The Lust Dusters are loose eyeshadows that are Benefit’s equivalent to MAC Pigments. Big Daddy ($18) is a shimmery peachy bronze; I love it for a quick wash of color on the lids.
Hey, Big Daddy
Archives for May 2009
Heidi Klum: Her Best Hair?
Last weekend one of my favorite Hollywood couples, Seal and Heidi Klum, renewed their vows in a Malibu ceremony with, I kid you not, a “white trash” wedding theme.
The groom wore cutoff jean shorts and a mullet (LOL!), while the bride sported serious Bo Derek ’80s corn rows, and they took their cues from an Elvis impersonator/chaplain.
Ya gotta love a couple with a good sense of humor. 🙂
Heidi doesn’t wear the braided ‘do often, and she hasn’t been the most adventurous girl when it comes to color, but she will change things up with updos, straight and wavy styles.
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Philosophy Unconditional Love Perfumed Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel: A Delicious Indulgence
You’re sitting at a sidewalk cafe on a sunny afternoon. A waiter brings out a slice of freshly baked blackberry pie along with a piping hot cup of vanilla rooibos tea. You catch a whiff as the scents mingle and feel comforted, relaxed… and yes, a little hungry.
I get this image in my mind whenever I reach for my bottle of Philosophy’s Unconditional Love Perfumed Shampoo, Bath and Shower Gel ($22). 🙂
While I mostly use Philosophy Unconditional Love as a shower gel, it also works as a bubble bath and shampoo. The rich foam is bubblier than a gang of cheerleaders hopped up on Red Bull.
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Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield and My Color Treated Hair
There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When life takes away your internet connection at home, drive around until you find free wireless.”
So I’m writing this from the Tiburon Library parking lot, where I’m sitting inside my car with my laptop and digital camera. 🙂
I’m taking mobile blogging to a whole new level!
But I digress…
You remember how I went to the salon last week to get chocolate highlights and to color my gray roots?
Well, because I don’t want faded highlights the color of hay (“Haaaaaay!”), I’ve been testing some sun-protection hair stuff, including Redken’s Color Extend Sparkling Shield ($11).
It’s a water-resistant, leave-in spray designed to protect color jobs from UV rays and chlorine while enhancing hair shine and shimmer.
First impressions
For just about a week now, I’ve been spraying it on my ponytail before heading outside.
I haven’t been using it for long, but I can say that it didn’t make a great first impression. It feels slick and looks waaaay greasy on my hair, like I haven’t washed it in a week (I have).
I think it may have to do with the amount of silicone it contains. The very first ingredient listed on the bottle (which usually indicates the amount of an ingredient relative to the other ingredients) is cyclopentasiloxane, a compound commonly added to hair products to reduce frizz and enhance shine.
Unfortunately, products with a lot of silicones in them also leave my hair feeling slick and greasy.
I’m not completely against silicones in my hair products, but too much is too much.
Sparkle me
I also wanted to try Color Extend Sparkling Shield because of the sparkles I can see through the bottle. I thought they might make my hair shine, and they do, but it’s a wet-looking shine — not the kind of shine I was hoping for.
On top of the way it makes my hair look and feel, the jasmine, honeysuckle fragrance smells too strong and synthetic to me.
Work much?
In terms of sun protection — the main reason I wanted to try it — I don’t think I’ve been using it long enough to say.
When it comes to color protecting sprays, I think for now I’ll stick with PureOlogy Colour Max ($18) spray. It may not look like much from the packaging, but at least it doesn’t leave a greasy film. That, and I love the light floral scent!
Redken’s Color Extend Sparkling Shield may not have worked for me, but you still might like it if you’re looking for slick, super shiny hair.
Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield
Price: $11 for a 5-oz spray bottle
Use: Protection for color-treated hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: C
You might like Redken Color Extend Sparkling Shield if…
- …your hair responds well to silicones,
- …you’re a die-hard Redken fan,
- …you like hair products with a strong floral scent.
Looks like my laptop battery is about to die, so I’m out of here for now.
I hope you’re having a good day. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, May 11
- Mood:
- Favorite food:
- Where did you grow up?
- What was your first job?
- Outfit:
- Eyes/lips/cheeks:
- What’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to you?
- Nails:
- Do you floss your teeth?
- Weekly goals:
Mostly calm now, but I’ve had three anxiety attacks since Friday — pains in the chest, shortness of breath, tears, the whole nine yards.
You know that feeling you get when there’s just too much to do and not enough time to do it in? That’s where I’m at right now. Between school, trying to build my freelance writing business and keeping up with the blog, El Hub and I have also been house hunting.
I know that none of these things are matters of life/death. None are really important in the greater scheme of things, but I can’t help myself. I’m only human. I’ve been stressed out.
Last night I drank about half a gallon of Get Relaxed Tea ($10.50) and went to bed early. That seems to have helped a little.
It changes often, but lately I haven’t been able to get my fill of pancakes.
The East Bay, baby!
It was in 1991. I worked as a “freelance musician,” playing flute in a church orchestra. I got the job because my music teacher at the time had a few gigs he wasn’t able to make due to scheduling conflicts, so he sent me in his place.
Jeans, and a white and yellow tank top I got at Old Navy for $8 bucks!
Urban Decay Get Baked Palette/Laura Mercier Bellini/NARS The Multiple Orgasm
Meeting El Hub. That day changed my life forever. 🙂
Lippmann It’s Raining Men on my toes, but my fingers are bare.
Yes, every night before bed.
To relax about freelancing work (I can only do what I can do), to finish packing by Wednesday and to drink HELLA Get Relaxed tea.
Hi, ladies. I hope your Monday got off to a good start.
To do the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments. Let me know how you’re doing. 🙂
Le List
Mood:
Favorite food:
Where did you grow up?:
What was your first job?:
Outfit:
Eyes/lips/cheeks:
What’s one of the best things that ever happened to you?:
Nails:
Do you floss your teeth?:
Weekly goals:
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, May. 10
For Mother’s Day, Tabs handed me the reins to his weekly column. If you knew Tabs, you’d know how big a sacrifice that was for him, LOL! He loves his weekly column on the blog.
I guess he figured he owed me a little appreciation for all the gravy, petting and unconditional love I give him.
Smart cat. 🙂
Here are some pretty cool links I found while surfing the web this afternoon. I was watching MTV’s Parental Control at the time. I wonder if that had anything to do with my choices…
- What Can You Do About Uneven Pigmentation? — Sometimes it’s caused by hormones; other times it’s sun damage. Whatever the cause, discolored skin bugs the heck out of many women, but help is out there.
- Nail Art Tutorial: “Teenage” Nails — SO FUN! Sometimes solid colored nails just aren’t fancy enough to express how I feel. Enter nail art!
- Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish — What does $5.49 in drugstore nail polish buy these days? Vampy has the scoop.
- Review: Eyeko 3 in 1 cream, Big Eyes Tube Mascara, Strawberry Fat Balm and Polish — It was love at first sight when I spotted these Eyeko nail polishes over at Cosmetic Candy.
- Urban Decay Cream Shadow/Face of the Night — I am really lovin’ this evening look with UD’s Cream Shadow in Mushroom. This is one of my *favorite* looks of the year.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Here Comes the Sun — Screen: Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream
Do you smell that?
It’s the scent of my new sunscreen crush, Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream ($17.50).
Part of Clinique’s new 10-piece Sun Protection line of face and body products, Clinique Sun SPF 30 Face Cream is an oil-free, quick-absorbing sunscreen offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
But its scent, or lack thereof, is what sets it apart.
The lightly moisturizing formula doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy or sticky, so I can use it on my face AND my neck. Plus, it dries to an invisible, matte finish — no gray or white cast on my brown skin.
In terms of texture, Clinique’s Sun Face Cream feels thick and rich (a little goes a long way).
My favorite thing about it has to be the scent. Clinique nailed it down. You know how most sunscreens smell so “sunscreeny”? Sun Face Cream doesn’t. I mean it does, but it’s very faint.
Outdoorsy, active girls should love the stuff because it resists sweat and water like a champ. I’ve been applying it before going outside for runs lately, and it doesn’t sting my eyes as sweat trickles down from my forehead.
Unfortunately, it’s Clinique, so it’s not the cheapest sunscreen around…
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Another 21 Makeup Tutorials
Happy Mother’s Day, ladies (and gents)!
Makeup cheerleader: “What do we want!?”
Beauty addicts: “Makeup tutorials!”
Makeup cheerleader: “When do we want ’em!?”
Beauty addicts: “NOW!”
I think you’ll lurve this new batch of makeup tuts. Some of them are real gems. I can’t believe I almost forgot to include tutorials from Doe Deere Blogazine, yikes!
Without further ado, let us begin.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like…
- Barbarella Makeup Tutorial: Here’s an AMAZING makeup tutorial featuring a look ’60s Jane Fonda could have worn.
- Cabaret Makeup Tutorial: They say that life is a cabaret (old chum). Well, it can be now. Va-va-va-voom!
- Holiday Makeup Looks: Whether you’re going on summer vacation or just planning ahead, it helps to have a repertoire of holiday looks.
- Get Great Eye Makeup Every Time: The artist in this video starts by applying eye makeup before the rest of the products she uses on a face.
- Summer Glow Look: A great look for fair-skinned ladies wanting to get all “Giselle” up on the catwalk. Meow!
- Summer Glow Makeup Look for Dark Skin: Here’s a lovely, glowing summer look for brown-skinned girls. Surf’s up!
