Karen, Author at Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup - Page 1582 of 1879

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

Act Now for Your Chance to Win TWO of Ten Clarisonic Brushes

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Morning, girls. 🙂 Thanks for all of your wonderful words of encouragement yesterday. I’m still reading through the comments, and I can see I’m not alone.

While I try to put my head on straight and figure out my plan for the day (which mustn’t involve any sort of freaking out), just a reminder about the ongoing Clarisonic giveaway (one for you and a friend). You still have time to enter before it closes on Friday. If you haven’t already entered, click here. It only takes a quick comment on the original post, and you’ll be done in 30 seconds flat.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tuesday Beauty Tips (Not Really): Just Tie a Knot and Hang On!

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tie-a-knot-and-hang-on

Roadblock.

I hit a bad one this afternoon, ladies, with lots of crying, a debilitating panic attack, hyperventilating, cold sweats and stomach clutching — the whole shebang!

Today started out well. I felt fine this morning, but then I started to think about everything on my to-do list and what I want to finish by Monday (when we head out of town for the holidays), and I death spiraled out of control.

It was NOT one of my better days. 🙁

Makeup to the rescue!

I do feel a little better now that I’ve distracted myself with drugstore beauty…

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CoverGirl Outlast Lipstains, $8 each

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CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain swatches from left to right: Everbloom Kiss, Berry Smooch, Bit of Blossom, Teasing Blush, Flirty Nude ($8 each)
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Benefit Cosmetics Newest Boxed Blush: Sugarbomb

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Hiya, girls! I hope you’re having a great day. I’m sorry for the late post; been busy procrastinating and fooling around…

Of course, I couldn’t leave you hanging without a quick peek at Benefit’s newest boxed blush, Sugarbomb ($28).

The deets…

  • Contains four shades of shimmery peach, plum, pink and rose designed to be swirled together and worn on the cheeks
  • It doesn’t hit Benefit counters until February, but it’s already available for purchase online
  • It’s supposed to impart a lovely soft glow (I’ll let you know!)

benefit-sugarbomb-swatch
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Have You Ever Inadvertently Bought Used Makeup?

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Have you ever accidentally bought used makeup?

It all started innocently enough… I was at Sephora last weekend, buying my umpteenth tube of one of my favorite NARS lipsticks, Dolce Vita, a sheer red I’ve been wearing for years.

I’d finished my last tube about a month ago and was so excited to get the new one that I tore into the box as soon as I got home.

I brought the tube up to my lips but stopped when I saw something that looked a little off. Instead of a smooth finish, the tip had ridges and flakes (they looked like flakes of chapped skin) along the edges. Straight up — it looked used.

EWWWW!

It may have come from NARS that way, but I’m guessing (no way to know for sure) it was just a return, and that somehow in all of the holiday craziness, a return found its way back to the shelf at the store.

Thank goodness for Sephora’s fantastic return policy because they took it back, no questions asked. 🙂

Has anything like this ever happened to you? Inquiring minds want to know!

Have you ever inadvertently bought used makeup?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Make Room for the Korres Never Too Many Set

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With a tube for each of the 12 days of Christmas, the Korres Never Too Many Holiday Gift Set ($40) just might be the answer to a procrastinator’s prayers.

For Korres, considering their typical prices, it’s a limited edition budgetary bonanza (breaks down to just $3.35 per bottle).

You get a dozen travel-friendly 1.69-oz bottles of their shower gels and accompanying body butters in the following fragrances — Jasmine, Melon, Mint, Lemon Basil, Guava and Clementine Orange.

All of the scents are light and not overly synthetic, smelling to me just like the real things. I like all six of them, but I’m kinda stuck on Jasmine… I think it’s my favorite one. 🙂

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Now, the main packaging probably won’t win any awards for its design (just a transparent plastic box with a few white snowflakes sprinkled around), but I think the bottles are kinda cute.

Don’t they look artsy and creative? 🙂

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About the shower gels, I’m a fan, but the body butters — ooh, baby! These body butters take the cake! Their light, lotion-like texture absorbs quickly without leaving any yucky greasiness behind, yet they still moisturize like monsters, keeping my Saraha-dry shins ash-free for hours.
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Dec. 14

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  1. Mood:

    2. I’m having a hard time concentrating, but otherwise I’m peachy. The response so far to the Clarisonic giveaway has been amazing! Don’t forget to enter if you haven’t already. It takes less than a minute. 🙂

  2. Three things that bring you joy:

    3. Programmable coffee makers (nothing like waking up to a fresh brewed cup), Tabs when he sleeps beside me in bed, the sound of marimbas (don’t ask).

  3. How’d ya sleep last night?

    4. Pretty darn well! It helps that I went to bed early. I planned to continue the book I’ve been reading, Her Fearful Symmetry, but conked out after a few pages. ‘Twas heaven!

  4. Something you’d like to improve about yourself in 2010?

    5. I want to work on becoming a better photographer and a better cook. 🙂

  5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    6. I’m MAC Colour Crafting it today — Assemblage Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad on my eyes, Madly Creative Lipstick on my lips and Cheeky Bronze on my cheeks.

  6. What’s one skincare product you find yourself buying over and over again?

    7. Shiseido 55+ sunscreen.

  7. One type of holiday food that you absolutely REFUSE to eat:

    8. Fruit cake! I especially can’t stand it when they’re hard and chock full of weird red and green mystery fruit.

  8. How do you feel about ’90s fashion?

    9. I like those plaid button-up shirts and the floral dresses with the clips in back, but I don’t miss the little black backpacks and spaghetti strap dresses with white baby-ts worn underneath.

  9. Outfit:

    10. Dark jeans, a green T and a black sweater.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. I have a mountain of work to get done before we leave early next week to see our family in Hawaii. If I can just keep from catching the cold that sidetracked El Hub last weekend and hold myself together, things will work out fine.

Good afternoon, ladies, and Happy Monday. 🙂

The sun finally decided to come out and play today, and I’m feeling pretty good.

How are things on your end? I’d love to hear how you’re doing. I know this is later in the day than usual to touch base on a Monday, but take a moment to let me know what’s shaking in your neck of the woods.

You know how we do it. Just copy the list below, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le list

1. Mood:
2. Three things that bring you joy:
3. How’d ya sleep last night?
4. Something you’d like to improve about yourself in 2010?
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
6. What’s one skincare product you find yourself buying over and over again?
7. One type of holiday food that you refuse to eat:
8. How do you feel about ’90s fashion?
9. Outfit:
10. Weekly goals:

We can do this, girls! Hang in there, and have a great week. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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