Face

Oh, Stop, Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Innocence! You’re Making Me (MAC) Blush, Baby

June 30th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Wearing the new Chanel Innocence Joues Contraste Powder Blush from the Chanel États Poétiques fall 2014 collection

“Oh, what’s this?” said the girl, plucking the blush from atop the makeup counter. From the pretty packaging, she could see it was a Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“That’s Innocence,” said the smiling sales associate behind the counter. “Go ahead, check it out.”

“Innocence ($45),” the girl repeated, feeling the smooth packaging in her hand. “Ooh, I love the Contraste Powder Blushes.”

When she pried open the compact, she couldn’t believe her eyes!

The blush staring back at her looked like MAC Blushbaby, one of her favorite MAC blushes of all time.

“What the what!?” 🙂

Chanel Innocence and MAC Blushbaby: Are they exact dupes?

I freakin’ love Chanel Innocence, in part because it looks so much like Blushbaby, but it isn’t an exact dupe, which makes me like it even more. Innocence has just a tad more pink — Blushbaby a tad more beige — but I think both of them are totally worthy of your everyday makeup bag.

Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Innocence, $45 — Joues Contraste Blush in Innocence, $45

Chic cheeks and sophisticated pink

Just like MAC Blushbaby, Innocence brightens and lifts cheeks in a sophisticated way. It’s pink, but not a Barbie pink, or an overly obvious pink you might see on a doll’s cheeks.

It’s a chic cheek (sorry, lame, but I had to go there!) you could wear all the time, and to almost any occasion — work, book signing, pool party.

Chanel Innocence Joues Contraste Powder Blush (left) and MAC Blushbaby (right) — Chanel Innocence (left) and MAC Blushbaby (right)

What do I love about Innocence?

Everything. 🙂

Well…sort of, except the price, but that’s the way it is with Chanel.

It’s everything I love about Chanel’s Joues Contraste Blushes. It applies smoothly, without any patchiness, and it couldn’t be easier to blend, build up or sheer down.

Chanel Innocence Joues Contraste Powder Blush Swatch — Innocence

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Got a Beauty Hangover? The New Too Faced Hangover Face Primer Could Be the Cure

June 24th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Too Faced Hangover Primer Review — Wearing the new Too Faced Hangover Primer ($32) underneath BECCA Matte Skin Shine Proof Foundation and loving life

Ooh, gurl, have you heard the chismis?

(Chismis is Tagalog for “gossip.”)

Apparently, and you didn’t hear this from me, but Too Faced Hangover Primer is making MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance totally jealous with a capital J-E-L.

See, MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance and I — we roll deep. I’ve been using it almost daily for years.

The stuff works great, and I also love how it feels like a lotion going on. Plus, it doesn’t give me breakouts, for which it gets extra credit from me because almost everything gives my combo skin fits.

I can’t stand it when face primers feel heavy, you know, like they’re sitting in lounge chairs on my face.

Ugh! It gives me the willies just thinking about it…

Thankfully, MAC Prep + Prime doesn’t do that. It feels light and wonderful to me, and my skin looks like real skin when I wear it!

Well, like real skin…only more radiant and smoother. 🙂

Like I said, Prep + Prime and I have been buds for years, but lately I’ve been hanging out with this new Too Faced primer called Hangover, and after only two weeks, we’re already like this (you can’t see me, but I’m crossing my fingers here).

I’ve actually been reaching for Hangover’s silicone-free formula more than my bottle of Prep + Prime.

JEALOUSY!

So what is it supposed to do?

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Beatiful Together and Apart: The MAC Moody Blooms Worldly Wealth and Bred For Beauty Blushes

June 11th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

MAC Worldly Wealth and Bred For Beauty Blush — Wearing the new MAC Moody Blooms collection Worldly Wealth and Bred For Beauty Powder Blushes together at the same time

Sometimes two is better than one. (NOTE: please don’t tell Tabs I said that. He insists that one plus-size tabby is more than enough.) 🙂

While you can certainly wear either of the hella pigmented Powder Blushes from the MAC Moody Blooms collection by themselves — I mean, Bred for Beauty and Worldly Wealth look stunning on their own (just don’t forget to blend, blend, blend) — layered together they create a downright bewitching combination blush!

I like to start with a layer of shimmery golden bronze Worldly Wealth first, and followup with pink Bred for Beauty dusted directly on top. Then I buff the two together with a clean powder brush.

Worldly Wealth’s shimmer peeks through bright pink Bred for Beauty, which has a flatter finish, creating a sweet sun-kissed and complement to warm coppery eye makeup like I’m wearing here.

Just add a pinkish coral lip, and you’re good to go! 🙂

MAC Powder Blush in Worldly Wealth, a shimmering peachy bronze — Powder Blush in Worldly Wealth, a shimmering peachy bronze ($21)

MAC Powder Blush in Bred for Beauty — Powder Blush in Bred for Beauty, a mid-tone bluish pink ($21)

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Worldly Wealth and Bred for Beauty, The Two New Blushes in the MAC Moody Blooms Collection, Plant Plenty of Pigment on Cheeks

June 10th, 2014 by Karen 6 Comments

Blueish pink Bred for Beauty and peachy bronze Worldly Wealth, the two powder blushes in the new MAC Moody Blooms collection, are making me a happy horticulturist/beauty botanist. 🙂

One word: pigment.

And lots of it.

Just as a random but potentially helpful warning, if you aren’t paying close attention while applying these blushes — like, if you happen to be watching Game of Thrones and dancing to I’m Every Woman while Daenerys Targaryen pets her dragons on screen — be advised that you may have to take the color down a notch or two or 12, so have an extra blush brush or foundation brush handy.

With these blushes, sh*t gets real, and it gets real in a hurry! It’s easy to go overboard with this much pigment, but you should be fine if you use a light touch (and don’t forget to blend out the edges!).

If you’re feeling creative, try layering a bit of bright pink Bred for Beauty on top of Worldly Wealth.

I’m a big fan. 🙂

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Maybelline Is Staking a Claim on Cute Corals With Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral, a Bonafide Drugstore Gem

June 6th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Powder Blush — Wearing Maybelline’s Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral ($9.99) on my cheeks

Let the record show that as of today, in my official capacity as the mayor of this little beauty burg, I formally proclaim this to be the season to go totally and completely bat-sh*t cra-zay-zay for coral.

*BEEP*

(The beep is supposed to make it official.)

Who’s with me?! 🙂

Lately, everywhere I go, I feel like a makeup prospector mining coral gems on shelves and counters, and these are the coral gold rush days.

“Eureka!” I frequently exclaim. There are just so many gorgeous corals out there these days, like this Master Hi-Light Powder Blush in Coral by Maybelline, waiting for nice cat ladies (and other friendly folks) to discover them.

Dude, I almost can’t believe this is only $10! — because it looks like a $42 Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick on my cheeks, only better. I get that same ethereal Shimmer Brick glow with it, but with a more diffused and forgiving finish.

Hi-Light contains a bit of everything — an illuminator, a bronzer and a blush — all in one pan.

I’ll usually swirl my brush around in it to mix the products together and apply that to my cheeks for a softly blended coral glow. Then I’ll run a finger across the lightest shade in the pan, and apply that down the bridge of my nose, on my upper cheekbones and on my Cupid’s bow as a highlighter.

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Playing Fill the Online Shopping Cart at Beccacosmetics.com and Swatching Souffles

May 29th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

BECCA Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle in Lychee/Opal

You ever play “Fill the Online Shopping Cart”?

It’s one of my favorite games. 🙂 I’ve been playing it over at the BECCA website this afternoon. They’re running a Friends & Family sale. Just started this morning. Get 20% off any $50 purchase at beccacosmetics.com/us using promo code SPRINGFF14.

The sale ends next Tuesday (June 3, at midnight PST), so you still have time to play “Fill the Online Shopping Cart” if you’re interested.

I haven’t pulled the trigger yet on anything, but I have filled, emptied, and then filled my cart again with staples like Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation, while I do a little more research on some things, like the new BECCA Beach Tint Shimmer Souffles ($27 each).

I ran over to Sephora to have a look at them and swatch a couple things.

The six new BECCA Beach Tint Shimmer Souffles

GURL, these look really cute. The marbled pattern on the pots totally reminds me of the Hourglass Ambient Blushes. Instead of a powder, though, the Shimmer Souffles have a cream formula.

BECCA Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle in Guava/Moonstone

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The Symptoms of This Fever Are Pink: Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever

May 22nd, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Pink Fever — Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick in Pink Fever, $8.99

I feel like Maybelline made Pink Fever for hoarders of pink products like me. If it’s pink, I want it. I want errrrrthing!

Pink Fever, one of six cream blush sticks in the Maybelline Face Studio Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick line released earlier this year (wow, now that name is a mouthful), is perfect for quickly adding a hint of sheer color with a soft, shiny finish to my cheeks.