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

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Just For Fun

Two Ways to Win a Custom iPod Touch Prize Package Worth $616 from Visine

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WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Nancy. Congratulations, Nancy! Go forth and rock. 🙂

Enter the iPod Touch - Visine Giveaway

So, this is kind of random, but it’s random in the most incredibly awesome kind of way. The considerate folks at Visine must have heard about or, far worse, seen pics (NOOOO!) of our bleary-eyed late nights back in the day, because they asked if they could sponsor a giveaway for us on the blog.

They’re offering a very generous prize package that’s sure to 1) get the red out, 2) get the red on (your nails), and 3) get your booty shakin’. The prize includes a bunch of beauty items from Essie, Neutrogena and, of course, Visine, along with a special edition version of the new iPod Touch.

With Tabs being the HUGE (both literally and figuratively) Apple fan that he is, of course I had to say yes.

The iPod Touch is like a souped up iPod, so it’ll play your favorite tunes, of course, but it also has access to Apple’s gargantuan App Store, as well as a camera to make Face Time video calls or to film HD videos. And this one’s adorned with The Crystal Eye of [INSERT AWESOME-SOUNDING ANCIENT-ISH NAME HERE WITH LOTS OF EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!].

The design (I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be an eye, for Visine) is by a company called Crystal Icing. They do a lot of custom skins and cases for celebs. If you’re one of those creative types, and I know you are, maybe you could tell people that it represents a gateway into your music-loving soul… Pretty cool, right? 🙂

The $616 prize package includes:

Visine Maximum Redness Relief Formula
Banish red eyes with the new Visine Maximum Redness Relief Formula. The fast-acting “Hydroblend” formula works like natural tears to remove unsightly redness and provide up to 10 hours of comfort. ($5.99)

A Custom Apple iPod Touch
Listen to music, see your friends on FaceTime, shoot HD Video and play games on this crystallized iPod Touch. It even comes with a party mix of house music from DJ Onionz. (iPod $299; Crystal Icing design, $295)

Essie Red Nouveau Nail Polish
Paint your tips and toes with this creamy crimson. ($8)

Neutrogena MoistureShine Gloss in Wine Wellness
Shine on with this sheer wine-colored gloss. ($7)

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Enter to Win The Visine iPod Touch Giveaway

  • One (1) Apple iPod Touch ($299) with a Crystal Icing decoration (a $295 value) and a house party mix from DJ Onionz
  • One (1) Visine Maximum Redness Relief Formula ($6)
  • One Neutrogena MoistureShine Gloss in Wine Wellness ($7)
  • One Essie Nail Polish in Red Nouvea ($8)

  • 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 — tell me what kind of music you’d load onto your new iPod Touch, share the story (just the PG-rated parts) of the last time you seriously needed redness relief for your eyes, dish about what you’re doing today, or, heck, tell me how you feel about chickens.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a Custom iPod Touch Prize Package Worth $616 from Visine http://bit.ly/fkrx4h

  • The deadline to enter is Friday, November 26, 2010 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.
  • Sorry, international folks. This contest is open to individuals of the United States 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).
  • 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. It’s also not too late to enter this giveaway (since you’re already here). 🙂

P.P.S. Yes, I’m writing this post in the dark from the couch in my in-laws house while roosters crow their brains out in the jungle outside.

WINNER: The giveaway is closed, and the winner is Nancy. Congratulations, Nancy! Go forth and rock. 🙂

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Nov. 22

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This cracks me up. Note: I can totally do the dance move the girl hamsters do at the 48 second mark, haha!

  1. Mood:

    2. A little frazzled but otherwise good. I have about a million things to do before we leave and not enough time in the day. This third (!) cup of coffee should help power me through it nicely.

  2. What are you thankful for this year?

    3. My health, my family’s health (Tabs included), you (I don’t say this nearly enough, but thanks for reading the site!) and the opportunities that popped up this year to cover neat stories (namely this and that).

  3. Do you have a pet?

    4. I live with a furry boarder who resides in the condo rent-free. He hogs the bed and the couch and insists on premium gravy. I don’t think he considers himself a “pet,” but rather a master of the humans who surround him. 😉

  4. How many hours do you sleep each night?

    5. Depends. On my best nights, eight to 10. During the bad insomnia phases (like now, ugh!), about five or six.

  5. What beauty invention do you wish someone would invent?

    6. If somebody could invent a cream to remove the dark circles beneath my eyes, erase the wrinkles on my neck and lift my rapidly falling bum, that would be GREAT!

  6. Your most embarrassing moment?

    7. While there are many gems to choose from, the time I had really bad gas and accidentally let one rrrrrrip in a quiet room full of sixth graders watching a National Geographic special on Mayan culture really stands out.

  7. Your all-time favorite TV show?

    8. Probably Sex and the City, but a new show I’ve been watching, The League, is starting to gain ground.

  8. Lipgloss applicators — brush or doe foot?

    9. I don’t mind a brush if it’s soft and precise (a la the Chanel Aqualumieres), but if given a choice I’d go for doe foot.

  9. Pajama pants in public: fashion forward or faux pas?

    10. When did this become socially acceptable? Please refrain from wearing your flannel Curious George pajama bottoms outside the home.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Manage my time wisely today and tomorrow, run at least five times this week, find a good spa on Oahu to visit (got any recs?) and relax!

‘Twas the Monday before Thanksgiving, and all through the house not a tabby was stirring… well, not really. Tabs is going cray-cray right now. I know he’s gonna have a great time with his pet sitter, but it’s still not the same as spending time with his mom and dad human subordinates. I miss him already!

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



1. Mood:
2. What are you thankful for this year?
3. Do you have a pet?
4. How many hours do you sleep at night?
5. What beauty invention do you wish someone would invent?
6. Your most embarrassing moment?
7. Your all-time favorite TV show?
8. Lipgloss applicators — brush or doe foot?
9. Pajama pants in public: fashion forward or faux pas?
10. Weekly goals:

Are ya all stocked up for Thursday? I see some carb-laden leftovers in my future, and it’s a glorious sight! 😀

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 114

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Tabs grows catnip for personal use

Tabs grows catnip for personal use

Tabs is like an enigma wrapped in a chubby, fur-covered riddle. I learn something new about him every day. Like, today I found out that he worked on a fishing boat in Alaska one summer to save money for modeling school. 🙂 Who knew?

Here are some other things you may not know about Tabs. He…

Is hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year

Is hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year

Is quite the Lothario

Is quite the Lothario

Hates building Ikea furniture

Hates building Ikea furniture

Is an excellent packer

Is an excellent packer

Can type 120 wpm

Can type 120 words per minute

[Continue reading…]

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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The Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Rise and shine, morning glory. That’s what my mother-in-law says to gently nudge people up in the morning. She quietly whispers, “rise and shine, morning glory.” It’s definitely a kinder sound to get up to than a bleeping alarm clock, am I right?

Other than continuing to get ready for our trip to Hawaii this week, I don’t have a lot planned for today, but it would be nice to go for a walk.

What’s shakin’ out yonder way, and how was your week? Did you get any good makeup or beauty stuff or learn something new? Let’s see… I asked a friend to bring me back a bottle of Chanel polish in Riva from Las Vegas, where she saw it on a family trip. Getting Riva was probably the beauty highlight of my week.

No, not probably — it WAS the beauty highlight of my week. 🙂

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

Chanel Riva Le Vernis Nail ColourCHANEL RIVA
LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR

Um, can you say swoon? I’ve been dying — DYING! — to see the new Chanel Nail Lacquer in Riva ($27) ever since it popped up on the runway at the Chanel Cruise fashion show last May. I’ve lusted over Riva more than I’ve lusted over the abs of the official “Sexiest Man Alive,” aka Ryan Reynolds. Needless to say, that’s, um, a lot of lust.

The limited edition shade just launched online and in select Chanel stores as part of the five-piece Chanel Cote D’Azur resort collection. Also included in the release are four Rouge Coco lipsticks in Sari Dore, Perle, Taffetas Rose and Chintz ($30 each). Read more…

N.Y.C. New York Color Ultra Last Lipsticks$2 NYC ULTRA
LAST LIPSTICKS

I seriously cannot believe these NYC New York Color Ultra Last LipWear lipsticks are just $2. TWO DOLLARS!

Like Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck, (I think) these are worth way more than their price implies. I’m talkin’ hidden drugstore gems.

I didn’t expect much from the three tubes I bought on a whim last weekend, but what a pleasant surprise. Opaque, pretty colors, a smooth texture, a hydrating formula and a high-shine finish? WOW!

Wear time’s been pretty good (about five hours), and they’ve been able to withstand gin-n-juice sips of water, but they don’t really tolerate meals.

Tabs gives ‘em two paws way up for being both drugstore AND cruelty-free, and I give them two thumbs up for not having an (ob)noxious taste or scent (I’m talking to YOU, NYX Beautiful).

To top it all off, they come in 20 shades! The perfectly named Berry Rich is my favorite of the three I got.

And it makes lips sing sonnets paired with purple eye looks. 🙂 Read more…

The MUD Cares PaletteTHE MUD
CARES PALETTE

Would you like to give a gift this year that really makes a difference in someone’s life? How about one that also happens to look as pretty as the new limited-edition MUD Cares Palette ($25)?

Every last cent (that’s 100%) from the sale of the new powder eyeshadow quad goes to the NextAid organization, a nonprofit assisting children in Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS.

Make-up Designory (MUD) stocked the palette with four warm, summery shades from their permanent line — Spanish Gold (a rich golden bronze), Dulce de Leche (an iridescent beige), Cashmere (a sparkling rosy beige) and Moss (a shimmery khaki green with golden undertones). Individually, the pans usually retail for $10 each, making $25 a great deal for the quad. Read more…

ULTRAFLESH Panthera MascaraULTRAFLESH
PANTHERA MASCARA

Take your seats, everyone, so we can call to order tonight’s meeting of the Feline Enthusiasts Club.

Okay, I won’t deny that the real reason I wanted to try the new Ultraflesh Panthera Mascara ($26) is because of tube. I don’t know if Ultraflesh designed it with cat ladies in mind, but it sure as heck worked on me.

The product is currently Ultraflesh’s (seriously, what’s up with that name?) one and only item, which I guess we could say recently “pounced” on the makeup scene, LOL! For now it’s available exclusively at Sephora. Read more…

Chanel Cote D'Azur Rouge Coco LipsticksCHANEL COTE D’AZUR
ROUGE COCO LIPSTICKS

I know it’s wrong and crazy, but it’s taking all of my willpower to resist painting Tabs’ claws with Chanel Riva Nail Colour.

And it’s a good thing cats don’t have lips…because if they did Tabs would already be wearing one of the four Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Colours from the new Cote D’Azur Collection. 🙂

Despite the season, the small five-piece release (four lipsticks and the one polish) is actually a resort collection for Chanel, which explains why it feels so beachy and tropical.

Here are swatches of three of the four shades (I’m missing coral Sari Doré), Taffetas Rose (a shimmery magenta), Perle (a shimmery pinkish golden beige) and Chintz (a shimmery pinkish coral). All of them have the same smooth, moisturizing texture and plush pigments that define the Rouge Coco lipstick line. Read more…

MUD Make-Up Designory All That Sparkles Holiday CollectionMUD MAKE-UP DESIGNORY
ALL THAT SPARKLES HOLIDAY COLLECTION

Sometimes I don’t feel like going all out with my makeup. I don’t want to do anything with it — blend, shade, nada. I just want a look that’s simple and easy, and preferably still pretty.

That’s where the new MUD Make-Up Designory All That Sparkles Holiday Collection ($55) comes in.

MUD’s more than just a makeup line with cosmetics, tools and skin care in prices ranging from $10-30. It’s also a makeup school, which has been around for about 10 years, with branches in Los Angeles and New York.

So far I really like what I’ve seen from the brand. The sturdy, modern packaging isn’t fancy, but most of the colors are pretty suitable for everyday wear, unlike a lot of the really cra-zay-zay (but still very cool) colors over at Kryolan, another makeup school/line.

The limited edition All That Sparkles Holiday Collection, a set of products for eyes, lips and cheeks, comes in a palette of wearable pink, silver, violet, charcoal and beige that’s easy to dress up or dress down.

With the set, you also get a roomy, zip-up makeup bag. Read more…

$7 Almay Intense I-Color Trios$7 ALMAY INTENSE
I-COLOR TRIOS

Gosh, I haven’t worn any Almay makeup since — when was that? 1992?

I vaguely remember buying something from the line at a Thrifty’s where I cruised for makeup after school. There was something about the products looking kinda stiff and serious that I still remember today. It wasn’t the kind of makeup my friends and I were wearing to school. It was the stuff “grownups” were wearing to work in tall gray office buildings downtown.

But that was literally decades ago, and the line’s changed a lot over the past few years, becoming, dare I say, cooler. Or, maybe I’ve just gotten older, heh. 🙂

I like the new Almay’s easy, breezy vibe. Think Rite-Aid meets Trish McEvoy at the Bobbi Brown counter. It’s a “we take the guesswork out of it for ya!” approach to drugstore makeup, and apparently the line is also hypoallergenic and cruelty free, which Tabs describes as “hella dope” (his words). Read more…

The Becca Beach Tint Trio Holiday Gift SetBECCA BEACH TINT
HOLIDAY TRIO GIFT SET

Okay, so you know the Becca Beach Tints? Talk about makeup salvation for the lazy. They’re these multipurpose, oil-free, water-resistant creams for adding a hint of scented color to cheeks and lips. Not only are they easy to blend without streaks, but you can layer them beneath blushes, bronzers and lip gloss, too.

Tubes usually go for $25 a pop, but you can save a few bucks on them with the limited edition Becca Beach Tint Holiday Set ($63). It comes with three full-size Beach Tints in Watermelon (a pink from the permanent collection), Grapefruit (a coral from the permanent collection) and Apricot (a new limited edition peach).

And the scents are delicious! The Watermelon like watermelon, Grapefruit like grapefruit — you get the picture.

The Beach Tint Holiday Set’s expensive, but I could easily see these blushes becoming an every day staple because they’re so easy to apply and they stay on all day. If you’re the type of gal who’s always rushing out the door and you’re in the mood for a splurge, this could be the perfect excuse to treat yourself this holiday. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Happy ThanksgivingP.S. Have you already planned out your Thanksgiving meal? If you still have room for another dish, there are dozens of delicious-sounding recipes in the comments on our T-giving recipe exchange (I had a dream about Jennifer’s pumpkin cheesecake).

Saturday Surfing, and The Quest for a Dynamite Drugstore Concealer

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Doctor Fealgud, it’s a Code Brown! The patient needs a cup of coffee, stat! She’s going into a decaffeinated stupor!

With cream and sugar, doctor! WITH CREAM AND SUGAR!

Howzit, ladies? Ye olde mental motor blew a head gasket this morning because I was up late last night watching the new Harry Potter movie.

I won’t post any spoilers (outside of the comments) today, but I will say that this one scared me more than the other ones did. If you’ve seen it, let me what you thought in the comments. I didn’t read the book, and I’d also like to hear what someone who read it has to say. I’ve read some mixed reviews.

Weird… You wouldn’t think that sitting relatively still in a movie theater for a few hours could be as tiring as it appears to have been, judging by my dark circles this morning, but it gives me an excuse, like so many things do, to try new makeup.

I’ve been trying to find a good drugstore concealer, and I picked up this one by Almay last week called Smart Shade with SPF 20 ($9) in Medium. It’s the darkest of the three shades it comes in.

The company claims these change color to match your skin tone when they’re applied. The Medium shade definitely does darken as you work it in, but I can’t tell if it’s just darkening as it dries, or actually responding to my skin tone… Either way, it sure is neat to see it change color on the skin.

After using it a few times this week, I think it’s time to set it aside and get back to shopping. I mean, it’s easy to blend, and I like the color changing aspect, but the Medium shade is lighter than I expected and has pinkish beige undertones that lend a gray cast to my skin. Plus, the coverage is just way too sheer for this brown girl.

If you get real deal Holyfield dark circles, you’ll probably need something more opaque, but if you have good luck with beige/pink face products and only need mild coverage, it’s probably worth a try.

Before you Tom Cruise outta here, we can’t let those good waves go to waste. Are you up for a little Saturday Surfing with me?

Saturday Surfing: Sites I Surfed Today


Via Milo Minousky’s Munchkinland

Have fun today. 🙂 Tabs says hi.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Please Share Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes in the Comments

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Oh, lawd, it was hard to write this post! How is anyone supposed to focus when they’ve got roasted garlic mashed potatoes and peach cobbler on their mind? It’s just not possible!!

Since we’ve been talking about sharing our favorite Thanksgiving recipes, I’ve been selfishly plotting to steal some of them for myself, mwahahahaa (if you don’t mind)! And, of course, you’re welcome to do the same.

Please post your favorite Thanksgiving recipes in the comments

And definitely steal some new ones to try at home. 🙂

Here are my top three. They don’t have to be fancy. This is a stress-free environment, young lady. Even a quick side dish would be cool. If you like to prepare it, then feel free to share it!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CAKE:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs, separated
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup butter milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coconut, shredded
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • FOR THE FROSTING:
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
  • 1 1-pound box powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation instructions

Um, I briefly freaked out when I couldn’t find this recipe this morning. It was a gift from my good friend Elizabeth about 10 years ago. She copied it from a vintage cookbook, and now it’s my all-time favorite cake recipe (so far).

Start: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake: Cream butter, Crisco and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift flour and baking soda together. Gradually add to creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla, coconut and nuts. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Pour into three 9-inch greased and lightly floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Frost with Italian Cream Cake Frosting.

Frosting: Blend butter and cream cheese with electric mixer. Add sugar and vanilla, and then beat. Add a little milk, if needed, for proper spreading consistency. Spread between layers, top and sides of cake. Devour!


Ingredients

  • 1/2 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 can sliced peaches, drained
  • 1 14-oz. can condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
  • 2 cups biscuit baking mix, divided
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • vanilla ice cream

Preparation instructions

Start: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine blueberries, peaches, condensed milk and lemon peel.

In a different, larger bowl, cut 3/4 cup butter into 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix until crumbly; add blueberry mixture. Spread in greased 9-inch square baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup biscuit mix and sugar; cut in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Add nuts if desired. Sprinkle over cobbler.

Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes (or until golden), and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

  • 2 large heads garlic
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 4 pounds potatoes
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick, EEK!) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation instructions

Start: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice top 1/4 inch off garlic heads and discard. Coat heads with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil. Bake until tender and golden (about 45 minutes). Remove from oven, let stand until cool enough to handle. Carefully peel garlic cloves, set aside.

Place potatoes in large stockpot, cover with cold, salted water. Bring to boil. Cook until very tender (about 12 minutes). Drain and mash.

Heat butter and cream in saucepan until butter has melted and cream feels hot. Pour over potatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir well to combine. Gently stir in roasted garlic cloves and serve.

NOTE: If preparing potatoes several hours before dinner, use only 2/3 of the heavy cream. A half an hour before serving, place potatoes in a heat resistant bowl, and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Warm, stirring occasionally until heated throughout. Just before serving, mix in the remaining cream.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Nov. 15

by 123 Comments

  1. Mood:

    2. Wide awake and feeling great! Oh, I just made a rhyme… 🙂

  2. What was your best vacation ever?

    3. A couple years ago after my BFF’s wedding in Boca, El Hub and I drove down through the Florida Keys to Key West. The drive was epically beautiful along a highway that stretches more than 100 miles out into the sea, water on both sides of the car. We just took in the view and listened to music the whole time. And Key West was a lot like Hawaii, tropical, a little old fashioned, with a lot of lounging around by the pool, sightseeing and eating.

  3. Are you a chocoholic?

    4. I am for milk or semi-sweet, but I have to be in the right mood for dark or white chocolate.

  4. Do you have a nickname?

    5. Why have just one? Depending on the crowd I’m with, I’m known as babe, brats, bratasaurus rex, Abs, Karonie, Kate, Katie or KT.

  5. Coffee or tea?

    6. Most of the time, coffee, but I prefer darjeeling or green tea when my stomach’s feeling fussy.

  6. Do you do sequins?

    7. Only in moderation, and never, EVER on headbands, wristbands or socks.

  7. Your favorite hat?

    8. The gray fedora I got at Forever 21 for $12.

  8. Have you ever lied about your age?

    9. No, but I’m at the point where I actually forget it sometimes. Is it 34 or 35?? After a point everything sort of blurs together.

  9. What would you do today if you had one entirely free hour?

    10. I’d sit by the pool and take advantage of this freak warm spell we’re having (it was almost 80 degrees yesterday!).

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Exercise restraint when it comes to Facebook (speaking of that, are we friends on facebook yet?), meet my deadlines, pay some extra attention to Tabs this week, and take care of everything that has to be done before I leave for Hawaii next week (visiting family for Thanksgiving).

Thanksgiving’s just a hop, skip and a jump away. Will you be traveling this year or staying local?

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



1. Mood:
2. What was your best vacation ever?
3. Are you a chocoholic?
4. Do you have a nickname?
5. Coffee or tea?
6. Do you do sequins?
7. Your favorite hat?
8. Have you ever lied about your age?
9. What would you do with one free hour?
10. Weekly goals:

We can SOOOO do this, babe. Are you ready?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I just realized this video went up on swide.com.

Yeah, those earrings are totally MIA now.

I think they jumped ship when I was sprinting through the Frankfurt airport trying to make my connecting flight home.

Comment to Win a New Windows Phone 7, and Do More with Less

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THANK YOU: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is being contacted by email and will be announced here on this post no later than Saturday, December 4, 2010. Before you jet, click here to enter any ongoing giveaways.

Do more with less using Windows Phone 7
Doing more (makeup) with less; here’s a full face — eyes, lips and cheeks — for $9.85



To promote the release of Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7, Federated Media Publishing, Inc. (my advertising partner) is sponsoring a giveaway for us. One lucky reader will take home the new Windows Phone 7 (a $500 value), and all it takes is a comment on “doing more with less.”

Today I did more with less by doing my makeup for less than $10! 🙂

  • One lucky reader will take home the new Windows Phone 7 (a $500 value).

  • Click here for the official rules, but to summarize…
  • Leave a comment at the bottom of this post describing how you “do more with less.” You could describe how you use your favorite multitasking makeup product, how you do your hair and/or makeup when you’re in a huge rush, how you save money on beauty supplies — basically anything related to doing more with less (and, contrary to my examples, it doesn’t have to be beauty related).
  • Deadline to enter is Monday, November 29, 2010.
  • The winner will be chosen at random.
  • You may enter one (1) time per day until the end of the giveaway, but your entries must be substantially different each day.
  • No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.). 18 years and older. Void where prohibited. Click here for official rules. Sponsor: Federated Media Publishing, Inc., 2 Harrison Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Oh, I mentioned at the top that I did more with less today by doing my makeup for less than $10. It was actually $9.85. All of the color products are from N.Y.C. New York For Color.

They aren’t gonna win any awards for slick packaging, but I love the quality of their textures and colors (for $2-3 each). Honestly, I can overlook a lot for that price, and get this: their products are also cruelty free!


N.Y.C. New York Color products clockwise from bottom right: Cheek Glow Powder Blush in Park Avenue Plum ($3.04), Lipstick in Caramel ($1.89), Eyeliner Duet in A Place in the Sun ($1.89), Brow/Eye Liner Pencil in Dark Brown ($1.14), Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black ($1.89)

Here’s how I did this $9.85 look featuring bronze/black eyes, plum cheeks and bronze lips

Eyes: Apply the bronze liner from the N.Y.C. New York Color Cheek Eyeliner Duet in A Place in the Sun ($1.89) to the lid, crease and lower lash line; use a finger or a brush to soften and blend out the edge of the lines. Then, with the black liner from Duet, line both the upper and lower waterlines to add some drama. Open up the eyes with two coats of N.Y.C. New York Color Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black ($1.89) on lashes, and then frame eyes by filling in brows with N.Y.C. New York Color Brow/Eye Liner Pencil in Dark Brown ($1.14).

Lips: Add color to your pucker with the shimmery bronze N.Y.C. New York Color Lipstick in Caramel ($1.89).

Cheeks: Wrap up the look by sweeping N.Y.C. New York Color Cheek Glow Powder Blush in Park Avenue Plum ($3.04), a sheer matte plum, on the apples of the cheeks.


Swatches from left: Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black, Brow/Eye Liner Pencil in Dark Brown, Black liner from A Place in the Sun Duet, Bronze liner from A Place in the Sun Duet, New York Color Lipstick in Caramel and Cheek Glow Powder Blush in Park Avenue Plum

I can’t wait to read your comments. 🙂 Good luck!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

THANK YOU: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is being contacted by email and will be announced here on this post no later than Saturday, December 4, 2010. Before you jet, click here to enter any ongoing giveaways.

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