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
Your favorite accessories designer calls you up on the phone one night and says, “Girl, I want to make you something special and unique. Tell me what your favorite 5 makeup products are, and I’ll design you a wallet, bag or case to carry them in.”
My fantasy Kate Spade Giza Travel Wallet Version 2.0 would contain…
If you could carry wallet-sized mini-versions of your 5 favorite makeup products, which products would they be?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
When I saw Benefit’s new BADGal Plum mascara ($19), curiosity outweighed my deep seeded fear of looking like a hot purple mess. I dove right into it, applying three coats and hoping for the best.
The first time I withdrew the wand from the tube I actually said “OooOOOoooh!” out loud in the middle of the store.
As the newest member of Benefit’s BADGal mascara line, BADGal Plum joins the original BADGal (in black) and BADGal Blue.
The richness of the purple on the wand was a little intimidating at first. I didn’t want to end up looking too Prince circa Purple Rain, but upon application Plum actually looks *really* subtle, and not very purple, as a matter of fact. Three coats gives lashes an almost burgundy-chocolate tint.
The color is so subtle that you have to look closely to see it at all. It isn’t the flashiest colored mascara (for a bolder tinted mascara, try Clarins Wonder Mint Waterproof Mascara in Teal), but it does add a little oomph that I don’t see from regular black. I can’t wait to try it with warm, gold-based shadows like MAC Soba (a gold brown) or MAC Ricepaper (a peachy gold).
It started to clump with the third coat, so I think I’ll stick with two from now on. In terms of lash quality, BADGal delivers noticeably thicker lashes but not significantly longer ones. While it’s not waterproof, it doesn’t smudge or flake, and it has enough staying power to last all day.
Happy Saturday, ladies! Right now I’m playing with the Clarins Jazzy Colors collection. I’m going to take some close-up pictures of the So Sublime palette, so I’m setting up my little photography area. After that I may go for a run, but we’ll see. What’s crackin’ today?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I popped by Sephora this afternoon to snag a jar of Stila Hydrating Finishing Powder. I’d been wanting to try it for a while (review coming soon!), but, like a true makeup junkie, I couldn’t just grab one thing and leave. I had to look around, and then these cute Wallet Palettes by Pop Beauty took hold of me and wouldn’t let go!
There are seven of them, ranging in price from $32 to $42. Each wallet contains a different color-themed eye shadow palette. They go by the names Brown Eyes, Green Eyes, Blue Eyes, Smokey Eyes, Smokey Rose, Day to Play and Bronze Pop.
The palettes are mixes of coordinated shimmers and matte shadows; a couple of them also come with blushes and lipsticks.
I think my favorites are Smokey Rose and Day to Play ($42 each).
Smokey Rose’s purple, faux-snakeskin case is packed with enough to create several different smokey looks — 12 eye shadows (shades of neutral pink, rose and blue), four blushes and two lipsticks. I can totally see myself packing these for a weekend trip! And the price… I really like the sound of $42 for 18 products. That works out to $2.33 each!
And Day to Play’s cute silver wallet houses 24 (!) eye shadows. At $1.75 each, it’s one of the better eye shadow bargains I’ve seen in a while.
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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off today in New York with appearances by Perry Ellis, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Rubin Singer, Yigal Azrouel Women and more. To trumpet their arrival, let’s work that catwalk, b*tches! YOU MUST CHOOSE!
1. It seems like everyone’s throwing post-runway parties after the shows. After saying “YES!” one too many times, you realize you double booked. Will it be tanning at Michael Kors’ condo, OR will you go out for cocktails with Marc Jacobs?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
2. Seconds before the start of the show, you’re asked to fill in for an ailing runway model (yah, I’m only 5’1″, but a girl can dream). If given the choice of designers to walk for, which one would it be?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
3. You’re a model and given impossibly high stilettos for one of the runway shows. You’re almost guaranteed to fall on your ass. Would you rather slip, launching into the first row like a human cannon ball, coming to rest face first in C. Bale’s lap (hot damn!), OR would you rather slip, quickly regain your walking composure, but have one of your boobs pop out of your dress in front of thousands of cameras and national TV? Oh, yeah, and your parents are in the audience. 🙂
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
4. Under orders from your employer, you must attend a bunch of high fashion after-parties wearing one of two outfits:
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
5. Whom would you rather talk fashion sense with over coffee and donuts — Diane von Furstenberg (yup, I watched Project Runway the other night) OR Karl Lagerfeld?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
6. Which Project Runway contestants will make it to Bryant Park this season?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
The Questions
1. Tanning with Michael Kors or cocktails with Marc Jacobs?
2. Which designer to walk for?
3. C. Bale’s lap or exposed boob?
4. Disney sweatshirt or Hot Dog on a Stick uniform?
5. Coffee and donuts with Diane or Karl?
6. Which Project Runway finalists make it to Bryant Park?
This morning I’m driving into SF (they just raised the Golden Gate Bridge toll to $6, yo!) to meet someone for a freelance project, but I’ll try to make time for a pit stop at Sephora. 🙂
What are you up to today? Do you have plans for the weekend?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
What comes to mind when you hear the words, “Giorgio Armani Lip Wax“? If you’re preoccupied with excess hair removal like I am, you probably pictured a hairy ‘stache, hot wax and hair removal strips.
Nope!
Lip Wax is actually Giorgio Armani’s latest compact lipstick. These fab $26 lipsticks have a silky, feather-light formula that glides across lips like silk lingerie on smooth skin.
The semi-matte finish contains a hint of gloss, making it perfect for elegant, ladylike looks. Grab your pocketbook, pull on your white gloves and don your pillbox hat because it’s time to hit the tea party circuit, Ms. Thang.
Giorgio Armani Lip Wax, No. 4
Giorgio Armani Lip Wax, No. 6
Giorgio Armani’s Lip Wax Shades
- Number one (nude beige): a shade lighter than the natural lip color
- Number two, (antique rose) : a discreet lip highlight
- Number three (sienna) : brings warmth to the lips
- Number four (raspberry) : pink purple
- Number five (cardinal red) :a bright, transparent red
- Number six (deep Chianti) : a rich color for strong marked lips
Each of the six shades comes in its own elegant black compact (no brush included). For the lip pics above I applied the colors with a MAC 316 lip brush, but fingers would also work fine for a light lip stain.
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Stila Perfecting Concealer is pretty much the mother truckin’ jam. I’ve been under the weather and not sleeping well, so my dark circles have taken on a scary, Marc Anthony-esque purple hue.
The cold I caught the other day made me want to stay home from the office, tucked under blankets on the couch, but a big project at work meant I had to tough it out, so, what was I going to do about the scary dark purple circles under my eyes?
The answer to my dark circles was Stila’s Perfecting Concealer in Shade F. I’ve been applying it with my Sonia Kashuk Concealer Brush and then smoothing out the edges with a fingertip.
Perfecting Concealer covers up my circles really well — almost too well, in fact. I think my boss started doubting whether or not I was really sick because I looked almost like my normal self.
I love the pigmentation Stila crammed into this stuff. I barely need to use any at all — just two tiny dots per eye (diminishing returns beyond that). At this rate, I figure this one lil’ tube should last a long while.
The formula comes in a bit on the thick side, but it’s still a cinch to apply and blend. As far as longevity, it easily lasts all day long without even beginning to fade.
I love natural looking cosmetics. Being made up without looking made up is always a challenge, but Perfecting Concealer is up to the task. The coverage almost couldn’t be more natural. The product doesn’t settle into my fine lines and doesn’t appear too obvious or like it’s sitting on top of my skin.
Scary circles before Stila Perfecting Concealer — picture taken without the camera flash
After one layer of Stila Perfecting Concealer — also without the flash
Before, with the flash
After, with the flash
Price: $22
Use: To conceal dark circles and skin discolorations
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
For me, Perfecting Concealer is a hidden gem in the Stila line. I dunno how I’ve made it so long without it! Now, of course, I’m stoked to try the other face products in the line. Stila seems to have a great shade selection. Here’s to good luck finding a matching foundation and powder, too!
Do you have experience with Stila foundations, concealers or powders? How do you feel about the line?
Feeling almost back to normal… 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Happy hump day, ladies. Yours truly came down with a summer cold last night. My nose is stuffed up, my body aches, and I can’t taste anything. What is life, I ask you, if you can’t enjoy the taste of your greasy Chinese chicken chow mein?
Have a great day today, and wash those hands often because the cold is going around.
I thought I’d take a quick look back into the archives while I sip some guava juice. Last September was a fun month.
Makeup and Beauty Blog: So what MAC makeup are you wearing today?
Dita Von Teese: Well, lets see … I hope I can remember! I think my cheek color is called Dame. My lip color is Russian Red with a Lip Lacquer called Fan Plastico over that. And I have liquid liner and MAC false lashes (of course!). I have Vapor eyeshadow and MAC mineralize powder on. Click to read the rest…
While I was initially skeptical of the return of matte, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I guess if Marky Mark can morph from an underwear model with a busy, pants-dropping schedule, to an Academy Award Nominee, matte lipsticks can evolve as well. Click to read the rest…
You might need anti-aging products if…
“A lovely color that would be good for ladies or makeup loving gents who want an easy, natural cheek look. Apply sparingly or risk Bozo the Clown mega-status.” Click to read the rest…
Makeup and Beauty Blog: HDTV is notorious for showing extreme detail in makeup, and some makeup companies like Kryolan are even creating special products to adjust to the fine detail of High Definition TV. What tricks and products do you like to use to deal with HDTV?
Bruce Grayson: The first thing I do is become buddies with the cameraman. Lighting is the most important element in HD. Second I make sure that the skin is even tone using a minimum of foundation and thin concealers only where needed. I always defuse eyeliners, especially black which can look harsh in HD. Before I even begin to apply eye make-up, I like to start with Olay Definity Eye Illuminator ($25.99 at drugstores nationwide) because it has multi-colored micas that help to hide imperfections. It limits the amount of make-up I need to use around the eye. Click to read the rest…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Some products are so good in certain ways that their strengths totally outweigh their weaknesses. For me, Diorshow Iconic Mascara ($27) is one of those products.
The newest member of Dior’s lash arsenal doesn’t produce the thickest lashes I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t thicken as well as, say, Chanel Exceptionnel does, but it lengthens, curls and defines lashes so amazingly well that I don’t mind at all.
It’s even easy to apply, never clumping or flaking. Together, its strengths make Iconic one of the overall best mascaras I’ve tried in years.
With its long, skinny teeth, the plastic comb brush morphs my lashes into a natural-looking feathered fringe. The brush grabs even the smallest and stubbiest individual lashes, thoroughly coating and defining each one with mascara. The result is long, dark lashes of equal length.
This is what two coats of Iconic looks like. I think it’s a natural lash look (yet still a little sexy) with added oomph. This stuff is totally like the hot girl-next-door of mascaras.
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