Face

With NARS Gaiety Blush on My Cheeks, Merriment Ensues

January 12th, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

nars gaiety blush (1)

Well, I’ll be darned… There’s shine in that thar blush!

After seeing the new NARS Gaiety Blush ($28) in its pan, and even after the first quick swatch on the back of my hand, I was sure this candy pink would apply as a straight up matte, but it turns out that this member of the new NARS Spring 2012 collection has a secret up its sleeve — it likes to shine. Coupled with its medium pigmentation, this sweet sheen transforms Gaiety from a pretty pink blush into a thing of beauty.

Imagine the light flush you get when your crush notices that you’re wearing your hair differently. For me, that’s Gaiety. 🙂

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OMG! It’s the FBI, and They’re Working With Urban Decay: The New Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencils Are Just OK With Me

January 10th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

This year at Urban Decay HQ, spring is a season of covert concealers and secret government agencies — or so it seems, based on the cool code names given to these new 24/7 Concealer Pencils ($18 each).

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencils CIA, DEA, FBI, NSA, ATF, DOD, KGB and MI6? Those are some heavy hitting acronyms right there.

The first four — CIA, DEA, FBI and NSA — are repromotes of Urban Decay’s existing concealer pencils, with the same formula, but dressed in new packaging, while the other four — ATF, DOD, KGB AND MI6 — are new additions to the line designed for darker damsels/covert spies.

Last weekend I worked with the ATF, DOD and KGB on a very important case involving my dark under-eye circles and skin imperfections on my face. I directed ATF, a mid-toned dark golden beige, to take out my dark circles and dispatched DOD (a warm, dark tan) and KGB (a dark golden caramel) to work on my face.

Was the operation a success? Well, yes and no.

These guys are soft! — and creamy, but I mean that in a good way. 🙂 I like the way they feel and what a cinch they are to apply. The formula sinks right into my skin and doesn’t look like it’s just chilling on top.

urban decay spring 2012 (8)
24/7 Concealer Pencils from the left: CIA (a light creamy ivory); DEA (a light peaches and cream); FBI (a light medium beige) and NSA (a medium beige); $18 each
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Bounce with Me and the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes

January 4th, 2012 by Karen 51 Comments

maybelline dream bouncy blush (5)

It started with pics of the new Dream Bouncy Blushes and my ’90s hip-hop playlist.

Next thing I knew, Jay-Z was bumping on iTunes, and I was bouncing with Hov, directly in front of my office window. I was on my feet, waving one of Maybelline’s new $8 blushes to the beat when I glanced outside and saw my neighbor staring up at me from his front door with a look like “she’s crazy.”

Haha! Hella moded…

Oh, don’t even pretend like you’re too cool for school. 🙂 I bet you’d be bopping right along with me, having just as much fun with these sheer cream blushes as I do.

Wearing Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale and giving props to Jay-Z…

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maybelline dream bouncy blush (4)
Clockwise from the bright pink pan in the lower left hand corner: 05 Fresh Pink, 10 Pink Frosting, 15 Rose Petal, 20 Peach Satin and 30 Candy Coral
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A Good Zombie Survival Kit Should Include the New Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trios

January 3rd, 2012 by Karen 50 Comments

Wearing Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio in Show Biz

To someone with survival training, including the Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trios ($29 each) in my zombie apocalypse survival kit probably makes about as much sense as a Shake Weight, but believe you me, if the dead one day rise, I will not go down without a fight, and I won’t evacuate without bringing at least a little bit of makeup.

El Hub laughs, but it’s the truth. (SIDE NOTE: I used to work with a woman who wore false lashes every single day, even once when she had to go in for surgery! Now that’s what I’m talking about.)

The two new trios are part of the Smashbox Be Discovered collection for spring 2012, and since they fit in the palm of a hand, it’s not like they’d take up much space in a typical survival kit. There’d still be plenty of room left for peanut butter, toilet paper and various kinds of weaponry.

Tabs might even let me stash them in his cat carrier (along with his Fancy Feast in gravy, of course). 🙂

Zombie survival kit

Both trios come with two cream blushes and a cream highlighter. The first, In Lights, leans warm, while the second one, Show Biz, leans cool.

If I happen to run out of room to pack brushes, no problem. With these, I could always rely on my fingers to apply and blend. Not only would it be easier, but it would also keep my hands free to wield a machete for zombie self-defense.

I’ve had trouble with some cream blushes sliding off my skin, but not these. They latch on like zombie teeth and don’t let go for nothin’!

Wearing Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio in Show Biz
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Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 Keeps Makeup Going On and On Till the Break of Dawn

December 28th, 2011 by Karen 25 Comments

hourglass veil mineral primer (1)

5 things you might not need but are really nice to have around…

Green tea candies

A bag of delicious Bali’s Best Green Tea Latte Candies. I sucked on six of these, which are like green tea-flavored Werther’s Originals hard candies, while doing this post!
A surfboard (because it’s a reminder of summer)
Boys
Fresh-cut flowers
An excellent makeup primer

Regarding No. 5, have you met my new primer crush, Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 ($52)? It’s an oil-free liquid primer from Hourglass’s permanent line, and let me tell ya — it’s quite the charmer!

While it’s not a brand new product, Veil is new to me. I only recently got to know it well while visiting and staying with family over the past few days, when I was doing my makeup early in the mornings and needed something to help my looks last from dawn till dusk. This month, that something was Veil.

Before I settled on Veil, though, I tried a number of other primers from MAC, Make Up For Ever, Smashbox and Cover FX over the month or so since Thanksgiving. Veil’s been my favorite so far.

A lot of primers feel thick and heavy to me, like they’re smothering my combination dry/oily/acne-prone skin, but lightweight Veil quickly absorbs and doesn’t feel like it’s just sitting on the top layers of skin like a lake of pore-suffocating product. It also hasn’t caused any breakouts, near as I can tell, and I’ve heard from other girls who love it specifically for this reason.

Hourglass designed Veil to do more than increase the wear time of makeup. It also absorbs excess oil, softens the appearance of fine lines and pores, and provides some protection from sun damage through the addition of naturally-derived zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. And the company managed to do all that without the use of parabens, synthetic fragrances or dyes, sulfates or phthalates.

Bravo. 🙂

hourglass veil mineral primer (3)
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Picking the Perfect Urban Decay Baked Bronzer

April 7th, 2011 by Karen 57 Comments

urban decay baked bronzer

Urban Decay’s three new Baked Bronzers for Face and Body ($26 each) probably won’t satisfy the Oompa-Loompas or Snookies of the world. Able to be worn wet or dry on the face, eyes, lips and body, the faux tan these powder bronzers bring doesn’t look as orange that.

But if you’re interested yet unsure which Baked Bronzer to snag, Urban Decay International Makeup Artist Eric Jimenez suggests following these steps:

1. Decide on a level of color and coverage

These Baked Bronzers come in three different levels of color. The lightest is Gilded, Baked is the medium, and Toasted is the darkest shade. Each also varies in terms of coverage, with Gilded offering the least, and Toasted delivering more of a full-coverage look.

2. Do you want to shimmer or matte?

If you plan to wear them on your face, Eric suggests going with the finish that best suits the condition of your skin. If you have great, practically flawless skin, consider either Gilded, which has a shimmery golden finish, or Baked, which has a shimmery silver finish. (NOTE: The “veins” of shimmer in these new Baked Bronzers are not spray overlays; they penetrate all the way through the entire pan 🙂 ).

Since shimmers tend to emphasize things like fine lines, pore size and oily skin, if you’re dealing with bothersome skin issues, Eric recommends Toasted, which has a more forgiving matte finish.

Urban Decay Baked Bronzer Face and Body
From left to right: Gilded, Baked and Toasted
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Strobe Cream

March 19th, 2011 by Karen 35 Comments

MAC Strobe Cream

Since I’ve been wearing MAC Strobe Cream ($29.50) practically every day since November, I figured it was high time I gave this bad boy some official Unsung Heroes . I’ve actually gotten to the point where I can’t leave home without it!

Strobe, a permanent member of Team MAC, resides under the Moisturizers section of MAC’s skin care line, where I’m sure it illuminates the place because that’s what it does. Worn alone or beneath foundation, it adds a very subtle brighting sheen to the skin — an opalescent glow, subtle, and more like pearls bathed in candlelight than sequins caught in the spotlight.

While I do find it to be moisturizing, by itself, it’s not quite moisturizing enough for my combination dry/oily skin, so I apply it on top of a helper product like Clarins Hydraquench. If you have normal to oily skin, however, you should be just fine without a helper.

Oh, and if Strobe feels too heavy for you, MAC also has a lighter version called Strobe Liquid, also $29.50.

MAC Strobe Cream back

MAC Strobe Cream
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MAC Blot Powder/Pressed: A Plot Against Oil and Shine!

September 29th, 2010 by Karen 82 Comments

What’s up, friend? This post is getting to you kinda late, I know, and I’m sorry. Long story short, but my flight was delayed out of Milan yesterday. Consequently, I almost missed the connecting flight out of Germany to get back home (NOTE: If you’re the person I steamrolled in the international terminal of the Frankfurt airport yesterday…my bad!).

I managed to make the flight (YEA!), but my luggage didn’t (BOO!). And, of course, it contained all of the makeup I was hoping to dish about today — stuff from Dolce & Gabbana Holiday, Kiko, Madina and a brand called Fred Farrugia.

Thankfully, the airline emailed to say they found the bag and put it on the first ~~train~~ plane home.

Oh, I have some important news to share! But you have to promise to keep it quiet because I haven’t told El Hub (pinky swear). You see, while I was on the road last weekend, I rekindled an old flame.

Yup, MAC Blot Powder/Pressed ($22) and I have been seeing each other off and on for the past six years (he absorbs the oil on my face in ways that El Hub just can’t!), but this trip convinced me to take our relationship to the next level.

Blot was the only powder I took with me, and it’s official: I’m (still) in love.

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