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

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

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Cheap Thrills with C Me Shine Lip Gloss from Yes To Carrots

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yes to carrots c me shine lip gloss review

Cheap thrill alert!
CHEAP THRILL ALERT!

Hey, now, dirty birdies. Get that mind out of the gutter. I’m not talking ’bout that kind of nasty…

Or this kind for that matter…

spencer-pratty-says-haaaay-girl-1-2

I’m talking about the affordably awesome Yes to Carrots C Me Shine Lip Glosses ($6.50 each and available in six shades).

If it weren’t for their faint mint flavor and fragrance (which dissipates quickly), they’d almost be knockoffs of the MAC Lipgelles, which cost twice as much ($14). They have a similar smooth and shiny, non-stick texture and also broadcast seriously intense color.

And with six shades to choose from — Playful Nude, Rose Bliss, Flirty Pink, Carrot Kiss, Red Hot and Cocoa Loco — there’s a decent degree of variety within the line.

I’ve tried three of the colors:

yes to carrots c me shine lip gloss review red hot
Red Hot

yes to carrots c me shine lip gloss review cocoa loco
Cocoa Loco
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Bloggerati Spotlight

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The Beauty Bloggerati

It was almost too hot to surf the web this afternoon… almost.

Blasphemy, right? It’s never too hot to surf. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Shu Uemura Portable Natural Brush 14: A Friend to Dark Circles Everywhere

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ponies effin rule beeyotch

A mini pony = awesomeness.

A mini pony brush = even more awesomeness!

shu uemura 14 pony review

Say howdy to Shu Uemura’s Portable Natural Brush 14 ($30) — a friend to dark circles everywhere.

I spend a lot of time not sleeping. It’s one of my hobbies… not sleeping. Consequently, I rely on under-eye concealer to hide my dark circles, and to set it I’ll use a little bit of powder and Shu’s Natural Brush 14.

The smallish, fluffy brush head (made with pony hair) fits perfectly into the nook under my eyes. It’s one of the softest brushes in my arsenal and feels like a kiss from Tabs on my delicate skin. Just one swipe applies a sheer veil of powder — natural, not heavy or cakey at all.

shu uemura 14 pony review 2

At $30 it’s not a cheap tool, but ladies who take makeup seriously could consider it an investment.

Why? Because this pony multitasks!
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Lip Look: NARS Lip Gloss-Lip Stain Gloss Duo in Stolen Kisses and Pampa

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nars cosmetics pampa stolen kisses

Poor El Hub… Homeboy just doesn’t get the relationship women have with their shoes.

Of particular difficulty for him: why I have so many pairs in black.

Over the years we’ve been together I’ve spent hours explaining the differences to him between finishes, heel types and shades (greenish black is so totally NOT brownish black), but it just doesn’t compute. He simply doesn’t get it. Having spent his formative fashion years at Miller’s Outpost and Mervyn’s, all he sees is a big ole’ pile of the same black shoes.

His grasp of makeup is a little better than his fashion sense, though, so when I sat down to explain nude lippies to him I think some of it got through.

“They’re like the black shoes of the lipstick world,” I said. “At first glance they look the same, but when you look more closely you see just how different they really are.”

I think he even gets my current may-jah NARS obsesh, NARS Lip Gloss-Lip Stain Gloss Duo in Stolen Kisses and Pampa ($28).

nars pampa lip stain gloss duo review
Lip Stain Gloss in Pampa beneath Lip Gloss in Stolen Kisses

It’s my double-sided secret weapon for brownish pink nude lips! On one side — Stolen Kisses Lip Gloss, a creamy brownish pink with a hint of silver shimmer. On the other — Pampa Lip Stain Gloss, a moisturizing, long-wear lip stain in a shimmery golden brown. Both colors look great paired together or used apart.

nars pampa review
Lip Gloss Stain in Pampa

This is one of the lip duos I turn to when I want warm smokey eyes. Stolen Kisses and Pampa play well together with shimmery black and gold looks (Stila Golden Girl) or shimmery brown/bronze ones.

nars pampa swatch
Lip Gloss Stain in Pampa

nars stolen kisses review
Lip Gloss in Stolen Kisses

nars pampa stolen kisses swatches
Swatches from left to right: Pampa, Stolen Kisses

A fool-proof way to inject some color into my life without drawing too much attention to my lips. 🙂 I’m crushing hard!
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Tuesday Beauty Tips: Hitting Your Limits in Stride

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Stained glass rose

Accept Limits

“You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” — Anonymous

I can’t remember the first time I heard that, but it makes more and more sense to me every day.

I read it to mean that we all have our limits. There are only so many projects and commitments people (and cats) can tackle at the same time, and only so much pressure we can take before we crack! we-crack

TIP: Whenever I feel like I’m drowning under a torrent of tasks, I’ll set aside my long to-do list and grab a blank Post It note instead. On it, I’ll write my three most important tasks — the things my gut tells me I should do — ignoring all the rest.

If that means the carpet doesn’t get vacuumed or the laundry doesn’t get done for another day or two or three, so be it, because…

Every little thing gonna be alright

When I look back on my worst days (I’ve had some doozies!), I think about all of the good days that followed them.

TIP: When times are tough, I try to remember that this too shall pass. Sometimes it really helps me to look ahead to a time after the obstacle I’m facing — after the deadline, the virus, the exam, the uncomfortable business meeting — a day, week or month down the road.

Stop and smell the roses

There’s a world of roses out there just waiting to be sniffed! 🙂

TIP: Whenever I see (or hear, smell, taste or feel) something beautiful, I STOP — maybe not in the middle of traffic — to take them in. Try to make time in your life for beautiful things.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Smile, You’re Glowing with Philosophy Lit From Within Cream Blush

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philosophy supernatural lit from within review 0

Yes, my Fangtasia Barrinos, even though I lurves me a super bright blush (hello, NARS Mounia), there are times when I need prefer a more natural cheek look.

philosophy supernatural lit from within review 1

That’s why I’m fawning over Philosophy Lit From Within cream blush in Bare Your Soul ($23).

With just the faintest touch of shimmer, it’s like a smile on my cheeks. 🙂

Not only does it apply and blend like a dream (I use my fingers), it stays put for hours, too, on either bare skin or atop foundation.

philosophy supernatural lit from within review 2

And the color? Perfect! Like pinched cheeks, and probably one of the most natural-looking blush colors I’ve seen in a really long time.

Bare Your Soul joins two other creatively named shades in the Lit From Within line of cream blushes — Feel Warm All Over (a shimmery coral) and Look on the Bright Side (a sheer pink).

They’re part of Philosophy’s new Supernatural line of natural makeup in sheer colors for face, cheeks, eyes and lips. All are free of parabens, phthalates (plasticizers used in everything from children’s toys to eyeshadows and nail polish), mineral oil, talc, sulfates, propylene glycol and fragrance.

I’ll use it for low-maintenance looks or whenever I don’t want my cheeks to compete with any bright pops o’ color on my lips or eyes. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Home sweet home

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