Makeup

Honey, These Bees Like To Party: Burt’s Bees’ Two New Massively Moisturizing Party Lips Gloss Sets in Neutral and Pink

December 6th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Burt's Bees Party Lips Set — Wearing Burt’s Bees Spring Splendor Lip Gloss from the new Pink Party Lips set

Two sets. Four lip glosses. One big reason to get buzzed!

Hey now, it’s not that kind of party. You won’t have to worry about the sting of a hangover (says the lightweight who can’t handle more than two glasses of wine in an evening), because this holiday pretty party’s themes are moisture and shine. 🙂

Burt's Bees Party Lips in Neutral on the left and Pink on the right, $14.99 each — Party Lips in Neutral on the left and Pink on the right ($14.99 each)

Honey, I’m buzzin’ over Burt’s new Party Lips lip gloss sets ($14.99 each). Both two-piece duos/sets — one called Neutral and the other called Pink — come with two full-sized tubes of Burt’s 100% Natural Lip Glosses (BTW, they have doe-foot applicators).

Burt’s benevolent bees loaded these with hydrating ingredients like sunflower and olive oil, and my lips are lovin’ the moisture. It’s been dropping into the low 30s this week, and between the chill in the air and the heater kicking on throughout the day, my lips have been dry, dry, dry!

I really like the way these feel. The texture’s a lot like the texture of MAC’s Lipglasses — thick and kinda sticky — and they last from 3-4 hours on me.

Now, these may not be ideal if your cat (and/or pooch) jumps in your lap and gets all up in your grill. Just an FYI, as your fabulous friend’s fur will stick to yo’ pout.

Both limited edition kits contain never-before-seen colors created for the sets. Pick the Pink set if you like wearing glosses with a fair amount of color (but not too much), or grab Neutral if you want more of a nude lip look. Either way, brace yourself for some seriously shiny, sheer, natural-looking color and gallons of moisture.

Burts Bees Party Lips Set Swatches — From the left: the Neutral set glosses in Autumn Haze and Sweet Sunset; and the Pink set glosses in Ocean Sunrise and Spring Splendor

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Tom Ford’s $49 Rouge Fatal Lip Color Is So Flawless That It’s Almost Criminal

December 4th, 2013 by Karen 38 Comments

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal — Wearing Tom Ford’s Rouge Fatal Lipstick on my lips

There’s something very villainess about Tom Ford’s $49 Rouge Fatal Lip Color…

It’s almost criminally hot in a naughty, awesome way — like something you’d see on a bad-@ss Bond girl wearing a floor-length sequined cocktail dress in an exclusive underground casino as she blows a slo-mo kiss across a crowded room to her handsome nemesis shortly before she hands a beat-down to some numb-nuts who tries to prevent her from entering a secure area.

BOOM! And then you see that flash of red again right as she smiles before delivering the fatal blow — a kick from her three-inch spiked heels directly in the poor guy’s groin.

Ouch.

Not gonna lie, I totally want to be that chick. 🙂 Mostly because the bad gals get to have more fun with their makeup. They get to go bold, just like this lipstick.

Creamy crimson Rouge Fatal hails from Tom Ford’s new four-piece Jasmin Rouge 2013 color collection of powerful red lips and nails, and wearing it makes me feel like a decadently daring (crazy cat lady) glamorous gangster.

While the $49 price Tom asks for his lipsticks makes me go, “blergh!” I have to say that despite this not being the most unique red in the criminal universe, it does make red lips really, really easy.

I was so excited to try it on that I skipped the usual prep work I do before putting on a powerful red lip like this (exfoliating with an olive oil and sugar scrub, moisturizing with a rich lip balm and lining with a coordinating lip liner). I just threw it on, and hello! — it looked really, really good. 🙂

Tom Ford Rouge Fatal swatch — Swatch o’ Rouge Fatal

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Sun-Kissed Peach, Gold and Cocoa Colors Bask on the Beach That Is the New Limited Edition NARS Loves Miami Set

December 3rd, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Wearing the new NARS Love Miami set on my eyes, cheeks and lips

Even though I’m feeling like this because it’s hella cold here today…

Wearing the new NARS Loves Miami set makes me feel like this…

It’s one of those sets that makes you (me) wish you (I) lived someplace tropical during the winter — someplace where its golden shimmer and glitter and peach and brown shades (with a shot of violet) would play well with your perpetual tan, which, of course, you earned through regular after-work surf sessions…le sigh!

Um, did I mention that it’s cold here today?! Well…cold by Northern California standards (the high was 54 and the low was 30, and yes, I can hear you laughing from here).

I think the lack of warmth in my extremities right now might directly correlate with my sudden interest in makeup with a warm-weather theme.

NARS Love Miami: A three-piece set — Clockwise from the left: Eye & Cheek Palette, Orgasm Nail Polish and Orgasm lip Gloss

The three-piece limited edition holiday set contains some of Miami’s bestselling shades, like peachy pink Orgasm Nail Polish and Lip Gloss, and an Eye & Cheek Palette with glittery pink Fathom Eyeshadow, shimmery sugared cocoa Kalahari Eyeshadow, matte deep violet Daphne Eyeshadow, shimmery dark brown Cordura Eyeshadow, peachy pink Orgasm Blush and golden brown Laguna Bronzing Powder.

NARS Love Miami: Eye & Cheek Palette — Eye & Cheek Palette

NARS Love Miami: Orgasm Nail Polish — Orgasm Nail Polish

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Long Live Length, Lift and the Good Fight Against Zombies! Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara by Givenchy

December 3rd, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Hello, lifted lash curl! This is me wearing two coats of Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara (a permanent product in Givenchy’s line) on my upper lashes…

This was the mascara I was wearing when I was watched The Walking Dead mid-season finale last Sunday, and by the time the show finished, I’d already been wearing it, oh, 8-9 hours.

By that point, I knew I liked how tightly it held and lifted my curled lashes and how well it separated and defined (I did want a little more volumizing/thickness, though), but honestly, I was not expecting to also test it for waterproof-ness that day.

Enter The Walking Dead mid-season finale…

If two coats of this stuff can withstand an unexpected 15-minute fit of crying without any smearing, running or flaking whatsoever, then it’s alright by me, even if the three-sphere brush takes some getting used to.

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara brush head — Check out that brush head… Kinda crazy, right?!

Let me put it this way: the first time I took Noir Couture to my lash lines, I ended up leaving big-honkin’ flecks of mascara on my lids and beneath my eyes.

I think it was partly due to how accustomed I’ve become to haphazardly throwing on a couple coats of Be Long Mascara by Clarins, which I’ve been wearing a lot lately, without having to really think about it.

Muscle memory — you know how it is.

Eventually, I figured out that I had to hold Noir’s sphere-studded brush at a funky angle to avoid bumping my skin. Given a couple weeks…it would probably become second nature.

And for the lazy-pants among us, removing this stuff requires some effort since it really clings to lashes. I have to bust out the big guns (an oil-based eye makeup remover) in addition to my regular cleanser, which is kind of a pain, but I guess that’s the tradeoff for this kind of resilience.

I bet this mascara could be a good fit for you if you like higher-end mascaras with a glossy finish, good length, separation and lift; and a tough-as-nails wherewithal to withstand water and tears.

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara before and after — Bare lashes on the left and two coats of Noir Couture on the right

I do like it…but it’s not the end-all, be-all solution to my waterproof mascara woes because I do crave more thickness. I’ll still reach for it every once in a while and be happy with the results, especially when I want a really lifted curl, which is one way it’s ca-ray-zaaaay good!

Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara ingredients — Ingredients

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Flower Beauty Is Keeping Eyes on the Prize by Possibly Duping Clinique’s $17 Shadow Stick Tints With an $8 Eyeshadow Chubby

December 2nd, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

The new Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubbies ($8 each)

When it comes to saving time, I gotta say, Flower Beauty’s new Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby sticks deserve first place honors.

Don’t get me wrong — I could happily fritter away an entire Saturday afternoon blending and blending eyeshadows (I NEED MORE EYES!!), but sometimes, like on really hectic days when my pet assisting duties start early (Mondays are the worst! I’m lucky if I get five minutes of precious makeup time before Tabs is on me to do his bidding.), I’ll do anything to save time.

For quick eye looks these twist-up shadow sticks are #winning. 🙂 The husky tip covers a large swath of lid real estate, so one or two swipes usually does the trick. Just blend out the edges with a finger, curl your lashes, whack on a layer of mascara, and you’re done with your eye makeup in two minutes, dude.

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Daffodil With It — Daffodil With It

Have you ever used Clinique’s Chubby Stick Shadow Tints? Well, these are similar in terms of texture and color payoff (they have a smooth, creamy formula), but they definitely beat Clinique in price ($8 each versus $17 for Clinique’s).

Flower Beauty Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Dark Side of the Blue — Dark Side of the Blue

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Benefit’s New Lavender Pink Lollitint Cheek and Lip Tint Is Pretty Sweet!

November 27th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

I’ve been wearing Benefit’s cheek and lip stains off and on for the better part of, oh, the past 13 years (give or take).

In my early 20s, Benetint was TOTALLY my jam, and I wore it all the time. In fact, I traveled the country spreading the gospel of its wonders to the makeup masses!

OK, not really. 🙂 But I do remember driving across Washington state with my ex-boyfriend and his two teenage nieces in 1999 to see a concert at The Gorge.

It was the first time I saw Beyonce in concert (*tears*), and as I was putting on my makeup in the car, one of the girls asked me about the bottle of Benetint in my makeup bag. I was thrilled by her interest and did two impromptu makeovers right there.

Part of me wishes I’d taken that as a sign to pursue a job in beauty, but alas, it was a hint I totally ignored at the time. I mean, when you feel compelled to help two teens discover the wonders of lip and cheek stains in a cramped Subaru, it’s gotta be a sign.

Anywho, even though we all had vastly different skin tones, Benetint looked great on all of us, and I think that’s one of the reasons Benefit’s tints are so appealing — the colors seem to work well on everyone!

I’m hoping (and betting) that’ll also be the case with Lollitint, the newest member of the Benefit tint family.

Benefit Lollitint — Sweet tooth says what now??

Worn sheer on me, Lollitint looks like a very sweet lavender pink, but build it up with multiple layers, and you get a brighter, intensely purple-pink fuchsia.

Very cool.

Now, I know that the thought of wearing violet on your face might seem a little scary at first, especially if you’ve always stuck to traditional pinks and peaches, but please give it a chance. This one’s surprisingly wearable — shockingly so on cheeks.

Like Benefit’s other tints, Lollitint works best on me when I apply it on bare skin. For some reason, the liquid formula lasts longer when there aren’t a lot of other face products up in the mix. If it’s just Lollitint on top of bare cheeks, I get a good 8-9 hours of wear.

That said, Lollitint does do pretty well on top of BB creams and tinted moisturizes, as long as I only use very little. Too much of either, and Lollitint starts acting difficult, refusing to absorb as evenly as it does when I wear it by itself.

How about wearing it with liquid foundations? Well, I think I’ve found a way…

If I swipe a few strokes of Lollitint on the back of my hand first, and then take a dense synthetic foundation brush (I’m using one from last year’s Sephora Collection IZAK Brush Set), press and swirl the brush head into the liquid to help the bristles pick up as much of the product as possible, and then press the brush on the apples of my cheeks using a tapping motion and a moderate amount of pressure, it works well! — and I get the blush on there nice and even without messing up the foundation underneath.

Benefit Lollitint Swatch — Swatches of Lollitint unblended (left) and blended (right)

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The New Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette: A Sweet-Smelling Set of 16 Neutrals for Spring 2014

November 26th, 2013 by Karen 45 Comments

Honestly, the folks at Too Faced Cosmetics really, REALLY should’ve put a warning label on their new Chocolate Bar Eye Palette ($49) (“Do not bite!”), because among their fans, it would have saved the chocolate lovers gazillions of dollars in dental repair bills.

Even before and after pics on the box would have been helpful (this is Karen before biting the palette, and this is Karen after).

For instance, for the before picture, they could have used something like this pic of a smiling cat lady just chillin’ with the cute chocolate-bar shaped case moments before she opened it…

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette — Oh, hello! I’m just holding a chocolate bar.

Then, for the after pic, they could have used something like this to illustrate what happened moments after that same cat lady opened the tin for the first time and caught a whiff of the scented eyeshadows inside it.

OMG! All 16 powder eyeshadows smell EXACTLY LIKE CHOCOLATE…which I guess makes sense, seeing as how they’re all made with cocoa powder, which is supposed to help protect and smooth your skin.

Man, I was hella hungry this afternoon, too, and after that first sniff of cocoa deliciousness I scoured the house for anything chocolate (found a can of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, score!). I bit down on the edge of the tin like I was one of the bad children from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (I’d want to be Veruca Salt, of course). So, yeah. Watch out for your teeth.

This Chocolate Bar is a brand-spankin’-new eye palette for spring 2014, and technically, it’s not available yet, but you can put in a request to be emailed when it’s available. I’ve yet to hear word on the official release date, but I’m guessing it’ll be soon (probably within the next two weeks).

“Too Faced Co-founder and Creative Director Jerrod Blandino learned of the healing properties of cocoa while getting a chocolate facial in Maui. With Chocolate Bar he created a first-of-its-kind palette that combines the healing benefits of chocolate with richly pigmented, velvety smooth shadows. Chocolate has been used for centuries for its soothing properties and to protect, condition, and heal skin that has been damaged by sun and wind. Studies have shown that the scent of cocoa powder can increase memory and brain power.”

— Sephora.com

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Length for Days! The New L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

November 25th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Tonight I find myself pondering imponderable things…

Like, does the flapping of a butterfly’s wings affect the sway of a husky tabby’s tum halfway around the world?

Or, if I were to wear L’oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara and bat my lashes at the guy making my hot cocoa at Starbucks (being generous with the whipped cream earns you good karma points!), does that alter the sway of tabby tums everywhere?

These are the profound profundities (not really) that passed through one cat lady’s mind as she wore the new L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara today ($8.99). 🙂

It’s all about the (asymmetrical) brush, man!

It’s pretty neat… It looks a little like a comb, doesn’t it? With the longer bristles on one side and shorter ones on the other?

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