Karen, Author at Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup - Page 1794 of 1879

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

Laura Mercier Lip Velvets Feel Like Gloss but Look Like Lipstick

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‘Sup, girlies? How was your day? I managed to finish most of my errands and between loads of laundry popped by my local Laura Mercier counter to try the new Lip Velvets ($22) line o’ lipsticks from the Cherries Noir fall makeup collection.

You know how it feels when you hear a lot about a product before its release and figure there’s no way it can live up to your expectations? Well, that’s kinda how I felt on my way to the counter today. I’d been hearing from a friend that Lip Velvets were the makeup missing link, perfectly balancing the feel of a gloss with the look of a lipstick.

Bold words, right?
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YOU MUST CHOOSE: The Pizza and Beer Edition

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1. It’s your weekend, which means you have errands to run: a trip to the grocery store, dropping off the dry cleaning, taking the kids to soccer, etc., etc. Would you rather have to run your weekend errands wearing a 1980s aerobics outfit (complete with striped leotards, tights, leg warmers and head/wrist bands) OR dressed like a Playboy bunny (all the way, with the fake ears and fluffy bunny tail)?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!

2. A girlfriend entered you in a strange contest where winners receive $5,000 in Chanel, Shu Uemura and MAC makeup. To win, you have to scarf down your choice of either 20 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches OR 10 pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken by the end of the day.
YOU MUST CHOOSE!

3. Would you rather make out with a sweaty Nicholas Cage (Bangkok Dangerous!) or a sweaty Philip Seymour Hoffman? (Sidenote: Speaking of Philip Seymour, do everything imaginable to avoid seeing the first five minutes of Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead… You’ve been warned.)
YOU MUST CHOOSE!

4. Would you rather spend your Friday night 1) trapped in a dark, stinky basement with 16-year-old boys playing Dungeons and Dragons by candlelight (they think it’s cool if they all talk like Yoda) OR 2) stuck watching football with a bunch of middle-aged former frat boys unable to complete a sentence without the word “DUUUUUUUUDE!” in it (hey, at least there’s pizza and beer)?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!

5. Describe your idea of a perfect Saturday.
YOU MUST CHOOSE!

C’mon, c’mon! It’s time to play!

  1. ’80s workout clothes or Playboy bunny?
  2. 20 Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or 10 pieces of KFC?
  3. Sweaty Nicholas Cage or sweaty Philip Seymour Hoffman?
  4. Dungeons and Dragons or the football dudes?
  5. Your perfect Saturday?

Happy Friday, girlies! I’m starting a shizzload of laundry and straightening out my desk right now (fun, I know). What’s on your plate for today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Blue, Pink and Silver Eye with Clarins So Sublime Quartet

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Have you seen the fall makeup look e-book on the Clarins website? I downloaded it earlier today (14 pages long, 22.6MB Adobe PDF) and couldn’t believe my eyes!

The book showcases five dazzling looks featuring makeup from the company’s new Jazzy Colours fall collection. Each look is accompanied by how-to instructions, and every other page features art by Margot Mace. I’d never heard of her before, but I think her work really fits the tone of the different looks.


The art of Margot Mace

I drooled over the pages for a while and then busted out the So Sublime Quartet ($40) to try the Trendy Makeup look (page 12).

The book’s reference pictures help with proper placement of the shadows and made this blue, silver and pink eye look really easy to do. I hope Clarins continues to release these books with their future collections.

I didn’t think I’d be able to use the colors in the So Sublime quad when I first saw them a few weeks ago because they seemed too bright, but playing with them today changed my mind. I like the results. I think I’ll include this eye in my regular rotation of work friendly (yet colorful) looks. Yes, Virginia, you too can wear hot pink eye shadow!

Other stuff up in this mix…

That’s Chanel Jouse Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Dust on my cheeks and Creme Gloss Lumiere in Petit Four on my lips.

What do you think of this look? Too bright or just right for work?

Wow! I can’t believe it’s already 10:30. After going for a run when I got home from work tonight I browsed the web for a little while. It’s been an uneventful night. I think I’ll do a little chilling and reading before bed.

We’re almost to Friday, woot!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Don’t rush off before seeing the Benefit Cosmetics Holiday 2008 Sneak Peek! 🙂

Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream Saves Hands AND a Few Bucks

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I’d fight a hungry runway model for my tube of $6 Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Age Shield Hand Cream.

Lightly scented (like flowers and soap), this drugstore steal-of-a-deal will sure come in handy this fall and winter when my paws are crazy dry.

Despite how rich it feels, it doesn’t leave a greasy film, for which it earns big props from me — there are few things I hate more than hand creams that leave a slippery residue.

Neutrogena also outfitted Age Shield Hand Cream with full-spectrum SPF 30 sun protection.

A dime-sized dollop thoroughly treats both of my hands and cuticles. The cream absorbs quickly, too, perfect for quick applications when you’re out and about. This isn’t one of those creams you’ll have to spend 10 minutes massaging into your hands, looking like a criminal mastermind plotting world domination!

I’ve been using this on my hands for about week now, and even in that brief time I think my hands look less rough than they did. The fines lines in the creases between my fingers are less noticeable than they were. I can’t comment on the cream’s ability to treat age spots, though, because I don’t have any on my hands.

Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream provides long-lasting protection from both UVA and UVB rays, those responsible for up to 90% of the signs of premature aging. According to Neutrogena, it’s clinically shown to improve the overall age impression of hands in just four weeks (I noticed a difference in one).

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Age Shield Hand Cream improves what ages the look of hands most — roughness, age spots and fine lines.

I’m officially sold on Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream and ceremoniously plopped a tube into my big ole’ purse.

One thing I would change about the product is the screw-on cap. I wish it had a twist cap like Lippman’s Rich Girl Hand Cream. I get the feeling I might lose the screw cap in my bottomless purse.
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What Do You Think of Victoria Beckham’s New Short Hair?

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Lately, I’ve been feeling the urge to cut my hair. I like it long, but I’m itching for a change, maybe something drastic. The only thing holding me back — and I recognize how silly it sounds — is that I’ll probably want all the fur I can get to keep warm in the winter, LOL.

And I’m not the only woman hearing the siren call of the scissors. On Monday at the Marc Jacobs Spring 2009 show at NY Fashion Week, the posh Mrs. Victoria Beckam revealed a new ‘do. It’s very Halle Berry-esque, yah?

I think V. Becks has the right ‘tude to pull it off and looks great. I don’t know if I’d ever have the guts to go this short, but ya never know.

How are you wearing your hair these days? Are you happy with it, or are you feeling the urge to get a new cut?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

New York Fashion Week Spring 2009, MAC Cosmetics Runway Looks from Day 5

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Here are a few more MAC makeup face charts from New York Fashion Week. These reflect some of the looks seen in yesterday’s shows. I really like the James Kaliardos chart for Rodarte. What do you think of the OJ “C” shape in the outer corner of the eye?

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Benefit Cosmetics Holiday 2008 Sneak Peek

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Sleigh bells ring, are ya listening? In the lane, snow is glistening…

While the leaves on the trees outside my window haven’t yet changed colors for fall, I’m already excited about the holidays. Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, and makeup lines have started releasing their limited edition holiday goodies (yay)!

Here’s an early look at one such release by a favorite brand of mine: Benefit Cosmetics.

Available online now and on counters this November, the Peace Love & Glossiness lipgloss set ($26) and the Primpcess eye kits ($34) are sure to warm a crisp fall night.

I love the packaging. It’s not too stuffy or serious, and the purple and gold add a regal feel to the fun designs.

Peace, Love & Glossiness

Does m’lday like to keep her options open? If so, the set provides a lot of options. Two of the six shades in Peace Love & Glossiness are a purple and a gold, and each of the three double ended gloss sticks come with two coordinating glosses, to be worn by themselves or mixed together.

Gloss Stick One
My People, Your People: sheer, shimmery pink
Kiss You: sheer fuschia

Gloss Stick Two
Magic: creamy taupe-plum
Who Does Your Work: creamy wine

Gloss Stick Three
24K: shimmery gold
Talk to My agent: shimmery mauve


Swatches from left to right: My People, Your People; Kiss You; Magic; Who Does Your Work; 24K; Talk to My Agent

The glosses are taste-free, but they do emit a fruit punch scent, which fades after about 5 minutes.

I think the thin, non-sticky texture feels kinda like MAC Lipgelee Lipgass. Not only is it moisturizing, but the sheer color payoff makes them easy to apply.

A good holiday kit or set should be a bargain, right? Well, the full set saves a bundle over the cost to purchase all of these shades separately. Separately, they’d cost about $100. Bought with the set, the cost of each mini-gloss breaks down to $4.30!

The price makes the set a pretty fab way to get several different Benefit shades in one fell swoop!

And because the colors are sheer, easy to apply, and not garish or overly-sexy, I’d feel comfortable giving the kit as a gift to a younger cousin or someone just starting to wear makeup.

My People, Your People


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