Product Reviews

Like Actual Shadowboxing Is for Boxers, Urban Decay Shadow Box Is Great for Beauty Beginners (and More Experienced Makeup Mavens)

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Urban Decay’s new $34 Shadow Box Eyeshadow Palette has better balance than an advanced yoga class! — and that gives me So. Much. Hope.

I may never be able to achieve perfect balance in my day-to-day life, but with my makeup? Haaay! Girl can get close. 🙂

With this palette, I’ll be able to push what my makeup-averse friend Cindy calls “my makeup agenda,” and next time I see her and my friend Jen (my two best childhood gal pals), you better believe I’m going to do that.

This is a great one for beginners (makeup-averse friends) and people new to the brand.

Jen and Cindy aren’t exactly makeup obsessed, but it’s been my life’s mission to change that. One day, I will be victorious!

Here’s my plan: first, I’ll lure them in with Shadow Box’s stylin’ black and purple case, which houses 12 powder shadows — nine of UD’s bestselling shades and three brand new ones (Indo, Moonshadow and Baked Cowboy).

Next, I’ll hook ’em with the neutrals, and the browns, black, golds and bronzes. Yup, half of this palette is comprised of everyday shades, which makes it gloriously practical.

Urban Decay Shadow Box Swatches from the left: Sin, Indo (new), Bordello and Tornado — Swatches from the left: Sin, Indo (new), Bordello and Tornado

Urban Decay Shadow Box swatches from the left: Smog, Blackout, Flash and Mushroom — Smog, Blackout, Flash and Mushroom

Urban Decay Shadow Box Swatches from the left: Lost, Freelove, Moonshadow (new) and Baked Cowboy (new) — Urban Decay Shadow Box swatches from the left: Lost, Freelove, Moonshadow (new) and Baked Cowboy (new)

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NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF24: The Stuff of My Most Radiant, Soft Matte Finish Dreams (in Somewhat Tricky Packaging)

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Wearing the new NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SFP24 ($48)

Of all my many makeup and beauty pursuits, like the quests for big hair, lush lashes and behaved brows (frickin’ Raul!), the quest for luxurious-looking skin consumes the most time.

I’m always looking for that expensive, luxurious Louis Vuitton skin look…without having to spend Real Housewives of Beverly Hills money.

Polished.

Elegant.

And hella pricey (looking).

Available in 13 shades, the new $48 NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation delivers exactly that, and it’s a revelation, especially when it’s applied with a wet sponge (I use a Beauty Blender).

It’s the stuff of my most radiant, soft matte finish dreams (in somewhat tricky packaging).

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation light — The light shades

My big fear with powder foundations is that they’ll look thick and heavy on my combination skin, because many of them do, but NARS All Day Luminous does not. The fine, silky powder formula looks and feels lightweight, while the finish falls somewhere between dewy and matte.

Coverage ranges from light to medium, depending on how you apply them. When I use a dry sponge or brush, the coverage is at its lightest. The formula does even out my skin tone a little, but some of the natural redness in my cheeks still peeks through, and I can still see my freckles. Worn this way, the look is super casual.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium — The medium shades

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium Dark — The medium-dark shades

Using a sponge or Beauty Blender to apply them kicks up the coverage a notch. For the highest coverage (medium), I like to apply a 50/50 mix of Stromboli and Tahoe, because together they’re a closer match to my skin tone than any of the 13 individual shades, with a wet Beauty Blender. That keeps my freckles on the down-low and makes sure that no red on my cheeks sneaks through.

I’m definitely partial to applying these with the wet sponge (I use a patting and rolling motion). I think that way the look is more natural.

These don’t take long to apply, either. I can have a full face of foundation applied, blended and done in 3-4 minutes.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Swatches — Swatches of all 13 shades

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Glide Through Your Days and Nights With Nine New Colors and Plenty of Perversion in the Urban Decay Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set

September 15th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

I’m a big fan of Perversion.

I like to get it on…my water and/or lash lines. I’m always down for that action. Oh, yeah…

I appreciate that Urban Decay included a full-size Perversion Glide-On Eye Pencil in their new $52 Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set ’cause really — a girl can never have too many jet-black pencil liners. Still, I think it might’ve been cooler if they’d swapped it out for a new color.

Nine of the 10 long-lasting, smooth pencils in the limited edition kit are minis in new shades, while Perversion, the solitary full-size pencil in the set, has been around the block a few times, if you know what I’m sayin’. 😉

With the minis being new shades, I wonder why UD didn’t go all out with new shades for the entire set, but I digress…

Taupe plays a major role here, so if you like earth tones and grayish browns in matte or shimmery finishes, whee! — you’ll have a great time. I know I did with Smokeout, the satiny blackish taupe, which I’m wearing below.

I’m hoping, and crossing my fingers, toes and eyes, that UD releases a full-size version of Smokeout soon. I see some serious Unsung Hero potential there.

Color junkies, don’t despair about the taupe. The set also includes a nice mix of blues and purple, and even a shot of gold, giving those who aren’t totally Team Taupe room to play.

Urban Decay Ten Swatches from the left: Perversion, Glitter Rock, Moonspoon, Vacancy and Faint — Swatches from the left: Perversion, Glitter Rock, Moonspoon, Vacancy and Faint

Urban Decay Ten Swatches from the left: Gonzo, Smokeout, Mugshot, Stargazer and Voodoo — Gonzo, Smokeout, Mugshot, Stargazer and Voodoo

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Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray Is the Stuff of Hair Helping Legend

September 11th, 2014 by Karen 37 Comments

Oh, fudge!

Oops! There goes another quarter into the beauty product-related swear jar (I don’t actually have one of those, but sometimes I think I should).

Seriously, Oribe, why’d you have to make me fall in love with your Dry Texturizing Spray when you knew the last thing I needed in my life right now was another bank-breaking hairstyling product?

How rude!

Cue Beauty Wayback Machine. Destination: one month ago…

Spinning.

BAM! Bright light, aaaaaand, we’re here. 🙂

It’s mid August, 2014.

I’m just about to haul my cookies out of the salon after getting my roots touched up when I realize that I need (“need,” air quotes) a small travel-size bottle of dry shampoo to bring with me on my upcoming trip to LA (it was still upcoming at the time), so I ask mini Stevie Nicks (which is my inside voice nickname for the gal who works behind the front desk counter, on account of the witchy, floaty outfits she’s always wearing) for a recommendation. She points me to Oribe’s Dry Texturizing spray with the following caveat: “You gotta be down with grit. If you want smooth and silky, you’ll need something else.”

Since I am down with grit (I think), I grab the small 2.2-oz. Purse Size for $21.50.

As I hand mini Stevie Nicks my credit card and the bottle, I hear my penny-pinching mother’s voice in my head. “Hooey, put that down! Let’s go to Rite Aid instead and get an extra large bottle of Aqua Net for $2.”

I do my best to ignore her. “I cannot get addicted to this,” I tell myself, walking out the door. If the little bottle is $21, I don’t even want to think about how much the big bottle costs (side note: it’s $42).

Sadly for my wallet, it’s love at first spray.

Fast forward to today…

Volcanic volume at the roots, tremendous texture, legendary lift, and UV filters

This stuff is kinda magical. It does a little bit of everything, too, and it does it all well.

As a dry shampoo — I use Dry Texturizing spray between washes to absorb oil and refresh my janky-smelling roots. Like the other Oribe products I’ve tried, it smells elegant and expensive, like a light yet complex jasmine floral perfume.
As a finishing spray — Whenever I curl my hair, I spray Dry Texturizing on the middle sections and the ends for shine, hold, bounce and texture.
As a root lifter — When I spray it on my roots, ERMAHGOD! The volume is volcanic. Its lift is the stuff of legends. I’m talking big frickin’ hair, man.

On top of everything else, it also includes UV filters to protect color-treated hair against sun damage.

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Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing Is Putting Pores on Alert

September 10th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing k — Wearing the new Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing ($39) under Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation

“I want pores tighter than Matthew McConaughey’s butt,” she whispered into the darkness, slowly drifting into a deep slumber. Her head sank into her pillow as she snuggled her tube of Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing ($39). “We don’t want no stinkin’ pores…”

— Me, last night, 10:12 p.m., my bed

In my dreams, wishes come true, even seemingly frivolous makeup-related ones, like wishing for smooth, pore-less skin akin to the skin I had when I was 18 (and sadly too young to truly appreciate it).

In real life, however, wishes need help.

That’s where Smashbox’s new Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing comes in.

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The Smashbox Be Legendary Lip Lacquers: Some Legends Last, and Some Don’t

September 9th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer, $24 each (available in 20 shades)

“Gather round, young’ns,” said granny Karen, “and let me tell you the story of a long-wearing lip lacquer so shiny, so smooth, so long-lasting and revered that it was legendary!”

I can see it now…the spunky granny version of myself telling the story of Smashbox’s Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquers ($24 each and available in 20 shades) to a group of gum-smacking, eye-rolling tweens, although, really, there’s no way I’m going to make it past 75 with my sanity intact.

I can see myself handing down vintage tubes of my go-to colors to my favorite granddaughter — let’s call her Jem because she has pink hair and sings lead in a punk rock band — while telling her tales of my legendary adventures with my legendary cat.

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer from the top to bottom: Beet It, Pink Social, Rosewater and Legendary — From top to bottom, Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquers in Beet It, Pink Social, Rosewater and Legendary

But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. My dearest Jem will not be acquiring her feisty granny’s beloved and precious tubes of Be Legendary Lip Lacquer. She will, instead, get amusing anecdotes meant to teach her life lessons, as well as a few pieces of stale butterscotch hard candy. 🙂

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Pink Social — Pink Social, a warm pink

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Beet It — Beet It, a deep purple

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Legendary — Legendary, a blueish red

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Rosewater, a warm light pink — Rosewater, a cool light pink

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Have You Tried the Tricky Grinder? Gotta Get Loose With Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush In Bloom

September 9th, 2014 by Karen 6 Comments

Wearing Smashbox's Halo Long Wear Blush in In Bloom ($24) on my cheeks — Wearing Smashbox’s Halo Long Wear Blush in In Bloom ($24) on my cheeks

TRICKY GRINDER IN THE HOUSE, Y’ALL!

TRICKY GRINDER — in the mix!

I know, “tricky grinder” sounds like a DJ name, right? Like some guy spinning at da club on a Tuesday night. Normally, you wouldn’t go because it’s a school night, but sometimes you just gotta dance.

Dun-cha-dun-cha-dun-cha-dun-cha!

Sorry to burst your house music bubble, but today’s “tricky grinder” is not in reference to spinning the phat jamz.

It’s the contraption that is both a blessing — and a curse — of these $24 Halo Long Wear Blushes by Smashbox.

Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush in In Bloom — Matte warm pink In Bloom, one of the six Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blushes

Come on, baby, let’s do the twist

You might remember seeing these Halo Longwear Blushes before. They first bounced on the scene in 2013. I took a look at them then but didn’t give them a good try until this week. Now they’re available in six shades for $24 each.

The one I’m wearing in the picture at the top is one of them, In Bloom, a natural-looking matte warm pink.

Solid blushes that come in a jar with an attached cheese grater-like thingamabobber, they let you easily control how much loose powder you use. Just twist the inner ring like a pepper grinder to shave some of the solid blush into the pan.

Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush in In Bloom closeup — A closeup of the grinding contraption…

Big surprise! I get a weird kick out of this. When I use the twisty top, I feel like I’m earning my blush, like I’m a pioneer on the plains, planting, growing and gathering fresh non-GMO vegetables in my garden and sh*t. But with makeup.

Why loose blush?

I’m usually not a big fan of loose powder blushes because they can be super messy, and I’m super clumsy, but I love the way they look. I know it sounds like a bunch o’ hooey, but I’ve been taking makeup pictures of myself pretty much daily for eight years, and I see a distinct difference between the way that loose and solid powder blushes appear on my skin. Loose powders just seem to have that certain something, that je ne sais quoi, that solid powder blushes generally lack.

Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush In Bloom, one of the six available shades, looks amazeballs on skin, both in pics and real life. I like this particular matte pink because it’s forgiving (doesn’t emphasize pores) and fantastic for pics. Wear it, and your cheeks will be the envy of all the baby cherubs, son. On top of that, its 14-hour wear time kicks so much @ss. I’m talking solid color from start to finish, with minimal fading.

A couple of Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blushes with a MAC Lipglass for sale — A couple of the six available Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blushes next to a MAC Lipglass for scale…

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Smashbox Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara Totally One-Ups the Non-Waterproof Version

September 9th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Smashbox’s latest waterproof wunderkind, the brand-spankin’-new Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara ($20), earns the Raging Hormone Stamp of Approval (also known as the R.H.S.A in less formal circles).

In my testing this week, it withstood not one, not two, but THREE spontaneous PMS-fueled crying fits.

One of those fits may have been triggered by sad-looking, slow-motion kittens on YouTube, but that’s a topic I’d rather not analyze right now…

Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara is the waterproof alter ego of Smashbox’s original Full Exposure Mascara, which my BFF Jen happens to be obsessed with. We’ve had a surprising number of text convos that reference that O.G. version (“It’s good work makeup and doesn’t smudge.”), but to be honest, I’ve always felt that the original one is just OK. I like the color but feel like the formula doesn’t hold a curl as well as I’d like.

This waterproof Clark Kent-ian alter ego version, however, does. It lifts curls like Atlas lifts the earth and lasts at least 10-12 hours. It gives good length, volume and separation; plus, it’s even more resistant to smudging and flaking than the non-waterproof version.

As far as the lash look itself, I love it. It’s dramatic but doesn’t go over the top. I’d say it’s about two drag queens, a martini and a pair of Swarovski crystal-encrusted roller skates shy of the MEGA GLAM look I get from Guerlain’s Cils D’Enfer Waterproof, which is my current out-to-THERE waterproof mascara, but I think both are great. Full Exposure Waterproof just happens to be better for a slightly less flashy lash look.

Smashbox Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara before and after — Before and after two coats

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