Eyes

A Fall Vice to Entice Those Who Long for New Hues and Love a Good Price: The Urban Decay Vice Palette

September 17th, 2012 by Karen 30 Comments

urban decay vice palette review — Wearing the Urban Decay Vice Palette eyeshadows in Nevermind, Desperation and Unhinged on my eyes

Maybe the cray amounts of overtime Tabs has had me working lately and the 20+ hours of Friday Night Lights I’ve watched since last Friday are slowly but surely frying my brain, because choosing which eyeshadow colors I want to wear when I do my makeup has been way tougher than usual.

It’s like, I see the pans sitting in front of me as one big, nebulous blob. Does this green go with that one? Should I wear bronze or brown?

Honestly, right now, I have no idea…

Coming to the rescue, ironically with 20 more shades? — the new Urban Decay Vice Palette ($59 and available now online at urbandecay.com).

I can’t remember the last time Urban Decay released a palette with so many new colors! All 20 of them have never before seen the light of day (although a few of them do resemble existing colors).

And that’s not even my favorite part.

Somehow, the shades in the Vice palette, which is packed with neutrals and sprinkled with brights, all go together. Seriously, I feel like I can pair any two of them on my lids, pop a third shade along my lower lash line and KAPOW! — instant eye game that requires very little brain power.

Not that I’m in my right mind right now…but nothing here seems out of place.

You could start with one of the lighter colors all over your lids, add one of the darker shades in the outer corners of your eyes, and define your lower lash lines by lining with one of the bright or neutral shades.

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MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboom Paint

September 14th, 2012 by Karen 12 Comments

mac bamboom paint

No one ever tells you about this stuff. Not your teachers in school, not the makeup artists at the MAC counter, no one. But I’m telling you from experience — if you don’t stay alert, don’t pay attention and recognize the signs, it can happen to you.

Looking back on it now, I should have seen the signs, but I always just assumed that my favorite MAC brown eyeshadows were snug and secure and safe at the bottom of my makeup bag.

I thought they were happy… How was I supposed to know?

The first signs of trouble surfaced one morning when I set golden brown Soba and orangey Soft Brown on the counter to use in a smokey eye.

I could sense they were upset about something. They looked…lonely, so I asked, “What’s wrong, guys?”

“We need a buddy,” they whined, both on the verge of tears, “like, I don’t know, a color that combines the best of both of our shades.”

They told me how they felt that something was missing in their lives. “If it were a cream shadow instead of a powder,” they said, “you could even layer us on top of it.”

And then the sobbing started…

Have you ever heard your MAC brown eyeshadows cry? In a word: heartbreaking.

Right then I knew I had to find a way to lift their spirits, so I hopped in my car and drove to the nearest MAC counter.

Frantically, I swiped and swatched, looking for the right friend for my shadows. Sh*t was about to hit the fan when I picked up a tube of Bamboom.

mac bamboom paint

“Eureka!” I roared in the middle of Macy’s. I held the tube of MAC Paint in Bamboom ($18.50) aloft like a flaming sword! “Where have you been all my life?!”

There it was — a color that combined a creamy formula with the golden brown color and satiny finish of MAC Soba, and the warm, orangey tones of Soft Brown.

I rushed home.

mac bamboom swatch
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Urban Decay Vice Palette Swatches and Product Pics

September 14th, 2012 by Karen 51 Comments

Urban Decay Vice Palette

Vices. I’ve got a few. Shoes, sweets, stockpiling limited edition Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes… 🙂

The new Urban Decay Vice Palette ($59) sashays onto beauty counters and urbandecay.com this fall. Inside you’ll find 20 brand-spankin’ new shades, which Urban Decay whipped up special for the kit.

Check out the swatches and pics below, and let me know what you think.

Urban Decay Vice Palette

Urban Decay Vice Palette 1

Urban Decay Vice Palette 2
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Driver, Take Me to NARS 413BLKR Street for the New Duo Eyeshadow and Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

September 14th, 2012 by Karen 46 Comments

nars 413blkr

Sure, you’ve got your beauty bases covered for life’s big events — cocktail parties, baby showers, weddings, the zombie apocalypse — but what about those once-in-a-while mornings when you wake up feeling “meh”?

Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Maybe you woke up with hella greasy hair that smelled like Ritz Crackers. Maybe you just wanted — no, needed a jolt of color to summon your inner foxiness forward.

It’s mornings like those that were made for 413BLKR. 🙂

NARS recently released 413BLKR Duo Eyeshadow ($34) and 413BLKR Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24), the two newest numerically-named members of Team 413BLKR (a collection named after the company’s flagship NY store), to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out, a big New York Fashion Week festivity.

You know…I never would have thought to pair these two products together, and that’s one of the reasons why I love NARS. They have a knack for introducing unexpected pairings that just plain work.

Wearing these pieces, I feel like shouting “halleluja!” up to the heavens. “Mama’s still got it!” They make me want to blast Bad Girls by Donna Summer and twirl around in my living room with my arms raised up!

nars 413blkr

nars 413blkr swatches

nars 413blkr
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Smokey Eyes and Nude Lips: A MAC Carine Roitfeld Face of the Day

September 13th, 2012 by Karen 30 Comments

TABS: Woman. Woooo-man. WOMAN!

KAREN: Um, yes, Tabs?

TABS: I need you to stop whatever you’re doing because I have an urgent task for you.

KAREN: Well, I’m in the middle of alphabetizing your cans of gravy right now, which earlier today you called the “highest priority” in the office, and if I stop now to do something else, I’ll be here all night long.

TABS: And…?

KAREN: [Sigh] What is it?

TABS: Listen, I’m gonna need you to try on these two new pieces from the MAC Carine Roitfeld collection — the Full Face Kit in Jungle Camouflage and the Lipstick in Tropical Mist.

KAREN: Sure, but does it have to be now? Can’t it wait ’til tomorrow?

TABS: Oh, I’m sorry. Did the terms of your employment suddenly change? — because I don’t remember paying you to ask questions.

KAREN: It’s funny you should mention that, because I don’t remember you paying me at all.

TABS: Well excuuuuuse me, miss thing! If you don’t want the job, I can get someone else. I know at least 50 girls who would jump at the chance to assist me.

KAREN: Okay, okay. Don’t get your tail in a knot. Is there a particular look you want me to try?

TABS: That’s better. Yes, how about something smokey? You know I lurves me some smokey eyes.

Full Face Kit in Jungle Camouflage on the left and Lipstick in Tropical Mist on the right

mac carine roitfeld swatches — Full Face Kit in Jungle Camouflage swatches from the left: Cremeblend Blush in Bootcamp Bronze, and Eyeshadows in Dew, Camo, Bad Lieutenant and Carbon; Lipstick in Tropical Mist on the right

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MAC Unsung Heroes: Sublime Nature Paint

September 10th, 2012 by Karen 29 Comments

mac sublime nature paint

I have a big crush on beige…

…MAC beige eyeshadows like Brule, Shroom, Bare Study, Soft Ochre and Sweet Satisfaction.

It’s a crush that borders on an obsession, coupled with symptoms of hoarding, LOL!

And I don’t expect to be breaking up with beige anytime soon, not with products like MAC Paint in Sublime Nature out there to tempt me.

More workhorse than thoroughbred, this mid-toned beige cream eyeshadow ($18.50) might not have the flash or pizzaz of a bright teal or purple, but given have the chance, it can do great things for your lids. 🙂

Before there were MAC Paint Pots, there were MAC Paints. Yup, they’re old school. Picture a Paint Pot in a tube, and you’ve got something like a MAC Paint, except softer and fluffier, which I think makes them easier to spread on lids. Coming in a tube makes them ideal for travel, and I’ve always liked how lightweight they feel (lighter than a Paint Pot, I think). For fast, easy eye looks, I usually apply them with fingers.

Sublime Nature is like a perfect pair of boots that goes with almost everything. Sometimes I’ll layer it beneath brights to crank up their intensity (try it with MAC Club sometime!), or wear it with neutrals when I want to look professional.

Lately, I’ve been wearing it as a base with MAC Sable Eyeshadow layered on my lids and MAC Prunella eyeliner on my lash and water lines. Simple, refined and easy. Yes, yes, yes.

mac sublime nature paint
I know it looks small in its tube, but a little goes a long way!

mac sublime nature paint and bare canvas swatches
Sublime Nature Paint on the left and Bare Canvas Paint Pot on the right
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Longer, Thicker Lashes With the New LORAC Pro Mascara, and a Conversation With My Inner Drag Queen

September 7th, 2012 by Karen 11 Comments

lorac pro mascara review

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Time to do it to it, Miss Thang. Get up! I am not about to spend all day and night watching Animal Planet on the couch.

Karen: Okay, but —

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Wash your face! Brush your teeth! Remove that hideous scrunchie from your hair! And swipe some makeup on before I start going through glitter withdrawals!

Karen: Dude, seriously — chill! You really need to be nice to me right now because I feel like a drum exploded in my head!

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: I’m sorry, baby girl, but you know what they say — sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind. 🙂

And since I’m founder and CEO of our fabulousness, I’m taking the reins. I am not about to let this migraine bring us down. You and I are way too sexy for this crap!

Karen: Okay, okay… I know better than to get in your way.

You’re the boss. What do you want me to do first? Please bear in mind that whatever we do I intend to continue wearing these sweats. That’s non-negotiable.

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Wha?!

Karen: Look into my eyes…

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Alright, fair enough.

Let’s start with the basics then. Fill in those caterpillar brows first, and then please do something about that whole thing goin’ on over there…

Karen: Where? Over here? Under my eyes?

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Mmm-hmm.

…

Karen: All done. Next?

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Good. Now give those lashes some love.

Here, use my new LORAC Pro Mascara ($23)…

Karen: Ooh! Cool tube. And it’s huge!

What a cute brush, too. It’s shaped like a tear, aww. And the tip is so pointy! I bet it really grabs lashes in the inner and outer corners.

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Oh, yeah. It’s good for black, glossy lashes, way long and thick, and you’re gonna love how easy it is to build up in layers. I’m talkin’ drama! It kinda reminds me of YSL’s Faux Cils like that.

The only thing, though, and you’ll notice this I’m sure, is that you have to dilute the wand first — like, you know, swipe it on something to get rid of the excess; otherwise, it gets hella clumpy!

Karen: Okay, but is it flaky (like you know who)? And what about smears?

Karen’s Inner Drag Queen: Naw, at least not for me. And the separation and curl hold are pretty fab.

Karen: Alright. Let’s do three layers…

lorac pro mascara swatch
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Share a Tip Tuesdays: Try This Tip to Spice Up Your Smokey Eyes

September 4th, 2012 by Karen 26 Comments

Here’s one simple trick to take your smokey eyes to the next level: blend a little bronzer along the edge of the eyeshadow on your lids and along your lower lash lines with a fluffy domed brush like the MAC 217.

Nothing too dramatic, but I think it gives a dash more depth and dimension to the look, especially when I’m wearing a shimmery shadow and use a matte bronzer for this trick. The contrast between the matte and shimmery products just werks.

If you don’t wear bronzers, no worries. You could give it a try with your favorite brown eyeshadow, or maybe even a blush. 🙂

Thanks for playing Share a Tip Tuesdays! Here are some of the makeup cleanup tips you left on last week’s post in the comments. Some great tips here…

“I always do the wings of my eyeliner before I line my upper lashline; since I have a monolid the wings are all you really see, so I perfect those first.”
–Christine

“While working with glittery pigments, you can use some medical tape to gently lift off any fall out from the cheeks/under eye. The adhesive picks up the loose glitter but leaves the base makeup intact. I saw a makeup artist use this trick, pretty neat I’d say!”
— Ankita

“One trick I’ve learned recently is to pat my setting powder into the skin. I always used a powder brush to brush and set my powder, but have since switched to a flat top brush to really dig the powder into the skin. This guarantees that my foundation will last all day and the oiliness is under control for a little while longer. Plus, I don’t get that heavy buildup powder can sometimes show. I also use this technique with certain foundations. I’ll spread, then pat.”
–Nadege

“I do my eyes first and I noticed this ‘scooting’ problem with fallout you speak of. So what I do now is apply only my face primer before I do my eyes. The primer keeps the fallout from sticking and sinking to the skin — so its very easy to brush off afterwards. I then go back and apply foundation after eyes!”
— Slick

“Whenever I’m out of eye makeup remover I grab the nearest facial moisturizer, put some on a q tip and erase any mistakes. It works like magic!”
— Gabi

“A few months ago, I decided to start using a new baby shampoo to start cleaning my makeup brushes. I decided to use Johnson’s Baby No More Tangles Extra Conditioning Shampoo. This baby shampoo is awesome at cleaning my makeup brushes!!! I was able to quickly clean all of my makeup brushes in half the time it took me to clean them with Johnson’s regular baby shampoo. Each of my brushes’ bristles looked great after I cleaned them. They also did not have any residue that some brush cleaners and other baby shampoos can leave behind. I highly recommend this baby shampoo for cleaning all types of makeup brushes.”
–Nadia A

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