Karen

MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief: A Shimmery Blue, Silver and Peach Face of the Day

November 6th, 2009 by Karen 33 Comments

mac magic mirth mischief mineralize blue sorcery eyeshadow
MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Blue Sorcery, $20

TGIF, my little Sasha Fierce!

Sorry, couldn’t resist. :)I’ve had Beyonce’s I Am Sasha Fierce CD on repeat today…

Ms. Fierce is Beyonce’s sensually aggressive stage alter-ego, and since I was feeling a little *fierce* today myself, I thought I’d explore the concept with this silver, blue and peach face of the day.

It incorporates tidbits from MAC’s recent Magic, Mirth and Mischief.

mac magic mirth mischief 2

I used the Surprise Me face chart as a loose guide, adapting it to work a little better with my skin tone.

The blue comes courtesy of MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Blue Sorcery (that’s it above), and the peach lips from Dazzleglass in Phiff! and MAC’s Lipstick in Surprise Me.

mac-magic-mirth-mischief-surprise-me-face-chart

mac magic mirth mischief surprise me
Lipstick in Surprise Me, $14
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A Makeup and Beauty Blog Salute to Sesame Street!

November 6th, 2009 by Karen 27 Comments

40 Years of Sesame Street

Thanks to Sesame Street, I learned that C is for Cookie. Years later, I learned that it’s also for Chanel, but that’s a different story. 🙂

This November 10 marks the 40th anniversary of the show, and I felt compelled to salute it today with 10 simple Sesame Street-inspired beauty tips.

1. Don’t forget the sun protection

Take it from the Count, “One, ha ha ha! Two, ha ha ha!” — by focussing on preventative measures, like the regular use of broad-spectrum sunscreens, we can all age a little more gracefully.

2. Be good to yourself

Grab your drink of choice (mine is coffee), sit beneath a shady tree and listen to the leaves move in the wind. Take a picture of yourself after a really fantastic workout. Limit your prepping — comb your hair and wipe away the perspiration from your face. Capture a shot that conveys how strong and proud you feel at that moment. Later, on days when you don’t feel like exercising, look at the photo you took of yourself and try to remember how good you felt at the time it was taken.

3. Try a creamy facial cleanser

Cleansers strip away moisture as part of the job of removing makeup, and dry winter air tends to magnify the problem. Gel cleansers can be very drying, but creamy ones like Dove deep moisture creamy facial cleanser and Neutrogena deep clean cream cleanser should help.

4. Moisturize meh!

Moisturize throughout the day, and don’t forget to drink extra water when it’s cold and windy. Your hands, feet, knees and elbows may need a little more help, too. I like rich products containing shea butter, petrolatum, mineral oil, tea tree oil, linoleic acid or glycerin. For intense relief, moisturize hands and feet at night, and then slip on gloves or socks to lock in moisture.
Bert and brow grooming

5. Find a workout buddy

A workout partner can be a great motivator, especially when you’re trying to get back into exercising on a regular basis after a long hiatus. If none of your friends or family are in the mood for fitness, try to make new friends at the gym, and keep your eyes peeled for any open team activities like intramural soccer leagues or basketball.
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What’s the Best Beauty Decision You’ve Ever Made?

November 6th, 2009 by Karen 86 Comments

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Mine’s a tossup between 1) giving at-home waxing a try, 2) grooming my brows and 3) learning to accept my naturally wavy hair.

I used to spend A LOT of time and money at salons getting my goods waxed. Doing it myself at home saves that money for makeup, and I don’t have to tip. 🙂

As for my brows, think *hot mess*. That’s how they are when I forget to pluck and fill them in. Before I started plucking, I’d just let them go, but a pair of shapely brows help to frame the face and make a huge diff, fo’ reals!

With my hair, I used to spend hours straightening it every morning. I just preferred the look of straight hair, but it was taking forever to style and wound up damaged. I’ve been a lot happier just riding my waves. 🙂

What about you? What’s the best beauty decision you’ve ever made?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief Lip Look and My First Spaghetti Squash

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 49 Comments

mac-utter-fun

I had some errands to run this gray and dreary afternoon, but before I headed out I brightened my day with creamy pink MAC Lipstick in Utter Fun ($14) and shimmery peach MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! ($18).

Both are new and part of the MAC Magic, Mirth and Mischief collection for holiday 2009.

mac-holiday-2009-lip-look

Together, they’re more powerful than bad weather — a sparkly pink powerhouse shooting rays of sunshine through my day. 🙂

mac-phiff
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What’s Your Favorite Waterline Eyeliner?

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 77 Comments

orange-and-blue-eye-closeup

Hi, ladies. Do you ever think about your first time?

Mine was 1988… It was fifth period lunch, and I was in the girls bathroom.

I’m talking about the first time I lined my waterline, of course. 🙂 It took me 15 minutes per eye because they kept watering like crazy.

I’m 100% sure it looked awful, but I remember feeling so fly! I used purple liner to go with my outfit — a purple Esprit sweater, stretch pants, slouchy socks and shoes. Yup, good times…

My stroll down waterline memory lane was triggered by this e-mail from MBB reader Stephanie:

Hey Karen!

I’m a late bloomer in the eyeliner department! I’ve just started doing waterline eyeliner, but it doesn’t work well for me. It’s like my waterlines are *too watery.* Do you have any tips because I really like the look! Thanks a mil!

Stephanie

What’s up, Stephanie? When it comes to drawing attention to the eyes, nothing beats those waterlines. I’m a big fan. 🙂

First things first — finding a product that’s 1) easy on the eyes and 2) stays put!

Champions of the waterline!

cargo plant love eyeliner closeup
Cargo Plant Love Liners

Here are my current waterline favorites…

Cargo Plant Love Liner in Black ($16): A smooth, organic, long-wear liner free of parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances. NOTE: I just checked the Sephora website for availability, and it looks like this and most of the Cargo Plant Love makeup line are MIA online. Finding this one might take a phone call or a trip to the store.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero ($17): This rich, dark black liner has legions of devoted followers! It’s so soft and buttery, yet lasts long and strong once it dries.
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($15): Of these three, I think Fluidline lasts the longest, but it also takes the most effort and requires a brush to apply (for me). Totally worth it in my book, though, and as a bonus it doubles as an eyeshadow base.

Other liners to consider

Friends on Twitter and Facebook had a few more recommendations. The girls love…
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I Want a Pony

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 8 Comments

I’d like a purple pony with a blonde mane and a headdress, just like the one pictured on the back of Urban Decay’s Show Pony Shadow Box ($30).

What’s in Your Purse?

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 64 Comments

I cleaned out my purse this morning; here’s what I found inside.

Moleskin Reporter’s Notebook (lined)
Pentel R.S.V.P. fine tip pen (black)
One acorn (?)
Wallet
iPhone
MAC Lipstick in Utter Fun
MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff!
Burt’s Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer
Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream
A can of Fancy Feast in “Tuna Feast in Gravy Flavor”

What’s in yours?

Two Ways to Win ALL FIVE Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Fragrances (a $150 Value)

November 5th, 2009 by Karen 209 Comments

The giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted. Please check the home page for current giveaways.

harajuku-snowbunnies-top-3

For the holidays, our girl Gwen Stefani decided to give her Harajuku Lovers fragrances a makeover, dressing G, Love, Lil’ Angel, Music and Baby in limited-edition Snow Bunny outfits.

With button-up winter coats, scarves and mittens (awww!), the girls look ready to strut their winter stuff!

The outfits are different, but the scents remain the same:

G: A blend of coconut, apple, mandarin, freesia and sandalwood notes
Love: A sensual floral with bergamot (a citrus fruit), peach, jasmine and musk
Lil’ Angel: A fruity floral with raspberry, pineapple rose and amber
Music: A delicate floral with clementine, pear, sweet pea and vanilla
Baby: A powdery scent with freesia, rose, musk and violet

Can you picture ALL FIVE Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies posing on your dresser? So cute!

Methinks it’s time for a giveaway! 🙂

The prize

One lucky lady will win all five Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies fragrances: G (pictured at top), Love, Lil’ Angel, Music and Baby (a $150 value).

harajuku-snow-bunnies-giveaway love-lil-angel-1

harajuku-snow-bunnies-giveaway music-baby

How to enter…

2ways2enter Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.

First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. In it, tell me about your favorite winter coat.

It’s gotta be my puffy black jacket with the faux fur hood. It makes me look like the Michelin Man, but I don’t care. That sucker keeps me warm!

Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win ALL 5 Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Fragrances (a $150 Value) http://bit.ly/4CVnIQ

Recap…

Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win ALL 5 Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Fragrances (a $150 Value) http://bit.ly/4CVnIQ

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Saturday, November 7.

Bahati njema!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted. Please check the home page for current giveaways.