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Archives for May 2010

Makeup Organization Ideas: MAC Paint Pots, Pigments or Fluidlines

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Another makeup organizational treasure from the craft store, babes!

I found this clear ArtBin box with 18 compartments at Joanne for about $7. Each cubby is big enough to fit a MAC Paint Pot, Pigment or Fluidline (Benefit Creaseless Creams and Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams also fit nicely, too).

I used to keep ’em jumbled up in a single drawer, but it took forever to find the color I wanted, and whenever I’d move one pot, all the others would move too. With the pots separated like this, I can always find exactly what I need quickly.

Added bonus: the containers are see-through, stackable and portable, too.

I know there’s a lot of cream shadows in one space in these pics, and most women probably don’t hoard as much as I do, LOL! Things just start to add up after one avidly collects for a few years…

MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Brown Eyeshadow

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mac soft brown

Oh, the buckets of glittery tears I’d shed if MAC ever discontinued Soft Brown Matte Eyeshadow ($14.50).

Don’t be fooled by how uninspiring it looks in the pan. Soft Brown’s like the sun and the rain, and it makes my life a foolish game. Okay, well, that may be going a little too far, but I do think I could probably wear it every day for the rest of my life (no joke).

Because it’s a color I reach for so often, I think of Soft Brown as an “anchor” shade — like the glue that holds many of my eye looks together.

Worn in the crease, Soft Brown’s warm orangey brown gives depth and dimension to smokey looks. In a matte finish, I think it also ups the contrast of any shimmery shades I wear with it in blue, green, peach, pink — you name it.

A few shots of Soft Brown in action…
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9 Things: Times You Took a Chance

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Lately I’ve been trying to reconnect with my inner risk taker. No, not the “Danger, Will Robinson!” one (I’m glad she’s gone!). I’m referring to the me who used to take chances.

You know how it is. You’re faced with a choice — you can either play it safe and take the simply “okay” outcome, or you can go the riskier route and shoot for the potentially awesome ending.

I was more willing to take chances when I was younger, and with that courage came some great things. When I think about how fearless I was back then, well, I’m kind of amazed! I guess I always just assumed I’d land every leap of faith, but then you come up short a few times, life knocks you around, and pretty soon you don’t know if you can afford another miss. You start to play it safe — first once, and then again, and again, until pretty soon you’re playing it safe all the time.

Today I tried to think of the times I took chances in my life, and here are the nine that came to mind (in no particular order):

1. Chopping off my hair

After a bad breakup in my 20s, I traded my long, elbow-length black hair for a short, chin-length bob with red streaks. I felt like I needed a change, and the easiest place to start was on the top of my head. 🙂 Sure, it’s cliché, but I felt liberated afterward, even though the back of my neck was always freezing!

2. Skydiving

I always wanted to jump out of an airplane and finally went for it about 10 years ago. And I did it without telling my mom. Woman was PISSED when she found out! Now, whenever I feel afraid of something, I remind myself that I willfully hurled my body from a moving airplane thousands of feet above the ground.

3. Drama, One-Oh-One

As a kid, I was painfully shy, and then when I started high school, I decided I didn’t want to be that way anymore, so I enrolled in drama and public speaking, both of which really helped me break out of my shell.

4. Yellow nail polish

The first time I saw a bottle of yellow nail polish I thought, “Weird!” But thank goodness I went there. A good yellow polish always brightens my mood.


Essie Shorty pants, from the Neon collection
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YSL Gloss Pur: Hello, Hibiscus!

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ysl gloss pur

Things I wish I had fewer of: chin hairs, Nutella cravings, and embarrassing outbursts.

Things I wish I had more of: pairs of shoes with four-inch heels, free time, and colorful yet low-maintenance lipglosses.

I may be blind as a bat without my glasses and shorter than most middle schoolers, but at least my lips look good thanks to Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Pur in #9 Pur Hibiscus ($30). 🙂

Loaded with shine, this fuchsia cutie is one of four glosses in the YSL summer makeup collection (NOTE: YSL’s rolling all four shades into their permanent line). Its semi-sheer, easy-to-wear color means not having to worry about gloss edging past your natural lip line or accidentally smearing all over your face.
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Makeup Organization Ideas: Eyeliner

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The other day I popped by a Joanne craft store and picked up this ArtBin Prism 6-Compartment Box (about $7) to organize eyeliners by color.

I used to store all of mine in a big cup, but it took forever to find the color I wanted. Even though I still have to dig a little with this system, it’s still much easier to find stuff than before. I like it so much I plan on buying another one for lip liners!

How do you like to store your eyeliners?

P.S. If you’re new here, thank you for visiting. Makeup and Beauty Blog is a makeup blog with daily product reviews, beauty tips, giveaways and the random shenanigans of a crazy cat lady/makeup enthusiast named Karen (that’s me!). 🙂

Comment to Win SJP NYC [TWO WINNERS]

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  • The giveaway is now closed; congrats Darcy and Sarah! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

Happy Wednesday, my friend. I hope you’re having a great week so far and feeling downright fabulous. 🙂

There’s a cosmopolitan-fueled buzz in the air! The new Sex and the City sequel dances into theaters tomorrow (TOMORROW!), and I’m beyond stoked.

As if the movie opening isn’t cool enough, but today’s giveaway makes it that much cooler. It features some kick-arse prizes, including the new Sarah Jessica Parker scent, SJP NYC.

Conceived with a street-strutting Carrie Bradshaw in mind, it’s a flirtatious fruity floral with notes of wild strawberry, mandarin orange, gardenia, honeysuckle, mimosa, rum (yay!), sandalwood and creamy musk.

TODAY’S PRIZES

(Winners randomly selected)

Two (2) three-piece sets of SJP NYC products featuring a full-sized SJP NYC perfume, lotion and a solid perfume bracelet. Prize valued at $85 (two separate winners).

TO ENTER

To enter the SJP NYC giveaway, answer the following question in the comments:

“Why do you love Sex and the City?”

My answer: Besides the awesome fashion and shoes, I’ve always admired how much the characters love each other. Their friendship is one that I think a lot of women long for, including me. Many of my best friends live thousands of miles away…

RULES

Please, one entry per person.

Leave a valid email address in the comment form so I can reach you if you’ve won.

The SJP NYC folks asked that this giveaway extend to US and Canada residents only; to my international homegirls, I promise to make sure the next giveaway includes you.

I’ll choose the winners at random from the entries received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 28, 2010.

Good luck, and have a wonderful Wednesday! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

  • The giveaway is now closed; congrats Darcy and Sarah! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

MAC Fibre Rich Lash Mascara: Are Sweet Dreams Made of This?

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The great Annie Lennox once said, “Sweet dreams are made of this.”

Coincidentally, that’s also how I hoped I’d feel about Fibre Rich Lash mascara ($13, available in one shade called All Black).

The product promises extreme volume and density, effortless extension and a smudge-resistant, creamy formula.

Just thinking about all of those things together makes my tummy rumble (like it does for Nutella and Ryan Reynolds)…

Ever since a wave of high-fibre mascaras struck a few years ago, they’ve been all the rage. Tiny fibers embedded in their formulas cling to the ends of lashes making them appear longer and fuller. Several lines sell ’em today, with one of the more popular ones (and most fun to say!) being Imju Fiberwig ($24).

MAC Fibre Rich lives on counters as part of the MAC permanent line. Its black tube looks sleek and minimalist, concealing a compact brush head with a combination of long and short bristles designed to magnify and separate lashes.

MAC fibre rich lash review

So how does it work?
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