Product Reviews

MAC Mineralize SPF 15 Loose Foundation: For the Lazy in You

April 21st, 2008 by Karen 38 Comments

My makeup laziness knows no bounds. I can be such a lazy beast. Lately, I’ve been reaching for MAC Mineralize SPF 15 Loose Foundation ($29). It’s easier to apply than liquid foundation yet still provides doable medium-to-heavy coverage. I’m not sure how I feel about the NASA-looking packaging (although the fluffy puff is cute) MAC chose to include with the product, but no problem — I’ll just use my trusty skunk brush (aka the MAC 187) with it instead!

Disco glitter queens, you’ll freak out when you see how sparkly it looks in a wrist swatch, but hold on a minute because the sparkle disappears (poof!) once the product has been applied to your face. The result: a dewy matte finish.

mac-mineralize-loose-medium-dark-swatch

Mineralize Loose feels good, too. It’s light, doesn’t cake and allows my skin to breathe. MAC blended moisturizers, conditioners and a mysterious “Mineral Complex” that MAC claims keeps skin healthy and nourished.

MAC has given us seven shades to choose from (I’m using Medium Dark).

mac-mineralize-spf-foundation-loose-swatches

Because the jar is oddly shaped, you can’t exactly carry it in your sleek clutch purse, so bust out your big ole’ Marc Jacobs bag to carry it around for touch-ups throughout the day.

MAC Mineralize SPF 15 Loose Foundation

Price: $29
Use: As a foundation
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+
[Continue reading…]

Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash, a Drugstore Gem

April 18th, 2008 by Karen 18 Comments

basis-cleaner-clean-face-wash

This morning I went digging through one of my bathroom drawers to find a brush. Instead of the brush I found buried drugstore treasure — not one, but *two* tubes of Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash (about $5 each).

Two years ago, back when my skin was mad crazy oily, Basis Cleaner was my go-to face wash. I figure that since it was good enough to stockpile (I wouldn’t be surprised to find a few more tubes stowed away in other drawers) back before I started blogging, it deserves a second look now. I vividly remember this cleanser saving my skin back in the day.

Throughout my 20s I had skin problems. Even as recently as two years ago I suffered from really oily, acne-prone skin, and Basis Cleaner Clean was the only face wash able to remove all of my makeup without making my skin feel tight and dry.
[Continue reading…]

Lip Look: Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink

April 18th, 2008 by Karen 24 Comments

clinique-bamboo-pink-2

One day about a week ago I set out to find Clinique’s new Long Last Glosswear SPF in Bamboo Pink. On my mission, I trekked to three different Clinique counters in downtown San Francisco (in three-inch heels), but it was nowhere to be found. “I’m sorry, dear,” the sales associates said. “It’s sold out.”

Never one to give up easily, I finally got my hands on Clinique’s little beast a few days ago (yay!). It didn’t take long at all to see why it has been so hard to keep in stock — it’s *gorgeous!*

Clinique has a winner on its hands. Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink is a cool-toned pink with silver shimmer, and it’s a perfect, wearable shade for days when you just want a lil’ somethin-somethin on your lips but aren’t in the mood to spend too much time on your look.

For the picture above, I paired it with Bamboo Pink Long Last Shine Lipstick.
[Continue reading…]

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eyeshadow Primer Blends Great, Lasts All Day Long

April 17th, 2008 by Karen 37 Comments

too-faced-shadow-insurance

Dear Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17),

How I dig thee. Your priming powers imbue eyeshadows with hours of extra staying power, and you’re easy to apply, never settling into fine lines. I’m crushing on you hard…

Sincerely,

Primed to Party

If you’re new to makeup, you might be thinking, “Uh, what’s an eye primer?”

Fair enough. Eyeshadow primers create a smooth layer on top of your skin to which powder and cream shadows can better affix themselves. It translates into longer-lasting eyeshadow.

There are lots of different eye primers on the market. Urban Decay Potion Primer is one of the more (in)famous ones. Much loved by many, Urban Decay Potion Primer doesn’t really do it for me. Yes, it makes eyeshadow last longer, but I find it also makes colors more difficult to blend. I end up with (long-lasting) harsh lines at the edges of the colors on my lids. Note to file: this is not cute.

Too Faced says that Shadow Insurance’s silicone-based formula smooths lines while intensifying shadow colors, and it does so without making shadows more difficult to blend.

I put it to the test.

For one week I used Shadow Insurance beneath Clinique, Dior and MAC eyeshadows and had much better luck with it than I had with Urban Decay’s primer. I had no problem blending eyeshadows layered on top of Shadow Insurance.
[Continue reading…]

Makeup and Beauty Blog Shoe Lust, Part Deux: 24 Karat Gold

April 16th, 2008 by Karen 32 Comments

Something … wonderful happened last Valentine’s Day. Do you remember 19 Pink Shoes? Well, it’s back. Shoe lust strikes again!

This afternoon, instead of doing something, um, productive, I decided it was crucial that I find gold sandals for summer. Yep, I’ve got gold fever!

Makeup and Beauty Blog Shoe Lust, Part Deux

Ash Shine, $159.95
makeup-and-beauty-blog-24-karat-shoes-1

Max Studio Simone, $138.95
makeup-and-beauty-blog-24-karat-shoes-2

Kate Spade Lolita, $300
makeup-and-beauty-blog-24-karat-shoes-3
[Continue reading…]

Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow: A Lovely, Lasting Summer Shadow

April 16th, 2008 by Karen 53 Comments

clinique-quick-eyes-cream-shadow-1

When things heat up and the weather warms, I reach for eye makeup that won’t melt away as the day wears on. Enter Clinique’s new Quick Eyes Cream Shadows ($15), part of their Long-Last Bronze collection for summer 2008. Not only do these shadows pack staying power to last throughout the day, but they’re easy to apply and come in 10 luscious colors. Here’s a quick look at three of them: Sparkling Nude, Sunlit Palm and Rock Violet.

Rock Violet
clinique-quick-eyes-cream-shadow-3

Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadows deliver a water resistant, crease-proof creamy powder formula able to last a full 10 hours, according to Clinique. Each works by itself, in conjunction with the other shadows in the collection, or as a base for powder shades.

Doe foot applicator
clinique-quick-eyes-cream-shadow-5

Each tube comes with a doe-foot applicator, making the shadows easy for your girl to apply when she’s in a hurry (all the time) and doesn’t have the time to whip out her brushes.

The three shades I’ve mentioned here — Rock Violet, Sunlit Palm and Sparkling Nude — all seem to look good when used in conjunction with each other, but I prefer to use each one by itself.
[Continue reading…]

Dior Goldrush Summer 2008 Collection: Swatches and Pics

April 15th, 2008 by Karen 77 Comments

dior-goldrush-summer-2008-569

Who loves gold, khaki and coral? I do! I do!

How ’bout Dior? Do you love Dior? Because I sure do.Â I got my paws on a few items from Goldrush,Â Dior’sÂ new summer collection. It’s a limited edition being delivered to your nearby Dior counter as we speak. Dior has given us some new eyeshadows, lipsticks, lipglosses, a blush, a highlighter and nail polishes in coordinating tan, coral, khaki and gold.

I really like the 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Golds 569 ($52).

Pretty, yah? The eyeshadow palette pictured above houses five shades — a beige, bronze, copper, gold and khaki, all wrapped up in a sleek, midnight blue, trademark Dior compact.Â
[Continue reading…]

The Gillette Venus Embrace Razor: Leg Hair Annihilator Extraordinaire!

April 14th, 2008 by Karen 59 Comments

If ignored for too long, my legs would look like Chewbacca’s (love ya, Chewy!) — soft, silky and covered with hair — so to keep my gams smooth and hairless I either wax them or shave with razors like the Gillette Venus Embrace, God’s gift to hairy women everywhere!

What makes the Gillette Venus Embrace special? Two words: five blades! It’s a leg hair annihilator extraordinaire.

In this age of excess, you’d think someone in marketing would have said, “Is five blades going too far?” Thankfully, Venus went ahead with their quintuple-bladed monster because there’s a noticeable difference between the performance of the Venus Embrace and its triple-bladed predecessor, the Venus Breeze. Embrace gives a closer shave than any blade razor I’ve ever used before, which means having to shave less often. I credit this razor for giving me more time for things like making crazy cartoons with unicorns.

[Continue reading…]