Product Reviews

Forget Milkshakes, theBalm’s Cabana Boy Blush Brings All the Boys to the Yard

March 15th, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

That’s theBalm Cabana Boy Blush ($21) on my cheeks

Once I babysat this adorable little girl who somehow knew the lyrics to that Kelis song, Milkshake…and she also took them to heart.

She believed that milkshakes would literally bring all the boys to the yard, and since she also believed that all boys were yucky, she swore to never have a milkshake.

Hahaha! From the mouths of babes… 🙂

That’s what I thought of this morning when I pulled out theBalm’s new $21 Cabana Boy Blush. Like the milkshake of the makeup world, it’s also supposed to bring all the boys to the yard.

In a manner of speaking. theBalm claims that this pigmented, warm rosy pink, with its hint of plum, will have the boys (or girls) attending to your every whim.

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Two Swipes Will Have You Hooked and Ready For Pancakes! The Tarte Awakening Cheek Stain Rallies Brunch Enthusiasts, 5-Minute Makeup Fans and Blush Scaredy Cats

March 14th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

Blueberry pancakes, eggs, hash browns, refill after refill of piping hot coffee (with extra cream and a teaspoon of sugar)…

Oh, man… My muffin top just quivered with delight. It’s only Thursday, and I’ve got Sunday brunch on the brain! It’s all Tarte’s new $30 Awakening Cheek Stain’s fault.

There’s just something so right about going out for weekend brunch or breakfast noms wearing minimal makeup, ya know? I usually lack the coordination/motivation to do a full-on look early on a Sunday morning, so out come my five-minute minimal makeup routines, like this one here: brows, tinted moisturizer, under-eye concealer, mascara, gloss and barely-there cheek colors like Tarte’s Awakening, a nude pink gel blush that’ll leave your brunch buddies wondering whether you’re wearing any blush at all.

Being a part-time lazy girl, I love this thing. I swipe the stick twice on each cheek either directly on bare skin or tinted moisturizer. Then, I blend in the edges with my fingers and bam! — pinched, flushed cheeks that look like I just finished a brisk walk.

Awakening gets the whole “no-makeup makeup” thing totally right. Just enough color for perky cheeks, and I think the slightly shiny finish, with its faint hint of shimmer, keeps it from looking fake or flat.

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The Doctor Is Into Silky Shadows: Dr. Hauschka’s New Limited Edition Eyeshadow Trio

March 14th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

A closeup of the new Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95), available now at Dr. Hauschka counters and online

Oh, it hurts, doctor! Right here in my heart (and my makeup bag). It’s like a yearning, aching hunger for a trio of silky smooth shadows in natural shades…

Yes, Dr. Hauschka, I’ll take one of the new $39.95 Eyeshadow Trios and call you in the morning. It’s one of five pieces from your limited edition spring 2013 collection, you say?

The Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection — The five-piece Dr. Hauschka limited edition spring 2013 collection, clockwise from the trio in the lower left: the Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95, limited edition), Eyeshadow Definer Blush ($22.95), Eyeshadow Blender Brush ($27.95), Black Volume Mascara ($29.95) and Black Eyeliner ($17.95)

Should I take it with food? Oh, I see. It doesn’t matter. 🙂

You say that you designed the shimmery beige, rosy pink and chocolate trio to flatter every eye color and fortified the formula with botanicals like black tea to baby the delicate skin around the eyes?

Fascinating… And you used a smooth base of silk and talc powder?

Dr Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio small — The new Dr. Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio ($39.95)

Dr. Hauschka Limited Edition Spring 2013 Collection Eyeshadow Trio Swatches — Swatches on my NC42 skin

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A Tan-Talizingly Talented Triple Threat, theBalm’s Shimmery Betty-Lou Manizer Has the Golden Touch

March 13th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer — In this pic I’m wearing the Betty-Lou Manizer from theBalm ($24), available now at Sephora and online

Any time a product saves me room in my makeup bag (for more products), I applaud that product (“Good job, product! Three cheers!”).

I mean, who wouldn’t want more room for spare lip glosses and cat treats? 🙂

Not only does theBalm’s shimmery, warm golden brown Betty-Lou Manizer have a great name, it’s also supposed to do three space-saving jobs, working as a contouring bronzer, an all-over setting powder and an eye shadow.

This afternoon I put Betty-Lou to the test, starting by patting it on my lids and sweeping it into my creases.

LOVE!

Imagine a MAC Soft Brown loaded with golden frost. I feel like the deep orangey brown color and intensely shiny golden shimmer deepen my eyes. I can see myself wearing this as a layering shade with greens and blues, and also using it in the crease for smokey eyes.

After introducing it to my lids, I tried Betty-Lou as a shimmery all-over powder, lightly dusting it on my forehead, cheeks and chin, where it bestowed a warm golden glow.

Next came time to contour…

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer open — theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer swatch — Swatch ya doin’?

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer packaging — theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer box packaging

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Nodding to Nostalgia, the Mad Men of EstÃ©e Lauder Want to Paint Your Paws Pink Paisley

March 13th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

Estee Lauder Mad Men Nail Lacquer Pink Paisley swatch — Wearing the new EstÃ©e Lauder Mad Men collection Nail Lacquer Pink Paisley ($24), available now at counters and online

“Young people of the world!” she boomed from the podium, “I know this is hard to fathom, but there was a time when it was a lot harder to find funky nail polish colors!”

Back when Jen, Cindy and I cruised around our suburban hometown listening to TLC on tape (from a portable boom box set on the front passenger seat floor of Jen’s old, white Datsun 510), the craziest drugstore polish I can remember was Revlon Cherries in the Snow.

We had no python greens, gunmetal grays, hexagonal glitters or holographic formulas. Our standard issue nail polish colors were pink, beige, red and occasionally a really, really dark wine…for when you were feeling extra rebellious. 🙂

Maybe that’s why I feel the past tugging at the corners of my mind when I wear limited edition EstÃ©e Lauder Nail Lacquer in Pink Paisley from the new Mad Men Collection…

This shimmery, cool-toned pastel pink was created to evoke the swingin’ late 60s, the time during which the latest season of Mad Men is set, but I’m also getting a decidedly late ’80s/early ’90s vibe.

I’m pretty sure I sported something similar to the prom…

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En Root to Second Day Hair, I Ran Into theBalm’s New Detour A-Head Dry Shampoo

March 13th, 2013 by Karen 38 Comments

theBalm En Root Dry Shampoo — Using the new $19 theBalm En Root Detour A-Head Dry Shampoo

This is how I feel when I don’t fuss with my hair in the morning:

The joy stems from the extra 20 minutes of sleep it saves me, I kid you not!

And, truth be told, I think my mane just looks better after a day or two between washes (or um…three or four).

But then there’s the whole greasy roots thing, which is why I’m never too far from a bottle of dry shampoo. Rocking my world these days is En Root Detour A-Head Dry Shampoo ($19) by theBalm. Yes, theBalm, as in the makeup line.

They just launched a line of hair care products that includes shampoos, conditioners and styling products.

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When Lashes Take a Dark Turn: The Carbon Pigments in MAC’s Remixed Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara Blast Beyond Black, Relieve Beauty Lovers’ Fears of Tarantula Fringe

March 12th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Wearing two coats of the new MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash ($16) mascara, available now at MAC counters, stores and online

Currently holding one of the top spots on my List of Silly Fears, right under 1) the inevitable zombie apocalypse, and 2) dressing like a cougar in a too-tight teenage girl’s dress?

Tarantula lashes.

You know what I’m talking about. The tipping point after which long, lush lashes venture into predatory hairy spider legs territory.

To be honest, mascara and I have totally gone there many times (accidentally, of course). Sometimes it happens when I get a little too enthusiastic with the layering…

If you’re as bothered by the idea as I am, let the new MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara ($16 and available in a single shade called Intense Black) allay your fears.

Gigablack is the latest incarnation of MAC Extended Play (the “Blanche Deveraux” mascara from last spring), and the latest addition to MAC’s permanent mascara line.

It’s similar to the original Extended Play in how well it separates and lengthens lashes while ensuring that they still look natural — but not too natural, if you know what I mean.

No hairy spider leg-like lashes here. 🙂

Wearing two or three coats, my lashes look long, smooth and dark, yet still feel soft and light, and they remain that way for 15-16 hours (!) without flaking or smudging.

So, what’s the big diff between this new version and its predecessors? Two words: carbon pigments. MAC added ’em to the formula to make the black color more intense.

But that’s not the only thing…

MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash before and after — No mascara on the left and with two coats of Gigablack on the right

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March 12th, 2013 by Karen 21 Comments

Estee lauder Mad Men Collection Rich Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic — EstÃ©e Lauder Mad Men Collection Rich, Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic ($30), available now at counters and online

More.

More!

More! — as in the actual quantity of product, because each tube contains 0.13 ounces — almost twice as much as the tiny 0.07-ounce tube of Cherry released with last year’s Mad Men Collection.

Cherry was meant to hearken back to the smaller vintage lipstick tubes of yesteryear, but Mad Men fans must have wanted more. Fortunately, EL obliged. Limited edition Pinkadelic contains the same amount of product as the twist-up lipsticks in EstÃ©e Lauder’s permanent line.

Estee Lauder Pinkadelic with Cherry — Pinkadelic beside Cherry Lipstick for scale

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