Karen

Let Dolce & Gabbana Bouganville Lipgloss Lure Your Lips to the Pink Party

February 19th, 2015 by Karen 14 Comments

Now I know what to wear when I finally bite the bullet on that pair of hot pink skinny jeans — Dolce & Gabbana’s new Lipgloss in Bouganville ($30.50).

Pink, pink, pink, PINK!

From the new spring collection, it ticks off all the little checkboxes on my list (no, I don’t really have a list) of Things a Smokin’ Hot Pink Lipgloss Absolutely Needs, like wicked pigment, eye-catching shine and vibrant, bodacious color.

It gives my eyeballs kisses every time I see it on my lips. 🙂

Bouganville also seems to have both warm and cool undertones, or some other such magic. I bet just about everyone will be able to pull it off.
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You Don’t Have to Be a Nimbus to Wear the Guerlain Les Tendres Écrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Nuées

February 18th, 2015 by Karen 20 Comments

Guerlain Les Tendres Écrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Nuees — Wearing the new $65 Guerlain Les Tendres Écrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Nuées

“En Français,” as my high school French teacher used to say! The name of Guerlain’s new spring eyeshadow palette, Les Nuées, means “The Clouds,” and when I wear it I feel like I’m floating in a blue sky surrounded by puffs of white cotton candy clouds…

Les Nuées is what I like to call a “glisten-y” eye palette, because when I buff any of the three lightest shades — the frosty white, the pale pink or the baby blue, which, truth be told, all look pretty similar on my NC42 skin — on my lids with a fluffy eye brush, I end up with glowing, almost glossy, lids.

Then I line my lash lines with the fourth shade, a deep blue, and pat it in the outer corner for depth before cleaning up any fallout (because there is a little) and finishing with mascara.

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The MAC Cinderella Collection: Light, Airy Formulas Combine With Glossy Finishes to Create Beauty Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

February 18th, 2015 by Karen 43 Comments

The new MAC Cinderella Collection — A look at 13 pieces from the 17-piece MAC Cinderella collection, coming February 26 to maccosmetics.com

nce upon a time, there was a princess who loved shoes (in particular glass slippers).

Trapped in her condo castle in the faraway land of Novato, where she was being held captive by an evil plus-size tabby overlord, she dreamed of glass slippers and makeup with glistening, glittery, glossy finishes…

One cold February afternoon, the MAC Cinderella collection galloped into town dressed in pale blue and gold finery.

MAC Lipsticks in Royal Ball (left) and Free As a Butterfly (right) — Lipsticks in Royal Ball (left) and Free As a Butterfly (right)

MAC Lipglasses in Happily Ever After (left) and Glass Slipper (right) — Lipglasses in Happily Ever After (left) and Glass Slipper (right)

The princess gasped as she glossed her lips with the collection’s sparkling nude and pink Lipsticks and Lipglasses.

Overcome with joy as she swept colors from the cool-toned Stroke of Midnight eyeshadow palette on her lids, she clutched the waistband of her black stretchy pants, then squealed with delight when she caught a glimpse of the Iridescent Pressed Powder and Beauty Powder shimmering on her cheeks.

MAC Eyeshadow X 6 in Stroke of Midnight — Eyeshadow X 6 in Stroke of Midnight

But it was only when she saw MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped gleaming on her lids that she realized she had found true love.

Closing her eyes, she held the jar close to her heart and said, “There’s nothing like Lightly Tauped,” and then again, “There’s nothing like Lightly Tauped.”

Poof! Just like that, when the princess opened her eyes, she was standing outside.

Far, far away in a tower at the top of the condo castle, the evil plus-size tabby watched from a window, plotting his revenge…

MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped — Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped

MAC Lipstick in Royal Ball and Lipglass in Happily Every After on my lips — Lipstick in Royal Ball and Lipglass in Happily Every After on my lips

The 17-piece MAC Cinderella collection is the stuff of fairytales! — fairy dust, glass slippers and sparkling tiaras sprinkled with starlight.

Light, airy formulas combine with glossy finishes to create bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.

MAC Beauty Powder in Mystery Princess — Beauty Powder in Mystery Princess

MAC Iridescent Pressed Powder in Coupe D'Chic — Iridescent Pressed Powder in Coupe D’Chic

At first glance, because of the muted tones and cool colors, I thought this release was going to be strictly for pale princesses, but I realized, as I experimented with it, that many of these pieces are sleeping beauties that really only come to life when the light hits them on your skin.

It’s all about shine, sheen, shimmer, glitter and gloss.

Shimmery nude pinks sparkle on lips, glittery powders gleam on cheeks, cool-toned eyeshadows accented with pearly plum and rich olive loose pigments dance on lids, and sparkling eyes cast glossy winks from across crowded rooms.

MAC Glitter in Reflects Pearl — Glitter in Reflects Pearl

MAC Pigment in Evil Stepmother — Pigment in Evil Stepmother

MAC Pigment in Pretty It Up — Pigment in Pretty It Up

MAC Studio Fix Lash in Boldblack — Studio Fix Lash in Boldblack

Speaking of gloss…I’m all about the MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped. It’s like a thick, hella shiny, sparkly pot of Vaseline…but for your eyes.

I know! — that sounds cray, and it kind of is, especially if you layer it on top of the eyeshadows from the quad (which I did here, for that messy, greasy, “I don’t care, ’cause I’m a rock star” effect).

MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped and Eyeshadow X 6 in Stroke of Midnight on my lids — Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped and Eyeshadow X 6 in Stroke of Midnight on my lids

Even though it’s not going to be something most people will be able to wear to the Monday morning meeting at work (unless you work for a glossy magazine or walk runways), that mirror-like shine is so chic. You get all the drama of smokey eyes without having to actually blend sh*t.

I like to highlight the inner corners of my eyes with a shimmery gold, curl my lashes, and then coat them with mascara until they can’t take it anymore. Then I pat Lightly Taupe all over the lids for a different spin on nude eyes.

MAC Lipsticks in Free As A Butterfly (left) and Royal Ball (right) — Lipsticks in Free As A Butterfly (left) and Royal Ball (right)

MAC Lipglasses in Happily Ever After and Glass Slipper — Lipglasses in Happily Ever After (left) and Glass Slipper (right)

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5 Springy New Reasons to Stop by Make Up For Ever

February 18th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

Make Up For Ever Spring 2015 — Wearing new spring 2015 makeup from Make Up For Ever

Rouge Artist Intense 53, $20

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense 53, a pearly pinky copper — Rouge Artist Intense lipstick in 53, a pearly, pinkish copper

I’m picking up Chanel vibes from this warm pearlescent pink lipstick. The long-lasting, highly pigmented formula feels a little thick and reminds me of Coco’s Rouge Allures.

The pearlescent copper sprinkled through the pink base? That could easily pass for something Chanel might do for spring.

Super pretty!

If your lips happen to be chapped or otherwise textured, try layering a pink gloss on top to tone down the pearl, lest it emphasize any flakes or lip lines.

Coming March 2015 to Make Up For Ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

Rouge Artist Intense 54, $20

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense 54, a pearly golden pink — Rouge Artist Intense lipstick in 54, a pearly golden pink

Like Rouge Artist Intense 53, warm pearly golden pink 54 has very little patience for imperfect lips.

Oh, but the color… Breathtaking. It’s almost like a lipstick version of MAC Nymphette Lipglass.

I like to layer a gloss like shimmery beige MUFE’s Lab Shine Lip Gloss in D16 on top of this one to slightly downplay and soften the impact of the pink and pearl and create a pretty pinkish nude.

Coming March 2015 to Make Up For Ever Boutiques, counters, and Sephora.

Ink Liner, $23

Make Up For Ever Ink Liner — MUFE’s Ink Liner

Decidedly dark and marvelously matte, this pigmented liquid liner has high-fashion runway look written all over it.

Super stark and super cool, especially if you’re banging out a bold ’60s-style liner.

The firm tip stays stiff when I run it across my lash lines, which makes drawing crisp edges a bit of a challenge for (I’m more of a flexible felt tip gal), so I keep an angled brush and a pot of black gel liner close to smooth out any jagged areas.

Available now at Make Up For Ever Boutiques, counters and Sephora.

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High-End Heat Styling for High-End Hair With the ghd Curve Soft Curl Curling Iron

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 21 Comments

The new ghd Curve Soft Curl Iron, $245, available now at Neiman Marcus stores and online at neimanmarcus.com

Oh, heavens…

Is it a curling iron or a high-performance race car? It’s hard to tell based on the specs for the new ghd Curve Soft Curl curling iron.

Check it:

1 ^1/4” large ceramic barrel for volume and soft, smooth tumbling waves
Six quick-thinking sensors set in three zones of the barrel ensure an even internal curling temperature of 365 °F for fast, long-lasting curls
A thermo-protective tip at the end of the barrel provides a safe, cool place to hold the iron
A built-in safety stand keeps the iron secure so it won’t be rollin’, hatin’, patrolling or otherwise riding dirty when you set it down
A swiveling professional-length cord prevents tangling
Convenient illuminated power button
Makes a sound when powering on (it sounds like a chorus of hair angles singing, “Ahh!”)
Automatic sleep mode powers off the iron after 30 minutes of inactivity
Universal voltage regulator allows it to be used all over the world
Quickly heats up after powering on; ready to use in about 30 seconds

Seriously, that’s some fancy sh*t! 🙂 It might even be able to do your taxes.

Soft Curl comes with all the bells and whistles…as it should, considering that it costs $245!

Yes, that’s right. All of the curling irons in the new Curve line by ghd are priced like that.

And all of them are designed for specialized jobs, like this one, the Soft Curl model, is the one you want if you have long hair and want big curls and big volume.

So is it worth the price?

Yes, it just might be if you curl your hair often (at least a few times a week) and have some very specific hair-curling pet peeves or needs (like an extra long swiveling cord and a quick heat-up time).

If not, you’re probably better off getting something for $20 from Ulta.

Wow, though. This bad boy works fast! I have what my friend/stylist Alis jokingly calls “vampire hair,” meaning that I have a good amount of it, and it usually takes me anywhere from 20-40 minutes to use a curling iron, depending on the style I’m going for, but curling with the Soft Curl takes half the time.
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17 Ways to Think Pink

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, and something tells me it had to do with the constant presence of tabby fur on my person, but somewhere along the way, my closet became the Novato version of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Literally. Like almost everything in there is a shade of gray or black.

There are a few occasional bursts of color here and there, but I’d say that 80% of the clothes in my closet are gray…

I walk around dressed like a storm cloud of doom.

So when I opened my closet this morning and looked through all the gray shirts and pants, that was it! Something snapped. I decided I’m done wearing so much gray.

But why all the gray in the first place? Well, it’s not that I’m afraid to wear colorful clothing. Not at all. I love colorful clothes! The problem is…so does the cat hair! But my tabby’s fur doesn’t stand out on gray.

One day, hopefully soon, I’ll be able to open my closet doors and see a bright explosion of happy, fun colors that reflect how I feel on the inside — like a turquoise pegasus with a rainbow mane flying across a cloudless blue sky. 🙂

Or something like that.

I’m starting by gathering inspiration, and I found a ton of it today in the form of pink while I was cruising the Nordstrom website. Pink is one of my favorite colors to wear. Vibrant hot pinks, soft baby pinks, sultry coral pinks — if it’s pink, chances are I’ll want to wear it.

I put a bunch of things in my cart today that I ~~desperately want~~ have no intention of getting (yeah, you don’t even want to see the total, LOL!), but ya know how it is… Window shopping. And thinking.

Maybe there’s something here I could get… Maybe just one thing??

Haha!

Tildon Racerback Shift Dress, $38

Mural Slouchy Boyfriend Blazer, $74

Kate Spade Metro Heart Dial Leather Strap Watch, $175

Ellen Tracy Belted Herringbone Stretch Fit & Flare Dress, $128

Kate Spade Kiss and Make Up Lipstick Stud Earrings, $48

Stem Perfect Slub Tee, $25

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Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm: Like 10 Hours of Sleep Followed by a Trip to a Day Spa (You Know, Sort Of)

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

Well, this new product by Bobbi Brown is aptly named, ’cause what you see is what you get: an illuminating (yup!), moisturizing (check!) balm.

Technically, this should not be exciting…

But it may be if your skin is dry like mine.

Yeah, I know. Another moisturizer sounds about as interesting as clearing out the leftover pieces of popcorn from your bra after getting home from the movies, but before you step away from the computer to go hug your plus-size tabby cat, you should know that this moisturizer is significantly more interesting than it appears.

Picture this: 10 hours of sleep followed by a trip to a day spa. 🙂

Yeah, that’s right. Rested, radiant skin. Like MAC Strobe Cream, Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm ($63) has a rich formula with opalescent particles to make skin look more alive, perkier and basically less dull.

It’s a new addition to Bobbi Brown’s Extra line for extremely thirsty skin, and it’s available right meow.

You’ll probably want to sniff it first before slathering it all over your face, because it’s also scented. I think it smells kind of, I dunno, herbal? — like I spent the morning squeezing lemons and chopping basil with Giada or something. But I like it. It’s refreshing, but it’s probably worth noting because the fragrance is rather strong, although it does seem to fade quickly.

Massage it on bare skin for a little extra lift and glow, or wear it under foundation or BB cream for upgraded opalescence, and if you want a slightly more intense effect, pat it on top of your foundation with your fingers or a flat foundation brush.

You could probably also mix it with your foundation, too, if you were feeling creative, although I haven’t tried that yet.

It doesn’t make a big Broadway-caliber dramatic difference, really. You may not even be able to tell at first, because it’s very chill, but you’ll see it up close — more luminous, energized skin.
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5 Things I’m Loving About February (So Far)

February 17th, 2015 by Karen 50 Comments

1. Valentine’s Day

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick and Julep Nail Color in Myriam

Do I think that love should be celebrated 365 days a year? Heck, sure, why not? But I’m still glad it gets its own day. The chocolate and baby cherubs deserve their time in the sun.

Plus…it’s a textbook, absolutely perfect excuse to wear red lipstick, which someone I know did last weekend when he/she went to the symphony.

2. The cherry blossoms

They’re officially coming along, to which my allergies protest, “HELL TO THE NO, WOMAN!”

You want to know something weird??

Of course you do. 🙂 You’re reading MBB, LOL!

OK, here it is: every time I go for a walk around the neighborhood, I check to see if any of the cherry trees are bearing real cherry fruit.

I know, most are strictly ornamental, but when I was a teenager, my friend Jen’s family had a bad-@ss cherry blossom tree in their front yard that was grafted from two different plants, and one side had white flowers, and the other side had pink flowers and actual edible cherries that YOU COULD EAT!

I used to pick some to eat on the way to school in the morning, so now whenever I see a cherry tree in bloom, I take a close look at it to see if any fruit type action is going on.

Because you never know…

3. Having dinner outside (even if it’s just once before the cold weather returns)

Chez Maman Baked Camembert — The baked camembert at Chez Maman in San Francisco, NOM!

Here in Northern California, it is entirely possible to enjoy a meal outside in February.

Just not every February.

Some years, though, when we hit a mysterious stretch of early spring-like weather, you can do amazing things like eat wine and cheese outside at a French Bistro in San Francisco on a Saturday afternoon, which will make you temporarily forget that the Bay Area is one of the MOST EXPENSIVE PLACES ON THE PLANET TO LIVE.
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