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

Nothing Says I Love You Like…

February 19th, 2016 by Karen 16 Comments

…a shirt with the number and name of your husband’s favorite player on his favorite team, and a matching onesie for his future baby daughter! At least I think so.

I gave El Hub this Draymond Green Golden State Warriors shirt (they’re our local basketball team here in the Bay Area) for Valentine’s Day, and I swear, the man had tears in his eyes.

A little back story: El Hub looooooves Draymond Green (“He plays with so much heart!”). I’d even go so far as to call him El Hub’s current man crush, haha!

BG also got her dad a V-day gift — a matching Warriors onesie, which she plans to wear when they watch the playoffs together…assuming the Warriors make the playoffs this year.

If you’re in love with a sports fan, next time you need a gift for your guy (or girl) but are completely stumped, think about sports apparel. It was a big hit in our house.

I found the onesie and the tee with Draymond Green’s name and number on it in the NBA online store. I initially also intended to get a matching jersey for Tabs, but I couldn’t find one that I thought he’d like (haha), which leads me to ask a very pressing question… WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND A BASKETBALL JERSEY FOR YOUR CAT?! It really shouldn’t be this hard, people.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Shimmery Green Chanel Spring 2016 Makeup Tutorial

February 19th, 2016 by Karen 16 Comments

There should be a video right up here in this post, but if it isn’t appearing for any reason, you can click here to watch it on YouTube.

Green.

Like the coat of moss the oak tree outside my window is wearing, and the color of the tiny buds springing to life on the tips of its beautiful branches.

Green means spring is coming! 🙂

Aaand green also happens to be the color of baby poo…which is neither here nor there, but you can’t really blame me for mentioning it because, SERIOUSLY, I am so ready for this baby to check out of Hotel Karen already.

Ugh. Still. So. Pregnant.

Yup, greens: they aren’t just for smoothies anymore. Green is good, and I thoroughly support wearing green eyeshadow, especially in the spring.

Green gets top billing in this shimmery, springy makeup look I’m wearing with a bunch of products from the Chanel spring 2016 collection, which is brimming with bright shades of green, teal, purple and pink, but they’re handled in that elegant Chanel way.

I think that if my granny saw me wearing this look, she’d still recognize me, ya know what I mean? I feel like I still look like me, because sometimes, when I’m experimenting with colorful makeup, I look into the mirror and think, “WHOA! Who is that girl?”

To subdue some of the bright green intensity on my eyes, I incorporated a satiny pink, and then also a black liner on my lower water lines to sort of neutralize some of the intensity of the purple and bright blue. Then, to balance, instead of compete, with my eyes, I’m wearing soft peach, pink and tan on my cheeks, and pink lips.

chanel griffith green — Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Griffith Green

chanel might moonlight pink — Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Mighty (left) and Illusion D’Ombre in Moonlight Pink (right)

chanel sunkiss ribbon blush — Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon Blush

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Life’s a Beach of Champagne Peach With the NARS Hot Sand Collection

February 18th, 2016 by Karen 16 Comments

Billed, first and foremost, as a celebration of a NARS cult classic, the brand’s Illuminator in Hot Sand, the new NARS Hot Sand collection is that and more, like, it’s also an opportunity to say, “Oh, hello! It’s you again?” to two popular NARS re-promoted regulars, Orgasm and Laguna, except that this time they aren’t in the same duo…which does make them kindasorta different (I guess?).

The collection also gives us a glossy, creamy highlighting stick in a peachy champagne shade and a good excuse to take the new Hanamachi Kabuki Brush and rub it all over yo’ face like a cat all up in your grill…

Nothing in the collection, however, feels like walking on actual hot sand, which is a good thing, because that, my friend, would be absolute misery.

Because have you ever trekked barefoot across a sweltering beach?? It’s not fun at all… It’s right up there with cleaning a dirty toilet (bluh) or trying on skinny jeans in terrible lighting when you’re feeling extra bloated.

No, this release is all about peachy, highlighted eyes, cheeks, skin and lips. And good old reliable (or, played out, depending on your point of view) Orgasm and Laguna.

So, yeah, I wouldn’t recommend walking across hot sand under any circumstances, but I can recommend giving a few things from this five-piece collection a try.

The NARS Hot Sand Illuminating Multiple ($39)

If someone turned one of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders into a creamy stick, it would be a lot like the NARS Hot Sand Illuminating Multiple. It has that same gorgeous, subtle ability to highlight skin without leaving it looking greasy or frosty, and I think you’ll like it if your pores and fine lines are often an issue (because it doesn’t highlight either of them for me), or, if you just like highlighters that don’t put it all out there, if you know what I mean.

Like, if this highlighter were your secret admirer, it would write you a sweet poem in iambic pentameter and slip it under your door, instead of texting you an unsolicited dirty picture of its naughty bits.

Anywho…for a very subtle highlight, I like layering it beneath my foundation. I’ll swipe the stick directly on my cheekbones, then blend it out with the Hamanachi Kabuki Brush, also from this collection.

The Hot Sand Duos ($42 each)

nars hot sand duo — NARS Hot Sand/Laguna Blush/Bronzer Duo ($42) on the left and NARS Hot Sand/Orgasm Blush Duo ($42) on the right

With the Hot Sand/Orgasm Blush Duo, one side has a peachy champagne powder version of Hot Sand, and the other has an Orgasm blush… I like this one mostly because of Hot Sand, which shines more intensely than the Hot Sand Illuminator, but by no means would I call it frosty. It’s still subtle and on par with something like the new Hourglass Ambient Strobing Powders.

I think it’s very pretty and very beachy, boho glam, and it lasts all day long.

As for Orgasm blush…yep, it’s a classic, and I love how my face looks lively and fresh when I wear it, but how many pans of Orgasm blush does one person really need? I kinda wish NARS had released Hot Sand all by itself, instead of pairing it with Orgasm…

And in the Hot Sand/Laguna Bronzer Duo, you also get the same Hot Sand powder, except with NARS Laguna, instead of Orgasm. Aaand again, I’m still wishing that Hot Sand were sold individually, even though Laguna is a bronzing favorite of mine. It isn’t too cool toned or warm, so I can use it to bronze and/or contour.

The Hanamachi Kabuki Brush ($42)

nars hot sand lip gloss hanamachi kabuki brush — NARS Hot Sand Lip Gloss on the left ($26) and the NARS Hanamachi Kabuki Brush ($42) on the right

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When Was the Last Time Someone Complimented You on Your Makeup, and Do You Remember What Makeup You Were Wearing at the Time?

February 18th, 2016 by Karen 43 Comments

When was the last time someone said something nice to you about your makeup, and do you remember what makeup you were wearing at the time?

It happened last weekend! — and it took me by surprise because 1) I’d done the pretty mininal makeup, and 2) the compliments came from two Sephora artists.

The gals who work at the store in my town are always so done up — they wear intricate cut creases, glitter, lots of contouring, etc. — and look fabulous, but, interestingly, talking to them I’ve found out that most of them say that they like to wear simple, minimal makeup, just as much as I do.

I guess I always just assumed that because they go all out with their makeup at work, they must prefer intricate, complicated looks, but that’s not always the case!

I forgot to take a picture of my makeup that day, but it looked very similar to this five-minute makeup look here…

Here were the main products I used…

BECCA Backlight Priming Filter
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint SPF30 (I mixed the shades St. Moritz and Cuba)
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Concealer (I use R32 to correct the color of my dark circles, then Y33 to conceal them)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Tan
Guerlain 4 Seasons Contour and Bronzing Powder in Brunettes
MAC Sheertone Blush in Gingerly
Chanel Le Stylo Yeux in Waterproof Eyeliner in 914 Feuilles (I like to use this dark gray sometimes because it’s a little less intense than black liner)
Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Escalator Mascara
Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper & Hair Touch Up in Brunette
Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss in Liar

The whole kit and caboodle took 10 minutes, tops.

Oh! — and these are the makeup products, by the way, I’ve packed into my labor hospital bag. Yup, I’m finally officially packed and ready to go! I’ll be ready to party when Baby Girl shows up (OK, probably not really). 🙂

What about you? When was that last time someone complimented you on your makeup, and do you remember what makeup you were wearing at the time?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

For Sensationally Soft, Squeaky Clean Skin, Scrub-a-Dub-Dub and Exfoliate Before You Turn on the Shower

February 17th, 2016 by Karen 22 Comments

Next time you exfoliate your bod in the shower, instead of wetting your skin first before you get down to it, try applying your scrub to your skin while it’s still dry, with the shower turned off. Then, after rubbing your little heart out, turn on the water and rinse.

Sooo, why would anyone do it this way?

LOL! Good question… No, but seriously, I think I get a better, more intense scrub when I scrub while my skin is dry. My skin feels softer and squeakier clean than when I scrub while it’s wet.

The first time I heard about doing it this way was at a spa years ago, but, wouldn’t you know it? After getting home, I promptly forgot.

But I remembered after seeing it mentioned recently in a magazine. I think it was this month’s Allure… There’s an article in there about multitasking and getting the most out of your shower time.

Anywho, I did it last night with three different exfoliating scrubs. I hopped in the shower (with the water off) and used one of the scrubs on my arms, one on my torso and the other one on my legs. Then I stood there for few minutes scrubbing everything south of my neck.

Doop-da-doo…

After I turned on the water and rinsed, my skin felt smooth as a baby’s bottom — smoother, I feel, than it would have had I used the scrubs on wet skin.

And I’m sure I also ended up using less product.

By the way, the three scrubs I tried last night were…

Tree Hut Vanilla & Honey Gentle Oatmeal Scrub ($7.99) — This gentle, non-abrasive creamy scrub smells faintly of yummy oatmeal cookies. Mmm… Oatmeal cookies…
Soap & Glory Flake Away ($15) — This highly moisturizing, fragrant scrub (the strong scent reminds me of the old Dior Miss Cherie, which I loved) contains shea butter, sugar and pretty big scrubby bits, so it’s a little more intense than the Tree Hut Gentle Oatmeal Scrub. It also leaves behind a slightly oily residue.
I really like this one. It did the business, and my skin felt soft and great.
Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub for Smooth Skin ($38) — This creamy concoction has medium-sized scrubby bits made from natural bamboo fibers and a very faint, almost imperceptible peach scent.
It also did a great job. Plus, I didn’t have to use much, and it didn’t leave behind an oily residue.

Have you been using any good scrubs lately? And do you usually use them on wet skin or dry? Inquiring minds want to know…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Day in Beauty, Vol. 11: Tabby Tea Time, the L’Oreal Cleansing Balms, and Gooooo Science!

February 17th, 2016 by Karen 48 Comments

Let’s hear it for the boyyyys! I gotta hand it to El Hub and Tabs for always keeping me on my toes. Those two… I never know what to expect from them, even after all this time.

Like today — today I learned that Tabs likes tea.

Who knew?

Because this morning I made a cup of decaf Irish breakfast tea (it’s super tasty! — the one from Trader Joe’s), put a hearty splash of milk in it, and set the cup down on my desk when I sat down to write.

Shortly thereafter, Tabs jumped up on the desk, and I just assumed that he was going to do what he usually does, which is to walk across the desk toward the window, where he likes to look outside.

I wasn’t really paying attention because I had my eyes on the screen, but then I heard a little tabby tongue lapping something up and realized, OH, CRAP! He’s drinking my tea.

LOL! #smdh

Oh, don’t even get me started on traumatic tea events… Seems like my desk is a magnet for them (remind me to tell you about the “Onion Tea Incident” someday, but I can’t talk about it right now because the thought of it just triggered my gag reflex).

So, yeah, watch your cat around your morning beverages… Sneaky kittehs…

L’Oreal Cleansing Balms

This next one isn’t tea related, but I’ve also been into these new cleansing balms by L’Oreal lately.

WOW! Years ago, back when I started MBB, I never would have thought we’d be seeing affordable sulfate-, silicone- and paraben-free hair products at stores like CVS, Rite Aid and Target, but these cleansing balms are exactly that. They’re about $12 for a big 16.9-oz. bottle.

These would have been the kinds of products I would have had to get at a specialty beauty store or salon, and they would have been a lot more than $12… Drugstores have come a loooong way.

So, these non-lathering cleansers? I think they’re great. You use them in place of your regular shampoo and conditioner, where they clean and condition in one fell swoop, and they do it without stripping color or moisture from your hair or weighing it down.

The overall idea has been around for years (google “conditioner washing” or “co-washing”), so these aren’t revolutionary, but I like that the idea is more mainstream now.
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Outfit of the Day: ASOS Double Layer Skater Dress in Stripe

February 16th, 2016 by Karen 22 Comments

I’m taking a page out of my feline employer’s book today and rocking the stripes, because if there’s a time to work the horizontal stripes with gusto, it’s when you’re 38 weeks pregnant and massive, LOL!

This is one of the nursing/maternity dresses I recently ordered on sale from ASOS.

Remember how I wasn’t sure about the sizing of their stuff because I’d heard “some things”? Well, I went up a size with this one, and — glory be! — it fits.

It’s actually a little loose in the arms and shoulders, but that’s OK with me for now.

The jersey feels nice and soft, and I like the pattern and cut, but I have to say…this is probably not one of those dresses that’s going to last forever. After washing and air drying it just twice, I noticed a tiny hole in the skirt (BOOO!) while ironing it this morning.

Now I’m thinking it was really fortuitous that I got it on sale for $24 instead of the regular $60 full price.
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Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon: With These Shadows, the Honeymoon Period Lasts and Lasts and Lasts…

February 16th, 2016 by Karen 34 Comments

tom ford honeymoon — Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon ($80)

Competely proven, statistically verifiable facts (well…) about the new spring Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon…

It costs $1 BILLION!
OK…it’s more like $80, but it feels like a billion dollars because we’re only talking about four eyeshadows.
Studies show that upon applying any of these four luminous shades, nine out of 10 people exhibit the following symptoms: their eyes roll back in their head, they bite down on their fist and scream, “OHHHH!” in sheer ecstasy. The tenth person just face plants directly on the ground from a standing position.
You could probably live without it (LIES!!!).

I mean, seriously, there are so many things (price notwidthstanding) about this quad that make me want to do the snake in my chair. In terms of texture, finish and wear time, it knocks it outta the park.

tom ford honeymoon swatches — Swatches of the Tom Ford Eye Quad in Honeymoon (for reference, as you may or may not already know, I’m a MAC NC42)

It’s as if Tom probed my mind like a creepy makeup alien from The X-Files (have you been watching the new ones?) and molded all of my lusty eyeshadow dreams into these pans. When I load my brush with these shadows and apply them to my lids, the pigmented powders glide, blend and buff like they were put on this planet solely to make my makeup life easier.

A few days ago, I got it into my head to use the palette, and it was a day when I didn’t have a lot of time to get ready. No joke — I had my eye makeup all blended and done in less than five minutes, and even though I blazed through everything, I didn’t have to clean up anything under my eyes.

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