Archives for March 2011

I Pumice to Use Redken Nature’s Rescue Refining Sea Polish More Often

March 2nd, 2011 by Karen 28 Comments

redken natures rescue sea polish

No, that’s not hot mustard up there, but it’s something no less exhilarating. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like it before (this was the last thing that prompted me to say that). It’s an exfoliator…FOR HAIR!

I really expected the new Redken Nature’s Rescue Refining Sea Polish ($19 for a 3.4-oz. tube) to be a gimmick, but it turned out to be kind of brilliant instead. I mean, we already exfoliate our face, bod and our gnarly @ss feet (gurl, don’t make me bust out my heel buffer/parmesan cheese grater on you, and don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about 🙂 ), so why stop with our hair?

To use, just apply the non-foaming Sea Polish paste after shampooing but before conditioning, massaging it gently into your hair section by section. The product contains exfoliating grains of pumice which, when massaged into the hair, scrub away any built-up hair products, grit and grime your shampoo may have missed, while also refining and polishing.

redken natures rescue sea polish

I the scent too. This is weird, but it reminds me of lemon rinds spritzed with Bobbi Brown’s Beach perfume.
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NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams

March 2nd, 2011 by Karen 13 Comments

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams from left to right: Addis Ababa, Antwerp, Milan and Amsterdam ($6 each).

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick

March 2nd, 2011 by Karen 11 Comments

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Darling (left) and Soulmate (right), $6.50 each.

This Bronze Goddess Is a Star: The Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush

March 2nd, 2011 by Karen 51 Comments

HOTNESS! Can we please pass “Go” and skip directly to summer?

Please??

I can’t make it much longer… It’s imperative that I be poolside soon, and warm, wearing Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush ($34) on my cheeks.

Sea Star is a golden peachy pink blush, both pigmented and shimmery, from the new limited edition Bronze Goddess Soleil Summer 2011 collection, and I’m guessing it’ll look great on a wide range of skin tones. To use it, I mix the colors that comprise the pink sea star with the sandy peach background in the pan; to me, the combined shade looks like a slightly less shimmery version of the lovely NARS Orgasm.

If you’re lighter than I am and looking for a way to wear Sea Star, try using it as a gentle wash of color applied with a fan brush. I bet that would look great. 🙂

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Get Naked for Less with the NYX Nude on Nude Palette

March 1st, 2011 by Karen 68 Comments

nyx nude on nude palette

Remember a few years ago when it seemed like every other day a different celebrity would get caught accidentally flashing her goodies on camera? It usually happened while they were stepping out of a limo, falling from a barstool or slipping off of a couch in the club.

Now, I seriously doubt that L. Lo, Brit-Brit, or P. Hilt have had anything to do with the nude/neutral/naked eyeshadow palettes that have arrived on makeup counters lately, but it still makes me wonder: is this a case of life imitating art, or just another strange makeup coincidence? 🙂

Either way, I’m not complaining. I’ll gladly take another palette of good old-fashioned wearable nudes and neutrals any day of the week.

Buzz has been building for the latest one in the limelight, the NYX Nude on Nude Eyeshadow and Lip Palette for spring ($25). Some are calling it a dupe for Urban Decay’s more expensive Naked Palette ($48).

This isn’t the first skinny dip for NYX, aka their first naked rodeo (NOTE: I’ve waited my entire life to type the words, “naked rodeo”). NYX released a much smaller version of the Nude on Nude Palette last year with fewer shadows (nine versus 20) and lip colors (two versus 10), and I think that first palette, with its warm, rich bronzes and orangey browns, bore a stronger resemblance to Urban Decay’s Naked than this newer one does. It wasn’t an exact dupe, but it shared a similar vibe.

This year’s Nude On Nude is a naked beast! With 20 shadows (many of which lean cool) and 10 lip colors to choose from, it contains a much wider selection of colors than UD’s Naked at a much lower price.

NYX Nude on Nude: Product Pics

nyx nude on nude palette case

nyx nude on nude palette ingredients

nyx nude on nude palette open
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H.Wood.Beauty Lip Shine Stick in Poppy

March 1st, 2011 by Karen 12 Comments

H.Wood.Beauty Lip Shine Stick in Poppy, $16.

I’m going through an orange lipstick phase. Who else is with me? 😀

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Grinding Blush in Sangria in Madrid

March 1st, 2011 by Karen 12 Comments

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Grinding Blush in Sangria in Madrid, $16.50.

Doesn’t it look like raspberry sherbet? I want to eat it!

Bring on the Bronze! Guerlain Terracotta 2011

March 1st, 2011 by Karen 35 Comments

guerlain terracotta 2011

It all began on a Tuesday in 2007…

Well, I’m not sure about the day, but I know it was 2007. 🙂 A makeup artist buddy of mine had just introduced me to the magic that is NARS Laguna.

That day, I learned that no matter what your skin tone is, a bit o’ bronzer can make all the difference in the world. It gives skin the kind of sun-kissed glow that would otherwise require 10 days of lounging at the beach or pool (preferably beside a stack of gossip magazines…with a fruity drink).

I reach for bronzing products all year round (both drugstore and department store brands), but I’ve never tried one from Guerlain, the luxury line that declares itself “The Bronzing Authority.” On March 15 they launch a new line of summer bronzing products, and (WOW!) they certainly look luxe.

The Guerlain Terracotta Collection for 2011

The 12-piece Guerlain Terracotta collection comes with powder bronzers, a foundation, a temporary spray-on bronzing mist for legs (to wash off at the end of the day) and a skin serum designed to help extend the life of your tan.
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