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

Karen

MAC Hello Kitty Kouture: Swarovski, Anyone?

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mac hello kitty kouture sheer mystery powder

Heya, ladies!

I had a lot of homework today, which is why I haven’t posted more. My Joaquin Phoenix mock obituary took longer than expected. I had Joaquin meet his end in a pyrotechnics accident on his debut rap tour. 🙂 We’ll see what my teacher thinks about that…

After school I figured I’d reward myself with a quick trip to the MAC counter.

I left with a pan of Amber Lights eyeshadow (thanks for the recommendation, Dao!) and a few swatches and pictures of the new MAC Hello Kitty Kouture.

An extension of last month’s MAC Hello Kitty Collection, Kitty Kouture’s powders and lipglosses bring on the bling.

The five-piece collection includes three shades of Sheer Mystery Powders ($90, holy WOW!) and two shades of Dazzleglass lipglosses ($28). Each comes dressed to the nines in Swarovski crystals.

No doubt, this bling looks hot!

mac hello kitty kouture dazzlepuss dazzleglass
Dazzleglass from left to right: Kitty Kouture, Dazzlepuss

Aren’t the HK charms too cute? You can even detach them from the tube and use them on a keychain.

mac hello kitty kouture sheer mystery powder dark secret
Sheer Mystery Powder in Dark Secret

Kitty Kouture goes on sale tomorrow. A MAC makeup artist told me that the hottest item on pre-order has been the Sheer Mystery Powder in Dark Secret (darkest of the three shades).

I love the packaging, but $90 is just a little lot too much to pay for it — think of all the eyeshadows we could get with that!

The Dazzleglass lipglasses are more reasonably priced. I liked Dazzlepuss, the bright pink shade.
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7 Steals: Benefit and Lorac Cosmetics for $10 or Less

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7 steals makeup from benefit and lorac for 10 dollars or less

Shiver me timbers, ladies! Last night I searched high and low for budget beauty booty and found some great deals from Benefit and Lorac.

Check out these items on sale for $10 or less…

7 Steals: Makeup from Benefit and Lorac Cosmetics for $10 or Less

1. Benefit Silky Powder Eye Shadow, $9 (originally $18)
Imagine how dramatic your eyes could look with one (or two or three) of these silky matte eyeshadow shades.

2. Benefit Kohl Eye Pencils, $9 (originally $18)
You can never have enough smudgy eye kohls, LOL! Tuxedo (a midnight blue) and Royale (a deep violet) look hot!

3. Benefit The Gloss, $8 (originally $16)
Seven colors are on sale, including one of my favorite purple glosses, Kiss Me (a creamy violet). It can be an intimidating shade at first (scared the heck out of me), but I think it’s surprisingly wearable.

4. Benefit Silk Lip Pencils ($9, originally $18)
Looking to build your lip pencil collection? How about adding one of these creamy pencils in pink, plum, brown or red?

5. Lorac CD3 Palette in Island Escape ($10, originally $48!)
This beachy palette — with pinks, greens and browns — looks perfect for a weekend getaway. You get five eyeshadows, a blush, a lip and cheek tint and lipgloss.

6. Lorac Maui Wowie Full Face Kit ($10, originally $37)
If you like shimmer, consider this tropical palette. It sparkles with four eyeshadows, a blush/bronzer duo, a cheek and lip tint and even a lipgloss. But wait, there’s more! There’s also a mirror and brushes, too.

7. Lorac Powder Eyeshadows ($5, originally $17)
Lorac eyeshadows apply smoothly and with rich pigmentation. Take a look at Mesmerize, a shimmery peachy gold. I like to wear it as a wash on the lid, and I think it looks great with a tan.

As we speak, orders of $50 or more on the Benefit site are eligible for an additional 20% off using the following code at checkout: HOTCORAL.

SHARE: If you know of any hot ongoing steals or deals, give it up, girl. Help your fellow makeup addicts, and give us the scoop in the comments. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Laura Mercier Blooms with a Spring Garden of Colors

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laura mercier gilded garden collection

The Laura Mercier makeup line tends to fly under my radar a lot. I reach for Laura’s Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation (love ’em both) on a regular basis, but I don’t think her color collections get the attention they deserve — certainly not as much as those from MAC or Chanel.

It’s a shame, too, because I really like how the brand handles color. It’s always fresh, natural and pretty, and the company doesn’t shy away from bolder hues.

Every season Laura gives me something to look forward to, whether it be a new Shimmer Bloc or an innovative new eyeshadow.

laura mercier first blush

For Spring 2009 LM has done it again. I’m looking forward to it all! — First Blush, Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and the new Mineral Illuminating Powders.

laura mercier satinee creme eye colour top

Today I took a quick look at a few things from the Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and Mineral Illuminating Powder collections and wanted to share some first impressions (more extensive reviews to follow).

laura mercier gilded garden collection shimmer bloc

Something tells me the limited edition Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden ($38) — an oil-free powder highlighter for cheeks, eyes and body — will steal quite a few hearts with its embossed floral pattern and peachy pink shimmer (I’m a sucker for botanical themes).

laura mercier satinee creme eye colour
And I have a feeling the new Satinee Creme Eye Colours ($22 each), cream eyeshadows with a pearly finish, have the makings of great vacay eyeshadows because, according to LM, they resist water, last a long time and won’t crease. They can be worn alone or as a base for powder shadows.

laura mercier starlight mineral illuminating powder

laura mercier starlight mineral illuminating powder

Because my skin’s been looking a little dull lately, I can’t wait to try Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight ($32). It’s a shimmery golden nude loose powder that Laura says creates a radiant soft focus-like effect on the skin. Since her loose powders never let me down, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

laura mercier gilded garden shimmer bloc satinee creme eye colour starlight mineral illuminating powder swatches

Swatches from left to right: Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Cocoa Velour, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Ecru Silk, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Pink Chiffon, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Rum Satin, Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden

Pretty, yah?
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Stuck Between Pimples and Wrinkles? Biore Skin Preservation Skin Care Collection Targets Transitional Skin

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biore skin preservation collection

Is your skin going through ch-ch-ch-changes? If you’ve driven by the teenage skin stage but aren’t quite ready for anti-aging creams, then Biore’s new Skin Preservation Skin Care Collection might be worth a test drive.

Biore says the collection helps delay the signs of aging while simultaneously treating dryness, texture and tone. All this, and it won’t strip your skin.

Items in the five-piece collection, which includes a gel cleanser, an exfoliator, an eye cream and two moisturizers (one with SPF 30 for day; one without for night), range from $7-$15 in price.

While I get the sense that Biore created the line for women in their 20s, budget mavens of all ages could find a lot to like.

I played with three of the products: See the Future Fortifying Eye Cream ($15), Clean Things Up Nourishing Gel Cleanser ($7) and Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator ($15).

My skin’s a combination of oily, dry and acne-prone — lucky me, right? LOL! When I was in my 20s, it was very oily, and I’d get lots of small pimples on my chin and forehead. The switch to combo-skin was quite unexpected and happened within the last two years. As for wrinkles, I have a few fine lines around my eyes, and I’m starting to see faint expression lines on my forehead and around my smile. 🙂

biore see the future fortifying eye cream
See the Future Fortifying Eye Cream ($15) smells like green tea to me, and I love green tea. Biore says it’s a cream, but it feels light, thin and non-greasy — more like an eye gel. The texture totes reminds me of MAC’s Fast Response Eye Cream.

Biore also claims it de-puffs, moisturizes and targets fine lines around the eyes, and they suggest applying it in the morning, evening or any time under makeup.

I liked the smooth, slippery texture and how quickly it sunk into my skin. Immediately, I noticed a visible de-puffing on my eyelids and around my eyes.

I didn’t really see any significant changes in fine lines, but ya know, it’s an eye gel, not a Christmas miracle.

Moisturization feels moderate, but then again my skin can get pretty dry, so I prefer richer eye creams. However, if your skin is oily or normal, then this might suit you just fine. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

biore clean things up nourishing gel cleanser

Clean Things Up Nourishing Gel Cleanser ($7) has the same yummy green tea scent, and washing with it feels invigorating. I barely need to use any to get a good foam going, and when I rise it off the cleanser removes all of my makeup without leaving my skin feeling taut or uncomfortable.

Because it’s the middle of winter and my skin is drier than usual, I notice even the tiniest bit of tightness around my cheeks and nose. It’s very slight, though. I think when my skin is oilier in the summer it probably won’t be an issue.

If your skin is normal or oily and you’re looking for a basic cleanser that removes everything without stripping your skin, then this is a keeper. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

biore even smoother microderm exfoliator

Biore stuffed Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator ($15) with hella exfoliating granules to do some serious scrubbing.

It contains fine alumina crystals (the same crystals used in micro-dermabrasion procedures). I can definitely feel the scrubbies going to work, and I have to take care not to press too hard or too vigorously; otherwise, my skin feels a little raw when I’m done.
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