Makeup

Countdown to National Lipstick Day on July 29th! Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Paradiso

July 24th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

tom ford paradiso — Five more days until National Lipstick Day, Saturday, July 29th

Question: why isn’t every day National Lipstick Day? Because it should be. Every day should also be National Tubby Tabby Day, National Doughnut Day ? and National Black Stretchy Pants Day.

Every. Damn. Day.

But seriously (as if), National Lipstick Day ? is a thing, and it’s almost here! It’s Saturday, July 29th, and I’m kicking it off by wearing some of my favorite lippies, like this cutie from Tom Ford called Paradiso, a.k.a. the current BFF of my dry-lipped life, because it’s so moisturizing that I feel like I’m standing underneath a tropical waterfall whenever I wear it…

OK, so, maybe that’s a little over-dramatic, but it really is moisturizing, and look at that dreamy finish, ooh-la-la!

Paradiso is a smooth coral Moisturecore Lip Color in the four-piece Tom Ford Paradise capsule collection, an online exclusive available now.

Because it’s Tom Ford, I have to warn you… Take a deep breath (*inhales sharply*), because it’s $55.

I know!

But it’s massively more moisturizing than most moisture-rich lipsticks. The inner core is packed with potent passionfruit oil, and the outer lip color contains a blend of melon fruit extract and murumuru butter.

Tastes and smells like yummy vanilla, too.

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New Face Products From Too Faced: Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray, and Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder

July 20th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

too faced hangover primer spray born this way powder — Two new Too Faced face products: Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray, and Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder ($32 each and available now)

Why you gotta be so cute, Too Faced? Between the pink ombre action on the Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray and the heart sifter in the Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder, your cuteness level is off the charts.

These two face products are new to the Too Faced fam and available now in the permanent line for $32 each.

Too Faced Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray ($32)

Does Hangover ring any bells?

Wait — that didn’t come out right.

I’m referring to the original Too Faced Hangover primer (the one in the tube), which inspired the new multitasking Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray. The latter can work as a primer, moisturizing mist and/or setting spray.

It’s packed with beauty buzz-worthy ingredients like hydrating coconut, and probiotic lactobacillus, which, by the way, is pretty darned cutting edge. Probiotics are trendy in skin care right now, with the idea being that “good” bacteria helps to keep skin in balance and regulate skin issues (Too Faced founder Jerrod Blandino loves all things skin care, so this totally makes sense). The spray is also silicone-, alcohol- and oil-free.

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Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss Hurts So Good

July 20th, 2017 by Karen 3 Comments

Sexy Mother Pucker, shakin’ that @ss! Shakin’ that @ss! Shakin’ that @ss!

Haha! I love that Prince song, and with a name like Sexy Mother Pucker, you know I had to go there.

I. Had. To.

Funny thing is, whenever I hear that song, I always think, “Why are these people yelling at me to shake my butt?” Although, I guess if there were anything to get really fired up about, it would be butt shaking…

WHOA

OK, so normally with plumping glosses, you expect a little, ya know, tingle, or maybe even a slight sting, but OH, MY GAWWWW, I feel like I’m making out with a beehive for the first two minutes after I apply these. Seriously.

Well, almost.

And my lips (especially my bottom lip, for some reason) really does look plump and stung. I mean, it’s not Real Housewives of Orange County lips caliber, but I absolutely see a difference.

soap glory sexy mother pucker k — Smile through the sting! I’m wearing the shade Rose & Shine, by the way.

The Sexy Mother Puckers are $10 each, non-sticky and come in five colors, and the two I tried, Candy Queen and Rose & Shine, are so sheer that they more or less look the same on my lips.

Oh, and they smell and taste strongly of brown sugar…but I don’t really notice it half the time because I’m too busy talking myself through the intense tingle.

As a temporary lip plumper, yeah, THEY WORK, but I’m a wimp, so I’m not sure how often I’ll wear them.

If you’re curious (or, perhaps, a glutton for punishment), you can find the Sexy Mother Puckers with the rest of the Soap & Glory line at drugstores, Target and Ulta.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

COVERGIRL Total Tease Mascara or Carnivorous Subtropical Plant?

July 20th, 2017 by Karen 13 Comments

covergirl total tease mascara review — Dude, that brush is CRAY-CRAY.

Girl, have you seen this mascara brush?? It is BANANAS.

Bananas. ?

It’s attached to COVERGIRL Total Tease Mascara and, as you can see, there’s a Venus flytrap-looking thing happening on one side of the brush…but the other side looks more traditional.

covergirl total tease mascara teaser-brush — Venus flytrap?

The reason for the Venus flytrap contraption stems (Get it? Plant stem?? Sorry…) from the idea of backcombing, which is when you use a teasing comb to add volume. So, you use the traditional side of the brush to separate and lengthen your lashes from root to tip, then use the little teasing comb in those hard-to-reach areas, like the inner and outer corners (or, in my case, that missing patch of lashes on my right eye), to “tease” those lashes out and make them look longer and separated.

covergirl total tease mascara wand — All about that separation and lift…

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Pixi GelTint & SilkGloss: Lovin’ These Lush, Low-Key Lip Combos

July 19th, 2017 by Karen 9 Comments

pixi geltint silkgloss swatches — These Pix GelTint & Silkgloss combos are my jam right meow! From the top: BerryTint & Sweet Gloss, PinkTint & PrettyGloss and BeachTint & FreshGloss ($12 each)

I love ya, matte lips. I really do, but, like in most long-term relationships, sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder, so…we gotta take a break. Just for a bit. Because when it’s hella hot out like it’s been here lately, matte lips just don’t seem right. But glosses and lip tints, like the Pixi GelTint & SlickGloss combos ($12 each), which are both, do.

Maybe it’s because hot weather puts me a minimal makeup mood, or maybe it’s because of these natural-looking colors. All I know is that on brows/mascara/gel blush/gloss days, I love these doe-foot duos.

pixi geltint silkgloss — Hello, pretties!

There’s a lightly tinted liquid lip tint on one end and a sheer, non-sticky gloss with a smooth, lightweight formula on the other. You can wear the tint or the gloss by themselves, or you can layer the gloss on top of the tint, which is what I usually do. They smell and taste faintly of yummy mint tea, and all three duos are new to Pixi’s permanent line.

pixi pinktint pretty gloss — PinkTint & PrettyGloss

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Models Own Lip Products: Some Quick Thoughts

July 19th, 2017 by Karen 5 Comments

If I could suggest anything to help you get the most out of your first experience with the Models Own makeup brand, which recently crossed the pond from Britain and is available now at Ulta, it would be to stick to the powder products (like the eyeshadows and highlighters), but to think twice about the creams.

IMO, the cream products — the creamy eye palette, the lipsticks, lip pencil, liquid lipstick and lip sealer — could use a little refinement.

They’re affordable, which is one thing they have going for them. The cream products all range from $6.99 to $8.99 each, which means more money for CATS!!! But for me, the biggest hurdle with some of the lip products has been their flavor and scent. Most of the Models Own lip products I’ve tried have a cloying faux brown sugar/plastic scent that turns my tummy and brings back memories of old-school NYX lippies.

Anyway, I don’t usually get worked up about how products taste and smell, but if something smells like plastic or fake sugar, I just can’t hang (also, the Lip Finale Lip Sealer doesn’t have a flavor or scent, but the liquid lipstick smells like strong peppermint toothpaste to me).

models own jumbo stick matte lipstick titan teaberry — Jumbo Stick Matte Lipstick in Titan Teaberry

Even beyond that, though, all of the cream products I’ve tried have left me wanting more. Like the Jumbo Stick Matte Lipstick in Titan Teaberry ($6.99 and available in five other shades). It’s smooth, pigmented, and I think it’s beautiful in pics, but the formula is SO drying and uncomfortable.

models won lix matte liquid lipstick eucalyptus pink — Lix Matte Liquid Lipstick in Eucalyptus Pink

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The $9.99 NYX Lid Lingerie Makes It Perfectly Acceptable to Wear Lingerie in Public

July 19th, 2017 by Karen 10 Comments

Is this the best drugstore palette out there right meow?

If the $9.99 NYX Lid Lingerie Shadow Palette were a bra, it would be one that you wouldn’t normally pick out for yourself, but, because it was, like, on super deep discount, you buy it anyway, and even though it doesn’t fit as well as your go-to favorite bra, you come to realize, after wearing it a few times, that you love it more, the more you wear it.

Yup, that about summarizes this six-pan palette of neutral powder shadows, in a nutshell.

nyx lid lingerie swatches — Look at my lingerie!

A more affordable alternative to the Viseart Neutral Palette

Lid Lingerie, which is available now at Ulta and other drugstores, has been out a while, but it only recently caught my eye, and I think it did because of how much I’ve been thinking about my beloved Viseart Neutral Matte Palette.

I love that thing, but damn! — it’s so freaking expensive. So I’ve been looking for a drugstore option, and I think Lid Lingerie is it.

nyx lid lingerie swatches k2 — FYI (TMI?), I’m wearing my most comfortable bra in this pic. Oh, and Lid Lingerie is on my lids.

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NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighter Makes It Easier for Makeup Lovers to Get Their Affordable Glow On

July 18th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

nyx away we glow swatches final — And Awaaaaay We Glow! The NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighters from the top in Moonbeam, Daytime Halo and Gold Rush.

~~Calgon~~ NYX, take me away! Take me to that place where highlighters don’t have to be so totally in your face, and where folks cherish a subtle pearly glow.

Oh, my goodness! The NYX Away We Glow Liquid Highlighters are so, so good! I was expecting a chunky, obvious “hello from the outer reaches of the universe” type of highlight from these liquid highlighters, but they aren’t like that at all. I’ve tried three of the nine shades, all of which are available in the permanent line, and they’re gloriously subtle. They have more of a pearly sheen than an in-your-face frost, and I think they look just like the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfectors (but at a fraction of the cost).

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