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

Karen

YOU MUST CHOOSE: The Dirrrty Edition

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YOU MUST CHOOSE!

  1. One night at a party you meet your dream guy. You fall in love, get married, and then in your hotel room on your wedding night, he sits down and says he has something to confess. What’s his dirty little secret? — 1) that he wears Christian Louboutins around the house (hey, at least he wears your size) OR 2) that he can’t sleep unless he sucks on someone’s toes before bed? YOU MUST CHOOSE!
  2. If you had to do one or the other for a month, would you rather wear the same dirty pair o’ drawers OR rock Christina Aguilera’s chaps/bikini outfit from the Dirrrty video? YOU MUST CHOOSE!
  3. Would you rather go a year without brushing or washing your hair OR clean a dirty toilet once with your tongue? YOU MUST CHOOSE!
  4. If you had to do one or the other for three straight months, would you rather have to apply your makeup with dirty brushes OR skip brushing your teeth? YOU MUST CHOOSE!
  5. Would you rather have to give your SO a dirty lap dance in front of your parents (wearing nothing but lingerie) OR spend five hours making out with Spencer Pratt (tongue and all)? YOU MUST CHOOSE!

What’s up, my lovely Jo Polniaczeks?

It’s Friday, which I hope means you have a little time to ponder a YOU MUST CHOOSE.

To play, just copy the list and paste it with your answers in the comments. 🙂

1. Louboutins OR toe sucking?
2. Dirty drawers OR dirrrty outfit?
3. Skip brushing/washing your hair OR clean a toilet with your tongue?
4. Dirty makeup brushes OR skip brushing your teeth?
5. Dirty lap dance OR dirty Spencer Pratt?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Another 21 Drugstore Beauty Tips

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Another 21 Drugstore Beauty Tips

It’s that time again, girls. Another Friday means another week for the history books, le sigh!

I don’t know what kind of mood you’re in today, but I’m NOT in the mood for stress. I feel like I need a casual Friday, something fluffy and light.

You might have a busy day ahead of you — life doesn’t seem to care when we say we need a break — but I hope these 21 drugstore beauty tips help you keep your morning light. 🙂

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like…

  1. How to Wear Bright Eyeshadow (Drugstore or Not): This article refers to spring trends, but I think bright shadows are perennial and can be worn any time of year. Don’t miss the section at the bottom about getting the most out of drugstore eyeshadows.

    2. Tips for drugstore eyeshadows

  2. DIY Home Remedies and Beauty Treatments: We’ve all seen other articles or blog posts with lists of home beauty treatments, but this one’s more extensive than most. Some of the suggestions here are drugstore, but others may require a trip to your local grocer.

    3. home1

  3. Luxury on the Cheap: Quality Beauty Products at Drugstore Prices: This article with slides provides a fairly comprehensive list of suggestions for beauty products (hair, face and body) currently available at most drugstores nationwide.

    4. cheap

  4. DulceCandy87’s Fav. Drugstore Makeup and Beauty Tips: Dulce’s quite a character. She has an entire series of makeup and beauty videos on YouTube. This one’s sure to save you some dough.

    5. DulceCandy87's Drugstore Beauty Tips

  5. Bodycology Lotions: Find out how these over-the-counter creams compare to bigger name brands.

    6. body

  6. Protect Your Skin From the Cold With Vaseline: It’s hella greasy, yes, but women have been using it as part of their beauty regimen for decades. Read on to see how Vaseline can help.

    7. vaseline
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Decleor Eye Make-Up Remover: I Only Have Eyes for You

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Ever since my allergies kicked into high gear a few weeks ago, my eyes have been a sensitive mess. Even my old standby makeup remover, Lancome Bi-Facil, which never used to bother my eyes, has been bringing me to tears.

I’ve been looking for a makeup remover that won’t bother my peepers, ideally one able to remove waterproof makeup, and last week I started using Decleor’s Eye Make-Up Remover Gel ($28) for sensitive eyes.

It’s a watery gel with a thin consistency, neither sticky nor greasy, and it smells lightly of chamomile. To use it I soak a cotton ball and then gently wipe at the makeup around my eyes.

First, it works, removing everything — even waterproof mascara. Second, it doesn’t bug my eyes.

I’ve been using it for about a week, and I think my lids already look a little less puffy.

Something else — the skin around my eyes feels hydrated after using Decleor, not stripped of moisture. At $28, it costs a little more than Lancome Bi-Facil ($24), but it works, and my ultra-sensitive eyes don’t complain. That makes the price easier to bear.

Decleor Eye Make-Up Remover Gel

Price: $28 for a 5-oz bottle
Use: A chamomile-scented eye makeup remover for super sensitive eyes and skin
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+

You might like Decleor Eye Make-Up Remover Gel if…

  1. your eyes protest a lot of other makeup removers,
  2. you’re on the market for something able to remove waterproof mascara, or
  3. you’re comfortable spending top dollar to try something new.

Man in the mirror

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Holy crap! Can you believe MJ’s gone? And Farrah Fawcett too?

MJ’s music was such a huge part of my childhood… It’s the end of an era. I’ve been moonwalking around the apartment and singing Man in the Mirror all afternoon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Cult Classic Goes Mainstream: The Clinique Bamboo Pink Collection

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What’s up, my fellow makeup lovahs? Have I mentioned that Clinique’s Bamboo Pink is one of my favorite lip colors, ever?

When I heard Clinique was doing an entire release based on it I went nuts!

The color itself is a cool, silvery pink — a cult favorite — and I was stoked to see that a lot of you are just as hyped about the news as I am.

Who could blame us, right? The limited edition summer release for cheeks, eyes and lips (available now) includes a color palette of cool pinks, bronzes and taupes that work together beautifully.

So far, I’ve played with five items from the 11-piece collection.

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Bamboo Pink, $25

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The Bamboo Pink Eye Shadow Quad comes packed with four perfectly coordinated shades of shimmery light pink, shimmery copper, shimmery taupe and shimmery rose-pink.

All apply on the cool side, so I’m guessing cool-beauties will be able to TURN THIS MUTHA OUT.

No doubt, the shades are shimmery, but they aren’t overly frosty, which I think makes them pretty easy to wear. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Cream Shaper for Eyes Duo in Chocolate Lustre/Cocoa Shimmer, $15

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Okay, I’ll come clean — at first glance this dual-tipped pencil didn’t give me lusty makeup thoughts. I thought Cream Shaper for Eyes Duo in Chocolate Lustre/Cocoa Shimmer looked kinda ho-hum on the outside, but inside it’s a gem. The pencils are super creamy and glide on without skipping. They’re also water-resistant and don’t smudge for nuthin’.

I like how well both Chocolate Lustre (a shimmery brown) and Cocoa Shimmer (a shimmer taupe) work as eyeshadow bases layered beneath the colors in the Bamboo Pink Quad, yes! Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
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How To Be “That Gal” with Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer

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Today makeup artist Johnie of The Beauty Junkie blog talks up the benefits of Benefit’s That Gal brightening face primer.

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I’ve always wanted to be “that gal,” and now I can thanks to Benefit’s pretty and pink That Gal ($28) brightening primer.

It’s one of those magic Holy Grail products I’m recommending all the time, and I cannot say enough good things about it!

I’d tried many primers before Benefit blessed the world with That Gal…

I know everyone loves the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36), but I could never get it to work for me. It felt greasy to me and didn’t seem to make a big difference. I know everyone in the makeup world will probably hang me for saying this, but I just feel like it’s overrated.

Not like That Gal.

It’s a silky pink primer with light reflecting pigments to brighten the complexion, and it comes in an interesting glue-stick like container. You click the base, dispensing the product out of the vent at the top. A few clicks is enough to do my entire face.

Why I like it

I see a huge difference when I use this stuff. It…

  • visibly brightens my skin,
  • makes my complexion appear more even and smooth,
  • helps keep my skin hydrated throughout the day,
  • helps my makeup stay put, and
  • makes my foundation go on a lot smoother.

I cannot go a day without using it and keep a backup at all times.

One small downside

The only downside I’ve found is that I can’t tell when I’m about to run out. It’s not clear how much product remains in the tube until it’s empty (click click click), which is why I keep a backup. That was a lesson I learned the hard way.

Application tips

One way to apply it is after your moisturizer but before your foundation; that’s for a smoother application.

Another way is to apply throughout the day on top of makeup to re-brighten the complexion.

It also works when worn alone, like on one of those “no makeup days” to keep the complexion from looking too dull and to help the skin look more even-toned. That’s how I’ll wear it sometimes, when I’m going to the gym or going out to run quick errands.

Also, I would like to add that my skin is more on the dry side, but I’ve used That Gal on dry, combo, and oily skin types and find it works for all of them. If, however, you’re crazy oil slick oily, then I might give it a test run before committing to a purchase.

It retails for $28 (0.37 fl. oz. tube), which I find lasts me about 3 months, but I use it every single day; a few clicks goes a long way.

As Benefit puts it, “It’s That Gal perfection for a happy complexion!” — so find your happy complexion today. 🙂

This post was written by Johnie, makeup artist and beauty blogger behind The Beauty Junkie blog.

Sarah Jessica Parker: Her Best Hair?

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Woo hoo, congrats to my girl SJP! On Tuesday she and hubby Matthew Broderick welcomed twin girls Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick to the family.

I wonder if the lil’ ones will grow up to be as fashionable as their mom. 🙂

Which of SJP's hairstyles do you like best?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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