Product Reviews

Try Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara for Lash Looks With a Twist — No, Really, You Twist a Dial on the Tube to Change the Shape of the Brush

April 3rd, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

Whenever I’m flipping through the channels and see that the The Wedding Singer is on, I grab a jar of Chocolate Butter and a spoon (more on this in a second), and sit back and relax with it for the hundred billionth time.

Great music, mullets, awesome ’80s references (“We’re living in a material world, and I am a material girl…or boy.”) and, of course, Drew Barrymore!

I’ve always thought she’d be fun to kick it with, ya know? And we could talk about makeup, too. In fact, she recently released her own cosmetics line called Flower, available exclusively at Walmart and walmart.com.

“You no longer have to spend a lot of money to get the quality cosmetics you want and deserve. How do we do it? We do not pay for advertising. Where other beauty brands spend a vast percentage of the cost of their products on ads, we do not. Drew, as an owner of the brand, takes pride in promoting Flower, which in turn allows us to put all of our resources into the formulas and packaging, and not into advertising. Custom-formulated with the same ingredients used in luxury make-up, our exclusive botanical-infused Soft-Focus Complex illuminates for a lit-from-within effect. All products are proudly made in the USA and are never tested on animals. So be em-FLOWER-ed. The best make-up isn’t only found in high-end stores any longer.”

— flowerbeauty.com

The brand doesn’t believe in animal testing and features a wide array of well-priced products, like the $8 Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara I wore last weekend.

If you’ve ever felt the urge to toss a mascara tube in the trash after combing through pesky lumps or bumps (always seems to happen when I’m in a big rush, like the mascara knows I’m running behind), try Zoom-In’s smooove formula and customizable brush.

The wand has a dial/doohickey at the top; twisting it shortens the brush at the other end, which transforms it for different effects (like lengthening, curling or volume), letting you choose the lash look you like.

I find it oddly thrilling. 🙂

For natural-looking lashes with a little extra length, I keep the brush long, but for more thickness and curl, I’ll twist the dial down.

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara before and after — Plain lashes on the left of the screen and two coats of Zoom-In on the right of the screen

And no matter how many layers I apply, the formula doesn’t clump.

Besides the empowerment I get from choosing my lash look, I think the mascara itself is pretty cool, especially for natural, casual lash looks.

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What’s One Thing I’d Like to See More of in Sonia Kashuk’s Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balms?

April 3rd, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm in Hint of Berry — That’s Sonia K.’s $8.99 Hint of Berry Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm on my lips

The list of things Sonia Kashuk’s new Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balms have going for ’em reads like a laundry list of travel makeup awesomeness.

Sleek presentation
They’re pretty affordable at $8.99 each
They come in four sheer, universally flattering shades — Hint of Coral, Hint of Pink, Hint of Red and Hint of Berry
The lightweight formula
They’re unburdened by scents or flavors
SPF 15
Infused with aÃ§aÃ oil, essential fatty acids, cherry extract for antioxidant protection and safflower seed oil to nourish lips

I always worry about losing my (luggage, mind) makeup bag when I travel, and Sonia regularly releases such great stuff at good prices that I figured I’d bring one of these along with me on my next trip.

Except there’s one problem with that…

Moisture!

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The Aqualillies for Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye and Cheek Palette Is Making a Splash With Me

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 38 Comments

I usually ditch darker smokey shades and crisp cat liner looks when summer rolls around and opt for sheer washes of gold, beige or tan on my lids instead — most of the time — maybe also with a splash of teal along my lash lines for oomph.

Tarte’s new limited edition waterproof Aqualillies palette ($38) could easily keep this particular surf baby singing through summer with its mix of six summery powder eye shadows, all of which should be neutral enough for most guys and gals and skin tones from cool to warm.

Aqualillies for Tarte open with names — Cute names, yeah?

Most of these colors, all but the dark brown shade, apply with sheer-to-medium pigment on my tan NC42 skin, making this a perfect palette to reach for when I feel like a light wash of color.

And they can handle more intense eye looks, too, as long as I tap any excess powder off my brush before applying (to prevent any unwanted fallout), and use a few layers to build up the colors.

Eye Shadow swatches from the Aqualillies for Tarte palette from the left: Hammock, Bikini, Barefoot, Parasol, Sundeck and Poolside — Eye Shadow swatches from the Aqualilies for Tarte palette from the left: Hammock, Bikini, Barefoot, Parasol, Sundeck and Poolside

“Make a splash this summer with tarte and the Aqualillies! This limited-edition waterproof palette, inspired by America’s most glamorous synchronized swimming group, includes 6 new eye shadows, bronzer, highlighter, and a limited-edition Amazonian clay 12-hour blush. All show-stopping shades are tucked inside a classically elegant, mirrored compact.”

— tartecosmetics.com

Along with the eye shadows, Tarte also tucked in a coral matte blush, a shimmery champagne highlighter and a matte tan bronzer, to round out your look out.

Aqualillies for Tarte swatches from the left: Champagne Highlighter, Park Ave Princess Bronzer and Captivating Blush — Aqualilies for Tarte swatches from the left: Champagne Highlighter, Park Ave Princess Bronzer and Captivating Blush

Everything in the oversized palette is also powered by Amazonian Clay — one of Tarte’s favorite ingredients.

On my combination dry/oily skin, with the help of a good primer, I get between 8-10 hours of wear time from these pieces on both my eyes and cheeks.

Pretty great.

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For a Plump Pout, Try These Creamy New Buxom Full-Bodied Lipsticks

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

I’ve been glued to glosses for at least the past decade (give or take a year or two). Yup, I’m a gloss girl — the gal in the group who’ll whip out her makeup bag to touch up after lunch at the table, and then spend five minutes sifting through handfuls of tubes to find the perfect shiny shade while everyone else sips coffee.

What can I say? I like gloss. I think it makes my lips look fuller, and I even feel a little younger when I wear it, too.

Ah, but Buxom’s new line of unscented, unflavored Full-Bodied Lipsticks is currently threatening to turn me into a full-time lipstick lady. When I wear one of these 10 creamy, satin-finish shades, each one of them loaded with hydrating hyaluronic spheres, my pout does appear a little plumper (no sting or tingling sensation, though) — like I’ve been locking lips with someone at work in the supply closet — and it stays that way from 4-5 hours (or until my next meal).

Buxom Full-Bodied Lipstick swatches from the left: Exhibitionist, Hooligan, Menace, Nudist, Rouge, Scoundrel and Two-Timer

Buxom Full-Bodied Lipstick in Exhibitionist

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Sonia Kashuk’s $12.99 Chic Luminosity Duos Glisten on Skin, Combine the Benefits of a Baked Powder, Cream and Liquid In a Single Pan

April 2nd, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten — That’s Sonia Kashuk’s new Chic Luminosity Bronzer/Blush Duo in Glisten ($12.99) on my cheeks, one of three new SK Duos for spring

Okay, so I don’t quite get the alligator/reptilian pattern on the pans (gives me the heebie-jeebies and the urge to moisturize my shins!), but I do get a good bargain-hunting vibe from Sonia Kashuk’s new $12.99 Chic Luminosity Duos.

Each of the three Duos in petal pink Glow, warm coral Glisten and rosy nude Glimmer comes with a blush and bronzer; the formulas remind me of some of the powder/cream/gel products we’ve seen from EstÃ©e Lauder and Chanel over the past couple of years.

Glisten, the warm coral I’ve been wearing off and on since last weekend, looks just like one of EstÃ©e Lauder’s Ilumminating Powder Gelee Highlighters and Blushes, which usually cost between $40-50.

And like the Gelees, it illuminates cheeks with a refined, glimmering finish that softens the appearance of pores and fine lines, almost like a 1940s powderpuff lens.

Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Bronzer Blush in Glisten ($12.99)

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I Don’t Care If It’s Taboo! I’ll Break Every Rule for Chanel’s Latest Le Vernis Nail Colour

April 1st, 2013 by Karen 36 Comments

Chanel Taboo Le Vernis — Chanel releases a new nail polish called Taboo Le Vernis ($27), and the universe collectively swoons…

Take heed, beauty lover! You’ve been warned…

Get too close to Chanel’s new $27 Taboo Le Vernis Nail Colour, and you run the risk of losing yourself in its galactic shimmer for all eternity.

Gazing too closely at the shimmery blue and bronze stars in Taboo’s deep, interstellar purple base is like crossing the event horizon of a black hole — the boundary in spacetime through which matter and light can only pass in one direction.

It will suck you in!

At least that’s what I told El Hub when he said, “You paid $27 for a bottle of nail polish!?”

Every few millennia (okay, years), a beauty brand Big Bang occurs. Chanel crafts a nail polish so striking that it warps the very fabric of space and time.

Taboo!

When I saw it for the first time, I knew that if I let it pass me by, I would regret my decision for — who knows how long? Maybe years (I have a friend who still regrets skipping Jade, and whenever I bring it up, she gets fussy).

Why do I like it so much?

Well, because opalescent copper nebulae streak through Taboo’s blackened purple like comet tails, while flecks of cosmic blue glitter wink and twinkle like distant stars, and because I only need to wear a single layer — A SINGLE LAYER, OMG! — for total opacity.

If you’ve ever wished (on a star, perhaps?) for a darker, sparklier, more intense version of Chanel Vendetta, the universe answered. It’s Taboo.

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BECCA Belle Ã‰poque Ultimate CrÃ¨me Eyeliner Keeps a Lined Eye on the Future With a Purple Nod to the Past

March 26th, 2013 by Karen 13 Comments

BECCA Belle Epoque Ultimate Creme Eyeliner — Wearing BECCA’s new Belle Ã‰poque Ultimate CrÃ¨me Eyeliner ($20 for a 0.08-ounce jar), one of four completely brand-spankin’ new CrÃ¨me Eyeliners recently added to BECCA’s permanent collection

I’ll be the first to admit it because it’s totally true. When it comes to purple eye liner, I’m the star of my own personal snooze-fest.

It happens sometimes after 25 or 26 years… That’s how long I’ve been wearing purple eye liner (since about 1987).

I started by sneaking a rogue stick of purple LancÃ´me liner out of the house with me every day and lining my upper lash lines with it when I got to school (so sneaky!).

Admittedly, I had no idea what I was doing, so I probably looked like Honey Boo Boo on a bad pageant day, but I didn’t care. I loved the stuff. Still do.

So predictable, I know. 🙂 But you know what? Purple liner does great things for brown, green and hazel eyes.

I’ve always loved the look and felt that brown eyes (mine are brown) look so much more chocolatey and delicious when they’re lined with plum.

Lately, the purple liner love o’ my life has been BECCA’s new teeny, tiny jar of Belle Ã‰poque (a shout-out to France’s “Beautiful Era,” I presume), a deep, shimmery eggplant cream liner that draws feathery strokes in a single sweep and has a formula that lasts all day long.

BECCA Belle Epoque Ultimate Creme Eyeliner swatch — Yummy, plummy, shimmery goodness!

BECCA Belle Epoque Ultimate Creme Eyeliner fluidline for size — A 0.08-ounce jar of BECCA Belle Ã‰poque Ultimate CrÃ¨me Eyeliner on the left, a 0.10-ounce jar of MAC Fluidline in the middle and a 0.12-ounce Laura Mercier CrÃ¨me Eye Liner on the right for scale

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A Peachy Pick For Improv Spring Picnics or Any Time You’re in a Rush: Jouer Honeysuckle Tint Quickly Blossoms on Cheeks and Lips

March 26th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

My favorite part of last weekend? When El Hub knocked on my office door to invite me on an impromptu picnic.

Mind you, the picnic itself was great, but immediately before El Hub knocked on my door, I was feeling a little blue… The picnic was a perfect opportunity to not only spend some quality time with him but also with Honeysuckle, a new spring shade in Jouer’s line of $20 multitasking cream Tints for cheeks and lips.

Naturally, a picnic with your sweetie is infinitely better when you’re wearing peach blush and lipstick to go with your sandwiches, chips and lemonade.

Jouer Honeysuckle Tint Picture — Pretty in peach

I was crunching numbers (taxes, bluh) when I heard a tap-tap-tapping on my door…

One look at my sad face and bleary eyes told El Hub all he needed to know.

“You wanna go on a picnic?” he said, stepping over Tabs, who was sprawled in front of the doorway like a 20-pound kitty gatekeeper. “You, me, sandwiches from Whole Foods and a nice patch of grass? Come on, let’s go. Can you be ready in five minutes?”

He handed me a glass of water he was holding and an allergy pill. “Here, take this, Bubble Girl.”

This time of year, I’m allergic to everything, so I chugged it down. He grabbed the glass and turned to leave.

“Five minutes isn’t enough,” I said after him.

He bounded down the stairs and hollered back, “Now it’s only four minutes!”

Sh*t. Four minutes?? I kicked into fast-and-furious makeup overdrive, rubbing a few dots of tinted moisturizer on my cheeks and chin, patting concealer under my eyes, brushing a bit of eye shadow into my brows and curling my lashes.

A minute left on the clock, but I felt like something was still missing…

I looked around the room and noticed Tabs rolling on his back, blinking with sleepy eyes. My pan of Jouer Honeysuckle was half buried beneath his tum.

Tabs-chunky — Large and in charge…and hiding makeup wherever he goes!

Seriously, dude. I will never understand how or why this cat enjoys stealing and sleeping on makeup. It’s just the weirdest thing. I guess it’s good that Jouer housed the 0.07-ounce pan of Honeysuckle in a sturdy brown compact, because not only can it withstand jostling around in my makeup bag, it can also withstand the power of a portly XXXL tabby.

After liberating the compact from Tabs’ voluptuous girth, I pried it open with my fingers, and swept and blended Honeysuckle’s sheer, lightweight cream formula on my cheeks and lips.

Purrfect. The semi-matte peach was exactly the kind of casual color I needed for an improv picnic and the rest of the day after, since it lasts 5-6 hours on my dry cheeks, and about an hour on my lips.

Jouer Honeysuckle Tint Swatch — Silky smooth, ma!

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