Product Reviews

True or False: Benefit’s Lash Lovelies False Lashes Feel as Good as They Look

September 7th, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments

Today my mad love for Benefit bumped up against an annoying reality. As much as I wanted to love the brand’s new Lash Lovelies false lashes, I just couldn’t make ’em work.

Ticked me off, too, because I think the designs are super cute.

Three of the nine Benefit Lash Lovelies

I had grand plans to try on three of the nine designs today, but after wrestling with two of them, Prima Donna and Big Spender ($15 each), I didn’t have it in me to try the third.

Benefit’s clear Lash Glue ($8) doesn’t do these designs any favors, either, and I think it’s what finally drove me over the edge. I hope so many issues with the stuff that I don’t even I don’t even know where to start. Thin and runny? Yup, and it makes the glue difficult to control. It kept dripping off the band, down the length of the lashes, onto my lids and even below my lash line. And it looks pretty janky when it dries (like all thick and crusty).

I could probably stop right there, happily, and just never use this glue again, but there’s more. It also stings… Yup. I think the lemony/glue-ish fumes make my eyes burn a little. I’ve tried a few different false lash adhesives over the years, and this was the first one that bothered my eyes.

Big Spender Lash
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Blondes Really Do Have More Fun with Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara in Purple

September 7th, 2011 by Karen 7 Comments

“My mind’s telling me no, but my body, my body’s telling me yes…”
– Robert “R” Kelly

Truer words were never spoken — in reference to Chanel’s new Inimitable Intense Mascara in Purple ($30, part of the new Sophisticated Eye collection). The first time the wand graced the back of my hand and I got a good look at the swatch, I feared that the color of this brownish plum would be lost upon my dark fringe. But oh, how I wanted to believe!

The logical part of my brain said I shouldn’t expect much; it said I’d never be able to see the tint on my dark lashes, but the Coco-obsessed part of my brain kept telling me not to worry. “Trust in Coco, Karen. Everything will work out in the end.”

I wanted to believe — both that I’d see a rich purple on my lashes, and that I’d get the same lift and volume (at the base) that I get from the O.G. Inimitable Intense. I wanted my happily ever after, so to speak.
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The Lip Colors in the Dolce & Gabbana Sweet Temptations Collection Are Springing Into Fall

September 6th, 2011 by Karen 2 Comments

Wearing Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Cinnamon

For the first time in many moons, I felt a chill this morning when I stepped out of bed, and before making my way downstairs with Tabs, I bundled up with long pants a sweatshirt and robe.

Bluh…

It turned out to be sunny today, but the brisk kiss of crisp air that heralds fall never completely went away. Soon, the oak tree outside my window will lose its leaves, and the sun will set every afternoon before El Hub gets home from work.

Fall won’t wait just because we wish it would, but at least the springy new lip products in the Dolce & Gabbana Sweet Temptations collection aren’t all about fall.

We have tons of time to hang out with the darker, richer lip colors that usually characterize fall, but most of these shades (even the dark Berry liner) feel light, sweet and fresh to me — almost like spring.

I love it, and I love how great the nude lip colors here look when worn without additional liners or glosses. The pieces stand on their own, which is something I feel a lot of nude lip colors don’t do.

Dolce & Gabbana did stamp some of these — Classic Cream Lipstick in Cinnamon ($30), Shine Lipstick in Almond ($30) and Ultra Shine Lipgloss in Praline ($29) — with their signature rosy flavor, but the Precision Lipliner in Berry ($30) remains unscented and unflavored, as usual for that particular line.

I was a little surprised by how parched all of these products leave my lips, especially considering how moisturizing the other Dolce lip products I’ve tried have been. I’m not sure why — whether it’s me or has something to do with the formulas — but I’ve been applying a layer of moisturizing lip balm beforehand, and that really helps.

dolce gabbana sweet temptations collection fall 2011 lipstick
Classic Cream Lipstick in Cinnamon on the left and Shine Lipstick in Almond on the right

dolce gabbana sweet temptations collection fall 2011 lipgloss
Ultra Shine Lipgloss in Praline

dolce gabbana sweet temptations collection fall 2011 eyeliners lip liner
Precision Lipliner in Berry on the far right, shown with Crayon Intense Eyeliner in Candied (left) and Green Almond (center)
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Team Taupe Takes Home the Silver in the New Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Fauve

September 6th, 2011 by Karen 3 Comments

Doth shimmery taupe eyeshadows make thy booty shake? If colors like MAC Satin Taupe make you want to drop it like it’s hot, better limber up, young lady, because Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Fauve ($28.50) is going to ask you to dance.

Fauve, which I keep wanting to pronounce “Farv,” as in Brett, is one of four Soft Touch eyeshadow singles in the new Chanel Sophisticated Eye collection.

Like Satin Taupe’s 21-year-old cousin, shimmery taupe Fauve is a bit of a party girl. Her fab flecks of silver glitter distinguish her from everyday workhorse shades, and when I swatched the shadow at the counter last week, I must have sounded like a hungry Homer Simpson when I spontaneously said, “Mmmmmm… glitter.”

A touch less pigmented and consequently softer on the eyes than Satin Taupe when applied, Fauve seems a little easier to blend to me, but by applying it with a wet eyeshadow brush, the shadow is still easy to intensify.

No need to worry about fallout, either, as I swept Fauve on my lids yesterday before heading to the mall. Six hours later — the Cheesecake Factory for lunch, Nordies to look for shoes, and then the bookstore to browse beauty magazines — I didn’t spot a single wayward sprinkle on my face, and the color itself looked just as rich and smooth as it did the moment it was applied.

Swatches from the left: MAC Satin Taupe, Chanel Fauve applied normally (middle) and wet (far right)
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You’ll Be Sparkling for Hours with the New Urban Decay Stardust Sparkling Lip Glosses

September 6th, 2011 by Karen 6 Comments

Urban Decay Stardust Sparkling Lip Gloss in Glitter Rock on lips

I’m making the weekend last through Tuesday this week with Urban Decay’s new Stardust Sparkling Lip Glosses, because ooh-la-la, sis-boom-bah! — these sheer, sparkly glosses are just too much fun for regular weekends.

I’m still tracking down prices and availability on these and the other Urban Decay fall/holiday launches, but I think it’s safe to assume that these will cost around $16-19 each, right in line with the price of an average UD gloss.

Based on the three I’ve been getting to know since late last week — Space Cowboy (a shimmery champagne) Andromeda (a shimmery, peachy pinkish gold) and Glitter Rock (a shimmery magenta) — these are light on pigment but heavy on glitter and shine, and what I like most about them is the way they feel on my lips. There’s no grit to ’em, as far as I can tell, unlike quite a few other glittery glosses on the market.

I wonder if Urban Decay based the formula on the one they use for the Lip Junkies, because they feel similarly thick and sticky to me, and for what it’s worth, the minty flavor and scent, while quite strong, doesn’t seem overly synthetic or sweet.

As far as wear time goes, I get about four hours from them between meals — excellent — or about three if I take a break for coffee or tea.

Thank goodness Urban Decay decided to incorporate a wand with a brush because I think it makes them that much easier to control. Seriously, I’ve never been the biggest fan of the slanted tip that accompanies the Lip Junkie tubes.

From top to bottom: Space Cowboy, Glitter Rock and Andromeda

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Dolce & Gabbana Sweet Temptations Collection: Cinnamon, Candied and Green Almond Feel Fresh-Faced and Sweet

September 5th, 2011 by Karen 1 Comment

dolce & gabbana sweet temptations collection

Dolce & Gabbana’s epic eyeshadow quads are total limelight hogs that often steal the show in the brand’s seasonal makeup launches, but in this fall’s Sweet Temptations collection, the Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Cinnamon ($36) and Crayon Intense Eyeliners in Green Almond ($29) and Candied ($29) are giving the Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Cocoa ($59) a run for its money.

Nothing against Cocoa’s warm, cozy chocolate, cream and orange, but I’m liking the fresh, sweet glow I get from these pieces even more.

Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Cinnamon ($36)

For a bright-eyed look, I’ve been mixing this neutral, shimmery pink, and its partner, a sophisticated tan with a subtle sheen, together and applying them both to my lids from lash line to brow bone. If you’re the type of gal who likes brightening washes of easy, breezy color, you might like this duo a lot.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Crayon Intense Eyeliners in Green Almond and Candied ($29)

Both have that firm, stiff texture typical of Dolce & Gabbana pencils. Even though I usually prefer softer liners than these, I do love how refreshing Green Almond’s shimmery khaki and Candied’s shimmery gold look when worn with the Cinnamon Duo.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

dolce & gabbana sweet temptations collection
Clockwise from the eyeshadow duo: Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Cinnamon, Crayon Intense Eyeliner in Candied, Crayon Intense Eyeliner in Green Almond
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Have a Cup of Warm Cocoa with the Dolce & Gabbana Sweet Temptations Collection’s New Eyeshadow Quad

September 2nd, 2011 by Karen 13 Comments

Power to the plebs! We’re on the cusp of the Labor Day weekend here in the US, which for El Hub, Tabs and I hopefully means an extra day to sleep in (YAY!). It also, unfortunately, means that summer’s almost done (BOO!), but not before I’ve feasted at least one more time on some of my favorite seasonal treats, like watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, corn, cocoa…

Yep, cocoa — as in the new Dolce & Gabbana Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Cocoa ($59).

dolce gabbana sweet temptations collection fall 2011 cocoa quad

Don’t the chocolate and cream colors in this fall quad look good enough to eat? And the orange shade…could it be a sherbert, perhaps?

I can see it now…

Fast forward to tonight. I’m sound asleep in bed and having a dream in which I’m pouring myself a bowl of Special K Chocolatey Delight, except that instead of cornflakes, the bowl is filled with these shadows! 🙂

This Cocoa — which, by the way, isn’t safe to eat (damn!) — is part of the new 11-piece Sweet Temptations collection that just launched on select Saks counters and online, and it shows what a good Dolce & Gabbana quad can be. The pigmented, easy-to-blend shadows don’t crease, fade or look as if they’re just sitting on top of my skin.

Impressive, but then it should be for $59. The colors in Cocoa also lean very, very warm, and that might be another big factor to consider in addition to the price.

A few notes on the shades…

That matte beige in the upper left is the business! I love uber clean, minimalist eyes with winged liner along the upper lash line (think Angelina Jolie), and I think this bad boy would be great for looks like that. It is beige, but not a blah beige. It hides a hint of gold — just enough to keep it bright.
As for the orange, well, it’s orange. Like really, really orange, and so pigmented that it can easily go off the rails if you don’t use a light touch. The first time I played with it, I went a little too far with it in my crease and ended up looking all sorts of wrong, like a Gaga backup dancer having a bad makeup day.
Both of the brown shades, while quiet, do bring the goods. I’ve been using the reddish, bronzy brown in the lower left sparingly, because when I don’t it makes me look like I’ve been crying. The plummy brown in the lower right seems to be somewhat easier to use, but both have a lovely, understated shimmer that’s subtle, yet luxe.

dolce gabbana sweet temptations quad
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Burt’s Bees $5 Honey & Shea Conditioning Body Bar Is a Sweet Bar of Soap

September 2nd, 2011 by Karen 14 Comments

Burts Bees Honey and Shea Conditioning Body Bar

You da man, Burt! Give those bees of yours a big bonus because they’ve been going above and beyond the call of beauty duty lately with some really top tier, affordable products, like the new 100% natural Burt’s Bees Honey & Shea Conditioning Body Bar ($5), available now at drugstores, most grocery stores and also online.

I’ve been using it for about two weeks, just lurving the heck out of the honey-vanilla scent, and I don’t have a single complaint. Frankly, I’m shocked that something this good is so affordable AND natural. Seriously, Burt, you’re kind of a big deal.

Ingredients: Sodium rapeseedate, aqua (water, eau), sodium cocoate, glycerin, parfum (fragrance), butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, mel (honey, miel), royal jelly extract, sodium citrate, CI 77492 (iron oxides), CI 77891 (titanium dioxide)

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