Eyes

Things Are Coming Up Rose Gold: Urban Decay Three-Peats With the 12 All-New Neutrals in the Naked3 Palette

November 18th, 2013 by Karen 57 Comments

Wearing the new $54 Urban Decay Naked3 palette on my eyes

And then there were three…

Thrice as naked.

More naked than you’ve ever been before! (Well…)

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! No, not really. But it is the third coming of Urban Decay’s famous Naked palette, appropriately named Naked3 ($54).

First impressions: WOW! I have been literally champing at the bit to see this palette in person, and so far I have not been disappointed by it.

The 12 all-new neutrals, all of which have rose tones, come in UD’s typically soft, easy-to-blend formula (and matte, pearl and glimmering metallic finishes). Sure, that means there’s some fallout, but on the flip-side, the shadows are ridiculously easy to blend, and if you do your eyes first, clean up, and continue with your face makeup, it’s all good.

I think the colors are definitely different enough from the shades in the O.G. Naked palettes (one and two) to make this one worth considering.

Many of the shades have a purplish taupe tint to them, at least on my skin, which I like. I think they’ll go well with purple smokey eyes and other purple looks. I have a strong suspicion they’ll also complement bronze and gold shadows nicely.

For the most part, I think these are neutral enough to work well on cool and warm skin tones, but if you’re on the far warm end of that spectrum, you may want to work in your own mattes for transition colors, because some of these shades, like Nooner and Limit — those might be a tad too cool-toned.

I’m really jazzed about the colors on the far right, the darker colors. Those are gonna be a blast to play with in smokey eyes.

Of course, I still love black, brown and purple smokey looks, but I really like the idea of becoming a part-time rose gold smokey eye aficionado.

Urban Decay Naked3 swatches from the left: Strange, Dust, Burnout and Limit — Swatches from the left: Strange, Dust, Burnout and Limit

Urban Decay Naked3 swatches from the left: Buzz, Trick, Nooner and Liar — Swatches from the left: Buzz, Trick, Nooner and Liar

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I Only Have Cat Eyes for…Jouer’s New Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Lynx, Leopard and Panther

November 13th, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliner in Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Leopard, Panther and Lynx — Big cat love! The new Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners in Leopard, Panther and Lynx ($22 each), three new shades just added to the permanent line…I’m wearing Panther

Meow-za! I’ve been having a good ol’ time today with these three new Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners from Jouer — bronzy brown Leopard, glittering gunmetal gray Panther and golden khaki Lynx.

Of course, you can’t go wrong in my book with big cat names, but that’s not the only reason I like ’em. I also think they’re really easy to apply, as far as liquid liners go.

Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliners from top to bottom Leopard, Panther and Lynx — From top to bottom, that’s Leopard, Panther and Lynx

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Because the Eyes Are the Nipples of the Face: Bobbi Brown’s New Smokey Eye Crayon Kajal Liner

November 7th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal — That’s Bobbi Brown’s new Crayon Kajal in Black Coffee on my lash and water lines

“The eyes are the nipples of the face.”

Yes, truer words were never spoken. 🙂

Ha! OK, let me explain. I was watching My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding the other day (whatever, don’t judge!), and that’s what one of the girls (14 years old, wearing booty shorts with pink rhinestone hearts) said while she was doing her makeup for a matchmaking party her parents arranged to help her find a husband.

FUN FACT OF THE DAY: The quote is originally from The House Bunny, starring Anna Farris.

So that’s what I kept thinking this morning while I was applying my eyeliner, Bobbi Brown’s new Smokey Eye Kajal Liner in Black Coffee.

Face nipples. I’m lining the nipples…OF MY FACE.

The liner’s new and comes in six colors, including the Black Coffee shade I’m wearing here. Their big selling point: that they’re super soft, smooth and won’t tug at your skin. They’re also very, very pigmented (also known as uber-pigmented) and easy to smudge. Better for messy rocker chick looks with soft diffused liner than looks with sharp lines.

The fancy formula stays creamy, so you can buff it out and play with it throughout the day, but it still lasts 5-7 hours along my lash lines.

Which is cool.

Of course, that wear time doesn’t extend to my water lines, where it gives up the ghost in 1-2 hours. If you’re looking for a long-wearing liner that will set and last there, Smokey Eye Crayon Kajal probably isn’t ideal.

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal Swatches from the left: Black Amethyst, Black Coffee and Noir — Swatches from the left of Black Amethyst, Black Coffee and Noir

Something like Bobbi’s Long-Wearing Gel Eyeliner might be better. Twelve hours on lash and water lines. Jet, the basic black, used to be my jam. I wore it all the time until my water lines started acting up (no idea why). Now I use Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Perversion.

Now, even with that limited water line wear time, Bobbi never billed these as long-wearing, so there’s that. They’re designed first and foremost for smokey eyes.

Bobbi Brown Crayon Kajal Swatches from the left: Jade, Pacific and Storm — Swatches from the left of Jade, Pacific and Storm

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Of Lists and Lashes: 15 Things I Learned Today About Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara and Life

November 7th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

15 Things I learned today about Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Mascara and life in general

Today is a new day.
The world is not falling apart. It only felt like that for a little while.
It helps to set a timer when you write. Ten minutes is a good starting point. More than that, and you’re apt to spew a lot of crazy talk.
When it comes to busting through writer’s block, don’t think too much. Avoid the urge to self-edit. Just dictate the words as you hear them in your head.
It helps to read about writer’s block when you have it (go figure).

A little light reading…

3 Simple Steps for Staring Down Writer’s Block

How to Identify the Dread Writer’s Block and Its Relatives

How to Deal with Writers Block

Strategies for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Overcoming Writer’s Block

The constant sound of construction in my neighborhood (it seems like all of my neighbors are doing work on their homes right now) is surely contributing to my agitation.
It almost always helps to make lists.
Playlists are also pretty cool.

It also helps to straighten your hair (seriously), and flat irons are great.

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What’s Small, and Yet Also Larger Than Life? The New NARS Voyeur Mini Larger Than Life Eyeliner Coffret

November 5th, 2013 by Karen 9 Comments

When Juliet asked, “What’s in a name?” girlfriend could have been talking about the new NARS Voyeur Mini Larger Than Life Eyeliner Coffret, because first of all, what’s a coffret? And second, what’s both mini and larger than life at the same time?

Weird. But also cool.

This $49 coffret is a satin and patent heart-embellished makeup pouch, and it comes with five little Larger Than Life Eyeliners.

It’s available now online and at NARS counters and boutiques as part of the Guy Bourdin collection.

What do you think? Good deal or bad? The website says it’s a $62 value.

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A Gift That Really Does Keep Giving: The Essentials Eye Palette by Clarins

November 5th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Clarins Essentials Eye Palette — Wearing the new $45 limited edition The Essentials Eye Palette by Clarins

True, there are many lovely holiday gifts out there now for the beauty junkies in your life (and that includes yourself!), but not all of them offer the added bonus of simultaneously helping others.

Chances are your resident makeup loving do-gooder pal will love the assortment of 10 wearable beige, brown and taupe mineral eyeshadows in the new $45 Clarins The Essentials Palette, and when she hears about how Clarins partnered with the PurProject organization to help preserve the Kuntanawa culture and ecosystem in Brazil, she’ll appreciate the gift even more.

According to PurPuroject and Clarins, the Kuntanawa people of the Amazon basin in Brazil heavily depend on the forest for their livelihood, and today they struggle to maintain their culture as deforestation threatens their environment.

Clarins The Essentials Eye Palette — Neutrals, neutrals, everywhere!

Clarins has vowed to plant 10,000 trees to preserve the Kuntanawa culture and ecosystem, with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this limited edition palette going to support the initiative.

Clarins The Essentials Eye Palette swatches — Swatches of the darker shades…

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My Warm Skin Tone Is Warming Up To the Neutral Cool Shades in the Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool Eye Palette

November 4th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

The Sisterhood of Sparkly Shadows will probably kick me out of the sorority for this, but eff it! — I’m saying it anyways: Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Cool palette could really use one fewer glittery eyeshadows and one more matte brown.

There. I said it. 🙂

“This carefully edited mix of six eye shadows is the perfect palette for those who prefer their smokey eye look on the cool side. Featuring everything you need to take eyes from day to night including Bobbi’s beloved base shadow in Ivory and an array of sparkly and shimmery textures in cool grey hues. A Mini Dual Ended Shadow/Liner brush completes this mirrored compact-all it needs now is a bow.”

— bobbibrowncosmetics.com

I’m really not trying to hate on the sparkly stuff, ’cause you know I love me some glitter.

WOO-HOO! TEAM GLITTER! *fist bumps*

It’s just that I tried to make this work using only the six shadows in the set (it comes with three mattes, one shimmer and two glitters), but I couldn’t tie them all together without a medium brown shade to ease the transition from the lighter shades into the darker ones.

It’s like a piece of the puzzle is missing, ya know?

Now, if I were able to swap one of the Sparkle Eye Shadows, which are Bobbi’s take on pressed glitters, for an easy-to-use golden brown along the lines of MAC Cork, it would be so on…

Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool Eye Palette swatches from the left: Ivory Eye Shadow, Graphite Sparkle Eye Shadow, Smokey Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Truffle Eye Shadow, Platinum Sparkle Eye Shadow and Caviar Eye Shadow — Swatches from the left: Ivory Eye Shadow, Graphite Sparkle Eye Shadow, Smokey Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Truffle Eye Shadow, Platinum Sparkle Eye Shadow and Caviar Eye Shadow

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The Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes Turns Super-Blended Eye Looks Into Works of Art

October 17th, 2013 by Karen 50 Comments

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette 2013 — Laura Mercier’s new Artist’s Palette for Eyes ($48)

Some artists wield pencils. Others command paint, clay, pen or pastels.

My medium of choice: cat fur.

Gurl, you don’t even know! My cat is one hairy beast. In fact, he’s so hairy that a sculptor could fashion a different life-size model of him out of stray tabby hairs and fur balls every week.

My second favorite artistic medium would have to be eyeshadow, I think, mostly because there are just so many different things you can do with it, and this new palette by Laura Mercier is unlocking my inner artiste, big time.

The $48 Artist’s Palette for Eyes (a Sephora exclusive) will have you itching to break out your makeup brushes. The six warm neutrals, and six cool pinks and purples, practically beg to be swept, blended and patted on lids in any number of enticing holiday eye looks.

Come to mama, smokey eyes!

Don’t even worry about busting your wrist while blending these eyeshadows. They’re pigmented, but the soft, finely-milled powders blend ridiculously well.

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