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Archives for June 2009

S.O.S. Skincare: Clarins Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate

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Today reader Christine shares how an oil-based product finally soothed her highly sensitive, naturally oily skin.

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Oil for oily skin??

Lately, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of using oil on my skin… It’s a scary thought, after all, since I already have oily skin.

I joined the cleansing oil band wagon after a recent discovery, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it to say the least. 🙂

I made my new discovery a few weeks ago after suffering a terrible breakout. I’d picked at my skin out of desperation, going the whole 9-yards…steaming, extracting, exfoliating — you name it, I did it!

I decided to venture out to the mall to search for something to gently calm my sensitive skin. Without having anything particular in mind, I aimlessly wandered around Macy’s just browsing the skin products.

Clarins to the rescue!

That’s when I came across the Clarins counter and their sensitive skin section. Though their day and night creams sounded great, I was more interested in their Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate. At $59 USD for 0.5 oz, it was quite a hefty price.

The bottle says: “Apply to face or to sensitive areas, using light, sweeping movements.”

On Clarins’ website they state: “An emergency S.O.S. skin care treatment for sensitive skin. Immediately calms irritated skin, decongests and reduces a red appearance. Its ultra-soothing formula contains 90% plant extracts to help restore weakened tissues.”

For the record, my skin was in bad condition prior to giving Skin Beauty Repair a try.
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Redken Layer Lift: Big Hair Dreams *DO* Come True

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Heya, ladies. How was your day? What was the highlight of your Friday?

I’ve been sort of out of it today… I spent way too much time in Photoshop trying to design those pink and green thumbs for the MAC Naked Honey Review Roundup post this afternoon.

Time flies when you’re having fun with Photoshop.

Now I’m just browsing the web, looking for hair tips to create voluminous, *va-va-va-voom!* Victoria’s Secret hair.

Ever since my last haircut, I’ve been wanting to utilize these long layers for something dramatic.

Unfortch, there’s a fine line between good-looking big ass hair and hot mess hair.

big-hair-gone-wrong

Luckily for those of us obsessed with big hair, there’s Redken’s Layer Lift Spray Gel ($15), a non-aerosol, volumizing spray with a summery, lemon scent that fades in minutes.

Layer Lift adds body while providing hold, enhancing shine and packing frizz-fighting power.

To use it I spray enough on wet hair to lightly coat the top layers and ends.

The product doesn’t feel goopy or sticky like most tube gels, and that’s nice. Perhaps because of it, the pump doesn’t clog, so it’s always ready to apply in a jiffy.

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Once dry, my hair rocks mad volume all the way from mid-shaft to the ends, and because Layer Lift also helps to keep frizz under control, my mane avoids looking like a hot mess.

The stuff would be my new hair stylin’ crush if it weren’t for the price…

The 5.7-oz bottle seems small for $15, and I’m going through it quickly. After only two weeks, I’ve used about a third, but I bet that has something to do with the length of my hair. If you have shorter and/or thinner hair, you may be able to use less.

Redken Layer Lift Spray Gel

Price: $15 for a 5.7-oz spray bottle
Use: A frizz-fighting, shine-enhancing, volumizing spray gel
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+

You might like Redken Layer Lift Spray Gel if…

  1. …you want big hair with lots of volume,
  2. …you don’t mind paying a premium for hair care products,
  3. …you’re looking for a one-stop-shop volumizing gel.

Here comes the weekend!

Woot, woot, we made it to the weekend! Do you have any plans?

Tomorrow is Nordstrom’s Cosmetics Summer Trend Show in SF. I’ll be there with my trusty camera and notebook, of course, trying to figure out what’s what.

Enjoy the rest of your Friday night. Tabs says “Mmmrow!” 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MeIf you think you’d like to write a guest product review, tutorial or other article for Makeup and Beauty Blog, shoot me an email at karen@makeupandbeautyblog.com (or use my contact form) with an overview of your idea. I’ll get back to you right away.

Review Roundup: MAC Naked Honey

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MAC Naked Honey43%
Consensus: Bronzed beauties may find more to like in Naked Honey than lighter-skinned lovelies. Don’t miss the Skin Salve or Buckwheat Eyeshadows, though; they’re getting rave reviews! 🙂

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Up“The color palette features warm and shimmery brown, copper, pink and gold shades that should look gorgeous on warm skin tones and tans. There’s nothing here too out there or arty, nor are the colors apt to induce naps. They’re straight-up pretty (but wearable) products, and I’m a big fan.”

Full Review | Makeupandbeautyblog.com

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Down“Anyone who expected very honeyish scents will be a bit dismayed, as most of the scented products are more floral/spicy and less honey. The skin salve is the most honey scented product, but it is still quite floral-honey. I liked several items, but I felt like you could miss this launch and not live to regret it.”

Full Review | Temptalia.com

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Down“Over all this launch was not my favourite. Although it did have some winners. If you want to save your money for the next few MAC launches you won’t miss much here. I like the shadows and glosses along with the highlighters, but as far as ‘NEED -MUST- HAVES’ there are only a few…”

Full Review | Pursebuzz.com

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Up“I’ve got to tell you, this is undoubtedly the freshest, most exciting collection MAC’s come up with in a looong time. Along with Buzz Lipglass, I’m also kind of addicted to Naked Honey Body Wash ($19.50).”

Full Review | Tiawilliams.net

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Down“I dont think I have been excited about The Naked Honey collection since I saw it on Specktra. The shadows in the collection felt like repeats of ones I already have.”

Full Review | Themakeupsnob.com

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Up“…if you’ll excuse the pun, I’ve succumbed to all the buzz. The collection is half-makeup, half-body-stuff, and though the makeup portion is small compared to other releases, I think MAC did well with what they created.”

Full Review | Karlasugar.blogspot.com

Makeup and Beauty: Thumbs Down“…there was nothing that stood out enough for me to peel off some greenbacks. I have so many similar colors already that I can’t justify buying anything from NH. I have been lusting over Pollinator e/s for months but it is so much lighter than I thought.”

Full Review | Butterfly08, Longhaircareforum.com

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I’d like to update this post with as many Naked Honey collection reviews as possible. Let me know if you find any more or if you’ve done one yourself, and I’ll update the score up at the top. 🙂

Who’s the Most Glamorous Person You Know?

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Glamorous Tabs

Everyone has that person in their life — you know, the one always impeccably dressed from head to toe.

For me that person’s my ninang (the word for godmother in Tagalog).

She’s never without her makeup, and she always looks hella fierce!

Who’s the most glamorous person you know? Someone in your family, or is it a close friend? Let me know in the comments!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I’m Sweet on MAC Naked Honey

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Now that I’ve seen MAC’s new Naked Honey collection up close and personal, I think I know how bees must feel, ripped on honey and sunlight, dancing in the sky above fields of blooming wildflowers.

Not since Cult of Cherry have I been so moved by a MAC collection…

Available now, the 13-piece release of eye and lip makeup, skin care products and fragrances ($14-25) is a sensory feast! The colors excite me, the scents entice me, and the skin care hydrates the mutha’ effin’ crap out of my alligator dry bod.

The color palette features warm and shimmery brown, copper, pink and gold shades that should look gorgeous on warm skin tones and tans.

There’s nothing here too out there or arty, nor are the colors apt to induce naps. They’re straight-up pretty (but wearable) products, and I’m a big fan.

Eyeshadows

mac naked honey eyeshadow creme de miel
Creme de Miel Eyeshadow

mac naked honey eyeshadow pollinator
Pollinator Eyeshadow

mac naked honey eyeshadow buckwheat
Buckwheat Eyeshadow

Creme De Miel ($14.50), a shimmery, lemony gold, gets the frost just right. It’s my favorite of the three eyeshadows — a perfect color to brighten up the eyes. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

Pollinator ($14.50), a peachy pink, applies sheer with a semi-matte finish. It’s like a peachier version of MAC Expensive Pink Eyeshadow, sans the golden shimmer. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+

Buckwheat ($14.50), a shimmery taupe-ish brown, is the coolest of the three shades. I had to look closely to spot the little flecks of gold glitter it hides. So pretty! Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

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Swatches from left to right: Creme de Miel, Pollinator, Buckwheat

Lipglasses

mac naked honey tinted lipglass buzz she's a star queen bee
Tinted lipglass from left to right: Buzz, Queen Bee, She’s a Star

Don’t the Lipglass shades look like the eyeshadow colors? Neat, huh?

She’s a Star ($14), a shimmery lemon-gold, looks like a lip gloss version of Creme De Miel eyeshadow. I can’t wait to layer it above lipsticks in bronze, brown or red. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Queen Bee ($14), a shimmery, peachy gold, looks neutral enough to pair with smokey eyes but packs enough color to make bold statements on her own. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Buzz ($14), a shimmery, warm copper, applies with intense pigmentation and sparkle (for a full lip photo, click here). Love! Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+

mac naked honey swatches tinted lipglass buzz she's a star queen bee
Swatches from left to right: Buzz, Queen Bee, She’s a Star

High-Light Powders

mac naked honey high light powder honey light
High-Light Powder in Honey Light
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Lauren Conrad: Her Best Hair?

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Born Lauren Katherine Conrad on February 1, 1986, Lauren “LC” Conrad’s recent departure from The Hills signals the end of a cheesy reality show era!

I’ve followed her since her old school Laguna Beach years (“Let the rain fall down… and wake my dreams!”). She was my favorite part of The Hills, and now that she’s gone I don’t know if I’ll stay tuned…

The whole Heidi/Specer/Kristen trifecta might be a little too much hot mess for me to bear, yikes!

Over the past few years Lauren’s style has evolved from So Cal beach casual to Chanel-loving fashionista, but one thing’s stayed the same — her signature blonde locks.

Even though she doesn’t do dramatic changes to her hair color, she’ll still keep things interesting by switching up her styles with an updo, curls or her signature side braid.

Which of Lauren's hairstyles do you like best?

View Results

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Estee Lauder Pure White Linen Pink Coral: White Linen’s Fresh-Faced Li’l Sis

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Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, spokesmodel for Estee Lauder’s Pure White Linen Pink Coral fragrance

I’m *so not* an OG Estee Lauder White Linen kinda girl.

I know it’s considered a classic scent and loved by millions of women, but it always seemed too formal and kinda old lady overly mature to me.

That’s why I never expected to like EL’s new interpretation of the fragrance, Pure White Linen Pink Coral ($40).

The Bulgarian rose in the OG White Linen scent makes me think back to being a kid at family parties. My mom would always make me do my rounds, kissing cheeks on all of my aunties and grandmas. I could almost see the air around them. It was thick, and it smelled just like White Linen and fried fish (a fragrance common to Filipino get togethers, LOL!).

But EL lightened up with Pure White Linen Pink Coral. She’s fresher (so fresh!) than her older sister (the original White Linen) and more my cup of tea.

Pure White Linen Pink Coral joins Pure White Linen (a fruity floral with notes of orange and raspberry) and Pure White Linen Light Breeze (a citrus with grapefruit and Italian Bergamot), two other interpretations of the original White Linen fragrance.

The scent

Pure White Linen Pink Coral starts off with a burst of fresh cut green apple slices and crushed jasmine petals.

At first whiff I get a picture of a summer seaside wedding. The bride and her bridesmaids are standing with their bouquets held low, waiting for their cue to walk barefoot down a sandy aisle strewn with flower petals — casual, light and hopeful. 🙂

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A short time later (about 30 minutes), Pure White Linen Pink Coral’s middle notes appear, and the fragrance becomes a joyful, fresh floral mix of honeysuckle, cherry blossom and sweet pea flower.

As the scent dries down over the next few hours, vanilla and sandalwood emerge — sexy but coy, like a little black dress that fits in all the right places without having to show too much skin.
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How Do You Pack Your Makeup When You Travel?

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Tabs in Paris...
Vacation, all I ever wanted…

Every worker bee deserves a break from time to time — a few precious days away from the daily grind.

MBB reader Rhian heads on vacay in a few weeks (lucky girl!) and could use some help figuring out how to pack her makeup.

I’m taking a week-long vacation and wonder how the heck I’m gonna keep my makeup safe — especially the MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural! I know it’s so fragile, but it’s a complete must. I’m terrified it will crack and shatter.

Also, I want to take a 15 pan palette and a few blushes, but I’m not entirely sure how to pack them securely and save space. No traincases please. 🙂

Rhian

Hi, Rhian. Where are you going on vacation? Can I stow away in your luggage? 🙂

Unfortunately, I’m the world’s *worst* packer when it comes to clothes and shoes (I bring everything but the kitchen sink), but when it comes to packing beauty products, I have a system that works pretty well for me.

When I’m checking in bags

The liquids in breakable bottles and small jars (like foundation) go into a large, clear plastic bag nestled securely (and cushioned by clothes) in the center of my check-in luggage. Sometimes I’ll even protect the bag in bubble wrap secured with extra large rubber bands. My powder products come with me in my carry-on bag.

If I’m not checking a bag

If I’m not planning to check anything in, I’ll try to find small cream versions of my must-have liquid products (less likely to spill). If there are any liquid products I can’t live without, I’ll transfer them to small plastic travel bottles (the TSA rules allow up to 3-oz in size). I get mine from REI, like these 1-oz bottles for $1.20. And I’ll store the bottles in a quart-size plastic bag which I keep in my carry-on bag.

Powder products — compacts and palettes

I *always* carry these on the plane, storing them in a slim, rectangular-shaped makeup bag like this silver Trina Turk bag from a Clinique GWP. The shape works well for travel and even fits into a standard school backpack.

Extra palette protection!

If I’m extra worried about palettes breaking in my carry on, I’ll bubble wrap each one individually, securing it with rubber bands before popping it into my makeup bag.

Ladies, how do you pack your makeup for travel? Do you have any tips for Rhian?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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