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
I spied these Fresh Cover Nail Enamels ($15 for a set of five = cheap!) at Costco today and was drawn in by the shades. Classic colors, right? And the packaging says they’re free of formaldehyde, toulene and DPB.
Have you used these before? I’m intrigued.
This old guy looks exactly like my family’s beloved black lab, Bell (RIP!).
Hi, ladies. I clicked the wrong button this morning and accidentally deleted the last few posts and ALL of the comments from the past 24 hours or so.
I can republish the posts… but everything we’ve commented on over the past 24 hours is kinda lost.
No, not kinda lost — it’s just plain lost.
I’m very sorry, especially since you guys left some absolutely fantastic and helpful comments on the makeup expiration post in particular.
Your friendly neighborhood (clumsy) beauty addict,
Karen
The giveaway is now closed to new entries, and the winners are being contacted. 🙂 Good luck!
Rise and shine, morning glories! 🙂 Actually, I hope you’re still cozy in bed. No one should have to be up at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
I only got up because Tabs was meowing at the front door. That cat has so little respect for my beauty sleep…
Speaking of beauty, I forgot to tell you about my hair yesterday (good hair day)! After my run I washed and conditioned it with Aveeno Nourish+ Revitalize Shampoo and Conditioner.
The stuff is da bomb! 
I’ve been using the line off and on for a few months. Over that time this particular duo of shampoo/conditioner has become my favorite drugstore hair care dynamo.
It being the weekend and all, why don’t we start today with a giveaway?
One lucky lady will win five products from Aveeno’s Nourish+ hair care line (a $35 value), including:
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 — a comment about anything at all. Tell me what you had for breakfast this morning or dinner last night; what you’re doing for Labor Day; the name of your favorite song or the identity of your latest crush. 🙂
I’m looking forward to a party tonight. My BFF is throwing a True Blood Lobsterfest at her apartment in the city — a combination DVD-watching marathon/seafood dinner.
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to Win $35 in Aveeno Nourish+ Hair Stuff http://bit.ly/YyG9G
RT @karenmbb: RT to Win $35 in Aveeno Nourish+ Hair Stuff http://bit.ly/YyG9G
I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, September 6.
Zhù nÇ hÇŽoyùn!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
The giveaway is now closed to new entries, and the winners are being contacted. 🙂 Good luck!
Ew, what’s that smell?
Oh, it’s just my makeup… 🙂
How do you know when that tube o’ lipgloss or pan of eyeshadow has expired? Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to tell. Most beauty products lack expiration dates, and some may not visibly change when they’ve given up the ghost.
Still, even when it’s obvious that a product has gone bad, some of us refuse to let go. This summer the market researchers at Mintel found that just one in four British women discard their makeup, shampoo or shower gel after it starts to smell strange or look discolored. source
Why? Because, the researchers found, many of the women surveyed weren’t aware the products could expire.
Just like food items, beauty products — even natural and organic ones — are breeding grounds for bacteria, and natural products that contain fewer (or no) preservatives often have the shortest shelf lives of all. The risk of using products high in bacteria is INFECTION.
Lawd knows I’m guilty of keeping beauty products around far longer than I should … but sometimes it’s just so hard to say goodbye! 🙂
Beyond these rough guidelines, it helps to enlist the help of your nose in checking beauty booty. If something smells a little off, maybe it is.
More things to watch out for? 1) Store products away from direct sunlight and heat, which can destroy preservatives and accelerate the growth of bacteria; 2) refrigerate products (some take better to cold temps than others do) to slow the growth of bacteria; 3) don’t use eye products when you have an eye infection; 4) be careful when you mix products because you could be spreading bacteria around; and 5) be aware that using shared department store testers is a primo A#1 way to catch something SCARY!
For even more on telling if your makeup has expired…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. How was your afternoon? Anything cool happen today? I managed to sneak away for a few minutes up to Sephora and left with Lancome’s new Hypnose Drama mascara… Can’t wait to give it a try!
Other than that, I rented Confessions of a Shopaholic to watch tonight. Tabs is a big Isla Fisher fan. 🙂
It was in a noisy crowd on a bustling Cairo street more than 20 years ago that 18-year-old Catherine Élise “Cate” Blanchett (born May 14, 1969) discovered her calling. She was on vacation in Egypt at the time and accepted an invitation from someone to star as an extra in a movie. source
The experience must have made quite an impression on young Cate. After returning to her native Australia, she relocated to Sydney, enrolled in the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and the rest, as they say, is Hollywood history. 🙂
She’s one of my all-time favorite actresses (LOVED her in The Gift and both Elizabeth movies)… Those Aussie girls sure can rock an American accent, and Cate sure does rock her beautiful blonde hair.
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
This morning while I was admiring swatching the shimmery new Zoya Truth Collection of nail polishes for fall ($36 for a set of six), something kinda funkaaay happened.
I met a troublemaker, aka a rebellious nail polish brush. 🙂
See that funky piece jutting out to the side? It looks like it’s trying to do its own thang, but this ain’t Sesame Street, buddy. Get back in formation!
What do you do when a nail polish brush goes against the grain?
Brushes with straight, smooth fibers work best. When bristles stick out at odd angles like Penny (a shimmery copper) is here, it can mess with my application. Hello, streaks!
Thankfully, whipping a bellicose brush back into shape is a breeze. Here’s what I do to reshape a wonky nail polish brush:
First, I set the brush head on a clean paper towel.
Next, I fold a section of the towel over and on top of the brush head and press down with my fingers. Still applying pressure, I slowly pull the brush head out through the towel with the other hand.
A few times will usually reshape the bristles and remove most kinks, restoring order to the world, LOL!
Allowing the brush to air dry for about 10 minutes should lock the corrected shape in place. That’s it — then it’s back in the bottle for you. 🙂
Why aren’t all of life’s problems so easy to solve, le sigh…
Funky brush action aside, I love all six of the warm, vibrant colors in the Truth Collection.
It seems like Zoya dipped their paint brushes into Mother Nature’s fall inkwell. These shimmery copper, orange, red, pink and magenta polishes remind me of autumn leaves crackling beneath my feet, fiery fall sunsets and the rich, buttery light of late afternoons.
Of the six shades, Anaka, the shimmery magenta, makes my heart beat the fastest.
Do any of these get you fired up for fall?
Anaka
Drew
Salma
Penny
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Clockwise from lower left: Superglossy Lipgloss SPF 15 in Share the Love and Live in the Moment ($17 each), Instant Sunshine Natural Mineral Bronzer ($28), Lit From Within Cream Blush in Bare Your Soul ($23) and You Make Me Blush Mineral Blush Duo in Sunny/Bright ($25)
TGIF and good morning, lovelies! We made it to Friday. 🙂
How was your night? Mine was filled with 
running… that is to say I went for a run after work, watched Project Runway (so glad Mitchell finally got the boot) and let my imagination run wild with Philosophy’s new Supernatural Makeup Collection (available now).
If you’re into natural makeup and stuff that’s easily tolerated by a variety of skin types, this new collection of sheer colors for face, cheeks, eyes and lips might be worth checking out.
Philosophy says they’re free of parabens, phthalates (plasticizers used in everything from children’s toys to eyeshadows and nail polish), mineral oil, talc, sulfates, propylene glycol and fragrance — and they won’t clog pores or irritate skin.
I really like the textures and colors from what I’ve seen. They strike me as things I’d want to wear on my “non-makeup” days.
As soon I’ve spent some time wearing them out of the house, I’ll let you know how they hold up to everyday use. 🙂
What are your plans for the holiday weekend? Doing anything fun?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen