Makeup

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Too Faced Who’s Your Poppy Blush

June 19th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

I’m this close to putting my beloved/beat up pan of NARS Orgasm out to pasture for the summer and replacing it with Too Faced Cosmetics Who’s Your Poppy Full Bloom Ultra Flush Blush ($19).

More than just a’ight, this peachy pink’s a powder blush hidden gem! — and if you haven’t tried it yet, I hope you will, ’cause I believe it’s the bomb.

It’s as if some intrepid makeup lover at Too Faced HQ took a pan of NARS Orgasm, added a little more pink to it and gave it a softer golden shimmer.

BOOM! Take that. Who’s Your Poppy now, blush!? 🙂

Sometimes with NARS Orgasm, I think its pearly golden shimmer takes over my looks. It’s like, dayum, Gina! You got hit by the glitter truck.

Who’s Your Poppy isn’t like that. Instead of kicking down the door with steel-toed boots screaming, “HEY, Y’ALL, LOOK AT MY PORES!” its golden pearl tip-toes through the tulips on ballet slippers. It’s still shimmery…but think brunch shimmer, as opposed to bachelorette party.

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Pearl Particles Collide (BAM!) to Create a Whole Mess o’ Glitter in the MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadows, Coming June 20 to the Permanent Line

June 17th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

What do you get when you put pearls in a particle accelerator?

I’ll tell you what you get — undersea oysters solving nuclear fusion equations, Ford Fusions with strands of pearls dripping from their rear-view mirrors, fusion cuisine that combines Asian flavors, and knitting (and purling!).

In other words, awesomeness. You get a whole lot of awesomeness. 🙂

You may also get MAC, as in the six new MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow palettes ($40 each) in MAC’s newest eye shadow formulation to join the permanent line. Powder shadows that feel like creams, they can be worn dry for a soft, sparkling finish, or wet for something shiny and metallic.

All six of the MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadows

Lawd, I think I may have accidentally inhaled a little too much stray glitter playing with these palettes… The stuff was flying all over the place!

It was kind of weird, truth be told.

I expected these, with their soft, creamy texture, to glide effortlessly across my skin and blend together with a few swift swipes, and most of them did just that. With the palettes comprised primarily of satins and metallics, like Smokeluxe, Brownluxe and Greenluxe, I didn’t have any trubs at all. They were coo’.

When I applied Brownluxe, my heart skipped as I watched the shadow skate across my skin. My 217 barely had to do any work to smooth away every last line.

I actually had to stop myself from over-blending, as the colors melted together like good fondue.

Mmm, cheese…

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MAC and Second Acts, Where Opposites Attract: The RiRi Hearts MAC Summer Collection Makes a Reservation Online, Party of Five

June 17th, 2013 by Karen 43 Comments

MAC Heux Lipstick — MAC Heaux Lipstick, a matte berry from the new RiRi Hearts MAC Summer collection

What it do, RiRi Woo? The lipstick MAC remixed for Rihanna is back for a second act, and she brought along a few friends.

If you wanted (but missed) RiRi Woo the first time around, you’ll get a second chance to scoop it up, along with the rest of the five-piece limited edition RiRi Hearts MAC Summer collection, online starting tomorrow, June 18.

I had a play date with the collection this morning and had magnetic field day…

By magnetic, I mean opposites that attract, because for me, opposites permeate these products. Intense lip colors contrast with the sheer blush on cheeks, and the matte lipsticks and blush sit in stark contrast to the shimmery, sparkly highlighter.

I like it. The whole dang idea.

Sure, the collection is short and sweet, but you get a lot of juxtaposition here. The look doesn’t seem flat at all, which can be an issue with some collections that feature this much matte.

Maybe it’s just a flashback to my English Major days, but I also like to think that MAC and Rihanna intended for the opposing elements to be symbolic of RiRi, whose stage persona seems both raw and vulnerable at the same time.

That, or perhaps I’ve listened to Stay one too many times…

Lipsticks in RiRi Woo, RiRi Boy and Heaux ($15 each)

MAC Riri Hearts MAC Lipsticks Drops — From the left: Heaux, RiRi Boy, RiRi Woo and Lustre Drops in Barbados Girl

Far and away, I think the most popular pieces from this collection are going to be the lipsticks ($15 each). The core girls/guys on Team MAC love intense color, and red RiRi Woo, lavender RiRi Boy and berry Heaux deliver it in droves.

But gosh, these sure feel dry… They tug at my skin and feel like I’m wearing a thick layer of cornstarch on my lips.

That said, the mega matte way these look is still pretty bangin’. They’re chic and oh! — photograph very well.

I like these for their looks, because they’re definitely not the most comfortable lip products or the easiest to apply. If you don’t mind suffering for your fashion, you’re in luck. These are like 5-inch spiked heels in lipstick clothing. Plus, the whole matte thing is so hella ’90s, which I love.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Powder Blush Duo in Hibiscus Kiss ($26)

MAC Hibiscus Kiss — Hibiscus Kiss Powder Blush

Cheek this out, babe!

I flipped a sprocket when I saw the neutral bronze and coral in this Hibiscus Kiss Powder Blush Duo ($26), but my fever waned when I swatched it for the first time.

The blasted thing feels hard to the touch and applies very sheer.

It shows up a little better on my skin when I apply it with the brush (which, unfortunately, also takes longer), but still — not by much. I have to really build this up in layers to get a look I like. Sorry, no intense flushes here, but this might light your fire if you like super sheer cheeks.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B-

Lustre Drops Liquid Highlighter in Barbados Girl ($20)

What a nice surprise! From the Lustre Drops in Barbados Girl, I expected a clone of Pink Rebel, but it’s actually a different deal. This liquid highlighter contains more bronze, and there are tiny flecks of glitter swimming around in it.

The effect’s flashy enough to notice from a few feet away, but it’s not gonna hit anyone over the head and say, “LOOK AT ME!!”

I’d call this perfect if it wasn’t so easy to over-apply. The glitter can get a little goopy if you use too much (yep, like I did at first).
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-

MAC Hibiscus Kiss Lustre Drops Swatch — Swatches of Hibiscus Kiss Powder Blush on the left and Lustre Drops on the right (unblended and blended)

MAC Riri Boy Riri Woo Heux Swatches — Lipstick swatches from the left: Riri Boy, Riri Woo and Heaux

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Pair It Up: Kick Your Summer Makeup Repertoire Into High Gear With Matching Lips and Tips

June 13th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

Five of summer’s must-have lip and tip combos

This summer inspiration is brought to you by Target. Find more fun and surprises all season long on Target’s #SummerUp Pinterest board.

Lounging languidly beside any pools this summer? Planning any barbecues at the beach? Don’t forget those all-important warm-weather essentials like your swimsuit, big floppy hat, sunscreen, cooler filled with drinks and snacks, and of course, your matching lips and tips. 🙂

Some among us may argue that those last two items aren’t summer fun essentials. Either way, I sure do love bright nails and lips this time of year, especially when they match!

Gotta get that quick burst of color from your fingers as you write your name in the sand, or blow kisses into your camera phone as you snap a quick selfie to send to your sweetie (“Wish you were here, boo!”).

I searched high and low for a few fun, affordable combinations to wear this summer and combed through countless contenders (a tough job, but someone had to do it) to come up with the following five trendsetting color combos.

You don’t have to pay Dolce & Gabbana prices to look fashionable and fab. These five lip and tip pairings are available now at Target stores and online at target.com.

Look 1: Fruit salad

L’OREAL Colour Riche Le Gloss in Peach Fuzz ($5.99) and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Lickety-Split Lime ($3.80); Xhilaration Neon Floppy Hat ($14.99)

This juicy combo with lime green nails and lush peach lips begs to be worn with umbrella drinks and on lazy days by the pool.

Look 2: Playful purple

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Sugar Violet ($5.99) and COVERGIRL Outlast Saty Brilliant Glosstini in Purple Freeze ($2.99); Mossimo Purple Fedora ($14.99)

Nothing says “fun in the sun” quite like shiny purple tips and shimmery violet lips.

Look 3: Think hot pink

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in No. 1 Unique Pink ($16) and Pixi Nail Colour in Summer Pink ($8); Merona White Floppy Hat ($14.99)

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There’s Always Room For Jell-O And Another Marvelously Moisturizing Lip Gloss: These Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gels Even Look Like Jell-O

June 11th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Clarins Instant Smooth Lip Gel Crystal Pink — Is that J-E-L-L-O? Nope, it’s Clarins Instant Smooth Lip Gel in Crystal Pink ($22)

My lower lip quivered like Jell-O jiggling on a school lunch tray the first time I touched one of these new $22 Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gels.

That’s because it promised moisture — and lots of it — something my perpetually parched lips always crave.

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gel Crystal Plum Pink — Crystal Plum (darker tube) and Crystal Pink

Shiny like a lip gloss and moisturizing like a balm, Crystal Pink and Crystal Plum make me look like I’ve been kissing Jell-O, or strawberry and raspberry jelly, which is kind of weird but also cool.

Good jelly, too. None of that shiny slime that washes up on shore, or like when you take out a bowl of cold, fatty gravy from the fridge and it wiggles like The Blob when you move it back and forth.

Ewww…

Nope, not like that.

Just a translucent veil of wet color, almost like I’m holding a piece of shiny red or purple cellophane up to my lips.

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Gel Crystal Plum Pink Swatches — Crystal Pink on the left and Crystal Plum on the right

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Among the Many Splendours of the Sun-Kissed Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact, Fooling Your Mom Into Thinking You’ve Lost Weight

June 11th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Introducing the $35 Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact — not to be confused with Splenda, the artificial sweetener, despite the fact that the faux tan I get from it looks completely real, and that is pretty sweet. 🙂

Can’t say whether it actually tastes sweet, though…but I’m guessing, probably not.

When I used it last weekend to contour my cheeks, my mom, who I hadn’t seen in a few weeks, asked if I’d been eating enough and if I’d lost weight.

Yes, Mom, I have been eating enough, and no, I haven’t lost weight (said the girl who just had two slices of leftover birthday cake today after lunch).

It must be Splendours’ fault. A matte, medium-dark peachy golden brown, it resides on the darker side of the powder bronzing spectrum. Brushing it beneath my cheekbones sculpts them into sharp wedges of RuPaul/Tyra-style cheddar cheese.

Perfect for when I’m air quoting and don’t want my long, E.T.-like fingers (E.T. phone home!) to be distracting…

Just stare at mah cheeks, man!!

Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact K air quotes — “Air quotes”

Among the many splendors of Splendours, the 0.7-ounce pan is HUGE! It’s a tabby toe-size bigger than Guerlain’s 0.67-ounce pan of Terra Nerolia Bronzer ($69), which till now had been my default bronzer for the past two months.

That reminds me, I keep meaning to mention that Splendours might be a good alternative to paying almost 70 bones for a bronzer from Guerlain, since the colors are quite similar.

You might even like the Clarins one more, especially if you aren’t wild about tiare flower scents. I find Terra Nerolia’s fragrance intoxicating, albeit heavy.

Color-wise, Splendours, which has a faint tea rose scent, is slightly darker and less golden.

If I were also being super nitpicky, I think Terra Nerolia’s grains look and feel a tad finer, but really, unless you’re bucking for a spot in the bronzer edition of Ultimate Makeup Hoarders, I don’t think that’s reason enough to justify the difference in price.

Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact Swatch — Swatches from the left: Peach center of Splendours, outer section of Splendours, both the peach and tan mixed together (yup, from Splendours) and a comparison swatch from Guerlain’s Terra Nerolia Bronzer

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Voted Most Likely To Steal Your Heart This Summer: The Gold, Chocolate Brown and Plum Shades in the Clarins Splendours Colour Quartet & Eye Liner Palette

June 10th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

WARNING: Do not wear the new Clarins Splendours Colour Quartet & Eye Liner Palette ($42) unless you plan to kick all other gold summer eye palettes to the curb.

Put another way, if this were makeup high school, it’s the palette that would have been voted “Most Likely To Be Mistaken for Cookies” in the yearbook.

And we all know how awesome cookies are.

Remember those things?

Wait — no, not cookies. I mean those yearbook things where the seniors cast a bunch of votes for “Most Likely To…”

I wasn’t really one of those kids, but I was voted “Too Sexy for This Band” by my compatriots in the musical arts (BAND GEEKS!). 🙂 And to this day I have no idea whether they were being serious or sarcastic…

Still, I’m surprised it wasn’t “Most Likely to Become a Cat Lady.” You feel me?

Yep, hindsight’s 20/20.

Like one of those popular girls who got nominated for everything (Best Hair, Most Likely to Succeed, Biggest Flirt, Best Pronunciation in Spanish Class), the categories in which this palette would dominate are…

Most Likely To Flatter Warm-Toned Tans
Most Likely To Dance From Dawn Till Dusk With a Minimum of Creasing and Fading
Most Likely To Be Mistaken for a Dior Quint
Most Likely To Mix It Up (as in mixing colors to create your own custom shades, which I’ve been doing a lot with this palette and really liking my results)
Most Likely To Be the Palette That Melts Your Makeup-Loving Heart This Summer

Inside are four shimmery powder shadows — three golden shades (a rose gold, copper gold and a pale gold) and a plummy chocolate brown — and a creamy plum liner, all of which work together as well as root beer and vanilla ice cream.

Clarins Splendours Colour Quartet Eye liner Palette Swatches — Swatches from the left: the powder eyeshadows in pale gold, pinkish gold, coppery gold and chocolate brown; and the cream liner in plum

For day, go casual with a single wash of color over your lids (or mix two of the shadows together), and line your lash lines with the soft, smudgy liner.

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How Do You Make an Orange Crush? Just Squeeze Seven MAC All About Orange Lipsticks

June 6th, 2013 by Karen 33 Comments

Wearing MAC Flamingo Lipstick, a bright milky coral with a Lustre finish ($15), one of seven MAC Lipsticks in the new All About Orange collection

Oh, Tivo… You’ve been so good to me lately.

It was really, really sweet of you to record six hours of The Millionaire Matchmaker… You know how much I enjoy that show (oh, hells yeah!). 🙂

But wait — what’s this? You also recorded Blue Crush, one of my favorite chick flicks of all time?

Aww!! And you even did it without my asking?

How did you know I’ve been missing Hawaii something fierce this week and that I needed something good to watch while swatching the seven $15 lippies in the MAC All About Orange collection (available now at MAC counters, stores and online)?

MAC All About Orange Lipsticks from the left: Razzledazzler, Sweet & Sour, Tangerine Dream, Flamingo, Sushi Kiss, Tart & Trendy, Neon Orange — From the left: Razzledazzler, Sweet & Sour, Tangerine Dream, Flamingo, Sushi Kiss, Tart & Trendy, Neon Orange

You know me so well…

You gave me three more reasons to love the living room — an orchard of orange lipsticks that tend to well with warm skin tones, a surf movie with spectacular views of Oahu and a napping tabby cat.

I feel…like one of the characters from Blue Crush, maybe a missing member of the surf girl crew, the one obsessed with orange lipsticks and surfing.

“Flamingo Lipstick rips, man. Neon Orange? Charge it, charge it, CHARGE IT!”

I would totally paddle out for tubes of Razzledazzler, Sweet & Sour, Tart & Trendy and Sushi Kiss, but Tangerine Dream? Probably not.

Whenever I wear that one, I look like I’ve been worked over by big waves.

MAC All About Orange Lipstick Swatches — From the left: Razzledazzler, Sweet & Sour, Tangerine Dream, Flamingo, Sushi Kiss, Tart & Trendy and Neon Orange

MAC Tart & Trendy — Tart & Trendy, a bright, neutral-toned orange cream with a Lustre finish

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