Product Reviews

Dior’s 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar: Your Seasonal Summer-to-Fall Chaperone

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Dior Trafalgar — Wearing the Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar

Oh, gawd! That red in the center of Dior’s new 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar ($60) is utterly terrifying…and yet so tantalizingly tempting at the same time.

I have to be careful… If I stare at it too long, I can’t look away. Kind of like watching The Hills (which I’ve been doing A LOT lately).

When I haven’t been pondering the sanctity of girl code and how it was broken in the infamous Brody/Lauren/Jen Bunney love triangle, I’ve been looking for makeup to take me from summer into fall.

Trafalgar has two gorgeous shades that’ll make the seasonal transition easier — a shimmery plummy bronze and a shimmery gold.

Bridging the gap from summer to fall

Both of them have warm, rich tones that look lovely on an end-of-summer tan. I’ve been wear them lately with purple and bronze liners on my lash and water lines, and pairing them with nude cheeks and lips to keep the overall look light and summery.

The plummy bronze and gold also happen to work well with richer cheek and lip colors, like berries, browns and plums, so when fall rolls around, all I’ll have to do is swap out the nude cheeks and lips for something like the dusty rose blush and berry lipstick I’m wearing in these pics…

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The New NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection: The Purples, Plums and Berries

August 15th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Wearing the new NARS Audacious Lipstick in Janet ($32)

Just as a helpful warning, if you plan to fly solo when you peep the purple, plum and berry shades in the new NARS Audacious Lipstick collection, wear a Bluetooth headset, or bring a pomeranian in a bow tie.

That way, when you’re gushing over shades like Angela at the counter (“OMG, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS SO GOOD!”), instead of looking like a crazy chick who carries on loud conversations with herself, you’ll appear to be enthusiastically chatting with your BFF or your favorite canine shopping buddy. 🙂

The new NARS Audacious Lipsticks: Purples, Plums and Berries ($32 each)

It’s about planning ahead, yo.

Among the eight bad-@ss purples, plums and berries in the new 40-piece NARS Audacious Lipstick line, I think the purples are otherworldly!

They may or may not have me speaking in tongues… (“WJguoib hj ahiogh pjogiognae naweagzzzzz!”)

Here they are, along with pics and profiles of the plums and berries.

Let’s do this!

The Purples: Angela, Silvia and Dominique

These three are like the Cher/Dionne/Tai trifecta of the entire collection. Don’t even try to sit with them at their lunch table, unless you can bring it.

Angela, the queen bee, is the one who runs sh*t. A vivid pink orchid, it oozes je ne sais quoi.

Seriously, every time I open this tube, I want to worship it. When I wear Angela on my lips, I feel like raising my arms and screaming up at the sky, “WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?!”

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Angela — Angela

Now, I know that Angela looks like it might work best for cool skin tones, but don’t be afraid to try it if your skin tone is warm. It’s one of those colors that I think will work well on almost everyone.

Wear it, fall in love with it, and then send me an invite to the wedding. 🙂 I’ll be bringing a plus one, BTW, Tabs or Ryan Gosling. Depends on their schedules…

If you like the idea of Angela but feel like it’s a little too perky for you, peep Silvia. They’re both similar, but Silvia is slightly deeper and more purple.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Silvia — Silvia

Dominique, the last of these three, is exclusive to Barneys New York. A pink lilac with a hint of silvery gray, for some reason it reminds me of Dame Edna’s hair…

In a good way.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Dominique — Dominique

I feel kind of like a poser when I wear this shade…but if you’re one of those chic, trendy types who can pull off silvery gray hair, you could totally make it look legit.

The Berries: Fanny and Janet

I bet these two can’t wait for this year’s holiday parties.

While they look very similar at first glance, they come into their own on lips. Janet seems slightly bluer to me and leans cooler.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Fanny — Fanny

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The MAC A Novel Romance Quad Is Like Many Real Life Relationships, Both Hot and Cold

August 14th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Fabio, dahling, take me now! — to the computer, so that I may satisfy this hunger burning deep within my soul.

Yup, the new MAC A Novel Romance collection launched online today, and it’s huge.

HUGE!

Huge both in terms of the fact that it’s the brand’s big release for fall, and huge just in terms of the number of products, especially the eyeshadows.

Overwhelmed much? I am. If you’re looking for a place to start, steer your lusty makeup-lovin’ loins toward one of my favorite quads in the collection, the aptly named A Novel Romance ($40).

MAC A Novel Romance Quad Swatches — From the left: My Fantasy, Fall in Lust, Dance in the Dark and Rising Passions

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Intensify Your Gaze With New Black Ecstasy Mascara by Giorgio Armani Beauty

August 13th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Giorgio Armani Beauty Black Ecstasy Mascara — New ‘Black Ecstasy’ Mascara by Giorgio Armani in Obsidian Black ($32)

Yup, someone’s been watching re-runs of The Hills lately. 🙂

My Tivo recorded a massive 45-episode marathon last week.

To quote El Hub when he saw them in the menu, “Holy sh*t!”

I wore Giorgio Armani Beauty’s new Black Ecstasy Mascara in Obsidian Black ($32; one of four shades) during an epic 8-hour binge this week.

A recent addition to the brand’s permanent line (available now in three shades exclusively at Nordstrom, but coming to Giorgio Armani Beauty counters and giorgioarmanibeauty.com this September in four shades), ‘Black Ecstasy’ Mascara is designed to create longer, denser, thicker lashes to allow you to deliver intense gazes…

That intensity came in handy while I re-watched season two of The Hills and repeatedly shot disapproving glares at Spencer Pratt.

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The New NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection: The Reds

August 13th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Mmmwaah! Smile by new NARS Audacious Lipstick in Annabella ($32)

It wouldn’t be a big NARS lipstick launch if there weren’t some bad-@ss reds up in the mix.

Oh! NARS does some ah-may-zing reds, don’t they? And there are lots of scintillating scarlets in the new NARS Audacious Lipstick collection ($32 each; 40 shades; available starting September 1).

NARS Audacious Lipsticks from the left: Rita, Jeanne, Lana, Marlene, Carmen (Barneys New York Exclusive), Audrey and Annabella — Red, she said! From the left, that’s Rita, Jeanne, Lana, Marlene, Carmen (a Barneys New York Exclusive), Audrey and Annabella

Yesterday when we were looking at the corals and hot pinks I mentioned how I felt that NARS did a really good job making each of the colors in this collection distinct, despite some of them appearing very similar at first. Look closely, and you see the subtle differences among them. They don’t all just blur together into a hazy fog of reddish pink…

So, if you’re one of those unstoppable makeup fanatics (like myself) who, like the Terminator, WILL NOT STOP until you find your personal red lipstick version of Sarah Connor (for me, it’s a super warm tomato red with strong orange undertones), chances are you’ll find it among the reds in this launch.

Quickly, though, before we get to the reds, have I mentioned that my lips have been dry lately?

I think I have…but it wouldn’t be a Wednesday unless I mentioned it at least 26 more times, LOL! 🙂

So yeah, my lips have been very dry, which is what happens when you kayak on a windy lake for four hours. Of course, after doing this batch of swatches — which you know, took a while — they were in even worse shape.

But despite the currently critical lip sitch, I still think these lipsticks look smooth, which is yet another testament to the audaciously smooth Audacious Lipstick formula.

Now, on to the reds!

If you like warm, orangey reds…

Don’t miss Annabella (a poppy red), Carmen (a geranium red) and Lana (a vivid orangey red) without taking a closer look.

Of the three, I think Lana is the warmest and the most orange. It’s basically like a creamy MAC Lady Danger.

For a warm red with less orange than Lana, check out Carmen (slightly redder, less orange) or Annabella (even more red, and less orange).

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Carmen — Carmen (a Barneys New York Exclusive)

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It’s Taupe Time With the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

August 12th, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

Rap battle in 3-2-1…

If you can’t cope when shadow palettes lack taupe,
Or you start to mope when you lose your favorite matte taupe,
Or you think “Dope!” when you see a palette with six taupes,
Then jump over that moat! And climb that slope! ‘Cuz…

OK…I can’t think of anything else that rhymes with taupe. 🙂

The $29 Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

Yeah, man, Naked2 Basics ($29), Urban Decay’s latest vestiphobic eyeshadow palette, is a cool-toned taupe explosion. It comes with five matte shadows and one satin, with all of them being a different incarnation of taupe.

Five of the shadows are new (nude-pink Stark, warm gray Frisk, reddish brown Cover, muted brown Primal and smoky brown Undone), while the remaining one’s a re-promote (pale nude Skimp).

Essentially, the palette is a cool-toned taupe cousin of the original Naked Basics palette.

Compared to the shadows in its predecessor, the original Naked Basics Palette, these shadows seem much easier to blend. I haven’t had any problems mixing or mooshing any of the colors together and haven’t had any trouble with uneven application.

I have seen some fallout, though, but that’s pretty typical of Urban Decay.

According to UD, the palette works well for all skin tones, from like to dark and cool to warm, but I have to politely disagree with that… I’m an olive-toned gal with a darker skin tone, and I feel that without the help of some additional products, like a black shadow or eyeliner, or a warm beige or orangey brown, all six Naked2 Basics shadows tend to blend together into a nondescript haze on my skin.

It’s like when the newspaper gets left out in the rain, and then you open it and everything’s a muddled mix of depressing grays… Sad panda. 🙁

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette with a MAC Lipstick for scale — With a MAC Lipstick for scale

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Pencil In a Date With the New MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils on Your Lash Lines

August 8th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Wearing the new MAC Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance ($16) on my lash and water lines

You know, I don’t think I’ve ever actually finished an entire pot of MAC Fluidline. I’ve gotten pretty close several times with Blacktrack, but I usually get distracted by something else (it happens), and then misplace or forget about the particular pot I’m working on, so I open a new one.

This inevitably leads to someone saying, “What sane person needs five half-used pots of gel liner?” when they visit my house and notice the five half-used Blacktrack Fluidlines on the counter, to which I can’t make a smart-a$$ remark because, c’mon, only crazy makeup hoarders keep five pots of half-used Blacktrack.

MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils (left to right) in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue Sea, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance — Fluidline Eye Pencils (left to right) in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue Sea, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance

Now, though, I’m betting I’ll actually be able to finish one of the new MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils ($16 each US, $19 CAD), richly pigmented twist-up gel pencils coming soon to MAC counters with the A Novel Romance collection.

I’ve been wearing Black Brilliance, the black shade, a lot lately, and I seem to be going through it quickly. The soft formula glides so smoothly across my lids and lash lines that I sometimes get carried away with it.

There are also many other colors available, like Earth Sign (a deep, shimmery brown, which is a lot like Teddy, but not as reddish bronze) and Water Willow (a deep khaki green), which have also become close, personal faves. I love ’em on lash lines, where they stay put for 12-14 hours.

MAC Fluidline Eye Pencils in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance — Fluidline Eye Pencils in Atomic Ore, Earth Sign, Deep Blue, Metropolis, Water Willow, Evil Twin and Black Brilliance

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MAC Animal Instincts Blush: A Primal Plum for Fierce Cheeks

August 7th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

If you were reading 50 Shades of Grey on a plane and had to stop and fan yourself for a moment because, whew! — it’s getting hot in hurr — you’d look like you were wearing MAC Powder Blush in Animal Instincts ($22)

Now, to answer what is possibly your first question, yes, MAC Powder Blush in Animal Instincts is pretty dark.

Next, to answer what is possibly your second question, yes, you will still be able to wear it. 🙂

And you’ll look smokin’ hot, especially if you keep the eyes simple (picture bare lids, a shimmering chocolate smudged liner and lots of mascara) and wear it with a rich plummy lip, because the two go together like herds of unicorns and double rainbows.

With this pliant plummy powder blush, which should flatter the heck out of light, medium and darker skin tones, it pays to pick your brush carefully and spend a little time blending out the edges.

I think it’s the most clear-cut nod to classic fall colors in MAC’s new A Novel Romance collection, and it fits right in with the launch’s shmexy theme.

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