Lips

Guerlain Is Cooking Up Delicious New Lip Looks With Seven New Rouge G Lipstick Shades

March 28th, 2014 by Karen 29 Comments

Guerlain Rose Grenat — Cooking with K-Dawg and T-Money!

[OK, GUYS, WE’RE LIVE ON THE AIR IN THREE, TWO, ONE…]

Hi, everyone, and welcome to Cooking With K-Dawg and T-Money, the number one cooking show on TTCTV (Tabs the Cat TV), where we teach you absolutely nothing about food.

That’s right! — not a damned thing. 🙂

Hungry for homemade pasta? Salivating over sushi? Craving killer creppes? GURL, you won’t hear about any of that stuff here.

That’s because we dish about makeup, and today we’re cooking up delicious looks for lips with some new products from Guerlain.

Wearing the new Guerlain Rouge G in 864 Rose Grenat ($51), new for Spring 2014 — Wearing Guerlain Rouge G in 864 Rose Grenat ($51), new for Spring 2014

Shoo’, I couldn’t cook my way out of a paper bag, and my cat co-host Tabs lacks opposable thumbs, so he’s no cordon bleu chef, either.

Oh! — I’ve just been corrected by my producer. Apparently, I should have referred to my kitty co-host as, “Internationally renowned plus-size kitty supermodel, hip-hop mogul and founding member of Kitty Mensa Tabs the Cat.”

My bad.

Let’s get started. Step one: prepping our ingredients. 🙂

Four of the seven new Guerlain Rouge G's — Four of the seven new Guerlain Rouge G’s, $51 each, coming next month to Guerlain counters and online

It’s important to use the freshest ingredients, so today we’ll be working with a new crop of Rouge G Lipsticks ($51 each).

Four of the 7 new Guerlain Rouge G's — Four of the seven new spring 2014 Guerlain Rouge G’s

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May You Always Shine Like the New MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils

March 27th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

Wearing the new MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Pleasant, a rosy pink

May you always…

…have extra cat treats in your pockets, because you never know when you’ll turn a corner and make a new friend.

Charlize, my kitty cat homegirl who lives down the street

May you always…

…feel a bit of extra breathing room in your skinny jeans. (Mine are a little snug right now, not gonna lie!) 🙂

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Fearless, a deep bluish pink — Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Fearless, a deep bluish pink

May you always…

…shine like the star you are, just like the new MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils — even when you’re feeling tired or a little blue.

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils from the top to the bottom: Teen Dream, Pleasant, Innocent and Berry Bold — Patentpolish Lip Pencils from the top to the bottom: Teen Dream, Pleasant, Innocent and Berry Bold

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils in my paw for scale — Patentpolish Lip Pencils in my paw for scale

MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil Swatches from the left: Berry Bold, Fearless, Innocent, Pleasant and Teen Dream — Swatches from the left: Berry Bold, Fearless, Innocent, Pleasant and Teen Dream

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If the Characters From The Walking Dead Were MAC Lipsticks…

March 26th, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

Four more days and zombie-filled nights until The Walking Dead season 4 finale, whoop-whoop!

We’ll see if I get any sleep…

I’m having another bout of insomnia, which, on the one hand, is a pain because — hello, dark circles! — but on the other hand, it’s kind of rad, because I’m usually up at the witching hour pondering pressing questions of great importance like, “If the characters from The Walking Dead were MAC Lipsticks, which ones would they be?”

Here are my picks for my favorite characters on the show. 🙂

Daryl Dixon — Lady Danger, a reddish coral

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick — Lady Danger Lipstick

I seriously cannot imagine Daryl’s character being anything other than this edgy reddish coral. Like Lady Danger, he may keep you at arm’s length (the distance of a crossbow bolt perhaps?) until he gets to know you better.

But stick around, because once he lets you into his life, he’ll always have your back.

Also like Daryl, dressed up or dressed down, Lady Danger always looks hot. 😉

Rick Grimes — Crosswires, an orangey pink

MAC Crosswires Lipstick — Crosswires Lipstick

I think of Rick as the everyman character, an ordinary guy thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

For a long time, he serves as the group’s de-facto leader, shouldering the burden of keeping everyone alive and making the tough decisions.

I definitely see him as Crosswires.

Rick’s a survivor, a man who tries to do the right thing, even when the right thing isn’t always clear.

Glenn Rhee — Brave Red, a warmish red

MAC Brave Red Lipstick — Brave Red Lipstick

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A Review of the New Dior Addict Fluid Sticks, and a Peek Into the Life and Times of an Ex-Beauty Blogger in a Post-Apocalyptic Zombie World

March 24th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

This review is for my fellow fans of The Walking Dead. If you’re unfamiliar with the show and/or otherwise averse to zombies, skip down to the subheading titled “The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each)” for the scoop on Dior’s new line of liquid lipstick-lipgloss hybrids coming this spring to Dior counters and online.

Dear Diary,

Hard to believe there was a time when I wrote every day. That world seems so far away right now, like a hazy, wonderful dream.

To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I wrote. I think it might’ve been a few days before The Turn.

Can you believe it? There was a time when I updated MBB every. single. day. That all stopped when the Internet went down for good. Crazy pants. Well, at least I can say that I wrote hard until the end. *Raises dirty fist with broken, janky nails half-heartedly in the air.*

But seriously, talk about a career that leaves you ill-equipped for the zombie apocalypse! I mean, really now, who has the time and energy to write these days!? Dude, not getting eaten by flesh eaters is hard enough as it is. Sh*t is not easy!

LOL… Well, at least I haven’t completely lost my sense of humor.

Thank you, universe, for letting me find this empty notebook while out scavenging this morning. Who knows? Maybe it’ll somehow keep me alive one more day.

Sigh… I still can’t believe this is the world now.

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure and 338 Mirage — Dear diary…

I used to spend my days in front of a keyboard, drinking coffee, writing about eyeshadow and lipstick and chatting online with friends all over the world. I wonder what happened to all those girls (and the five boys). I hope they survived. I hope they’re ok.

My heart aches… I miss my family. My husband. My cat.

Good grief, I am still really, REALLY p*ssed off at that man for leaving me! See, Karen, that’s what you get for marrying someone who will sacrifice himself to keep you alive. I hate him for that!

I love him for that. Loved him… Can’t keep my tenses right. Can’t think about this right now. Lock it up in a box, Karen. Keep it there for a rainy day. You have to do like he told you to do. Can’t fall apart. Must stay strong. Keep going.

Deep breath… Need to think about things that make you happy. Kittens! Chocolate! Makeup! Oh, gosh, I found some Dior the other day, believe it or not. Two Dior Addict Fluid Sticks. Still in their boxes! They were inside a shopping bag in an empty car on the side of the road.

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure (left) and 338 Mirage (right) — Addict Fluid Sticks in 551 Aventure (left) and 338 Mirage (right), $35 each

Leave it to the ex-beauty blogger to grab the lipgloss/liquid lipstick hybrids, haha. At least I didn’t overlook the crowbar in the trunk. (El Hub always said, “Don’t forget to grab a weapon. Ideally one with some length.”)

It was like Christmas! There was a lighter shade, 338 Mirage. It’s a light peachy coral. And also 551 Aventure, a reddish coral. I couldn’t resist applying Mirage right then and there. I looked in the car’s rear view mirror and couldn’t help but laugh. My lips looked glossy for the first time in weeks. Months? But hello, dark circles and upper lip hair like whoa!

Dior Addict Fluid Stick swatches in in 338 Mirage (left) and 551 Aventure (right) — Addict Fluid Stick swatches in 338 Mirage (left) and 551 Aventure (right)

As I rubbed my lips together and admired my Ron Burgundy mustache (as you can probably imagine, body hair removal isn’t a high priority these days), bits and pieces of my former life came flooding back. The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks…

The Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each)

I remember… These were released in the spring of 2014. Liquid lipstick-gloss hybrids. They feel creamy and slick like liquid lipsticks but have the shiny finish of a gloss, and they leave my lips with a delicate stain that fades over the course of 2-3 hours.

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Osmia Organics Lip Glosses Give Dry Lips a Beet-Down

March 19th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Osmia Organics’ Lip Glosses beet up dryness somethin’ fierce! They’re veggie-rific!

OK…sorry, that was just terrible. I’m not 100% awake yet. 🙂

At any rate, these lightweight, non-sticky lip glosses by Osmia Organics ($18 each), a boutique organic bath and beauty line based in Colorado, are more like balms than glosses, really.

They represent my maiden voyage trying the brand, and I see that they also make all kinds of neat-looking soaps and body products.

The glosses contain beets! Isn’t that cool? Presumably it’s for color, but I’m not totally sure.

I am weirdly stoked about the whole idea (because you know me and root vegetables — we’re tight like that).

As someone whose lips are almost always hella dry, I’m always on the market for a new vegetable…

Wait — I meant “new moisturizing gloss.” And my lips have been a little less uncomfortable since Shimmer, Whisper and Luster entered my life.

Some thoughts on the three Lip Gloss shades from the perspective of a perpetually dry-lipped girl…

Moisture — Off the hook! The hydrating ingredient-ology includes Cupuaçu butter (related to cacao), and GMO-free vitamin E oil, both of which are high on the ingredient list.
Finish and coverage — All of them are quite sheer. I can’t deny that I was hoping the colors would be more intense, and distinct from each other, but all three of them look more or less the same on my pigmented lips.
Flavor and scent — Hmm… Waxy and earthy? I can’t say it’s my favorite scent, but it does seem natural, I guess.
Formula and texture — Utterly adverbially excessively great. Just lots of “ly” words to the extreme. 🙂 They feel light, slick, non-sticky and smooth on my lips, but that lightness of the formula may also be why they don’t last very long. I get less than an hour of wear time from them and have to reapply often.

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Because Weekends Are for Hot Pink Lips (and Lip Combos), There’s MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste

March 14th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

MAC Pro Longwear LIip Pencil in Shock Value, MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste and Pro Longwear Lipgass in Full Spead Ahead — What’s the quickest way out of a nude lip rut?

The first step to breaking out of a nude lip rut is admitting that you’re in a nude lip rut.

(Note to self: I am in a nude lip rut.)

When all 15 (!) of the lipsticks and glosses in your purse are various shades of nude beige, light peach and pink…you are in a nude lip rut.

I figured the quickest way to break free (“break free, break from the chains!” Shout-out to Wilson Phillips!) was a bright, bold lip — something upbeat. And pink.

Because Fridays were made for pink.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Shock Value, MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste and Pro Longwear Lipglass in Full Speed Ahead

After rutting around in my makeup stash, I came up with this — a bright, shiny pink lip, and it’s all MAC’d out. The star attraction is the new MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Good Taste.

First, I lined my lips with bright pink MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Shock Value, then used a lip brush to fill them in with Good Taste, before topping it off with a layer of bright magenta MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Full Speed Ahead.

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The New MAC Mineralize Glasses: When It Comes to Moisture, These Glasses Are More Than Half Full

March 11th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

MAC Mineralize Glass in Modern Romance — Wearing MAC’s new Mineralize Glass in Modern Romance ($22), one of 12 shades available now

This one’s totally for the gals on Team Cremesheen (of which I’m one!). The new MAC Mineralize Glass lipglosses are the bombdizzle (did I really just say that?), especially if you appreciate the super smooth texture of the Cremesheens and love hella hydrating glosses.

MBB FUN FACT: I always bring a tube of Deelight Cremesheen Glass with me whenever I travel by plane 1) because I lurve it and 2) because of how dry my lips get, but I may have to cheat on Deelight a little with one of these new Mineralize Glasses… They’re just SO moisturizing — maybe even a little more than the Cremesheens — and have a similarly silky smooth, non-sticky texture.

MAC Mineralize Glass in Cheerful, a mid-toned coral with a creamy finish

Could the secret to their hydrating handiness be hiding among the 77 moisturizing minerals (of which I can’t find a list) packed into each tube? Perhaps! I do have to say that my perpetually parched pout feels smoother, softer and quenched when I wear them.

The texture, while similar to the Cremesheens, feels a touch thicker to me. When I apply a Cremesheen Glass and rub my lips together, the formula feels very thin and almost watery, whereas the feel of these Mineralize Glasses reminds me of a MAC Plushglass…except without the bee sting.

MAC Mineralize Glass in Tender, a light cool pink with a creamy finish

They come in 12 shades, grouped into Frost and Cream finishes, and I’m kinda hot for the Frosts…

Hot for the Frosts? LOL!

The Frosts! You know how some frosty glosses can settle into lip lines and look funky? These don’t do that. Both the Frosts and the Creams apply smoothly and evenly, and they don’t pool into different areas of my lips or look patchy.

I think MAC did a bang-up job with these finishes.

MAC Mineralize Glass in Got Style, a mod-toned cool mauve with a frosty finish

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These 13 New Laura Mercier Lip Glace Shades Are Getting Me in the Mood for Spring

March 7th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Calling all Laura Fans! Be on the lookout for these 13 new Lip Glace shades…

Lots of new Lip Glace lurve over at Laura Mercier right now.

I’m still here in the city, and one of the places I visited a little while ago was the Laura Mercier counter at Neiman Marcus in Union Square, where I spotted these 13 juicy new luscious Lip Glace lipglosses (Lip Glaces?) — all of them recent additions to Laura’s permanent line.

Top row from the left: Chocolate, Garnet, Poppy, Daiquiri, Tulip, Azalea and Cosmic; bottom row: Black Cherry, Orchid, Wildflower, Pink Pop, Nectar and Bare Baby

That colorful display up there stopped me in my tracks.

Now, I know that winters here in the Bay Area are pretty mild compared to winters in other parts of the U.S. and the world…but I don’t care. I’m still completely over it, and these colors are putting me in a warm-weather mood.

I think I squealed a little too loudly at the counter when I was swatching one of the creamy, bold brights. It was Pink Pop. I’ve definitely got my eye on that one, for sure…

And maybe also Daiquiri and Nectar. Those two deserve a happy home in my makeup bag, haha!

Yes, you know me all too well. 🙂

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