Lips

The #BECCABFFS Collection

January 10th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

beccabffs product shot — ? a bronze glow? Here’s your new #BECCABFFs.

Whenever I see a Kardashian-related makeup product (which is, like, every five seconds, amiright?), I remember that krazy dream I had a few months ago where Kim and I got into a kat fight about jewelry. HA HA HA! Yes, it was nuts. I think of that dream every time I wear the #BECCABFFs collection.

The #BECCABFFs collection is new, LE and available now with two powder palettes, a loose highlighter and four lipsticks. It’s a collab between Khloe Kardashian and her bestie Malika Haqq, and even though I have feeeeeeeelings about the Kardashians…I guess if there were any of them I could remotely relate to, it would probably be Khloe, because she does have that biting sense of humor. And I know this because I marathoned the first two seasons of KUWTK while Connor was a newborn and I was up at all hours feeding her.

beccabffs k — Wearing the Made With Love by Khloe Palette on my cheeks and eyes, and Cupid’s Bow Lipstick on my lips.

BECCA’s vibe is generally beach-babe-meets-Victoria’s-Secret-runway-model, and they’re consistent about it. They shamelessly embrace warm, bronzed, highlighted skin and glowing lids and lips, and I like that type of makeup, so it doesn’t get tedious for me, but I can see how they could seem like a one-trick pony if it’s not your thing.

At first blush, #BECCABFF’s colors might seem very similar to the colors from previous collections like BECCA X Chrissy (THE BEST), but they really are different. The four warm shades in the Made With Love By Malika Palette ($44), for instance, are deeper and darker versions of BECCA’s usual classic bronze look, and the Made With Love By Khloe Palette (also $44), while still warm, has a surprisingly neutral matte bronzer in it that’s unusual for a BECCA launch.

So, yeah, the differences are subtle, but they’re there.

The packaging’s a little clunky…but the powders themselves perform like Olympic gymnasts. They’re typical BECCA multitaskers, too, so you can wear them on your cheeks, eyes or, heck, all over your face if you want to!

See the marbling? Kinda looks like the Hourglass Ambient blushes and bronzers, right? You get that same lighter-than-air quality with these powders, where you can’t even see the grains on your skin, but they differ in terms of shimmer. The Ambients are known for their subtlety, and subtle these are not. The #BECCABFFS turn up the pearl, so you gotta lean into the glow if you want to go there.

I’m cool with it because the pearl particles are fine, so my pores are like “Coo’, coo’… We can work with this.”

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MAC Makeup Ready Skin

January 9th, 2019 by Karen 8 Comments

Nope, I’m not mad about it! MAC’s latest launch of makeup primers is…unsurprisingly, all about primer, and yeah, it’s one of those releases comprised of re-promoted stuff (same products, new boxes).

Of course, there will be the usual hemming and hawing about this, but since almost all of the items in Makeup Ready Skin are things I’ve used and loved for years, I repeat: I’m not mad about it. There are things in this release that deserve the extra attention.

Also, I’m aware that there are peeps out there in Makeup Land who don’t see the point of primers. I can appreciate that… There are lots of makeup “must-haves” that I find totally unnecessary, but I don’t feel that way about primers. I love ’em. I think they make a huge difference in terms of wear time and how smooth my skin looks (especially in pics) when I use them.

And I’m a really big fan of face primers, because OH, HAI, PORES.

MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ ($27)

Q: How many bottles of this setting spray have I used over the years? A: So many. I even take a travel-sized one with me when I travel.

Fix+ is the first AND last thing I use whenever I apply makeup. As soon as I sit down, I spritz a few sprays all over my face — psst, psst! The light mist moisturizes my skin and dampens it, getting it ready for everything else I put on (lotion, primer, whatevs). It helps the next products I use absorb better than they do when my skin is dry.

Then, after all is said and done, I spray Fix+ again at the end of my rigmarole when I finish my last blend, usually right after the powder products. I do it to lock everything down and take the edge off any powdery-ness.

I ? Fix+! It’s ride-or-die for me.

Strobe Cream in Pinklite ($34)

Also a huge fan of Strobe Cream. I wear it on bare skin for no-makeup makeup days, or I mix it into MAC Studio Fix Foundation, which is nothing short of magical. If you want to set it with powder, I recommend Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder, which is THE BEST face powder in the MAC line IMO.

There are a few different Strobe Cream shades, but the only one I really use is Pinklite — the original Strobe Cream color. It’s a pearly pink that looks good on everyone.

Prep + Prime Natural Radiance ($42)

Another underrated primer I love. MAC has two versions of it — yellow and pink — and even though I’ve used both…I really can’t tell the difference between them on my skin from an arm’s length away.

I mean, if I really get up in there with a magnifying mirror, sure, I can see tiny pink bits of glitter in the pink one, but they’re both fab. One pump moisturizes my combo skin and smooths out my pores enough to be noticeable.

mac makeup ready skin 2 — Fancy packaging

FYI, Natural Radiance doesn’t minimize pores as aggressively as UD Optical Illusion or Make Up For Ever’s primer (the one in the gray tube). I think of it as more of an everyday look, so if you like natural-looking skin as much as I do, it could be a good fit for you.

Mineralize Timecheck Lotion ($32)

This lightweight primer smooths pores to a greater degree than Natural Radiance, and it also mattes down the skin to hide shine. I like to use it on areas that I don’t want to be super dewy, like the center of my forehead.

Fast Response Eye Cream ($32)

An oldie but goodie for smoothing your under-eye area before concealer. I also like to mix it into liquid concealers to sheer them out for a more natural look.

Prep + Prime Lip ($18.50)

This is the only item in the collection that I’m just “meh” about… It’s like a fancy clear lip balm.

On-The-Go Prep Set ($35)

By the way, there’s also a cute little limited edition trial kit in the collection for $35 with a bunch of MAC priming products, so if you’re new to the world of MAC primers, that would be a good way to go.

One last thing…

Ask me anything! If there’s anything else you’d like to know about any of these products, LET ME KNOW. After years of using them, I know them pretty well.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy hump day. ?

Product Spotlight: Honest Beauty Lip Crayon Lush Sheers

December 28th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

honest beauty lip crayon lush sheer swatches — Wear ’em, carry ’em, love ’em.

Like everything I’ve tried from the recently revamped Honest Beauty line, these twist-up sheer lip crayons bring it. There are eight shades in the Lip Crayon Lush Sheers line, each an affordable $12.99. They don’t have any funky flavors or scents, and they feel smooth, slick and moisturizing on my kisser. Best of all, they pack a preternatural amount of pigment — so much pigment that I can actually see the difference between the colors when I wear them (who’da thunk it?). They’re like the Neutrogena Color Sticks or the Clinique Chubby Sticks, but much more pigmented. Recommended!

I’m smitten with Sheer Raspberry and Sheer Chestnut…

honest beauty sheer raspberry — Sheer Raspberry

honest beauty sheer chestnut — Sheer Chestnut

Buuuuuut, as good as they are, if we look at them solely from an apocalyptic perspective (Why? ‘Cause I just watched Bird Box on Netflix.), they’d be lower on the “important things” totem pole than, say, antibiotics, peanut butter, tampons or weapons.

For instance, would I bother to grab one if I were on a scouting supply run in an abandoned Target? No. But if we were five years into the apocalypse, and I were miraculously still around and happened to stumble upon a stash of Lush Sheers on a cobweb-covered shelf, I’d indubitably contemplate the following:

“Geez, I hope one of these is Raspberry or Chestnut!”
“Remember how sheer lipsticks not showing up on pigmented lips was a big problem? DAMN, THOSE WERE GOOD TIMES.”
“Big surprise, my lips are hella dry right now.”

Then, I’d throw every last Lip Sheer into my cart, because I’d have to share them with the other survivors at base camp (OBVI). Hopefully I wouldn’t get eaten on the way back by the zombies/plague/evil whispering spirits that will have taken over.

YEAH. In Bird Box, the bad guys are evil whispering spirits, which, if you look directly at them, cause you to hallucinate and immediately kill yourself.

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Fresh Friday: A Teen Runs This New Beauty Brand That Takes a Stand Against Bullying

December 21st, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

MBB’s “Fresh Friday” series takes a look at new beauty brands (and venerable O.G. brands that are new to me). Let’s discover new makeup!

Guys, do you remember what you were doing at 15…? I’ll tell ya, I certainly wasn’t running my own makeup line, LOL! Say hi to Raazika Cosmetics, a new cruelty-free indie line founded by high school student Khadija Ikram, who started the brand fueled by her passion for makeup and her desire to help her community. The brand donates a portion of all proceeds to anti-bullying campaigns.

Yeah, at 15 years old, I was marching around a football field with a flute in a band uniform while simultaneously plotting ways to up my GPA… I wasn’t starting my own business (although I wish I had!).

In Arabic, Raazika means “one who provides for others,” and the line is cruelty-free, fragrance-free and Halal-certified, meaning that the ingredients are permitted within Islamic or sharia law (you can read more about it here if you’re curious), and they’re available now online. The brand is still quite small and very new.

Within the line, there are full-coverage foundations ($36 each), a couple of contour kits ($49 each), vegan brushes ($16-$30 each), a sprinkling of eye makeup (there’s a mascara and a liner), liquid lipsticks ($27 each) and lip pencils ($17 each), so it’s not Fenty big, but it’s not a teeny, tiny product range either.

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Fresh Friday: This K-Beauty Brand Is All About Bite-Sized Beauty

December 14th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

kaja makeup sephora — A few pieces from Kaja, a new K-beauty line made in partnership with Sephora

“Fresh Friday” is a new MBB series where we explore products from new beauty brand (and veteran brands that are new to me). Let’s discover new makeup!

Two pressing life-related conundrums:

So…when did 7:30 p.m. become late for me? Because I swear, 7:30 is the new midnight now. When the clock strikes 7:30, I turn into a pumpkin!
Am I the only person who assumed that because Kaja Beauty refers to their products as “bite sized,” they’d be teeny and tiny for travel?

From Sephora:

“We create bite-sized beauty packed with Korean innovation that once you experience, you’ll want to share. It’s packaging as beautiful on the outside as our product is on the inside – feel-good formulas made for everyone, all skin types and skin tones.”

How cute is this line? I think their bite-sized hook is a little confusing though, since all of it looks pretty full-sized in person.

kaja beauty bento bouncy shimmer eyeshadow trio — Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio in Toasted Caramel

Kaja is a new Korean beauty line that launched last (this?) fall exclusively at Sephora, and here’s a fun fact for ya: Apparently, Kaja means “Let’s Go” in Korean!

kaja beauty mochi pop bouncy blush — Mochi Pop Bouncy Blush in Atmosphere

The brand has a Milk-meets-Glossier vibe, with a pinch of Too Faced cuteness, and while there’s a decent helping of eye, cheek and lip products, the line’s relatively minimalist when it comes to foundation… In other words, you aren’t going to find 20 million foundation shades a la Fenty here. For face makeup, they have one primer, one color corrector and a handful of concealers.

Yup, that’s it! No powder or anything else.

The concept is a fresh-faced, dewy complexion with a kiss of color and glitter on lids, cheeks and lips.

I definitely feel like it’s a line that skews to a younger makeup crowd, like teens and early 20-somethings, but even if that’s way beyond your age group (HELLO, ME), it can be fun, fast and fabulous for quickie looks…which is every day of my life lately, ha!

kaja beauty cheeky stamp blendable blush — Cheeky Stamp Blendable Blush in Bossy

Standout: The Cushy Vibe High-Pigment Lip Stains

I’ve tested a few of the products so far, and I dig the Lip Stains ($18). They’re REALLY good. They come five bold colors (blue-red, wine, mauve, plum and purple) and have a light whipped texture that glides right over your lips.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that they feel light as feathers, either, because they last a long time. I put Chiffon (the raspberry shade) on my lips in the morning a few days ago thinking I’d need to reapply after lunch, but after two cups of coffee, three glasses (OK, more like jugs) of water, snacks AND lunch, it stayed on my lips and continued to last for practically the whole day.

kaja swatches — Swatches from the top: Cat Nap Brightener, Don’t Settle Concealers, Bossy Blush, Atmosphere Blush, Toasted Caramel eyeshadow; Cushy Vibe High Pigment Lip Stains in Silk Robe, Chiffon and Velvet and 2’s Company Nude Lipstick & Liner Duo in Desert Rose

Also worth your time: Mochi Pop Bouncy Blush

The cream-to-powder blushes ($19 each) are also standouts because they’re like more affordable Chanel Joues Contraste blushes. I’ve been wearing Atmosphere, a rosy shade similar to Chanel Pink Explosion, and it has that gorgeous tell-tale semi-transparency that you’ll find over at Chanel.

Now, let me say for the millionth time that sheer blush ain’t a bad thing, especially if you don’t want to spend hella days blending out the edges, and/or your ultimate makeup fear in life is walking around with clown cheeks.

Take-home message: These look very natural on the skin, don’t appear obviously powdery, and they’re long-lasting as well.

But how about those cream blush stamps?

Kaja’s cushion blushes are very cute; I’ll give them that. Each blush has a ❤️ heart-shaped stamp in the cap, which you dip into the cushion, stamp on your cheeks, and blend.

Fun! I like it on bare skin because, like the Mochi blushes, it’s sheer and allows my skin to peek through. But when I wear it on top of foundation or concealer, it breaks up my face makeup… I don’t wear it often, although you’d think I would because it feels very silicone-y and slippery to the touch. Plus, it blurs pores like a mofo.

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Product Spotlight: Honest Beauty Demi-Matte Lip Crayons

December 11th, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

Why aren’t more people obsessed with these lip crayons from Honest Beauty?? They’re so good! They’re the $12.99 Demi-Matte Lip Crayons, and they’re available at Target (and you can also get them online through the Honest Beauty website).

They come in a bunch of colors, but the two I wear are nudes. Or rather, nude-ish. Easy-to-wear Blossom is a warm-toned pinkish beige — completely opaque with just one swipe (no settling into vertical lip lines, either!) — with a demi matte finish that’s ever-so-slightly shiny and creamy, like someone mixed a morsel of matte lipstick into a MAC Cremesheen Lipstick.

And note: Unlike many pinkish beige nudes that are SO DIFFICULT to wear, it’s neither super skippy, nor will it make your lips look like a cat’s butt. If you like MAC Creme Cup, you’ll probably love Blossom.

Rosy brown Marsala is the other shade I’ve been all about, and like Blossom, it’s smooth, opaque and easy to wear. I have very pigmented lips, and it’s slightly deeper than my natural lip color, so on me it works as a nude shade, but it may look like a more standard ’90s-style brown lip, depending on your skin tone.

Neither of these has a noticeable flavor, but if I get my nose all up in there — seriously, I gotta get one of them up into my nostril — I can smell a little rosy waxiness, but it’s far from overwhelming.

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Gloss + Liquid Lipstick + Stain = MAC Versicolour Varnish Cream Lip Stain

December 3rd, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

Not once, but twice over the past week have I wondered aloud, “What is this exactly?”

The first time I was out getting dinner with the family.

Actually, it was during dessert (I got spumoni ice cream, which, who’d a thunk that cherry, pistachio and chocolate would go so well together?).

The second time was the first time I was trying the new MAC Versicolour Cream Varnish Lip Stains.

mac versicolour varnish 2 — I wonder… What’s the plural of doe-foot??

These creamy, shiny glosses are kinda different and cool. They have a non-sticky formula, and they fade over time to a matte lip stain. They come in a whole bunch of colors, too, for $22.

I think one of the reasons I like them so much is because they feel like my favorite MAC glosses…which I can’t recall the name of right now.

Dangit! What are those called again? I’m having a brain fart… They’re the moisturizing ones that feel thinner than a Lipglass? Something-something glasses?

Not Lipglass. Not Dazzleglass…

Wait! — CREMESHEEN GLASS! Aaah!

The Versicolours feel just like them, only thinner.

“Captivate with a lip colour hybrid that’s glossier, higher coverage and harder impact than ever before. Its watery-light formula glides on creamy and comfortable to impart long-wearing, saturated full coverage and an always-fresh wet finish. Find entrancement in its 12-hour, intense staining power – promising to last far into the day and night.”

— maccosmetics.com

When they go on, they’re VERY pigmented and shiny. It’s like, BAM! — color and shine. And that goes for all of them.

Over the next 10 minutes or so they start to feel thicker — almost like a liquid lipstick — and fade into a stain.

Even though I’m more drawn to the dark pinks and reds in the collection, I think the best shade of the whole bunch is rosy nude Bitten Babe because it doesn’t stain my lips unevenly like the other colors do to where I get a dark or bright spot in the middle of my lips, which then fades into a lighter stain toward the edge of my lips.

I guess that’s a high fashion-y lip look, but I’m partial to evenly stained color, a la Bitten Babe, which I’ve been wearing a ton. It starts as a glossy, rosy pink but turns into a nude pink stain by midday, where it lasts for about four hours.

mac bitten babe before — Fresh coat of Bitten Babe

mac bitten babe after — After two hours…

More deets…

They aren’t particularly moisturizing or drying…so they’re somewhere in the middle in terms of moisture.
Unsurprisingly for MAC, they smell like vanilla, and I don’t detect a flavor.
They don’t settle into my lip lines (yay!).
The darker stains last longest — like 6-7 hours.
The reds all kinda look alike on me… Go figure.

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A Whole Lotta Lip Swatches

November 28th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

mac sweet assortment retro matte shiny pretty things — MAC Sweet Assortment: Retro Matte/Shiny Pretty Things holiday set

Heya, friend. How’s it going? I miss you. Hope you’re doing well. I’m chugging along…albeit slowly and not very productively. I’m in the midst of a midweek malaise, perhaps tied to the fact that it’s cloudy and drizzling. 🙁

It’s as if I’ve completely forgotten how to function normally or something!

I hope to regain the gift of gab again soon, but while I continue to quietly work through it, please enjoy this bevy o’ lip swatches…