Archives for February 2011

Get Shattered with the China Glaze Crackle Collection

February 17th, 2011 by Karen 78 Comments

China Glaze designed their six new Crackle Glaze polishes to create a worn-in, desconstructed look for fingers and toes.

How it works: first, apply a coat of nail polish (shimmer, cream, matte, whateva!), and wait for it to dry. Then, add a layer or two of one of the China Glaze Crackle colors. In about five minutes, you’ll see the polish separate to form shattered patterns on the nail (I’m wearing a light gray cream beneath the Crackle colors in the pics below). Check it…

From left to right: Black Mesh, Crushed Candy and Broken Hearted

Cracked Concrete, Lightning Bolt and Fault Line
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MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2: Swatches and Pictures

February 17th, 2011 by Karen 73 Comments

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass atop MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

What’s the story, morning glory? Happy Thursday to ya. 🙂 You know how much I love MAC Viva Glam, right? I thought that maybe you’d like to check out their latest VG color, MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2, available now in both a Lipstick and Lipglass ($14.50 each).

Unlike last year’s pale pink Viva Glam Gaga shade, the new color’s more of a flesh-toned nude. Check out the swatches below and let me know if you think it’s a go (ooh, call me MC Karen ’cause I just made a rhyme!).

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

Top: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick; Bottom: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass atop MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick
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MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

February 17th, 2011 by Karen 8 Comments

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick ($14.50), available now at maccosmetics.com.

mac viva glam gaga 2 swatches
Top: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick; Bottom: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

For full face shots and lipstick swatches check out MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2: Swatches and Pictures.

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

February 17th, 2011 by Karen 3 Comments

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass ($14.50), available now at maccosmetics.com.

mac viva glam gaga 2 swatches
Top: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick; Bottom: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipglass

For full face shots and lipstick swatches check out MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2: Swatches and Pictures.

These New LipSurgence Natural Lip Lusters Are Giving Me a Tarte Attack

February 16th, 2011 by Karen 35 Comments

tarte lip surgence natural lip luster adored
Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster in Adored on lips

You know how they say that every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings? Well, every time I take out a Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster, a drag queen cheers and whips out two snaps in a circle. 🙂

The six new moisturizing lusters ($24 each) are souped-up versions of Tarte’s best-selling LipSurgence Lip Tints with punchier pigmentation and a finish so shiny (I gotta wear shades).

In the plus column, I really like that these pencil tips are twisties, because I don’t like having to tote around a sharpener (ahem, I’m talkin’ to you, NARS Velvet Gloss).

I also tip my hat to Tarte for keeping a lot of the common lip gunk out of these, like formaldehyde-based preservatives. They’re also gluten, oil, talc and MEA/DEA/TEA-free. And because they’re also cruelty-free, Tabs gives his husky-pawed kitty stamp of approval.

I’ve been wearing shimmery red Fever, shimmery light pink Adored and shimmery nude Buff on and off for about a week so far, and they have an almost lip balmy, non-sticky texture that feels thick and smooth. I like it, and I also dig their light peppermint flavor and scent, which, for the record, fades pretty quickly. That’s something the colors themselves don’t do, however; they last about three hours on my lips.

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Lusters in Fever, Adored and Buff

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Lusters in Fever, Adored and Buff
From left to right: Fever, Adored and Buff

Swatches from left to right, top row: Fever, Frisky and Buff; bottom row: Adored, Glisten and Pouty
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MAC Packed to Go 6 Cool Smoky Eye Shadows and My Mid-Day Wednesday Toast

February 16th, 2011 by Karen 29 Comments

karen of makeup and beauty blog wearing the mac packed to go 6 cool smoky eye shadows in seedy pearl, tendermoke, satin taupe and carbon

Haaay, boo! How ’bout a mid-day makeup break? 🙂

Question for ya: How do you feel about looks with taupe, purple, pink and black? That’s the direction I went in today when I based my eye look on the MAC Packed to Go: 6 Cool Smoky Eye Shadows palette from MAC’s new line of spring travel exclusives (Packed to Go).

What are MAC travel exclusives?

Well, MAC isn’t the only brand with them, but travel exclusives are individual products (and sometimes entire collections) sold primarily through domestic and international travel hubs like airports and duty free stores. Prices and availability can vary widely, but tracking ’em down can be a lot of fun!

How about you? What did you do for your eye makeup today?

mac packed to go 6 cool smoky eye shadows box

mac packed to go 6 cool smoky eye shadows

mac packed to go 6 cool smoky eye shadows
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New from Rimmel: Glam’Eyes Trio Eye Shadows

February 16th, 2011 by Karen 4 Comments

Rimmel’s new Glam’Eyes Trio Eye Shadow in Maritime, one of four new powder eyeshadow trios available now at drugstores and online ($5 each).

P.S. Ulta.com currently has these on sale; buy one, get the second at 50% off!

New Lipsticks from L’Oreal Paris: Infallible Le Rouge

February 16th, 2011 by Karen 12 Comments

Say hi to a few members of L’Oreal’s newest long-wearing lipstick line, Infallible Le Rouge. From the left to the right: 812 Opulent Organza, 421 Charismatic Coral and 130 Enduring Berry ($10 each).

L’Oreal says these new lippies offer 10 hours of color and feel comfortable on the lips. Find them in 30 shades now at drugstores, grocery stores and lorealparis.com.