Beauty Tips

MAC Pro Longwear Eye Liner in Powerline Endows Your Cat Eyeliner Looks With More Meow!

September 11th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Lower lash liner by MAC Powerline; cat lady sweater by Target

The sweater? What, this old thing? You like? Yeah, it’s from Target, and no, one does not have to be feline obsessed to wear it with cat eyeliner. In fact, if you are a cat lady makeup lover, it really helps drive home the point. 🙂

I have a special place in my heart for cat eyeliner (and cat sweaters)…

This pretty much sums up our entire relationship

A big part of this cat liner look, obvs, is the liner flick action on the upper lash lines, but what about the lower lash lines? What should we do there?

I suppose we could leave ’em bare, but where’s the fun in that?

One way to infuse your lower lash and water lines with more meow is to line them with gold liner. Lately, to wear with my cat eye liner looks, I’ve been loving on MAC’s Pro Longwear Eye Liner in Powerline ($19.50). It adds just a little oomph without overpowering the whole look (I mean, because you don’t want to take away from that sweater, you know?).

MAC Pro Longwear Liner Swatches from the left: Definitely Black Devotion, Strong Willed and Powerline

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Prep for Parties in a Pinch With the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners

September 11th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in ACDC — Wearing Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in ACDC on my lower lash lines and Face Case in Shattered on my lids, cheeks and lips

I know it’s not even technically fall, but before you know it, that aisle at Target dedicated to floaty inner tubes and swimming pool toys will disappear, only to be replaced by the aisle overloaded with candy corn and snack-size Snickers bars (DAMN THOSE THINGS).

I’ll be thinking less and less about frozen yogurt and shave ice and more and more about turkey, side dishes and pie (I’m all about the pecan). And then, invariably, I’ll have to encase myself in a pair of sausage-y Spanx just to be able to fit into those form-fitting party dresses I can’t breathe in, but like to wear anyway, because they make me feel like I’ve still got it (she said, snapping in a Z formation).

My point, and I do have one, is that party season is almost upon us. 🙂

For some events, you’ll want to go all out with your makeup and really enjoy the whole process of getting ready. Those times are nice…

Other times, you’ll need to get ready NOW.

And it’s those times that Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners really help.

The Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners

UD recently relaunched this line of sparkly eyeliners, perhaps with parties in mind, because they’re absolutely fabulous for getting gussied up in a flash.

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner swatches — From the left: Junkshow, Midnight Owboy, Amp, Spandex, ACDC, Glamrock and Distortion

They come in seven fun colors, too, that once set, don’t budge for nothin’, so you can dance to Katy Perry all night long without worrying about your liner melting.

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Ask MBB: Got Any Must-Have Coral Lipstick Faves?

September 10th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

That’s MAC Vegas Volt, one of my favorite corals, electrifying my kisser…

Hi Karen!

You mentioned in one of your posts that you love everything coral. May I ask, what are your favorite coral lipsticks? 🙂

It doesn’t matter if they’re cheap or high end. I’m looking for a new one since my only coral lipstick is running out and…it’s limited edition.

I know, right?

Thank you, K!
-Emae

Hi Emae,

I admire your ability to commit to one coral shade. That’s love, right there!

I have trouble with coral lipstick monogamy. You see, I’m a coral flirt (it’s a legitimate problem), but there are a few corals I keep coming back to over and over again.

Coral Lipsticks from MAC, NARS, Hourglass, Tom Ford Beauty and bareMinerals — One can never have too many corals…

Here are some of my tried-and-true permanent collection coral faves…

NARS Lodhi Satin Lip Pencil: This satiny coral is the real deal, babe, and I start to hyperventilate when I can’t find it. It lasts for hours, doesn’t feather, and it’s super easy to apply. If I ever had to commit to just one coral — perish the thought! — Lodhi would be a serious contender.
MAC Ravishing Lipstick: This fresh, flirty coral is all innocent and sweet.
MAC Crosswires Lipstick: For potent “look at me lips,” this punchy, pigmented pinkish orange does the trick.
MAC Costa Chic Lipstick: You can’t miss this frosty, medium-toned coral. It’s one of my faves to wear with cat eyes.
Tom Ford Lip Color in True Coral: This bright reddish pink is no joke! At $48, it’s redonkulously expensive, but every time I bust out the tube, I derive great joy out of pretending that I’m hanging out with Lisa Vanderpump and Jiggy… (In these daydreams we’re talking about Manolos over tall glasses of cucumber spa water.)
Hourglass Muse Opaque Liquid Lipstick: A long-wearing, sophisticated reddish coral with a matte finish, this coral can be tricky to apply (something to think about), and a little goes a looong way. Oh! — but it looks absolutely fab with Nectar Lipgloss from Hourglasson top. I’ve been loving that combo for at least a month.

And more corals of note, because a girl’s gotta have options…

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5 Lighting Tips for Bloggers, Photography Buffs and Beginners

September 6th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Photographers wield light like authors wield words to tell stories. Different qualities of light evoke different emotions, and poor lighting can make even the most lovely person in the world look like Quasimodo.

From a photography standpoint, you always want to be thinking about light. It’s comprised of three components — quality, color and direction.

Here are five photography tips to help you make the most of your light. 🙂

1. Let there be light!

Your flash is a powerful tool that lets you manipulate light, and with it, you can guide a viewer’s eye, and make them notice what you want them to notice.

But flashes aren’t your only light sources. Windows, lamps, overhead lights, mirrors — heck, even flashlights and the light from the screen on your phone are light sources.

Now, since you can’t always be in the room with someone when they’re looking at one of your pictures, that’s where your ability to manipulate light comes into play in your photography.

One important thing to remember? You don’t always have to point your flash directly at your subject. Light reflects and bounces off surfaces, and you can use that to your advantage. Experiment by taking pictures near windows, lamps, overhead lights, bright walls (keep in mind that walls will throw a colorcast), and combine light sources — literally move them around sometimes — to create different effects.

2. What are soft boxes and umbrellas used for?

Soft boxes — those large, usually black or white rectangular boxes you see mounted on tall poles on film sets and photo shoots — are referred to as light modifiers. They’re often used to diffuse powerful lights, reducing harsh, unflattering shadows, like the kind that the flash on your camera can produce.

Without a light modifier, a flash is like a machine gun of light. Modifiers like umbrellas soften the light as it passes through them. HINT-HINT: bedsheets, curtains and other semi-transparent fabrics you already have around the house do the same thing.

3. Going the distance

Changing the distance between your light sources and your subject can create dramatically different effects. Sometimes, taking one step left or right, or forward or back, can totally change your picture. This is particularly noticeable in direct sunlight on a bright, sunny day. Sometimes all it takes is one or two steps to move your subject into the shadows, where your light is softer and probably much more flattering.

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5 Easy Text and Photo Composition Tips for Bloggers

September 6th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

I’m still getting my learnin’s on here at Photoshop World. 🙂 Yesterday’s classes were great. There are different course tracks for photography, lighting and Photoshop techniques, and you can go to whichever classes you want. Then, between the classes, there’s a huge expo hall with dozens of booths set up by companies that sell photography equipment like lenses, huge studio lights and gigantic umbrellas.

Pretty cool if you’re into this kind of stuff…

Here are five tips I picked up yesterday to help you take your photography to the next level.

Angles increase the “drama!” They also add a sense of movement and energy. You also don’t always need to fit objects entirely in the photo frame. Practice rotating your camera to create different effects.
“When it comes to type,” says Scott Kelby, author of The Digital Photography Book series and NAPP president (National Association of Photoshop Professionals), “make it small, and when you think it’s too small, go a little further.” You don’t want your type to take away from your image.
For your text logos and photo titles, think contrast, contrast, contrast. If using two fonts, pair a script with a sans serif, lowercase and uppercase, no kerning with high kerning (the space between the individual letters), etc.
In photos, the viewer’s eye naturally seeks out text before anything else. Then it looks for the lightest parts of an image. Lighter objects also appear larger than darker objects.
Tangents are points where two objects appear to touch/meet in an image. The eye will seek out these areas — these meeting points. It’s weird… You can’t resist looking at them! Sometimes, if they’re unintentional, they can detract from what you really want people to look at in your picture. Also, purposefully cropping parts of something (like a short beauty blogger) can make it appear larger or taller.

Some of these are crazy, right!? Didn’t your eyes look at that point where the pyramid barely touches the top of the picture frame? And those two apples — they’re both the same size, but doesn’t the lighter green apple look a little bigger than the red one?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. For more tips from Photoshop World and other conferences I’ve attended, click here.

10 Really Useful Fonts for Bloggers, Beauty and Otherwise

September 5th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

One of the classes I went to yesterday here at Photoshop World was a class on typography for professional photographers — as in text titles for wedding photo album covers, online galleries, photo books and things like that.

The lessons translate really well to movie poster text and pictures for blogging, too, like when you add a caption or title to an image at the top of your blog posts, which a lot of us do.

The course was taught by Scott Kelby, an awesome photographer and the author of more than 50 books on photography and Photoshop, many of which I love and own.

10 Really Useful Fonts for Bloggers

Helvetica Neue (Target, MTV)
Trajan Pro (probably the most popular movie poster font)
Futura
Gill Sans (official font for the UK Underground tube signs)
Trebuchet (Microsoft loves this font. It’s a good option whenever you think Helvetica looks too stiff)
Adobe Garamond (the original Apple font, also the Google logo font, but it’s not great for long blocks of text)
Bickham Script Pro (a great font for scripty effects)
Copperplate (looks great, elegant with a lot of kerning/space between the letters)
Minion (Adobe loves Minion; it’s a good alternative to Times New Roman)
Myriad (Apple loves Myriad and uses a version of it for practically everything)

For your next blog post, or if you ever have to create a document for school or work, give one of these fonts a try. Most of them should already be installed on your computer, as a few of them are decades old. Some even predate computers.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. While not makeup related, I think fonts are beautiful, which falls under the purview of “makeup and beauty” to me. 🙂 I’m filing this post under my “blogging” category, and there are quite a few other posts in there as well, if you’re interested.

I’m Taylor Leigh of My Lucite Dreams, and This Is My Makeup Life

September 5th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

The My Makeup Life series asks beauty biz insiders, bloggers, makeup mavens and artists to share their holy grail products, tricks, tips and favorite beauty tools. Is there anyone you would like to see featured in My Makeup Life or questions you think I should ask? Let me know here.

Name: Taylor Leigh
Location: New York, NY
Day job/current gig: Full-time dog momâ€¨
Hangouts online: mylucitedreams.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Current favorite product: RMS Beauty Oil. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is a very close second.
Beauty inspirations: ’60s mod, late ’60s and ’70s rock and roll, the ocean and the runway
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Natural

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

I cannot live without an antioxidant-rich, natural and organic facial oil and serum. I am currently obsessed with RMS’ Beauty Oil. Other absolute musts are the Shiseido Eyelash Curler paired with L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, the only two products that add definition on my otherwise invisible lashes. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is the absolute best at concealing my dark under-eye circles with a natural finish. MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Liner in Mat Black for my signature cat-eye.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I have always loved makeup, along with painting, and I found a similarity between the two. I didn’t start wearing makeup until I was 14, and it was just mascara. At 16, I discovered black liquid liner and started to draw a cat-eye, which later evolved into the one I wear today.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Tinted moisturizers and BB Creams are huge time savors for the ease in which they apply, but I never use either as a substitute for skin care or SPF. Also, a multi-use cream blush for both lips and cheeks and everything applied using your fingertips. I recommend spending the most time defining the eye area with mascara and liner.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

The Shiseido Eyelash Curler.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Wear your SPF. I have diligently worn sunscreen and kept my face out of the sun since I was 18. I am thankful that I did so.

What’s your skincare routine?

I have a natural approach to skin care, using only products with natural and organic ingredients. For me, a natural skin care routine has been the most effective. I never, ever fall asleep with makeup on and always properly cleanse and hydrate my skin, no matter what.

In the mornings, I cleanse with Shea Terra Organics Moroccan Argan & African Wild Honey Cleansing Elixir. I use One Love Organics Active Moisture Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover twice in the evenings, one time to remove makeup and again to thoroughly cleanse. I use a Clarisonic 2-3 times a week with the Honey cleanser. After cleansing, I tone with the Toning Mist from Kahina or Sanita’s Moisture Mist. I keep both toners cool in the refrigerator. I then apply RMS Beauty Oil both day and night. For a serum, I use One Love Organics Active Moisture Vitamin C Serum, and if I need additional moisture I use Kahina Argan Oil in the evenings. For weekly treatments, I alternate several different masks and exfoliating treatments. I adore the Detox Mask and Protein Masks from Osmia Organics. I also use Kahina’s Antioxidant Mask, May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt, and Origins Plantscription mask.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

I’ve done some strange DIY beauty treatments when I was younger, like mayonaisse in my hair, egg white facials, and I added some very colorful streaks to my hair using Kool-aid.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

I like to play around with new looks and trends but I definitely maintain a defining â€˜look’. My look is long straight hair, side-parted to the right, black winged-liner, a nude lip and a dewy complexion.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

There aren’t too many, but there certainly are a few. I once cut my hair very short, my inspiration being Gwyneth Paltrow in ‘Great Expectations’. It wasn’t a look that worked well for my naturally curly, frizzy hair. I thought I could somehow maintain the look but you can’t really straighten really short hair well. That was the year of the bandana. I also wore the shade Bubbles from MAC for a good amount of years that gave me that “white lip” look.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

For beauty, I love Sephora, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, spiritbeautylounge.com and beautyhabit.com. For clothing and accessories I frequent Century 21 Department Store, Bloomingdales, a number of small boutiques in Soho, and online at asos, shopbop, and revolveclothing.com.

Anything else you want to share?

I have many hobbies, including making jewelry, playing guitar, drawing and painting. I also have a great passion for alternative medicine, aromatherapy, and herbs. I believe that dogs are people too and this includes my 9 y/o Maltese Blu, whom I love to spoil.

I’m Tiffany Nguyen of Will Work for Makeup, and This Is My Makeup Life

September 4th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

The terrific Tiffany Nguyen of Will Work for Makeup

Name: Tiffany Nguyen
Location: Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Day job/current gig: Pharmacy student
Hangouts online: willworkformakeup.blogspot.com, Twitter and Instagram
Current favorite product: Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder in 04 Sun Blondes. Instantly believable sun-kissed skin? Yes, please.
Beauty inspirations: My best friends, clear blue skies, tropical beaches
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Ever-changing

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

Armani Master Corrector in 1 to neutralize under-eye darkness, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Dior Matte Bronzer in 002 Honey Matte (bring it back, Dior…or else!), Shu Uemura eyelash curler, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara, and C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm, for the softest lips ever come morning.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I’ve been enamored with makeup for as long as I can remember, and I think my mom not allowing me to wear it during my teens just made me obsess over it even more. It had become a full-blown addiction probably by the time I turned 16.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Skip the foundation. Instead, I like to dab liquid concealer liberally on any spots and hyperpigmentation, and blend it out using a big buffing brush, so that it kind of spreads the concealer all over like a foundation, while still being concentrated in the areas where I need the most coverage. In a time crunch, a good full-coverage liquid concealer like NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer can serve as a foundation, spot concealer and under-eye concealer, all in one. I like to think of it as a one-stop shop for all of my complexion perfecting needs.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

Hands down, my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. My lashes are nothing without them, regardless of what mascara I use.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Makeup comes off. For this reason, I don’t really care if in 30 years I look back and think I looked ridiculous with neon pink lips or glitter on my cheeks. To me, makeup is a form of self-expression that requires little to no commitment. â€¨

What’s your skincare routine?

In the morning, I just wash my face with the Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser and moisturize with Embryolisse.

At night, I remove my makeup with Shu Uemura Fresh Cleansing Oil (it takes off waterproof mascara like nobody’s business!) and cleanse with Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm. Then, I followup with a chemical exfoliant like DDF Glycolic Toning Complex and a hydrating serum (I love Vichy’s Aqualia Thermal Serum) before topping it all off again with a healthy dose of Embryolisse.

Once a week, I’ll use my Clarisonic with some Cetaphil cleanser and maybe throw on a mask or two.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

Surprisingly, nothing I can think of off the top of my head! Makes me feel like I need to venture out more.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Not really. I’m not particularly attached to my hair, and I’ve had it short, long, and every length in between, one day loving it and the next day hating it. I’m pretty boring when it comes to hair — I usually wear it straight, down and unstyled….due to laziness, not preference!

As for my makeup, it really all depends on how much time I have. If I’m not running against the clock, I like wearing winged liner and making sure my lower lash line is defined with some shadow or soft liner. I just think it makes my eyes stand out more. There are, however, three things that are non-negotiable: 1) under-eye concealer, 2) blush, and 3) something on my lips, although it doesn’t necessarily have to be the three specific products pictured below.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

For my 8th grade Awards Night, my best friend and I wore turquoise eyeshadow with matching turquoise loose glitter patted on top…from lash line to eyebrow. Let me just tell you, there is no amount of blending in the whole world that could’ve made that not look cray cray. But, you know what? We had fun and loved how we looked that night. Though I don’t regret it necessarily, I wish I could’ve told my 13-year-old self that loose glitter is not eye safe!

Oh, the horror.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

For makeup: Sephora. If I’m buying products from a luxury brand not available at Sephora, I’d rather just buy online. I hate makeup counters. Too much pressure. For clothes: H&M and Nordstrom Rack. For anything and everything: Target.