Makeup

I Can’t Think of a Better Way to Mourn the Loss of the Chanel Aqualumieres Than With the New Guerlain Gloss d’Enfer Maxi Shines

April 3rd, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

What’s a Chanel lip gloss lover to do when she still feels a throbbing hole in her heart where the Aqualumiere Glosses once lived?

The lightweight, shiny Aqualumieres have been gone for years, and yet I still shed sparkly tears whenever I think about them…

Oh, the sweet, sweet misery!

R.I.P., Candy Glow. *sniffs*

Next time I get all emo for an Aqualumiere and feel the urge to pour a 40 on the ground (or in my case 6 ounces of chai latte), I’ll just grab one of these new splurge-worthy Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shines from Guerlain.

For a polished chrome shine a mirror would envy, just whip out the flat flocked applicator (ergonomically shaped for easier application), and slick your lips with one of 20 available shades, which vary from shy girl quiet sheerness to HAAAY BOO! — we’re going full-on drag-caliber opacity tonight.

What’s more, these glosses look and feel exactly like the Aqualumieres!

Well, darned near. Same crystal ball-like finish, same smooth, non-sticky texture, lightweight formula and two-hour wear time.

Heck, they could almost pass for identical makeup twins.

Almost.

Guerlain’s Maxi Shines do have a rosy scent and flavor the Aqualumieres didn’t have, but I like it. It’s not overpowering. I think it’s quite elegant, in fact.

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer Maxi Shine Swatches — Top row: 400 Gold Tchlack, 460 Rose Splatch, 402 Browny Clap, 463 La Petite Robe Noir and 468 Candy Stripe; bottom row: 467 Cherry Swing, 471 Prune Zip, 420 Rouge Schebam, 441 Tangerine Vlam and 421 Red Pow

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer Maxi Shine in 421 Red Pow — Guerlain Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in 421 Red Pow

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer Maxi Shine in 471 Prune Zip — Guerlain Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in 471 Prune Zip

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Try Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara for Lash Looks With a Twist — No, Really, You Twist a Dial on the Tube to Change the Shape of the Brush

April 3rd, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

Whenever I’m flipping through the channels and see that the The Wedding Singer is on, I grab a jar of Chocolate Butter and a spoon (more on this in a second), and sit back and relax with it for the hundred billionth time.

Great music, mullets, awesome ’80s references (“We’re living in a material world, and I am a material girl…or boy.”) and, of course, Drew Barrymore!

I’ve always thought she’d be fun to kick it with, ya know? And we could talk about makeup, too. In fact, she recently released her own cosmetics line called Flower, available exclusively at Walmart and walmart.com.

“You no longer have to spend a lot of money to get the quality cosmetics you want and deserve. How do we do it? We do not pay for advertising. Where other beauty brands spend a vast percentage of the cost of their products on ads, we do not. Drew, as an owner of the brand, takes pride in promoting Flower, which in turn allows us to put all of our resources into the formulas and packaging, and not into advertising. Custom-formulated with the same ingredients used in luxury make-up, our exclusive botanical-infused Soft-Focus Complex illuminates for a lit-from-within effect. All products are proudly made in the USA and are never tested on animals. So be em-FLOWER-ed. The best make-up isn’t only found in high-end stores any longer.”

— flowerbeauty.com

The brand doesn’t believe in animal testing and features a wide array of well-priced products, like the $8 Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara I wore last weekend.

If you’ve ever felt the urge to toss a mascara tube in the trash after combing through pesky lumps or bumps (always seems to happen when I’m in a big rush, like the mascara knows I’m running behind), try Zoom-In’s smooove formula and customizable brush.

The wand has a dial/doohickey at the top; twisting it shortens the brush at the other end, which transforms it for different effects (like lengthening, curling or volume), letting you choose the lash look you like.

I find it oddly thrilling. 🙂

For natural-looking lashes with a little extra length, I keep the brush long, but for more thickness and curl, I’ll twist the dial down.

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara before and after — Plain lashes on the left of the screen and two coats of Zoom-In on the right of the screen

And no matter how many layers I apply, the formula doesn’t clump.

Besides the empowerment I get from choosing my lash look, I think the mascara itself is pretty cool, especially for natural, casual lash looks.

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What’s One Thing I’d Like to See More of in Sonia Kashuk’s Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balms?

April 3rd, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm in Hint of Berry — That’s Sonia K.’s $8.99 Hint of Berry Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm on my lips

The list of things Sonia Kashuk’s new Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balms have going for ’em reads like a laundry list of travel makeup awesomeness.

Sleek presentation
They’re pretty affordable at $8.99 each
They come in four sheer, universally flattering shades — Hint of Coral, Hint of Pink, Hint of Red and Hint of Berry
The lightweight formula
They’re unburdened by scents or flavors
SPF 15
Infused with aÃ§aÃ oil, essential fatty acids, cherry extract for antioxidant protection and safflower seed oil to nourish lips

I always worry about losing my (luggage, mind) makeup bag when I travel, and Sonia regularly releases such great stuff at good prices that I figured I’d bring one of these along with me on my next trip.

Except there’s one problem with that…

Moisture!

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The Aqualillies for Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye and Cheek Palette Is Making a Splash With Me

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 38 Comments

I usually ditch darker smokey shades and crisp cat liner looks when summer rolls around and opt for sheer washes of gold, beige or tan on my lids instead — most of the time — maybe also with a splash of teal along my lash lines for oomph.

Tarte’s new limited edition waterproof Aqualillies palette ($38) could easily keep this particular surf baby singing through summer with its mix of six summery powder eye shadows, all of which should be neutral enough for most guys and gals and skin tones from cool to warm.

Aqualillies for Tarte open with names — Cute names, yeah?

Most of these colors, all but the dark brown shade, apply with sheer-to-medium pigment on my tan NC42 skin, making this a perfect palette to reach for when I feel like a light wash of color.

And they can handle more intense eye looks, too, as long as I tap any excess powder off my brush before applying (to prevent any unwanted fallout), and use a few layers to build up the colors.

Eye Shadow swatches from the Aqualillies for Tarte palette from the left: Hammock, Bikini, Barefoot, Parasol, Sundeck and Poolside — Eye Shadow swatches from the Aqualilies for Tarte palette from the left: Hammock, Bikini, Barefoot, Parasol, Sundeck and Poolside

“Make a splash this summer with tarte and the Aqualillies! This limited-edition waterproof palette, inspired by America’s most glamorous synchronized swimming group, includes 6 new eye shadows, bronzer, highlighter, and a limited-edition Amazonian clay 12-hour blush. All show-stopping shades are tucked inside a classically elegant, mirrored compact.”

— tartecosmetics.com

Along with the eye shadows, Tarte also tucked in a coral matte blush, a shimmery champagne highlighter and a matte tan bronzer, to round out your look out.

Aqualillies for Tarte swatches from the left: Champagne Highlighter, Park Ave Princess Bronzer and Captivating Blush — Aqualilies for Tarte swatches from the left: Champagne Highlighter, Park Ave Princess Bronzer and Captivating Blush

Everything in the oversized palette is also powered by Amazonian Clay — one of Tarte’s favorite ingredients.

On my combination dry/oily skin, with the help of a good primer, I get between 8-10 hours of wear time from these pieces on both my eyes and cheeks.

Pretty great.

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For a Plump Pout, Try These Creamy New Buxom Full-Bodied Lipsticks

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

I’ve been glued to glosses for at least the past decade (give or take a year or two). Yup, I’m a gloss girl — the gal in the group who’ll whip out her makeup bag to touch up after lunch at the table, and then spend five minutes sifting through handfuls of tubes to find the perfect shiny shade while everyone else sips coffee.

What can I say? I like gloss. I think it makes my lips look fuller, and I even feel a little younger when I wear it, too.

Ah, but Buxom’s new line of unscented, unflavored Full-Bodied Lipsticks is currently threatening to turn me into a full-time lipstick lady. When I wear one of these 10 creamy, satin-finish shades, each one of them loaded with hydrating hyaluronic spheres, my pout does appear a little plumper (no sting or tingling sensation, though) — like I’ve been locking lips with someone at work in the supply closet — and it stays that way from 4-5 hours (or until my next meal).

Buxom Full-Bodied Lipstick swatches from the left: Exhibitionist, Hooligan, Menace, Nudist, Rouge, Scoundrel and Two-Timer

Buxom Full-Bodied Lipstick in Exhibitionist

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Sonia Kashuk’s $12.99 Chic Luminosity Duos Glisten on Skin, Combine the Benefits of a Baked Powder, Cream and Liquid In a Single Pan

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten — That’s Sonia Kashuk’s new Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten ($12.99) on my cheeks, one of three new SK Duos for spring

Okay, so I don’t quite get the alligator/reptilian pattern on the pans (gives me the heebie-jeebies and the urge to moisturize my shins!), but I do get a good bargain-hunting vibe from Sonia Kashuk’s new $12.99 Chic Luminosity Duos.

Each of the three Duos in petal pink Glow, warm coral Glisten and rosy nude Glimmer comes with a blush and bronzer; the formulas remind me of some of the powder/cream/gel products we’ve seen from EstÃ©e Lauder and Chanel over the past couple of years.

Glisten, the warm coral I’ve been wearing off and on since last weekend, looks just like one of EstÃ©e Lauder’s Ilumminating Powder Gelee Highlighters and Blushes, which usually cost between $40-50.

And like the Gelees, it illuminates cheeks with a refined, glimmering finish that softens the appearance of pores and fine lines, almost like a 1940s powderpuff lens.

Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer Blush in Glisten ($12.99)

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Here’s a Tip to Save Blending and Buffing Time With Your Twist-Up Cream Shadow Sticks

April 1st, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

A quick eye makeup tip to try with cream eye shadow sticks

Years from now when we look back and pour over the beauty history books, I think spring 2013 could be remembered as the Era of the Cream Shadow Stick.

Seems like every time I pirouette or sashay around a corner in my teal Franco Sarto platform sandals, I trip over a display gleaming with twist-up shadows…

They’re everywhere!

The idea isn’t necessarily new, but with so many lines putting their own twist on it this season, there’s a good chance you’ve already been tempted by a stick or two.

Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colours in Seashell, Grey Pearl and Sand Glow

Jouer’s CrÃ¨me Eyeshadow Crayons

Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks

Neutrogena’s Crease Proof Eye Shadows
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A Lap Around the Beauty Department at Saks Fifth Avenue: Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Molton Brown

March 29th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

When the Bobbi Brown master class wrapped up yesterday, I zipped back down to the beauty department to look around…

And I have no doubt I could have remained there, happily playing and chatting with makeup artists. (Like Courtney, who’s awesome and works at the Laura Mercier counter. Go see her if you ever stop by.)

But alas, I only had enough time for a quick lap before heading home, so the first thing I did was pick up one of Bobbi Brown’s Foundation Sticks, which Marc really praised in that master class.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Honey, $42

Then I flitted over to the Chanel counter to sneak a peek at the new Revelation collection (10 Glossimers and a Le Vernis Nail Colour in Taboo).

The new Chanel Collection Revelation collection of Glossimers ($29.50) and Taboo Nail Polish ($27)

That was all it took for me to conclude that I needed to get Taboo in my life — like yesterday.

WOW, right!? It’s like Vendetta times a thousand!

Yup, now I know one of the things I’m doin’ this weekend (getting Taboo on my paws).

With a bottle of Taboo in my purse, I pranced over to the Molton Brown display. They had some bath and body products that looked neat, and I decided to treat myself to their Heavenly Gingerlily shower gel.

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath & Shower Gel ($30), TAKE ME AWAY!

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