Makeup

Thierry Mugler Makeup, Comic Sans and Fashion Don’ts for Dudes

March 30th, 2011 by Karen 72 Comments

Hey, friend. How’s Wednesday treating you? Sorry if it seems like I haven’t been around as much as usual, especially in the comments, but I’ve been a little out of sorts. It started with a bad case of writer’s block yesterday, which I think I’m still recovering from. I feel much better today, but it still wore me out.

I feel selfish complaining with everything going on in the world, but who else can I tell if not you? Unless it involves gravy, Tabs isn’t concerned.

Even though I haven’t been able to express myself, I’ve been dying to tell you about some of the weird things that have crossed my path lately, like…

Comic Sans! You know how much I like typography, right, and can’t stand Comic Sans? Well, for some reason, I’ve been getting almost one e-mail per day written ENTIRELY in Comic Sans. Like, paragraph after paragraph of bold 18-pt Comic Sans, usually in violet, orange or pink. 🙂 I kid you not! The universe is having a free-for-all font field day at little old moi’s expense. It makes me want to laugh and barf at the very same time.

And then there’s this: apparently, I haven’t been paying enough attention to men’s fashion because somewhere along the way, the sh*t hit the fan. Not only are boys wearing Uggs now, but they’re wearing them with bedazzled booty shorts!

Technically, I believe they’re called “Brazillian cut” swim trunks with Swarovski crystals on the bum. Technically, that is (ha!). That’s according to Rockstar, the indie swimwear company that sells ’em for $89 a pop.

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The Jemma Kidd Glitterati Shadow Dust Duo Collection Is Conspiring Against Boredom

March 30th, 2011 by Karen 26 Comments

In Dan Brown’s new book, a secret society of cream shadow enthusiasts plots to overthrow the government from a network of hidden catacombs beneath the country’s largest Target store. At the heart of this cosmetics conspiracy — the JK Glitterati Shadow Dust Duo Collection.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Angels & Demons was only the beginning! Where the Illuminati failed, the Glitterati succeed by appealing to lazy ladies who love shimmery cream shadows. Each of the three $18 duos in the collection has two ends. On one, a cream shadow with a doe-foot applicator; on the other, a loose powder shadow with a roller ball.

Despite being expensive for a drugstore makeup product, the flexible, long-wearing duos quickly spread to Target’s many stores nationwide…

It’s quite a page-turner. 🙂

I’ve been wearing the Paparazzi duo this week, trying the shadows separately and also layered together.

JK Glitterati Shadow Dust Duo Collection

Jemma must have read my mind as I read the book because the shimmery golden cream shadow side, with its cute, little pieces of glitter, is a snap to apply. I just dab a bit onto my lids and blend with my fingers. That’s it. And the color stays put all day long without creasing or skipping town.

Here it is beside an iPhone for scale…
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Might As Well Face It, I’m Addicted to Dior: New Dior Addict Lipstick

March 29th, 2011 by Karen 49 Comments

Alright, did someone sneak in a second Monday today? Yeesh! I had a tough Tuesday, ladies. Couldn’t focus worth squat. I felt like a cat in a thunder storm — perpetually on edge and ready to freak out. The only headway I made all day was with these newly reformulated Dior Addict lipsticks ($28 each). I say headway because I actually tried them on my lips.

Dior refers to these as iconic, a gutsy claim if we were talking about a different company, but Dior gets a pass from me for marketing speak like that. That’s how much I like the brand. Their corny tagline, on the other hand, I think I’ll gently tease: “A declaration of love between beauty and style, color and couture, and Dior and its addicts.” Come on, guys. You can do better than that. 🙂

I counted 44 shades on their website and tried three of them today. The new formula seems slightly thicker and more pigmented to me than the old one did. I could wax philosophic about how hydrating and extraordinarily shiny these heavenly bobbins are, but wax is one thing these lipsticks don’t do. Well, they do, but they do it less than usual, which is to say that they’re made with 25% less wax than classic lipsticks are.

Interesting, but I’m actually not sure if that’s good or bad. The formula, Dior says, contains an intensely hydrating, plumping gel. I do find them quite hydrating, but I didn’t notice much of a plumping effect…on my lips.

My eyes, however, must have doubled in size when I saw their chic packaging.

Their pretty tubes next to an iPhone for scale…

From left: 578, 972 and 465

Swatches from left: 972, 465 and 578
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Is Laura Mercier on the Right Track with These Shimmery Gel Lip and Baked Eye Colours?

March 29th, 2011 by Karen 31 Comments

My fellow travelers on the Laura Mercier Silk Road (isn’t that collection smokin’ hot?), care to pull over to the side for a sec? I can’t resist the sparkle from LM’s newest lines much longer!

Fresh out of the oven, the two new lines arrive just in time to add some shimmer to lips and eyes this spring. Eyes will glisten wearing the sparkling shades in Laura’s new line of Baked Eye Colours, while lips will shine showcasing the new Gel Lip Colours ($22 each).

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These Milani Liquif’Eye Liquid Eye Liner Pencils Use Disappearing Ink

March 28th, 2011 by Karen 25 Comments

I’m always looking for cheap thrills, especially ones having to do with makeup. 🙂 Before I tried them, I was sure the uber-affordable Milani Liquif’Eye Liquid Eye Liner Automatic Propel Pencils (just $5.49 each, SCORE!) would fit the bill.

New for spring 2011, these affordable twist-up eyeliners come with a fancy schmancy tip that doesn’t need sharpening. The fun shades of green, purple and blue are supposed to last all day long…with “supposed to” being the (controversial) key phrase.

I tested the green one today along my lash and water lines, but contrary to Milani’s claims, it didn’t last long. Along my lash lines, it exhibited significant fading after three hours, but that was still about two hours longer than it lasted along my waterlines, where it gave up after one.

While smooth, the tip doesn’t feel as smooth to me as similar twist-up pencils like the Tarte emphasEYES Aqua-Gel Eyeliners and MAC Technakohls.

And as if that wasn’t disheartening enough, it took five layers to reach opaque coverage, yikes!

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Sonia Kashuk Super Shimmering Highlighter: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

March 26th, 2011 by Karen 15 Comments

sonia kashuk super shimmering highlighter

So maybe you’re craving one of the new liquid highlighters from NARS or Make Up For Ever but aren’t feeling the $28-30 price. If you’re in bargain beauty mode and want a similar look for less, check out the new $9.99 Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Shimmering Highlighter on your next trip to Target.

Available in a single warm peachy gold, it’s a shimmery liquid highlighter designed to be worn either alone or mixed with foundation or lotion to give your skin a subtle twinkle like sunset light on sand. I’d characterize the level of pigment as half way between the super sheer NARS Illuminators and the crazy pigmented Make Up For Ever Uplights.

And oh, the glitter! The flecks are so deliriously fine and tiny that even though it’s been cold and rainy here, I’ve been mixing a few pumps into my body lotion and applying it to my arms. When the light hits my skin just right, I look like a little brown angel. 🙂

sonia kashuk super shimmering highlighter
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Like These Colors, I’m Cool and Warm on the Smashbox Softbox Eye Palette

March 25th, 2011 by Karen 24 Comments

smashbox softbox eye palette

I woke up this morning thinking I’d get a ton of stuff done today, but I’ve been feeling like a spazzy hyperactive chihuahua all afternoon and haven’t been able to focus at all, gah! Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me to lay off the caffeinated tea…

The only thing that’s kept my attention for any length of time is the new Smashbox Softbox Eye Shadow Palette ($48).

smashbox softbox eye palette

Pretty, yeah?

I guess what they say is true — makeup really does soothe the savage beast. 🙂

The new eye palette, brimming with sweet neutrals, hails from Smashbox’s summer Softbox collection, and the products, like a real soft box a photographer might use, are designed to diffuse the light and soften any shadows falling on a subject’s face. With the palette, you get nine powder eyeshadows, two cream liners, a double-sided brush, a mini-Photo Finish Lid primer and a fold-out Get-the-Look Guide with step-by-step directions for three different looks.

smashbox softbox eye palette shadows
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The Barely There Sonia Kashuk Natural Nudes Lip Quad

March 25th, 2011 by Karen 18 Comments

Happy Friday, friend! Looks like we made it. 🙂 To kick off today’s pre-weekend festivities, what do you say we get nude, Sonia Kashuk style?

SK’s Lip Gloss Quad in Natural Nudes, the third of three new lip palettes for spring, feels just as comfy on my lips as the other two, Beautiful Berries and Bronzey Corals.

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