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Archives for June 2009

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, June 22

by 50 Comments

christian-louboutin-sparkly-silver-shoes
Heels by Christian Louboutin

  1. Mood:

    2. Mellow… I’m lusting after those shoes up top.

  2. What are three random things you’re great at doing?

    3. 1) Baking Italian cream cake from scratch, 2) parallel parking (even on hills!) and 3) striking up conversations with complete strangers.

  3. What’s one makeup product you find yourself buying over and over again?

    4. MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer ($15.50).

  4. Best/worst part of last weekend?

    5. On Saturday El Hub and I went house hunting and found a condo we both really liked — nice lighting, good neighborhood, and it was in our price range, too.

    We noticed railroad tracks in the open space directly behind the unit (a stone’s throw away) but didn’t think much of them at the time, having never seen or heard an actual operational train in Marin County before.

    That was our mistake. We’d gotten our hopes up about the place, started making life plans, and then BAM!

    A Google search confirmed it: trains are scheduled to start running along the tracks behind the unit in a few years.

    End of story. No condo.

  5. Name a song that always brings a smile to your face:

    6. Natasha Bedingfield’s Love Like This.

  6. What are you looking forward to this summer?

    7. Comic-Con!

  7. Eyes/cheeks/lips:

    8. A bunch of stuff from Clinique’s new Bamboo Pink collection — Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Bamboo Pink ($25) and Cream Shaper for Eyes in Chocolate Lustre ($15) on my eyes; Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Bamboo Pink ($30) on my cheeks and Butter Shine Lipstick in Bamboo Pink ($14) on my lips.

  8. Outfit:

    9. A black t-shirt and green khakis.

  9. Something you’d like to improve about yourself?

    10. How I handle stress.

  10. Weekly goals:

    11. Spend at least five hours reading, eat some fruit every day (it’s good for the constitution!), go to yoga class at least once, and organize at least one of the out-of-control piles of paperwork on my desk.

Hi, ladies. I hope your Monday got off to a good start. If you have a minute, check in when you get a chance. Just copy Le list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le list

1. Mood:
2. What are three random things you’re great at doing?
3. Makeup product you keep buying over and over again?
4. Best/worst part of last weekend?
5. A song that always brings a smile to your face?
6. What are you looking forward to this summer?
7. Eyes/cheeks/lips:
8. Outfit:
9. Something you’d like to improve about yourself?
10. Weekly goals:

Viva la Monday! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Jun 21

by 6 Comments

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

21 MORE Drugstore Beauty Tips

by 13 Comments

21 MORE Drugstore Beauty Tips

Happy Sunday, ladies! I hope yours got off to a good start. Today is Father’s Day here in the States, and what better way to celebrate than with a post highlighting something dads often preach: fiscal responsibility. 🙂

Here are 21 more drugstore beauty tips to help keep that budget on track.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like…

  1. Crest Advanced Seal Strips: A good pros/cons review with a glowing endorsement of the product from a top beauty blogger.

    2. advancedsealbox1

  2. Dove Beauty Bar: A drugstore beauty staple for generations, it’s always there in a pinch.

    3. Dove Beauty Bar

  3. Nadinola Cocoa Butter Cream: It’s hard to believe, but this highly-rated moisturizer often sells for under $1!

    4. nad

  4. Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation: Some beauty tips actually warn AGAINST a product, like this one does for a popular drugstore foundation.

    5. mayb

  5. Sally Hansen No Chip Polish: I love chips, but not on my nails. 🙂 In this post Blogger Vanessa gives a glowing 5/5 review to a can’t-miss $4 nail polish.

    6. sally2

  6. Biore Skin Preservation Line: Here’s a look at a drugstore skin care line for women 25-35, with skin that’s out of the “acne/breakout” phase but not yet ready for wrinkle fighters or thicker night creams/moisturizers.

    7. Biore skin care line
    [Continue reading…]

Illamasqua Lip Look: Thinking Outside the Box

by 31 Comments

illamasqua-box-lipstick-1-final1

KAPOW!

Illamasqua’s Lipstick in Box ($23 USD before shipping) hits like a heavyweight champ, and it may even give MAC Russian Red a run for its money.

Both are creamy bluish reds, but Box’s teensy touch of orange adds a warmth not present in Russian Red.

If you wanted to knock ’em out with Russian Red but found it too cool for your skin tone, don’t forget about Box.

illamasqua-box-lipstick-2

Named after Illamasqua co-founder Alex Box, it applies with opaque, rich color and lasts all day long without feathering.

I think I’m in lurve. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Cosmetics Meets Star Trek in This Face of the Day

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Guest blogging from Argentina, MBB reader Marcela shares her take on a Star Trek inspired face of the day using some of her favorite products from MAC Cosmetics.

Star Trek inspired makeup

Hi, everyone!

My name is Marcela. I’m no trekkie, having never watched any movies beginning with “Star” (Star Wars, anyone?), but hey, there are a couple (or a lot) of you out there who DO like sci-fi movies, so this FOTD is for you.

Now, this look is a sultry and dark, smoky black and gold eye — maybe a bit over the top, but you can tone it down (or switch it up!).

I don’t know why, but I didn’t line my bottom lash line with black. I’m sure that would have given the look a bit more va va voom!

The long winged liner was inspired by Spock’s upturned eyebrows, and the colors by — wait for it — a starry night!

Very original indeed… 🙂

Anyway, I liked how it turned out. I hope you do, too.

black-ore-eye-close-up-copia

Here are the products I used:

Face

Foundation: La Roche Posay Toleraine (applied with a sponge wedge)
Powder: MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Medium Dark (applied all over)
Blush: A shimmery golden bronze blush
Contour: MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Dark
Highlight: The shimmery side of the MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Duo in Dark

Eyes

Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Eyelid base: Any black cream shadow (applied to the outer 2/3 of the lid)
Eyelid inner corner: A mix of MAC Eye Shadow in Sumptuous Olive and MAC Flip (or any other bright gold shadow)
Eyelid: MAC Solar Bits in Black Ore (applied with MAC Mixing Medium over a black cream shadow)
Crease: MAC Eye Shadow in Carbon
Brow Highlight: MAC Eye Shadow in Modest Tone
Tearduct: MAC Eye Shadow in Solar White
Liner, Upper: MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
Liner, Lower: MAC Eye Shadow in Flip
Mascara: Givenchy Eye Fly

Lips

Lipstick: A flesh-tone lipstick like MAC Lipstick in Myth
Lipgloss: The peachy bronze gloss from Tarte’s Purse Your Lips Clutch applied under MAC Lipglass in Pink Grapefruit
Finish: A dab of a peachy gold pigment in the middle of the bottom lip
[Continue reading…]

Do You Shave Your Toes?

by 93 Comments

toes-in-pool

I’m not sure exactly when it happened or what I did to deserve it, but seven long, wiry hairs have sprouted up on each of my big toes.

It’s as if I have El Hub’s feet attached to my legs!

I used to think of my feet as pretty darn cute. I was always a hairy Sasquatch everywhere else, sure, but my toes had been gloriously fur free.

shave-yer-toes-dammit
Cartoon representation

Shaving them off seems kind of weird to me, ya know? I shave my legs all the time, but for some reason I can’t wrap my head around shaving the hair on my toes.

What should I do? If you have hairy tootsies, do you shave, pluck or wax?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

China Glaze Retro Diva Nail Polishes for Fall 2009

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china glaze retro diva all

I’m sitting here on the living room floor watching The Deep End on IFC and trying to decide on a polish to wear for my Friday night manicure. I’d like it to be something from China Glaze’s new Retro Diva collection.

Out next month, the collection features 12 groovy polishes (about $5/bottle) in shades of purple, burgundy, orange, red and taupe. China Glaze says the colors were inspired by platform shoes, hiphuggers and the rockin’ disco 1970s.

For a look at the 2010 fall collection…
  • China Glaze Vintage Vixen

    • When I think ’70s colors, I think pea green drapes and mustard yellow shag carpeting, but whatev. 🙂

    china glaze retro diva cords 731
    Cords

    china glaze retro diva short and sassy 732
    Short and Sassy

    china glaze retro diva lets groove 733
    Let’s Groove

    china glaze retro diva stella 734
    Stella

    china glaze retro diva skate night 735
    Skate Night

    china glaze retro diva far out 736
    Far Out
    [Continue reading…]

    Let Illamasqua Sirens Seduce You with Color

    by 38 Comments

    illmasqua-sirens

    Lately there’s been a lot of buzz around a bright, edgy new makeup line from the UK called Illamasqua, and the buzz recently kicked into high gear on our side of the Atlantic when the company started shipping across the pond.

    To cultivate our new addiction, UK makeup artist Rochelle O’Brien wrote a guest post with a great introduction to the line (Illamasqua Makeup for Your Alter Ego), and this morning I took a break to play with a few goodies from the company’s latest limited edition collection, appropriately named Sirens.

    Back in middle school I was a total FREAK for Greek mythology… I totes wanted to name my future daughter Athena, and the Sirens collection brought to mind images of gossamer gowns, glowing skin and long, angelic hair.

    The 15-piece collection includes a nice spread of products for eyes, lips and cheeks ranging in price from $18-30 (US) and a palette of bronze, gold, blue, pink, green and brown.

    The look’s all about glowing, golden skin punctuated by bright touches of bold, eye-catching color, BAM!

    illamasqua sirens swatches pic1

    illamasqua cosmetics sirens collection

    illamasqua sirens swatches pic 3

    The Sirens of Greek mythology were three mystical half-bird women who lived on a remote Mediterranean island. They were said to be so seductive that the sound of their voices on the wind could entrance passing sailors, causing them to run their ships aground on the rocky coast.

    Playing with a few items from the collection, I think I know how those sailors felt!

    Lipstick in Resist, $23

    illamasqua sirens swatches resist lipstick

    HOLY MUTHA. I would sooo crash my ship on the rocks for Resist lipstick, yo! One of two lipsticks from the Sirens collection, it’s bold AND sassy. She’s a creamy, hot pink demon! — and not for the faint of heart.

    illamasqua sirens resist lipstick 2

    Resist applies with rich, intense color. A single layer delivers full, opaque coverage that lasts for hours, surviving two slices of pizza and a glass of orange juice, too.

    As if the incredible color weren’t enough, the moisturizing, fragrance- and taste-free formula feels silky and feather-light on my lips. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

    illamasqua sirens resist liptick 1

    Bronzing Duo in Glint & Burnish, $30

    illamasqua sirens swatches bronzing duo glint and burnish 2

    Glint & Burnish, one of two Bronzing Duos in the collection, comes with a shimmery golden brown powder and a golden peach, both for face and body.

    The colors remind me of amped-up versions of MAC Beauty Powders.

    illamasqua sirens swatches bronzing duo glint and burnish

    These also pack intense pigmentation, and both finely milled powders feel ultra soft to the touch, literally melting into my skin.

    illamasqua sirens swatches bronzing duo glint and burnish 1

    And then there’s the glow…

    THE GLOW!

    It’s magical. Super fine shimmer particles — no chunky bits of disco glitter up in this mo’ fo’ — make skin glow like a pearl.

    At $30, these duos aren’t Chanel-caliber expensive, but they’re not exactly budget, either. Here, though, taking into account the large compacts, I think you get a lot for your money. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
    [Continue reading…]

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