Face

Go With the Grain When You Apply Powder (and Foundation)

August 12th, 2015 by Karen 12 Comments

Facial hair.

Unless you don’t mind sitting in front of the computer for the next four hours, let’s not even go there…

OK, let’s go there anyway. 🙂

In my years on the road to Mrs. Chewbacca-ville (it’s been a good ride!), I’ve made a few fur-related observations, like that it helps to go with the grain when applying face powder or foundation.

Whenever I apply powder or foundation with a brush, I always apply in the same direction that the hair on my face naturally grows, as opposed to brushing against the grain and literally lifting the hairs up to make them stand at attention.

Sure, sweeping a big ol’ powder brush willy-nilly all over my face feels great, and it’s fun, especially when I sweep in huge circles (SO FUN!), but it also exacerbates the facial fur situation — i.e., it makes the hairs look more obvious.

For the hirsute ladies and gents among us, go with the grain next time you apply powder or foundation! You’ll see a difference.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup Tip: Go Sample Crazy When You’re Looking for a New Foundation

August 5th, 2015 by Karen 36 Comments

Whenever I go to Sephora or Ulta or to a beauty counter at the mall, and I’m looking for a new foundation, I’m that person who leaves with a purse full of samples.

No, seriously. It’s like “No sample left behind!” 🙂

The main reason I do this is not because I’m super chintzy (although I can see how it would be entirely possible to exist solely on samples if one were extra crafty and bound and determined), but because when it comes to foundation, I don’t always knock it out of the park on the first try. Sometimes it takes me a few swings to find the right match.

Try to get samples of the neighboring shades

I always ask for samples — as many as I can get — of the neighboring foundation shades around the one that looks like my closest match in the store. That way I can test them all at home to find the one that looks best on me in natural light, see how each one wears throughout the day, and also see how they all look in pics.

Plus, you just never know if a formula is going to oxidize and darken on your skin throughout the day. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve tried a shade that seemed to match me perfectly in the store, only to have it look totally wackadoo a few hours later, and that’s when it’s nice to have a sample of the next lighter shade on hand.
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Neat and New to Me: MAC Sheertone Blush in Pinch Me

July 28th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

mac pinch me blush — $22 MAC Pinch Me Blush

Neat and New to Me

Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.

Is this real life?

Am I dreaming?

Somebody pinch me, please, because I can’t tell if MAC Sheertone Blush in Pinch Me ($22 for a 0.21-oz. pan) really is as good as I think it might be.

It’s a medium-toned matte rosy brown coral in the MAC Blush family, and I wore it all weekend long on my trip to Napa with the girls. Not once did Jen or Cindy ask, “Are you ready yet?” or dramatically sigh/groan (code for “Karen, hurry up!”).

You see, they’re both very low-maintenance (their idea of putting on makeup for dinner involves lip balm), so I’m the odd duck, and they always give me crap about taking forever to get ready (the truth is, they’re totally right). Since I knew I wouldn’t be able to dilly-dally when getting ready on this trip, I packed products I knew I’d be able to use quickly — among them tinted moisturizer, under-eye concealer, mascara, brow filler, gloss and MAC Pinch Me Blush.

mac pinch me blush swatch — MAC Pinch Me swatched on my NC42 skin

What makes Pinch Me such a good get-ready-quick blush?
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I’m Going Gaga Over Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

July 27th, 2015 by Karen 34 Comments

too faced born this way foundation 1 — Too Faced Born This Way Foundation ($39)

Would Lady Gaga wear Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, and if she would, would she belt out the chorus to Born This Way while she applied it?

I’d like to think she would because I TOTALLY DO THAT, and then Gaga and I could do a duet together, and Tabs could be our backup dancer, and the whole thing would be awesome to the Nth degree…

You know you can see it happening. 🙂

There’s lot of good things to sing/say about this latest liquid foundation from Too Faced, which I’ve been wearing off and on now for about a week. Its medium-to-full coverage demi-matte finish delightfully diffuses pores while disguising imperfections, and the lightweight formula looks almost undetectable on the skin.

It’s maybe not quite as inconspicuous and skin-like as Dior Nudeskin Air Serum, but it’s pretty darned great considering the opacity of the coverage. It’s not uncommon for medium-to-full coverage liquid foundations to look pretty obvious, but this one doesn’t, depending on how I apply it.

And I’ve tried a bunch of different methods. It seems to work best for me and look the most seamless when I use very little (literally, like a small drop or two at a time), pat it on with my fingers and build it up slowly in layers.

Applied any other way — with brushes, a BeautyBlender, etc. — it looks heavier, thicker and more obvious.

So that’s one thing. I wouldn’t call it a catch, but still…

too faced born this way foundation before — Before (not wearing any foundation)…

too faced born this way foundation after — After applying Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Honey

too faced born this way foundation k — And now wearing Too Faced Born This Way in Honey along with a full face of makeup

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These Limited Edition Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Cheek Color + Compacts Are Smoother Than the Fur on a Kitten’s Fluffy Tum

July 27th, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

Why should baby cats be the only ones who get to freely roam about looking all smooth and cute and silky? It’s not fair! Blush wearers should also be able to flaunt colorful cheeks with the same silky smoothness as a kitten’s fur, because silky smoothness is a right, not a privilege!

Thankfully, Paul & Joe has addressed this important issue facing the makeup loving cat lady community with their new Limited Edition Fall 2015 Cheek Color + Compacts.

Their new blush duos, which were inspired by French sweet treats, apply color evenly and smoothly to cheeks, and dude! — they’re really good.

paul joe cafe calva — Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Cheek Color in Cafe Calva 003 with the 07 Compact

paul joe glace a la fraise — Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Cheek Color in Glace A La Fraise 002 with the 08 Compact

paul joe cinnamon roast — Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Cheek Color in Cinnamon Roast 001 with the 09 Compact

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NARS Shows a Softer Side With the New NARS 413 BLKR Blush Duo

July 23rd, 2015 by Karen 14 Comments

Whenever I think of New York, I think of that majestic, awe-inspiring Manhattan skyline, busy sidewalks, edgy street fashion and a go-go-GO hustle and bustle (among other things), but every city also has a softer side, and that’s the side I see when I see the latest addition to the NARS 413 BLKR fam, the new 413 BLKR Blush Duo ($42).

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Neat and New to Me: MAC Springsheen Sheertone Shimmer Powder Blush

July 23rd, 2015 by Karen 34 Comments

mac springsheen blush — MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen ($22)

Neat and New to Me

Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.

I affectionately refer to MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen as “strobing for lazy people.” (Like me!) 🙂

It’s a beautiful pinkish coral color with golden pearl, and I can’t be the only person who also likes the name. I keep hearing the words “Bruce Springsheen,” and then I picture the little compact with tiny arms and legs playing a guitar…

Anyway! It illuminates the apples of my cheeks with a pretty pinkish coral while the golden pearl in it makes my cheekbones softly glow.

mac springsheen blush swatch — Swatch of MAC Springsheen Blush on my NC42 skin

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The Blame It On NARS Cheek Palette: I Daydreamed About Blush (and a Lot of Other Things Today), and I Blame It on NARS

July 21st, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

It was one of those days, ya know? Where you just stare out the window dumbfounded, like, everything was just sort of confusing me…

Ha! I’m serious, though. I felt like things weren’t quite computing correctly, if you know what I mean.

Oh, well… At least today I could conveniently Blame It On NARS (hello, easy transitions!). 🙂

Introducing the new $59 NARS Blame It On NARS Cheek Palette, one of this summer’s three limited edition gift sets from NARS (the others are the Ultimate NARS and True NARS lip sets).

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