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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

MAC Starflash Goes Back to School: A Purple and Gold Eye

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Hey, hey, girlies! Can you believe August is almost over?

For some of you, that means heading back to school. In the comments on a previous post, reader Abigail said she was looking for a new look for school and wanted to use purple. I’m a big fan of purple and reached for Top Hat, a shimmery purple shade from MAC’s recent Starflash release, for this face of the day.

Abigail, I hope it gives you some ideas. 🙂

Back in school, I struggled to get to class on time. I was that girl always chasing down the bus. “Wait! Wait for me!”

I shot for quick and easy with this purple and gold look to help other students who suffer from the same affliction.

To complement the eyes, I went with plum cheeks and lips. I used MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Secret Blush on my cheeks and MAC Star Nova Lustreglass on the lips.

Eye Products I Used

Benefit Birthday Suit Creaseless Cream Shadow
MAC Woodwinked Eye Shadow
MAC Top Hat Eye Shadow
MAC Graphblack Technakohl LIner
MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl
MAC Prep + Primer Lash
MAC Zoomblack Zoomlash Mascara

Step by Step

1. First, I covered the entire eye with a layer of Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit.

2. Then, I dusted MAC Woodwinked eye shadow into the crease.

3. I swept MAC Top Hat Eye Shadow onto the lid area, just barely into the crease and along the lower lash line to softly define the eye.

4. When I’m in a hurry (late for work, yo!), I don’t always have the time or patience for eyeliner along my upper and lower lash lines. Sometimes, I’ll apply liner to both water lines and leave it at that. I think it’s tougher to spot uneven lines on the water lines because of their location. They’re partially obscured when the eyes are closed. Uneven lash lines, on the other hand, really stand out. For the upper water line, I applied Graphblack Technakohl Liner.

5. Next, I added Powersurge Eye Kohl on the lower water line.

6. To finish up, I curled my lashes, applied two coats of MAC Prep + Prime Lash lash primer, followed by two layers of MAC Zoomlash mascara.

Finito! Time to hit the books!


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Suave Professionals Vibrant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner: A Winning $7 Drugstore Combo

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I’ve been getting lucky, ladies! I’ve been finding some great drugstore shampoos and conditioners lately, like Suave Professionals Vibrant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner ($7 for the pair), a drugstore knock-off of a popular salon product, Sebastian Laminates Shampoo and Conditioner. I used Sebastian products back in the mid-90s and loved them but not the $20 price tag per bottle.

One thing I like about Suave Pro Vibrant Shine is the fragrance. A thick head of hair weighted down with a heavy scent can feel downright oppressive. If you don’t like overwhelming scents in your hair, then give this a try. Both the shampoo and conditioner have a very light, vaguely fruity scent that smells clean and not synthetic or plastic-y at all.

The shampoo lathers into a rich, sudsy foam that takes some work to rinse out, but I like products that force me to make sure I’m rinsing thoroughly. Same goes for the conditioner, which also takes some time to rinse out. Just as a comparison, it’s a bit thicker than Aussie’s Opposites Attract Conditioner, so if you have difficult hair that needs to be weighed down, Suave Pro Vibrant Shine Conditioner might be a good option.
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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, August 18

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  1. Mood:

    2. Sleepy yet cheerful

  2. Eye makeup colors:

    3. I’m still deciding, maybe purples and golds today!

  3. Gotta get it done:

    4. Clean off my desk, go for a run and resist eating too much junk food

  4. Breakfast beverage:

    5. Chocolate flavored Kona coffee (yum!)

  5. Crushing on:

    6. El Hub, Tabs and MAC Turquatic fragrance (sniffed a sample the other day)

  6. Outfit:

    7. Skinny jeans, white button-up shirt and black strappy heels

  7. Today’s fragrance:

    8. Clean Shower Fresh Perfume

  8. Blush:

    9. MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Secret Blush

  9. Highlight of the day:

    10. It’s still pretty early, so right now it’s this cup of coffee.

  10. Goals for the week:

    11. To be patient with myself and others, to eat healthy and to trust the creative process!

Want to play? Just copy the empty list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le list

Mood:
Eye makeup colors:
Gotta get it done:
Breakfast beverage:
Crushing on:
Outfit:
Today’s fragrance:
Blush:
Highlight of the day:
Goals for the week:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Outlet Mall Makeup: Big Discounts on MAC at The Cosmetics Company Store

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MAC rarely goes on sale, but if you live near an outlet mall you may be in luck. Legend has it The Cosmetics Company Store chain of outlet shops is one of the few places that regularly stocks discounted MAC makeup, brushes and skin care products, as well as discounted products from other department store cosmetics brands. To see for myself, I jumped on the computer this morning and pulled up Outletbound.com to find the nearest outlet mall with a Cosmetics Company Store.

Paydirt!

I found one an hour north of me in Napa, so I took a drove up there today to check it out.

A somewhat mysterious chain store with at least 70 locations across the US, The Cosmetics Company Store sells discounted makeup, skin care, brushes and fragrances from several of the Estee Lauder lines including MAC, Origins, Bobbi Brown and Clinique. I say “mysterious” because I couldn’t find a website for the company.

MAC at The Cosmetics Company Store

The sales staff at the Napa Valley location informed me that each Cosmetics Company Store maintains a different inventory of products. MAC treasures will vary. The store I visited had two MAC displays — one with makeup and another with skin care and brushes.

I got the impression that colors and product choices are kinda hit or miss, but I was surprised to find a lot of products from past launches like MAC Fafi lipsticks for $10 (originally $14), Beauty Powder Blushes for $12.25 (originally $17.50), and the Lipglasses from the Stylistics collection for $14 (originally $20).

If you missed a limited edition release (like I missed the Stylistics collection when it first appeared for the holidays in 2007), and it’s no longer available on MAC’s website, you might get a second chance at The Cosmetics Company Store.
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10 Reasons to Love Chanel

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With next week an exciting one for MAC lovers (like me!), I got a little nostalgic for one of my other favorite brands: Chanel. When it comes to elegant colors, finely milled eye shadows and sophisticated packaging, my heart longs for Chanel. MAC brings out my fun side, but Chanel is like the little black dress of my makeup world.

So, in celebration of next month’s Lifetime television movie (airs Sept. 13, 2008) on the life of Chanel founder Coco Chanel, let’s take a look back at 10 reasons to love Chanel.

10 Reasons to Love Chanel

  • Chanel Fall, Holiday 2008 Makeup Collections by Chanel’s New Golden Boy
    “In less than three years, the value of gold has more than doubled, now selling for more than $900 an ounce. Chanel must have noticed how much people have been lovin’ on gold lately because both of their upcoming fall and holiday makeup collections go after gold in a mad, crazy way.”


  • The #1 Best-Selling Chanel Lip Liner
    “When it came time in the class to apply my lip color, one of the makeup artists ceremoniously presented me with a Nude lip liner dual-ended pencil, gazing intensely into my eyes with the seriousness of an initiate in a cult.”


  • How to Attend a Free Chanel Master Makeup Class
    “Did you know Chanel provides free makeup classes for customers? The sessions are called Chanel Master Classes, and I went to my very first one last Saturday at my neighborhood Macy’s store.”


  • Chanel Makeup Studios Make Going International as Easy as Placing a Call
    “…nirvana is just a phone call (and a credit card) away. US residents may order Chanel’s international products by calling any of the three US Chanel Makeup Studios. Reach the Honolulu studio at (808) 953-6100. Ask for Sheila, the studio’s fabulous Chanel makeup artist, and tell her “Hi!” for me.”

  • Gaga for Gold with Chanel Fall 2008
    “…the collection just arrived at Chanel counters nationwide. I fell in love with five of the products in this release — two of the Glossimers (Delight and Gold Light), Facettes D’Or Highlighter in Gold Fever and two of the lipsticks (Pepeete and Formentera).”


  • Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Perfume, How I Love Thee
    “Even though Coco Mademoiselle is in the oriental fragrance family, it doesn’t smell stuffy or old-lady at all. It’s youthful and sophisticated. You won’t smell like an old lady who lunches and totes small terrier dogs in Burberry outfits. You will smell like a confident young woman strutting down the street in a classic black suit.”


  • Face of the Day: Chanel Oasis Quad and Leopard Lipstick
    “Today felt like a bold lip kinda day for me, so I decided to take Chanel Leopard Hydrabase Lipstick out for a spin. I didn’t want Leopard to be lonely, so I paired her with her new best friend, the Chanel Oasis Quad (from this year’s summer collection)!”

  • Lip Look: Chanel Papeete and Gold Light
    “Here’s the lip look I’m wearing this morning, done with Chanel Papeete Aqualumiere lipstick and Gold Light Glossimer from the Fall 2008 collection. What do you think — fun and sparkly?”


  • Chanel Glossimer Lip Gloss, A Makeup Addiction in the Making
    “The sparkle factor is high on these glosses. It’s very grown-up glitter though! I love looking at the color and seeing the different flecks of gold, silver, pink and green. Glossimers are thick but aren’t as sticky as MAC Lipglass. You can still feel them on your lip, unlike thin lipglosses.”


  • Face of the Day: Simple Smokey Eye with Chanel Winter Nights Quad
    “As far as complete looks are concerned, this one is quick and easy to do. I used shades from the Chanel Winter Nights Quad, a versatile set with four basic, but pretty shades of pink, peachy gold, green and light brown. The look works well for the office or for things like family functions or semi-formals.”

How do you feel about Chanel?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel Precision Creamy Cleansing Milk: Indulge Yourself

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Like Swiss timing, Chanel is all about precision … the new Precision line of facial cleansers and toners, that is. Have you given ’em a sniff yet? With a fresh floral scent, a hefty price tag and minimalist, elegant packaging, they’re a lovely, indulgent way to clean your purty face.

Tulip Tree extract is the star ingredient. The Chanel marketing folks claim it protects skin from air pollution, something those of us living near cities can appreciate. Within the Precision line are products targeting three skin types, ranging from Balance for normal skin, Purity for oily skin and Comfort for dry and sensitive skin types.

I have dry skin, and to deal with it I’ve been using Creamy Cleansing Milk from the Chanel Precision Comfort range ($45). I haven’t yet used any of the other products from the Precision line, but Creamy Cleansing Milk compares favorably to Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple, probably my all around favorite facial cleanser of all time.
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Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day, August 16

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Sparkle*Shelf — Beauty and Fashion Addicts Unite
Say hi to Sparkle*Shelf, a new online community focused on beauty and fashion, featuring original editorial content and user generated product reviews, Q&A, photos and more. So, what sets Sparkle*Shelf apart from other be-everything beauty sites out there today? For me it’s the design. I like it when posts read like magazine articles.

Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos
Can I just say WOW!? I can appreciate a touching lyric tattooed on a wrist, but 12 sentences from Fight Club plastering someone’s back might be taking the quotable tattoo trend a little too far, LOL!

Grooveeffect — Urban Style, Streetwear, Music, and Events
Grooveeffect is an urban culture e-zine dedicated to curating the best in emerging style, music and events. Sadly, my break dancing days are behind me (bum knee, yo), but I still like to see what the sneaker heads, clubbers and hardcore hip-hop heads are up to.

Stuff On My Cat: Stuff + Cats = Awesome
Seriously, the name says it all. 🙂 The person who came up with the idea for this site is an unadulterated genius. GENIUS! Click the link; you won’t regret it.

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NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils: Welcome, Matte

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Everyone has their obsessions, and my obsession of the moment happens to be matte. At the NARS counter today I couldn’t pull myself away from these Velvet Matte Lip Pencils ($24). It all started with these awesome reds…

And these…

Dragon Roll and Dolce Vita — so tempting! I didn’t bring any home with me because I’m saving up for MAC Cult of Cherry next week. I figure if I’m still thinking about ’em in a week, the mall is just a couple miles away. 🙂

What do you think of matte colors? Are you pro- or anti-matte?

It’s a little before quittin’ time here at Casa de Karen. I’m wrapping up some pics for a Sally Hansen post, waiting for my laundry to stop and looking forward to watching a Tivo’d episode of The Golden Girls (I have four to watch!). I’m a little burnt out right now, so I’m probably staying in this evening. I may rent a movie or hit the bookstore to read trashy magazines. TGIF!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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