contrast n. |kon-trast|
noun
1 The state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association : tabs has been unusually nice to me today, in startling contrast to his behavior yesterday.
contrast v. |kon-trast|
verb
2 Differ strikingly : contrast my hair today with my hair of the 1990s, and be like whoa!
Do you ever think about how you got your name, or do you know the actual story?
Dolce & Gabbana’s Contrasts Eyeshadow quad has me thinking about names…
I was named after the actress Karen Black, but my mom almost named me Stephanie, which I can’t even begin to imagine… Not that I don’t like the name. I do. It’s just that when I look in the mirror, I don’t see a Stephanie, Steph or Steffie. Nope. Does not compute.
Funny, though, that last weekend I met a gal at the Bliss Spa who said that she didn’t think I looked like a Karen. She thought maybe a Leah, Leilani or a Lorelei. Something with an L, and I can kinda see that. Definitely more than Stephanie.
Anywho, I think whoever named Dolce & Gabbana’s Constrasts quad knocked it out of the park, since it really is strikingly different from the other everyday quads in my stash of staples.
If I could, I’d give that gal/guy a banana split with extra scoops of ice cream, whipped cream and cherries, because they nailed it!
And then, if he/she wanted, I’d go running with them, so we could burn off the calories and talk more about Constrasts. 🙂
The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.
This quad is a total workhorse, one I could easily see myself wearing daily, and yet it’s unlike the usual brown/beige/taupe/gray neutral suspects we see a lot.
Starting with the colors, ohmigosh! Inside the golden compact hides four potently pigmented powder shadows that you can easily take from day to night — a golden pinkish peach (a favorite for dusting all over my lids when I’m in a hurry because it brightens everything up), a pinkish beige, a warm purple and a plummy dark chocolate.
Versatile and flattering on many different skin tones, and just hella pretty.
I like the two lighter colors for daytime looks. I’ll pat either the peach or beige all over my lids, line my lash lines with one of the darker shades, and then line my water lines with liner.
Just like that, I’m ready for a day of fast-paced pet assisting in 5 minutes or less, and I look put-together enough to meet my demanding cat diva’s strict dress code. 🙂
To kick it up a notch, like for a party or a date with El Hub, all I have to do is layer the plum shade on my lids, and sweep the chocolate shade into my crease and outer third, finishing with a plum or reddish brown liner (MAC Prunella or Teddy work great) along my lash and water lines.
The look’s elegant and smokey, and it draws attention to my eyes without overwhelming the rest of my makeup.
More things to like…
- The shadows have an opalescent, shiny finish that isn’t overly frosty and kindly avoids my fine lines
- The powders are as soft as spun silk yarn
- I don’t detect any fallout whatsoever
- Easy to blend
If I had to “Sophie’s Choice it” and choose just one thing from the Dolce & Gabbana line to wear for the rest of my makeup-loving days, this quad would totally be it.
You can find Constrasts now at Dolce & Gabbana counters and online.
On the prowl for recipes…
I like to think I’m pretty open to trying new dishes, especially when I go out to eat, but when I cook for myself, I keep falling back on the same handful of meals.
Does you do that too? How do you come across great new things to cook/eat?
I’m getting tired of making the same dishes over and over again… I’ve been trying a few new recipes this week from this meal plan on the Women’s Health magazine website, 3 Perfect Weeks of Abs Diet Eating.
For lunch today I made a salad called The Two Chicks, subbing tuna for the chicken and swapping out the flaxseed for chia seeds, because I already had an open bag.
It was mighty tasty and only took 5 minutes.
If you have any quick, healthy, easy recipe recommendations, let me know! I’ll tell you if I find any new yummy things, too.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Beautiful quad!
So, I made this soup last night…. so quick and yummy! The website has lots of things I want to try, but this is a great place to start:
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/salsa-soup/
Om nom nom! That looks good! I have all those ingredients in my kitchen so I’ll give this a go. 🙂
Gorgeous! I need to do some splurging for my upcoming birthday.
I had a small M&M DQ Blizzard for dinner, LOL. I have a healthy lunch packed for tomorrow though 🙂 I need to work on eating more vegetables, but this is the first week of my new job and the last week of the semester, so healthy eating might not be my priority this week!
Oh that sounds good right now! I could eat ice cream for dinner easily. How’s the new gig going? Are you in training right now?
I worked on my first project today, and it went well! I have a lot of training meetings throughout this first week, but it’s going well.
Nice! I hope you are enjoying it so far. Good luck with the rest of the training. The first week’s always the hardest…
I am enjoying it, it’s great so far!
Oh god, I’m the worst at trying new recipes! But eggs-in-a-hole has become a favorite with the boyfriend ever since I learned how to do it 🙂 but you probably already make that.
Hi Lauren,
I have no idea what that is! Is it eggs inside toast?
Not a big fan of “natural” colors, but that plum eyeshadow is quite nice.
For new recipes, I like looking at Budget Bytes’ website. Other than that, I just go through family recipes, cookbooks, and cooking magazines.
You’re the second person to recommend the Budget Bytes site. Any particular meals that you love?
I love the black bean quesadillas, chicken taco bowls, sushi bowls, and miracle mac n’ cheese.
Sweet, I’ll look those up. 🙂 Thank you!
The quad is pretty, but it didn’t particularly call out to me until I saw it on your eyes. Gorgeous look!
As for recipes, I rely on Budget Bytes and Smitten Kitchen for most of mine. They never fail me 🙂 And How Sweet It Is recently had this recipe for brown sugar broiled salmon. It’s so quick and easy to do, and was one of my favorite meals I made this week with a simple arugula salad.
Budget Bytes is new to me! What on there have you tried and loved?
I was almost a Nathalie! 😉
Your makeup is stunning!
Nathalie is a very pretty name. 🙂
My mom gave me a recipe for pasta with goat cheese and veggies. I use whole grain penne, any kind of grilled or steamed veggies I’m feeling for the day, the goat cheese, a little garlic and olive oil. I sometimes add chicken if I’m feeling a bit more hungry. So good for the summer and easy to make!
Sounds yummy, KyLee! Thank you for sharing!
I love Budget Bytes too. A ton of tasty recipes!
Hi Agata,
If you have any specific recipes from that site that you’ve tried and loved, please let me know! 🙂
Just wanted to say I love that you’re named after Karen Black! I used to listen a lot to this strange band called The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black (after some of her horror movie roles, I assume). I was going to be “Jessica” until my cousin’s parents snagged it pretty soon before I was born — it really ticked off my mom, but I think I’m a much better Katie than I would be a Jessica. If I were a boy, “Jason” was the most likely contender, which I think hypothetical-dude-me could probably pull off. Names are so interesting!
Hi Katie,
I know that band. I’ve heard a few of their songs, LOL! 🙂
Do you like being a Katie? That’s my nickname, btw.
I do! My full name is Kathryn, which is also fine with me, but I’ve always felt like a Katie. 🙂 When I think of Katie being a nickname for Karen, I can’t help but think of Cake’s “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” — “she’s changing her name/From Kitty to Karen”…
That band is pretty wacky, but I really dug them when I was in high school and very punky/gothy/artsy. From what I gather they still do shows occasionally, which I think is awesome considering that Kembra Pfahler is 50!
Omg such pretty colours! Totally wearable to work.
Lol, I love my sweet name Riti. Nobody carries off Riti like I do ;)I’m from India, and usually there is some sort of a nonsensical-previous-birth-name-written-in-the-books-concept *unbelievable*… and the holy priest suggested my name to be “Siddheshwari”…. Gosh!!! *horrified shriek* Nobody is a ‘siddheshwari’ since maybe 5000 years ago!!!!! But…..here I am and I love my parents for shunning superstitious traditions 🙂
Riti is such a cute name! Does it mean anything in your language?
It’s really pretty. Are some of the shades similar to the READY duo?
I think you’re referring to Dream Sequence? This one’s a bit more complex, I think, and the shade in the lower right hand corner in D&G’s is more chocolate than straight up pruple.
gorgeous shades n swatches… 🙂
Super pretty!
In love. Absolutely in love. I can NEVER resist purples and plums–especially not ones as gorgeous as this! Might have to make this my first D&G item! 😀
Yes! While you’re at the counter don’t forget to check out Peach Blush. 🙂
I really love this palette. Too bad Dolce & Gabbana has no selling points in Holland. Hope it will still be available when I go to spain!
I hope it is too! You will love it.
Hi from the SF Bay Area, btw. I’ve never been to Holland, but it looks really cool.
I knew I recognised her, she was in the Great Gatsby.
Which D&G item would you recommend most? I loved the Maria lippies from last year, but failed to purchase anything.
Hi Nicole,
It really depends on what you tend to wear the most. Since the products are pretty pricey, I think it makes most sense to grab something you can use every day — work horse makeup! I really, REALLY love their quads. I think they’re fantastic. This one’s great if you want an alternative to neutrals, but if you’re more of a tan/brown/black/beige gal, the new quad from the Monica collection’s really pretty. I also like their Peach Blush. I could easily wear it every day.
That really is a beautiful quad!
I got a lot of recipes from my mother – things that she tried over the years that turned out to be winners, so that was nice. I also watched 6 months of the food network while on bed rest so that gave me lots of ideas. I still pretty much go to their site to search for recipes. I am not advocating that for either quick or healthy, though. 🙂
OH gosh, you know a lesson I had to learn the hard way? DO NOT WATCH FOOD NETWORK WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY. Don’t do it!
A few days ago I caught Bobby Flay’s grilling show. Day-um. I wish he’d come over and grill me some shrimp kabobs! Have you seen it?
I know, right? There is something to be said for having a personal chef (I would imagine). 🙂
Yes, I’ve definitely seen it. I like that he uses honey a lot as a sweetener/contrast to bold or spicy flavors. I ate in his restaurant, Mesa Grill, in Vegas when it first opened (I was there for work) and he was there that night. He stood about 6 feet from our table so it was kind of neat to see him “up close in real life”. And the food was excellent, too. 🙂
I’m not always one for purple tones, but this is gorgeous!
Super pretty!
THAT is one stunning quad!!!!
Love it!
OK, so now I’m in a bit of quandary. I was all set on the new Clarins Splendours eyeshadow palette, but now you’ve tempted me with an even MORE expensive, but perhaps better for my green eyes, quad. What’s a girl to do? My budget is limited. What say you, guru?
I really love eMeals! They give me a grocery shopping list with a corresponding meal plan every week. It makes shopping a no brainer, and I’ve loved everything I’ve tried so far. They have a blogger program and I am on the clean eating program!