10-minute makeup must-haves

10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Lots O’ Latte

April 8th, 2019 by Karen 8 Comments

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

I swear to you…I don’t just love the Clinique Lots O’ Latte ($18.50) cream shadow stick because it’s named after a coffee drink, although that might have a bit to do with it.

Mostly, I like wearing this semi-sheer neutral golden taupe because it makes my lids glow with a lovely luminous sheen.

If Fuller Fudge is my Clinique cream shadow for sultry and smoky lids, then Lots O’ Latte is the one I wear for polished and professional. Like with Fuller Fudge, when you swipe it directly on your lids, then quickly blend it with your finger or a fluffy domed brush like a 217, then add liner and mascara, your eye makeup is DONE.

I think it totally works well for big nights out, too. Just add false lashes and a bright lip. Side note: You can pretty much wear it with any warm or cool lipstick of your choice, which is another added bonus.

clinique lots o latte swatch — Swatch out for this NC42 arm!

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10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush

April 2nd, 2019 by Karen 13 Comments

clinique blushing blush powder blush cupid — Love this blush for fast, fresh makeup! The lipstick is MAC Velvet Teddy, and the eyeshadow is Clinique Lots o’ Latte, by the way.

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Five minute, 10 minute… Heck — three-minute makeup! You can do it *all* with Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush ($24 each). These totally goof-proof powder blushes are fantastic for those out-the-door days, which I’ve come to love and appreciate lately.

You may have noticed that I’ve been wearing shade Sunset Glow a lot lately (like, all last week!). It’s a beautiful golden coral with a satin finish, and the magic behind this (and all of the blushes in this family) is that it’s semi-transparent, meaning that you can take your blush brush, dip it into the pan, do a swish or two on your cheek, a quick blend at the edges, and be totally and completely done. You won’t be stuck erasing a hard line of demarcation at the edges of your cheeks. Instead, you’ll find a soft, subtle gradient, and it almost just happens naturally if you load a brush with this blush and gently tap-tap-tap it a few times on your cheek. It’s like powder blush for dummies!

clinique blushing blush powder blush sunset glow cupid swatches — Built these up so you could see what they look like when they’re layered heavily. I’m an NC42 in MAC, but I think both of these blushes will look lovely on most skin tones.

And HELLO, flexibility. If I’m ever in the mood for more color on my cheeks, all I have to do is pop another layer or two on, because these blushes also build up beautifully.
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10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Kosas Tinted Face Oil

March 27th, 2019 by Karen 21 Comments

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Shake, shake, shake! Dot, dot, dot! Blend, blend, blend!

No, these are not the steps to the latest dance craze ? all the kids are doing. They’re what I do whenever I use Kosas Tinted Face Oil ($42 for a 1-oz. bottle).

I’m into speedy makeup at the moment, and this tinted face oil, which has a thin, somewhat runny consistency, is a minimalist’s dream come true.

Have you ever used MAC Face & Body? It feels just like that. Sorta slippery, sorta “melty.”

kosas tinted face oil before after — Left: no foundation. Middle: Wearing the shade Tone 06. Right: With all the other bells and whistles.

I dab a few drops on my face, blend it with fingers, and 30 seconds later — BOOP! — my skin’s fresh and dewy-looking, my pores look smoother, and the pigmented patches on my cheeks, along with the red areas around my nose, have disappeared. My skin looks naturally even and juuust disguised enough — no fake-looking mannequin skin. If you’re into “skin that looks like skin,” you’ll be into it.
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10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: Clinique Chubby Stick in Amp’d Up Apple

March 21st, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick — TBH, this was more like 5-minute makeup! Concealer on cheeks and under the eyes: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Golden; eyeshadow: Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint in Ample Amber; mascara: MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Lash; liner: MAC Coffee Eye Pencil; lipgloss: NARS No Regrets; AND BARE BROWS, AHHH!

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

This is gonna sound so cheesy, but this is my feel-good blush. ? I just feel really good when I wear it. It’s Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in Amp’d Up Apple, and it’s $24. When I put a bit of this beautiful matte pinkish brown on my cheeks, I look like I just finished a round of crossover jumping jacks (which are surprisingly difficult)!

Wearing this blush is like working out…without having to actually work out. Cheeks look lovely and healthy with Amp’d Up Apple’s wash of pink color, so you look like you *did* show up, and you’re ready to bring it. When you want a little more than basic contrast, it’s a great way to go. Methinks there’s something very chic French girl about it.

clinique ampd up apple chubby stick swatch — I’m an NC42, but Amp’d Up Apple should work well on most skin tones.

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10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: NARS Multi-Use Gloss

March 20th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

nars multi use glosses — The lightest and loveliest non-sticky gloss for your lids, cheeks and lips

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Oh, how do I love 10-minute makeup? Let me count the ways… LOL.

I’ll spare you the lengthy soliloquy, but here’s the gist of it: I like putting on a full face without spending HELLA YEARS applying and blending. Sometimes it’s just nice to do a quick makeup look that doesn’t look like a rush job. That said, even *I* get a little tired ? of doing the same brown smoky eye with peachy coral cheeks and a nude lip every day… I mean, I LOVE THAT LOOK, but sometimes you need to switch things up when you’re feeling “makeup restless,” ya know?

That’s where these new NARS Multi-Use Glosses come into play…

These glittery glosses are limited edition and available now on the NARS website for $24 each, so if you see something you like, you better grab it sooner than later because they won’t be around forever.

They feel like lip gloss and look like lip gloss, but you can wear them on your lips (of course), your eyes and your face (as a highlighter!).

nars multi use gloss swatches — My favorite shade is Relentless, the rose-gold with tiny flecks of glitter.

nars multi use gloss applicator — The applicator is a thin, flexible paddle.

All five of have the daintiest flecks of graceful glitter, so they sparkle and shine, which kicks them up a level.
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