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Saturday Surfing: February 18, 2017

February 18th, 2017 by Karen 6 Comments

Heya and happy ??? Caturday!

With the whole athleisure makeup trend blowing up, I assumed that the MAC Work It Out collection (coming March 2nd) would be all about sweat-proof products to wear while doing switch lunges and pull-ups, buuut now I think it was more inspired by ’80s ladies in Jazzercise leotards and leg warmers, as opposed to actual sweating.

Hey, that’s cool, too!

The collection’s all about lashes and features 16 (!) colorful versions of MAC In Extra Dimension Lash Mascara, as well as four Lipsticks, six Crystal Glaze Glosses, three Studio Quiktrik Sticks and six Chromagraphic Pencils.

Oh, and remember the scented Prep + Prime Fix+ from last year that basically broke the Internet? Mini “to go” $12 bottles of Coconut, Rose and Lavender are coming back in Work It Out.

There are a bunch of MAC collections arriving in March and April (but, honestly, when is there NOT a MAC collection coming out?).

Like…

MAC Great Brows (also March 2nd), which introduces a new all-in-one brow kit, and also includes Brushstroke Liner, a.k.a. “the pizza cutter liner,” which was heavily hyped over NYFW.

#AW17 #NYFW @MACCosmetics Sneak Peek! Check out the spinning wheel applicator in action! #Smooth #Precise #Sharp ? #MACCosmetics #MACBackstage #MACFWArtist #MakeupByMichael

A post shared by Michael Patterson (@makeupbymichael) on Feb 8, 2017 at 2:59pm PST

Eyes on MAC (another March 2nd release) launches with a bunch of nine-pan eyeshadow palettes…

I haven’t had the greatest luck with these pocket-sized pretties in the past… A lot of the time I just don’t think they’re of the same quality as the shadows in the permanent line, but we shall see.

In other beauty news…

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Bath & Body Works Tutti Dolci Shower Gels, Fragrance Mists, Body Creams and Creamy Body Washes Are on Sale Now for $6

February 17th, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

Let me tell ya…this whole counting calories thing? I’m still trying to lose the baby weight, and it’s the least fun thing in the whole entire world. It’s even less fun/more headache-inducing than being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Richmond Bridge, which is REALLY un-fun, BTW, or stepping in a pile of dog poop in a new pair of shoes.

That’s one good thing about Bath & Body Works Tutti Dolci! — no counting calories. Even though they smell like delicious dessert foods, they aren’t, which means no extra burpees. 🙂 (Side note: Burpees are the devil’s work!)

They’re baaaaaack!

I don’t know how long you’ve been into Bath & Body Works, if you’re into them at all, but if you and them go way back, you might remember the Tutti Dolci line. They’re dessert-inspired, and I think they first showed up around 10 years ago.

B&BW brings them out of retirement from time to time, and this is one of those times. They’re back, at least for now.

Did somebody say sale??

Right meow is a good time to check ’em out because B&BW is currently running a 50% off sale on Tutti Dolci. I thought it was online-only at first, but then I called them, and they said that it’s in-store too. Everything is six bucks! The Shower Gels (regularly $12.50), Fragrance Mists (regularly $14), Body Creams ($13) and Creamy Body Washes ($14.50) are just $6 each.

Hey, sugar

I usually prefer floral and citrus scents to sweet scents. I do like some dessert scents, though, but I’m picky as hell. If they’re overwhelmingly fake and cloying, where all you can smell is, I dunno…intensely sweet buttercream, for instance (like Jessica Simpson’s Dessert Body line from years ago… Remember that?), I can’t do it.

I am a grow-@ss woman, and I don’t need to be walking around with 1) my butt crack hanging out of my jeans and 2) my skin smelling like a Toddlers & Tiaras-themed birthday party.

I think Tutti Dolci gets it right. The products have notes of honey, praline and white mocha, but there are also lemon and citrus and musky notes that cut down on the sweetness, and make the fragrances more sophisticated (to me) and appropriate for grownups.

There are four different Tutti Dolci scents.

There’s Golden Honey Praline, which smells like two scoops of pralines and cream ice cream with hot espresso poured all over them (mmm…). It’s my favorite, by the way, and I use the Shower Gel, Body Cream and Fine Fragrance Mist, which are all warm and cozy and very rainy weather appropriate.

I also love the Pink Peony Creme scent, which smells like peonies (obvs), lilac and an extra tart key lime pie.

Then there’s Sweet Lemon Buttercup (mmm…), which smells like shortbread cookies, lemon bars, a hot cup of tea and white musk.

And White Mocha Kiss, which is the sweetest of the bunch. I think it smells like vanilla latte foam drizzled with caramel…

Side note: Are you as hungry as I am right now?

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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer

February 17th, 2017 by Karen 4 Comments

Hydration? Concealer? Hi, my name is Karen, and I immediately want to try anything and everything that moisturizes and hides my dark circles.

It’s my lot in life, and perhaps the sole reason why I was put on this earth — to try every under-eye concealer ever made by man and woman kind.

So…I wanted to love new Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer from Neutrogena because I’m all about their Hydro Boost Tint (seriously, it’s one of the best drugstore face products I’ve ever tried), but eh — it’s not my fave.

Like the foundation, it contains moisturizing hyaluronic acid, along with a special moisturizing core in the center of the tube.

neutrogena hydro boost hydrating concealer before and after — With concealer on the left, and wearing the shade Medium 40 on the right

I’ve used it a couple times so far… Yes, it feels and looks lightweight, so it’s not going to hang out in your fine lines or look caked-on and obvious (yay!), but the thing is…it doesn’t really cover very much. It’s SO sheer.

neutrogena hydro boost hydrating concealer swatches — Swatches from the top in Fair 10, Light 20, Light/Medium 30, Medium 40 and Deep 50

I just like my under-eye concealers to be more opaque. When I put a good amount under my eyes, my inner voice says, “MOAAAARR.” It also straight-up disappears as the day wears on.

At least it isn’t too expensive. It’s only $12.99. If you’re curious (it’s good if you think you can get away with sheer coverage), there are five shades in the line, and they’re available at drugstore and online now.

Shoes for the Coywolf

I have to buy the Coywolf some shoes…

She’s almost a year old, and every single pair of shoes I’ve put on her, she pulls off. She sits there and takes them off. Socks too.

But now that she’s walking, I wanna take her outside more to explore with me, so I gotta get her some shoes…

She does have one pair of kitty moccasins that she got as a gift for Christmas, and she kindasorta can’t take those off, but she’s almost outgrown them.

I was looking at the Carter’s website and saw these cute little kitty shoes…

Yay! They’re 50% off today!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint Is a Lovely, Lightweight Medium-Coverage Tinted Moisturizer

February 17th, 2017 by Karen 22 Comments

Is new Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint as fun as…sliding down the Summit Plummet at Disney’s Blizzard Beach or hiking to Wailua Falls on Kauai and frolicking in the secluded pool?

Hmm…maybe! It’s fun if your idea of fun is having your foundation look completely natural.

If I saw a friend, and he/she was wearing this foundation, I don’t know if I’d be able to tell. I’d just admire how even-toned and dewy his/her skin looked. Then I’d ask their secret!

neutrogena hydro boost hydrating tint doe foot — That’s a BIG doe foot

Ultra smooth…

Hydro Boost is an oil-free tint/foundation with hydrating hyaluronic acid to plump skin for up to 24 hours, but ya know…the texture is the real special sauce. It’s fluffy, mousse-like and incredibly easy to blend. When I use the over-sized doe-foot applicator to dot it on my face, then blend it in with my fingers, it glides and creates a thin, even layer, which is then undetectable, even on my cray-cray dry skin.

neutrogena hydro boost hydrating tint swatches 1 — Swatches of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tints from the top in Classic Ivory 10, Natural Ivory 20, Buff 30, Nude 40 and Soft Beige 50

neutrogena hydro boost hydrating tint swatches — More swatches from the top in Natural Beige 60, Honey 85, Caramel 105, Cocoa 115 and Chestnut 135

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Benefit GALifornia Blush Will Put You in a Sunny State of Mind

February 16th, 2017 by Karen 20 Comments

Benefit GALifornia blush ($29), coming April 2017

Shout-out to my fellow Californians!

You know, it’s weird. I always see California portrayed in movies and videos like it’s a perpetually sunny place with palm trees and beaches and everyone’s got a tan and walks around all the time in a bikini top and sunglasses like it’s Bay Watch.

For the record, it’s not always like that. Right now, golden rays of sunshine are not falling upon my cheeks, skin and hair. I’m actually looking out my window, and it’s gloomy, overcast and cold. But haaay! — that’s alright, because when I wear Benefit’s new GALifornia blush, I feel like I’m in the fantasy California. ??⛱️

It’s nuanced

GALifornia, a new $29 boxed Benefit blush coming this April, is a wonderfully warm golden pink, and when I opened the 0.17-oz. pan for the first time and saw the sunny design, which is, sadly, an overspray, I thought of a bronzer from Guerlain a few years back that had a similar design.

GALifornia is gloriously nuanced in a way I don’t expect to see from Benefit. It reminds me of something from Guerlain or Hourglass.

benefit galifornia swatch — Swatch of Benefit GALifornia Blush

Different for Benefit

It’s infused with subtle golden pearl particles that so much more subdued than the shimmer in Coralista, Sugarbomb and Bella Bamba, all of which I like, but over the past few years, I haven’t been wearing them as much as I used to. My skin’s changed, and my pores are a little bigger than they were in my 30s.

The shimmer that Benefit usually sprinkles on their blush highlighters is…maybe a bit more sparkly than I’d like. I’d say that GALifornia’s fine pearl is closest to the pearl in Sugarbomb, but warmer and finer.

GALifornia’s pearl is more my speed now. At first, you may not even think there’s any there, but it is. And I love it!

benefit galifornia — Wearing two layers of GALifornia on my cheeks

I don’t usually send my girlfriends who are 30 and up to Benefit for blush, but I can happily recommend GALifornia if you’re…let’s just say, not 18 anymore. LOL!

It’s like the Energizer bunny (keeps going, and going, and going, and going…)

The wear time is great too. I popped it on my cheeks at the crack of dawn today, and eight hours later it still looks fresh and beautiful.

I did two layers using a regular old blush brush, so you don’t need any finagling or special tools. The blush does come with one of those silly square shaped brushes that Benefit always includes with their boxed blushes, but I’d probably only use it in a dire blush emergency, LOL!

benefit galifornia box — GALifornia girl!

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MAC Unsung Heroes: Cork Eye Shadow

February 16th, 2017 by Karen 11 Comments

Whenever I take MAC Cork out for a spin, I hear champagne bottles popping. “POP!”

If it were possible to place 1,000 butterfly kisses on a pan of brown eyeshadow, I totally would.

Wait — that actually is possible. Never mind! 🙂

It’s a medium neutral golden brown with MAC’s Satin finish, and it’s part of the permanent line.

It’s also not the only Cork at MAC. There’s Cork Brow Sculpt Pencil and a Cork Lip Pencil, too.

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

Cork isn’t flashy, but it’s a damned good workhorse shade. It’s one of those shadows that’s easy to miss when you’re perusing those tiered MAC shadow displays.

The Satin finish is totally key. It makes Cork a great transition shade. It can double as a matte eyeshadow and deepen the crease, and because it has a hint of shimmer, it has a little more character than a basic matte. And it’s much easier to blend.

mac cork in crease — Cork in my crease and along my lower lash line (my lid shade is MAC Club)

Cork may fool you at first because it can really look like a straight up matte, but if look closely, you’ll see the tiniest twinkle (it’s barely there!).

I like using Cork in my crease when my lid color is a cool or neutral shade, and I think it’s GORGEOUS with blues, greens, purples and grays.

Oh, my gosh! Try it with MAC Club on your lids one of these days. That’s what I’m wearing in these pics. The two are like Shakespearean sonnets together. MAC Greensmoke too.

Cork is also my secret weapon when I look in the mirror in the morning, and my lids look more hooded than usual. The neutral-ness (?) of the brown sculpts a deeper shadow in my crease than warmer shades like MAC Soft Brown or Saddle.

By the way, it’s also darker than MAC Soba, which is another neutral brown MAC Satin eyeshadow I use a lot as a crease color. I’ll alternate between the two, but I choose Cork more often when I’m wearing a super saturated lid color because it’s easier for me to transition a bold lid shade to a more medium-toned brown like Cork (the gradient isn’t as dramatic as going to something lighter).

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Hair Stencils: What Do You Think About ‘Em?

February 16th, 2017 by Karen 15 Comments

A photo posted by Janine Ker (@janine_ker_hair) on Jan 9, 2017 at 7:57pm PST

WOW! This is totally something I can see the stylish people from the Capitol in the first Hunger Games book would do.

Janine Ker, an AMAZING hairstylist I follow on Instagram, creates these fantastical hairstyles using stencils and temporary hair color sprays.

A photo posted by Janine Ker (@janine_ker_hair) on Dec 28, 2016 at 6:42am PST

These are giving me ideas! It would be fun to do for a birthday party, a festival or a concert (Mariah Carey is coming to Vegas in July… Maybe I can find some silk butterflies?!).

I wouldn’t be able to do it myself, though. I’d need a stylist’s help for sure.

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Introducing 10 New Shades of NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

February 15th, 2017 by Karen 25 Comments

nars dirty mind — The $27 NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. This one’s “Dirty Mind…” LOL!

Prince night at karaoke.

Think about it. All of the only songs are Prince songs. I would totally go! It would be awesome! Let’s find someplace that does it.

I think it would be even more awesome, though, if we went wearing these new $27 NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil shades, because of the 10 of them, half are shouts-outs to Prince songs, including Let’s Go Crazy (one of my favorite Prince songs).

(Side note: if you can spot all the ones that are Prince songs, PROPS.)

nars velvet matte lip swatches — Swatches of the new NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils from the top in Get Off, Intriguing, Do Me Baby, Famous Red, Let’s Go Crazy, Pussy Control, Dirty Mind, Endangered Red, Unspoken and Lonely Heart

nars lets go crazy — NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let’s Go Crazy

These are the 10 new shades joining the permanent line, aaaaaand one of them is kinda funky, although it’s a color that’s very trendy right now. It’s a dark bluish black, and I can’t remember seeing anything like it at NARS before.

It’s one of the ones that doesn’t have a Price name, but when you say it out loud, you do have to whisper…because it’s called “Unspoken.” Shh…

nars unspoken — NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Unspoken…

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