Product Reviews

The Fabulously Disco Divalicious MAC Antonio Lopez Collection’s Eye and Face Palettes Will Draw You In

August 27th, 2013 by Karen 42 Comments

MAC Antonio Lopez: 6 Eyes/Bronze and Face/Coral — Wearing the new MAC Antonio Lopez 6 Eyes palette in Teal on my eyes and Face palette in Coral on my cheeks

I am a girl. I am a girl with dreams.

Makeup dreams.

BIG, BOLD makeup dreams. Dreams of getting all dolled up exactly like the gal on this new MAC Antonio Lopez 6 Eyes palette, and then going to Petco to buy kitty litter.

SO FABULOUSLY DISCO DIVALICIOUS.

Let’s see… I think I have a blue scarf around here somewhere, and some black earrings, and I’m thinking I could probably imitate the hair. Maybe.

Oh, but that crazy-@ss earring?! I’ll definitely have to improv that, since something tells me I probably wouldn’t be able to find it (easily) at Claire’s.

The makeup, though, I’ve got that covered, boo-boo, thanks to the MAC Antonio Lopez collection’s mix of eye, lip and cheek palettes.

The MAC Antonio Lopez collection

The new collection struts into North American MAC stores, onto counters and online September 12, and arrives at international locales the same month (international babes, you might want to swing by your local counter to ask your fave MAC artist for a firm date).

Soooo…who IS this dude?

Fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez — From left: Eija Vehka Aho, Juan Ramos, Jacques de Bascher, Karl Lagerfeld and Antonio Lopez. Photo credit: The estate of Antonio Lopez & Juan Ramos, via Rizzoli, nytimes.com

First thing I thought when I saw these palettes was, “Oh, hell yes!” The second thing was, “Who is Antonio Lopez?”

Antonio Lopez (February 11, 1943 — March 17, 1987) was a world-renowned fashion illustrator who’s work appeared in many top-tier glossies like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, as well as the style pages of papers like The New York Times. In addition to his artwork, he’s known for discovering many famous models, too, including Grace Jones and Jerry Hall.

The new MAC Antonio Lopez collection features some of his drawings, with each of the palettes decorated with one of his muses (MAC calls the ladies “Antonio’s Girls”).

An afternoon with Antonio

This afternoon I told Tabs that I could only work a half day because I had a prior engagement with three eyeshadow palettes and the two face palettes. He grumbled and bit my nose. 🙂

Then, I crossed my fingers, did a disco dance (the Hustle, IF you must know), and hoped to find just as much beauty inside these palettes as out.

MAC Antonio Lopez: 6 Eyes Palettes in Bronze, Violet and Teal ($43.50 each US and $52 CDN)

The MAC Antonio Lopez 6 Eyes Palettes clockwise from the left: Violet, Teal and Bronze — The 6 Eyes Palettes clockwise from the left: Violet, Teal and Bronze

What did I find?

Well, the one eye palette I felt kind of “eh” about at first, Teal, turned out to be much more interesting than I thought.

MAC Antonio Lopez 6 Eyes/Teal Palette — 6 Eyes/Teal Palette

The first time I saw its colors, they didn’t quite make sense to me, but after I started buffing and blending, the mix of bright blue and green played well with the smokier olive, black, gray and light violet shades.

Now if I could only get rid of the fallout… Thank goodness, there’s only a little. If I were forced, cruelly, to choose just one of these three eye palettes to get down with, I’d choose Teal quicker than you could say “boogie-oogie-oogie.”
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+/A-

As for fallout issues with the other two eye palettes, Violet and Bronze, nope. None.

MAC Antonio Lopez 6 Eyes/Bronze Palette — 6 Eyes/Violet Palette

Violet’s pink and purple give it a foxy ’80s vibe, and I think that bottom row of gray, silver and black should satisfy my lust for smokey eyes (kind of reminds me of Prism by Hourglass). The cream shade in the upper right-hand corner, though? Not that inspiring, but I appreciate the contrast.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

[Continue reading…]

12 Pans of Shimmer Shine in the Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette

August 27th, 2013 by Karen 55 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Jewel of an Eye — The current apple o’ my eye: the $19.99 Eye Couture Palette in Jewel of an Eye from Sonia Kashuk

With autumn about to make its big debut, what’s one way to stay on trend without breaking the bank?

The Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette

Perhaps you’ve already stocked up on fall staples over the summer — a chic red lipstick, a black liquid liner, a deep plum (and) or berry gloss — and are saying to yourself, “Whee!” and asking, “What else can we put in there?”

Throw some jewel-toned shadows into the mix

Ya know, for emerald, amber, amethyst and sapphire smokey eyes. All are so, SO apropos with knee-high boots, tweed blazers and snuggly, chunky knits.

Ah… I can almost hear the leaves crunching beneath my feet and Tabs whining because of how chilly it is outside (too chilly to go for his daily walk). Maybe we should get matching turtlenecks — my cat and I — because that’s what I really need — to give my neighbors another reason to think I’m a crazy cat lady. 🙂

As far as fall makeup, I suppose we could hunt and peck for jewel-toned duos and trios, or spend an arm and a leg searching for “the perfect combo,” but who has time for all that?

Try this: tell your hubby/honey/Ryan Gosling that you’ll be back in 10 minutes, because we’re going to Target to check out Sonia Kashuk’s new “Jewel of an Eye” Eye Couture Palette ($19.99).

Okay…make that 30 minutes. We both know that Target is a time warp. We’ll never get out of there in less than 15.

12 pans of shimmer

This 12-pan palette of intense, shimmery shadows pulsates with possibilities for trendy jewel-toned looks, and it’s RAD.

[Continue reading…]

Why Stop and Smell the Roses When the New Clarins Graphic Expression Face & Blush Powder Palette Smells This Divine?

August 26th, 2013 by Karen 41 Comments

A texture finer than cake flour and a fresh, unforced healthy glow? Lovely traits to have in/get from a powder blush, but I crave more from my pans (says the girl whose husband routinely catches her in the bathroom cooing at a Chanel Joues Constraste blush).

Ya know, like a nice scent. 🙂

Known for their Laissez-faire approach to cheek color, Clarins has kindly obliged.

Their brand new $35 Graphic Expression Face & Blush Powder Palette smells ah-may-zing! Evocative of something from a more expensive line like Chanel. When I open the pan and take a whiff, it’s as if a bouquet of freesias appears on my desk beside a tin of violet hard candies as I’m hugged by someone who loves me — all in one sniff!

But the scent isn’t the only reason I heart this multi-colored palette of matte peach, rose and tan. Whether worn separately or mixed together, the shades look like they were made for fall smokey eyes and/or bold lips.

Clarins Graphic Expression Face & Blush Powder Swatch — Two layers of Graphic Expression

[Continue reading…]

Christmas Comes Early in California With the New NARS Loves Los Angeles Gift Set

August 26th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

Please tell me I’m not the one of us who has imaginary conversations with her makeup, ’cause I can hear my tinted moisturizer practically scream with joy whenever I take out the new limited edition NARS Loves Los Angeles Gift Set ($75).

When I hold one of the three pieces up to my ear like a conch, instead of the sound of the sea, I hear a voice say, “Guuuurl, YES. NARS is a frickin’ genius! You’ve need something like this for all those LA rooftop pool parties you never go to, when you only have, like, five minutes to do your makeup. Now all we need is that maxi dress and those Tory Burch knockoff slippers we saw the other day, and we’ll be good to go. Hurry up! Time’s a-waistin’!”

This is what happens when you spend hours talking to a cat and your makeup collection every day…

Anyhizzle, the new $75 three-piece limited edition gift set is coming to select NARS counters September 1, with a palette containing four eyeshadows, a powder blush and a bronzer; a full-size lipgloss and a nail polish — all in some of the brand’s bestselling shades in Los Angeles.

[Continue reading…]

Like the Universe, Benefit’s Box O’ Powder Line Is Expanding…With Rosy Gold Rockateur Powder Blush

August 23rd, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Soft rocking with rose gold Benefit Rockateur ($28) on my cheeks

With Rockateur, Benefit’s Box O’ Powder line is expanding! (like my husky tabby’s waistline/kitty empire) — while simultaneously shrinking over time…

Stardate: 2008. Bene-babes were bringing home their Boxes O’ Powder, like the lovely Coralista, for $28 each, but they were getting 0.42 ounces of product.

Fast forward five years to today…

We’re all driving hover cars, our greatest scientists are cats, and most of the brand’s powders still cost $28! — except that now they contain just 0.28 ounces of product (with the exception of Thrrrob, which still comes with the same 0.42 ounces for some reason).

Benefit Rockateur Pan Closeup — A closeup of the Rockateur pan… The rosy golden shimmer at the edges is an overspray.

Stranger still, the new Rockateur is even smaller, containing just 0.17 ounces of powder.

Hmm…

Could this mean that all of Benefit’s Boxes O’ Powder will shrink over time without a drop in price? I don’t know (but I hope not).

Thankfully, Rockateur’s small stature doesn’t take anything away from the blush itself, a lovely neutral rosy gold with shimmer. More of a light peachy coral pink on my tan skin, it should look even brighter and more intense on lighter and medium skin tones.

It reminds me a lot of Benefit Sugarbomb, but with less coral and much more pink. I’m wearing two layers to really convey the color in these pics, but one layer works just fine for heading out and lasts through an eight-hour day.

Benefit Rockateur Box — The front o’ the box…

Benefit Rockateur Ingredients — Ingredients

[Continue reading…]

The Secret to Exceptional Lash Length, Curl and Definition Resides in Every Tube of Clarins Be Long Mascara

August 23rd, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

I gotta give credit to Clarins for getting straight to the point when they named new Be Long Mascara. Just one coat of this stuff on my fringe, and I’m yelling “My lashes be hella long!!” at the top of my lungs in the bathroom.

That’s usually how I know a mascara has crossed over from pretty good to great. 🙂

Be Long banishes jet lag even better than melatonin! You might not think that a three-hour time difference could throw off your sleeping schedule, but it totally can.

I look and feel tired…and over the years, after many mascara trials, I’ve learned that one of the easiest ways to look perkier/less exhausted is to apply a layer of a lengthening, curling mascara to your lashes.

Clarins Be Long Mascara before and after — On the left: no mascara; on the right: one coat

Nothing fakes a bright, doe-eyed look like a little extra lash length and curl. I think the extra length and curl work even better for this than specialized lash volume/thickening mascaras.

And formulas that also separate and define every lash work even better. When the goal is looking less tired, I don’t want bundles of long, clumpy lashes (which, yeah, do have their time and place, like at night when I’m feeling a little artsy).

Be Long delivers the exceptional length, curl and separation that work together as a tonic for sleepy eyes.

I’m totally enamored with this stuff and how it stretches, grabs and defines even the shortest stubs. One coat after a quick curl from my Shu Uemura Lash Curler, and my fringe looks fabulously full and lifted all day, no flakes or smudges.

The brush, which picks up a perfect amount of product (no need to remove any excess by wiping it across a paper towel), must be the secret sauce. It gives each lash the special treatment, coating it individually from base to tip and combing through every hair without leaving behind any clumps or bumps.

Clarins Be Long Mascara brush — It’s all about the brush, ma!

Clarins Be Long Mascara tube — The elegant gold tube…

[Continue reading…]

How a Tinted Red Lip Balm Like Butter London’s Lippy Tinted Balm in Strawberry Field Can Save You Time This Fall

August 23rd, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

“Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to, apply Strawberry Field forever.”

LOL!

This, my friend, is what happens when you grow up in a house (of learned doctors) where both of your parents worshiped The Beatles. You hum that song to yourself every time you apply Butter London’s creamy new $20 Lippy Tinted Balm in Strawberry Field (and keep calling it “Strawberry Fields Forever”) — a side effect of growing up on a steady diet of music by John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The Lippy Tinted Balms: New to the Butter London Line

The nail polish purveyors recently branched out into other forms of makeup, releasing pieces for eyes, lips and cheeks. Strawberry Field is one of six Lippy Tinted Balms added to Butter London’s permanent line.

The pigment sucks you in, but the coverage seals the deal…

Before I brought the bright red balm to my lips for the first time, I thought it would be a chore to apply based on how pigmented it looked in my initial swatches, but it’s just as easy to wear as a Burt’s Bee’s Lip Balm.

When fall, which is still just a whisper on the wind, and the holidays roll around, red lips abound! — and there are plenty of options to choose from, but Strawberry Field doesn’t bring with it the high-maintenance drama that often accompanies full-coverage crimsons.

Being a balm, it’s sheerer than your average lipstick and doesn’t flip out if I fudge my application a little… Mistakes aren’t as easy to spot.

Heck, I can even apply it without a mirror and can skip a lip liner and lip brush. Really, it’s one of the easiest reds I’ve ever worn.

Mo’ deets…

Does it smell or taste like strawberries? Nope, neither. And thank goodness for that! Nothing turns my tum more than faux strawberry. It’s a little like Nilla Wafers, and it’s faint and fades after five minutes.
How’s the moisture content? Not too shabby, tabby. They may not be as moisturizing as a Burt’s Bees Lip Balm (those make my lips go “AHHHHH!” whenever I wear them), but they’re still quite hydrating.
What’s the wear time like? One layer and I’m good to go for at least 3-4 hours, which is great for a lightweight, non-sticky balm.
Will I need multiple layers? Nah, just one, and get this — the formula’s smooooove and doesn’t settle into lip lines.

[Continue reading…]

A Fall Berry That Fits All: Covergirl’s Affordable Lipslick Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U

August 22nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm Luv U — Wearing Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U ($5.99) on my lips

Complete with a convenient see-through cap, so you can quickly pick it out in a crowd (and won’t have to spend DAYS rifling through the other lippies in your purse to find it), a universally flattering soft shine and sheer coverage, gorgeous and affordable Covergirl Lipslick Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U goes from the office to date night without skipping a beat.

This berry balm is a snazzy solution to the question, “If I want an effortless lip look, how can I update my makeup bag for fall without breaking the bank?”

Only thing is, you have to be cool with a 1-2 hour wear time. And a waxy flavor and scent, as Luv U has ’em. Luckily, both fade pretty quickly (within about 10 minutes).

[Continue reading…]