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Benefit Cosmetics One Hot Minute Loose Powder: Instant J. Lo Glow

May 27th, 2009 by Karen 42 Comments

benefit one hot minute sexy in seconds top

The first time Jennifer Lopez ignited a red carpet with her glowy skin look, millions of makeup junkies stood up and took note. Since then, a generation of women have sought to shine with their own versions of the J. Lo glow.

But the trick is finding products that deliver a perfect touch of metallic luster without entering the danger zone, as in that greasy guy at the club (you know the one) who wears hella gold chains and waaay too much hair gel.

That’s what I think most highlighters and powders high in shimmer and/or glitter do.

Greasy club guy = not the right kind of glow.

benefit one hot minute sexy in seconds

If you’re desperately seeking J. Lo’s glow, try on Benefit’s new One Hot Minute loose powder ($30).

benefit one hot minute sexy in seconds swatch open

It’s a golden beige with just a hint of pink, and it does soft, subtle sheen without the greasy club guy/disco-ball glitter effect.

benefit one hot minute sexy in seconds swatch

Not exactly a highlighting powder or a bronzer, it’s more like an all-over face and body powder for adding a rosy champagne glow to the skin.
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Guest Bloggers Wanted

April 26th, 2009 by Karen 41 Comments

Guest bloggers wanted

El Hub and I are taking a trip out to Hawaii next month (May 15-25) to visit our family. I’m not sure if you recall, but El Hub’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall, right around the time of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I haven’t openly discussed it since mentioning the diagnosis the first time because I haven’t known what to say…

Positive energy

I always knew your thoughts and prayers were with us (and thank you), but I just set my heart and mind on maintaining a positive attitude on the blog here because I felt I needed to focus on something good.

But it feels like time for an update, and I have excellent news. 🙂

After twin mastectomies (staggered, each one at different times) and three months of brutal chemo therapy, Mom has been issued a clean bill of health.

It looks like she’s going to be alright. 🙂

Which brings me back to the purpose of this post. I could really use your help while I’m away, and there may be a way in it for you to have some fun.

Guest bloggers wanted

Because I may not have time to post three times/day while we’re there, I’m looking for guest bloggers to do product reviews, product shootouts (comparisons, i.e. Stila Lash Visor vs. MAC Splashproof mascara), makeup looks, tutorials, how tos/tips articles or videos to appear on the blog.

Now for the big question…

Why would you want to guest blog?

Because you’d be doing me a favor. I’ll feel better knowing that the blog is in good hands and that interesting posts are going up on a regular basis if I end up being unable to post as much as I usually do.
It’s FREE advertising. If you have a blog, other website or a business you’d like to promote, you’re looking for ways to get yourself out there. Guest blogging can really help, especially if you’re just starting out. Get yourself out there in front of another 7,000-8,000 readers/day, and definitely feel free to include links back to your own site!
Try before you buy. Have you thought about starting a blog but weren’t sure if you had anything worthwhile to say? LOL! Story of my life. Try a guest entry here (I won’t bite!) to see if it’s something you might like to do long term with a blog of your own.

Some ideas to jumpstart the creative process

10 Ways to Wear Red: Looks to Wear with Red Lipstick or Gloss
Why You Should Skip MAC A Rose Romance
My Favorite Makeup Brushes and Why I Heart Them
Improv Beauty: Getting By Without Your Makeup Case
Feeling Blue: A Face of the Day
China Glaze Neon Collection Nail Polish Review
5 Lip Looks for Date Night
My Take on a Classic Smokey Eye

Shoot me an email

If you’re interested, shoot me an email at karen@makeupandbeautyblog.com (or use my contact form) with an overview of your idea. We’ll brainstorm.

No, it does NOT have to be some hugely involved, time-consuming project (seriously, I know you’re busy too). Even just a single product review of something you got from Sephora last week and liked more than you thought you would. All I ask is that it be original and not something you’ve already published someplace else.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I am ALWAYS looking for guest bloggers, not just for my trip next month, so contact me if it sounds like something you’d like to try.
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P.P.S. Every so often, I’ll choose a random guest blogger to feature with a custom illustration up in the header of the blog. You know how much I like Photoshop, right? Picture your name in lights, LOL! If you’re looking for attention for your blog or website, the header gets 18,000-20,000 pageviews/day.

Seychelles for Smashbox Pretty In Peep Toes: Makeup Plus Shoes Equals Heaven

April 17th, 2009 by Karen 24 Comments

seychelles for smashbox pretty in peep toes palette 1

“Oh, baby, do you know what that’s worth? Oh, heaven is a place on earth.” –Belinda Carlisle

Seychelles makes shoes known for their quirky, vintage style (hence, why I love them), and this spring, they’ve teamed up with Smashbox Cosmetics on a small, limited edition collection of makeup AND shoes called Seychelles for Smashbox: Pretty in Peep Toes.

Seriously, I could just die! Makeup inspired by high heels and high heels inspired by makeup?

Belinda Carlisle was right.

The small collection includes the Pretty in Peep Toes Palette ($42) and The Temptress shoe ($90), both sold exclusively at Nordstrom stores.

Pretty in Peep Toes (shown above) comes with a gray cream liner, five eyeshadows (vanilla, pink champagne, taupe, dark teal and light purple), a shimmery golden highlighting powder and a coral blush — all wrapped up in a chic, reusable wallet (I think you can remove the palette).

seychelles for smashbox pretty in peep toes palette the temptress

And then there’s The Temptress — a woven peep-toe, patent leather platform shoe. Right now on the Nordstrom site, they’re showing it available in two colors, pink and black, but I think the shoe also comes in white and tan.

Doesn’t the pink shoe totes match the palette?

Is anyone else drooling and pawing at their monitor right now? LOL!
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Chanel Summer 2009 Cote D’Azur Nail Colours: For Die-Hard Chanel Fans

April 8th, 2009 by Karen 30 Comments

chanel-les-vernis-nail-colour-golden-sand-orange-fizz

If you’ve ever lost your sense of balance upon seeing a new Chanel nail polish for the first time (hellooo, VAMP?), you’re not the only one!

I almost passed out at the counter a few months ago when I first peeped deep, shimmery violet Vendetta — so frickin’ hot!

And before that, after seeing fall’s Haute Chocolate, a shimmery deep brown, I almost dropped to my knees.

But with the new Cote D’Azure collection, Chanel seems to have taken a quieter approach, with two fairly basic summer shades ($23 each): Orange Fizz (a creamy coral) and Golden Sand (a shimmery, peachy gold).

chanel-orange-fizz

The colors still have an elegant, summery vibe that I think stays true to the Chanel brand.

Can you imagine how pretty they’ll look with a tan?

Each color applies differently. Golden Sand, a limited edition shade, applies smoothly with even pigmentation. Using Orange Fizz, on the other hand, which isn’t limited edition, is a little bit trickier — as in thick and a little streaky — but a good base coat should fix the uneven color issue.

I’ve always had good luck with Chanel polishes in terms of wear time, and these shades seem just as durable as usual.

chanel-golden-sand

While I like these colors, my jaw didn’t drop (and I maintained my balance) when I saw them for the first time. Yeah, they’re pretty, but I wouldn’t drop everything to snatch a bottle.

As much as I LOVE Chanel and always will — this time, one could probably find similar shades from other nail polish lines for half the price…
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Website Wonkiness…

April 7th, 2009 by Karen 4 Comments

computer-issues

Hi, homies!

Just a quick heads up — I’m sorry if the site’s taking hella years to load today or if you haven’t been able to get on at all. I’m having some technical trubs (argh!), but I’m working on getting them fixed right now.

Hopefully everything will be back to bid-ness as usual very soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Vote for Your Favorite GLAM Beauty Publisher

March 30th, 2009 by Karen 31 Comments

KABOOM!

That’s how waking up this morning felt to me — like an explosion. A couple seconds after I opened my eyes, I realized what day it was, and then it hit me: shoot, I have school and a ton of work today.

I’m almost done with The Monday Poll, but I thought I’d say something about the new pink header.

GLAM Media is the company that manages the ads for Tabs and I on the blog. They help pay for my lavish lifestyle here in the luxurious space that is my one bedroom Mill Valley apartment.

The blog is entered in the Beauty Publisher category alongside some really amazing websites.

Anyway, if you like what Tabs and I do here on Makeup and Beauty Blog and would like to see us continue doing our thang, we’d appreciate your support.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What’s the Best Way to Save Money on Beauty Without Sacrificing Too Much?

March 28th, 2009 by Karen 53 Comments

Save on beauty without sacrificing too much Most women say the economy is affecting how much they spend on beauty products and services, according to a recent survey by DailyMakeover.com, with well over half reporting they’re spending less on makeup, hair products and salons.

Almost half (47%) of the women surveyed said they’d already changed brands to save money. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) said they would change lipstick, and two-thirds (66%) said they would change shampoo and/or conditioner. Other items included blush/bronzer (67%) lotions/cleansers (64%) and foundation (57%).

The economy sucks, and we have to hang on long enough for things to turn around.

If you’ve started cutting back on beauty, what were the first things to go? Is your beauty regimen suffering, or are you getting by with less? Have you stopped getting salon pedicures, switched brands of moisturizer or limited yourself to fewer products per month?

Are you spending less across the board or eliminating your spending on some things to be able to maintain your spending on something else?

What’s the best way to save money on beauty without sacrificing too much?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How Do You Feel About Big Beauty Company Blogs?

March 18th, 2009 by Karen 22 Comments

knotb

Lancome is the latest makeup powerhouse to dive into the world of beauty blogging.

The company recently started The Lancome Blog, a beauty blog edited by Lancome PR folks, that features updates on Lancome launches, company news and giveaways.

Bring out the BIG guns

It’s evidence of a growing trend among big companies in the beauty industry. They’re all starting blogs!
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