coco lipstick line.

Have we met before?

You might remember Perle. She was also one of the original Rouge Coco launch lipsticks early this year, and Chintz debuted with the stunning Chanel Les Contrastes de Chanel Collection in fall.

chanel cote d azur collection taffetas rose chintz perle rouge coco lip swatch open 2
[Continue reading…]

Tabs Hearts Chanel Riva!

November 18th, 2010 by Karen 5 Comments

Tabs refusing to share his bottle of Chanel Riva ($27). He’s so greedy.

chanel riva le vernis nail colour

Hello, Hot Pink! Chanel Cote D’Azur Collection Rouge Coco Lip Colours in Taffetas Rose and Pearle

November 18th, 2010 by Karen 5 Comments

Two of the Rouge Coco Lip Colours from the new Chanel Cote D’Azur Collection. That’s Taffetas Rose on the left and Perle on the right (each $32).

Isn’t that pink to die?

I Gotta Hand It to the Tocca Crema Mani Cream Viaggio Set

November 18th, 2010 by Karen 25 Comments

tocca hand cream viaggio review

Ladies, as you know, I Tocca pretty product packaging very seriously. Remember the cute-as-all-heck minis in the Tocca Eau de Parfum Viaggio Set ($45)? Well, Tocca’s back, this time with an adorable trio of matching hand creams in the very same scents (for more on the scents, click here).

The 2-fl. oz. tubes are a perfect travel size and fit snugly in my tiniest purse. The one called Cleopatra is scented with notes of grapefurit and cucumber, Stella with blood orange, and Florence with English Rose. All of them contain moisturizing compounds and extracts like coconut oil, shea butter and aloe.

tocca hand cream viaggio review

tocca hand cream viaggio review
[Continue reading…]

Which Brush Do You Use to Line Your Lashes?

November 17th, 2010 by Karen 72 Comments

Last week reader JJ was looking for a specific kind of brush recommendation…

Wondering what brushes you used to apply your eye makeup… especially for the shadow below your lower lashline. I can never manage to create the thin shadowing you’re sporting here.

-JJ

Seriously, JJ, it took me a forever and a day to find (and a recommendation from a friendly MAC makeup artist), but the MAC 214 Short Shader Brush was the answer to my prayers. It makes drawing hella tight, thin lower lash lines as easy as 1-2-3.

The fibers are made from goat hair, and it’s a little expensive for a brush ($24.50). Actually, it’s quite expensive for a brush; MAC raised the price after I made the video up at the top.

Yes, it’s expensive, but if you like to push pigments right up against the roots of your lashes (and/or if you feel you’re a little clumsy with brushes), the 214 is worthy of a serious brush crush. The short, rounded bristles are a perfect combination of absorbent, in how they pick up a lot of product, and precise.
[Continue reading…]