Archives for April 2011

Is Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor, Well, Pretty Amazing?

April 19th, 2011 by Karen 96 Comments

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor strength 1

When makeup marketers name a product “Pretty Amazing,” they’re setting the bar high. I mean, what do they do if the product only ends up being mediocre? How do they answer their boss when she asks, “How did those new Pretty Amazing Lipcolors turn out?” Well, miss, I think they turned out…fine.

Ouch.

I have to admit, I had high expectations when I heard about the new Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolors line of hybrid liquid lipgloss/lipsticks ($16 each). I wondered if they’d make my eyes roll back in my head in ecstasy (I hope!). Would I find myself speaking in tongues?

Judging by their names, the eight new Lipcolors do have a certain swagger. There’s Bravado (a brick rose), Charisma (a coral pink), Ambition (a fuchsia), Courage (a warm strawberry), Fearless (a rosy mauve), Free Will (a pink nude; oddly, I keep wanting to call this one “Free Willy”), Moxie (a bright petal pink) and Strength (a vibrant red). Hot. I’ll call your positive messages, Bare Minerals, and raise you some power. 🙂

No, these aren’t lipglosses for wallflowers. They’re much stronger than that. These are like lipglosses on P90X — super thick and sticky with full-color coverage and subtle shine. Imagine the thick, sticky texture of a MAC Lipglass coupled with the uber-pigmented power of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams and BAM! — you’re Pretty Amazing.

They’re also unscented and unflavored, but neither of those is their most amazing trait. That distinction goes to their color. It’s saturated and opaque, like the stuff of technicolor dreams.

Even though I find some of the brighter, bolder shades like Strength a little tricky to apply, the flocked applicator helps. As long as I use it with a slow, steady hand, I’m able to precisely draw crisp lines along the edges of my lips.

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor iphone
Beside an iPhone for scale…

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor wands

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor swatches flash
Swatches from left with the flash: Bravado, Charisma, Ambition, Courage, Fearless, Free Will, Moxie and Strength

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolor swatches without
Swatches without the flash
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Go Behind the Scenes at the MAC Cosmetics Production Facility and Estée Lauder Companies Canadian Innovation Centre

April 19th, 2011 by Karen 149 Comments

Last week my adventures in Toronto led me and a group of fellow bloggers to the MAC production facility and Estée Lauder Companies Canadian Innovation Centre, where MAC and some of the other members of the ELC family create makeup magic. Both buildings are located right next to each other in the nearby city of Markham in Ontario, about an hour from Toronto.

The tour was only one of the reasons for my trip. I’ll share the others soon, but for now, help yourself to some steel-toe boot covers, safety glasses and a white lab coat — oh, and you’ll need to stow your jewelry in your purse — because where we’re heading, it’s safety first!

The inside of the production facility looks like a cross between a hospital and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory (sans the Oompa-Loompas). The scent of vanilla fills the air, and you find yourself looking for MAC Lipsticks around every corner. As luck would have it, they are around every corner here. 🙂
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Two Ways to Win the Entire David Yurman Essence Fragrance Collection (a $255 Value)

April 19th, 2011 by Karen 378 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are @LaurenPeabody and Beautylogicblog! Congratulations, girls! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

From left: David Yurman Delicate Essence, Fresh Essence and Exotic Essence Eau de Toilette

Ready to set aside that raspberry body splash and try something new? How about the elegantly feminine fragrances featured in today’s giveaway?

Sponsored by high-end jewelry line David Yurman (they also have a line of perfume and body products) and appropriately inspired by gemstones, the new spring scents take tourmaline, peridot and citrine to a scent-sory level. Designed to be worn alone or layered, the David Yurman Essence Collection features a trio of fragrances in contemporary, elegant attire.

Learn more about the David Yurman line on the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Delicate, my favorite of the three Essence fragrances (Exotic, Fresh and Delicate), doesn’t just benefit from being pink (PINK!), it reminds me of something Calvin Klein might create — fresh and light, it has a certain sex appeal to it, yet isn’t overtly “in your face.”

Your new spring scent collection is right around the corner…

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Two (2) lucky ladies (or gents) will each win the following prizes:

One (1) David Yurman Delicate Essence Eau de Toilette, a romantic and feminine scent with notes of pink pepper, lotus blossom and sparkling orange (3.4 oz.; an $85 value)
One (1) David Yurman Fresh Essence Eau de Toilette, a playful and crisp scent with notes of sparkling apple, cassis, red fruit and fresh greens (3.4 oz.; an $85 value)
One (1) David Yurman Fresh Exotic Essence Eau de Toilette, a mysterious and sensual scent with notes of sparkling mandarin, casablanca lily, rose petals and exotic woods (3.4 oz.; an $85 value)

Delicate Essence
Fragrance Family: Modern Floral
Official Description: “Ethereal floral lotus blossom with a hint of sparkling orange radiates light; spicy pink pepper adds a fresh touch. The intriguing interplay of pink peony blossom and wild rose underscores the quiet romance of rose absolute, resulting in the gentle feminine heart of the fragrance. The sumptuous warmth of sheer amber and skin musk blended with blonde woods exudes a soft spoken lucidity that lingers.”

Fresh Essence
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Official Description: “A fruity blend of apple, cassis and juicy red fruits, enhanced with crisp greens, lends a flirty nonchalance. A rare weave of classic notes â€” rose, peony, and water lily â€” adds an explicit modern twist while cashmere woods, and soft musk radiate an implicit vitality that’s both playful and luminous.”

Exotic Essence
Fragrance Family: Sensual Oriental
Official Description: “Rich notes of creamy, voluptuous vanilla absolute, radiant amber and lucid Australian sandalwood imbues Exotic Essence with passion and mystery; soft musk and peach skin add a sly sensuality. A spicy hint of Casablanca lily melds seamlessly with tender rose petals to form a deeply captivating heart enhanced with patchouli and exotic woods. A slight touch of sparkling mandarin lends a suggestive edge.”

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what’s your favorite piece of jewelry? What scent are you wearing today? What was the first fragrance you ever fell in love with? What are your weekend plans? — you get the idea.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win the Entire David Yurman Essence Fragrance Collection (a $255 Value) http://bit.ly/gRiqNZ

The deadline to enter is Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of the United States (sorry, ladies living overseas; I promise a giveaway that includes you soon) who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select two (2) winners at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are @LaurenPeabody and Beautylogicblog! Congratulations, girls! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Milani Baked Blushes

April 19th, 2011 by Karen 17 Comments

Milani Baked Blushes, $7.99 each. Available now at drugstores and also online.

The $5 Goody Reversible Headband Makes for Goody, Clean Fun

April 18th, 2011 by Karen 26 Comments

Goody Reversible Headband

Maybe I’m just way too easily amused, but I can see myself having a lot of fun with these new Goody Reversible Headbands ($5).

These fabric wrapped headbands are double sided, so when you feel like switching up your look, all you have to do is move the fabric to reveal the other side. It’s like getting two headbands for the price of one.

One minute, I’m sitting in a crowded boardroom. “Pardon me, everyone,” I say, getting up from my seat. “I’ll be right back.” I walk out of the room and around the corner, reverse the headband, and then nonchalantly walk back to my seat. Hehe… Psyche! 🙂

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How Hot Is the $36 LORAC Hot Off The Red Carpet Collection? It’s So Hot That It Made Summer Start Early

April 18th, 2011 by Karen 36 Comments

lorac hot off the red carpet

The LORAC Hot Off The Red Carpet Collection ($36) may not push the boundaries of summer makeup, but I’m okay with that. With plenty of metallic gold, teal, bronze and brown, products in the five-piece limited edition will look right at home this summer gracing makeup counters and tan, warm skin.

Two words: smokin’ hot. Hot, like Giselle working the Victoria’s Secret runway, or a shirtless Jakey Poo working an outdoor car wash.