Karen

Makeup Shopping Update: Amore Pacific, MAC, Estee Lauder and Formula X for Sephora

October 20th, 2015 by Karen 44 Comments

amore pacific camore pacific cusion compactusion compact

Because friends always share their beauty finds (to help each other figure out what’s hot and what’s not), here are a few things I picked up last weekend…

Amore Pacific Control Cushion Compact in 208 ($60)
I’ve been dying to try a cushion compact foundation ever since I saw makeup artist and Butter London Global Colour Ambassador Katie Jane Hughes use one to blend concealer. This one even comes with a refill compact, so it’s like getting two foundations for the price of one. I wore it for the first time yesterday, and the coverage was sheer and lightweight and looked natural and absolutely lovely! I picked up shade 208, which is the darkest one available. Sadly, the shade range is very limited (boo), and 208 is a little peachier than I’d like. So I love the coverage, but I’m still on the fence about this particular shade for me… I’m gonna keep wearing it around the house for a couple more days to see how I eventually feel about it.

Estee Lauder Little Black Primer ($24)
A restock. I just can’t live without this lash primer.
[Continue reading…]

Try This Makeup Tip: Do Your Highlighting Before Contouring or Bronzing

October 19th, 2015 by Karen 24 Comments

Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact K air quotes — T-rex Karen says, “Gaaar! Do your highlighting first, and then do your contouring and/or bronzing.” Actually…I was supposed to be doing air quotes in this picture, but I think it looks more like I have T-rex claws.

For starters, there’s going to be a lot of “and/or” in this post, so I apologize in advance.

Buuut, the next time you don your war paint, try this: if you do any highlighting and/or contouring and/or bronzing (see?) try doing your highlighting before your contouring and/or bronzing, because the order matters! It make a difference.

This is probably a good time to mention that I don’t go gaga over contouring, but I will do it every once in a great while. Bronzing, on the other hand, is an everyday thing for me. I am completely non-functional without a little bit of bronzer, LOL!

Anywho, for the longest time, I did my bronzing before my highlighting. I’m not sure why though… I guess it was just force of habit.

my five best highlighters — Speaking of highlighters, here are five I really like

[Continue reading…]

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

October 19th, 2015 by Karen 52 Comments

1. La Croix Blackberry Cucumber Sparkling Water

Ah, the elusive La Croix Blackberry Cucumber flavor…

FINALLY! My latest expedition to Target was a success. It’s never been in stock when I’ve checked before, but this last time, miracle of all miracles, it was! I spotted four boxes on the shelf at the Novato Target yesterday, but actually, by the time I’d left, there were only two, because right after I rolled up, a hipster-looking dude grabbed one.

If you ever come across a case, grab it. They’re in high demand, and they’re so, SO good. They aren’t really sweet at all. Just refreshing and light with nice notes of blackberry and cucumber.

2. NARS Madly Blush

When in doubt, NARS Madly Blush.

Yes, you can quote me on that, and it’s 100% true. I’ve been wearing this peachy beige blush all week long because the dang thing goes with everything. Seriously! Doesn’t matter what I’m doing with eye shadow or lip color; whatever it is, NARS Madly Blush works.

3. Try this clever lip combo (with Clever): MAC Patentpolish in Clever with MAC In Control Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

This was one of those happy accidents I accidentally stumbled upon. MAC In Control Pro Longwear Lip Pencil + MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Clever = a deep rosy coral combo that looks faboo with neutral eyes and winged liner (it’s what I’m wearing in the pics in this post).
[Continue reading…]

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 345

October 19th, 2015 by Karen 46 Comments

The cucumber lemonade from The Cheesecake Factory, nom! — The cucumber lemonade at The Cheesecake Factory is 100% pure nom.

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

Four things every makeup lover must have?
A trusty lash curler; a fearless lipstick that makes her (or him!) feel like she’s triumphantly stomp-walking down a runway when she’s just strolling down the sidewalk; a competent, confidence-boosting concealer that’s like getting eight hours of sleep in a tube; and a very good sense of humor, because something will inevitably go wrong when she tries that new smoky eye/winged liner/contouring technique for the first time (but it’s no big deal).

A section of your house that you’d really like to straighten up and organize?
Ugh, my kitchen pantry!

My pantry is turning me into a crazy person.

Actually, all of the cabinets in my kitchen are driving me insane. I have big pasta sauce bottles stacked on top of small raspberry preserves, big boxes of cereal stacked on top of smaller boxes of mac ‘n’ cheese, and everything looks about one sneeze away from Jenga disaster. There’s no rhyme or reason either, and it’s really dark and deep in there…so whenever I reach in for something, it’s like spelunking without a light and having no idea what awaits me at the end.

I’ve read about this pregnancy phase thing called “nesting,” and I don’t know if this is that, but I’ve started to feel very, VERY compelled to organize everything within my immediate space.

When do you do your best thinking?
These days, usually in the morning before I hop on the Internet, because the second I check my email and social media? — man, it’s over. Concentration goes poof!
How are you about making smalltalk at parties?
I think I’m OK at it. I’m pretty outgoing, so I can usually strike up a conversation about something random with a stranger (as long as they’re nice), but if I’m really just not in the mood, or if I’m very hungry or tired and don’t want to be there, it’s definitely tough. I’ll get really quiet and retreat into a corner with my growling tum. Sometimes I’ll pretend to scan the books on a shelf or the art on the walls, or I’ll play with my phone (honestly, thank goodness for Bejeweled, because that game has saved me at so many family parties). Or, if there’s a pet around, we’ll make friends.

Last person you kissed?
Tabs just gave me a tap on my nose a few minutes ago. I think that counts.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. Four things every makeup lover must have?
2. A section of your house that you’d really like to straighten up and organize?
3. When do you do your best thinking?
4. How are you about making smalltalk at parties?
5. Last person you kissed?

Good morning, babe! Got two important tidbits for ya, both of them valuable insights I acquired yesterday on a #ladydate with my friend Marisol.

First, the cucumber lemonade at The Cheesecake Factory (the pic at the top) will change your life! I was in the mood for something sour yesterday and ordered it at brunch. Dang thing was so good that I felt like jumping up on my chair and declaring my undying love for it. Try it sometime (either the lemonade or the jumping on your chair). 🙂

Second, bras. Pregnancy has taken my boobs to the next level, and those suckers are majorly huge at the moment. I can’t fit into any of my bras anymore, despite those handy bra extenders, so now I have to break down and get some new bras.

When I hit up the lingerie section at Nordie’s yesterday to get sized, I found out that if you buy a regular, non-maternity bra from them, they’ll convert it to a maternity bra for $16 more (it has a hook so you can pull down the cup to nurse).

Just an FYI for any new mommies out there.

OK, my friend, it’s onward to Monday! I hope you have a wonderful day today. I’ll do my best if you do.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Comment to Win a $50 eGift Card From MAC! (Ends Monday)

October 17th, 2015 by Karen 366 Comments

** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, SARAH!!!), but check back next Saturday for another giveaway.

Just when you think things can’t get any more complciated, they throw something new at you on Jane the Virgin! Is anyone else watching that show?? I just started marathoning season 1 on Netflix, and sometimes the melodrama is just TOO MUCH. It’s very addictive…

In other news, happy Caturday! 🙂 How’s it going, my friend? What are you up to? I’m on my way to another one of those Sephora classes this morning, the one called Contour & Highlight, so hopefully I pick up a trick or two. I’ll let you know.

Other than that, I’m just hanging out. I hope you have something fun planned. Good luck in the giveaway. I’ll talk to you soon.

One (1) MAC eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter by leaving a comment below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Worst packaging for a product you purchased this year?
- Who is one of the most talented or gifted people in your field?
- Have you ever lost a cellphone?
- Have you ever had a couples massage?
- Do you floss?
- When was the last time you treated yourself to something special?
One entry per person.
You must use a valid email address to win.
The giveaway ends on Monday, October 19, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How to Do a Smudgy Liner Daytime Smoky Eye | Tutorial

October 16th, 2015 by Karen 28 Comments

Ah, smoky eyes… How I love, love, LOVE thee.

I love you for your telenovela-style drama, of course, but more than that — I love your gymnastic-caliber flexibility. There are so many ways to creatively interpret smoky eyes, and one of my favorites is this daytime eye look with smudgy liner.

It’s easier than it looks.

No, really! You won’t need a quadrillion brushes or eyeshadows. Just four brushes — a flat eyeshadow brush, a domed blending brush, a tapered blending brush and an angled eyeliner brush — and four eyeshadows, and for the shadows I suggest choosing a progression of colors from darkest to lightest in any finishes that move you from matte, to shimmer, to satin, etc.

For daytime smoky eyes, I do prefer mattes, though, more than shimmers, because the flatter finish says to me, “Let’s set a meeting to work on the fourth-quarter TPS reports,” as opposed to, “Let’s meet at da club to freak on some hot dudes.”

As for your colors, you’ll need a light shade to highlight your brown bone, a slightly darker crease color around your skin tone or one or two shade darker, a color slightly darker than that for the “smoke” on your lids, and then another even darker shade to smudge the eyeliner we’ll be using.

For this look, I went with four shades from the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette, namely light beige Thirteen, which I’m using as my highlight shade; peachy taupe Combust, which I’m using as my crease shade; dark brown Whiskey, which I’m using as my lid shade; and dark gray Password to smudge the liner.

[Continue reading…]

What Makeup Looks and Styles Can You See Still Being Popular in 50 Years?

October 16th, 2015 by Karen 20 Comments

Dear MAC Lady Danger Lipstick… I look forward to wearing you in 50 years, ’cause fierceness never goes outta style!

Oh, wow. In 50 years, if I actually make it that far, I’ll be 90, holy $h*t!!! Baby Girl will be the age I am right now, and not so much a baby anymore, aww. Shoot, if I’m still blogging at that time, I hope Baby Girl won’t mind if her mom borrows her MAC Lady Danger every once in a while. 🙂

So, popular makeup looks and styles in 50 years? Hmm… I’m thinking that people will still be wearing the things that are considered classics now — red lips, winged liner, smoky eyes. Those three comprise a timeless makeup trifecta right there!

How about you? What makeup looks and styles can you see still being popular in 50 years?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.

The Rouge Bunny Rouge Discovery Coffret Fragrance Sample Set

October 16th, 2015 by Karen 5 Comments

As there are seven fragrances in the new $50 Rouge Bunny Rouge Discovery Coffret set, that means that you can wear a different Rouge Bunny Rouge scent every day of the week, which, according to my calculations and an independent double-blind study performed by Tabby Technologies, a Tabs the Cat Industries LLC subsidiary, you now have seven more reason to obsess over Rouge Bunny Rouge. 🙂

There are seven little fragrance samples in this set, and I think they’re all pretty great. Rouge Bunny Rouge likes to do things a little differently, and they stay in character with these scents. They’re unlike most standard-issue fruity florals that crowd the shelves at Sephora.

These combine fragrance notes in ways my nose has never met before, and because RBR is a boutique-sized brand and isn’t huge, the odds of you passing by someone on the sidewalk wearing the exact same scent are slim to none.

Soooo, if you or someone you love is a fragrance hound who loves interesting, uncommon scents that are hard to come by, this collection of samples could be a good deal.
[Continue reading…]