Product Reviews

New Aerin Beauty Lip and Cheek Color in Sweet Pea Maximizes Space in Makeup Bags

February 14th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Wearing the new Aerin Beauty Sweet Pea Lip & Cheek Color ($42), new for spring 2013

Why, yes, I am carrying eight tubes of gloss on my person at the moment. How ever did you know?

Oh, you say that my bulging makeup bag gave it away?

Well that explains it. 🙂

Part of me wants to believe that one day I’ll transform from a chronic makeup over-packing caterpillar into a streamlined beauty butterfly with a tiny makeup bag.

I mean, if a street cat like Tabs can rise to the top of the plus-size kitty modeling game, why can’t I get by with my makeup essentials in a tiny makeup bag? Crazier things have happened.

Should my transformation ever transpire, I’ll probably rely on multipurpose products, like Aerin Beauty’s new Sweet Pea Lip & Cheek Color, a satiny, cool-toned pink cream blush that also doubles as a lipstick.

Aerin Beauty, a pretty pricey high-end makeup line that only launched a few months back, carries products that appeal to my fussy-free side — products like Sweet Pea, designed for elegant, natural makeup looks that are also easy.

Blend in one layer with your fingers for cheeks that look like you just finished a brisk walk. Add a second layer, like I’m wearing in these pics, for a brighter flush.

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Is the New MAC Antique Diamond Pro Longwear Paint Pot a Dupe for Benefit Skinny Jeans?

February 13th, 2013 by Karen 8 Comments

My first thought when I saw MAC’s new Antique Diamond Pro Longwear Paint Pot?

Skinny Jeans. Benefit Skinny Jeans, because like my beloved Skinny Jeans cream shadow, Antique Diamond also has that grayish khaki thang going on.

But yeah…that’s just about where the similarities end. As soon as I got Antique Diamond on my lids, I could see that it wasn’t a lot like Skinny Jeans. I think both shadows are fab, but they are very, very different.

Olive green Antique Diamond looks lighter, cooler toned and shinier to me (hello, frosty finish!). Like, in trying to think of the inspiration behind it, I’m thinkin’…frozen lichen on the side of a tree on a sunny winter’s day?

Whatev, I like it. 🙂

Doesn’t it seem more delicate than Skinny Jeans? Could have something to do with Antique Diamond’s fine flecks of silver glitter.

Don’t get me wrong — I Skinny Jeans. I just think Antique Diamond is a little daintier, like if Skinny Jeans were motorcycle boots, Antique Diamond would be a pair of kitten heels.

I’ll usually pat a layer on my lids with a finger, and then, to offload a little of the color, buff it down by gently running a MAC 217 all over the lid, leaving behind an almost transparent tint of cool olive green (so pretty!) loaded with silver shimmer.

And it lasts from that first bite of French toast at breakfast till that last piece of pizza at night…

(Yes, someone’s hungry for junk food right now.)

MAC Antique Diamond and Benefit Skinny Jeans — Swatches of MAC Antique Diamond on the left and Benefit Skinny Jeans on the right

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These Super-Sized Pinkish Purple Pearls Sparkle With Silver Shimmer: Guerlain MÃ©tÃ©orites Perles du Paradis Illuminating Sparkling Powder

February 11th, 2013 by Karen 28 Comments

Guerlian MÃ©tÃ©orites Perles du Paradis — Wearing Guerlian’s MÃ©tÃ©orites Perles du Paradis ($70) all over my face

I like big cats and I cannot lie (those other brothers can’t deny)…

I also like huge hoop earrings, XXL scoops of ice cream (really, if you’re gonna indulge, might as well go all out) and the super-sized shimmery pearls in Guerlain’s $70 spring highlighter, MÃ©tÃ©orites Perles du Paradis.

Don’t these look almost good enough to eat? You might want to keep them away from young children and, um, inebriated adults, because not only do they look pretty tasty, they also smell like those yummy rose and violet hard candies they sell at the Asian grocery store, om nom nom…

And I like their name, Perles du Paradis, oui, oui! Pearls of paradise, I think. When I swirl a brush in the jar (I prefer a brush, but the product comes with a pink puff), the pearls tinkle like wind chimes.

I think these pearls look, smell and even sound great, but what, exactly, are they designed to do? Guerlain says the six shimmery skin-toned and pastel pearls that come in the jar brighten dull skin by reflecting light and boosting radiance, and they work with all skin tones.

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Sneaking Chic Into Your Day, Guerlain’s Spring 2013 Automatique Lipsticks in Flirt and Ballarde Unleash Your Inner Lipstick Ninja

February 11th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Guerlain Rouge Automatique 600 Ballarde — Here I’m wearing Guerlain’s $35 Rouge Automatique in 600 Ballarde, one of four Automatique Lipsticks from Guerlain for spring 2013

Did I have to try very hard to feel fancy with shimmery pink Rouge Automatique in Ballarde and creamy berry Shine Automatique in Flirt, two of four $35 full-coverage Guerlain Automatique Lipsticks for spring 2013, in my makeup bag last weekend?

Nope, not at all. Actually, it was Automatique. 🙂

Good thing, too, because $35 is a lot for a single tube! Heck, for $35, these better be like little lipstick versions of extra tall, diamond-studded tiaras.

So, just how do these elevate your day (and your lipstick game) to make you feel fancy? Let me count the ways…

1. The Transformers-style gold tube

Whenever I slide the little “G” button on side of the tube, and the lipstick emerges from the trapdoor top like a rabbit from a magician’s hat, wow! — that’s makeup magic.

From top to bottom, these are dressed to the nines, and I also love the little details, like the scripty Guerlain font at the top of the cap and the base of the bullet.

2. The tea rose flavor and scent

Light and fresh, like fragrant petals strewn across a satin pillow, the fragrance and flavor are just little touches, but they enhance the whole, “You’re being pampered,” experience.

3. The moisturizing, long-lasting formula

I’m hesitant to use these in a sentence with “stretchy pants,” since Guerlain positions itself several steps above that, but dang if these don’t feel that comfortable to me. My dry winter lips love the moisturizing formula.

And I almost can’t believe that non-matte lipsticks as slick, smooth and lightweight as these can last as long as they do — from 3-5 hours. That’s kind of epic.

4. They make me feel like a straight-up lipstick ninja!

I’ve been sneaking around with two of these Automatiques for days, stealthily slicking my lips on the sly, and no one’s been the wiser.

You know how sometimes when you go out to dinner and want a touch-up after the meal but don’t want to make a big production out of it? I’ll pull one of these from my purse, flick the switch on the side with my thumb to engage the lipstick bullet, slide a single layer on my bottom lip, rub my lips together, and check my reflection in the reflection on the side of the golden tube. Ninja style. Takes all of about five seconds.

Guerlain Rouge Automatique 600 Ballarde Product Shot — Rouge Automatique in 600 Ballarde ($35)

Guerlain Shine Automatique 761 Flirt Product Shot — Shine Automatique in 761 Flirt ($35)

Guerlain Rouge Automatique 600 Ballarde Guerlain Rouge Automatique 600 Ballarde Swatches — Swatches of Rouge Automatique in 600 Ballarde on the left and Shine Automatique in 761 Flirt on the right

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Glittery, Peachy and Prepared to Go the Distance, MAC’s Paint Pot in Vintage Selection Is a Top Pick for Dinners and Dates

February 8th, 2013 by Karen 10 Comments

MAC Vintage Selection Pro Longwear Paint Pot — Wearing MAC’s Vintage Selection ($18.50), one of eight new Pro Longwear Paint Pots available now at MAC counters, stores and maccosmetics.com

Last night I met a friend of mine, Joanie, for dinner in the city (Delarosa restaurant). She’s also a ~~makeup nerd~~ makeup enthusiast, so I wanted to go buck wild with a coral and green eye look using the new Guerlain Coup de Foudre palette and some false lashes, because I knew she’d “get it,” if you know what I mean (LOL, do you ever do that with your makeup buds!?), but per usual, time got away from me, and I ended up having to bolt out of the house at the last minute with what I was already wearing — a simple eye look with liner, mascara and MAC’s shimmery, silvery peach Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Vintage Selection ($18.50).

Wouldn’t ya know it? Even in the dim lighting of the restaurant, halfway through a convo about red smokey eyes, Joanie asked me about the glitter glittering on me.

“Ooh, girl,” I replied between bites of polenta smothered in gooey cheese and tomato sauce. “That’s MAC’s new Vintage Selection Pro Longwear Paint Pot! Lemme tell ya about it…”

It’s a cream eye shadow, comes in a pot, and it’s one of those Jekyll and Hyde shades that looks deceptively mellow when you open it, but get it on your lids, and it’s, “Wow! Sparkly glitter-o-rama!”

My favorite thing about it? — other than the shimmery specks and how well it layers? With or without a primer, it lasts on my lids for hours! I can put it on at 10 in the morning, and it’s still going strong, with no fading and only the faintest creasing, at 8 o’clock at night.

MAC Vintage Selection Pro Longwear Paint Pot Small — Vintage Selection ($18.50)

MAC Vintage Selection Pro Longwear Paint Pot Swatch — A frosty peach with tiny pieces of silver glitter

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Bronzed Babes Who Love Bold, Brash Blushes, Illamasqua’s Beg and Bronzerella Powder Blusher Duo Demands Your Attention

February 7th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo — Wearing the new Illamasqua Beg & Bronzerella Blusher Duo ($41), one of two new Blusher Duos released with the Imperfection spring 2013 collection

If acid-washed jeans can make a comeback (seriously?!), then it’s just a matter of time before bold, stripy ’80s-style blushes enjoy a renaissance.

And I can’t wait. 🙂

Oh, the number of falling stars my 8-year-old heart wished upon for cheeks like Joan Cusack’s in Working Girl…

Visions of those fabulously chiseled ’80s cheeks danced in my head when I opened Illamasqua’s new powerfully pigmented Powder Blusher Duo in Beg & Bronzerella today. “Ooh, yeah!” I thought, when I swatched matte dusty rose Beg and shimmery copper Bronzerella on the back of my hand. “I’m gonna Joan Cusack the CRAP outta these, woop-woop!”

But old habits die hard. After I swept stripes below my natural cheekbones using Beg and Illamasqua’s new $40 Blush Up Brush (review coming soon!), the urge to blend kicked in, and I ended up with my regular look — diffused blush on the apples of my cheeks — which I still like, but I couldn’t help feeling like I let Joan Cusack down…

Oh, well. I guess I just wasn’t ready for that jelly today.

Whether you like the look of strong, contoured cheeks or prefer softer, more natural looks, the new blushes in this duo are flexible enough to handle either extreme. Rich and indulgent like fine chocolate, these potent powder blushes are also as smooth as a tabby’s tum, and a little goes a long way.

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo Product Shot — Beg on the left and Bronzerella on the right

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo Swatches — One swipe! — that’s Beg on the left and Bronzerella on the right

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Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector Satisfies Caramel Cravings While Making Pouts Appear Plump

February 7th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Wearing the new $22 Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer, one of three new spring 2013 shades coming March to Clarins counters and clarinsusa.com

These are those kinds of lip glosses that a friend or your mom gushes over (“OMIGOSH, SO GREAT!), hands you a tube, and at first you think, “Hmm, if you say so,” before plopping it in your purse where you promptly forget about it for a day or two.

Only then, you give it a try, and find yourself reaching into your purse for it over and over again. Next thing you know, you’re addicted! — to the colors, and the gooey caramel flavor and scent, and the soft, smooth, non-sticky texture.

The next day you’re at the Clarins counter, making friends with a complete stranger, nodding emphatically, and trying to convince her that she needs all three of the new spring shades in her life. ASAP! 🙂

Pink Petal Shimmer, rosy pink Candy Shimmer and rosy brown Rosewood Shimmer are straight up swipe-and-go sheer purse glosses that have just been leveled up. They shine like pretty baubles, quench my dry lips like glossy Gatorade and just feel so soft and comfy that I could wear them nonstop (I would have to reapply every two hours or so, but such is life).

These three new shades join three existing colors in the permanent collection (Rose Shimmer, Apricot Shimmer and Nude Shimmer) at Clarins counters next month.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Petal Shimmer, Candy Shimmer and Rosewood Shimmer — From the left: Petal Shimmer, Candy Shimmer and Rosewood Shimmer

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Petal Shimmer — Petal Shimmer

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Spotted on Nails This Spring: Illamasqua’s Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce

February 6th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Illamasqua Scarce Swatch — Wearing two layers of the new Illamasqua Specked Nail Varnish in Scarce, one of five nail varnishes in the new Imperfection collection, available now at Illamasqua counters and illamasqua.com

When I was a kid, I really had no concept of time or seasons (seriously, some things never change). In fact, if it weren’t for candy, I wouldn’t have followed any calendars at all!

What I mean is, I used to figure out what season it was by the kinds of candy I was eating, like “Oh! Cadbury Mini Eggs? It must be spring.”

Illamasqua’s new limited edition $16 Speckled Nail Varnishes remind me of the chocolate Easter bunnies, Peeps, Jordan almonds and, of course, speckled Cadbury Mini Eggs that always used to signal the arrival of spring.

The Cadbury Mini Eggs were always my favorites…

I’d eat the pink ones first, which is probably why Scarce, a pastel pink with navy blue speckles, sings to me like the birds outside my office window, and makes me want to nibble at my nails (probably not a good idea).

I’m wearing two coats here, but I’ll have to get back to you about the wear time, as I’ve only been wearing it for a few days (so far, so good). Already, though, based on how smoothly it applied and the pigmented color, it gets a thumbs up from me.

I dig the combination of tiny micro-glitter and bigger hexagonal pieces. Really reminds me of Easter candies, or little bird eggshells.

Cool!

Here’s something my fellow nail nerds might appreciate: when you apply more than one layer, the glitter in the bottom layers shows through but looks like it’s further away, so you get a mix of shiny glitter in the top layer and dimmer glitter in the bottom layers that gives the effect extra dimension.

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