Makeup

MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation Looks Like Real Skin, Feels Like Nothing and Garners Compliments From Complete Strangers

March 18th, 2013 by Karen 37 Comments

Um, you know when you find a pair of jeans that makes your bum look like it belongs in a naughty music video? Isn’t that one of the best things ever? 🙂

It’s like when you’re wearing a new foundation and a stranger tells you that your skin looks great.

Gurl, it happened to me yesterday at the mall wearing the new $33 MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation, and it was joy.

I was at the Blue Mercury at the Corte Madera mall chatting with one of the sales associates about skin care. She complimented me on my skin and seemed genuinely surprised when I credited MAC Mineralize Moisture, a completely new line of liquid foundations designed with dry skin and sheer-to-medium coverage in mind.

She assumed I wasn’t wearing any foundation at all, so I said to myself, “SCORE!” I gotta say, when a foundation fools a fellow beauty addict, there’s magic afoot…

What kind of magic?

Well, the kind that brings mannequins to life…by which I mean the satiny finish, which has just the faintest hint of a shine, keeps skin from looking flat or artificial.

It comes in a whopping 18 shades, too — NC15, NC20, NC25, NC30, NC35, NC37, NC40, NC42, NC44, NC45, NC50, NW20, NW25, NW30, NW35, NW43, NW45 and NW50.

I usually wear MAC foundations in NC42, but when MAC sent me a few shades to test, they left that one out, so I’ve been wearing a lighter shade, NC30, to sort of highlight the areas beneath my eyes, on my nose, between my brows and in the middle of my forehead, and a mix of NC30 and NC44 everywhere else.

Those two together seem like a pretty good match for me (note to self).

MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation swatches — Four of the 18 shades of MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 Foundation from the left: NC30, NC44, NC45 and NW50

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The Plucky Pink Tarte Energy LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint Puts Pep in This Cat Lady’s Step

March 18th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

I guess it was a good thing I slicked Tarte’s $24 Energy LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint on my lips before Tabs and I left the house for his morning walk; otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have been able to keep up with him!

Yeah, I have no idea what got into your nephew this morning… Instead of casually strolling along like he usually does, stopping and starting to nibble on shoots of grass and inspect behind tires, he straight-up trotted like a show dog! — with his twitchy tail up, his head held high and proud, and his low-hanging tum swaying back and forth as he galloped around the circle.

I was smiling from ear to ear like a proud stage mom as he pulled me along. 🙂

And it was quite a workout, too. The big cup of coffee I had first thing this morning probably helped me keep up with him, but I also think the soft shine of Tarte’s $24 Energy LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint put an extra spring in my step.

Ingredients: Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, caprylic/caprictriglyceride, vegetable oil/Olus/Huile vÃ©gÃ©tale, candelilla cera/Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax/Cire de candelilla, cera alba/Beeswax/Cire d’abeille, hydrogenated vegetable oil, castor oil bis-hydroxypropyl dimethicone esters, ozokerite, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, dimethyl isosorbide, stevioside, salicornia herbacea extract, limonene, palmitoyl hexapeptide-14, linalool, ascorbyl palmitate, tocopherol, glycine soja (soybean) oil. (+/-): titanium dioxide (CI 77891), red 28 lake (CI 45410), yellow 5 lake (CI 19140), red 27 (CI 45410).

New for spring, this latest member of Tarte’s lightweight, non-sticky family of twist-up LipSurgence pencils is one of those products that changes colors like a mood ring on your lips.

According to Tarte, the Skintuitive formula responds to your personal pH balance and your “energy,” resulting in a personalized shade of pink all your own.

It’s a gimmick, sure, but it’s one of those gimmicks I like, because it takes some of the work out picking a matching lip color, in that you can’t really control what color you’re gonna get. With energy, it is what it is, ya know? Your color is your color, and that’s that.

When Energy touches my lips, BAM! It goes from being a sheer baby pink to a medium rose petal pink in just a few blinks of an eye.

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Forget Milkshakes, theBalm’s Cabana Boy Blush Brings All the Boys to the Yard

March 15th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

That’s theBalm Cabana Boy Blush ($21) on my cheeks

Once I babysat this adorable little girl who somehow knew the lyrics to that Kelis song, Milkshake…and she also took them to heart.

She believed that milkshakes would literally bring all the boys to the yard, and since she also believed that all boys were yucky, she swore to never have a milkshake.

Hahaha! From the mouths of babes… 🙂

That’s what I thought of this morning when I pulled out theBalm’s new $21 Cabana Boy Blush. Like the milkshake of the makeup world, it’s also supposed to bring all the boys to the yard.

In a manner of speaking. theBalm claims that this pigmented, warm rosy pink, with its hint of plum, will have the boys (or girls) attending to your every whim.

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I’ll Take Two Coats of the New Milani Grandissimo Lashes and a Vanilla Scone, Please

March 15th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

“Um, yeah, could I please have a Grande Grandissimo Lash and one of those YUMMY-looking vanilla scones?”

Haha! Okay, you caught me. Part of the reason I like new Milani Grandissimo Lashes mascara is because it sounds like something I’d order at Starbucks instead of my regular grande soy chai latte (no foam, please). That, and I just like saying the name over and over again… Grandissimo. Grandissimo. Grandissimo.

Just launched for spring, Grandissimo and it’s oversized accompanying brush promise a false lash look with “incredible volume,” and all without smearing or clumps.

I’ve had my eyes peeled for a budget version of my favorite dramatic mascara du jour, Le Volume de Chanel, and I was hoping Grandissimo would be a good drugstore dupe.

Milani Grandissimo Lashes before after — Two coats of Grandissimo on the left, and my bare lashes on the right

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Two Swipes Will Have You Hooked and Ready For Pancakes! The Tarte Awakening Cheek Stain Rallies Brunch Enthusiasts, 5-Minute Makeup Fans and Blush Scaredy Cats

March 14th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

Blueberry pancakes, eggs, hash browns, refill after refill of piping hot coffee (with extra cream and a teaspoon of sugar)…

Oh, man… My muffin top just quivered with delight. It’s only Thursday, and I’ve got Sunday brunch on the brain! It’s all Tarte’s new $30 Awakening Cheek Stain’s fault.

There’s just something so right about going out for weekend brunch or breakfast noms wearing minimal makeup, ya know? I usually lack the coordination/motivation to do a full-on look early on a Sunday morning, so out come my five-minute minimal makeup routines, like this one here: brows, tinted moisturizer, under-eye concealer, mascara, gloss and barely-there cheek colors like Tarte’s Awakening, a nude pink gel blush that’ll leave your brunch buddies wondering whether you’re wearing any blush at all.

Being a part-time lazy girl, I love this thing. I swipe the stick twice on each cheek either directly on bare skin or tinted moisturizer. Then, I blend in the edges with my fingers and bam! — pinched, flushed cheeks that look like I just finished a brisk walk.

Awakening gets the whole “no-makeup makeup” thing totally right. Just enough color for perky cheeks, and I think the slightly shiny finish, with its faint hint of shimmer, keeps it from looking fake or flat.

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The Doctor Is Into Silky Shadows: Dr. Hauschka’s New Limited Edition Eyeshadow Trio

March 14th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

A closeup of the new Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95), available now at Dr. Hauschka counters and online

Oh, it hurts, doctor! Right here in my heart (and my makeup bag). It’s like a yearning, aching hunger for a trio of silky smooth shadows in natural shades…

Yes, Dr. Hauschka, I’ll take one of the new $39.95 Eyeshadow Trios and call you in the morning. It’s one of five pieces from your limited edition spring 2013 collection, you say?

The Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection — The five-piece Dr. Hauschka limited edition spring 2013 collection, clockwise from the trio in the lower left: the Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95, limited edition), Eyeshadow Definer Blush ($22.95), Eyeshadow Blender Brush ($27.95), Black Volume Mascara ($29.95) and Black Eyeliner ($17.95)

Should I take it with food? Oh, I see. It doesn’t matter. 🙂

You say that you designed the shimmery beige, rosy pink and chocolate trio to flatter every eye color and fortified the formula with botanicals like black tea to baby the delicate skin around the eyes?

Fascinating… And you used a smooth base of silk and talc powder?

Dr Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio small — The new Dr. Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95)

Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection Eyeshadow Trio Swatches — Swatches on my NC42 skin

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A Tan-Talizingly Talented Triple Threat, theBalm’s Shimmery Betty-Lou Manizer Has the Golden Touch

March 13th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer — In this pic I’m wearing the Betty-Lou Manizer from theBalm ($24), available now at Sephora and online

Any time a product saves me room in my makeup bag (for more products), I applaud that product (“Good job, product! Three cheers!”).

I mean, who wouldn’t want more room for spare lip glosses and cat treats? 🙂

Not only does theBalm’s shimmery, warm golden brown Betty-Lou Manizer have a great name, it’s also supposed to do three space-saving jobs, working as a contouring bronzer, an all-over setting powder and an eye shadow.

This afternoon I put Betty-Lou to the test, starting by patting it on my lids and sweeping it into my creases.

LOVE!

Imagine a MAC Soft Brown loaded with golden frost. I feel like the deep orangey brown color and intensely shiny golden shimmer deepen my eyes. I can see myself wearing this as a layering shade with greens and blues, and also using it in the crease for smokey eyes.

After introducing it to my lids, I tried Betty-Lou as a shimmery all-over powder, lightly dusting it on my forehead, cheeks and chin, where it bestowed a warm golden glow.

Next came time to contour…

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer open — theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer swatch — Swatch ya doin’?

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer packaging — theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer box packaging

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When Lashes Take a Dark Turn: The Carbon Pigments in MAC’s Remixed Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara Blast Beyond Black, Relieve Beauty Lovers’ Fears of Tarantula Fringe

March 12th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Wearing two coats of the new MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash ($16) mascara, available now at MAC counters, stores and online

Currently holding one of the top spots on my List of Silly Fears, right under 1) the inevitable zombie apocalypse, and 2) dressing like a cougar in a too-tight teenage girl’s dress?

Tarantula lashes.

You know what I’m talking about. The tipping point after which long, lush lashes venture into predatory hairy spider legs territory.

To be honest, mascara and I have totally gone there many times (accidentally, of course). Sometimes it happens when I get a little too enthusiastic with the layering…

If you’re as bothered by the idea as I am, let the new MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara ($16 and available in a single shade called Intense Black) allay your fears.

Gigablack is the latest incarnation of MAC Extended Play (the “Blanche Deveraux” mascara from last spring), and the latest addition to MAC’s permanent mascara line.

It’s similar to the original Extended Play in how well it separates and lengthens lashes while ensuring that they still look natural — but not too natural, if you know what I mean.

No hairy spider leg-like lashes here. 🙂

Wearing two or three coats, my lashes look long, smooth and dark, yet still feel soft and light, and they remain that way for 15-16 hours (!) without flaking or smudging.

So, what’s the big diff between this new version and its predecessors? Two words: carbon pigments. MAC added ’em to the formula to make the black color more intense.

But that’s not the only thing…

MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash before and after — No mascara on the left and with two coats of Gigablack on the right

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