Makeup Tools

Bright Blushes, Fan Brushes: Shu Uemura 7.5EX Brush Makes Color Easy

February 21st, 2008 by Karen 37 Comments

Anyone else terrified by goats? I know I can’t be the only one. They’ve got those creepy horizontal pupils that look ready to teleport you across the River Styx, and at the petting zoo they’re always really naughty; they walk right up and try to snatch the food from my hands or chew on my t-shirt or shoelaces.

Anti-goat bias initially made me reluctant to give the Shu Uemura 7.5EX brush ($35) much love. The word “goat” (strike one) is etched into the brush’s handle, and the white, fan-shaped brush head is made from — you guessed it — goat hair (strike two). I’m glad I was able to overlook my problem with goats, though, because the 7.5EX deserves love.

MAC Fafi Fashion Frenzy blush on the left, Hipness Blush on the right

Soft and luxurious, the bristles of Shu’s 7.5EX brush feel nothing like the dirty, coarse hair of goats at the petting zoo. The Shu Uemura Web site describes the 7.5EX brush as having a “light” touch, meaning that when you use it to apply powders, the color applies sheer, not intense. Not just for blush, this InStyle Best of Beauty Buy can also be used to blend or to dust away loose powder.

This morning I was in a hurry but wanted to wear a bright blue-pink blush. I know from experience that if I rush while using a regular blush brush, I end up with scary-clown-who-haunts-children’s-nightmares cheeks, so I grabbed the 7.5EX brush instead.

Wearing a big, goofy smile (the goofy part is key!), I applied MAC Fafi’s Fashion Frenzy to the apples of my cheeks, lightly drawing color upward at an angle toward my ears. With just a few swipes my cheeks looked pinched and flushed. I can’t wait to use this brush with my other bright cheek shades, MAC’s Dollymix (hot pink) and Frankly Scarlet (bright red).

If you have a few bright blushes in your color collection that you don’t use enough, give them another try with the 7.5EX, a brush designed for powdered products. Blush newbies who have a tendency to use too much color might dig it too because its fanned bristles make it almost impossible to over-apply color.

Don’t be afraid to go bold with your blush colors. With the 7.5EX in your arsenal, go forth and be bright!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Paint it Pink, Paint it Black: Going Black to the Gym

January 24th, 2008 by Karen 45 Comments

It’s Valentine’s Day, 1998. I get no roses; I get no candy. What I do get is a kickboxing class and time alone with a punching bag in a stinky karate studio down the street from my house.

Twice a week I was taking a kickboxing class with 30 other women, punching and kicking the air to a techno soundtrack. That was all fine, but far and away my favorite part of class was when they brought out the heavy punching bag.

Fresh out of a bad relationship, I derived great joy from pretending that the bag was my ex. In class on Valentine’s night, I beat that bag with reckless abandon. “You’ll never get the best of me, bastard!” Punch, punch, kick, kick. By the end of class, dripping in sweat, I had punched my knuckles raw. Happy Valentine’s Day to me!

This Valentine’s Day, if your date for the evening is with the gym or a punching bag (try it sometime), you might as well look cute. Work it out with these road-tested gym makeup tips:

Paint it Black, Vol. 1

Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula ($14, available in February). Thank you, makeup gods, for bringing this mascara to the US! Designed for humid weather and only previously available in Asia, Lash Power is the ultra-marathoner of all mascara formulas. It won’t streak, run or smudge, not even through sweat, tears, rain, humidity or a dip in the pool. It is the Terminator of all mascaras.

I’ve been wearing it on my heavy duty cardio workouts at the gym. Even after 60 minutes of sweat it hasn’t even begun to streak or smear.

What’s the secret? The formula responds to heat. It comes off with very warm water (39 degrees C/103 degrees F). All you do is dab a cotton pad soaked in warm water, and it cleans right up.

Lancome Potion of Love Lip Stain in Ruby Kisses ($18.50). You don’t have to be in love to wear Lancome’s Potion of Love Lip Stain. With its felt-tip pen applicator, it’s kinda like a Magic Marker for your lips. Lip stains apply like watercolor paints. They’re more watery than lipsticks or glosses. Potion of Love isn’t shiny, either, so it gives my lips a natural, flushed look with just a hint of ruby red tint.

Best of all, the formula isn’t the least bit sticky, which is handy when I’m on the treadmill and the overhead fans blow my hair all over the place. I can’t stand it when stray ponytail hairs get stuck to my lipgloss. With Potion of Love Lip Stain that’s not a problem.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Maximum Coverage Concealer ($18). This cream concealer has a natural finish and lasts through an entire 90-minute dance class without budging. If I’m in a hurry, I dab it on my dark circles with warm fingers et voila — my dark circles disappear faster than an ex-boyfriend did with half my CD collection (that bastard).

MAC Blot Pressed Powder ($20). You’ve finished your workout and plan to drop by the juice bar for a quick snack to tide you over before dinner. I know you’ve worked hard, but you can’t leave the gym looking like a complete wreck, girl. Sorry!

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler ($19). Lash Power isn’t a great thickener, but it does create long, natural looking lashes. To use it, I have to curl my stick-straight lashes first, and that’s where the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler enters the picture. It doesn’t pinch my lashes, and the tension is just right. Sometimes with other lash curlers you get this very hard, sort of angled curl. Shu’s curler doesn’t do that. It produces a very natural, soft curl.

After your workout, brush out your hair and dab a little bit of MAC Blot Pressed Powder to hide the shine. You never know when you’ll bump into Mr. or Ms. Right at the juice bar.

Paint it Black is part of a series of posts highlighting pink and black products for Valentine’s Day.

Aren’t you glad tomorrow is Friday? I’ve got a ton of laundry to do tonight before another big rain storm arrives. Tomorrow I was supposed to have coffee with my friend, Jen, and get my hair did (my roots are way past the point of being socially acceptable). Unfortunately, I’d rather stay warm and dry at home than drive very far in the rain, so it looks like dark roots remain in my immediate future.

Stay cute (and dry!) my friend.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup Brush Lust – Billy B Paint Brushes Rawk!

January 16th, 2008 by Karen 44 Comments

For years, the only brushes in my life were toothbrushes, hairbrushes and random brushes with destiny. I was content using the sad lil’ sponge applicators and teeny standard issue brushes that came with eyeshadows and blush. When I look back at my pictures from high school and college (aka, “the brush drought years”) my makeup didn’t look bad … but it definitely didn’t look good, either. My application was splotchy, and there was no blending to be had within a three-mile radius. *Cringes*

Fast forward a few years: it was 2002; I bought a few basic MAC brushes (252, 266, 217, 224, 129, 190) on a whim and my makeup life changed forever. ‘Twas a whole new world for your girl. Now, I love brushes so much that I’ve looked beyond MAC into other brush lines as well, and there are a lot of great brushes out there!

Product: Billy B’s Master Paint Brush Collection
Price: $249
Use: To apply makeup on eyes, face and lips
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A-

Makeup artist Billy B’s Master Paint Brush Collection is one such line of fantastic brushes. It offers excellent quality at an affordable price. With all the brushes you need for eyes, face and lips, at $249, Billy’s set of 13 brushes is one of the best values around. I know that $249 seems like a lot of duckets, but it breaks down to about $20 per brush, comparable to MAC eye brushes averaging $25 dollars each.

I know it; you know it too. Yes, brushes can get expensive, but the right makeup brush can mean the difference between looking hella broke or looking super hot.

Why a new line of brushes?

Billy created the set when he got tired of tweaking brushes to suit his needs. “I would find them [brushes] in the oddest places,” says Billy, “like a drugstore in Paris or some out-of-the-way beauty supply in Mississippi. I’d modify them with little cuticle scissors and stuff. And when I lost them I’d be so frustrated.” So he decided to make his own brushes from scratch.

What makes Billy’s brushes different?

The quality of the brush heads (the actual brush part of the brush) is what make this set outstanding. The bristles are so soft to the touch, not scratchy at all. The eye brushes feel great against my lids, and they’re actually softer than some of the MAC eye brushes that I own.

Billy gave a lot of thought to the design of each brush, and it shows in their performance. Take the eye brushes, for example. They are the standout performers in the set. With their domed shape and full brush heads, each applies color smoothly and evenly, making it so easy for me to layer and blend eyeshadows. Whether I’m doing a simple eye look with two eye shadows, or a complicated one with five, I find myself constantly reaching for numbers six, eight, 12 and 13.

I love number 12 for smudging eye liner at the lash line (a job previously given to my MAC 219 pencil brush). Number 12 and the MAC 219 look nothing alike. The 12 is angled and thin, and the MAC 219 is stubby and pointed, but Billy’s number 12 does the job better. When I use the MAC 219 to smudge liner, the brush head feels rough and scratchy and so big and bulky that I often just end up smudging the liner completely away. Billy’s number 12 is smaller, thinner and softer than the 219, giving me more control and making it easier to create subtle fades and transitions of color, even with thin lines.

One last eye brush side note: Ya’ll know I’ve got a borderline scary obsession with the MAC flat angled 266 brush (BOW DOWN!). Billy’s equivalent to MAC’s 266 is his 11. While it does a decent job of filling in my brows, I am not giving up my 266 any time soon. Score one for MAC.

A unique brush head design…

What I appreciate most about Billy’s brushes are their smaller brush heads, a concept quite different than most of the brushes currently on the market. Billy believes that many of the brushes out there are just too big for a woman’s small face. He’s well known in the industry for being a master of fine detail, and he wanted to create smaller brush heads that would be able to handle finer detail work, especially around the nose and eyes. “If you’re really doing beautiful makeup,” says Billy, “then obviously detail is important. A gigantic brush isn’t going to fit into the corners by your nostrils. It’s getting powder into your hairline and on your hair and on your clothes and on your lashes.”

Light, short handles…

While I’m not crazy about the short birchwood handles, I do appreciate the reason behind their design. Billy spends a lot of time flying between New York and LA (celeb clients he services include Mary J. Blige — Holla! — and Paula Abdul), so he needed brushes that wouldn’t add extra weight to his makeup kit.

Billy’s Paint Brushes are available online at www.billybbeauty.com.

Do you have a brush obsession? What can’t you live without?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The LeSportsac Tokidoki Campeggio Bag: A Perfect Holiday Gift for Ladies on the Go!

November 12th, 2007 by Karen 26 Comments

The Holiday Wishlist 2007 gift-o-rama continues with the bag of all bags!

LeSportsac’s Tokidoki Campeggio Bag
lesportsac-tokidoki-campeggio-bag

Holiday Gift Idea? LeSportsac’s Tokidoki Campeggio Bag.
For? A busy mom, student or on-the-go beauty blogger.
How much? $160.00.
Why? Because you’ve got lots of stuff. And you’ve got to bring that stuff with you!

When I cover beauty or fashion events like the Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show, I need to bring a lot of gear. There are cameras, various high- and low-tech accouterments and, of course, random tubes of lipgloss. All this stuff needs to go into a lightweight bag that has lots of roomy pockets and a comfy shoulder strap.

A few weeks ago I was all about my super cute Lululemon bag. But when I took it with me to the Estee Lauder Elizabeth Hurley event a few weeks ago I found myself wishing it had a cross-body shoulder strap so I could keep my hands free all the time.

Even though the Lululemon bag holds up to 50 pounds, it’s hard to carry all that weight on one shoulder and shoot comfortably with a heavy camera. For someone who carries around less makeup (or gear!) it’s a great bag, but not having a shoulder strap that goes across my body limits my freedom. But unless you’re shoving your way through a crowd to get a shot or climbing up on railings to take pictures, which is what I had to do at SF Fashion Week, the bag rocks.

But the LeSportsac Tokidoki Campeggio Bag has been a lifesaver. I swear, the day this bag came into my life the clouds parted and birds started singing.

This bag is roomy, light, comfortable and holds everything AND the kitchen sink while still having a sleek silhouette. If you need to buy a present for someone who carries lots of stuff — a new mom, a student, a nomad — then this bag is the perfect gift!

LeSportsac really wasn’t on my radar until a few years ago, when Gwen Stefani hit the scene with the L.A.M.B. collaboration. I love prints, so the newest incarnation of bags by designer Tokidoki speaks both to my design sense and my need for a bag that’s functional.

I dig the quirky black and white cartoon characters on this bag, and only Tokidoki could make the grim reaper look cute:

lesportsac-sideview

I test-drove my Tokidoki bag (aka Tokidoki BAG O’ AWESOMENESS) recently on a day when I had to travel for blog-related stuff all day long. In addition to carrying all of my crap (which included two cameras, a tripod, a digital voice recorder, a notebook, a wallet, a makeup bag, makeup samples, a crackberry, a pair of post-pedicure slippers, a bottle of ginger ale and a packet of LifeSavers Gummies, among other things) the Tokidoki BAG O’ AWESOMENESS also served as …

A clever disguise!

lesportsac-campeggio-tokidoki-bag-hiding

San Francisco is only seven by seven miles, so more often than not, I’m doomed to running into one of my ex’s downtown. And wouldn’t you know it, as I was waiting to cross a street there was one of ’em at the other end of the crosswalk.

I didn’t want to be late for my meeting, and honestly the only reason I would talk to him now would be to ask him why he never gave back my hairdryer (he’s bald, hello). And I soooo wasn’t in the mood to get into it in the middle of Market Street.

Instead of being all mature and civilized your girl chose the next best option: hide behind the Tokidoki BAG O’ AWESOMENESS!

And by golly it worked. I crossed the street without a second glance! He must have just assumed I was a crazy person (oh, the irony) and walked right on by.

A beacon of hope and friendship!

lesportsac-campeggio-tokidoki-bag-checking-emails

Later on in the day I was early for a meeting with an editor, so I parked myself on a street corner and checked my crackberry for messages. One random person came up to me and asked if he could have a cigarette (I don’t smoke). Right after that a large Asian family asked me how to get to Union Square. Another person stopped and asked me where I got my bag. I was making friends left and right! It’s amazing how the Tokidoki BAG O’ AWESOMENESS helps break down barriers!

An enabler of moments of photographic inspiration!

lesportsac-campeggio-tokidoki-bag-pictures

A group of strange people holding kites passed by. I grabbed my camera out of the Tokidoki BAG O’ AWESOMENESS just in time to catch a few choice shots.

The Tokidoki Campeggio bag has:

– a zipped main closure
– two front cargo pockets with velcro closure
– a small back pocket with zipped closure (where I stash my business cards for easy access)
– two inside pockets with zippers (one is huge and the other is medium-sized)
– one cell phone/crackberry pocket inside
– adjustable shoulder strap
– inside carabiner on stretch cord (where I put my keys for quick access)

It’s $160.00 and is available in the new “vacanze” print on the LeSportsac Web site.

If Tokidoki is not quite your style then wait ’till February 2008, which is when designer Stella McCartney releases her line of LeSportsac bags. The line will feature chic, stylish, multi-functional travel bags.

I couldn’t get pictures of them yet, but those bags will have …

– a vibrant color palette
– wet seal zips for a modern yet sporty feel
– bright floral print linings and solid color blocking
– mesh pocket details
– tones of dirty pinks, deep plums and silver greys with contrast stitch details

I’m a huge Stella McCartney fan so I can’t wait to snag one when they are released.

Aren’t you glad Monday is over? I sure am!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Reviews, Makeup, Fragrance, Face of the Day (FOTD), Just for Fun – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume; Clinique Holiday 2007 Happy & Bright Makeup; Weekly Beauty Roundup; Chanel Holiday 2007 Palettes and Glosses

November 4th, 2007 by Karen 26 Comments

More Holiday Wish List 2007 – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume

elizabeth-arder-mediterranean

It’s been months since I’ve gone surfing and I miss being in the ocean. Just looking at the blue packaging and bottle for Elizabeth Arden’s Mediterranean perfume makes me feel like I’m in Hawaii, sitting on my board and waiting for the next wave to come and carry me away.

Aside from the beautiful bottle and packaging, the best part about this perfume is that the scent isn’t too heavy or cloying. Mediterranean is described on the Elizabeth Arden Web site as a “radiant woody floral.” Imagine a hybrid between the best parts of Fresh’s Lemon Sugar perfume and Covet.

When I spray it on I get an initial burst that’s lemony and white floral. It then dries down to a light, black tea scent. On me Mediterranean smells gender neutral and not overly feminine or sweet.

If you have a girlfriend, sister or mom who likes perfumes that aren’t too sweet then she’ll love this. It would also be a great gift for a friend who loves beachy scents but doesn’t like strong “tropical” notes like pikake or tuberose.

The 1.7 fl oz bottle you see in the pic above is $47.50, but for the holidays Elizabeth Arden’s got a special set that includes the 1.7 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray, Body Lotion and a wee Eau de Parfum replica for $52.00. Don’t you love the extra goodies in gifts sets? I sure do.

A Holiday 2007 Face of the Day with Clinique’s “Happy & Bright” Makeup

Here’s a face of the day I did with Clinique’s Holiday 2007 “Happy & Bright” makeup. What do you think?

fotd-clinique-happy-bright-110307-closeup

fotd-clinique-happy-bright-holiday-2007-110307-eye

I used the pink shade farthest on the left all over the lid, then the peach shade to highlight the browbone and inner eye. I put the lighter brown shade in the crease and used the darker brown on the far right to line the top and bottom. Then I finished it off with two coats of BECCA The Ultimate Mascara in Black.

clinique-pink-truffle-quad

On the cheeks I used the lightest touch of MAC’s Dollymix blush with Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony layered on top.
clinique-fresh-bloom-peony

I finished the look off with Raspberry Glace Different Lipstick and Camisole Full Potential Lipglass on the lips.

fotd-clinique-happy-bright-holiday-2007-110307

I really love these colors. They are buildable and pretty much mistake proof. My next Clinique Holiday 2007 mission: use the Pink Truffle quad to create a gentle smoky eye!

Weekend Reading Just For You

Your weekend isn’t over yet! Here’s the latest beauty buzz from The Beauty Blog Network.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic – Christine Explains how Antioxidants Work
A Touch of Blusher – All About Japanese Cosmetics
All Lacquered Up – All Lacquered Up Reviews OPI’s Holiday in Hollywood Dazzling Darks & Neutrals
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Beauty and Fashion Tech Looks at the New MAC Holiday Collection and Provides Swatches
Beauty and Personality Grooming – Homemade rich nail cream
Etailers Mall – The Blog – PlumSmoke
Face Candy – Bridal Beauty
Makeup Moxie’s Beauty Blog – Makeup Moxie Reviews Cover Girl Lashblast Mascara
Musings of a Muse – The Muse’s First Look at the Sephora 2007 Catalog
Mystical Beauty’s Musings – How do you feel about your makeup talking to you?
Savvy Skin – Skimpy Thinning Eyebrows
SugarShock – Fragrance Notes: Factory Girl
Temptalia – MAC Curiositease Review, Swatches, and Photos!
Makeup Loves Me – Refreshing Facial at Fresh

And oooh girl, I know you didn’t miss Makeup and Beauty Blog’s MAC Holiday 2007 Curiositease Lip Sets: What to buy, What to pass up!

A Few More Random Thangs Currently Up in My Grill

Because the world is constantly moving toward randomness…here are few tidbits that have crossed my radar in the last few days.

In definance to all the laws of the universe, somehow Christian Bale came SECOND PLACE to Wentworth Miller in Entertainment Weekly’s Ultimate Hottie Poll, BOO!

That’s okay, I’ll comfort you, Chris
bale

I saw this kid dancing on “The Soup” and I laughed for about 10 minutes straight. I kept rewinding and laughing, rewinding and laughing. He’s my hero.

Not that I need any more TV in my life, but Torchwood on BBC is FANTASTIC. Tivo it, yo!

What’s My Motivation?

Today I was in an infinitely better mood then yesterday because last night I slept twelve hours. No joke. Every moment of sleep was like manna from the heavens. Ahhhh!

In between working it out at the gym and watching the Colts and Patriots game (that Tom Brady is HAWT!) I thought of all the stuff I have to get done this week that I just don’t want to do.

tom-brady

“Hmmm,” I thought, “What’s the ultimate form of motivation? What’s gonna make me want to go the extra mile to get all this craptacular crapola done?”

The answer? C to the H to the A to the N to the E to the L.

The reward for finishing my first project…
chanel-gloss

And the second…
chanel-camelias

And the third…
chanel-palette

The moral of this story? A little Chanel bribery goes a long, long way.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Tips for Breast Cancer Patients: Staying Beautiful Inside and Out!; Product reviews – Bath & Body Works In Touch Breast Self-Exam Glove; Tarte’s Sweet Dreams Lipstick

October 12th, 2007 by Karen 32 Comments

Makeup and Beauty Tips for Breast Cancer Patients: Staying Beautiful Inside and Out!

This is a picture of my friend, Mary Anne. She’s a breast cancer survivor and the coolest dentist I know.

maryanne-headshot

We met a few years ago at UC Davis (GO AGS), where she had the annoying habit of getting good grades in organic chemistry!

It seemed like our lives were destined to follow a certain track: finish school, get great job, find kick-ass boy, etc.; so when she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year it was really shocking. It felt like it was only yesterday when we were at her house at 2:00 in the morning “studying,” aka pigging out and watching Jerry Springer.

Next thing I know we’re kickin’ it at the chemotherapy ward and making jokes about the IV she’s toting around.

Yet despite this difficult and emotional year, I’ve watched my friend handle this challenge with grace and positivity.

One of the many challenges for Mary Anne was navigating the world of makeup and beauty as a cancer patient. How do you deal with losing your eyebrows? What do you do when you feel a hot flash coming on? These are just a few makeup/beauty issues that she had to deal with.

So without further ado, here are a few great tips that she’s learned this past year on how to stay beautiful both inside and out.

And if you have a friend or a relative who has breast cancer or was recently diagnosed please forward this post to her. Let’s make someone feel hopeful today!

Makeup and Beauty Tips for Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors from the Lovely Mary Anne

Name
Mary Anne

Age and occupation
31 years old (My 31st birthday was very special. It happened to be my last day of radiation!)
Dentist
When were you diagnosed? How did you find out?

During a routine physical exam in October 2006, my primary care physician found a lump on my left breast. Prior to that, I had no idea it existed and never had any symptoms. Nine days later, the pathology report was in. I was in total disbelief when the doctor said “malignant invasive ductal carcinoma,” all I could do was cry.

After feeling the lump for the first time, I thought to myself, “It’s so obvious; I should’ve found it earlier! I did not do monthly breast exams and thought I was immune to cancer because I was young, strong, and heading to the top of my career. Cancer was NOT on my agenda. Little did I know, it was going to be my only agenda item for this year.

Self-breast exams are recommended every month after our menses. Palpating your breasts in the shower with soap is the perfect time to get to know your breasts. Be sure to lift your arm and check the underarm areas as well.

What are makeup/beauty tips that you’d give to a woman who has breast cancer to stay beautiful on the outside?

Here they are in order of importance! I had to figure most of this stuff on my own, so I thought I should share them all.

– Hydrate daily. Drink plenty of water and moisturize your body including your lips. I like Cetaphil and Eucerin products.

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, about $11 for 16 oz bottle, at your favorite drugstore

– When you feel tired, your body is telling you something. It’s saying REST, I’m tired!

– With clearance from your doctor, EXERCISE! If you are taking steroids to counter the side effects of chemo drugs, don’t be surprised if you find yourself a little plumper.

fussy-tabby-fitness

– Eat healthy but don’t deprive yourself of an occasional treat. Ask your doctor to speak to a nutritionist. Some hospitals offer complimentary consults. If needed, you may also want to consider speaking with a cancer psychologist as well as a social worker to assist with financial aid and participation in cancer programs.

– FLOSS! See your dentist for regular dental care. Post chemo and radiation, I now have xerostomia (dry mouth) and gum recession. Some cancer patients also experience cold/canker sores. I recommend topical fluoride treatments (like Omnii Pharmaceutical’s varnish) and regular cleanings with clearance from your medical physician. Saliva acts as a buffer against the acidic environment that causes tooth decay; so lack of saliva (dry mouth) may result in increased cavities. Speak to your dentist about Biotene (for xerostomia), Periomed (which contains stannous fluoride), Prevention Oncology Rinses (found it in Walgreens, soothing to the tissues), and Colgate’s Orabase (it contains cyanoacrylate, the same stuff in crazy glue, it’s palliative for cold sores). Chew sugar free gum with xylitol. Brush twice a day.

floss-pimp

– Before your hair falls out, try a funky, new, bold short haircut to minimize messy floors and clogged drains. It was only two weeks into chemo that my hair started falling out in clumps. A very sweet hairdresser, Jessica, at Thirteen Salon in Walnut Creek, CA shaved my head. It was one of the most liberating things I have ever done.

Halle Berry with a short style
halle-berry-cute-short-hair

Alyssa Milano with cute, short hair
alyssa-milano-short-hair

– Anastasia’s Eyebrow Kit. I was never one to draw in eyebrows. The kit has everything for a beginner — stencils, mascara, the perfect eyebrow brush and colors.

Anastasia Five Piece Brow Kit, $65.00, anastasia.net or Sephora
anastasia-brow-kit

– Find pretty nail polish. Chemo drugs such as Adriamycin and Cytoxin will turn your nails black. I prefer darker colors like OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark and Mrs. O’Leary’s BBQ.

OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark, $7.50 at Amazon.com
opi-lincoln-park-after-dark

– Treat yourself to a nice scarf. I found a classy large scarf at H&M for $8!

– Try NARS bronzer and blush. Apply a little bit to give yourself a healthy glow. It works!

Nars Orgasm Blush and Laguna Bronzer duo, $36 at Sephora
nars-orgasm-laguna

– Attend Look Good, Feel Better, a seminar held by the American Cancer Society free of charge for cancer patients. They give $200-$400 worth of brand name cosmetics to each attendee. They also give free wig and make-up tips. Call your local society for more information.

– Carry hand sanitizer wherever you go.

– When a hotflash comes on, just imagine that you’re in a sauna and think peaceful thoughts. Get a meditation CD.

What beauty tips would you give to a woman who has breast cancer to stay beautiful and positive emotionally?

– Pray. Meditate. Yoga. Walk.

– This really helps: Whenever I was feeling down, I started to count my blessings. I thought of all the things I am thankful for i.e. mom, dad, sisters, brothers, nephew, relatives, friends, advances in health care, food on the table, plumbing, clean water, chocolate.

– Remember, life is worth every minute. You can choose your thoughts. Keep a positive attitude and if there is any time to erase negativity in your life, it’s NOW. Choose to LOVE LIFE and never lose HOPE. Plus, when your kids see you love life and do good for others, they will be happier and will contribute more to this beautiful world in their lifetimes. As you go through this challenge, you will be amazed by your strength, courage, and stamina. You will also be amazed by the resilience of your body.

– Growing up, I have always believed that there are virtues that no one can ever take away from me like integrity…same goes for your HOPE, FAITH, and your ability to LOVE.

– Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Truly Forgive.

– SMILE, it doesn’t cost you anything.

– Dance, it doesn’t cost you anything.

– It’s okay to cry. It can be very cleansing. Lean on your family and friends for support.

that-girl-before1a

– Take a picture of your baldness. I wish I did.

– Do something good for yourself everyday.

– Meet other cancer patients and survivors. Make friends at the infusion center. Might as well make your 3-5 hour infusions pleasant.

Welcome to the sisterhood, sista! When you are done, you will come out with GRACE, SERENITY, and POWER! This is where true beauty is found in your heart and soul. There are people who are fighting for you and who want you to win this battle!

What are you looking forward to most in the next year?

I’m looking forward to enjoying family, friendships, life, more rigorous workouts, learning how to cook gourmet meals, travel, and mission trips. I’m looking forward to practicing dentistry again. I love my patients. Oh and, taking a picture with the kitty on this website.
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More Fab Breast Cancer Awareness Products

It’s not too early to start thinking about stocking stuffers for Christmas! One gift I plan on getting all the women in my life is In Touch Breast Self-Exam Glove, which you can purchase at Bath & Body Works for $9.00.

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This reusable glove reduces friction by 50% and increases sensitivity, so your fingers can glide smoothy across the breast during your monthly breast self-exam. This kit also includes complete exam intsructions, a monthly reminder calendar, and a pretty travel satchel for your glove.

I just tried this glove during my last breast self-exam and it really does make it easier. I now keep the kit in my bathroom and just check off date on the calendar so I can keep track of my exam dates. Every woman on my Christmas list is getting one of these!

Another great stocking stuffer is tarte’s inside out lipstick in the shade Sweet Dreams, which I reviewed a few weeks ago.
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October is a great month to pick up this pretty dusty-pink rose lippie, because 20% of the retail sales will go to Young Survival Coalition, youngsurvival.org. You can purchase Sweet Dreams inside-out lipstick at Sephora stores nationwide.

Ladies, please do a monthly breast self exam and encourage the women in your life to do the same!

Hugs to you and to all the breast cancer survivors fighting to stay healthy.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Product Reviews, Makeup – Chanel Garden Party Quad and Makeover with National Artist John Fussell

October 6th, 2007 by Karen 28 Comments

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Damn ye, makeup gods.

Why did you have to make me fall in love with the Chanel Garden Party quad?

I mean, despite the fact that it’s got:
– Sexy sleek black packaging
– Finely milled shadows
– Sophisticated shimmer that creates a soft-focus lens effect
– Buildable color that’s highly pigmented and incredibly user friendly
– Two gorgeous green shadows that are to die for

…it still frickin’ costs an arm and a leg! That’s fifty-five big ones, sans tax. Holy effin’ crap, Batman!

I’ve been dying to get the Garden Party shadow quad for a few weeks now, so yesterday’s national artist event at my local Macy’s was the perfect excuse to go.

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The makeover included:

Skincare

Le Lait Cleanser, Nourishing cleansing milk for face and eyes
Activateur Hydration, Gentle Hydrating Lotion
Beaute Initiale, Energizing Multi-Protection Concentrate (this is a serum)
Beaute Initiale, Energizing Multi-Protection Eye Cream SPF 15
Beaute Initiale, Energizing Multi-Protection Fluid Healthy Glow SPF

Makeup

Face —
Medium Deep Pro Lumiere Concealer ($38.00)
Soft Honey Teint Innocence Foundation ($42.50)

Eyes –
Garden Party Quad ($55.00)
Soft Brown Precision Brow Definer ($28.00)

Cheeks —
Orchid Rose Jouse Contraste Powder Blush ($40.00)

Lips —
Nude Le Cray Levres Precision Lip Definer ($28.00)
Equinox Glossimer Gloss ($25.00)

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Standout Products that I Might Come Back to Purchase

As far as I can tell all of the skincare used in the session was very gentle, non-perfumey, and didn’t break me out. I may someday purchase the cleansing milk and the serum, which were the stand-out products because they felt very moisturizing.

In addition to the Garden Party quad, I liked the Teint Innocence foundation, which is a light, liquid foundation that has a soft glow to it. I usually don’t like glowy foundations, but this one was very understated and natural. I ended up getting a few samples because I didn’t want to drop the $42.50 for it without seeing the results in natural light.

I also liked the Equinox Glossimer lip gloss, however not enough to spend $25.00 on it. I will put this on my Christmas wish list. Dear Santa, I’ve been a *very good blogger* this year!

The Final Eye Look
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The “doe in the headlights” face was because I was doing makeup math equations in my head, which roughly sounded a lil something like, “if x = hours worked times one chanel palette aww hell I WANT WANT WANT WANT IT ALL! BUT SHOULD I BUY BUY BUY IT ALL?”
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What I Liked About Garden Party Quad

I’m crazy about the colors and the textures of the shadows. This is definitely very sophisticated and grown-up shimmer. I’m naturally not a bright color, over-the-top shadow kinda girl, and the Chanel shadows offer a level of color that fits my comfort level to a tee. The final look is something that I’d wear out to several situations, including parties, business meetings, or even for a nice dinner out with the parents and El Hub.

Things I Didn’t Like About Garden Party Quad

Obvs there was the price, because fifty-five bones can buy me a shizzload of Prestige Pencils at Walgreens. Another thing is that like most shadows I’ve tried, I can’t wear the dark green color on my waterline. You’ll see in the final look that my lower waterline is rimmed with it; less than an hour later I had to take it all off because my eyes were watery. I don’t think that it’s exlusive to the Chanel line though, because most shadows have that effect on me.

Chanel Garden Party Quad — Is it for You?

New to makeup? Then seriously, don’t buy this. It’ll just set the bar and you’ll forever be disappointed by everything else. Plus, it ain’t cheap. If you’re going to be experimenting and really playing with the colors then you don’t want to have feel like you’ve got to ration your shadow usage.

If I was a makeup newbie then I’d start with mid-to-lower priced stuff and move onto Chanel after I 1.) paid off my 4Runner or 2.) got a sugar daddy or 3.) had an adequate arsenal of brushes and decent blending skills.

I’ve used three colors in the palette so far: both lighter and darker green and the peach on the upper right hand side. When I swatched the greens on the back of my hand a few weeks ago I wasn’t sure if the colors were going to work, but after one of the lovely Chanel makeup artists, Laurie, started blending them on the lid I knew it was going to be heavenly.

She started by using Pro Lumiere Medium Deep Concealer as the lid primer, which is concealer “pen” with a brush tip applicator. She added one layer of the peach shadow all over the lid, and then worked the darker green from the lash line to the crease, feathering the color upward.

Chanel National Media Artist John Fussell jumped in, adding and blending colors. He finished the look by adding the lighter green in the center of the eye. To make the color really pop, he used his fingertip apply a concentrated spot of light green shadow close to the lash line. He then tapped a brush to gently blend the light green into the rest of the eye.

The Final Word

It’s official. I’m in love with Chanel shadows. And this is now my makeup cross to bear.
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Rad New Makeup Tricks, Courtesy John Fussell

John was a lot of fun to work with. He works red carpet events in Hollywood and gave me the dish on some of his celeb clientele. Apparently, he Rene Zellweger is his homegirl and he recently talked her out of wearing mink lashes on the red carpet. SMART MAN!

He also gave me a few new makeup tricks to add to my arsenal:

1. To create dimension in blush, use two different brushes. John used one large, fluffy brush to place the color on apple of cheek, but instead of brushing the color from the apple upward into the hairline, he used downward brush strokes. He then used the same brush to apply blush on top of forehead and on chin and around the nose — places where you’d naturally get color when you’re feverish or have a cold.

He then had me smile and used a thin, tapered brush (similar to MAC’s 224 crease brush) to add a concentrated pop of color on bottom of the apple of the cheek. Using two brushes to create different concentrations of color adds contrast and contour.

2. When using pencil to define lips, think of your lips in terms of four points and really work the color into the corners of the lips to give them definition. You can make your lips a “blank canvas” by applying a layer of foundation. He then used a lip brush to apply Soft Honey Teint Innocence Foundation on the lips. He finished by using a lip brush to apply Nude Equinox gloss in a downward, not side to side, motion. Go with the grain of your lip, not against!

3. Your finger is your strongest brush. He demonstrated this when he dipped his finger into the light green to place concentrated color onto the center of the lid. He then blended it in by tapping, not rubbing the color into place. Adding a pop of color to the center is an easy way to take your eye makeup from day into night.

What’s in Store for Chanel Spring 2008 — You Heard First on Makeup and Beauty Blog!

John gave me the inside scoop on what colors to expect for spring. Sapphire blue is going to be the it color, especially for the eyes. Remember the denim shades that Chanel did a few years ago? Apparently these shappire tones will be completely different. Also expect to see touches of bronze. HOT!

Makeup Event Etiquette

I love going to makeover events because it gives me an excuse to try and learn about new lines. Plus, I always learn a makeup trick or two while I’m there.

If you’re new to attending makeup events the general rule is that if you get a makeover you should buy at least one product. Know that when you sit down in that chair it will be very tempting to purchase everything the makeup artist uses to get the look. This feeling happens to me every time I go to one of these things.

What helps me is to have one specific product in mind when I get there because otherwise I end up spending more than I expect to. I have to set a budget for myself. I have fun being a makeup junkie but I also have fun watching the money pile up. (Sorry, I just got the new Kanye West CD and couldn’t help but quote from his song, The Good Life.) If I really want something that’s beyond my list then I get a sample or I tell myself that if I’m still thinking about it in two weeks I can come back and buy it.

Girl Gone Wild: Obscene, Unrated and Uncensored Moments of CHANEL LUST

Oh how I want this bag!
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But unfortch this is more my price range. Quilted black patent makeup bags from Murval, $24.00.
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It’s winter and I needed a new black, casual jacket that covered my bum. The Chanel-esque quilting on this Guess coat won me over. Plus, it’s warm and was on sale!
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