Makeup

Chanel Cote D’Azur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere Lipglosses: Six-Pack Abs Not Included

April 4th, 2009 by Karen 18 Comments

chanel-aqualumiere-lip-gloss-summer-2009

Skip down down memory lane with me for a sec…

Remember how Chanel dropped the fabulous coral dream that was Gazelle Glossimer on us for summer last year?

Girrrrrl, that was some good shizz! To this day I foam at the mouth Kujo-style when I think of Gazelle. It was THAT good.

This summer, I had myself braced and ready for another orgasmic Glossimer moment from Chanel, but they decided to throw me a curve ball. For their Cote D’Azur summer collection they skipped the Glossimer entirely and released four Aqualumiere Glosses ($27 each) instead.
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101 Wedding Makeup Looks

April 3rd, 2009 by Karen 36 Comments

Your special day has finally come, and, no, I don’t mean the premiere of The Hills. It’s even better than that! It’s your wedding day. 🙂

Your plate is already spilling over with wedding plans, making sure that everything turns out right — the guest list, the seating charts, the flowers, menus and music.

With so much to do, the last thing on your mind should be your makeup. That’s where this post comes in.

It’s your beautiful face people are going to be staring at all night long. Leave a lasting impression with the help of these 101 wedding makeup looks. Go from bridezilla to bombshell in the time it takes to say “I do.”

Please note:

The images can be clicked and lead to each respective look/tutorial.

If you like this post, you may also be interested in 101 Hairstyle Tutorials.

Wedding Day Makeup Lesson by Chanel: Classic Chanel style meets makeup instruction in this helpful video. I think it makes an excellent way to start our quest for the perfect makeup for a perfect day.

Wedding Day Makeup Before and After: This video shows you some really great shots of before and after wedding makeup, so you can have a clear plan for the look you want for your big day.

Sexy Bride Makeover!: This tutorial by Beauty Cast even shows a surefire way to apply false eyelashes — there’s one great mystery solved!

South Asian/Arabic Bridal Makeup Looks: Here’s a nice selection of very exotic and beautiful bridal looks! Dramatic and sexy…

MAC Makeup Tutorial for a Bridal Look: Here’s another wonderful tutorial with ideas on choosing a bridal look that’s a good fit for your personal style.

Do It Yourself Bridal Makeup: If you aren’t one for hiring outside help, these tips will help you create flawless makeup that you can do yourself. Be brave!

Wedding Day Makeup Tips for Brides:: This is a great post with a range of wedding day tips from what concealer to use, to how to apply colored mascara. Be prepared ahead of time, and avoid a last-minute panic.

Tips for Long Lasting Wedding Makeup: Use these great tips to make your makeup last, and keep your fresh face even after hours on the dance floor with your new hubby.

How to Add Unconventional Touches to Bridal Makeup: This is where your creativity comes into play. Work your magic, and show your fun, sexy side in your wedding day makeup.

Summer Makeup Tips for Brides: Since the majority of weddings happen in or around summer, use these makeup tips to fit the season (think fresh summery glow).

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Chanel Cote D’Azur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere Lipsticks: What to Wear Tonight?

April 2nd, 2009 by Karen 15 Comments

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere monte carlo

Hey, cuties. I urgently need your help!

I’m going to a fashion event tonight at Saks Fifth Avenue called Worn to Be Wild (I’ll take and post pictures), and I’m trying to figure out what to wear on my lips.

I’m still mentally beat from yesterday’s paper deadline. That coupled with the waking-up-with-the-chickens thing this morning has rendered me useless. I haven’t been able to get my sh*t together all day long — this entry has been a struggle.

Will you please help me pick a lipstick to wear tonight? I can’t make a decision, but I’d like it to be one of the Aqualumeire Lipsticks ($28) from Chanel’s Cote D’Azur collection.

It’s made up of six luscious coral, brown and rose shades…

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere ischia

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 porto rotondo

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere lipari

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere salina

Chanel Cote Dazur Summer 2009 Aqualumiere panarea

Please let me know your fave in the poll or the comments. My mushy brain would be most grateful. 🙂

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I better remember to bring my camera tonight… I have to show you pictures of some pumps and sandals I saw in the Sak’s shoe department (aka HEAVEN ON EARTH).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Chanel’s In Love with Coral Blush

March 31st, 2009 by Karen 24 Comments

1 chanel in love blush

It’s raining coral blush, hallelujah! I dunno about you, but I love coral blushes like drag queens love sequins.

A couple weeks ago, Chanel busted out the summer Cote D’Azur collection with their new coral blush, In Love ($45).

It’s one of several coral blushes to arrive on department store makeup counters over the past couple months.

Are you a coral blush kinda girl (or boy!) wondering which new blush to try?

Here’s a comparison swatch of In Love alongside two of my favorite coral blushes to come out recently, Benefit Coralista ($28) and Dior Coral Riviera ($42).

3 chanel in love blush
Swatches from left to right: Dior Coral Riviera, Benefit Coralista, Chanel In Love

Dior Coral Riviera’s a shimmery warm coral with brown tones. I think it’s almost a bronzer-coral blush hybrid.
Of the three blushes shown here, I think it has the finest shimmer. If you like the way bronzers look on you, you might really love Dior Coral Riviera blush.
Benefit Coralista’s shimmery pinkish coral makes it the lightest blush of the three. It lacks the warm golden shimmer of both the Dior and Chanel blushes; instead, its shimmer looks like a cool pink to me — cooler and frostier than the other two. Consider it if you’re of lighter skin tone and drawn to cool colors.
Chanel’s In Love delivers a shimmery warm coral with orange tones. . It’s the sheerest of these three, and I think it’s the most natural looking one, too, despite its large bits of golden glitter. If you’re a fan of Chanel, In Love could be hard to resist. She’s subtle but should look cute with bronze or khaki eyes and shiny lips. 🙂

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Nars Multiple Duo in Orgasm/South Beach: With a Name Like That, It Has To Be Good

March 30th, 2009 by Karen 30 Comments

nars multiple duo orgasm south beach open

Heya! I just got back from journalism class, and, uh … needless to say it was interesting. The topic of the day was interviewing, and during the lecture one of the students revealed that she’d once been interviewed for a story about her membership in a “meditation cult.”

Hmm…

After my classmate’s confession, my mind started drifting to thoughts of other cults — makeup cults — specifically, the Cult of Nars Orgasm Blush!

It’s a shimmery, peachy pink blush famous in the makeup world for the BOOM-CHIKA-WAH-WAH! glow it gives to cheeks.

nars-super-orgasm-blush-1

I’ve tried both Nars Orgasm and its uber-glittery cousin, Super Orgasm, and truth be told neither one really rocked my boat. I thought Orgasm was too light, and Super Orgasm had too much glitter.

But when I spied the cream version of the blush in the Nars Multiple Duo in Orgasm/South Beach ($45), I was determined to give the shade another try.
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It’s Fun to Flirt! with These Dreamy Eyes Eyeshadow Palettes

March 30th, 2009 by Karen 14 Comments

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It looks like my hopes to get to class on time were squashed, LOL! I got a little caught up with these cute limited edition Dreamy Eyes Eyeshadow Palettes from Flirt! ($16 each) and sorta forgot to watch the clock.

Aren’t they cute?

Each palette comes with four powder shades in a sleek black case.

Aren’t they stealthy? — like the clock I forgot to pay attention to…

packaging
Closed palettes

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Mod Black
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Cargo Tahiti Palette May Cause Springtime Blues (and Greens)

March 29th, 2009 by Karen 28 Comments

cargo tahiti palette

It’s hella cherry blossom central out here, ladies! I’m talking about the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park. El Hub and I spent a couple hours there yesterday. I really needed a little time to relax, so we walked around the gardens, took a billion pictures of blooming cherry blossoms and shared a pot of Jasmine tea. If you’re ever in the area and looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, you could do a lot worse.

japanese-tea-garden-bridge

Mother Nature was all up in the house! The garden was bursting with pink, magenta, yellow, green and blue. With spring colors on my mind, I dove straight for the Cargo Tahiti Palette ($28) as soon as I got home.

The palette comes with four shimmery shades of royal blue, yellowish green, emerald green and jade. The mere sight of it teleports me back to the tea gardens.

cargo tahiti palette
Swatches with flash
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Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadow: Pictures, Swatches and First Impressions

March 27th, 2009 by Karen 21 Comments

Shu Uemura Cream Eye Shadow 1

Shu Uemura is tackling cream eyeshadows in a big way with their new nine-piece collection, and I couldn’t be happier.

I’m all about cream shadows like Miss J’s all about fierce! They’re easy to apply with or without a brush and play well with others (layered beneath powdered shadows, for example) or by themselves.

miss j is too fierce

Each Shu Cream Eyeshadow ($30) is available in either a matte or pearl finish with a texture that feels drier and thinner than other cream shadows I’ve tried (MAC Paint Pots, Benefit Creaseless Creams and Bobbi Brown Long-Wear). They remind me of how the MAC Shadesticks feel.

Shu Uemura Cream Eye Shadow 3
Light Green