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

Nails Inc. New Globe Walk SNOW GLOBE Nail Polish

November 3rd, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

Shake it like a Polaroid picture! Inside a snow globe! Because that’s what this is like.

How cute is this?! It’s a little snow globe inside a nail polish bottle, except the snowflakes are golden.

This is new $15 Nails Inc. Globe Walk SNOW GLOBE Nail Polish, and it’s available now on the Nails Inc. website.

The weather calls for a blizzard of hexagonal glitter flecks in a clear polish base. The flecks rest on the bottom of the bottle until you shake it up. Just shake, then paint, either on top of bare nails or another polish. Here I’m wearing Snow Globe on top of two Nails Inc. NailKale polishes, deep cherry Victoria and nude Montpelier Walk ($14 each, available now on the Nails Inc. website and Sephora).

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Buxom and bareMinerals Holiday 2015 Highlights

November 3rd, 2015 by Karen 14 Comments

If you’re reading this in the newsletter and can’t see the video, you can also click here to watch it on YouTube.

buxom bareminerals holiday 2015 — Highlights from the Buxom and bareMinerals Holiday 2015 collections…

Buxom, bareMinerals and the phrase “Bay Area,” which is where both of the aforementioned companies are headquartered (in San Francisco), all start with the letter “B,” as does the word “bad@ss,” which is what you probably are if you’ve already finished your holiday shopping.

Have you?! Because if you have, I bow down!

For the rest of us penitent procrastinators, there are fewer than 10 weeks left till Christmas! We’re in the single digits now, so if you need help with gift ideas for the makeup lovers in yo’ life, consider these new holiday sets from Buxom and bareMinerals.

Both lines launched their limited edition holiday collections last month, and here are some of the best gifting options, IMO. 🙂

buxom leave your mark kit — The Buxom Leave Your Mark Collection (a $59 set)

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Coming Soon: The New Mustela Maternite Skincare Line for New Moms and Moms-to-Be

November 3rd, 2015 by Karen 21 Comments

My skin feels tight!

No…I don’t mean “tight” as in that hella cool/rad/rocking way. I mean tight, as in a balloon that’s about to pop. 🙂

This is mostly because of what I’ve dubbed “The BG Zone,” aka “The Baby Girl Zone,” aka “My Tum and Boobs,” and even though the rational right half of my brain realizes that this is normal and just a prelude to bigger (haha) things to come, and that the real-deal fun is right around the corner, I’m still trying to brace myself, which includes incorporating some new skin and body care products into my routine, like these new products by Mustela.

They’re a French brand known for their skin care products for moms and babies, and they have a brand new line of lotions, balms and creams to help with stretch marks, body firming and itching…which happens sometimes when your skin feels stretched to its limits and you’re about two breaths away from bursting. The new Mustela Maternity Skincare line debuts online this month and at Target, Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby stores.

“For over 60 years, Mustela has been an expert in skincare innovation for babies and mothers-to-be. Thanks to a strong foundation in dermatological research, Mustela products are safe, gentle, and formulated specifically for your baby’s delicate skin. Paraben-, phthalate-, and phenoxyethanol-free, Mustela is, most importantly, proven safe for you and your baby.”
— Sephora.com

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5 Great Gothy Glam Lipsticks for Fall

November 2nd, 2015 by Karen 34 Comments

5 gothy glam lipsticks — You can’t go wrong with one of these gorgeously gothy glam lipsticks this fall

“Luke, I am your father!”

Wha!? Who you talkin’ to? Ain’t no Luke here, buddy. My name is Karen, and this is my cat Tabs.

“JOIN THE DARK SIDE, LUKE!”

Man, you are cray, but OK. Sure, I’ll join the dark side…of lipstick! BOOM! What!? Surprise attack! Get him, Tabs! Attack his ankles!!

–END–

Yes, fellow fierce force users, dark, vampy plums and wines are giving me So. Much. Life. There are so many great gothy glam lip colors out there, and here are five fabulous ones for fall.

1. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Liv ($22)

Oh! I love Liv’s deep, satiny aubergine finish and rich, creamy formula. It livs (get it?) online and at NARS counters, where you can find it now for $22.

2. Dolce & Gabbana Matte Lipstick in Dolce Inferno ($37)

dolce gabbana dolce inferno — Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Inferno

I am burning up with love for $37 Dolce Inferno. It’s hands down one of my favorite deep, dark lippies around. A moody matte plum, it has the faintest essence of pearl that gives it a little kick.

For a dark lipstick, it’s also easy to apply. The smooth, opaque formula feels fairly thick, and it doesn’t slip and slide all over my lips when I apply it, which I do with a lip brush. You’ll find this hot ticket heating up Dolce & Gabbana counters now.

3. MAC Satin Lipstick in Cyber ($17)

My dry lips love MAC Cyber’s comfy, creamy formula. This dark, satiny plum is so creamy that it tends to scoot beyond my natural lip line, so I like to wear it with MAC Cyber World Lip Liner, because 1) the two products are like peas in a pod (the colors match very closely), and 2) the liner totally keeps Cyber under control.

Skynet approved! Look for it passing Turing tests now at MAC counters and online.
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An Affable Autumn Moody Monday Makeup Look for a Folksy Fall

November 2nd, 2015 by Karen 44 Comments

I wasn’t sure what to call this look… Moody Monday? Or Folksy Fall? How about Affable Autumn?

So I’m leaning toward a combination of all three — an Affable Autumn Moody Monday Makeup Look for a Folksy Fall — because it’s overcast and drizzling right now (it rained hard last night), and part of me definitely wants to be sitting by a warm fire under a flannel blanket while sipping a mug of hot cocoa, while another part of me wants to be walking around outside in the rain dressed in black from head to toe with my headphones on while listening to Joy Division.

Basically, I’m feelin’ it. 🙂

There are three main concepts at work in this cozy/moody Monday makeup look. First, it features a warm matte reddish brown smoky eye. Second, the edges of the winged liner have been blurred. And third, the dark matte plum lip.

It’s a lot of look, for sure, but I think it all goes well together, especially if the weather where you are is anything like the weather is here now. It’s like it just turned full-on fall last night!

Skipping the winged liner or leaving out the falsies would tone it down. Or, you could not line your lower water line with the black liner, and just leave your lower water line bare.

Of course, to go the other way completely and boost the drama, you could go more intense with the brows, or add a gloss on top of the plum lip, or use a gel or liquid liner, which would add even more oomph (I just used a black eyeshadow applied with a wet brush). Any of those tweaks would look super cool.

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The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll/Open Thread

November 2nd, 2015 by Karen 63 Comments

Good morning, sweet pea! Welcome to November. 🙂

Ya know what? I feel like doing another open thread for the Monday Poll this week. I feel like we have a lot to talk about, like what you did for Halloween (did you scare anyone, or did anyone scare you?), any cool costumes you saw and whether you ate as many mini Snickers bars as I did (I had A LOT).

I’ll also eat Milky Way bars in a pinch.

It’s an open thread, so any topics are fair game, like makeup, cats, movies, baking, boots, cats, makeup, blogging, dating, career questions, school, cats, boots, accessories, scented candles, cats…

See you in the comments. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 370

November 1st, 2015 by Karen 10 Comments

Good morning, sir! Are you awake? I hate to disturb you, but it’s almost noon, and you have a full schedule today.

Sir?

(One hour later.)

Rise and shine, sir! It’s me again! Oh…you’re still sleeping?

James Franco keeps calling, sir. You two had a lunch meeting. Remember? I’m not sure what to tell him…

Maybe I should just wake you up. Or let you sleep? I don’t know… I guess I’ll check back in another hour. It was a long night, after all. That was SOME party, but it’s Sunday, sir. It’s time to do your column. What will we tell your fans?

I don’t even know if you can hear what I’m saying… Boy, you are out like a light! This would probably be a good time to ask for a raise. Lord knows I deserve one…

I guess I’ll check back in an hour.

(One hour later.)

OK, WAKEY, WAKEY!

What!? You can’t still be sleeping. Still…? Well, just so you know, I’ve been working my tail off today, thank you very much. I just finished cleaning the living room because your friends trashed the place, but I’m taking a late lunch now. I’ll check back in an hour.
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Comment to Win a $50 eGift Card From MAC! (Ends Monday)

October 31st, 2015 by Karen Monterichard 302 Comments

** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, ANNE!!!), but check back next Saturday for another giveaway.

Rise and shine, fellow frightening friend of mine… BOO! It’s Halloween. 🙂

Oh, the candy I plan to consume… Mini-Snickers, here I come!

Did you get up on the right side of the coffin this morning, my fiend? Do you feel well-rested and ready to haunt? I hope your fangs and claws look sharp. El Hub and I zipped over to Redding to visit family today, so we’ll be celebrating All Hallows’ Eve up here (yes, of course I brought my Rainbow Dash costume with me).

Have a terrifically terrifying day, and a fabulously frightening night. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

“Carol Anne, don’t go into the light!”

One (1) MAC eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter by leaving a comment below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- How do you feel about candy corn?
- Have you ever carved a pumpkin before?
- Best haunted house?
- Have you ever seen a ghost?
- Scariest movie you’ve ever seen?
- Have you ever been lost in the woods?
One entry per person.
You must use a valid email address to win.
The giveaway ends on Monday, November 2, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen