Makeup

If the Characters From The Walking Dead Were MAC Lipsticks…

March 26th, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

Four more days and zombie-filled nights until The Walking Dead season 4 finale, whoop-whoop!

We’ll see if I get any sleep…

I’m having another bout of insomnia, which, on the one hand, is a pain because — hello, dark circles! — but on the other hand, it’s kind of rad, because I’m usually up at the witching hour pondering pressing questions of great importance like, “If the characters from The Walking Dead were MAC Lipsticks, which ones would they be?”

Here are my picks for my favorite characters on the show. 🙂

Daryl Dixon — Lady Danger, a reddish coral

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick — Lady Danger Lipstick

I seriously cannot imagine Daryl’s character being anything other than this edgy reddish coral. Like Lady Danger, he may keep you at arm’s length (the distance of a crossbow bolt perhaps?) until he gets to know you better.

But stick around, because once he lets you into his life, he’ll always have your back.

Also like Daryl, dressed up or dressed down, Lady Danger always looks hot. 😉

Rick Grimes — Crosswires, an orangey pink

MAC Crosswires Lipstick — Crosswires Lipstick

I think of Rick as the everyman character, an ordinary guy thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

For a long time, he serves as the group’s de-facto leader, shouldering the burden of keeping everyone alive and making the tough decisions.

I definitely see him as Crosswires.

Rick’s a survivor, a man who tries to do the right thing, even when the right thing isn’t always clear.

Glenn Rhee — Brave Red, a warmish red

MAC Brave Red Lipstick — Brave Red Lipstick

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These Neutrals Are Flexible: Meditations on Makeup With the $36 Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

March 25th, 2014 by Karen 40 Comments

Wearing the new Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eyeshadow Collection ($36), available now at Too Faced counters and toofaced.com

Welcome! Come on in, everyone! I’m so happy to see your lovely faces this evening. Don’t be shy; we’re all friends here. Just go ahead and grab a spot on the floor — you know, stake your claim — and roll out your yoga mat. We’ll get going in a minute.

Tabs the cat: kitty supermodel, entrepreneur, yoga practitioner

For those of you new to the Makeup Meditation series here at Tabs the Cat Yoga Center (tagline: “You won’t find any downward dogs here”), don’t be nervous. This class is for all skill levels. I promise, you’ll do fine.

OK, let’s get started…

First, I want you to quiet your mind…

Good.

Now let’s get into a cross-legged position, and place today’s Makeup Meditation totem, the new Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Collection Palette, in front of you on the floor.

Take a deeeeeeeep breath in, now exhale slowly. OMMMMMMMM…

Perfect.

Extend your arms out to your sides — hold it, hold it, hold it. Now slowly reach forward, taking your Natural Eyes Palette up in your hands, and open it. Fix your gaze upon the nine pans of powder eyeshadow inside.

Let a sense of calm wash over you, and focus your every thought on its mix of matte and shimmery finishes.

Ahhhhh…

Notice the beige, brown, taupe, gold and peach shades. See how they’re laid out horizontally for day, classic and fashion looks?

Too Faced Natural Eyes — Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Collection, $36

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99 Mantras, and a Review of the New Too Faced A La Mode Eye Palette

March 24th, 2014 by Karen 60 Comments

1. Unleash your weirdness

2. Wear pink eyeshadow

3. Believe in the absurd

4. Enjoy being a girl

5. Change your hair

6. If you want to, change your life

7. Schedule breaks during the day AND TAKE THEM

8. Let go of your irrational fears

9. Talk to your friends

10. Talk to your plants

11. Go to bed early

Too Faced A La Mode Eyes Palette swatches from the left: St. Tropez, Cannes and Soleil — A La Mode Eyes Palette swatches from the left: St. Tropez, Cannes and Soleil

12. Believe in yourself

13. Try something new

14. Smile

15. Count your blessings

16. Think outside the box

17. Remember who you were

18. Envision who you can be

19. Let your imagination run wild

20. Do something differently

21. Keep your desk clean

22. Set a daily schedule and stick to it

Too Faced A La Mode Eyes Palette swatches from the left: Riviera, Jardin and Cote d'Azur — A La Mode Eyes Palette swatches from the left: Riviera, Jardin and Cote d’Azur

23. Have the second helping of ice cream

24. Eliminate all the negative sh*t you don’t need

25. Have brunch

26. Take risks

27. Brace yourself

28. Start a new list

29. Drink water

30. Exercise in the mornings (even 20 minutes is better than nothing)

Too Faced A La Mode Eyes Palette Swatches from the left: La Croisette, Monaco and De La Mer — A La Mode Eyes Palette swatches from the left: La Croisette, Monaco and De La Mer

31. Use kind words when speaking to yourself

32. Reward yourself for a job well done

33. Life is short; get moving

34. Ditch the stretchy pants for a nice outfit

35. Go for frequent walks

36. Call someone — anyone — on the phone

37. Have lunch at 12, even if you aren’t hungry (see #7)

38. Hug your cat

39. Snap more pics of your cat (because the world needs MOAR TABS PICS)

40. Close your eyes, and remind yourself that YOU GOT THIS

41. Go against the tide

42. Carve out a niche

43. Write a letter to a friend about whatever’s on your mind at the moment…

My dearest friend,

GIRL. Pink eyeshadow. Think about it.

Seriously, though. Snaps. You can do it! Try the new A La Mode Eyes Palette by Too Faced Cosmetics ($36 and available now at Too Faced counters and toofaced.com).

I’ve worn pink eyeshadows plenty of times before and thought, eh, that was fine, but this new summer palette of warm-toned powder eyeshadows is pretty killer. I would go so far as to say that Monaco, the palette’s vibrant pink shade, is the crown jewel in this limited edition kit.

Oh, sure, the other eyeshadows (there are nine powder shadows in total) are expertly paired. Too Faced sets the kit up in a way that completely takes the guesswork out of choosing colors to wear together. The shadows are arranged in rows for day, classic and fashion looks. Easy-peasy!

The shadows are so buttery and creamy that you can blend them with a few swipes. Plus, on top of primer, they last all day.

The kit leans warm, so if you tend to pick up a little color in summer, or if you like to fake the baked look with bronzer, these shades should look great on you.

Oh! About Monaco? YES, you can work it. One of my mantras is to think outside the box. Both in makeup and in life. And that means wearing pink eyeshadow. 🙂

Here’s what I like to do: swipe Monaco in the crease with a thin, pointed crease brush. Next, I take a tapered fluffy brush loaded with Jardin, the golden melon shade from the kit, and sweep it back and forth to blend it out. Then, swap out the tapered brush for a flat eyeshadow brush, and pat Cannes, the coppery shade, on my lids.

Highlight those inner corners with one of the big pans on the left of the kit (golden beige St. Tropez, golden peach Rivera or beige La Croisette); then line with one of the darker shades on the right — shimmery golden brown Soleil, shimmery taupe Cote d’Adure or shimmery navy blue De La Mer.

But ya know, there are so many ways to work this palette. That’s probably my favorite thing about it. You can play it safe with warm, shimmery neutrals, or completely push your makeup boundaries with the pink.

I think you’ll really like it. Yes, even the pink!

–K

44. Have a meal (or two or three) outside

45. Embrace your silliness, because there’s absolutely no need to take yourself so damned seriously!

46. Brush your teeth

47. Find a big tree, and read a book under that tree

48. Turn on some music and dance, dance, dance!

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A Review of the New Dior Addict Fluid Sticks, and a Peek Into the Life and Times of an Ex-Beauty Blogger in a Post-Apocalyptic Zombie World

March 24th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

This review is for my fellow fans of The Walking Dead. If you’re unfamiliar with the show and/or otherwise averse to zombies, skip down to the subheading titled “The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each)” for the scoop on Dior’s new line of liquid lipstick-lipgloss hybrids coming this spring to Dior counters and online.

Dear Diary,

Hard to believe there was a time when I wrote every day. That world seems so far away right now, like a hazy, wonderful dream.

To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I wrote. I think it might’ve been a few days before The Turn.

Can you believe it? There was a time when I updated MBB every. single. day. That all stopped when the Internet went down for good. Crazy pants. Well, at least I can say that I wrote hard until the end. *Raises dirty fist with broken, janky nails half-heartedly in the air.*

But seriously, talk about a career that leaves you ill-equipped for the zombie apocalypse! I mean, really now, who has the time and energy to write these days!? Dude, not getting eaten by flesh eaters is hard enough as it is. Sh*t is not easy!

LOL… Well, at least I haven’t completely lost my sense of humor.

Thank you, universe, for letting me find this empty notebook while out scavenging this morning. Who knows? Maybe it’ll somehow keep me alive one more day.

Sigh… I still can’t believe this is the world now.

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure and 338 Mirage — Dear diary…

I used to spend my days in front of a keyboard, drinking coffee, writing about eyeshadow and lipstick and chatting online with friends all over the world. I wonder what happened to all those girls (and the five boys). I hope they survived. I hope they’re ok.

My heart aches… I miss my family. My husband. My cat.

Good grief, I am still really, REALLY p*ssed off at that man for leaving me! See, Karen, that’s what you get for marrying someone who will sacrifice himself to keep you alive. I hate him for that!

I love him for that. Loved him… Can’t keep my tenses right. Can’t think about this right now. Lock it up in a box, Karen. Keep it there for a rainy day. You have to do like he told you to do. Can’t fall apart. Must stay strong. Keep going.

Deep breath… Need to think about things that make you happy. Kittens! Chocolate! Makeup! Oh, gosh, I found some Dior the other day, believe it or not. Two Dior Addict Fluid Sticks. Still in their boxes! They were inside a shopping bag in an empty car on the side of the road.

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure (left) and 338 Mirage (right) — Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure (left) and 338 Mirage (right), $35 each

Leave it to the ex-beauty blogger to grab the lipgloss/liquid lipstick hybrids, haha. At least I didn’t overlook the crowbar in the trunk. (El Hub always said, “Don’t forget to grab a weapon. Ideally one with some length.”)

It was like Christmas! There was a lighter shade, 338 Mirage. It’s a light peachy coral. And also 551 Aventure, a reddish coral. I couldn’t resist applying Mirage right then and there. I looked in the car’s rear view mirror and couldn’t help but laugh. My lips looked glossy for the first time in weeks. Months? But hello, dark circles and upper lip hair like whoa!

Dior Addict Fluid Stick swatches in in 338 Mirage (left) and 551 Aventure (right) — Addict Fluid Stick swatches in 338 Mirage (left) and 551 Aventure (right)

As I rubbed my lips together and admired my Ron Burgundy mustache (as you can probably imagine, body hair removal isn’t a high priority these days), bits and pieces of my former life came flooding back. The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks…

The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each)

I remember… These were released in the spring of 2014. Liquid lipstick-gloss hybrids. They feel creamy and slick like liquid lipsticks but have the shiny finish of a gloss, and they leave my lips with a delicate stain that fades over the course of 2-3 hours.

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The Urban Decay Summer 2014 Collection Puts on the Glitz With Majorly Blinged-Out Loose Glitter

March 20th, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

If I can’t come back in my next life as Wonder Woman, I’m sure as hell coming back as a Vegas showgirl. ‘Cause it ain’t happening in this lifetime, that’s for damned sure. I’ve got the flexibility of a concrete pretzel and a high kick that barely clears the height of a footstool.

But you know what? Even though I will (probably) never don a big feathered headdress and dance around in a sparkly outfit on a Vegas stage, at least I can say that in this life, in the summer of 2014, I will have glittered and sparkled, and for that, I gotta give big ups to Urban Decay.

The Heavy Metal Loose Glitters in their new summer collection are so bling, so BAM! — that you sparkle all day and night LIKE YOU FRICKIN’ MEAN IT, MAN, when you wear them on your eyes.

They’re coming soon to UD counters but glittering now online with the rest of the summer collection.

Lots of fun things to play with here. Along with the six loose glitters, there’s also a weightless liquid glitter glue (to keep your glitter in place), a crop of several new liners for smokey eye looks and two new polishes (there’s also a small polish kit not shown here).

Are you ready for a quick tour? Here, take my hand… 🙂

Heavy Metal Loose Glitters ($12 each)

The new Urban Decay Heavy Metal Loose Glitters ($12 each)

These are my favorite things in the launch! Even if you don’t fancy yourself as a glitter gal/guy, you still may want to boogie down with these.

They’re just so fun and sparkly! — and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. 🙂

The flecks of glitter are bigger than the flecks in Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners, so I’m warning you — brace yourself for major glitz.

Here’s the idea: you’re supposed to apply a small amount of Urban Decay’s clear Bondage makeup adhesive ($14) to your lids (or wherever else you’d like to wear loose glitter) first, and then pack your choice of glitters on top.

Once the glue dries, that glitter isn’t going anywhere.

I appreciate the sifter caps, too, which make it easy to regulate how much glitter I’m using. Don’t forget to remove the tape that covers the holes the first time you open it, though, because I didn’t see it at first and kept wondering, “Hmm… Why isn’t the glitter coming out?” I was just about to bite the sifter when I noticed the tape, haha! #schoolforthegifted

Also, if you plan to line your eyes with one of the new liners in the launch, you may want to do your liner before applying your glitter.

Why? Oh, because I think it’s just a really, REALLY big pain to apply liner on top of glitter. I’m just sayin’… Save yourself the drama by lining first.

Urban Decay Catfight Heavy Metal Loose Glitter — Urban Decay’s pink Catfight Heavy Metal Loose Glitter ($12)

Urban Decay Goldmine Heavy Metal Glitter, a yellow gold glitter ($12)

Urban Decay ACDC Heavy Metal Loose Glitter, a bright purple ($12)

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Chisel Those Cheeks! Contouring Made Easy With the New NARS Contour Blushes

March 19th, 2014 by Karen 47 Comments

Wearing (and holding) the new NARS Contour Blush in Paloma

I don’t want to divulge too much, because I like being mysterious, and I want RyGos to continue thinking that I wake up with these chiseled cheekbones (Haha! Not). Better to have him believe they were sculpted by Michelangelo than have him know they were actually contoured by NARS.

I mean, you already know so many of my secrets — what’s one more? Like, you know that I hide a Mini Babybel Cheese in my purse (because you never know when the urge to eat a small cheese wheel will hit you. #imjustsaying). You know that I love Bravo. You know that I am obsessed with makeup, Trader Joe’s and cats. You also know that one of my legs is slightly longer than the other.

Wait — you didn’t know that? Oops, I thought you did. 🙂

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: being as how you already know so much about me, what’s a little covert contouring talk between friends?

The secret to the chiseled cheeks I’m currently sporting is the new NARS Contour Blush in Paloma, one of three $42 contouring powder blush duos recently added to the permanent line.

Babybel Cheese, yo! — Um…is that cheese in your purse?

Each of the duos has — no surprise here — two shades, one darker than the other. The darker shade is used to define and add depth to the face, while the lighter shades is used for highlights.

Paloma, the one I wear, is the middle-of-the-road option.

Olympia, the lightest of the three duos, has an ivory and a rose; Paloma, a pinkish beige and a deep rose; and Gienah, the darkest duo, houses a honey and an amber.

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Osmia Organics Lip Glosses Give Dry Lips a Beet-Down

March 19th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Osmia Organics’ Lip Glosses beet up dryness somethin’ fierce! They’re veggie-rific!

OK…sorry, that was just terrible. I’m not 100% awake yet. 🙂

At any rate, these lightweight, non-sticky lip glosses by Osmia Organics ($18 each), a boutique organic bath and beauty line based in Colorado, are more like balms than glosses, really.

They represent my maiden voyage trying the brand, and I see that they also make all kinds of neat-looking soaps and body products.

The glosses contain beets! Isn’t that cool? Presumably it’s for color, but I’m not totally sure.

I am weirdly stoked about the whole idea (because you know me and root vegetables — we’re tight like that).

As someone whose lips are almost always hella dry, I’m always on the market for a new vegetable…

Wait — I meant “new moisturizing gloss.” And my lips have been a little less uncomfortable since Shimmer, Whisper and Luster entered my life.

Some thoughts on the three Lip Gloss shades from the perspective of a perpetually dry-lipped girl…

Moisture — Off the hook! The hydrating ingredient-ology includes Cupuaçu butter (related to cacao), and GMO-free vitamin E oil, both of which are high on the ingredient list.
Finish and coverage — All of them are quite sheer. I can’t deny that I was hoping the colors would be more intense, and distinct from each other, but all three of them look more or less the same on my pigmented lips.
Flavor and scent — Hmm… Waxy and earthy? I can’t say it’s my favorite scent, but it does seem natural, I guess.
Formula and texture — Utterly adverbially excessively great. Just lots of “ly” words to the extreme. 🙂 They feel light, slick, non-sticky and smooth on my lips, but that lightness of the formula may also be why they don’t last very long. I get less than an hour of wear time from them and have to reapply often.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Scorch

March 18th, 2014 by Karen 39 Comments

Dear UD Scorch,

‘Sup, boo? I’ve been missing you. We haven’t talked in a while (six months, give or take, but who’s counting?).

I just wanted to holla and ask, “How are you?” How’s my smokin’-hot, shimmery bronze liner love? Still the picture of pure perfection in a pencil?

Remember how we always loved to play in spring and summer? Whenever I’d bust out my beach bag and slip on my booty shorts (might as well work it while you can, right?), you were always right there for me, ready to help with the bronze and gold eye makeup looks I was wearing.

Urban Decay Scorch Swatch — Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Scorch ($20)

I wonder, are you the same way…?

I bet you are. 🙂 I bet you’d like me to swipe you along my lash lines, wouldn’t ‘cha? Just us, from the break of dawn till late at night, no fading, no smudging — nothing to break our bond.

I’ve been thinking about you again. A lot. And all of the things I want to do with you…like wearing you as a base for shimmery bronze eyeshadows.

Remember that time I layered you with UD’s Half Baked on top? That was smokin’ hot.

Oh! — or that time I wore you with MAC Woodwinked? Hotter than a five-alarm fire.

The 411 on Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Scorch

What is it? A silky soft $20 long-wearing shimmery bronze pencil liner with silver micro-glitter. Available now at Urban Decay counters and urbandecay.com.

Who might lurve it? Anyone who likes wearing warm bronze and gold shades on their eyes.

When’s a good time to wear it? How ’bout now? Or any time of year, but I think it comes into its own in spring and summer because it looks faboo with a tan.

What else? It’s a great liner alternative to basic brown and black.

How do you rock it? You can wear it as a straight-up eyeliner or as a base for powder shadows. It goes well with coral or hot pink cheeks and lips.

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