Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Give Me Liberty of London (and Cupcakes)

March 12th, 2010 by Karen 80 Comments

Breakfast of champions!

Last night El Hub brought home some mini-cupcakes from a bakery he passes on his way home from work. 🙂 They were red velvet, lemon and chocolate, and THIS is how I felt when I opened the box:

Frickin’ sweet tooth’s always getting in the way of the whole eating better thing, grrr!

I managed to exercise enough restraint (shocking!) to save two of ’em for, um, my breakfast today, but I think the sugar messed with my brain. All I could think of was cupcake-inspired makeup looks, which lead to this pink attempt with a dash of purple.

Using products from MAC’s Give Me Liberty of London and MAC Too Fabulous, I started with a pink lip courtesy o’ Lip Pencil in Trimmed in Pink (a creamy pink from Too Fab), Lipstick in Petals & Peacocks (a creamy pinkish magenta) and Lipglass in English Accents (a creamy bluish pink), and because it reminded me of cupcake frosting I applied Beauty Powder in Shell Pearl (a shimmery golden peach) to my lips with my fingers.
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When Was the Last Time You Hit the Pan?

March 12th, 2010 by Karen 102 Comments

Now THIS is something I don’t see often

TGIF, ladies. 🙂 This week I somehow managed to hit the pan on not one, but TWO (!) things. I can’t remember the last time that happened… The lucky/unlucky culprits were MAC Blot Pressed Powder in Medium Dark ($22) and MAC Eyeshadow in Concrete ($14.50).

BAM! BAM! It was like being struck by lightning, twice!

When was the last time you hit the pan on a piece of makeup, and do you remember what the product was?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Glow on with Your Bad Self: Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush

March 11th, 2010 by Karen 100 Comments

Wearing Make Up For Ever’s HD Microfinish Blush in Quickie

It’s ridonkulous how much time I spend trying to get a “no makeup” makeup look. 🙂 Sometimes I’ll end up spending more time on something subtle with natural looking blushes, lipsticks and whatnot than it takes to do something bolder like a cat eye with pink glossy lips!

Getting makeup to NOT look like makeup can take lots of layering and blending, but there may be another way…

Enter Make Up For Ever’s HD Microfinish Blush ($25, available in 14 shades and carried at Sephora), a new, easy-to-apply liquid cream.

Doesn’t it bug you when you can see cream blushes sitting on top of your skin? This bad boy doesn’t do that. Originally designed for television and movie sets with high definition cameras, HD Microfinish Blush absorbs right into my skin, leaving behind a natural glow (I think so at least).

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MAC Give Me Liberty of London: Blooming Lovely Lipstick

March 11th, 2010 by Karen 10 Comments

MAC Give Me Liberty of London

What do you think of Blooming Lovely Lipstick ($14)? Yes, no or maybe so?

Guess the Perfumes, Vol. 2

March 11th, 2010 by Karen 12 Comments

Hmm… I’m thinking yesterday’s edition of Guess the Perfumes was waaaay too easy.

If you can name all of these, then you’re officially a rockstar.

Makeup and Beauty Tips from Olympic Speed Skater Allison Baver

March 11th, 2010 by Karen 10 Comments

I’m still kinda fired up after the excitement of last month’s Olympic Games… There was something epic about it all, ya know? — about seeing top athletes chase big dreams. It was like watching the journeys of the heroes in Greek myths!

Olympic athletes train hard to reach the games, and for some, like US speed skater Allison Baver, there are times when the goal seems out of reach. After shattering her leg in a race last year (she collided with teammate Katherine Reutter), Allison underwent intensive rehab to make it to Vancouver, where she and her speed skating teammates earned a Bronze Medal in the 3000m relay.

I chatted with her this morning and learned that she’s not just a bad-ass on the ice. Allison also loves makeup! And she’s a total girly girl. 🙂 She credits her positive attitude with helping her stay focused and shared a few of her favorite makeup and beauty tips.
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New in Beauty, Mar. 11: Tokidoki Makeup and a Butt Lift in a Box

March 11th, 2010 by Karen 38 Comments

New in Beauty

OMG, I DIE! The new Tokidoki makeup line ($5-42) is now on sale at Sephora, and it’s really frickin’ cute!
The end times are nigh! Now there’s a Butt Lift in a Box ($99)
I’m not sure how I feel about the cork packaging, but I do like the colors in Sonia Kashuk’s Spring Awakenings Eye/Lip Palette ($17)…
Get Clean with this portable, three-piece Pencil Perfume Set ($30)
Sephora says their Tricks of the Trade Perfecting Lash Primer ($14) increases the volume and length of lashes while conditioning witih a pro-vitamin B5-enriched formula
I might tree-eet myself to Korres’ Quercetin & Oak Treatment ($50). They say it fights wrinkles and controls oil
Could the name for Rexaline’s Hydra-Dose Hyper-Hydrating Skin Densifying Anti-Wrinkle Cream ($59) be any longer?
Lighter, summery versions of fragrance faves are starting to pop up! I wanna sniff Ralph Lauren Summer Romance ($78), CK One Summer ($44) and Eternity Summer ($54)
The products in the Ouidad Krly Kids line ($12-15) are — surprise! — made for kids with curly hair
Sonia Kashuk’s Retractable Silver Face Brush ($15) comes with foundation and powder brush heads for gals on the go
Ulta’s carrying a new makeup line called LA Splash
L’Oreal says their Studio Secrets Professional Secret No. 1 Magic Perfecting Base ($13) minimizes the look of fine lines AND the appearance of pores

Good morning, ladies, and how are you doing today? I’m still waking up out here… feeling my way around the kitchen for a beverage with caffeine. I’ll reconnect as soon as I’m properly caffeinated. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reflecting on HD Makeup with Senna’s HDExtreme Foundation

March 10th, 2010 by Karen 14 Comments

I’m pretty loyal to Laura Mercier’s Oil-Free Foundation for pics and video, but when I read about the “advanced makeup technology” in Senna Cosmetic’s HDExtreme Makeup Foundation ($45), I couldn’t resist the urge to give it a try (in the name of makeup science, you understand).

Senna’s an indie line from So Cal, and the “HD light diffusing pigments” in their new foundation are supposed to help it reflect light. It’s a different approach to foundation than merely covering redness and discoloration with (often) heavy, opaque pigments.

The product comes in five basic shades — Fair, Light, Medium, Honey and Tan — and an illuminating golden pink called Backlit, which is technically also a foundation, but I think of it as a highlighter.

LM’s Oil Free looks fantastic in pics, but like many full-coverage foundations I think it’s sometimes a little too heavy and mask-like for everyday wear. Senna’s HDExtreme, on the other hand, hides imperfections while keeping a low (almost undetectable) profile. My pores feel like they can actually breathe when I’m wearing it, which isn’t always the case with Laura’s foundation, with a thin layer offering complete, lightweight coverage that artfully hides red areas around my nose, as well as acne marks and discolorations.

So does that mean I’m sold on Senna?
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