I want a lipstick in this color!
Red Ginger
Two Ways to Win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss
- UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
Touchdown (we landed safely)!
Greetings from cloudy Kaneohe, ladies. 🙂 It’s a little after 6 p.m. on Monday. I’m sitting here in my in-law’s small townhouse at the foot of the jungly Ko’olau Mountains on the Eastern side of the Island of Oahu. Right now we’re just catching up, chatting about Christmas and watching Jay-Z on Oprah, LOL!
On the flight over here I got to thinking about options and how most girls like to have ’em, especially when it comes to lipgloss. At any given moment, I usually have three or four of them in my purse, ’cause you never know when you’ll feel the urge to coat your lips in sparkly purple gloss.
So in the spirit of options and how much we like having them, today’s giveaway features SIX sassy lipgloss shades by the babes at Benefit.
The prize
One lucky lady will win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 value), a set of three dual-headed glosses (six total). Each gloss packs a healthy helping of sheer, delicious color and loads of shine.
How to enter…
Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.
First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all. Tell me about your plans for Christmas or the names of any lipglosses in your purse right now.
Hmm… in my purse? I packed for travel with MAC Soft Wave Lipglass, Clinique Bloomberry, NARS Sweet Revenge and Chanel Aqualumiere in Hirondelle.
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 Value) http://bit.ly/7Cfnqi
Recap…
- Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
- Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win Benefit Glitz Glam & Gloss (a $26 Value) http://bit.ly/7Cfnqi
I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, December 22.
ўдачы!!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. And there’s still a few hours left to enter yesterday’s giveaway for a MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo.
P.P.S. Yay! We made it through Monday, girls! Onward to Tuesday.
- UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
Cutie Pie, I’ve Missed You!
Remember Cutie Pie the cat? I saw her today!
5 Fantastic Makeup Secrets I Learned from Watching YouTube
I’m a late bloomer when it comes to makeup. My two essential items had always been foundation and blush — maybe gloss if I wanted to dress it up. Then, just over a year ago, it happened.
I discovered the world of makeup tutorials on YouTube!
At first, I was just amazed by the amazing transformations that these wonderful ladies (and sometimes, men) would do. I mean, who doesn’t love seeing those befores and afters?
But then I started wondering to myself — could I do that??? I started experimenting. I’d watch a tutorial and then try the look on myself. Eventually I got the hang of things, building my makeup collection at the same time.
You can learn just about anything on Youtube… As for makeup, it’s a great place to learn the basics, like how to apply eyeliner, brow shaping, how to create a classic smoky eye, etc.
But what I especially love about YouTube are all of the random little makeup tricks. 🙂
Here are five of my favorites:
1. Without a good base, just don’t bother
Click the picture above to see Loulud81‘s review of different eyeshadow bases and primers.
I never used to wear eyeshadow because it didn’t seem to do much for me. Either the colors wouldn’t show up on my Filipino skin, or they’d fade away before lunch. Then, I learned about eyeshadow primers and how they help prevent shadows from creasing and/or fading. Now, I literally will not apply eyeshadow without a base. Two popular ones are Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance.
There are also other eyeshadow bases you can use on top of your primer that will really help intensify colors and make them “pop”. Some examples are MAC Paint Pots and Shadesticks, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils, and Make Up For Ever Flash Colors.
I also typically use a primer for my face. It helps to smooth out my skin and make the foundation last. I love the silky feel of the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, but I haven’t been too thrilled with the $36 price for one ounce.
Here’s a secret — try the Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel. I think it works just as well as it has similar ingredients (i.e. dimethicone). I know that some of you may be scared by the brand (NOTE: This is not the yeast infection version), but just trust me on this and give it a try. 🙂 You can find it at any drugstore (or even Target), and it’s much cheaper, around $8 for 1.5 oz.
Click the picture above for kitcat627‘s review of the Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel.
2. Paintbrushes are not just for paint!
Click above to watch EnKoreMakeup‘s comparison of MAC brushes and paintbrushes.
Personally, I love my MAC brushes. I do believe the quality justifies the price. But not everyone can afford a single eyeshadow brush that costs over $20. One alternative – head over to Michaels or a similar craft store and check out their paintbrushes. Specifically, the Loew Cornell line has a variety of brushes that are very comparable to MAC brushes at a fraction of the cost. As an example, the Loew-Cornell 270 3/8″ Maxine’s Mop artist brush ($4) is almost identical to the MAC 239 eye shader brush ($25), as shown in the video below. And my favorite go-to brush for lining my eyes with gel eyeliner is the Loew-Cornell 485 large tear drop brush ($7).
[Continue reading…]
Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Dec. 21
- Mood:
- Left or right handed?
- Where do you consider home?
- Three things you’re grateful for?
- Eyes/lips/cheeks:
- Have you ever studied abroad?
- Do you collect anything?
- Last text you sent?
- Outfit:
- Weekly goals:
Bleary-eyed and sleepy because the alarm just went off. It’s 4:30 in the morning, but we’ve got an early flight to catch. Soon we’ll be somewhere over the Pacific, dreaming about tabby cats and MAC. Tabs is staying in California; he has a modeling gig lined up with Macy’s later this week.
I do almost everything with my right hand (writing, applying makeup, blowing kisses), 🙂 but I like to drive with my left hand on top of the steering wheel.
My parents’ house in the East Bay, even though I haven’t lived there in years.
Apart from the usual (health, family, cat), I’m grateful for ponytail holders, washer/dryers and three-ply toilet paper.
I’m in travel makeup mode right now, so just tinted moisturizer, cream blush, MAC Blot, concealer mascara and gloss.
No, but I really wish I had. I would’ve loved to have gone to at least a year of school in Europe.
Makeup, teapots (a relatively new interest), random old books and earrings.
“Send me your Xmas list, dagnabbit!” (to my little brother).
Dark jeans, sweatshirt and brown tennies (pre-dawn travel style)…
Eat as many malasadas (Portuguese fried donuts; popular local snack in Hawaii) as humanly possible, find a little time to surf and just enjoy Christmas with the family.
Rise and shine, ladies. 🙂 Christmas is right around the corner, and I hope you’re in the holiday spirit. If you’re reading this between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, I’m somewhere above the clouds, wishing you all a great week and a beautiful day.
Take a minute to tell me and Tabs how you’re doing. You see, Tabs is holding down the MBB office while I’m airborne. You know what to do…
Le list
1. Mood:
2. Left or right handed?
3. Where do you consider home?
4. Three things you’re grateful for?
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
6. Have you ever studied abroad?
7. What do you collect?
8. Last text you sent?
9. Outfit:
10. Weekly goals:
I’ll touch base when I touch down on the other side of the Pacific! 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 67
Tonight I took a look back at some of my favorite tabby’s modeling work… No matter how busy he’s been, no matter where his work schedule has taken him, he’s always reported for duty here at Makeup and Beauty Blog headquarters.
Good kitty. 🙂
The Apple of My Eye
When Fortune Magazine named Steve Jobs CEO of the Decade, a lot of people behind the scenes were wondering, “What about Tabs?”
Tabs for Coach
Tabs worked with Coach on one of their bag campaigns last year, but they said he was hard to work with. Now he’s trying to land a job promoting their new men’s fragrance, Leatherware. I hope they let him down easy if he doesn’t get the job…
Viva Glam
Official Football Card…
Are you ready for some football?
[Continue reading…]
Two Ways to Win MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo
- UPDATE: Dec. 22, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winners will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
WARNING: If your magic resistance is low, watch out for MAC’s Mineralize Eyeshadows. If you’re not careful, they’ll charm your heart while making your eyes sparkle with bling!
But if your magic is strong, and you’re not afraid, then keep reading. I’m about to conjure a quick Sunday giveaway. 🙂
The prize
One lucky lady will win a pan of MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Under Your Spell, a shimmery duo with peachy pink and copper eyeshadows ($20) from the Magic, Mirth and Mischief holiday collection.
How to enter…
Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.
First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. In it, tell me one of your favorite eyeshadow tips/tricks.
For shadows with a lot of glitter fallout, like the MAC Mineralize Eyeshadows, I like to wet my eyeshadow brush with water or MAC Fix+. The wet brush head seems to help the eyeshadow bind to my skin, decreasing the amount of glitter that ends up beneath my eyes. Applying shadows with a wet brush also makes the colors more intense!
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow (a $20 Value) http://bit.ly/7TQCzA
Recap…
- Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
- Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
RT @karenmbb: RT to win MAC Under Your Spell Mineralize Eyeshadow (a $20 Value) http://bit.ly/7TQCzA
I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, December 21.
Cо Ñреќа!!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
- UPDATE: Dec. 22, 2009. The giveaway is now closed, and the winners will be contacted soon. Good luck! 🙂
What Were Your Best and Worst Beauty Experiences of the Week?
MY BEST: I found a new concealer at Sephora that I really, really like. It’s called TimeBalm, and a couple of you had recommended it in the comments a while back (THANK YOU!). You were totally right. It’s the jam! I’d been using Dior Sculpt, but Time Balm’s cheaper, covers more, stays put longer, and I think it even requires less blending.
MY WORST: You remember how thrilled I was about my new bangs a few weeks ago, right? Well, I think the honeymoon’s over. They’ve been sticking up at odd angles, laying in the wrong directions and generally NOT doing what I want them to do. Why do I always I forget how high maintenance fringe can be when I’m sitting in the chair at a salon? Oh, well… I guess if I decide to grow ’em out, at least I’ll have something to do, LOL!
Time to spill them beauty beans, babes. 🙂 Dish your best and worst beauty experiences of the week.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Good almost-afternoon! Tabs and I stayed up practically all night long listening to drum and bass music (1.8.7’s Quality Rolls, HOLLA!) and fooling around with Photoshop. I haven’t quite woken up yet today, but it’s nothing a vat of coffee can’t fix. How’s your Sunday coming along?