Just For Fun Reviews, Swatches and Pictures on Makeup and Beauty Blog

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Just For Fun

If You Could Only Wear One Lip Product for the Next Month, Which One Would It Be?

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I had a lot of fun reading your answers to the eyeshadow version of this question (and borrowing some of your ideas!) a few weeks ago and figured I’d also pick your brain about lips.

My lip love as of late has been Tom Ford’s Violet Fatale lipstick, a moisturizing, long-wearing lippie in a fabulous shade for fall. I think it’s just dramatic enough to be noticeable without going overboard.

If you could only wear one lip product for the next month, which one would you choose and why?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Beauty Social, Oct. 2011: How to Turn Beauty Blogging into a Career

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From the left: Beautylish Beauty Director and segment host Ning Chao, Temptalia Founder and Editor Christine Mielke, Makeup Bag Founder and Editor Erika Valente, me (looking extra Lloyd Christmassy), and Romy Raves Lifestyle and Beauty Blogger Romy Schorr.

Even though I was a little nervous (blast you, Lloyd!) and blinded by the stage lights, I really enjoyed speaking on the blogging panel at The Beauty Social last weekend, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you while they’re still fresh in my mind.

In hindsight, I wish I’d recorded the session, or covertly taken a few notes, but I do remember most of my answers (NOTE: these are paraphrased, because I can’t remember the exact quotes) and some tidbits from my fellow co-panelists, Christine Mielke of temptalia.com, Erika Valente of makeupbag.net and Romy Schorr of romyraves.com.

Q: What inspired you to start your blog?

Me: Well I’d always really loved makeup, and I’ll never forget the day when I was 14 and my mom took me on that first trip to the Clinique counter… I started the blog in 2007. I was freelancing at the time for magazines, mostly doing travel (for the in-room magazines on cruise ships) and health and fitness articles. I really wanted to break into beauty writing, though, and I kept pitching different magazines, but no one would hire me.

They (the magazines) were mostly drawing from their in-house writing staff, so I kept getting rejected from these beauty magazines, yet I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I just couldn’t let go. I knew that I wanted to create and write about beauty, but I didn’t know how to go about it.

Then in February of 2007, the Barbie Loves MAC collection came along. 🙂

I think in every beauty junkie’s life there’s always that one release that turns their casual hobby into a full-blown obsession, and for me it was Barbie Loves MAC. I went to the mall, got my little haul, and then when I got back home, that little voice in the back of my head was whispering, “Wouldn’t it be kinda cool if you took a few pictures and posted them online?”

So I borrowed a friend’s camera — and at the time I couldn’t take a picture to save my life — took some shots, and posted them online (using a free blog from wordpress.com).

That’s how Makeup and Beauty Blog was born. There wasn’t a business plan, a big reveal or a rollout. It all sort of happened organically, and it’s been one of the happiest accidents of my life.

Erica: Erica said that she, too, had always been a lifelong beauty junkie, and one of her main inspirations was her entrepreneurial husband. She’d always loved trying and buying new products, but her beauty stash had grown exponentially. One day her husband suggested that they find a way to turn her obsession into a business so that they could write off her beauty expenses, which eventually led to Makeup Bag.

Christine: Before Temptalia, Christine had been actively posting looks on Live Journal. She was in school at the time and recalls posting looks after class. She started Temptalia to archive all of her looks in one place, and her blog has just grown from there.

Q: What was the turning point that made you realize that your blog was successful?

Me: It was probably about six or seven months in, after I’d gotten an invite to cover SF Fashion Week. The blog had been bopping along as a hobby at the time, with me doing brief product reviews every few days, but I decided to approach that Fashion Week as I would a freelance assignment…and I also used it as an excuse to get a new camera. 😉
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What Are You Wearing on Your Nails?

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I rarely like a color so much that I’ll commit to wearing it on both my peeties and paws at the same time, but I’m doing exactly that with Blue Streak.

It’s Sally Hansen’s $4.95 Insta-Dri in Blue Streak, and I can’t tell you how many girls asked about it at the conference last weekend.

The wide brush covers a large swath of the nail with every pass, which cuts down on the brush strokes, and it dries fast for a polish packing this much pigment. I’m wearing two coats here, and each one dries in less than five minutes.

It’s available now at Ulta stores, among other places that carry Sally Hansen polishes, and also online.

Stuff seems pretty sturdy, too. The mani I gave myself on Friday is still going strong. No chips whatsoever (note: I also applied a base and top coat). And I love the way I feel when I see it on my nails. 🙂

What are you wearing on your nails today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Oct. 24

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Totally lovin’ Warby Parker…

  • You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
    Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past three years, which I guess makes this somewhere around Vol. 191. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
  1. Mood:

    2. Happy but still pretty tired. I got in late last night from Santa Monica, and as much as I enjoy traveling, the actual traveling part of it really wears me out. This pumpkin chai latte from Starbucks should help, though.

  2. If you could dine (for free) anywhere in the world tonight, where would it be?

    3. Tonight, more than New Orleans, Barcelona, Tuscany, Buenos Aires, Paris, Vancouver or Hong Kong, I’d choose my parents’ house in Union City, California, the sinigang capital of my world. 🙂

    Sinigang is a filipino sour tamarind stew made with rice, vegetables and fish, or another meat, and I couldn’t imagine anything better than having a big bowl of it for dinner tonight before curling up on the coach in front of the TV.

  3. Do you have any siblings?

    4. I do. I’m the eldest of two. My baby brother, who isn’t much of a baby anymore, turned 30 this year.

  4. If your pets could talk, what would they say about you?

    5. Probably, “B*tch, where’s my gravy?”

  5. Which one do you follow most often, your heart or your head?

    6. My heart. I’m a firm believer in going with your gut.

  6. What are three songs on your road trip playlist?

    7. Roam by the B52s, Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots and Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Starting Something.

  7. Would you consider yourself renowned or famous for anything in particular?

    8. Well, folks do like my blueberry peach cobbler. Oh, and I’m pretty famous among my friends and family for being able to go from breezy to bratty in 10 seconds or less.

  8. Your favorite place for dessert?

    9. Without a doubt, Pinkberry! I miss it already…

  9. Scariest movie you’ve ever seen?

    10. GOOD GRIEF! I wish I could go back in time to when I was four years old and un-see Salem’s Lot. Never having seen that movie would have saved me many a sleepless night.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Get back into my exercise routine before I fall out of the habit entirely, get back into the habit of eating salads a few times per week, make some headway on my reading list, and smile! 🙂

Hey, friend. I’m glad to be typing this from my desk at home and not from my laptop in a hotel room. Things were kind of hectic over the weekend with The Beauty Social stuff, and I’m still getting back on track.

I think the beauty blogging panel went well yesterday, and I’m happy to report that I did NOT fall walking up to the stage, so that’s one recurring nightmare that has yet to transpire in real life. I’m afraid, though, that my bangs looked a little too Lloyd Christmassy… More on that in a few.

If you have a minute, stop by and say hi in this week’s Monday Poll. I feel like we haven’t talked in ages.

  • To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.



1. Mood:
2. If you could dine (for free) anywhere in the world tonight, where would it be?
3. Do you have any siblings?
4. If your pets could talk, what would they say about you?
5. Which one do you follow most often, your heart or your head?
6. What are three songs on your road trip playlist?
7. Would you consider yourself renowned or famous for anything in particular?
8. Your favorite place for dessert?
9. Scariest movie you’ve ever seen?
10. Weekly goals:

If you’re having a tough Monday so far, hang in there, love! We’ll get through it, I swear.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays Without Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 162

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Dear Diary,

Been a nice, relaxing weekend so far. No runways, raging parties or ridiculous drama. I actually needed some peace and quiet, so I even decided to give my assistant/driver the weekend off.

I know! I’m too kind, but she’ll be very busy next week.

I needed this — this alone time with my kitty thoughts, ya know? Oddly, even though I lack opposable thumbs and am no longer legally allowed to drive, I’ve still gotten quite a few things done…

On Friday night I had a couple of friends over for drinks and appetizers. I served warm turkey Temptations and made this new catnip martini that I saw featured in a recent episode of the Nate Berkus show. Per usual, the Russian Blue from next door got WASTED.

Good times…

And then yesterday I had my masseuse come over and work out the kinks in my back. It wasn’t budgeted…but whatev. It’s a business expense, and I need to be in tip-top condition for napping.
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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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The Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup
The following events are based on a true story…

I slew a mighty beast last night, a beast that had been terrorizing the good people of Santa Monica for years, and to show their gratitude for my act of selfless heroism, the townsfolk brought me Pinkberry. 🙂

I was hired to hunt down the creature, which the children in the town referred to as the Vomiting Triceratops, after it built its nest on one of the region’s most sacred sites, a place known as the Pink Berry.

The stakes were high. The Pink Berry was the area’s only source of top quality yogurt, and without it, the people were getting weaker by the day…

I picked up the creature’s trail in a valley called the Third Street Promenade…a narrow gorge buffeted on both sides by steep Nike Stores and Asian fusion restaurants.

That’s when I saw it — standing as still as a statue on a small grassy knoll.

The Vomiting Triceratops.


The fearsome Vomiting Triceratops


I made my move!


With the creature defeated, the people rejoice…

Luckily, it was easier to defeat than I thought it would be because it didn’t move an inch. It just stood there, perhaps paralyzed with fear. 🙂

In other news, it’s Day 2 of The Beauty Social. Sorry I haven’t been able to post anything about the event yet, but I will. I’ve been taking lots of notes. I just haven’t had time to prep the pictures.

Wasn’t this a pretty good week for makeup and beauty? I liked the Tom Ford Beauty stuff, even though it seems needlessly expensive.

How about you and your week? What was your makeup/beauty highlight?

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

MAC Creme in Your Coffee MAC UNSUNG HEROES
CRÉME IN YOUR COFFEE LIPSTICK

So maybe you’re tempted to try darker MAC lippies like Dubonnet and Paramount but haven’t worked up the courage? No worries. I totally get it. If you’re not accustomed to seeing yourself in dramatic lip colors, a bout with “transitional shades” could help. Somewhere between the bolder colors you eventually want to wear and the colors you’re already comfortable in, transitional shades can help you push your limits while easing you into something bold.

Say your game plan is to work your way up to fall’s darker browns, reds and plums. Crème in Your Coffee ($14.50) lipstick, today’s Unsung Hero, could be a great place to start. Read more…

China Glaze Let It Snow Collection for Holiday 2011 CHINA GLAZE THINKS
WE SHOULD LET IT SNOW

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but China Glaze is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

You’ll have to set down that Halloween candy corn for a minute, though, but don’t worry. I have a holiday candy cane and a cup of eggnog for you instead. Yes, it’s time for another holiday collection, and this one’s from China Glaze.

Even though winter is still months away, I say Let It Snow — as in the new 12-piece collection of festive polishes coming soon from China Glaze (about $6 each). Read more…

A Few Fab Fall Foundations A FEW FAB FOUNDATIONS FOR
FLAWLESS SKIN THIS FALL

As much as I love easy, breezy makeup and tinted moisturizers in summer, I always look forward to fuller coverage products, darker colors and matte textures each fall.

There’s a season for everything, and for me, fall means dressy, dramatic, and oh so much fun — like moody lipsticks, darker nail polishes, cozy fragrances and seductive smokey eyes.

Here are a few drugstore foundations to go with your fabulous formal makeup looks this fall. Read more…

NARS Pondorosa Cream Eyeshadow I PINE FOR MORE TIME AND NARS
PONDEROSA CREAM EYESHADOW

I can’t even remember the last time I finished everything on my daily to-do list. Let’s see — when was that again? Maybe six months ago?

But no matter how poop-tacular it is to be as busy as we are, I try not to let it get my inner optimist down. Being busy, after all, is a good excuse to streamline your makeup routine, which can be a lot of fun, especially when it leads to products like the new NARS Podorosa Cream Eyeshadow ($23; from the Holiday 2011 collection).

After moseying through last weekend wearing this glossy, glittery golden brown shadow, I can safely say that it’s almost everything I’d want from a creamy brown. Read more…

NARS Miss Liberty Blush YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GLOW QUIETLY WITH
NARS MISS LIBERTY HIGHLIGHTING BLUSH

Let’s band together, fellow makeup revolutionaries, and declare our freedom from big chunks of glitter! — because we, the blush lovers of the world, have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of a subtle glow.

And this year, victory is ours! Demure, shimmery cheeks are just a NARS Miss Liberty Highlighting Blush ($27) away. After you don a few layers of this sheer, shimmery peach, don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel the urge to raise your fist, power-to-the-people style. I did (and then quickly lowered it when I remembered how long it’s been since I shaved my pits, whoops!). Read more…

Tom Ford Beauty Sahara Haze Eye Color Quad THE TOM FORD BEAUTY SAHARA HAZE
EYE COLOR QUAD WOULD CATCH ANY SULTAN’S EYE

Today, like wavering rays of light on a distant desert dune, the Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Sahara Haze made me doubt what I was seeing.

“Is it a mirage?” I wondered, sweeping the taupe shade into my crease. “Could it really be this good?”

At one point this afternoon I think my heart, which was booming like a timpani at both the beautiful quad and its exorbitant $78 price, actually did skip a beat. Few things in this world ever make me feel that way. Great makeup is one of them; glazed doughnuts are another.

Flawless, I tell you. Like a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed. So glowy. So pigmented. So melty and delicious. Read more…

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Box of Gems BARE ESCENTUALS BAREMINERALS HOLIDAY 2011 SWATCHES
THIS BOX OF GEMS HAS THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GLOW

“Calgon, take me away…”

I had one of those moments today, but my escort away from drama wasn’t Calgon. It was Bare Escentuals, with their new bareMinerals holiday collection of bright, shimmery colors in kits with names like Things That Make You Glow.

Today was a little challenging. It got off to a good start, but when Tabs found out that I’m heading out of town this weekend, he went ballistic, unleashing a litany of diva demands, all of which he wants met by the time I leave on Friday.

I finished the easy ones — making arrangements for his favorite pet sitter, bringing one of the zinnia plants in the house, programming the Tivo to record Cats 101 — but then it got tough. He also wants an XXL kitty ascot (has to be silk) and a two-day supply of organic, gluten-free, non-GMO gravy. Read more…

Tom Ford Violet Fatale Lipstick TOM FORD BEAUTY VIOLET FATALE
LIPSTICK CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION

I’m a firm believer in the motivational might of makeup as a reward for a job well done, and drugstore mini-hauls after a hard day’s work are a favorite of mine, but sometimes, like after a really monumental achievement — graduation, a new job, reaching a long-term goal — you might want to go even bigger than that.

Big like Tom Ford Beauty’s pricey princess, Violet Fatale Lip Color ($48).

A vivid purplish pink, it makes me feel like a superhero version of myself — bolder, brighter, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!

Okay, well, maybe not that last one…but I do feel a lot better with it on. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora!

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Lovi.! Congratulations, Lovi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Win a $50 Sephora eGift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog
“Marbled sides and pantaloons.” That’s what I call my tabby when we teleconference over the Skype Kitty Cam.

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 It’s a beautiful day here in Blogville. The data packets aren’t colliding, my cameras are charging, and I just finished painting my nails.

I’m really looking forward to The Beauty Social this weekend. I haven’t seen much of Santa Monica yet, just the little bit I saw out the window on the 15-minute drive to the hotel from LAX last night, but it was dark, and I was very sleepy at the time…

The panel I’m participating in, How to Turn Beauty Blogging Into a Career, isn’t until tomorrow, so between now and then I plan to just look around, check out the waterfront, drink lots of tea, attend some of the other sessions (and take good notes to share, of course), track down a Pinkberry, and just have fun.

Here are some of the sessions I’d really like to attend…

  • Expert Trendspotting Secrets Revealed: How do you spot a trend? Beauty and fashion editors discuss how they became expert tastemakers and share their picks for the top trends in 2012.
  • So You Want To Be a Guru? Your favorite gurus give their secrets on how to succeed in the cutthroat world of online tutorials.
  • All In The Family: Annie and Maggie Ford Danielson of Benefit Cosmetics share what’s in store for the next generation of this beloved brand.
  • Brown Girl Beauty Uncensored: Hair, makeup, and skin care tips for Beauties of all colors.

The event starts soon, so I’d better start getting ready. I hope you have a nice weekend lined up. Swing by the blog to say hi every so often when you can. I’ll be checking in often and posting updates, per usual.

Now, since I have your attention… 🙂

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora" title="Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, have you ever been to Los Angeles? Are you doing any beauty maintenance today (painting your nails, plucking your brows, shaving your toes…)? What nail polish are you wearing? — you get the idea.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/rrcr0D

  • The deadline to enter is Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
  • Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Oh, and don’t jet before you enter The 2011 Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway. If you haven’t yet, it’s something you don’t want to miss. It’s easy, it matters, and that huge pile of products from MAC, Clinique, Make Up For Ever, Estée Lauder and Bobbi Brown (click here for the full details) needs a good home.

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Lovi.! Congratulations, Lovi! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

What Foundation Have You Been Using Lately?

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Wearing Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation

Rise and shine, morning glory! Unless we’re talking about foundations…in which case “Rise and glow” might be more appropriate. 🙂

Every few days I’m asked about the foundation I’m wearing, and since it changes from time to time (and I’m always on the market for new suggestions), I thought we could revisit it today.

Hi Karen,

I was wondering what foundation/highlighter you’ve been using lately? We have a similar skin tone, and in your Nars G-Spot review pic you look so glowy and fresh. Please let me know. Thank you.

Brandee

Hi Brandee,

Well, I’m always switching between a couple of different foundations, but for most of my pics lately I’ve been wearing Chanel Mat Lumiere in Soft Honey. It’s $54, so it’s pricey, I know, but I find that I don’t have to use very much. It gives great coverage, yet I think it still looks natural, feels light, takes to flash photography well and doesn’t aggravate my combination oily/dry skin.

But what I really love about it is the finish. It’s just shy of matte, so it doesn’t create that flat, artificial texture that I get from some matte foundations.

Other times, when I want a more satiny finish, I’ll reach for MAC Studio Sculpt in NC42 ($29.50) instead. It delivers easy-to-build, medium-to-full coverage, and lately I’ve been topping it with the MAC Careblends Powders ($23) for a fresh, glowy look. Like Chanel Mat Lumiere, it doesn’t give me breakouts, photographs well and looks great in real life.


MAC Studio Sculpt on the left and Chanel mat Lumiere on the right

There are just so many options out there that I can never stick to one for long. I know a lot of gals who swear by Make Up For Ever, CoverFX and Bare Minerals foundations, too. You might also find some good suggestions in the comments on this post here: What’s Your Favorite Full-Coverage Foundation for a Natural Look?

I hope this helps! If you describe your skin in more detail and let me know which foundations you’ve tried, I might have a few more ideas…

What Foundation Have You Been Using Lately?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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