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

Karen

Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day, Jan. 11

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Not sure what to do with all those old lipstick tubes?

Why not make a makeup mosaic of Mariah Carey?

Bikini model, TV hostess and hair care industry entrepreneur…

Daisy Fuentes is launching a new drugstore line of multicultural hair care products this March.

Deja vu: Barbie hearts Stila

Barbie sure gets around! What do ya think of Stila’s new Barbie branded makeup line?

How to do a ponytail pouf

Dang, Pursebuzz makes some hella good hair videos…

Return of The Purple One (no, not Barney)

Prince is readying a new music website where fans will be able to hear his latest tracks (as well as songs by special guests), watch videos and even buy music and concert tickets. HOLLA!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Jan. 11

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Good morning, girls! How goes it today? I’m just sitting here at my computer, drinking my first cup of coffee and writing some posts.

Tabs says hi. He’s laying down in front of the heater right now. Sunrise is his cue to hit the hay after a long night of partying.

What are your plans today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Saturday in San Francisco, Jan. 10, 2009

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Some opportunities don’t come along very often, like sunny days in the dead of winter. To take advantage of this meteorological gift, El Hub and I hopped in the car and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.

I was surprised that there weren’t many people out — well, as many people as usual for Fisherman’s Wharf.


Here’s a 3.5-minute video of today’s excursion…

A Saturday in San Francisco


Here’s a shot of San Francisco from a lookout just north of the city and the bridge in an area called the Marin Headlands.


No fog today…

I wandered into an outdoor shopping area called Ghirardelli Square. Yup, same Ghirardelli that makes the yummy chocolate.

I found a cool local boutique called elizabethW that carries body care, perfumes and home fragrances. I’d never heard of them before, but they’ve been around for 15 years.

Isn’t the packaging cute? It’s clean and girly and very my style. They had a bunch of unusual scents like sweet tea and asparagus (weird!), but they also carry classics like lilac and tuberose.

The shopkeeper told me about their website and how they sell the same items found in the store. They even ship internationally. 🙂

Women and girls (and one miscellaneous dude) were having tea service here at Crown & Crumpet tea salon. How fun! Unfortunately, El Hub wasn’t in the mood for finger sandwiches and fine china. 🙂


I love afternoon tea. Doesn’t Crown & Crumpet look like something out of Alice in Wonderland? I kept looking for the Cheshire Cat, LOL!


Those hills in the distance are my neck of the woods. If you look closely, you can just barely see the spires of the Golden Gate Bridge.

You just never know when the weather’s gonna cooperate, especially in San Francisco.

I hope you’re getting some sun in your neck of the woods.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

$2.41 Million iPhone 3G Kings Button: Recession Killer?

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How long before these shiny $2.41 million bling busters start appearing in the hands of the uber-spoiled teens on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16?

Brainchild of famed Austrian jeweler Peter Aloisson, who evidently missed the memo on the economy, the bedazzling Kings Button sports a solid 18 carat yellow gold, white gold and rose gold back panel and trim. A ring of 138 brilliant cut diamonds line the frame, and the home button? — a blinding 6.6 carat mega-diamond, aka the Kings Button, KAPOW!

“Oh, yeah, El Hub… I forgot to mention the other thing I wanted for Christmas, but you can get it for me now.” LOL!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Lancome Pink Irreverence Spring 2009 Collection: Downtown Pink = Hotness

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What do ya think of these new lipglosses from Lancome’s Pink Irreverence spring collection?

Black AND hot fuschia lipgloss? I’m *so there*.

Lancome chose to do something a little bolder than usual for a spring release. If Chanel’s Bohemian Fantasy and Dior’s Lady Dior collections were meant for sundresses and sandals, then Pink Irreverence was made for little black dresses and four-inch, black patent leather stilettos.

The collection features a variety of pinks ranging from ultra bright to nude, and a couple of surprise black products thrown in for good measure.

The ultra shimmery La Laque Fever Lip Shines (sparkly!) and Piha Black lipgloss immediately caught my eye. I’m not sure I’d ever wear a black gloss, but it sure looks neat, yah?

Lips

La Laque Fever Ultimate Lasting Full Color Lip Shine ($26)

From left to right: Electric Pink,Lucent Nude, Iridescent, Optical Rose

I found these at my local Lancome counter this afternoon and couldn’t pass up the chance to try on Electric Pink!

If you like sparkly, shiny shades, I think you’ll love these colors. They’re long-wearing and feel like a mix between lipstick and gloss.


From left to right: Electric Pink,Lucent Nude, Iridescent, Optical Rose

  • Electric Pink: a shimmery hot pink
  • Lucent Nude: a creamy peach brown
  • Iridescent: a shimmery coral pink
  • Optical Rose: a shimmery cool light pink

Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black ($25)


Um, hello, would you ever wear this bad boy? It’s a shimmery black gloss with flecks of blue glitter. It may be a little too goth for me, but I’ve been told it’s uber-wearable and looks good on top of the lipsticks in the collection (supposedly adds dimension).

Color Fever Lipstick ($25)


From left to right: Pink Attitdue, Mademoiselle, Rock Icon Fuschia, Forget Me Not

I’m such a sucker for pink lipsticks! I liked all of these shades, but I LOVED Mademoiselle.

  • Pink Attitude: frosty pink gold
  • Mademoiselle: creamy rose pink
  • Rock Icon Fuschia: creamy hot pink
  • Forget Me Not: creamy plum

Color Fever Plumper Gloss ($29)

The Downtown Pink shade = hotness. 🙂


From left to right: Fuschia Flaunt, Downtown Pink, City Mauve, Rose Pink
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Chanel Mystic Eyes Face of the Day: Pink and Brown Eyes for Work (or School!)

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Since I’m headin’ back to school later this month, I’m playing with a few different looks for class.

Here’s the pink and brown eye I wore yesterday using products from Chanel’s spring 2009 Bohemian Fantasy collection.

Eyes

I started the look with Chanel Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow in Sand, placing it over the entire eyelid (1) with a fingertip.

Then, I applied the light brown shade from the Mystic Eyes quad on the lid (2) and, with a MAC 252 Large Shader Brush, applied the pink shade from the same quad on the browbone (3). Since that produced a few harsh lines, I blended them away with a MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush.

Next up — I lined the lower lash line with Chanel Precision Eye Definer Crayon in Brun (4) and smudged the dark brown shade from the Mystic Eyes quad directly on top of liner (5) with a MAC 219 pencil brush.

With a MAC 228 Mini Shader Brush, I applied the same product (the dark brown) to the outer corner of the lid and lightly patted the silvery taupe eyeshadow from the Mystic Eyes quad into the inner corner of the eye (6).

To finish the eyes, I filled in my brows, curled my lashes with a Shu Uemura lash curler and applied two coats of Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara.
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Seven Films in Running for Best Makeup Oscar

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Three special effects-laden movies, one outrageous comedy and three touching dramas make up the seven films competing for nominations in the best makeup category for the 81st annual Academy Awards.


Three of the films — The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight and Hellboy II: The Golden Army — are also up for consideration in the visual effects category.

The effects-heavy pics are going head to head against the dramas The Reader, Synecdoche, New York and The Wrestler, and the comedy Tropic Thunder for Best Makeup. In Tropic Thunder Robert Downey Jr. plays (both literally and figuratively) an Australian method actor playing a black soldier, LOL!




Members of the academy’s makeup branch will view 10-minute excerpts from the seven shortlisted films on Jan. 17 before voting to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

They announce the nominations on Jan. 22, but the big show happens exactly one month later. Are you rooting for one film in particular?

Which film should win the Oscar for Best Makeup of 2008?

Which film should win the award for Best Makeup?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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