When the going gets tough, the tough wear MAC (at least they do in my world, ha!). MAC is my makeup comfort food… It’s like an In-n-Out Double Double with grilled onions, fries and a vanilla shake (of course). When I need a little TLC, Saddle and Soft Brown usually work for me. ?
I’m wearing both of them in this look here, along with some coppery action on my lids via two In Extra Dimension Eyeshadow faves — Amorous Alloy and Havana.
Girlfriend, have you gotten on the In Extra Dimension train yet? They’re a sub-family of eyeshadows in the permanent line, and they’re so, so good. They feel light and airy, almost like a cream, but blend like a powder, and all of them have a very distinct shiny finish, which is a little bit more intense than a satin but less intense than a frost. They’re also super long lasting, too, and incredibly easy to blend. Talk about unsung makeup heroes.
Back to the copper shades…Havana is a warm chocolate brown with that has a secret hidden coppery glint (grab it if you want a mostly brown with a touch of copper), and Amorous Alloy is a reddish orangey copper (it’s the one for you if you love how orangey or reddish browns look on your lids).
I blended both together because I was in the mood to experiment, but either looks fantastic with any number of the MAC classic neutrals, like Saddle and/or Soft Brown. You could also do Texture or Soba. I haven’t tried either with Groundwork Paint Pot, which is a cooler-toned brown that’s also a go-to neutral, but I’m curious to see if the contrast between the cool and warm colors would work well or clash (note to self, try this out).
By the way, the In Extra Dimension family also includes blushes and highlighters. I’m wearing one of the blushes here — Just a Pink layered on top of MAC Gingerly blush and Give Me Sun Mineralize Skin Finish Natural Powder (another underrated hero).
OH! — and if you’re into the whole wet/dry application thing, you can just as easily apply any of the In Extra Dimension products with a wet brush to amplify the shimmer.
I applied Havana and Amorous Alloy with a dry tapered brush here, but, as you can see in the pics, the shimmer is still there, and it does a pretty good job of not highlighting fine lines, so it’s very forgiving.
All in all, the In Extra Dimensions are one of MAC’s most blendable eyeshadows, so if you haven’t tried them yet, you must, ASAP.
Makeup worn in this look
EYES
- NARS Tinted Eye Primer in Light
- MAC Saddle, Soft Brown, Amorous Alloy and Havana eyeshadows
- MAC Costa Riche
- Urban Decay Brow Blade in Dark Drapes
- MAC Clear Brow Set
- Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara
LIPS
- MAC Subculture Lip Pencil
- The Lip Bar Baby Bellini Lipstick
- MAC Myth Lipglass
CHEEKS
- MAC Just a Pinch and Gingerly blushes
- MAC Give Me Sun Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
BASE
- Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Face oil
- Wander Beauty Hidden Glow Brightening Cream
- MAC Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Sticks in NC42 and NC45
- Kevyn Aucion Supernatural Concealer
- Estee Lauder 24HR Concealer
Question for you
I took this pic last night as the sun set and just before the whole sky went red and purple. Marin County where I live in the North Bay Area is close to many of the fires burning around the Bay Area, and one of the…silver linings (?) has been that our sunsets and sunrises have been particularly beautiful and eerily apocalyptic lately.
When you walk outside, the air smells like a barbecue… ?
Last night El Hub and I talked about how the fire season has gotten progressively worse over the past decade, and folks around here have to be ready to 1) grab all their sh*t and run out the door when they have to, and/or 2) be ready for the power company to shut off their electricity for days on end. Quite frankly…I’m tired of it. Lately I’ve been having fantasies of fleeing California, so I’ve been researching other places we could move, just for fun. Last night we talked about Colorado because one of our neighbors is moving out there in a few weeks, and quite frankly I was all for it until El Hub said, “You do realize that it’s a land-locked state, right? You may not be able to see the ocean for possibly years…”
I had to take a few deep belly breaths when I thought about that one, because I’m a beach baby through and through.
All of this is my long-winded way of asking where you live. I’d love to know what it’s like, how long you’ve been there, and if you like it! Maybe we’ll be neighbors someday? You never know.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love the MAC Extra Dimension shadows. I have four of them, can’t tell you what they are off the top of my head but they are all great for swiping on quickly and heading out the door.
I live in Grand Forks, ND. Definitely a landlocked state! But right across the Red River from is Minnesota which is the land of 10,000 lakes. Many people have lake cabins where they go almost every weekend in the summer. I’m lucky that my boyfriend’s parents have a lake place and we are welcome whenever we want to go! It gets very cold and snowy here in the winter, that is the major downside. The things I like about it are my family is here, summers are nice, and it’s a small town atmosphere with friendly people.
I lived in Northern California for about 6 years after I graduated from college and I loved it. There’s so much to do and see and the weather can’t be beat! But I agree with you about the near constant threat of fires, that would be frightening and stressful!
Your town sounds lovely. I like the idea of being able to hop into a nearby lake in the summer! Do you think you’ll settle down there, or do you see another big move in the future?
Yes I think I plan on staying here. I bought a house now, and my boyfriend moved in. If it happens for me we will start a family too! If not I have two cats that are basically as much work as a baby I’m pretty sure!
Karen, this is an absolutely stunning look on you! I have really been enjoying your FOTD posts as of late. I’m such an all-or-nothing person when it comes to makeup (i.e. if I can’t put on false lashes and the whole shebang, I’m not interested in wearing any at all), but your looks inspire me and remind that it’s possible to look lovely in fewer products!
It must be so scary in California right now. Like the world isn’t upsetting enough at this point, and then you add wildfires into the mix. I live on Long Island in NY and have lived her all my life (almost 39 years). While it certainly has its shortcomings (there’s a pretty high cost of living), it’s difficult for me to imagine living anywhere else. We (obviously) have the beach pretty much either way we travel, and we’re about an hour outside of NYC. It is especially beautiful during the Summer, with many fun things to do and great restaurants! I feel it would be a relatively easy transition from California, based on what I know of your state.
Please stay safe and well! xo
Thank you, Heather! I’ve heard nice things about Long Island. The closeness of the beach is so appealing, but I was hoping to find someplace with a lower cost of living (it’s so high here in the Bay Area). Who knows, though? Perhaps I will end up on the East Coast someday.
You take care of yourself, OK? And let me know if you ever make it out to the Bay Area. I can give you a long list of fun things to do!
I know you must be incredibly tired of me commenting on your skin and lashes so I’m going to try to stop doing that. HAHA! Instead I’ll focus on how great this eye look is on you. And, also, you continue to prove the point that every.single.lip.color looks great on you. 🙂
Oh, wow. That’s a big conversation! I love where I live in upstate NY with a beautiful lake, hikable mountains and incredible fall foliage. BUT you would hate it here. Way too many VERY cold winter months. And really removed from almost all decent retail. That said, the nice thing about the northeast is that you can be at the ocean (or really any number of different states) in about 5 hours or so. 🙂 Also, we don’t have many extreme weather events. The occasional snow/ice storm and I think the only time in my life that we’ve been out of power for more than an hour was during the massive ice storm of 1998. Outages were between a couple of days and a couple of weeks for most of the area. I also find all of the east coast to be very humid. The southern CA climate is heavenly to me. I realize it’s impossibly expensive to live there but I’m sure you’ve thought about that. I think you’d find CO to be cold as well but I’ve only visited and am not an expert by any means. Happy hunting – it does sound like a ton of fun!! 🙂
The outdoor things to do in your neck of the woods sound wonderful (and what I would give to live through a legit fall with all the colors). I would probably love those aspects of living there.
You’re right, though, the snow freezing my butt bones every day would eventually drive me crazy. I’ve only been to NY once, during Thanksgiving, and the “deep in your booty bones” cold is something I’ll never forget.
When you *do* take your Pacific Coast Highway trip hopefully I’ll still be here!
Oh, gosh, I hope so, too! That will be one more reason to get the Hubs moving on our trip. 🙂 Yes, I would absolutely recommend visiting our area/VT in the late summer/fall. There are a lot of things to do outdoors year round but I do think you need to be used to the cold to enjoy them. And NYC is probably 10-15 degrees warmer, year round, than we are. And much milder, snow wise. So you can imagine what it’s like here in the winter. HAHA!
I really need to get more colors of the extra dimension shadows. I love these fresh and glowing looks you’ve been doing. It definitely gives me ideas and inspiration which is what I’m lacking these days.
I grew up in Michigan which has wonderful lakes, but dang it was cold and snowy in the winter. Dear Daughter and I got rerouted to Denver last September because of the hurricane in Houston. We spent the long weekend exploring and decided we could live there as long as they had a good ballet company. They have good food, beautiful outdoors for all your outdoor activities and good museums. Although I would never stop being a Warriors fan, so sorry Denver Nuggets. Other places Dear Husband and I have looked at to move to are Portland and Seattle.
I often dream of moving to another country, but I know that would be more difficult in so many ways.
We were looking at Denver but the house prices are still very expensive! Seems like a lovely place to live though, if I could get over the idea of possibly not seeing the ocean for years. WAH!
Portland seems like a possibility but the houses are also pricey there, too. Maybe a suburb of Seattle could work but dang, so much rain.
You look so beautiful Karen, I love every part of your look to the point of heading to MAC website to see the extra dimension products (but I need to save money).
I live in Puebla, Mexico which is the fourth largest city in the country, I really like living here, but also I’ve been living here for 23 years so I’m used to it. I’m also a beach baby, so it’s a shame that it’s an almost four-hour drive to get to the beach (my actual hometown).
Right now I’m thinking about moving to another place, mostly Mexico City because there are more jobs there and I’ve applied to many there. However, I’m still considering returning to Germany, but without my bachelor diploma, I’ve been considering going there to do an apprenticeship as a cook (which would be low-key saying IDGAF to my degree). Let’s see what the future says.
You’re young and have so much ahead of you! Whatever you choose is going to lead you to a place where you’ll learn so much about yourself.
I have to say that working in a kitchen is really hard on your body. You’ll be standing and moving all day long, and it wears you down fast (especially your feet).
If you’re seriously thinking about doing it, perhaps try and find a place to test it out nearby first. If you try it and love it, then chase that big dream and move ! Perhaps maybe I’ll even come to your restaurant some day. You never know.
I find funny every time you say I’m young, because I know you’re right but I think I don’t understand completely all what it means.
And actually you mentioned one of my main fears: how hard it is (physically) to work in a kitchen. I think I’m going to take the decision next month.
I love this look!
I’m going to have go to the MAC website and pick up some of these (though I think I might have saddle..I have to check).
I live in Greenwich CT, but I grew up in a small town called Port Chester , NY (its a tiny town in Westchester County- if you didn’t know it existed you would never know it was there). The weather up here is typical of the NE. You get all four seasons (though last year there wasn’t much snow!) and where I live we have some gorgeous beaches. Its nothing like Cali though and as the young lady from Long Island mentioned – the cost of living is pretty high. If I could move anywhere I’d probably move to the Carolinas. The cost of living is lower – but there’s always the threat of hurricanes (which is no fun!) Maybe you could move a little north? Like Oregon or Washington?
Stay safe and keep rocking that “Rrrrrico Suuuuaaaave” look, Karen! You make me consider buying a brown eyeliner to try in the waterline, since I cannot seem to pull off the black anymore without looking hella tired.
Ah, well, you know what ‘ol ‘Oahu is like. 😉 We talk about how we are in THE most expensive State to live in but we cannot imagine living anywhere else at the moment.
But you are not the only one to consider getting out of [California] Dodge. Joey Coco Diaz (comedian) is leaving L.A. and moving back to New Jersey, Joe Rogan is leaving L.A. and moving to Austin, TX area. It seems that the State is changing in ways that are unsustainable to many, even if you’re rich and famous.
Stay safe and be where it feels the best for you and your family.
Not so fast – Colorado is currently on fire, too. And we have smoke all across the state and amazingly pretty sunsets, too. But you can smell smoke, the main highway (heck, the ONLY highway) that runs E-W across the state is currently CLOSED because of wildfire and they’ve set up a staging area for fire retardant ON THE HIGHWAY. If you want to get from Denver or Boulder to anywhere west of the Continental Divide, you have to go several hours and hundreds of miles out of your way. Big improvement over California?
It is pretty here with the mountains and there is snow in the winter – sometimes big storms that shut the airport down for a while and make travel treacherous. The air in Colorado is very dry, nothing at all like living near the ocean. The climate is “high desert”, which means very dry and hot during the summer but also because of the dew point it almost always cools off a lot at night. It’s been near 100 during the days (we’re on the verge of setting a record for most days over 90 this year) and into the 60s overnight. “Dress in layers” because the temperature can range by 40 or 50 degrees from morning to afternoon, no kidding.
Just some facts for you to consider if you’re thinking of living in Colorado so you’ll know in some ways it’s very different from what you’re used to in California. Oh, and sometimes when the fires in CA get really bad, we get smoke from them all the way to east of the Rockies, too.
I sometimes find myself missing my childhood vacation spots in Wisconsin’s “North Woods” where it’s cool and damp.
Living in Southern Maine, love it here. Lived in Maine almost my whole life but the climate and areas change all across the state and I’ve lived all over! We do get winters but I wouldn’t call them intense but that is so subjective. Close to the ocean, close to lakes, close to mountains, close to the woods. I love it here. Makes my heart happy. It is hella humid in the summer though.
Love love love the makeup in this, you are making me want to purchase from MAC lately which is something I almost never do.
I live in Kansas City which is great but land locked for sure. Lots of big rolling hills (it is NOT flat) and cool urban city. I did live in Chicago for 13yrs right near Lake Michigan (I miss it so much!) and it was just beautiful minus the winters that was the only draw back so freaking cold in the winter lol.
Your makeup is gorgeous and you look wonderful here! I was just saying to a close friend the other day how the wildfire season seems to get worse every year and how we could never live where you do. We both live in central Massachusetts and have for our entire lives. I don’t foresee myself leaving. I love the variety of seasons and how I can travel all over the northeast very easily by car. Winters can be hard—long, dark, cold, stormy—but fall is my favorite and makes up for everything else. My city is affordable but Boston is outrageous. I love how progressive we are with politics, education, medical care, etc. I’m so happy to be here
Come to Vancouver, BC, Karen! That’s where I live – and yes, the cost of living is high-ish (but not more so than the Bay Area). We have beautiful summers and autumns – and we only get a handful of snowy days in January or February. The Pacific Ocean is right here – and we’re close to the mountains too. Everyone has pets (dog, cats, etc.) and walkability scores are high in lots of neighbourhoods here! And – BONUS – our public school system is great (or you could pay private tuition if you wanted), which would really benefit Connor. Food for thought. <3
Vancouver.
And the close by communities like Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast, White Rock, North Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria. The weather is moderate.
Ski, hike in the mountains, bike, swim, scuba dive, enjoy the wilderness near the city, check out a few of the MAC pro shops.
What more could you ask for? 🙂
I love this pretty, soft glam look – it’s the definition of “polished” to me. I say this but I am pretty sure you could pull any look off and make it look stunning.
Have you ever thought about a move to Europe, one of the mediterranean countries or to the south of Britain for the coastline there ?
There are far less fires but I imagine it would be a lot rainier than the North Bay area. We do however have a lot of countryside to explore and with a passport PGR wouldn’t need quarantine (I believe). You’d just have to be careful not to be in a flood plain but there aren’t too many of those.
xx
I love this look-you can rock the coppers, girl!
So I live just north of Dallas (TX), near Plano. Texas is my home state although I lived for about 10 years in California in a previous life ( 🙂 ) and miss it every. single. day. This was before you guys had “fire season” and I can’t imagine how scary it is. So, back to TX: it’s CHEAP, easy to get around, and BIG. And hot & humid; our summers are 5-6 months long. Seriously.
Our coast is known as the “3rd coast” but it’s the gulf which is not nearly as pretty as yours. We have 3 seasons: fall, spring and summer – I haven’t seen snow in 5 years now. (Global warming?) It gets cold for a day or 2, not frigid and doesn’t stay cold. But heat & humidity are relentless, I tell ya. It’s normal in the summer to have to shower twice/day. The prettiest part of the state is in the central “hill country”, near Austin (the capitol) but it’s nowhere near the ocean.
And yes, we have hurricanes that hit the coast ever so often.
Did I mention the heat & humidity?! 🙂
My husband & I have tossed around Colorado too; such a pretty state and I also lurve the northeast. Then again, I’m an avid birder and Texas (particularly the coast) gets some incredible rarities! It would sure be hard to leave that….
Cleveland area. Have also lived in NorCal (Berkeley), SoCal (LA), Seattle, urban and rural New England, Mexico for a short time, and Michigan.
The Midwest gets a hard knock for a lot of things, but honestly, it’s insanely affordable (cannot overstress that!) and the seasons are so, so beautiful. My community is super diverse, racially and culturally. If it’s important to you to be near a large Filipino or Asian American community, out East never compares to the west coast, but there are places with a big mix of diversity overall. People tend to be open and nice. The Great Lakes are incredible. There are literally no natural disasters except occasional tornado watches. Cleveland used to be the 5th largest city in the US (back in the 1920s) and has world class buildings and cultural institutions. The symphony is considered the best in the country. The art museum is amazing and free. There’s rarely a line or a waiting list for anything. There’s a Nordstrom (haha!). Winter is milder these days, but it was an adjustment after 7 years in California. Have you thought about Oregon or Seattle? Mild climate and close to the Pacific. But maybe you’re ready for a bigger change!?
I just read your earlier comments about Portland and Seattle. You’re right! I also saw Jade’s comment about Maine. Portland, Maine is really lovely. You’ll find just the right place!!
This might be my favorite of all the looks you’ve done! I live in Kentucky – came here from southern California, and I do miss the ocean! Do you mind sharing where the earrings you are wearing came from? Thanks and stay safe!
Hi Carla,
They are the Maile Leaf Earrings from Na Hoku. 🙂
That’s a beautiful look for your skin tone. Perfect color choices.
I live in Texas, about an 8 hour drive from the coast. Unfortunately, the waters of the Texas coast, and the beaches, aren’t usually inviting. The water is usually brown, and sometimes has tar balls or the “red tide” phenomenon. The beaches of Mustang Island were covered with dead jellyfish and little dead fish the last time I was there, and this wasn’t even after the red tide or an oil spill.
I can’t recommend the area I live in as the hot summer weather runs from May to October. Electricity bills are extremely high. Also, taxation is higher here than most people realize – when you don’t have an income tax, you make up for it with high property tax and sales tax, and other taxes people don’t have in other states. Also, you can drive all day and not see anything worth seeing out your car window.
Thanks for the info on the coast of Texas! I was looking into that area.
Yes! You are wearing like all of my OG favorites here! Soft Brown and Saddle are definitely my go-to’s when I’m in a rush or just don’t know what else to do, you’re right, they just work! I have Groundwork paint pot, I haven’t pulled that baby out in awhile! And Gingerly blush? Chef’s kiss!! The other shadow in my top 3 has to be Uninterrupted. I love it for a one shadow look, it’s such a unique color. I’m a MAC girl too, lately it’s pretty much all I’ve been reaching for, at least as eyeshadow goes..