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Archives for July 2010

Let Loose in the Open Thread

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So far my day’s entailed multiple loads of laundry, a trip to the grocery store and a play session with Tabs. Now I’m about to watch the latest episode of Drop Dead Diva (I miss Tony!) over lunch. What are you doing? Can you come say hi in the open thread?

Makeup and Beauty Blog Open ThreadIf you’re new to the open thread, here it is in a nutshell:

Remember when Carrie and the SATC girls would meet for brunches/lunches and catch up while they chowed down? That’s kinda what we do in the open thread. We meet in the comments to chill and chat about makeup, relationships, movies, cats (LOL!), food — you name it. Please feel free to reach out to me or to anyone else, too, because everyone here is really nice.

It goes on all day and night, so stop by if/when you can, and as often as you’d like.

Oh! Here are a few pictures I took yesterday of products I’ll be reviewing soon…


Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Shadow in Khaki, $7


L’oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolor Stars Collection lip compacts, $11 each.


Wet ‘N’ Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Singles clockwise from left: Lagoon, Envy and Kitten, $2 each


Fusion Beauty LipFusion Infatuation gloss in Angelic, $29

See you in a few!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

Rise and shine, morning glory, and show the world those beautiful eyes!

Did you sleep well? I went to bed pretty late because I’m still hooked on The Shield. Right now I think I’m on the fifth season (reruns; it ended filming in 2008), and just when I think things can’t get any worse for Detective Vic Mackey and the cops at the Barn, they do!

I love that show… It’s like The Sopranos and Law & Order rolled into one.

Doing anything fun this weekend? Mine’s been pretty laid back, but I did catch a movie last night with El Hub. We went to see Salt with Angelina. Can’t say either one of us were all that impressed, but it had its moments (like when she dyed her hair black).

What did you think about the worlds of makeup and beauty this week? Did anything catch your eye? The more I see of the new NARS fall stuff, the more I like it (and Dior’s impressing me too). Here’s a quick look back at some of my favorite (and in one case least favorite) products of the week…

Becca Glossy Lip TintBECCA
GLOSSY LIP TINT

Okay, where’ve the Becca Glossy Lip Tints ($23) been all my life? Seriously, did you know about these? I guess they’ve been around for years, covertly gliding under my radar with their non-sticky, long-lasting and oh-so-shiny texture, and I’ve been woefully out of the loop.

Wet like juicy jelly, they should be perfect on days when all I want is a sheer (but not too sheer) wash of color.

This week I tried three of the 25 shades on for size, and you know the MAC Lip Gelees (LOVE THOSE!)? I think these have a similarly wet finish and that same cushiony feel on the lips. Read more…

NARS Daphne EyeshadowNARS DAPHNE
EYESHADOW

Oh, she’s quite the charmer… If you like sheer purple matte shadows, beware; she could rock your boat. I took her out for a spin today, and now I’m smitten.

The first thing I did was find my flat eyeshadow brush…which turned out to be the hardest part of this look (it was hiding in a purse)! With the brush (a MAC 239), I packed several layers of Daphne on my lids, drawing the color up into the crease. Next, I swept the shimmery golden brown side from the NARS Rajasthan duo, another new product for fall, into the crease and up a bit to the brow bone (I like how the shimmer contrasts with Daphne’s matte finish).

Then, to define the whole eye and tie it all together, I lined the upper lash line with the shimmery dark blue shadow from the same duo (Rajasthan), and lined the lower lash line with Coconut Grove (another eyeshadow from the fall collection). Read more…

NARS Mangrove EyeshadowNARS MANGROVE
EYESHADOW

Even if someone at NARS had foliage in mind when they named this golden green eyeshadow, I can’t help but picture something else.

Mangrove bloomed as an eyeshadow single with the NARS Fall 2010 collection. Francois (first name basis, yo!) loves unexpected colors and textures, and Mangrove fits the bill.

My first impression? — pureed vegetable baby mush. As an eyeshadow, it doesn’t jump out of its pan as something traditionally pretty, but like the plant from whence it draws its name, it just needs a little time to grow. Read more…

Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing TowelettesKIRKLAND DAILY
FACIAL CLEANSING TOWELETTES

Ladies, I’ve seen the light! They’re big, bright, and high above the beauty section at your nearby Costco store.

Do you do Costco? On a recent trip I picked up a $12 pack of their Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes, and now I’m kicking myself for not trying them sooner.

I’d been hearing raves about them for years but just never pulled the trigger before. The soft (softer than the first kiss from a shy boy), moisturizing pre-moistened towelettes remove my makeup (even waterproof mascara) in a flash — and they do it without leaving behind a sticky film. The light, vaguely floral scent (roses?), which I don’t mind at all, fades quickly, so it doesn’t conflict with any other scents I may be wearing. Read more…

Dior Misty Mauve 5-Colour Eye PaletteDIOR MISTY MAUVE
5-COLOUR EYE PALETTE

I know it’s a little unusual to start a Dior review with a question about MAC, but here goes: do you do MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow? It’s a shimmery purplish taupe in MAC’s permanent line and a staple in a great many makeup bags (I it too).

If it’s also a favorite of yours, take a gander at the new Dior Misty Mauve 5-Colour Eye Palette.

This $58 princess is one of two new eye palettes Dior released with their fall collection (the other being Pink Design), and it shimmies onto lids with five cool-toned shades — a shimmery light pink, a shimmery white, a shimmery purplish taupe, a matte taupe and a shimmery mauve — that MAC Satin Taupe should get along with quite nicely. Read more…

Dior Pink Design 5-Colour Eye PaletteDIOR PINK DESIGN
5-COLOUR EYE PALETTE

How do you feel about purple eyeshadows? Or pinks? If you’re not a fan, I totally get it. I love ‘em now, but I used to avoid both because I thought they made me look kinda trashy and tow up…like I just lost the kind of cat fight where girls remove their big hoop earrings and bust out the Vaseline before going toe to toe in the schoolyard (NOTE: violence is not the answer, kids).

But if you’re even a teeny, tiny bit curious about pink and purple eyeshadows, Dior’s $58 Pink Design 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette might be an elegant (albeit expensive) way to get to know them better. Read more…

Fusion Beauty LipFusion Lip Conditioning SticksLIPFUSION LIP
CONDITIONING STICKS

Ya know, it’s true what they say — there’s nothing like two Eggo waffles, a cup of coffee and a heaping scoop of Amplifat to start your day.

Yes, boo, Amplifat.

It might sound like something muffin tops contract (blast you, Nutella!), but it’s actually the star plumping ingredient in Fusion Beauty’s new LipFusion Conditioning SPF 15 sticks ($22). Read more…

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye DefinerRIMMEL EXAGGERATE
EYE DEFINER

Before going nowhere fast on the treadmill the other day, I lined my lids with Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Deep Ocean.

Like the great Billy Idol once succinctly sang, it was nothing but “SWEAT, SWEAT, SWEAT!” After 40 minutes of running like I was being chased by aliens, I could have filled a bucket (eww!).

One of five shades in a new line of eyeliners, Deep Ocean has an automatic twist-up pencil tip (no need to sharpen, yay!), a striking rich blue tint and a great $6 price. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Beauty Retail Therapy for $10 or Less: Pacifica Solid Perfumes

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pacifica tuscan blood orange solid perfume review

Next time you find yourself on the heels of one of *those* days (mine tend to happen when PMS and work deadlines collide, argh!) and need to relieve some pressure with a little beauty retail therapy, check out these $9 Pacifica Solid Perfumes. Each of the tiny tins houses an organic balm of soy and coconut waxes in one of 21 Pacifica scents. Great for dabbing on wrists or your neck for an affordably fragrant boost!

I think my favorite one, Blood Orange, not only smells like its namesake but also plays notes of mandarin, strawberry and raspberry…

pacifica tuscan blood orange solid perfume review
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Added to the List of Weirdly Interesting Inventions for Women: The GoGirl

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Back in my early-20s I dated a guy who was, like, Mr. Uber Survivalist Camping Nature Dude. He could make fire from sticks, build shelters from leaves and knew which berries were edible and which ones weren’t.

Our relationship was doomed from the start… My idea of “camping” involves air-conditioned cabins, running water, a real bed and Internet access, but he did manage to drag me out to the woods a few times. I learned some valuable life lessons, too, like, um, how hard it is to find a loo out in the middle of nowhere. Probably TMI, but I got pretty darn good at “the squat,” and don’t even front like you don’t know what I’m talking about. 🙂

For years I forgot about those camping trips, but then yesterday, while researching go-go girls for my Dior Pink Design face of the day, I wandered onto a site that sells something unsurprisingly called the GoGirl.

It’s a FUD, short for Female Urination Device — a compact, flexible funnel that lets you pee standing up.

Stay with me.

To use a FUD, you pull down your drawers, attach the device to your lady parts and — you know — handle your business.

The reusable funnels cost $10 apiece or come in a three-pack for $27 (can you say bargain?). The company calls the GoGirl a discreet and hygienic alternative to crouching in the woods or stopping at sketchy public toilets.

Hmm…

Would you ever use the GoGirl?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Saturday Surfing

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Pink tie tabby
Pink tie tabby

Oh, how I love that first sip of coffee on a Saturday morning… I’m convinced something magical happens to coffee when it’s brewed on the weekends because it tastes so much better than it does on Monday. 🙂

Today’s java needs to power me through a bunch of housework and homework (an assignment for that photography class I’m taking at the community center), and I’m hoping to get everything done early so I have some time to play with makeup and enjoy the sunny day outside.

What are you up to? Got anything fun lined up today?

I don’t know about you, but I like to start my weekends with coffee/tea and web surfing. Care to come with? Last one in the water is a rotten egg!

Random bright spots

New in beauty


Cat yawnin’, cat yawnin’, cat yawnin’…


In case you were dying to know more about the Double Rainbow dude


I’ve been listening to a LOT of Duran Duran lately…

Happy Saturday. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Dior Pink Design 5-Colour Eye Palette: Friday Fun and a Go-Go Girl Face of the Day

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dior pink design swatches reviews photos pictures

After we finished our TPS reports this afternoon, Tabs and I decided to play hooky and start the weekend early with gravy (for Tabs) and Dior’s new fall Pink Design palette for me. 🙂

dior pink design swatches review photos
Dior Pink Design 5-Colour Eye Palette, $58

Sometimes I’m a lazy bum when it comes to makeup, yo, and I really like products that take the guesswork out of things. Dior did that here with Pink Design by bundling together almost everything I needed to do this look for my eyes — an eyeshadow base, some cool powder shadows and even a cream liner (for $58, couldn’t they have thrown in a mascara, too?).

To brainstorm ways to work Pink Design this afternoon, I listened to Cat and Mouse by Nikki & Rich for inspiration. Are you a fan? I kinda love their ’60s go-go sound.

It got me thinking about thick cat liner, big false lashes and frosty lips…which led to tonight’s go-go girl-inspired shimmery pink and purple eye.

Are you ready to go-go? Let’s give it a try!
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