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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

Freida Pinto’s Blue and Brown SAG Eye Look, Version 1

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Good morning, girls! Happy Friday. 🙂

It’s raining cats and dogs this morning! I’m just sitting here twiddling my thumbs while the coffee brews… I need it desperately this morning because Tabs went totally apesh*t last night, jumping on top of furniture, pawing at the walls and meowing at himself in the dark. I dunno. He gets like this when it rains. First, he meows to go out; then meows to come back in. Over and over, all through the night, ack!

Despite only getting two seconds of sleep, I’m in a pretty good mood. Not only is it Friday, but my attempt to re-create the blue and brown eye Freida Pinto wore to the SAG awards didn’t turn out half bad.

In the picture up top, Freida’s wearing a warm brown in the crease and a bluish gray shadow on the lid. I don’t know the exact products used for her look, but for my version I layered L’Oreal HiP Duo in Magnetic Fields on top of MAC Jadeye Fluidline.

It’s a little more teal than I wanted, but I like how it turned out.

For the rest of the eye, I used MAC Painterly Paint Pot as a base, MAC Soft Brown and MAC Brown Script in the crease and MAC Brule on the brow bone.

To line the eyes, I added MAC Blacktrack on the upper lash line, and to finish, layered Blacktrack and Magnetic on the lower.

I’m going to keep trying this look with other blue cream and powder shadows until I match the same smokey gray blue shade in Freida’s look.

Christian F*#$*@ Bale… The drama continues

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The Girls of MAC Creme Team Arrive, Rivalry Ensues

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The girls of MAC Creme Team arrived at MAC counters today to sign autographs, give interviews and talk strategy before the big game.

First, the eight members of the Cremesheen lipstick squad sauntered in with plenty of attitude, dressed in black and ready to rumble.


Top row: Lavender Whip, Lickable, Creme in Your Coffee, Hang-Up; bottom row: Creme Cup, Shy Girl, Crosswires, Spice is Nice


Top row: Creme Cup, Creme in Your Coffee, Crosswires, Hang-Up; bottom row: Lavender Whip, Lickable, Shy Girl, Spice is Nice

“Expect a good matchup,” said Cremesheen Lipsticks captain Shy Girl, “but the real winners are the fans. They love our creamy texture and shiny finish. The competition better bring their A game because we’re bringing lip moisturization like it’s never been broughten before!”

Crowd favorite Creme in Your Coffee flashed a reverse peace sign to fans before taking a seat on the counter. “Neutral pink brown lips in the hizz-ouse!”


From top to bottom: Ever So Rich, Fashion Scoop, Creme Anglaise


From left to right: Boy Bait, Petite Indulgence, Partial to Pink, Melt in Your Mouth (for pics and swatches of Looks Like Sin, check out this previous post)


Top row: Boy Bait, Creme Anglaise, Ever So Rich, Fashion Scoop; bottom row: Melt in Your Mouth, Partial Pink, Petite Indulgence

Not to be outdone by the veteran lipstick squad, the gloss girls of Cremesheen Glass stood tall and regal, their creamy colors glowing with rare intensity.

“Yeah,” said Boy Bait, Cremesheen Glass captain, “it’s gonna be a good game. We’re sheer and creamy, but so what? We might not have the pigmentation, but we don’t need it. We have what it takes to shine.”


From left to right: Caramellow, Pink Treat, Sublime Culture, Velvetella

Which team will win the hearts and minds of MAC lovers? Fans are split. Will it be Cremesheen Lipsticks or Cremesheen Glass?

“Sheer’s pretty,” said Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog, “but a lot of women wanted more pigmentation. The lipsticks have the shine, better coverage and the moisturization I crave.”

Then, pulling a slightly overweight tabby from her purse and pointing at the lipstick between the cat’s teeth she added, “Even my cat prefers the Lipsticks.”


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GHD Thermal Protector Spray Beats the Styling Heat

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I’ve been flat ironing my wavy hair a lot since the Sedu Revolution (aka The Miracle Worker) entered my life, but all that hot styling can lead to split ends, blech!

What’s a girl to do?

Right now I’m using GHD Thermal Protector for Dry, Coarse Hair ($25). It’s a spray-on liquid styler designed to moisturize hair and protect it from heat damage. I spritz it on dry hair before flat ironing and then run the Sedu iron from root to tip.

It smells wonderful (like rose and sandlewood), enhances shine and even makes a difference in how my hair reacts to humidity.

If I’ve flat ironed and it begins to rain, my waves spring back — unless I’ve used Thermal Protector. This stuff keeps my hair stick straight, making it lay flatter and look straighter than the Sedu alone, no matter what the weather’s like.

I haven’t noticed any new split ends or broken pieces of crispy hair in the month I’ve been using Thermal Protector, and I sure hope it stays that way. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂

GHD Thermal Protector for Dry, Coarse Hair

Price: $25 for a 5.1 fl-oz spray bottle
Use: A moisturizing styling spray to fight frizz and protect hair from heat damage
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

One more thing — if you’re interested, GHD makes a couple more formulas, one for Normal to Fine Hair and another for Weak and Damaged hair ($25 each).

MAC attack!


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10 Awesome Workout Tips and Tricks

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Thanks to your comments on this post a couple weeks ago, I got a bunch of great new workout tips to try, yea!

I’m hoping these tips will help me get in fightin’ shape before summer, *crosses fingers*. I got a long way to go, LOL!

1. Have 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.

2. Reward yourself

Set exercise goals you know you can reach, and treat yourself when you reach them. Audrey, for example, rewards herself with a little something from MAC when she logs four workouts a week. SMarie may treat herself to a drink from Starbucks or to a lipgloss. “Nothing too crazy,” she says, “just a little something to say ‘ya done good!'”

3. Just do it

We may not love to exercise, but we love the results. Sometimes, the easiest way to get it over with is just to get it over with. Briana makes herself exercise as soon as she gets home from work. “If I wait even half an hour,” she says, “I end up putting it off all night and never get around to doing it!”

4. Variety is the spice of life!

Switch up your workouts to keep motivated. Heidi used to hit the gym a lot until she started feeling like a hamster on a wheel. Mix things up. “Take a walk,” she says, “go for a jog, jump rope, or whatever gets you going. Exercising doesn’t have to be limited to going to the gym.”

5. Remind yourself why you want it

Are you working out to fit into a special dress, to build up your strength, to have more energy throughout the day, to blow off steam, to live a longer life? Shefali says her motivation this year is to look her best at two family gatherings. “I want to look my ultimate best and keep telling myself that April is going to be here before I know it!”

6. Dress for success

If you plan to try walking or running outside, shop for some weather appropriate gear and a pair of good running shoes. If it’s cold in your area, look for insulated running jackets and pants that wick. A hat helps, too. Check out Lululemon, or skim through the pages of Runner’s World.

7. Splurge on a personal trainer

Not a necessity, but a personal trainer can help. Yadiq tries to work with a trainer once a week. If you have a gym membership, ask the front desk staff about certified trainers, and then see if any of them are offering specials or discounts.

8. Take advantage

Take advantage of any fitness programs that might be available through work or school. Check with the human resource department at the office because some companies offer gym credits for employees, or call the information line at school. Most university gyms are open to all students at certain times of day.

9. Keep a workout calendar or training log

We’ve all heard this before… but take it to the uber-level! Don’t just grab any old calendar; find a pretty one, and make it your own. Decorate your workout calendar with cute drawings and motivational phrases like “You can poo it, girl!” and “Keep up the good work!”

10. Set small goals

You know what they say about baby steps. Set attainable goals that you know you can reach. If you’re just starting out, shoot for 15 minutes of walking outside or on the treadmill twice/week. Sure, you know you can do more, but start small and work your way up. Next week, try 20 minutes twice/week, then 15 minutes three times/week, etc. Above all, have fun!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

YSL Eyeshadow Duo in Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue: Splurge or Steal?

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At $41, the Yves Saint Laurent Eyeshadow Duo in Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue from the spring 2009 collection isn’t exactly recessionista material.

But overlooking the price for a moment, take a gander at the color.

Here it is worn around my boring UPS brown peepers…


The color’s a matte slate blue. I love the way it exaggerates the edge between the eyelid and the whites of the eyes. Doesn’t it enhance the contrast between them?

Oatmeal, the second shade that comes with the duo, is a basic matte beige. While pretty, it didn’t give me makeup-gasms like Petroleum Blue, LOL!

Both products in the duo feel finely milled like Dior’s eyeshadows yet creamy like Shu Uemura’s.

And they have all-day staying power, too, even when applied along the waterline.

The problem is the $41 price, ouch.

It’s a lot to ask for a duo, even one with an exceptional color like Petroleum Blue. Maybe if Oatmeal had blown me away… Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

Steal the look for less

I was thinking today about how to recreate this look for less when I stumbled on L’Oreal HiP Shadow Duo in Magnetic ($7).
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Pretty Pastels with Yves Saint Laurent Spring Look 2009

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Think you could pull off the pastel eye featured in the Yves Saint Laurent Spring Look 2009?

The model’s wearing a delicious trio of pink, purple and mint shadows, each stacked one on top of the other like Neopolitan Ice Cream! It think it’s gorgeous, but I’m not sure I could pull it off.

Pastels are tough for me, but they sure look perty…

I really love the conservative colors in this release, too.

I’ve just started testing a few of them, starting with the Eyeshadow Duo in Oatmeal/Petroleum Blue ($41).

Not having had much time to use them yet, it looks like Oatmeal (a matte cool beige) and Petroleum Blue (a matte slate blue) apply with high pigmentation, and something tells me they’ll look great together, with Oatmeal as a wash over the entire lid and Petroleum as a liner.

What do you think?

And then there’s the new Gloss Pur lipglosses in Pure Fuchsia and Pure Nude (each $29).

I bet Pure Nude could be fun layered on top of a hot pink lipstick like MAC Girl About Town, but I think I’m leaning toward Pure Fuschia.

Both glosses have a faint, interesting scent that smells of licorice and watermelon. I know — strange combo, but I like it.

I hope they’re long lasting, too! I’ll report my findings a little later.

Pure Lipstick in Tea Rose ($30) brings up the rear. This creamy pink beige looks like it’ll pair perfectly with my favorite MAC Cremestick liner in Pink Treat and some clear gloss.


Swatches from left to right: Tea Rose, Pure Nude, Pure Fuchsia, Oatmeal, Petroleum Blue

YSL costs a pretty penny, so here’s to hoping for good wear time and pigmentation. 🙂

Calm down, Lover!

I finally heard C. Bale’s f-bomb-filled tirade yesterday, and all I have to say is WHOA. Two words, C. Bale: anger management.

Shoot! He broke my heart… I’m gonna need another virtual crush to take away the pain.

Maybe Detective Stabler, aka Law & Order: SVU’s Christopher Meloni, is up to the task.

Funny, but I just realized that all of the celebrities I get crushes on look kinda like El Hub. Hmmm…

How ya handling hump day, ladies? I hope things are going your way!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

5 MAC Smokey Eye Looks

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Smokey eyes can take a timid makeup look to the next level and help bring out your Queen of Sheba.

It seems like they’re never out of style. Maybe that’s because they’re easy to do, unmistakable from afar and don’t require lots of products to create.

The following 5 smokey eye looks feature MAC Cosmetics, but each look can also be done by substituting similar products from other lines.

1. MAC Smokey Eye Tutorial: Halloween Flashback


“Hey, ladies! On Halloween some of you asked for a tutorial describing the MAC Smokey Eyes look I wore to dinner. I was in the mood for MAC today, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s heavy on MAC products, but you could definitely use similar products from other brands.”

2. MAC Red She Said Face of the Day: Navy Blue, Bronze and Brown Smokey Eye

“I tried this brown, bronze and navy blue smokey eye. When I was done with the look, I walked around the room by myself, pretending I was contemplating impressionist paintings in a fancy art gallery.”

3. A Smokey Eye Tutorial with MAC Cosmetics Metal Urge Gilded Ash Cream Shadow and Cocomotion Pigment


“I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of doing smokey eyes. There are just so many different ways to work the look, like this spin on a daytime eye for work. It’s a method I learned from my favorite MAC artist, Jen, using products from the MAC Metal Urge and Red She Said collections.”

4. MAC Cosmetics Mulch Eyeshadow Face of the Day

mac-cosmetics-mulch-fotd

“I started this face of the day with one pan — ONE PAN! — of MAC Mulch Eyeshadow. From there, it quickly spiraled out of control into a look with seven different shades. I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I think it has something to do with an upcoming deadline. The more pressed for time I get, the more makeup I want to wear! I know I can’t be the only one who loves to procrastinate this way.”

5. 18 MAC to School Makeup Tips

“In Saturday’s class, I chose to do the club look, thinking I’d leave with some crazy, colorful eye like in the above chart. Instead, we ended up doing more of a smokey blue eye with light cheeks and bold pink lips.”

Can you share any tips or tricks to help others with their smokey eyes?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Just Call Me Doe Eyes: Tarte Bottoms Up Mascara

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If you took away my Tarte Bottoms Up lower lash mascara ($14), I’d probably get the shakes and start rocking back and forth. Maybe drool a little bit too.

Tarte made it special for lower lashes. It’s a water-resistant (not quite waterproof) black, and even though I’ve only been using it for a week, I’m already hooked. *I LOVE* how this mascara makes my eyes look bigger and more alert, like I’m actually awake, even when I’m dog tired.


Tarte Bottoms up mascara brush on top, Clinique High Impact Curling mascara brush head on bottom

Don’t let the tiny bottle fool you; Bottoms Up packs some serious makeup juju. Even though the brush head and bristles are about half normal size, they work mad, crazy good. I think the smaller head helps to thoroughly coat each lash evenly because it can sneak into all the crevices. It works better at coating and separating lower lashes than any mascara brush I’ve ever used before.


No mascara on the lower lash line


One layer of Bottoms Up on lower lash line


Swatch of Bottoms Up
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