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Archives for June 2008

Most Popular Posts of the Week: June 2-8

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The strangest thing just happened. The sun is out, but it just poured down rain for a few minutes. It was the hardest rain I’ve seen in a while… Maybe it’ll sweep away the chickens, ha!

  • MAC Cosmetics Face of the Day: Hot Pink and Silver
    “It’s standard operating procedure for me to wake up on Mondays feeling grouchy, so to celebrate this minor miracle I decided to go big and bold with a full face inspired by the hot pink lip I wore a few days ago in this cosmopolitan-inspired lip look.”

  • Face of the Day: Simple Smokey Eye with Chanel Winter Nights Quad
    “As far as complete looks are concerned, this one is quick and easy to do. I used shades from the Chanel Winter Nights Quad, a versatile set with four basic, but pretty shades of pink, peachy gold, green and light brown. The look works well for the office or for things like family functions or semi-formals.”

  • Stila Sun SPF 15 Bronzing Powder: Here Comes the Sun
    “Normally, when I apply foundation it evens out my skin color and tone. That’s a good thing, but sometimes foundation creates too much uniformity, aka mannequin skin. Bronzer helps spice up the canvas produced by foundation alone.”

  • Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser: Shower in a Bottle
    “I chose to go with the minimal makeup, but my questionable decision didn’t subject the general population to stinky Karen hair. Nope! I used one of my favorite secret short cuts for time strapped mornings: dry shampoo. It’s an absorbent spray-on powder you apply to your roots to cut down on oil and grease. It can’t replace a cleansing hair wash, but it helps in a pinch.”

  • Get the Look for Less: Sonia Kashuk Eye Shadow Duo in Double Whammy
    “I think the green in Double Whammy looks a lot like Sprout — they could practically be eyeshadow twins! The blue shade doesn’t exactly match Parrot — it’s more royal blue than turquoise — but it’s still a very pretty color that can be used to duplicate many of the same looks.”

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Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother SPF 20 Lipgloss: A Budget Forget-Me-Not

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When I hit the beach I make it a rule to leave the expensive stuff at home because stuff has a tendency to disappear near large bodies of water — fancy sunglasses get forgotten on restroom counters, keys fall out of pockets in the surf and cars get broken into. I just bring the bare essentials of inexpensive beauty beach survival along with me and leave my beach bag in the car or on shore. That way, if (when) something does disappear, it’s not hard to replace.

If I were a rich heiress, I’d have an endless supply of Clinique’s Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 lipgloss and would absentmindedly forget tubes of it everywhere, but I’m not a rich heiress. At $14 bucks a pop, I’m not about to risk losing Glosswear, so on beach trips I’m bringing along my tube of Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother SPF 20 in Sheen ($6). This lil’ tube of gloss works like a charm, costs half as much as Glosswear does and still provides great SPF protection.

Sheen looks bright red in the tube but applies sheer pink. It has a light, slick feel on my lips, a subtle taste (which I don’t mind… It actually tastes really good, like watermelon Jolly Ranchers!) and subtle cooling effect. Great stuff, but it does have one unfortunate drawback: it doesn’t last (gives up after about two hours).
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Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia: A Floral Day Fragrance

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When we arrived in Hawaii the other day, my sweet mum-in-law greeted us at the airport with tuberose leis. Tuberose are small, fragrant, tube-shaped flowers with a light rosy fragrance I strongly associate with Hawaii.

But you don’t have to visit the islands to experience the fragrant tuberose. Just head to your nearby Nordstrom Estee Lauder counter and ask to test the Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia Eau de Parfum ($65-120), a white floral combining the scents of tuberose and gardenia.

There are subtle transitions between the top, middle and base notes.

Aerin Lauder, granddaughter of Estee Lauder, originally developed the fragrance for herself and for friends.

Fragrance notes

Top notes: tuberose
Middle notes: gardenia
Base notes: carnation

Estee Lauder used the following elements to create the fragrance: neroli (a plant oil similar to bergamot), lilac, rosewood, tuberose, gardenia, jasmine, white lilies, orange flowers, carnation, vanilla, bourbon

To closely match the scents of flowers in nature, Lauder used a fragrance technology they refer to as “Nature Intact,” and with it the perfumers really hit this one on the nose (pardon the pun). Wearing the scent makes me feel like I’m wearing a tuberose lei.

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I’ve been “visiting” this scent at the Nordie’s Estee Lauder counter near my house in Marin, practically dousing myself in it for the last month, but I’d been on the fence about purchasing it because of the price. The lesser expensive eau de parfum version (1 oz bottle) will set you back $65; a 2.5 oz bottle runs $120. A 1 oz bottle of the more concentrated perfume version, which I haven’t smelled, comes in a beautiful jeweled-top bottle and costs $300. Yes, you read that correctly: $300.

Since tomorrow is my birthday, and to commemorate this trip, I think I’m going to take the plunge and treat myself to the $65 eau de parfum. Hopefully, back at home in Marin, when I wear it I’ll think of Hawaii!

Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia Eau de Parfum Spray

Price: $65, 1 oz bottle; $120, 2.5 oz bottle
Use: A light, white floral fragrance reminiscent of Hawaii
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Try Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia at Nordstrom Estee Lauder counters or look for it online.

Yesterday, I spent the day in sunny Waikiki after watching the Kamehameha Day Floral Parade, the second oldest parade in America, and the only one to celebrate a king. I didn’t expect the parade to be as interactive as it was. Members of the audience would run out to meet, shake hands with and to hug and take photos with the parade participants as the floats passed by. I was told by people in the audience that Hawaii has a lot of parades. I guess there’s always something here to celebrate.

After the parade we headed to the Elks Club at the foot of Diamond Head mountain to hang out by the pool and to watch contestants come in from a kayak regatta. We finished the day with a trip to the Honolulu Aquarium. I wasn’t able to go surfing because the waves were just too big for me (eight footers!) and, hello! — I am way too wimpy to handle those bad boys.

Kamehameha Day Parade Oahu Hawaii
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Retro Roundup: One Year Ago on Makeup and Beauty Blog

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WOW! I can hardly believe this blog is more than a year old already. Where does the time go? These were some of my favorite posts from this time last year. 🙂

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Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock: Crazy Cool

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Aloha nui loa, girls! 🙂 Greetings from the island of Oahu. The day is young, but, as I’m sure you know, it’s never too early to think about sunscreen. On the agenda for this morning: a trip to downtown Honolulu (the biggest city on the island), to watch the 92nd annual Kamehameha Day Floral Parade. My camera is locked and loaded!

Even though it’s early in the morning here, I’m glad I brought along my can of Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock SPF 30 ($9). The sun here feels stronger than it feels back in San Francisco. Even through partly cloudy skies it can cause bad sunburns, even on someone with brown skin. An aerosol, spray-on sunblock, Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock SPF 30 is one of my favorite sunblocks. It’s lightweight and portable, waterproof and non-comedogenic.

Stepping off the plane yesterday was like stepping into a steam room. It was 88 degrees and humid outside, and today should be about the same. Knowing what to expect upon touchdown, I ducked into the bathroom on the plane shortly before landing to spray Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock onto my arms and legs. The formula leaves a cooling sensation on my skin, which also helps to wake me up after a flight through different time zones.

While I often bring this sunblock with me on sightseeing trips, I won’t rely on it if I’ll be spending an entire day at the beach. I use it to supplement lotion sunblocks. If I were going to be out in the sun and water all day long I would go through a can of Fresh Cooling Mist in no time. It may be waterproof, but it doesn’t have the staying power that most lotion SPFs have. But when you’re stepping outside the door and want quick sun protection on your exposed parts in 10 seconds or less, you can’t go wrong with a small bottle of Fresh Cooling Mist.

Snag Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock SPF 30 at your favorite drugstore or find it online.

Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock SPF 30

Price: $9
Use: For quick sun protection in a cooling spray
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

From the airport yesterday I ended up at the legendary Duke’s restaurant in Waikiki, named after a giant of the surfing world, for a quick drink on the beach. Like everything in the Waikiki neighborhood of downtown Honolulu, Dukes caters to tourists. Be that as it may, they’ve got one hell of a view.

Some highlights of Duke Kahanamoku’s remarkable life 1890-1968

1890 Born in Honolulu on August 24 to Duke and Julia, full-blooded Hawaiians and descendants of royalty.

1912 Won 2 Olympic Medals in Stockholm — a Gold while setting the world record for the 100 meter freestyle and a Silver with the U.S. freestyle relay team.

1920 Won 2 more Gold Medals for Swimming in the Antwerp Olympics for the 100 meter freestyle and on the U.S. freestyle relay team. Recommended surfing as an Olympic event.

1922-30 Lived in Los Angeles and played parts in 28 Hollywood movies.

1925 Heroic board rescue of eight drowning men at Newport Beach, CA.

1929 Rode a monster wave for more than a mile at Waikiki beach (likely the longest ride in modern times).

1966 Inducted in the Surfing Hall of Fame, becoming the first person to be inducted into both the Swimming and Surfing Halls of Fame.

1968 Died in Honolulu on January 22, followed by a Waikiki Beachboy funeral.


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You Must Choose: The Travel Edition

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You win a completely free vacation to the tropical location of your choice. Airfare, hotel, food, even souvenir spending money is covered (sweet!). There’s just one catch. When you travel to and from your destination, you have to wear a “special outfit” on the plane ride.

Your choices are…

Las Vegas show girl (complete with large feathered headdress), or full Scuba gear (with mask and flippers). YOU MUST CHOOSE!

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You and your girls head to Maui for a break. On your first day there you all decide to head to the beach, but as you sift through your luggage you realize that you’ve forgotten to pack a swimsuit. You grab the keys to the rental car and tell your homegirls you’ll meet them after you find a suit. Unfortunately, all of the stores on the island offer only two swimsuit choices: 1) an itty bitty, hot pink bikini (and matching thong bottom) with rhinestones on the bra top, or 2) a full-body Speedo Fastskin FS-Pro, the same suit worn by members of the US Olympic Women’s Swim Team. YOU MUST CHOOSE!
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Too bad the 2008 Olympic Men’s Swim Team won’t be wearing these outfits, yowza!
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You’re at the airport about to board a plane for a 12-hour flight. When you go to check in at the gate, the clerk informs you that there are only two open seats left on the plane. You can either 1) sit next to a quiet dude who doesn’t talk but keeps passing gas every 15 minutes and then sprays Cool Water perfume into the air to cover the smell, or 2) a guy who doesn’t pass gas every 15 minutes but constantly narrates everything you do as if you’re stuck in a romance novel (“Karen licked her lips, crossing her legs seductively. Her breasts heaved as she leaned over to grab a strip of beef jerky from her purse,” etc, etc). YOU MUST CHOOSE!

Right now I’m on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. I’m probably reading Us Weekly or The Time Traveler’s Wife and drinking ginger ale (I get bad motion sickness). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Getting to Know Oahu

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One of the eight major islands that make up the State of Hawaii, Oahu is home to about 900,000 people, or 75 percent of the resident population of the state. El Hub’s parents live in the smallish town of Kaneohe, which is located on the eastern side of the island.

When you’re talking about Hawaii, you’re not talking about a large area. Each of the islands is small by Mainland standards. For the locals, driving from one end of Oahu to the other represents a HUGE trip. For them it is, but in reality the farthest distance one could drive in a straight line without plowing into the sea is never more than 44 miles (71 km).


View Larger Map

Many visitors to Oahu arrive expecting a deserted, quiet tropical island with beaches as far as the eye can see, and some leave the island disappointed after their trip because Oahu bustles with activity (and shopping!). While it does have the snowy white beaches, mountain hikes, secluded waterfalls, beautiful flowers and warm climate that come with life in the tropics, it’s also home to almost a million people, ethnically diverse and busy with their own lives.

The people are what make Hawaii so special. It’s one of the most racially diverse yet ethnically integrated places in America and is the only state in the union in which people of Polynesian and Asian descent outnumber all other demographic groups.

    A few of my favorite Hawaiian beauty brands

  • Aloha Sun Botanicals – I *love* this line, especially the Maui Mists essential oil body sprays. I think they smell heavenly, and at $13 they’re a steal.

  • Island Essence – The cute labels on the packaging feature vintage-inspired images of Hawaiian hotties.

  • Maui Babe Browning Lotion – I’ve never used this to tan because I was brown when the stork delivered me, but I have heard from other girls that this stuff creates a lovely, rich tan.

  • Hawaiian Bath and Body – These handcrafted soaps and body product are made on the North Shore of Oahu (Hawaii’s surf capital). I love the North Shore for its natural beauty and because it’s also where El Hub and I got hitched.

  • Maleana Wedding Cosmetics – Dorys Foltin, a makeup artist on Oahu, created this line of fabulous makeup. Dorys did my wedding makeup two years ago and used her products on me to create a natural look with gold eyes, pink cheeks and pink lips. If you or anyone you know decides to get hitched on Oahu, book Dorys because she’s super nice and has major makeup game.

Some of the most heavily represented groups in Hawaii are Hawaiians, Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Puerto Ricans. El Hub’s great grandparents came to Hawaii from Portugal in the early 1900s to work in the sugar cane and pineapple fields alongside other people who’d emigrated from their home countries.
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Fight Frizz with Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control

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I finally started getting ready for my trip, and the first thing I packed was Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control ($22), a hair treatment spray designed to combat frizz and to protect hair from sun damage. It’s humid in Hawaii, which does a number on wavy hair like mine. I’d have a bird’s nest in no time without my Fekkai. The company says the product seals the hair cuticle. That’s marketing fancy talk, but I do know that on previous trips to the tropics, after I’ve spritzed it on damp, washed hair and brushed it through with a wide toothed comb, my hair has stayed smooth and frizz-free.

Zero-Frizz isn’t just a hair smoothing spray. It smells great (like coconut and citrus) and even contains a UV protectant Fekkai calls Solarshield, designed to prevent sun damage and lightening. And no alcohol here, which is a big plus, as hair products containing alcohol tend to be drying.
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