Makeup

5 Hot Tips for Bright, Glossy Lips

June 1st, 2010 by Karen 26 Comments

I swear there’s a magic dial behind makeup counters that associates can use to crank up the brightness of their lipglosses because shiny shades of red, coral, fuchsia, neon orange and hot pink are blossoming right before my eyes!

Bright, glossy lips are among my favorite things about summer. Here are five hot tips to get your pretty kisser primed and ready to glow!

1. Prevent pigmented glosses from drifting past your natural lip line

Once I spent an entire day sightseeing in San Francisco without realizing I had bright red lipgloss smeared all over my chin… I’d assumed folks were staring because they wanted to be friends, but when a highly pigmented gloss creeps past your natural lip line, it’s like wearing a big sign on your forehead that reads, “WHEE! LOOK AT ME! I LOOK LIKE A CRAZY!” 🙂

To halt the migration, start by lining the outer edges of your lips with a clear lip liner like Benefit D’finer D’liner ($20). Because it’s clear, it won’t alter the shade of the gloss you’re wearing and won’t lead you down the path to pigment overkill.

2. Exfoliate for an even, smooth surface and maximum shine

Smooth lips love gloss and look downright dazzling in bright sunlight. Pump up the volume of your favorite glosses with some gentle exfoliation.

I like to mix MAC Naked Honey Salve (Rosebud Salve works well, too) with a pinch of granulated sugar and rub the concoction against my lips with a finger for a minute or two. Presto! — a soft and smooth pucker, no flakes included.
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What’s the Best Concealer for Dark Circles?

June 1st, 2010 by Karen 100 Comments

Best concealer for dark circles?

In a world where few of us get the sleep we need, concealers are like manna from heaven. Why? Because dark circles flat out suck. On a bad morning, I think mine make me look haggard, tired and like I fell off a truck.

Over the years, I’ve tried more dark circle concealers than I can count (it’s in the double digits!), but lately I’ve been loving one called Time Balm. It’s made by a company called theBalm, and I’ve mentioned it a couple times before. It comes in six shades (I use Medium) and blends like a dream. Plus, it doesn’t settle into my fine lines and lasts all day long.

To deal with extremely dark circles, some women layer what are called color correctors beneath their regular concealers. Many lines carry ’em. I tried one from DuWop last year called Circle Block, but I wasn’t overly impressed (it didn’t last through the day).

Which brings me to this: How do you deal with your dark circles, and what’s the best dark circle concealer you’ve tried?

Cast your vote using this format in the comments like so:

VOTE: Your Best Concealer for Dark Circles Goes Here.

And this is where you say what makes it special.

After your vote, let me know what makes your choice stand out from the other products you’ve tried.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Move: A Fun Alternative to Pink

May 29th, 2010 by Karen 26 Comments

Where do girls who have a hankering for bold, full-coverage glosses go? Well, to Illasmasqua, of course! Their full-coverage Intense Lipglosses dress lips in some of the most opaque, intense colors in the beauty biz.

Last year I fell in love with bright pink Frenzy, but these days I’m all about Move, a creamy purple.

As much as I love pink glosses, there are always those days when I feel like shaking things up, and that’s why I like Move. I think it adds a fresh twist to eye looks featuring blues, purples and grays.

One of nine colors in the Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss line ($19, available at Sephora), Move is thick but not sticky, and it wears for about six hours on me if I’m careful. It can be a little drying, however, so I slather on a rich lip balm before I hit the haaay at night if I’ve worn Move during the day (to counteract the effect).
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Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Eyeshadow: The $4 Drugstore Blending Queen

May 28th, 2010 by Karen 84 Comments

rimmel glam eyes mono eyeshadow review

Society accepts when one purposefully resembles a rodeo clown (hey, those clowns know how to WORK!), but when it’s accidental, well, that’s another story.

If past encounters with intensely pigmented eyeshadows left you looking more Krusty than cute, then Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Eyeshadow ($4) might be your new BFF.

Released with the company’s spring collection and available in drugstores now, these six powder eyeshadows in color-rich shades blend so surprisingly well that I’m betting even eyeshadow neophytes could make them work.

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The Body Shop Nomadic Goddess Collection: These Earthy Shades Shine

May 27th, 2010 by Karen 21 Comments

Lean in, and listen to the story of a neutral loving lady waaaay obsessed with shimmery shades of brown.

She’s called Nomadic Goddess, and she grew weary of seeing so many neon hot pinks and purples hog the stage.

One day, she decided to steal the spotlight! 🙂

Today I checked out a few of the earthy tones that make up The Body Shop’s Nomadic Goddess makeup collection for summer 2010.
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Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams: Multitasking to the Extreme!

May 27th, 2010 by Karen 44 Comments

Make Up Forever Aqua Cream Shadow in Pink Beach on eyes, Peach on Cheeks and lips

It’s almost that time of year — hot weather, humidity, glittery purple sweat trickling down your forehead and ruining your carefully applied makeup right as you make eye contact with that cute boy on the train…

Been there, done that. 🙂

Just in time for summer, the Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams ($22 each) are here!

These 21 creamy colors aren’t just waterproof; they’re also multitasking, moolah-saving monsters, with some of them usable on the eyes and cheeks, and others on the cheeks and lips. Convenient, yah?

make up for ever aqua cream review

The honor students at Make Up For Ever designed the Aqua Creams with extreme photo shoots in mind (as in extreme environments). They resist perspiration, smudging, creasing and tears (YES!). Also, like that ill-advised, scripty tattoo of Raul on your left boob, they ain’t going anywhere, any time soon. Once dry — and they dry in 1-2 minutes flat — they last and last and last.
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YSL Gloss Pur: Hello, Hibiscus!

May 26th, 2010 by Karen 56 Comments

ysl gloss pur

Things I wish I had fewer of: chin hairs, Nutella cravings, and embarrassing outbursts.

Things I wish I had more of: pairs of shoes with four-inch heels, free time, and colorful yet low-maintenance lipglosses.

I may be blind as a bat without my glasses and shorter than most middle schoolers, but at least my lips look good thanks to Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Pur in #9 Pur Hibiscus ($30). 🙂

Loaded with shine, this fuchsia cutie is one of four glosses in the YSL summer makeup collection (NOTE: YSL’s rolling all four shades into their permanent line). Its semi-sheer, easy-to-wear color means not having to worry about gloss edging past your natural lip line or accidentally smearing all over your face.
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I Took a Shine to Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Electrify

May 25th, 2010 by Karen 39 Comments

illamasqua electrify lipgloss review

Perhaps you survived Monday without losing any teeth; maybe you made it out of the door this morning wearing two matching shoes, or you managed to avoid flashing anyone in the grocery store — no matter how small the accomplishment, I believe with the utmost conviction that a tube of pretty pink lipgloss always, ALWAYS makes a fine reward.

Allow me to introduce Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Electrify ($19). 🙂

One of 10 colors in the company’s permanent line, Electrify kisses lips with just a hint of cool baby pink color.

Unlike some sheer glosses that shall remain nameless (ahem, Benefit Lipgloss!), it doesn’t disappear in a flash. It’s sheer, but not so sheer that it’s invisible. As for the shine? Oh, the shine… Mr. Clean wishes his bald head was HALF as shiny as Electrify.
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