Karen

MAC Cosmetics Originals Lipstick Swatches

December 30th, 2007 by Karen 15 Comments

The 10 lipsticks ($14 each) in the MAC Originals collection sure are pretty!

From left to right:
Rozz Revival, Chintz on Chintz, Utter Pervette, Back to Del Rio, and Nouveau-Frou

From left to right:
Retrofluid, Supersequin, Twig-Twig, Sandy B, and Russian Red

Don’t miss Twig-Twig, Sandy B, Supersequin, and Rozz Revival! If you don’t have Russian Red Lipglass, then snag the lipstick version, fo’ sho. I know it looks a little scary in the swatch, but I’ve seen it on lots of women and it always looks good.

Did ya snag any of these lippies?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Your weekend isn’t over yet! Here are the best of 2007 from the ladies at Splendicity![Continue reading…]

1-800-Confess

December 29th, 2007 by Karen 29 Comments

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Confession #1: I had my first makeup nightmare last night.

I stayed up really late last night to write the Chanel Aurora Blues Spring 2008 review. I went to bed at 2 a.m., only to have a Chanel makeup nightmare in the hours that followed.

In the dream, I was running around and caught within a swarm of people and getting really upset because no one would listen to me. I kept yelling, “The dark blue in the outer V! We’ve got to use the dark blue in the outer V!” But it was like I was invisible.

I considered the symbolism. Was the dream a window into my current psyche? That, or I guess it could’ve been indigestion (I ate a bag of caramel corn around midnight). Hmmm….

Confession #2: I’m wearing stretchy pants right now.

I had to bust out the stretchy pants before I sat down tonight to write this post ’cause I’m stuffed to maximum capacity.

I spent the day driving and eating all over the Bay Area. I went to San Jose for brunch with friends, and then to Berkeley for my mom’s birthday dinner. Now, I’m home and tired. Why is the repetitive lifting of my fork to shovel food into my gullet so exhausting? I don’t know.

Confession #3: I’m in fight mode.

I recently watched a show on TV where a professional BMX biker talked about what makes a person a champion. He said that when most people feel like they’ve hit their maximum limit — whether it be in sports, academics, or whatever — they give up. Champions are the few who hit that limit but have the will to push past the challenges and pain to achieve more than they thought they could.

It’s kinda been a challenging few weeks (I’ve had writer’s block the size of ALASKA), so one thing that’s been helping me is listening to music that helps me push past the pain.

No, I’m not listening to Eye of the Tiger.

Several Kanye West songs are on heavy rotation, like Touch the Sky, Stronger and Champion.

This is the story of a champion
runners on their mark and they pop their guns
Stand up stand up here he comes
Tell me what it takes to be number one
Tell me what it takes to be number one

An awesome video of a live version from the VMA’s of Kanye West’s Champion

After I listen to that song I feel like telling the world to FEAR MY WRATH!

Do you have a favorite fight mode song?

Hope your Saturday was chill (and that your pants fit, oy!).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel Aurora Blues Spring 2008 Makeup Swatches and Face of the Day

December 28th, 2007 by Karen 44 Comments

Girl, it’s hella cold in the Bay Area right now! I suppose I could do some jumping jacks or put on an extra fleece to stay warm, but screw that. I’d rather use Chanel makeup to get me through these long winter nights.

Chanel Winter Nights Quad
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Okay, so maybe an eyeshadow quad doesn’t have the warming power of a down comforter. Yes, I may be partially frozen and unable to feel my toes, but at least my eye makeup looks hot.

I gotta give you gals that live in places with freezing temps mega-props for being able to handle a real winter, ’cause when it drops into the 40s here I’m barely functional. It’s so cold that I don’t even want to shower, and, believe me, my will to be clean is VERY STRONG.

My stinky self has resorted to layering and various Jedi mind tricks to keep warm. A good friend from Eastern Europe told me that a trick to surviving cold weather is to walk around thinking hot thoughts, so for the last half hour I’ve been pacing around my living room thinking about Hawaii, Christian Bale and Chanel’s Spring Aurora Blues collection. Three words: hot, hot and HOT!

Remember a few months ago when we got the heads up on what was in store for Chanel’s Spring 2008 color line? Well, the Aurora Blues collection is finally here and available both online at Chanel.com and in person at your nearby Nordstrom Chanel counter.

Here are a few goodies to melt away your cold-weather blues.

Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Bleu Celestes (navy and pale tones), $55
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Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Enchanteresse (brown rose), $40
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Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Exquise (shimmering peach), $30
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The limited edition Fleurs de Chanel eyeshadow quad is really cute, but I passed because I don’t really see myself wearing these pale colors. Plus, I couldn’t bear to ruin the beautiful camilla flower design, and I sure as heck am not going to throw down $65 bucks for a quad that I’m only going to admire from afar.

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I love the beauty shot for this collection. Isn’t she pretty?

For some weird reason I’m digging those big, Brooke Shields-esque brows, too.

Face of the Day

The model in the pic above inspired this face o’ the day.

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All the makeup I used here was by Chanel.

Eyes:
From the Bleu Celestes Quad:
Browbone – white shadow
Crease – grey shadow
Inner lid – light blue shadow
Upper and lower lash line – dark blue shadow
Lashes – two coats of Inimitable Mascara

Cheeks:
Joues Contraste blush in Enchanteresse

Face:
Matte Reflecting Powder Makeup in Honey

Lips:
Rouge Allure in Exquise

To get the bright, bold blue at the lashline, apply the shadow with a wet, flat brush like the MAC 239 or 252. When applied wet, it’s exactly the same color as the Precision Eyeliner in Blue Jean ($27.50), so save yourself some money (is that even possible with Chanel?) and get more bang for your buck by purchasing the Bleu Celestes quad instead.

The chimera of the lip product world

Last but not least is this cutie pie from the Spring 2008 collection, Creme Gloss Lumiere in Petit Four ($32), a creme pink lipstick/lipgloss hybrid that comes in a brush pen.

chanel-creme-gloss-lumiere-petit-four-product-shot

Creme Gloss Lumiere blends the best of both worlds by combining the texture of a lipstick with the high shine of a lipgloss. I like the light texture and the color. Even though I wish the brush pen was a little bit stiffer, it’s still easy to use and perfect for when I don’t have time to apply lipstick with a lipbrush.

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Swatch it good. Swatch it real good.

And, yes, I couldn’t forget the swatches. 🙂

From left to right:

1. Creme Gloss Lumiere in Petit Four
2. Rouge Allure Lipstick in Exquise
3-6. Quadra Eyeshadow in Bleu Celestes
7. Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Enchanteresse

Somebody make me some tea! It’s FREEZING!

Stay warm, ladies.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Cosmetics Originals Glitter Swatches

December 27th, 2007 by Karen 19 Comments

Ahhh, glitter. I couldn’t get enough of you circa 1998, when all I ever needed in my makeup life was a heavy spackling of you in various obnoxious colors around my eyes.

Back then we’d spend every Saturday night together. Underneath the shimmer of a disco ball and colored lights, I’d be drenched in your sparkle as I danced ’til the wee hours in the club in my knee-high go-go boots.

But times change; sometimes I feel too old to wear you. I’m not the same care-free club girl I was then, and even though in many ways I’m glad I’m not her anymore (she was a lot of fun, but often unfocused) I miss having a lil’ glitter in my life.

Glitter, I thought I was ready to let go of you, but MAC’s Glitter, from the Originals collection ($16.50 a jar), rekindled my love.

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I’ve been feeling the glittery spirit lately, so I’ve been using Reflects Antique Gold on top of a matte peach blush to highlight my cheeks. Note: I’m not looking to resemble a Vegas showgirl on roller skates, so there is a method to the madness.
[Continue reading…]

MAC Cosmetics Originals Pigment Swatches

December 27th, 2007 by Karen 16 Comments

The skinny

Snag it – Kitschmas, Melon, Golden Olive and Violet Pigments from the MAC Cosmetics Originals Collection.
Yes – Vibrant, wearable brights that even hapless color clumsies (ahem, like yours truly) can use with ease.
Texture – Finely milled color with soft shimmer.
Bang for your buck – You barely need to use any for excellent color payoff, and, at $19.50 each, one huge jar will last a long time.

Skip it – Steel Blue.
No – I was very turned off by the grainy texture; it doesn’t apply as smoothly as the other pigments.
Texture – Thick, with big granules and too-obvious shimmer.
Bang for your buck – Nada. I don’t wear a lot of blues, so I probably won’t reach for this often.

Swatches for your viewing pleasure

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Whatcha thinking? Are you gonna snag any pigments?

I’m off to the gym (story of my life) but will be back later this afternoon with the MAC Glitter swatches from the Originals collection. See ya soon!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Perfume, How I Love Thee

December 26th, 2007 by Karen 44 Comments

Happy Boxing Day, cuties! I hope you’re recovering from your holiday festivities. El hub and I spent yesterday hanging out with my family; dysfunction was kept to a minimum, thank ye gods. Do you ever think your family, while adorable, is just plain weird? Well, you don’t know what weird is until your parents fire up the karaoke machine at midnight on Christmas Eve, get their drink on and start singing REALLY LOUDLY (and off key) to Abba’s Dancing Queen.

I guess I managed to score more nice points than naughty in the high court of Santa, ’cause he left your girl some kick-ass goodies, including this fantabulous Coco Mademoiselle fragrance gift set from Chanel.

I lose all self control when I see those interlocking C’s!

About the fragrance

In 2001, Coco Mademoiselle creator Jacques Polge envisioned the fragrance as something Coco would wear if she were turning 21 at the dawn of the 21st century. It’s a floral oriental with notes of bergamot (a sour citrus), orange, jasmine, rose and vetiver (like lemon grass). The gift set comes with a bottle of Coco Mademoiselle eau de parfum, Fresh Bath Gel, Fresh Body Lotion and a black carrying case accented with signature Chanel-tweed piping.

Oriental fragrances like Coco Madmoiselle and Guerlain’s Shalimar are rich and smell “perfume-y,” but Coco Madmoiselle is lighter and fresher than Shalimar. You won’t catch me rocking Coco Mademoiselle at the beach in July, though. Like most oriental perfumes, it’s a little heavy, so I would probably only wear it in winter.

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.

Last night I used both the bath gel and the body lotion and then spritzed some eau de parfum just for fun. The bath gel is my least favorite product in the set. While it lathers nicely, it’s runny and not moisturizing enough for my dry winter skin. Even though it’s scented with Coco Mademoiselle, for some weird reason my basset hound-esque nose detects a strong synthetic, plastic scent that reminds me of new Tupperware. Bleh.

The Fresh Body Lotion, on the other hand, is another story. It smells fantastic! It has a fresher, more citrusy scent that complements the perfume.

If you have dry skin like I do, don’t count on using this lotion to moisturize. It’s watery and doesn’t moisturize well, so it’s not going to replace my Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream anytime soon. I like the smell and think it adds another layer of intensity to the perfume, but I don’t know if I’d buy it again.

The set’s crowning glory is the eau de parfum. I love, love, love it! The bottle is simple, yet classic. Wearing it makes me feel beautiful and sophisticated, like I’m walking down the streets of Paris in a beret, even though, really, I’m just walking across the street to Safeway to buy bananas. Not only does the eau de parfum smell amazing, but it also lasts a long time. Just one spritz in the morning, and I’m set for the entire day.

Where to get it

Unfortunately, the set is sold out on the Chanel site, but check out the Coco Mademoiselle Modern Interpretations set on the Nordstrom Web site. It’s a similar gift set (no black bag, though) for $105.

What lovely gifts did Santa bring you? I can’t wait to hear about ’em!

I’m hungry — it’s time to eat some Christmas leftovers! Turkey, cake, pancit (a Filipino noodle dish), here I come!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Merry Christmas

December 25th, 2007 by Karen 30 Comments

MAC Originals Eyeshadows

December 24th, 2007 by Karen 22 Comments

The MAC Originals collection eyeshadows have a little somethin’-somethin’ for every girl (or makeup loving boy).

For the neutral lurvin’ ladies and gents…

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And here’s some cool shades for the cool kids…

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Last, but not least, a few fun shades for your party side!

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Are you feeling these? I was really anticipating the eyeshadows in this collection, and so far I have not been disappointed. My faves have been Ochre Style, Frisco, A Little Folie, Clue and Parrot. I thought I’d fall in love with Daisychain, but, honestly, if you already have Shroom or Ricepaper you don’t really need it. I’ll be doing looks featuring these colors in the next few days, and I’ll provide more detailed reviews then.

Naughty or Nice?

Are ya’ll ready for Santa? I’m going to leave out some cookies and milk; hopefully he leaves me some Chanel.

El Hub and I are heading out to the East Bay (beast in pig latin, yo) to hang with my family. Time for some food, fun and karaoke!

Whatever you’re doing tonight, I hope your heart is filled with joy and love. Merry Christmas!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen