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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

Pretty in Pink: Make a Difference with OPI Bubble Bath

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Two women I love — my mother-in-law and my good friend Mary Anne — are breast cancer survivors (click here for info on performing monthly breast self-exams), and I know that many of you have also been touched by cancer in one way or another.

With their Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath ($7), OPI is trying to help women cope with changes in their appearance that can result from cancer treatment. Part of every sale goes toward Look Good…Feel Better, a national public service program with more than 50,000 participants each year.

Easy-to-wear color

opi-bubble-bath

Part of OPI’s Soft Shades Collection, Bubble Bath hides chips well, which is one reason I like it a lot. It applies as a non-streaky pale pink and dries quickly to a shiny finish.

Because it hides chips so well, I think it makes a great low-maintenance shade if you’re rough on your fingertips like I am (lots of typing).

Boosting self-esteem

Through the Look Good…Feel Better program women are able to take free workshops on makeup application, dealing with hair loss and taking care of nails both during and after cancer treatment.

Where to buy

Over 10,000 salons and beauty retailers nationwide will be selling OPI Bubble Bath this July and August, so look for displays featuring OPI Bubble Bath and information about Look Good…Feel Better. 🙂

Every bottle helps

OPI will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Bubble Bath Nail Lacquer, with a minimum contribution of $25,000.

I like the idea of something as seemingly insignificant as a little bottle of nail polish making a positive difference in someone else’s life.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. The fabulous Christina over at Dishiness has chosen to donate her hair in honor of Farrah Fawcett. The decision is between two worthy groups, Locks of Love or Pantene Beautiful Lengths, that make wigs for cancer patients. If you’ve ever donated your hair before or know of someone who has, please let Christina know.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, June 29

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  1. Mood:

    2. Happy

  2. What are you looking forward to most this week?

    3. Visiting the Bliss Spa in San Francisco later this week with my friends Jen and Cindy. I haven’t been to a spa in years! I’m looking forward to catching up with the girls and nibbling on brownies…

  3. Describe your pet(s).

    4. Last summer a chubby, affectionate tabby cat adopted me. Some might say I stole him from a neighbor, but whatevs. I think it was meant to be. He was covered in fleas, had tapeworms and wasn’t wearing a collar, so I think he was looking for a life change.

    “SMT (single male tabby) seeks nice girl for wet food, long afternoon naps and heavy petting.”

    He still has a penchant for losing collars (the area around our apartment must be littered with ’em).

  4. Did you wear braces?

    5. Yup, from middle to high school. They even made me wear a retainer.

  5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:

    6. Today’s about the Benefits. On my eyes I’m wearing Benefit Creamless Cream Shadow in Samba-dy Loves Me, Velvet Eyeshadows in Leggy and Where There’s Smoke, Bad Gal Waterproof Liner and Bad Gal Waterproof Mascara.

    On my lips, I’m going with Thrillin’ Brazllian, and it’s Posie Tint on my cheeks.

  6. Favorite city?

    7. I pick two: San Francisco and Paris.

  7. Hairy dudes: hawt or not?

    8. Hmm, it depends… I’m cool with moderately hairy arms, legs and chest, but back or bootay hair? — not so much. Wax that shizz off, homie!

  8. Do you have a green thumb?

    9. I’m pretty good with plants, except for cacti and violets. At one point I even played with the idea of botany as a career.

  9. Outfit:

    10. Jeans and a light blue t-shirt.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Keep my desk tidy (it’s not bad right now), clean the kitchen, go to dance class at least once, find a new place to live that’s not too expensive and avoid procrastinating!

Do you ever have one of those mornings when breakfast kinda blows your mind? I just had a bowl of Rice Crispies with sliced bananas, and for some odd reason it tasted like the BEST bowl of cereal, ever.

I may need to get out more. 🙂

It’s Monday yet again, my lovely PYTs. Before you get swept away by work and responsibilities, take a second to touch base. Just copy the list below and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Let’s make this week a good one for us all!

Le list

Mood:
What are you looking forward to most this week?
Describe your pet(s).
Did you wear braces?
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Favorite city?
Hairy dudes: hawt or not?
Do you have a green thumb?
Outfit:
Weekly goals:

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How Do You Get Light Colored Lipsticks and Gloss to Show on Pigmented Lips?

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In hip-hop class last week I marveled at my teacher’s naturally dark, berry-red lips. Struggling to booty pop (apparently, booty popping is nothing like riding a bike; if you don’t use it, you do loose it), I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

I’ve had pigmented lips on my mind since I got this e-mail from Eileen. Like my dance instructor, Eileen is blessed with dark lips, but sometimes that pigmentation gets up in her mix, like when she wants to wear light lipsticks or gloss…

Hi Karen,

Is there some kind of primer I can use on my lips to ensure a true reflection of the lipstick or lipgloss color I have purchased? My natural lip color is a very dark pink and because of this I tend to have a brownish/purplish cast when using pink-toned lipcolor (such as Clinique’s Bamboo Pink). Thanks for any help you can give me in this area!

Eileen

Hi Eileen,

Isn’t the grass always greener on the other side? I’m totes jealous of your dark pigmented lips! Mine are naturally a pale pink, and I think they look boring with nothing on.

Here are a couple things you might try to get truer color from your lip products.

Foundation is yo’ friend!

Try applying a very thin layer of foundation to your lips before you apply lip color. It covers up the natural color of your lips, but it can also dry them out, so you’ll want to condition beforehand and at night. I really like Philosophy’s Kiss Me Lip Balm in Clear ($14); it’s one of the most moisturizing lip balms I’ve ever tried.

Nude lip liners work, too

Another trick you could try is to line and fill in your lips with a nude pencil before applying color. Nude pencils work like the foundation trick above, covering up your natural lip color. My favorites are MAC Cremestick Lip Liners ($15) in Sublime Culture (a brownish pink) and Creamola (a soft brown). They’re creamy, apply without skipping and don’t dry out my lips. If you’re not a MAC girl, then perhaps consider Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Naked ($14) or Chanel’s Nude Lip Liner ($28).

Homies, I’m betting a few of you out there with pigmented lips have run into this issue before. Do you have any tips for Eileen? What can she do to get truer color on her naturally dark lips?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Need a recommendation for a new foot cream? Have no idea what brush to use on your brows? Send in your burning beauty questions (click here)!

Mad Moisture Meets Sun Protection: Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen

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Over the past three decades I’ve used dozens of different lotions on my perpetually parched bod, and after going through gallons and gallons of product, I’ve learned a thing or two, like how it sure ain’t easy to find an affordable, highly moisturizing daily body lotion with SPF.

In general, daily body lotions that contain sunscreen aren’t water- or sweat-proof like regular sunscreens; they’re body lotions first, with the added benefit of sunscreen. I like to use them during the work week or when I have errands to run — times when I expect to get a little sun but won’t be out in it for hours at a time.

I’ve been an Aveeno fan for years and had really high hopes for Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 15 ($12).

More moisturizing than other drugstore brands

For starters, Active Naturals feels much more moisturizing to me than usual for a drugstore lotion with SPF. With most of them my skin starts looking scaly and feeling tight within a few hours, but when I apply it in the morning before work, Active Naturals keeps my skin soft well into the evening.

Smells a little like sunscreen

If you’re sensitive to scents, in particular the smell of sunscreen, then you might want to take a good, long sniff before buying. Aveeno says the product doesn’t contain any added fragrances, but the broad-spectrum SPF formula does have a light, tell-tale sunscreen scent. It dissipates quickly, though, disappearing within about 10 minutes.

Absorbs slowly

Patience is key here as the product takes about twice as much rubbing as regular lotions (those without SPF) to massage into my skin. I guess in this case that’s part of the price you pay for sun protection.

At least it isn’t sticky once it dries and doesn’t leave a greasy finish or a white cast on my skin.

Oats, the No. 1 inactive ingredient

I can’t say for sure why this stuff’s so much more moisturizing than similar products, but Aveeno says it’s the oats. They’re listed as the first inactive ingredient (the top active ingredients are all sunscreens).

Oats have been used in skin care for thousands of years; clinical research proves their benefits, and all six products in the Active Naturals line contain colloidal oatmeal, finely-milled oats that Aveeno says leave a protective barrier on the skin, preventing water loss and maintaining moisture.

Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 15

Price: $12 for a 12-oz bottle
Use: An excellent hydrating daily body moisturizer with sunscreen
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

At $12, Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion is on the expensive side of the drugstore lotion spectrum, but it’s cheaper than comparable department store varieties from lines like Clinique, which sell sun protecting lotions for twice the price.

Sunday plans?

It’s another toasty day here in Northern California, but I’m going to attempt a run before catching up on some household cleaning and reading. I’m about halfway through Something Borrowed, and so far I’m in love (good writing for a chick lit book).

I hope you have some time to relax today. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Jun. 28

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Which company is the oldest of the bunch?

A retired fashion industry billionaire hired Inspector Tabs to help her locate a priceless relic of the ancient beauty world: the long lost RECETTE DE JACQUELINE! (Jacqueline’s Recipe) — ingredients to a magical foundation able to match every conceivable skin tone.

The recipe is said to be hidden within the walls of one of the world’s oldest beauty companies…

Can you help Inspector Tabs track it down?

Which of the following companies is the oldest of the bunch?

View Results

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How Tight Is Korres Materia Herba Moisturizing Eye Cream?

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Ah, the nuances of Bay Area slang. A few years ago I felt like I couldn’t get away from the phrase “that’s hella tight” (code for “that’s cool”). Everybody and their mother was saying it, including mine. Once, Mom and I were at Macy’s looking at China patterns when she said, “Ohhh, Karen… those Lenox patterns are hella tight!” LOL!

I recently resurrected the phrase, but only in the most literal sense. I’ve been using a new cream, Korres Materia Herba Moisturizing Eye Cream Anti-Dark Circles ($36), on my under-eye area. Designed to de-puff and lighten dark circles over time, it tightens the skin around my eyes like crazy.

Hella tight, indeed.

Tightens skin

Within seconds I can feel the skin under my eyes tightening up. The area even looks a little less puffy and feels tighter, and that was a nice surprise.

Not a dark circle treatment

But Materia Herba Eye Cream isn’t billed as a tightening cream; rather, it’s marketed as a treatment for dark circles.

After using it for three weeks I haven’t seen a significant decrease in my dark circles, but honestly that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve never had success with dark circle removal eye creams in the past, and I just keep trying them because I hope to someday find one that actually works.

Moderately hydrating, kinda pricey

The $36 price tag seems typical, if not a little pricey, for what you get. Price-wise it’s about average for a moderately moisturizing department store eye cream.

I found myself wanting a little more hydration, but I have very dry skin under my eyes. Girls with normal to oily skin under their eyes may not find themselves wanting more.

Texture, scent and packaging

I really like the texture, scent and packaging. It’s an odorless cream that absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave an oily film on my skin. I like that it comes in a tube dispenser, too, because with this I’d rather not have to dip my fingers into a jar.

One of nine products in the Materia Herba line

Korres may not have a home run on its hands with the eye cream, but I like their overall approach to beauty products. Moisturizing Eye Cream Anti-Dark Circles is one of nine products in Korres’ new Materia Herba line of face moisturizers and cleansers.

All of the products in the line are certified organic and, according to Korres, manufactured using a sustainable process and mostly renewable resources. Plus, the products are made without parabens or harsh chemicals.

I think I want to try the Materia Herba Nourishing Night Cream For All Skin ($46), but it sure would be a splurge. I’d be all over it at $26.

While I like the way Materia Herba Eye Cream feels and love the tightening effect, I don’t think it’s my dark circle remover extraordinaire. But if what you’re mostly looking for is a moderately moisturizing under-eye cream that tightens the skin, it may be worth a try. 🙂

Alternative eye cream

If you, too, have dry skin under your eyes and wouldn’t mind a cheaper alternative, consider American Beauty’s Beauty Boost Overnight Radiance Eye Cream ($26, now on sale for $20). It’s rich, moisturizing and absorbs quickly. Of course, like Materia Herba’s cream it doesn’t do a whole lot for under-eye circles, but c’est la vie!

Korres Materia Herba Moisturizing Eye Cream Anti-Dark Circles

Price: $36 for .51 oz tube
Use: A moderately hydrating eye cream that tightens skin like a mofo
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B-

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I Checked My Email and Here’s What I Found

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Tabby star

I bet this happens to you, too, but I miss so many awesome deals and announcements that come through as e-mails. Sometimes they get mistakenly dumped into my junk mail filter, especially when the titles sound overly advertorial: “Free and Heavily Discounted Makeup! Don’t Miss Your Special Chance!”

Sometimes I’m just not able to get to them before the deals have expired.

This morning, however, I managed to read a couple of the timely ones in time to pass them on. 🙂

Shu!

These are the last few days of Shu Uemura’s Art of Hair Sweepstakes. Click here to enter. The grand prize? A year’s worth of Shu hair products valued at $1,680 smackers! The deadline to enter is 11:59PM ET June 30.

Bobbi B

Looks like Bobbi Brown’s new Nudes Collection is almost here. Here’s a mini-PR snapshot. It looks pretty textbook Bobbi to me, but I respect how she stays true to her style. In her own words, “Nude makeup doesn’t mean monochromatic, barely-there makeup. It means makeup that’s right for your skin.” Expect to see it on counters in July (I’ll post a review soon).

A star is born

This one caught Tabs’ eye! Elle is looking for their next video star. Submit a video of your best/favorite makeup tips, and you might take home $250 in beauty swag. Each week Elle will give $250 to the person (or cat) who submits the most popular video tip of the week. Winners then have a chance at the $3,000 yearly grand prize.

If you submit a video to Elle, LET ME KNOW! We can mention your creation on the blog here and maybe help you become a star.

BEMATTE

In Sephora news, they’ve got a few ongoing deals good both in stores and online using coupon code BEMATTE at checkout. I’m interested in the free 10-day sample of Bare Escentuals’ Matte Foundation (free with any purchase). I might do it for the bonus baby kabuki brush.

Nailed!

I just looked down at my bare fingernails, le sigh… I need something to wear on ’em while I wait for Duri’s Fall/Winter 2009 Rags to Riches Collection of fairy tale colors (click here to visit the Duri site). I haven’t seen any pics yet, but the names are cracking me up: Silver Spoon, Dress to Impress, Social Ladder, Trophy Wife and Formula for Success? LOL! I wonder what Trophy Wife looks like… Each will retail for $5, and the first six arrive this September.

Bon voyage

Lisa Hoffman must know how difficult it is to pack beauty products. She’s got these little travel packets that let you take a little of each product from the line wherever you go, and for the price they aren’t half bad. I like the sound of the 24-Hour Skincare one, but there’s also one for spa baths and another for showers. All three sell for $9.99. I couldn’t find them online, but I’m sure the folks in their customer service department can track ’em down (info@lisahoffmanbeauty.com or toll free at 1-800-231-8311).

How’s it going today? It has been hot out here in Norcal this weekend, and our apartment doesn’t have AC! Even Tabs is uncomfortable. He’s sleeping next to his water bowl.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I’d like to apologize to those of you who e-mailed asking if there was something I could do to honor the passing of Farrah Fawcett and MJ, both historic style icons, but I was so overwhelmed by the news myself that I couldn’t think of anything worthy of them. I didn’t want to just throw something up and was too shocked to think straight. I may try after some time passes.

Korres Face Primer: All Hail the $10 Tube!

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Before I’m swept up by the whirlwind that is my busy Saturday, I had to share this literally lil’ makeup indulgence I found at Sephora. It’s a tiny tube of Korres Face Primer (.34 oz) on sale now at Sephora for $10.

Love the tiny tube!

Sephora also sells a larger tube, which is — you guessed it — bigger (1.01 oz), but at $28 it also costs almost three times as much.

I’m closing my eyes now and trying to send a message across the cosmos into the brains of Sephora’s top execs with words encouraging the sale of more sample-sized products like this. They’re a great way to test normally expensive products, and I’m a big fan.

You hear that, Korres and Sephora? 🙂

What’s a face primer?

So, face primers prep skin for foundation and powder application, and this one comes loaded with good-for-your-skin stuff like antioxidants and vitamins (Korres claims 99% natural ingredients). On top of that it’s silicone-free.

That’s the main reason why I wanted to give the product a try. Silicones appear in a lot of face primers because of how slick they make the skin, which in turn leads to smoother makeup application, but some ladies aren’t crazy about the ingredient and feel it causes breakouts or just don’t want to use products packed with synthetic compounds.

Even though I have acne-prone skin, silicones don’t tend to give me breakouts, but I couldn’t resist the $10 tube (again, cheap and small = good idea, guys!).

And Korres Face Primer is kinda awesome. After three weeks with it, I’m convinced it works just as well as primers that contain silicones.

It keeps foundation and powder from settling into my fine lines and even makes my pores appear smaller. That, and I haven’t been having to reapply the concealer I’ve been using to cover up a few wayward pimples (boo) as often as usual. With Face Primer my concealer barely budges, not even after hours of wear.

The texture feels appropriate for its intended purpose (just a lotion), and the product sinks right into my skin versus feeling like it’s just sitting on the top layers. All that and I like the light lemon scent, too. 🙂

And it’s really easy to use. I just squeeze out a blueberry-sized dollop, spreading that into my skin before applying my makeup.

The tube may be tiny, but I think it’ll last me about two months. Not bad, considering that’s about the same as the cost of a couple of Orange Dream Machines from Jamba Juice (Mmmmmm…).

Korres Face Primer

Price: $10 for a .34 oz tube; $28 for 1 oz
Use: A silicone-free face primer to create a smooth canvas for foundation and powder and to extend the wear time of makeup
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

You might like Korres Face Primer if…

  1. you like environmentally green makeup products,
  2. you’re searching for a silicone-free makeup primer, or
  3. you like lemony scented beauty products.

Here comes the weekend!

Seriously, girls, this weekend couldn’t have come soon enough for me! El Hub works Mon-Fri, so I’m looking forward to being able to spend some extra time with him. No plans yet, though, just to finish my coffee and catch up on news.

What do you have going on this weekend?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tabs says thank you!P.S. THANK YOU! I really appreciate the time you’ve all taken to respond to the marketing survey. Some of you left brilliant comments on the last question, and those responses are going to come in really handy as I think about how to enhance the blog over the next few months. 🙂

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