Karen

Live Nude Gloss! Nars Supervixen Lipgloss

July 25th, 2008 by Karen 32 Comments

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Anyone else like the phrase “nude lips”? It gets thrown around a lot in beauty circles and refers to shades of lipstick or lipgloss that produce a pale or natural look, which is ironic considering how a truly nude lip would be one not wearing anything at all!

But where’s the fun in that?

I can’t tell you how many times I fell in love with lip products based on how they looked in the tube, only to find them failing miserably on my lips. The wrong pale lip can leave you looking like an undead graveyard extra on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so when I do find nude shades that I feel actually work well for me, it’s my beauty duty to shout it from the rafters! My newest find — Nars Supervixen Lipgloss ($24).

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A single coat applied directly with the included doe-foot applicator intensifies my natural lip color. If I were starring in a movie, this is how I’d want my lips to look in my closeups, with hair perfectly tousled, of course, and C. Bale feeding me croissants and coffee in bed (assuming he wasn’t being mean to his mum, oh gawd).

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Not as sticky as MAC Lipglasses or Chanel Glossimers, Supervixen feels light on the lips and doesn’t have a noticeable flavor or smell. It lasts about three hours on my lips, which is a pretty average wear time for a thin gloss.
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A Green and Grey Eye with MAC Fresh Green Mix Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo

July 24th, 2008 by Karen 41 Comments

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Today I got all science fair on my MAC Fresh Green Mix Eye Shadow Duo, swirling the two shades together and working with a combination of wet and dry brushes to create this look.

Get up in Fresh Green’s Mix

For this look, I thought it would help to prime my lids with a color close to my natural skin tone. I chose MAC Paint Pot in Layin’ Low.
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The final color I wanted was a combination of both shades in the Fresh Green Mix duo, so I mixed them together with Sonia Kashuk’s Large Eye Shadow Brush.

Then, I swiped the brush against the back of my hand to unload some excess shadow before using it to apply the new color to my lid area and just into the crease.

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With a bottle of MAC Fix+ to make the shadow color more radiant, I wet a MAC 239 brush and swirled it around in the pan to load it with shadow. I applied the color to the area closest to my lash line. I wanted the green to look like it’s fading as it travels from the lash line up into the crease.

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Next, I added MAC Alum, a shade of grey, into the crease using a MAC 217 — a soft, fluffy blending brush fabulous for both applying and blending color.

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Following MAC Alum, I dusted the pink from Dior’s Earth Tones palette onto the brow bone to contrast with the grey.

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I don’t always get enough sleep and didn’t last night, so I added MAC Vex in the inner corners of my eyes. It’s a good brightener. If you don’t already own it, then hustle your booty to the MAC counter ASAP. It’s a super pretty shade and seems to change colors in the light, flashing from pink to grey to green.
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Afternoon Break

July 24th, 2008 by Karen 36 Comments

Sometimes all I need to be happy is a blank journal page, a pen and some sweet treats.

What’s making you happy this afternoon?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Autumn in the City: Sally Hansen Fall Nail Lacquer Colors by Tracy Reese

July 24th, 2008 by Karen 50 Comments

Fall is my favorite time of year in San Francisco. It rarely gets either cold or hot in the city, with the Bay keeping the climate pretty much the same year ’round, but the brief summer we do get usually occurs in what would normally be the fall, which means t-shirts in October and sometimes even November.

It’s when autumn colors drench the city — grey buildings contrast against streets carpeted with maroon autumn leaves, as buttery autumn sunlight weaves through the high rises downtown. I love it.

I suppose my love for the city in fall explains why I’ve fallen for Sally Hansen‘s new nail collection, inspired by 10 fall colors created in collaboration with clothing designer Tracy Reese. The industrial grey, black and blue shades contrast well with maroons and neutrals, as do the streets of my favorite city in the fall.

Alchemy – deep plum with subtle purple and gold shimmer
Cruel Heart – maroon with subtle gold flecks
Divinity – pale beige with grey flecks
Moonstone – white shimmer
Night Lily – maroon matte
Raven’s Wing – black with big silver glitter
The Good Earth – dark chocolate brown with subtle gold flecks
Torrid Bloom – matte hot pink
Quartz Cameleon – pale peachy- pink beige with subtle gold flecks
Stormy Blue – dark grey blue shimmer

At $6, these drugstore polishes are a downright steal! You get a little bit less product than you would from a Lippmann Collection shade (0.45 oz for a bottle of Sally Hansen versus 0.50 oz for a Lippmann Collection bottle), but you’re paying half the price. These colors are also durable like Lippmann polishes, clinging like that ex-boyfriend you wish would just go away.

I painted my nails with three layers for these pics, and five days later they had nary a chip. And that’s without topcoat, yo. If your nails take a beating like mine do, then definitely put one of these in your basket on your next trip to Rite Aid or the House of Tar-ghay. Update: These Sally Hansen colors will hit the shelves in September. 🙂

Torrid Bloom

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Night Lily

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Cruel Heart

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Alchemy

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Chameleon

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Moonstone

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Night Divinity

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The Good Earth

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Lippman Collection Rich Girl Hand Cream Protects Your Paws with SPF

July 23rd, 2008 by Karen 9 Comments

My hands have now officially made it onto the “Body Parts I Wish I Slathered Consistently With Sunscreen At a Younger Age” list. Also on this list: neck, chest and feet.

I just recently started thinking about wrinkles on my hands. When I see women at malls and grocery stores who’ve obviously had some “work done,” the one thing that always confirms my suspicions is the appearance of the skin on their hands. The hands tell no lies, girlfriend.

Now I’m FREAKED OUT about all the years of sun damage my hands have endured. I know I can’t turn back the clock (sigh), but at least I can do the right thing now. Lippmann Collection Rich Girl ($24), a moisturizing hand cream with SPF 25, has entered my life at just the right time. Its active ingredients (oxtinoxate, octisalate and avobenzone) protect hands from UVB and UVA damage, the two major types of sun radiation.

While I don’t have age spots (yet), Rich Girl is also supposed to gently fade these tell-tale signs of aging with a “botanical lightening complex” of grape, mulberry and saxifraga (a perennial plant) extract.

I think it moisturizes my perpetually dry hands just as well as Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Hand Cream ($17, but no SPF) does, but Rich Girl makes my palms feel a little greasy — not annoyingly so, but still. Good thing I don’t walk around on my hands, lol! I think the light powdery fragrance makes up for the slightly slick feel.

Lippmann Collection Rich Girl SPF Hand Cream

Price: $24
Use: To protect and moisturize hands
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

Lippmann added a small, but nice touch by attaching the twist cap to the tube. Just turn the cap, give the bottle a squeeze, and then turn the cap back in the opposite direction to close it. I seem to have a knack for losing hand lotion caps, and I really appreciate this one.

The 3-oz tube will set you back $24, which is way, way out on the expensive side. I’ve been going through this stuff pretty quickly, too, because I wash my hands a lot. Because it is so pricey, I’ve supplemented it with the far cheaper Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion with SPF 15 ($8). The big problem with Lubriderm’s lotion, though, is the gargantuan 16-oz bottle it comes in — perfect for a counter at home but not ideal for a purse.

Also consider Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Age Shield Hand Cream with SPF 30 ($6 for a small 2-oz tube), another inexpensive alternative (although it doesn’t make the same anti-aging claims) to Rich Girl.

You can find Rich Girl at Nordstrom stores, or check it out online.
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Lip Look: Chanel Aqualumiere Ironic Tonic Lipgloss Makes Dark Lips Easy

July 23rd, 2008 by Karen 19 Comments

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Inevitably, every season there’s at least one makeup trend that’s great in theory but not so easy to pull off in real life. Right now, my big beef lies with the dark plum, brown and berry lip shades that keep popping up in the fall collections. I like dark lip looks (the more vampire-y the better), but I don’t always like having to go through the steps involved to get them, nor am I always up for the maintenance required to keep dark lips looking their best.

It can be exhausting!

I’ve long searched high and low for an easy way to get dark lips looks and found comfort at la casa de Chanel (where else?), thanks to a sexy plum-gold lipgloss sporting the oh-so-clever name, Ironic Tonic.

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This Purple and Gold Combo Reigns

A beautiful plum with subtle flecks of gold, Ironic Tonic looks great even after a single layer. It delivers a hint of purple with lots of gold shimmer. I like to think of it as a watercolor dark lip look with the shine turned up to the max.

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A quick change artist, Ironic Tonic flashes from purple to gold depending on the light and the angle of view. The gold in it dominates right after application but fades to more purple as time passes between applications. I really like how it looks after about an hour. By then the gold has diminished somewhat and what you’re left with is a sexy, deep flush — like you’ve just engaged in the most excellent makeout session with ya’ boy toy (woot!).

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OH, and sidenote, MAC lipglass fans — Ironic Tonic is the plum version of Nymphette, a pink shade with gold shimmer. If you like Nymphette, you’ll probably dig this shade, too.

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Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in Ironic Tonic

Price: $26
Use: To add shine and a plum-gold color to lips
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Low Maintenance and Easy to Apply

Aqualumiere glosses do have a limited wear time (for the full deets, check out this earlier review), but it’s easy to reapply. Ironic Tonic is sheer enough to make liner optional; plus, the brush that comes with the gloss works like a charm. I found one layer was just enough to give my lips adequate ZAP! BAM! POW! And, unlike really dark colors, which I have to constantly worry about, the sheer plum-gold doesn’t stand out when stray streaks accidentally end up on my chin.

Other Ways to Wear It

So far I’ve only worn Ironic Tonic by itself, but I think it might look pretty on top of plum or gold lipstick (try Chanel’s Formentera or Plum Rouge lipstick shades from the fall 2008 release). The combination possibilities are endless.

Things that Make You Go Hmmm…

Last, but not least, I’m thinkin’ whoever named this shade either majored in English Lit or has a weird sense of humor. What, exactly, is an Ironic Tonic? Is it tonic you’d take to cure an excess of irony, or does it bring out more of the irony in life? Hmm…
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7 Lip Looks

July 22nd, 2008 by Karen 19 Comments

OH. SO. EASY. Now get your mind out of the gutter, dirty birdy. I’m talking about lip looks! A new lipgloss or lipstick shade is the easiest way to switch up your makeup look. Red, pink, coral, gold — the possibilities are endless for the canvas that is yo’ sexy pucker. 🙂 Try a few of these looks on for size, won’t cha?

Lip Look: Chanel Equinoxe Glossimer Lipgloss
“Two coats of Equinoxe Glossimer layered on top of MACs Syrup lipstick give me what I like to call ‘fight the power’ glow. A product with purple and gold flecks may not sound appropriate for the workplace, but Equinoxe is subtle enough for most office environments.”

Lip Look: Avon Glazewear in Juicy Apricot, On Sale Now
“Not quite a lipstick, not quite a gloss, this shimmery peachy-coral shade delivers shiny, sheer color that feels light on my lips. Avon calls it feather-light and says the non-sticky texture has to do with their Color-gel formula.”

Lip Look: Chanel Rouge Hydrabase Leopard Lipstick
“This leopard deserves her big jungle cat name. She’s an awesome, semi-matte golden coral, and she makes me look and feel ready to pounce! Even though I’m looking pretty tow up right now in my stretchy pants (had to have ice cream after dinner) and oversized UC DAVIS ALUMNI t-shirt, with Leopard on my lips I still feel hot enough to stalk unsuspecting man prey.”

Lip Look: Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink
“Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink is a cool-toned pink with silver shimmer, and it’s a perfect, wearable shade for days when you just want a lil’ somethin-somethin on your lips but aren’t in the mood to spend too much time on your look.”

Lip Look: Crushing on Three Custom Colors Papaya Crush!
“If you’re color shy but have been wanting to try a cute coral lipgloss, Papaya Crush should be a good way to get your feet (lips?) wet.”

Lip Look: Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited in RD 165N
“Gloss Unlimited RD 165N has a light orange scent and feels thinner than Clinique’s Cherry Bomb. Despite its consistency, Gloss Unlimited didn’t dry out my lips when I used it on Friday. I had to apply it a few times throughout the day, but because of how moisturizing it is, I didn’t mind.”

Lip Look: Flirt! Glamourazzi Extreme Lip Lacquer in 07 Spotlight
“Spotlight is one of three lip colors ($12 each) in Flirt’s Glamourazzi Extreme Lip Lacquer line. A peachy bronze with a touch o’ sparkle, Spotlight has staying power and lots of shine. I applied it before leaving for work this morning and didn’t have to reapply for four hours!”

Pretty Lippies

The gods o’ speed were on my side this afternoon. I just got back from a run and felt like I was flying! Other than my run, today was ok. I was busy at work doing a lot of number stuff, which my brain finds quite exhausting.

What was the best part of your day?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Loving on MAC Love Connection Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo

July 22nd, 2008 by Karen 42 Comments

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MAC’s Love Connection Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo ($14) makes me nostalgic for the olden days (um, like, 2003), when one pan of eye shadow, a primer, eyeliner (if I was feeling adventurous) and some mascara gave my eye makeup itch all the scratch it needed. Ahh, take me back!

One of nine eye shadow duos from MAC’s recent Electro Flash release, Love Connection’s shades — a peachy bronze and a pink-beige — may not instantly dazzle like some of MAC’s flashier duos (Fresh Green Mix and Odd Couple come to mind), but I’m glad I took a chance with this Love Connection because the neutral, pastel colors work wonders.

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One side of the pan of Love Connection glows like the inside of an abalone shell, with a luminescent, peach-beige with hints of blue. The other side shines like a new penny. Like all of MAC’s Mineralize Eye Shadow Duos, this one is all about big shimmer. You’ll either love or hate it (those in the “hate it” camp may find it too chunky or flashy). I love it because the shimmer reflects a lot of light, making it a great brightener. Just a quick swipe on my lids makes me me look as though I’ve slept for hours. Trust me, girl — this is no small feat. I’ve slept a maximum of 10 hours over the course of two days, and it takes a minor miracle to make me look wide awake.

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MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Love Connection

Price: $14
Use: A shimmery pastel shadow for easy looks
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Although Love Connection contains lots of big shimmer, the pastels keep it subtle enough to wear to work or on low-maintenance makeup days when all you need is a little oomph. I’ve worn it to work, on dates with El Hub and on the weekends when I’m running errands. It’s a low key look, but it’s still very pretty (oh, and when worn on top of Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer, the shadow lasts for hours).

A Super Easy Pastel Eye

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Here’s the look I’ve been wearing for the past few days. I applied Love Connection on top of Too Faced Shadow Insurance, layering the peach shade on top of the bronze on the lid area and just slightly into the crease. I added a little definition with Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Eyeliner on the upper water line and smudged into the lower lash line, and finished the look with two coats of MAC Mascara X.

Here I am just before I ran out the door for work yesterday! I had about 10 minutes, total, to get ready. And, yup, I wear glasses when I don’t have time to put in my contacts.

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Ten More Looks with Love Connection

Don’t think you’re limited because you only have two shades to work with. There are so many different ways to wear this duo! Try applying the…

Bronze shade on the lid area and just into the crease
Beige shade on the lid area and just into the crease
Bronze shade on the outer lid, beige shade on inner lid and inner corners
Bronze shade as a light wash all over the entire eye
Beige shade as a light wash all over the entire eye

To get even more lovin’ from Love Connection, you can also try these five looks using a wet brush head to get even more intense color payoff and shimmer. That’s ten looks with just one duo, baby!

Brushes to use with the MAC Mineralize Eye Duos

The texture of Love Connection and all of the Mineralize Eye Duos differs from that of MAC’s other shadows. These don’t apply as densely as MAC’s regular pan shadows do, and working with them reminds me of working with loose eye shadows like the MAC Pigments. Don’t be surprised if you find shadow flyin’ all over the place.

To create the looks above, I relied on just a few brushes. To cover large sections of the eye I like really flat, stiff brushes like the MAC 252, and for detail work I like flat brushes with smaller heads like the MAC 239. Even though Love Connection’s pastel colors don’t create harsh lines of color like bold blue, purple or green shades would, I still like to keep a blending brush with a soft head like the MAC 217 handy to create the effect of the shadow going from intense to desaturated colors.
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