Makeup

Escape to a Land of Cute Clutches and Magic Clay With the Tarte Amazon Escape Palette

August 3rd, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

tarte amazon escape

Time for a game of What If!

What if…you found a palette that satisfied both your appetite for stylish accessories and your appetite for makeup?

And what if said palette were available now, at this very moment (depending on your time zone), and the powder eyeshadows and blushes within it not only helped you get your pretty on, but they also improved your skin?

Blarney! you say? Nope, ’tis not science fiction. Tarte believes that such a thing exists, and it was last seen escaping from the Amazon!

Wait — that’s not right. It’s just called Amazon Escape, as in the Tarte Amazon Escape Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette, and for $44 it pledges to beautify your eyes and cheeks while improving your skin.

The secret sauce in this palette parolee? A skin-loving trifecta of Amazonian clay (to nourish skin, reduce oil and improve texture), vitamin E (which acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient and protects against damage by free radicals), and soothing mineral pigments shown to soften skin.

tarte amazon eyescape

Just as important as all that…it’s cute! 🙂

And it’s on shelves now.

I have to admit, the packaging is what first caught my attention, but the colors and claimed skin benefits also make a compelling case, not that I can detect any results after testing it for a week.

Based on the colors, at least, I think it definitely deserves more time. The six powder shadows and two blushes in the kit are downright gorgeous!

tarte amazon eyescape 2

tarte amazon eyescape swatches
Swatches from the left: Blushes in Free and Exposed; Eyeshadows in Tame, Rare, Rope, Camo, Canopy and Tribal
[Continue reading…]

My Cheeks Are Loving Tarte’s Latest Natural-Looking Cheek Stain

August 2nd, 2012 by Karen 44 Comments

tarte loving cheekstain

Things I encountered this afternoon…

1. A piece of chocolate cake.

Portion control is lame

2. A pinkish coral blush that smells like a mixed berry smoothie (more on this in a minute!).

tarte loving cheekstain

3. Jeremy Renner doing push-ups in my living room… He texted this morning to ask if he could come over on my lunch break (“Hey, girl, I’m in Novato!”).

Alright, so maybe that third thing didn’t happen. Truth is, Jeremy and I went makeup shopping at Sephora this afternoon…

Okay, okay, I’ll stop! 🙂

But seriously, I can’t wait to see Jeremy in the new Bourne movie. Maybe I’ll wear Tarte’s new Cheek Stain in Loving ($30) to the show.

If I do, one thing’s for sure — I know my cheeks will smell good, LOL!
[Continue reading…]

It’s a Pleasure to Kiss These Bold Brights: The Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duos Summer Pleasures Collection

August 2nd, 2012 by Karen 21 Comments

dolce gabbana passion duo summer pleasures

Should you ever find yourself under doctor’s orders to refrain from wearing eye makeup “for a day or two” while your allergies subside, and you’re kind of a beauty nerd, you may also find yourself debating whether filling in your brows constitutes “eye makeup.”

I came to the conclusion that it does not… 🙂

I KNOW! But I couldn’t resist doing at least a little something.

My eyes don’t seem to mind, and they’re certainly enjoying gazing at three of the bright, shiny lipsticks from the new Dolce & Gabbana Summer Pleasures collection.

These $34 beauties, three of 10 new Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks, are available now at Saks stores and saksfifthavenue.com (there are also five Nail Lacquers in the collection priced at $20 each).

The 10 new shades range from summery, soft nudes to bold, glamorous brights.

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Summer Pleasures 3
Clockwise from the dark shade in the lower left: Royal 110, Exotic 50 and Tropical 140

Dolce & Gabbana’s Gloss Fusion Lipsticks are among my favorite products in the entire line. Each has a shiny, moisture-filled core of gloss wrapped in a rich coat of pigmented lipstick.

I remember when they first made a splash on Dolce & Gabbana counters… Oh, the intense colors, the high-gloss finish, the texture so smooth it would give Ryan Gosling a run for his money.

As for the three new colors I’ve been ogling this morning? Just as fab. 🙂

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Summer Pleasures 4
Royal 110

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Summer Pleasures 5
Tropical 140
[Continue reading…]

The Dainty Dolce & Gabbana Lace Collection Delivers Nude Lips and Nails for Fall

July 31st, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

dolce gabbana lace collection

As much as I like the idea of working beside Vampire Pam behind the bar at Fangtasia this fall, sometimes the look — the stilettos and skin-tight leather from head to toe, the super serious smokey eyes, and the jewel-toned shadow shades — is a little too, well, much for me.

So, this afternoon, I hit the pause button on the kinds of rich colors and intense shades we’ve been seeing a lot for fall, and spent a little time with the dainty, nice nudes in the new Dolce & Gabbana Lace collection.

The 10-piece release is all about bronzed skin and nude lips and nails, and the packaging? — oh, the packaging…

I just lurve lace. 🙂 I kinda wish all of Dolce & Gabbana’s makeup had this same limited-edition packaging.

Here’s a quick peek at three pieces from the collection…

dolce gabbana lace collection product shot
From the left: Intenseyes Black Intensity Mascara ($31), Ultra Shine Gloss in Perfection ($32) and Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink ($22)

Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink ($22)

If you’re getting married soon, consider classic, soft pink Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink ($22) for your tips or toes. Creamy, smooth and semi-sheer, it’s a little like Essie’s Ballet Slippers, but much, much smoother.

I’m wearing two coats here, but I’m sure I could have gotten away with one. Yes, the color isn’t altogether unique, but I think it’s perfectly executed.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

dolce gabbana Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink
Two coats of Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink

Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Perfection ($32)

On my lips, creamy beige Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Perfection ($32) feels thick, but not sticky, and it has Dolce & Gabbana’s signature rose flavor and scent. It’s one of the smoothest beige glosses I’ve ever tried, and I can totally see it cruising down a red carpet below a shimmery gray smokey eye.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

dolce gabbana perfection swatch
Ultra Shine Gloss in Perfection swatch
[Continue reading…]

Don’t Gloss Over Lavender Without Giving Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Crocus a Try

July 27th, 2012 by Karen 21 Comments

korres lip butter glaze crocus

I totally get it if you’re kinda freaked out about the idea of purple lip gloss. I was too. I used to think, gaudy much? But then I slipped one on and completely changed my tune.

The right lavender can look trÃ¨s flattering and still “natural with a kick.”

One to consider: Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Crocus ($14), a sheer, creamy lavender with a whisper of shine.

If you haven’t tried the Lip Butter Glazes yet, give ’em a kiss when you can. I think Korres did a really good job on these. They’re total A+ products.

The one I’m wearing tonight, Crocus, starts as a highly pigmented, can’t-miss color, but it slowly wears down to a soft lavender pink.

korres lip butter glaze crocus swatch
[Continue reading…]

I’m Drawn to Your Pigment and Wear Time, NARS Eyeliner Stylo

July 26th, 2012 by Karen 39 Comments

nars eyeliner stylo

Ah, flexibility… It’s good, no? GREAT, in fact, especially when you’re battling Channing Tatum on the dance floor, wrangling friends into last-minute dinner plans or, say, applying liquid eyeliner.

Honestly, without the flexible tip at the end of my far-and-away favorite LORAC Front of the Line Pro, my liquid liner cat eye looks would look like a hot mess. That flexible tip makes drawing straight, crisp lines much easier for me and my sometimes shaky hand.

But because I suffer from chronic makeup madness (I believe that’s the clinical term), I’m predisposed to seek out other options…

You know how it goes. 🙂

Which brings me to the four new colors in the NARS Eyeliner Stylo line ($27 each).

Even though their tips are a little too firm for me (ruh-roh!), I wanted to test them with an open mind.

The four new shades — black Carpates, brown Nuku Hiva, navy Atlantic and grey Koala — are en route to narscosmetics.com, ETA August 1 (not sure if they’re also going to be available in stores).

nars eyeliner stylo tips
From top to bottom: Atlantic, Koala, Nuku Hiva and Carpates

nars eyeliner stylo swatches
Swatches from the left: Koala, Carpates, Nuku Hiva and Atlantic

nars eyeliner stylo
Wearing Koala on my eyes
[Continue reading…]

According to Sophisti-Cat Cosmetics, Meow Is a Purrfect Time for Cat-Inspired Makeup

July 26th, 2012 by Karen 35 Comments

sophisti-cat cosmetics celebrate liquid lips
Wearing Sophisti-Cat Cosmetics Liquid Blush in Burlesque on my cheeks and Liquid Lips in Celebrate

Here, kitty. Come here, cat lady. Here, kitty-kitty-kitty. It’s time for treats!

Makeup treats. 🙂

I kid you not, I came this close to flopping on my back and showing my tum, tabby-style, when I heard about Sophisti-Cat Cosmetics.

It’s a new indie makeup line of products inspired by two of my favorite things: makeup and cats. And their motto? “…makeup should make you look as flawless as a feline.”

A sentiment with which Tabs wholeheartedly agrees…

sophisti-cat cosmetics tabs

The line features a husky selection of reasonably-priced products from powder eyeshadows to liners, powder and liquid blushes, loose pigments, a liquid cake eyeliner sealant, an eye and lip primer and lipsticks. Pieces range from $8-16 each, are made in the US and weren’t tested on animals.

Tabs wouldn’t stop making biscuits on my bare thighs this afternoon until I gave in to his demands to see pics and swatches. 🙂

sophisti-cat cosmetics super silky bold shadows
Super Silky and Bold Effect Shadows ($12 each)

sophisti-cat cosmetics super silky bold shadows

sophisti-cat cosmetics deception
Super Silky Shadow in Deception
[Continue reading…]

Tom Ford Beauty Blush in Flush and a Quick Note to Self

July 26th, 2012 by Karen 27 Comments

tom ford beauty flush blush

Dear Self,

I see that you’ve been caught by the whirlwind of fall makeup. I mean, I totally get it. Hello, NARS fall 2012? Swoon!

But I feel like I need to tell you something. To quote Alanis, “and I’m here…to remind you…” it’s still the middle of summer.

Hey, don’t you make faces at my corny jokes, young lady!

tom ford beauty flush blush

You know you love it. 🙂

So, no matter how tempting all of that fall makeup may be (and it sure is tempting), let’s give a little time this morning to summer.

I vote we spend it with a shimmery golden coral blush…like how about Tom Ford Beauty Blush in Flush ($55, and available now at Neiman Marcus)?

tom ford beauty flush blush

tom ford beauty flush blush swatch
[Continue reading…]