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Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Karen

What Do You Think of Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils?

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nyx jumbo eye pencils review
The new Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil summer shades! From left: Purple Velvet, Pure Gold, Rocky Mountain Green, Electric Blue

The weekend is just around the corner, huzzah! I’m so looking forward to just vegging out on the couch, re-watching season two of True Blood and playing with makeup. Do you have any plans yet? Whatever you end up doing, I hope it also involves a fun look or two. 😉

Speaking o’ beauty bits, what do ya think of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils ($4)? Have you seen them before?

These four particular colors are new for summer, but the pencils themselves have been around for a while. Drugstore makeup line Nyx designed them to double as eyeliners or eyeshadows. The chubby pencils have quite a cult following these days, thanks to their smooth formula and technicolor pigmentation; with the addition of these four new shades — Pure Gold, Electric Blue, Purple Velvet and Rocky Mountain Green — they come in 28 total colors.

They’re available now in drugstores and online at nyxcosmetics.com.


Swatches from left to right on NC35 skin: Pure Gold, Rocky Mountain Green, Electric Blue and Purple Velvet
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What Perfume Should I Wear with My Makeup? A Guide to Scent Pairings for Different Makeup Looks

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Written by Ari

Today Ari of Scents of Self shares some potential perfume pairings for popular makeup looks.

Well, look at you, Miss Thang. Whether you’re working a smoky eye or rocking a red lip, your fine self is looking flawless (thanks to Karen’s incredible makeup tips). All that remains is a few spritzes of a fabulous perfume. Now, this perfume must do more than simply smell good. A great perfume should be the finishing touch to your look, creating an aura that matches your makeup. It should add to your sex appeal when you’re looking slinkier than Halle Berry, or create a sense of romance when you’re having an ultra-feminine, Keira-Knightley-in-her-latest-period-piece moment. Here are a few suggestions for perfumes that lend themselves to a particular makeup style; please feel free to mix and match.

Smoky Eyes

Your kohl-rimmed eyes already whisper, “Come hither”. Now take your game to the next level with a sexy scent that says, “Hey, Angelina Jolie, this isn’t amateur hour.”

  1. Bvlgari Black ($74). Speaking of Ms. Jolie, this is rumored to be her signature scent. With notes of leather, musk, black tea, and vanilla, Black is what a dominatrix would wear to a very grown-up tea party.
  2. Dior Hypnotic Poison ($68). From the name to the deep red bottle to the sultry blend of jasmine, vanilla, and musk, Hypnotic Poison was designed to hypnotize, Biggie-style.
  3. Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur ($140). Spicy, ambery perfection. Musc Ravageur achieves what so many men do not: comes on strong, but turns cuddly by the end of the night.

Red Lips and Liner


Photo by Weglet

Red lips and a flick of liquid liner recall the glamorous stars of 1940’s Old Hollywood. Classic perfumes of the same era will complement your vintage vibe.

  1. Chanel No. 5 ($60). Golden, powdery goodness. A beautiful classic worthy of its 90-year legacy. If it was good enough for Marilyn, it’s good enough for you.
  2. Guerlain Shalimar ($56). A smoky vanilla created in 1925, Shalimar is perfect for those who love sweet scents but want something a little more sophisticated than Pink Sugar.
  3. Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose, $130. If your look is more inspired by Katy Perry and Dita Von Teese than Old Hollywood, you might enjoy this more modern blend of rose and violet. Lipstick Rose smells just like a Chanel lipstick, and feels retro in a gorgeously kitschy way.

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Better Skin for $10 or Less

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Better skin for $10 or less

Heya, ladies. 🙂 Greetings on this fine but BUSY Thursday afternoon. I’ve been away from the computer a little more than usual today working on a side project (more details soon), but I wanted to touch base and share some of my favorite budget skin care products.

Here are seven of mine, and each one costs less than $10 (well, one is $9.99…but that still counts, right?).

Do you have a beloved budget skin care gem? How low can you go?

Vaseline Sheer Infusion Body LotionVASELINE SHEER INFUSION
BODY LOTION

Be warned: When your cat swipes at your shins, he may be trying to warn you about dry skin.

We’re talking ashy ORANGE ALERT, and in my case it was looking exceptionally bad (think alligators, or the aliens from V). Luckily, I think I may have found something to help.

Vaseline’s Sheer Infusion Body Lotion ($8) contains a complex Vaseline calls Stratys-3, which they claim gets down and dirty to moisturize the deeper layers of skin. Read more…

Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot TreatmentCLEAN & CLEAR ADVANTAGE
ACNE SPOT TREATMENT

Clean & Clear makes a pretty bold statement on each and every $7 tube of Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. They say, “100% of people showed clearer skin in just one day.”

Even though I have to disagree with them, because for me it took a little longer than one day to see results, I gotta give credit where it’s due. Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment works, and it works without benzoyl peroxide. This stuff’s got some serious anti-acne game.

The active ingredient is salicylic acid, 2%. The instructions suggest applying the milky, non-stick formula up to three times per day. Because it dries quickly and completely vanishes once massaged into the skin, it can be used as an on-the-go spot treatment when time’s of the essence. I’ve been using it for about a month now, once in the morning before applying sunscreen, and then once again at night before moisturizing. Read more…

Band-Aid Friction BlockBAND-AID
FRICTION BLOCK

Locals in Hawaii wear flip-flops everywhere, even to work! It may be written into the State Constitution 🙂 — that all citizens of Hawaii are legally required to wear flip-flops.

But wearing them comfortably can take some getting used to…

After a few days hauling my cookies around the island in flip-flops, my dogs started to bark. The pair of striped blue and green Roxy slippers I’d brought along for the trip may have been cute, but they weren’t substitutes for a comfy pair of walking shoes.

I started developing blisters and raw skin wherever the flip-flop straps rubbed against my toes and feet.

With shoes and sandals, I usually apply a Band-Aid or Moleskin to cover the sore spots, but I wanted a less obvious alternative to use with flip-flops. Who wants to see a ratty Band-Aid hanging on by a thread, ya know? Read more…

Banana Boat Ultra Defense Continuous Spray SunblockBANANA BOAT ULTRA DEFENSE
SPF 30 SPRAY SUNBLOCK

OOH! I have to tell you about Banana Boat Ultra Defense Continuous Spray Sunblock ($9.99).

It’s probably the best waterproof aerosol sunblock I’ve ever used and has only a couple little downsides.

First, the good stuff — it’s a broad-spectrum sun protectant offering both UVA/UVB protection and comes in three potencies, SPF 30, 50 and the uber-powerful 85.

SPF is all well and good, but why I really love it is because it works like a lotion and not a flighty spray. Most of the spray sunscreens I’ve used before are too light and watery, requiring hella frequent reapplication, almost like they evaporate away even when I’m not playing around in the water, but Banana Boat didn’t just stamp “waterproof” on the bottle and call it good; this stuff is WATERPROOF INCARNATE and lasts for hours and hours. Read more…

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot CremeBURT’S BEES
COCONUT FOOT CREME

To all my ladies with naturally smooth, gorgeous feet footprints, this post is NOT for you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve still got mad love (and envy) for your photogenic tootsies, but the rest of us living in cracked heel hell, well, we’re the ones who need help.

After spending the winter ignoring everything around my ankles, I’ve ended up with two very cracked heels and a few square feet of scaly skin. My feet, as my eighth-grade self might describe them, look “hella gross.” I’ve started testing Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme ($9 for a 4.34 oz. tube). I sure hope it helps me turn my tootsies around in time for sandal season. Read more…

Neutrogena Age Shield Hand CreamNEUTROGENA AGE SHIELD
HAND CREAM SPF 30

I’d fight a hungry runway model for my tube of $6 Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Age Shield Hand Cream.

Lightly scented (like flowers and soap), this drugstore steal-of-a-deal will sure come in handy this fall and winter when my paws are crazy dry.

Despite how rich it feels, it doesn’t leave a greasy film, for which it earns big props from me — there are few things I hate more than hand creams that leave a slippery residue.

Neutrogena also outfitted Age Shield Hand Cream with full-spectrum SPF 30 sun protection.

A dime-sized dollop thoroughly treats both of my hands and cuticles. The cream absorbs quickly, too, perfect for quick applications when you’re out and about. This isn’t one of those creams you’ll have to spend 10 minutes massaging into your hands, looking like a criminal mastermind plotting world domination! Read more…

Olay In-Shower Body LotionOLAY IN-SHOWER
BODY LOTION

Thank you, Olay In-Shower Age Defying Body Lotion ($7), for turning me into a well-oiled, lotion-applying machine.

First, a little backstory: I have alligator skin. Consequently, I spend copious amounts of time applying body lotion. Once, I tried to figure out how much time I’ve spent at it over the course of my life, and it worked out to something like 52 days.

52 DAYS! That’s time I could’ve spent learning how to play the lute or drooling over Ry-Ry (Ryan Reynolds).

Depending on how long I stick with creamy Olay In-Shower Body Lotion (I’m fickle when it comes to lotions), I could save hours over the rest of my life because it basically eliminates the five minutes I’d otherwise spend applying lotion after every shower. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Smashbox Limitless Liner Won’t Leave You in the Lurch

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smashbox limitless eye liner

When eyeliner disappears, where exactly does it go? Do mischievous makeup angels charm it away with magic erasers while I’m drooling over pics of Jake Gyllenhaal’s muscled bod and manscaping?

Seriously, I can’t be the only person plauged by the plight of the disappearing eyeliner.

Thank ye gods for long-wearing liner formulas like the new Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner ($19). Released for summer, these creamy, long-wearing liners apply with intense color and come with the promise of eight-hour wear time, which makes the hours I’ve whittled away watching people dancing solo to Ginuwine’s Pony a little easier to bear. 🙂

Ready to rock you in shades of Black, Dark Brown, Teal, Deep Navy and Deep Purple, their creamy, easy-to-apply formula also resists water (more on that in a few) and helps protect the skin around those precious peepers with jojoba oil and vitamin E.
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Comment to Win MAC Dazzle Lash Mascara

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  • The giveaway is now closed, and the winner is being contacted. Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

Do your lashes long for mad, glossy shine? Does your fringe freak for serious curl hold?

Today’s giveaway features MAC Dazzle Lash mascara, for a natural, glossy lash look with curl hold to spare.

THE PRIZE

(Winner randomly selected)

One (1) tube of MAC Dazzle Lash mascara. This baby feels light and soft on lashes and gives “lash-challenged ladies” (like myself) the natural-looking fringe we *wish* we were born with. Prize valued at $13 (one winner).

TO ENTER

Just answer the following question in the comments (no worries; there’s no right or wrong answer):

“What makes you dazzling?”

My answer: I wish I could say it was my long, lovely legs, but, alas, most middle schoolers tower over me (I’m only 5’1″). I guess, then, it would be my strange sense of humor. It comes in handy when I need to turn on the charm… WHOA! Did you feel that? I just turned it on. 🙂

RULES

The giveaway is open to US and international readers. Please, one entry per person, and don’t forget to leave a valid email address in the comment form so I can reach you if you’ve won.

I’ll choose the winner at random from the entries received by 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, June 18, 2010.

Best of luck!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

  • The giveaway is now closed, and the winner is being contacted. Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

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