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Archives for November 2009

What Were Your Best and Worst Beauty Experiences of the Week?

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What were your best and worst beauty experiences of the week?

MY BEST:

My hair has been the bane of my existence for the past two months. I’m talking out-of-control roots, brassy highlights and overgrown layers that don’t sit right. Yesterday, I *finally* got it together and scheduled a cut and color for Wednesday. I’m counting down the hours!

MY WORST:

I was sitting on the couch watching Mad Men (SIDE NOTE: Has everyone on that show completely lost their mind?) when Tabs climbed onto my lap looking for lurvies. He reached up, placing both paws on my shoulder, which is what he does when he wants his tummy rubbed. I started petting, but something felt a little off. The fur on his belly, usually super soft, felt coarse and dry. When I looked down, I realized I was petting my own hair… My eighth grade self would have described the incident as “Hella moded.” 🙂 Guess it’s a good thing I scheduled that haircut, LOL!

What were your best and worst beauty experiences of the week? Please share yours in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing

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112809-saturday-surfing

Hey there, ladies. Happy Saturday! 🙂 It’s a crisp, windy day over here in Marin County, California. I’m bundling up to take a long, brisk walk outside with my giant mug ‘o tea.

I dunno what it is about these windy fall days, but they make me feel so alive — the sounds of rustling leaves, the wind whirling past my ears, and the cool kiss of the breeze on my skin.

I spent the better part of this morning just surfing the web and chillaxing, my standard operating procedure for Saturdays.

Here are the highlights of my day so far… 🙂

I can’t stop listening to this song…

What are you up to today? Doing anything fun?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup: Staying Where It’s Put

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Khalia Bentson

Written by Khalia Bentson

Today Khalia Bentson of Glamour and Love shares why she hearts Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Foundation.

I’m always on the market for makeup with real deal, all day long, no muss/fuss/budging staying power.

Why? Because my skin seems to absorb everything that touches it. No matter what I use, it doesn’t hang around for long.

Even skin tone is at the top of my makeup agenda, so naturally, it’s extremely frustrating to get home at the end of the day with uneven skin.

One night, perusing the makeup aisle at Walgreens while I waited for a prescription to be filled, I noticed Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup (foundation).

Twenty-four hours?! Doubtful, I thought, but for less than $10, I had to give it a try.

How long does it really last?

I compared my results to the claims on the label: does it withstand heat, sweat and humidity? Yes, yes and yes. How about non-transferable? I think so, another yes.

Even though it doesn’t last a full 24 hours (didn’t expect it to), I have to say, SuperStay 24HR passed my test.

And I’m amazed! This stuff did not budge at all. My biggest pet peeve is makeup that rubs off on anything and everything I touch. To see how well it would fare, I purposefully skipped primer OR setting powder (which I usually use), and it fared well.

As you’ll notice in these comparison pix, the foundation didn’t hold up quite as well in my oily t-zone as it did on the rest of my face, but this was without a setting powder. All things considered, I’d say SuperStay 24HR Makeup performed rather impressively.

maybelline superstay-24hour makeup review khalia 008
This pic was taken around 10 a.m. First, I washed and moisturized, then waited about 8 minutes before applying the foundation.
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Do You Ever Layer Different Nail Polishes?

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nars arabesque with chinatown
NARS Arabesque above a layer of NARS Chinatown

I do it all the time, trying to invent my own new colors or to liven something up with a little glitter on top.

Both of the polishes in my current favorite combo — NARS Arabesque and Chinatown — are from the NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous holiday set. 🙂

nars chinatown with arabesque

Do you ever layer your nail polishes?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Are you wearing anything on your nails today?

Clarins Wonder Volume Mascara in Black Reflections Adds a Little Sparkle and Shine

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Clarins Wonder Volume Mascara Black Reflections Review swatch2

I gotta hand it to the cooks in Clarins’ kitchen. They consistently cook up fun mascaras for their seasonal collections (remember the teal terror?).

This time they went all sparkly on us with limited edition Wonder Volume Mascara in Black Reflections ($24), from the Palazzo d’Oro holiday collection.

First I was afraid; I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never liiiive without you by my side. But I spent so many nights, thinking how you did me wrong, I grew strong. I learned how to carry on!

Sorry about that… Gloria Gaynor moment. 🙂

What I mean to say was, at first I expected Black Reflection to be too glittery for me. While it’s a traditional black mascara, Clarins really loaded it with silver shimmer.

But I think Clarins did something remarkably well with it that makes it doable for a range of daytime looks.

Hold me closer, tiny glitter!

They milled and milled and milled! The glitter bits in Black Reflections are so tiny and elegant — no disco diva glitter here — that some folks may not even notice at first glance. Upon closer inspection, however, the glitter dances and shimmers in the light.

This is what I call *really good glitter.*

I usually reach for black mascaras (more often than tinted ones), but sometimes I find myself wanting a little something extra — exactly the times I think Black Reflections will come in handy.

Clarins Wonder Volume Mascara Black Reflections Review no mascara
Nekkid lashes

Clarins Wonder Volume Mascara Black Reflections Review one layer
One layer
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Urban Decay Unsung Hero: 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon

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urban decay 24 7 glide one eye pencil in bourbon tip

Urban Decay’s creamy, long-wearing 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils come in a rainbow of gorgeous colors, but my favorite has to be Bourbon ($17).

She’s brown with golden glitter, and we’ve been friends since last spring, when I spotted a mini-Bourbon pencil in Urban Decay’s Get Baked Palette ($28).

Within a month I’d worn it down to a nub!

urban decay bourbon swatch

Ever since then, time and again, I’ve reached for Bourbon (on the rocks, ha!) when I’ve wanted a little sparkle. Its golden flecks lighten my lids in a subtle way, but not so subtle that I can’t appreciate the difference. It’s glitter, after all, and what’s the point of wearing glitter if you can’t enjoy the bling? 🙂
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