Makeup

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil 15-Year Anniversary Set Is So Awesome It Should Come with a Warning

December 8th, 2010 by Karen 40 Comments

urban decay 24 glide on eye pencils 15 year anniversary set review swatches photos
The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (counterclockwise from the brown one in the upper left):Bourbon, Midnight Cowboy, Baked, Stash, Mildew, Perversion, Electric, Binge, Ransom, Asphyxia, Rockstar, Zero, Uzi, Stray Dog and Corrupt

Girl, Urban Decay knows how to throw a party. They do it by releasing great stuff! Great stuff like the 15-Year Anniversary 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set ($92; 15 pigmented pencils; 15 heart palpitations, oy vey!).

Many makeup mavens consider these pigmented, long-wearing eyeliners, which also happen to be smoother than silk, some of the best and brightest in the biz, and seeing so many of them together in the same place is enough to drive me to drink…bourbon (my favorite one). 🙂

urban decay spring 2011 24/7 glide on eye pencil set 15 year anniversary collection

With the set, a limited edition release for spring, you get nine classic 24/7 colors in Baked, Binge, Bourbon, Electric, Mildew, Ransom, Rockstar, Stash and Zero, and six brand new shades — Asphyxia, Corrupt, Midnight Cow, Perversion, Stray Dog and Uzi. Purchased individually, the whole kit ‘n kaboodle would set you back a painful $255 (they’re regularly $17 apiece), but here they work out to just $6 each.

Urban Decay 15-Year Anniversary 24 7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set review swatches photos
Swatches from left: Stray Dog, Corrupt, Bourbon, Midnight Cowboy and Baked…
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$8 NYX Eye & Lip Makeup Remover Is an Orange that Sings the Blues

December 8th, 2010 by Karen 25 Comments

nyx eye and lip makeup remover review closeup

Um, why do I feel like rubbing orange slices all over myself? Oh, yeah — I remember. NYX Eye & Lip Makeup Remover ($8), one of the best smelling makeup removers I’ve EVER sniffed.

Fo’ reals! This dual-phase liquid (an oil and water emulsion; it turns a pale blue when shaken) smells fresh and sweet like a yummy (blue?) orange, and it digests le war paint almost as well as the much more expensive Lancome Bi-Facil, also a dual-phase formula.

They say the nose knows. Well, mine stopped paying attention as soon as it caught a whiff of this fragrant potion of orange and papaya extracts. As a matter of fact, I like the smell so much that I’m willing to overlook its few shortcomings, one of which has to do with mascara. It’s not that good at removing it as Bi-Facil (or any number of other eye makeup removers), but nothing’s perfect, right? Except perhaps the way NYX Eye & Lip Makeup Remover smells, LOL! 🙂

RANDOM SIDE NOTE: Wouldn’t it be freaky if our eyes could process scent?

Even though Bi-Facil whisks away mascara and waterproof products better than NYX’s remover, the later still manages to spirit away most of the non-waterproof lip and eye makeup I’ve thrown its way, doing so without irritating my sensitive eyes or clouding up my vision (I’m talking to YOU, Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover!).

nyx eye and lip makeup remover review

nyx eye and lip makeup remover review back of bottle

nyx eye and lip makeup remover review ingredients
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Was JK Jemma Kidd Eyeing MAC When They Created the Catwalk I-Kit?

December 8th, 2010 by Karen 20 Comments

jk jemma kidd catwalk i-kit review swatches photos open 1

Like the Dom PÃ©rignon of drugstore makeup palettes, the $26 JK Jemma Kidd Catwalk I-Kit will set your holiday budget back, but you may not mind if you’re a lover of sheer shadows and/or the classic neutral colors across the way at MAC.

The kit comes with a single creamy eye primer, a pair of dual-tipped mini-brushes and eight shadows (two of them, the highlight shadows, share a single large pan), quite a few of which look like sheerer versions of staple MAC neutrals to me.

At least they picked great products to use for inspiration, right? 🙂

Shimmery taupe Editor reminds me of MAC Satin Taupe, shimmery golden beige Vintage of MAC All That Glitters and matte brown Vanity Fair reminds me of MAC Cork.

jk jemma kidd catwalk i-kit review swatches photos
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5 Easy Steps to an Even Skin Tone

December 7th, 2010 by Karen 33 Comments

5 easy steps to an even skin tone

Oh, to have perfect skin again… Wait, I’ve never had perfect skin. I’ve always wished I could just peel my head off the pillow in the morning, splash a little water on my face, tie my hair back into a ponytail and face the day with clear skin, bright eyes, my chubby cat and a smile.

I can handle the smile part by myself, but I need feline cooperation and makeup assistance for everything else.

Luckily, great looking natural skin tone doesn’t require hundreds of layers of foundation and every minute you can spare. Follow these five easy steps to an even skin tone.

1. Get Wet

Moisten a makeup sponge with water or a multi-purpose spray like MAC Fix+ ($19). It’ll thin out the liquid foundation we’re about to use it with and help it adhere evenly to your skin.

2. His/Her Name Is Pat

Place a dollop (about the size of a dime) of liquid foundation (I like DuWop Foundation of Youth; I’ve also heard great things about Chanel Pro Lumiere) on the back of your hand. Dab your wet sponge into the dollop, and pat around the face, starting with your nose and working your way out. Blend so the color fades as you move away from the middle of your face.

3. Give Yourself a Hand

Clean hands, that is. Make sure they’re dry too. Rub them all over your face with a soft touch, almost like you’re washing your face with imaginary cleanser. Friction will warm your foundation and smooth out any chunky bits of product.
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In the Mood For Nude? The New Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils Just Matte Satisfy You

December 6th, 2010 by Karen 43 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog wearing the new Urban Decay 247 Glide-On Lip Pencil in midnight cowboy
Wearing Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Midnight Cowboy

So who’s ready to go nude with me? Wait — button up those skinny jeans, ya perverts (although I applaud you for your willingness to let it all hang out!); I’m talking about the two newest additions to the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil line ($18 each).

Waterproof, with a matte finish and a creamy texture that’s smoother than my favorite werewolf’s chest, rosy nude Illegal and plummy nude Midnight Cowboy live up to the long-lasting standard set by UD’s pencil liners, staying put for about six to eight hours on my lips.

This morning I slipped into Illegal, and two big @ss bottles of water, a chai tea latte and a bowl of pumpkin soup later it still looked (almost) as good as new.

Urban Decay 247 Glide-On Lip Pencil review swatches photos illegal midnight cowboy

Urban Decay 247 Glide-On Lip Pencil review swatches photos illegal midnight cowboy closeup
Illegal (left) and Midnight Cowboy (right)
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All That Glitters Is Greed: Urban Decay Greed Eyeshadow Primer Potion

December 6th, 2010 by Karen 59 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog reviews urban decay greed eyeshadow primer potion 2
Wearing Urban Decay Greed Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Blending powder, cream and pencil eyeshadows on top of the new Urban Decay Greed Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($18) might not be as effortless as it is to blend shadows on top of NARS Pro Prime, arguably one of the best eye primers on the market, but there are times (like these) when beauty trumps ease of use. The newest shade in Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion Line and the most glittery one yet, its striking shimmery gold intensifies eye looks with a long-lasting, water-resistant formula that helps it make up for sub-par blending.

My non-scientific tests involved a swipe on the back of my hand (it lasted through four vigorous washings and only came off with an oil-based makeup remover) and a late night out with the girls (dinner, drinks and then four solid hours of dancing). Greed withstood everything with nary a crease and no fading at all.

urban decay spring 2011
Urban Decay Greed Eyeshadow Potion Primer on far left
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3 Palettes, 3 Ways: From Day to Night to Drag!

December 4th, 2010 by Karen 23 Comments

Written by Robin

Rockin’ Robin of Beautyburg runs three palettes through their paces in today’s guest post.

3 Palettes from Day to Night to Drag

Ever get an eyeshadow palette and wonder, “What am I going to do with this?” Whenever it happens to me, and it does happen, I look everywhere for ideas. Here are three different palettes with examples of ways to use each of them for day (work), night (play) and drag (dramatic) looks. By no means are these looks the only combinations you could create, but I hope they give you some ideas! 🙂

Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette

The Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette ($44 at Sephora) contains 8 eyeshadows, a double-sided brush and double-sided eyeliner to take your looks from “day-to-night.” This palette has an interesting mix of very cool and very warm shadows, and the combinations doesn’t always work for me. The cool and warm shadows don’t really seem to work well together (at least on my skin tone), and I found that the paler shades, though great in texture, are way too frosty. I’m also disappointed by the bulky packaging (the lock and key, albeit cute, make it pretty chunky) and the lack pigmentation from the black shadow.

Tarte palette

Tarte palette day
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette daytime eye

Tarte palette night
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette nighttime eye

Tarte palette drag
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette dramatic eye!

NYX Smokey Eyes Palette

The NYX Smokey Eyes Palette ($9.75 at nyxcosmetics.com) comes with 10 eyeshadows. I admit I’m not the best makeup artist around, but I find myself more at a loss to come up with creative ideas with this palette than with the other two here. Though the shadows look grey, blue, and buttery cream in the palette, they apply with rather limited color payoff. The shadows themselves are very nice for $10, but I think the arrangement is a little too monochromatic to create a very wide variety of looks…
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Urban Decay Spring 2011: I Tip My Hat to the New 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencils

December 3rd, 2010 by Karen 44 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog reviews urban decay 24 7 glide on shadow pencils 1
Wearing Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencils in Sin, Lit and Morphine

The new Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencils ($20) are the jam, but if you’re gonna do any blending you’ve gotta work hella fast.

“Run, Forest, run!”

urban decay 247 glide on shadow pencils small
Clockwise from lower left: Barracuda, Rehab, Delinquent, Wasteland, Clash, Clinic, Mercury, Midnight Cowboy, Lit, Sin, Narc and Morphine

New for spring 2011, these 12 creamy shadows in a stick are spin-offs of Urban Decay’s famed 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. They’re just as smudge- and crease-proof as the originals with the same smoooove texture.
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