Product Reviews

Why Maybelline’s $4.99 Fit Me Blush in Light Rose Will Have You Blushing

August 22nd, 2013 by Karen 5 Comments

Maybelline's Fit Me Blush in Light Rose — For gals who love the look of barely-there blush, there’s Maybelline’s Fit Me Blush in Light Rose ($4.99)

3 things I brought home with me from Kauai…

Angry red mosquito bites. OMG! SO ITCHY! The skeeters came out in force whenever the trade winds subsided.
A tan, despite regularly slathering myself with SPF 55.
A pair of skinny jeans that had previously fit me better before the trip… 🙂

Yeah, I may have gone a little overboard with the french fries. And the shave ice. And the ice cream. And the —

Whatev! I was on vacation.

But now that I’m back, I want to get fit, like this blush by Maybelline.

It’s called Fit Me Blush in Light Rose… Get it? Fit Me? Fit?

Sorry! Weak pun. I’m still a little jet-lagged.

Maybelline Fit Me Blush Light Rose — Maybelline’s Fit Me Blush in Light Rose ($4.99)

Every time I see the word “Fit” on this sheer matte neutral pink blush’s cover it reminds me that I should probably go for a run to start working off all of those bowls of saimin I had (it’s a noodle soup like ramen, only taken to the next level with lots of delicious toppings).

Along with acting as a gentle reminder to get my butt moving, the blush also leaves my cheeks with the same soft pink post-workout flush I get after sprinting through the finish of a 30-minute treadmill sesh…except without the heavy breathing and perspiration.

By comparison, it’s effortless.

When all I want is a basic pink flush — something that won’t compete with my eye or lip makeup — Light Rose hits the spot.

Like Maybellinne’s other Fit Me Blushes, it’s very sheer, so if you grab it expecting NARS-caliber color, you might be disappointed. I really have to build it up in layers to see the color clearly on my skin.

Maybelline Fit Me Blush Light Rose Swatch — Three layers of Light Rose

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The new Giorgio Armani Face & Eye Palette in Scarabeo for a Colorful Pink and Green Update to Your Makeup Bag

August 13th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo — Wearing Giorgio Armani’s Eye and Face Palette in Scarabeo ($88)

I don’t follow any hard-and-fast rules about wearing colorful eyeshadow during the day, but if I do have many errands to run or expect to interact with lots of different people like I did today — the teller at the bank, the chatty checker at Tar-ghay, other personal assistants at Petco — then I like to keep whatever colors I’m feeling fairly close to my lash lines. That way I can get my color fix on without feeling like I’m wearing a ton of disco makeup on my eyes. Plus, it’s easy (and you know I like that).

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo eyeshadows — The eyeshadows

Today I was in the mood for green and grabbed the pricey new $88 (!) Giorgio Armani Face & Eye Palette in Scarabeo, one of two new Giorgio Armani palettes released for fall.

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo eyeshadows closeup — A closeup of the eyeshadows

I know. That price is insane! You kind of have to be a big Armani fan to even consider it.

With really expensive palettes like this two-tier one from Armani (the shadows are on a level beneath the blush), I usually prefer neutrals, because at least that way you can wear them daily to try to get your money’s worth.

Giorgio Armani Scarabeo blush — The shimmery light pink blush

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Ouidad Wave Create Texture Taffy Tames Big Hair To Bring Out Beachy Waves

August 13th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

Wearing Ouidad’s Texture Taffy ($23) in mah hair!

Scanning the break for beachy waves? If your mane/mop naturally has a lot of volume to it (read: when left to its own devices, it’s big and voluminous enough to exert its own gravitational pull), then Ouidad’s Wave Create Texture Taffy ($23) can tame that untapped volume and turn it into well-behaved waves.

A new flexible styling cream, it coaxes beachy waves out of straight or wavy hair. I’ve been using it for the past few days to tame my tresses and create full-on beachy waves.

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What’s Nude and Covered Up at the Same Time? Your Lips When Wearing These New Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 4, a pink beige — That’s pinky beige Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No. 4 smilin’ at you from Novato, California

The last time I was surrounded by this much nudity was last year’s Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, ba-dum bum!

Ha, I jest. 🙂

Well…not really. And that was a little more jarring than the nudity I’m talking about today.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos — Oh, hai!

Really, though, when a dude jogs past you in nothing but tennies and a fanny pack at the crack (no pun intended) of dawn, it’s a lot to take in before your first cup of coffee.

But I digress…

These new Femme Nude Lip Stylos by Hourglass ($30 each) are a joy to play with, partly because there are so many different ways a nude lip can go wrong, and this new collection of twist-up, retractable lip pencils gets it right.

Hourglass envisioned all six Stylos working together as part of a wardrobe of nudes — nudes for minimal makeup days, nudes for when you’re feeling artsy-fartsy, and nudes for when you have a hankering for something nude and slightly dramatic.

A satin finish gives lips a sheen while ingredients like vitamin E nourish and protect yo’ pout from the elements.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 1 — No. 1, a pale pink, and the lightest shade in the collection

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 2 — No. 2, a warm honey beige

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 3 — No. 3, a medium nude rosy pink

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You Glow, Girl! Creamy, Luminous Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder in Moonstone

August 9th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Becca Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed — Thank you, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone… Now if I could only wake up looking like this, LOL!

I bet Ryan Gosling would notice when you were wearing the new Becca Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfector (because he’s dreamy like that!!), but odds are most people wouldn’t.

The luminizing face and cheek powder isn’t really one of those products that grabs you by the eyeballs and won’t let go, like
Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Madame Batifole, which prompts peeps to cross busy streets to ask, “GUUURRRL, what’s on your lips!?”

Ya know what, though? That’s why I like it. 🙂

Moonstone gets a different kind of attention. It’s subtle, like a good perfume. Similar to when dudes wear flat-front pants pants instead of pleats, it’s not necessarily a dramatic change, but it’s a SERIOUS UPGRADE.

It’s something I’d wear when I want luminous, glowing skin that doesn’t look hella greasy.

But don’t freak out the first time you swatch this shimmery yellow gold. I should warn you — it looks crazy shiny at first, but once you buff it out, ooh, baby! It’s like late afternoon sun on your cheeks…

And get this — Moonstone is also kind to pores and fine lines.

I should know. I have both! 🙂 And when I wear it on my face/cheeks, I barely notice either.

The most similar products I can think of are the Ambient Powders by Hourglass, but Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfectors have a different texture.

Becca Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in hand — In my paw (claw?) for scale…

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Guerlain’s New Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Madame Batifole, and Fun With the Letter “G”

August 8th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Guerlain Madame Batifole Rouge G — That’s Guerlain’s new Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Madame Batifole ($49.50) on my lips, one of three new limited edition Rouge G’s available now in the fall 2013 Voilette de Madame collection

“G” is for…

Giggle, as in “with delight,” which is what you’ll probably do the first time you see Guerlain’s new Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in vibrant fuchsia Batifole on your lips.

Gasp! — which you’re also liable to do when you hold the limited edition packaging in yo’ paws (and realize that it costs $49.50, holy crap!).

Generous, which is what Guerlain was with the amount of pigment they squeezed into this tube. One swipe of the super smooth formula covers my lips completely — like crazy opaque.

Glamorous, which is how you’ll feel whenever you take a peek at your reflection in Rouge G’s mirrored cap, or when you catch a whiff of its classic rosy lipstick scent (has the same flavor, too).

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With the New Guerlain Ecrin 2 Couleurs Eyeshadow Duo in Two Stylish, Mermaid Magic Is a Mere Two Pans Away

August 8th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

Wearing the new Guerlain Two Stylish Ecrin 2 Couleurs Eyeshadow Duo on my eyes

Awards I Have a Legitimate Chance of Actually Winning Someday…

Craziest Cat Lady in Northern Marin County (in the 30-40 age division)
Most Likely to Drop a Makeup or Beauty Product on Her Foot (Happens at least once a day. This morning I dropped my giant pan of Guerlain Terra Nerolia on my left foot. The pan was fine, but my foot is still throbbing.)
Least Likely to Say “No” When Offered Ice Cream for Dessert (seriously)

I think I’d also have a shot at the “Best Dressed Landlocked Mermaid Award,” but only if I were wearing the new Guerlain Ecrin 2 Couleurs Eyeshadow Duo in 02 Two Stylish ($44).

All I have to say is “mermaid eyes!” This duo (one of eight new permanent collection duos bobbing up on Guerlain counters this month) sings a sea siren’s song with a silky semi-matte deep blue, and a softly shimmering metallic gray.

It’s glowy, gorgeous and guaranteed to make you weak in the knees (or your tail fin area) if you bold blue eye looks.

Just like the brown shade in the Two Spicy palette, both of these shadows are Dolce & Gabbana/Armani-caliber creamy; they practically melt on lids like butter on hot bread.

And gosh, that blue!

You know how some blues can be really hard to blend? Two Stylish buffs out so smoothly that it’s as if it yearns to blend. Gradients couldn’t be a whole lot easier to create, and there’s barely any fallout at all.

Guerlain Two Stylish Swatches: Matte blue on the left and shimmery silver on the right — Matte blue on the left and shimmery silver on the right

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Plot a Course for Adventure, Your Lips and Tips on a New Romance With the New NARS 413 BLKR Lipstick and Nail Polish

August 8th, 2013 by Karen 35 Comments

Wearing the new NARS 413 BLKR Lipstick and Nail Polish

Where are we heading today, babe? I’ll drive if you navigate. (Please excuse my messy Mazda! I really need to clean it…)

I know you need to swing by Petco to get your cat her gravy, and we both want to visit DSW to look at shoes…but can we also stop by 413 BLKR to see what’s happening at NARS?

Silly goose! Of course I’m not suggesting that we drive from San Francisco to the company’s flagship boutique in New York, although I give you mad makeup props for remembering the address of the store (it’s on 413 Bleecker Street). I’m referring to the NARS 413 BLKR collection.

Early this month, NARS added two new pieces to the fam — 413 Lipstick ($26), a stunning rosy brown, and moody blue BLKR Nail Polish ($19).

Check it…

NARS 413 BLKR Nail Polish Lipstick — The new NARS 413 BLKR Nail Polish on the left and 413 BLKR Lipstick on the right

NARS 413 BLKR Lipstick is a deep rosy brown with a semi-matte finish ($26)

NARS 413 BLKR Nail Polish Swatch — Three layers of 413 BLKR Nail Polish, a midnight blue ($19)

NARS 413 BLKR Lipstick Swatch — 413 BLKR Lipstick…

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