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Archives for May 2011

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 139

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Tabs for the Lush Tiny Paws Moisturizing Bar

I can’t believe this! Guess who just called me in a total tizzy. Yup, Tabs. He’s in New York doing a shoot for NYC New York Color (he loves luxury brands but has a soft spot for bargains too). I guess he went out to a pizzeria for dinner that the hotel concierge told him about but must have lost his wallet somewhere along the way, maybe in the cab ride over. So he couldn’t pay for his meal, and the restauranteur was threatening to call the police.

I always get these kinds of calls from Tabs… Part of the job, I guess, of taking care of a diva kitty supermodel. Anywho, Tabs handed his phone to the restaurant owner, a very plainspoken man with a thick Brooklyn accent. I asked him if he had an email address associated with a Paypal account. He did, so I quickly sent off enough money to cover the meal, along with a few extra bucks for the man’s trouble and enough cash to send Tabs back to his hotel in a cab.

That blasted cat is always getting into trouble like this, but what else is new? 🙂

This was a pretty good week as far as his kitty modeling career, though. Here are some of the highlights from his portfolio.

Tabs for MAC Flighty

Tabs for the Essie Toucan Tabby Collection
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Still Mourning the Loss of a Chanel Aqualumiere? Many of Them Have Equivalent Colors Among the New Rouge Coco Shines

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While I was at my favorite Chanel counter the other day, I happened to mention to Scott, one of the makeup artists there, that as much as I love the new Rouge Coco Shines, I’m still going to miss the Aqualumiere line that the Rouge Coco Shines were released to replace.

Scott tried to console me (thank you, Scott). 🙂 He said that most of the new Aqualumieres have sisters or cousins among the new Rouge Coco Shines and pulled out a chart indicating their color equivalents.

chanel rouge coco shine swatches

If you have one or more holy grail shades in the outgoing Aqualumiere line, all is not (necessarily) lost. Hopefully its equivalent Rouge Coco color looks just as great.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine / Aqualumiere Color Equivalent Chart

  • Aqualumiere in Waikiki 31 = Rouge Coco Shine in Boy 54
  • Aqualumiere in Galapagos 101 = No replacement 🙁
  • Aqualumiere in Java 49 = Rouge Coco Shine in Unique 51
  • Aqualumiere in Santa Barbara 62 = Rouge Coco Shine in Cavaliere 65
  • Aqualumiere in Montego 70 = Rouge Coco Shine in Aventure 57
  • Aqualumiere in Palma 72 = Rouge Coco Shine in Sari D’Eau 44
  • Aqualumiere in Como 74 = Rouge Coco Shine in Biarritz 42
  • Aqualumiere in Samoa 75 = Rouge Coco Shine in Unique 51
  • Aqualumiere in Malta 90 = Rouge Coco Shine in Deauville 67
  • Aqualumiere in Positano 91= Rouge Coco Shine in Biarritz 42
  • Aqualumiere in Monte-Carlo 92 = No replacement 🙁
  • Aqualumiere in Ischia 96 = Rouge Coco Shine in Bonheur 61
  • Aqualumiere in Grenada 98 = Rouge Coco Shine in Monte-Carlo 62
  • Aqualumiere in Tasmania 99 = Rouge Coco Shine in Fetiche 52
  • Aqualumiere in Majorca 79 = No replacement 🙁
  • Aqualumiere in Antigua 32 = Rouge Coco Shine in Elise 59
  • Aqualumiere in Yucatan 36 = No replacement 🙁
  • Aqualumiere in Ipanema 37 = Rouge Coco Shine in Canotier 41
  • Aqualumiere in Phiphi 55 = Rouge Coco in Organdi Rose 09
  • Aqualumiere in Formentera 87 = Rouge Coco Shine in Canotier 41
  • Aqualumiere in Papeete 88 = Rouge Coco Shine in Bonheur 61

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The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Weekly Roundup

A little sleepy so far this morning, but I’m trying to get myself in gear. I have a warm mug of green tea beside me, and it sounds like the toaster just dinged with my toast, so that should help.

How are you doing this morning? Did you get enough sleep? I think I stayed up a little too late, and I’m paying for it now. I probably shouldn’t have started watching HBO’s Game of Thrones at 10. Bad idea. At midnight I still wasn’t tired at all.

Have you seen the show? I was fairly lost through the first episode (what’s a White Walker?), but I love the political dynamics and horror movie/sword & sorcery feel — like Legend of the Seeker if it mated with HBO’s Rome. 🙂

Did you have a good week? What was your favorite part?

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshines DRUGSTORE LIPGLOSS NIRVANA FOR LESS THAN $3 WITH THE
NYC NEW YORK COLOR LIQUID LIPSHINES

Today El Hub found out about my affair.

It had been going on since way back in 2006. That’s when I met the Sally Hansen Diamond 12-Hour Lip Treatments while cruising the aisles at Walgreens one afternoon for a pick-me-up after a really tough day.

There they were, non-sticky and pigmented, with a wear time that lasted for hours and hours…

What can I say? It just happened. When I saw they were a mere $6, I was willing to throw everything away. They were the closest thing to drugstore lipgloss nirvana I had ever seen.

But I’m not going to say I would have done it all again. No way. What I should have done is hold out for the NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshines I met last week. Read more…

EOS Shave Cream in Vanilla Bliss EOS SHAVE CREAM IN VANILLA BLISS
SHAVES HAIR AND A FEW MINUTES EVERY TIME

My BFF Cindy is a practical girl, and lawd she knows me well. Fed up with me arriving late to our homegirl dates, she gave me an ultimatem after the last time, threatening to take away my lipgloss if I ever did it again.

Got. My. Attention.

With horror like that hanging over my head, I was extra careful to set aside enough time to get ready last Friday before our ballet date.

I was ahead of schedule when I finished my hair and makeup, so I pulled up Google Images on my computer to take a really quick break. “shirtless channing tatum” [ENTER]

When I bolted back to consciousness 15 minutes later, I was, as usual, running late. “No problem,” I told myself in a soothing voice. “Lots of time.” And then I glanced down at my legs and noticed — WHOA! — a thicket of fur on my shins (enough to make a full-length coat). Read more…

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl MAC UNSUNG HEROES
TEDDY EYE KOHL

I firmly believe that life’s too short to waste it wearing boring brown eyeliners (or, on an unrelated note, wearing shoes in summertime).

Today’s inductee in the hallowed halls of MAC Unsung Heroics is called Teddy, and when it comes to boring, he’s anything but. Teddy’s a MAC Eye Kohl ($14.50) pencil, an intensely rich, dark bronzy brown with subtle golden shimmer, and it’s that shimmer that takes Teddy from the bored-room to the bedroom best room (haha! oops, bad pun).

I think I use Teddy almost as often as MAC Powersurge. It’s one of those colors that always seems appropriate, day or night, and it totally hits the spot when I want to draw extra attention to my eyes, but don’t feel like wearing basic black. Read more…

NARS Summer 2011 Face of the Day A NARS SUMMER 2011 FACE OF THE DAY
INSPIRED BY TABS THE CAT AND HIS PRETTY GREEN EYES

Tabs woke me up early this morning and then insisted that my makeup today pay homage to him (what a diva!). Refusing his requests usually leads to scratches, so I reached for one of his current collection crushes, NARS Summer 2011, and told him I would “see what I can do.”

I built the look with two things in mind — 1) Tabs’ pretty green eyes, and 2) the word “Mixey,” one of his many nicknames (a shortened version of Meow Mix).

Green crops up a few times throughout the NARS Summer 2011 collection, and I tried to really incorporate it into this look, mixing some different colors together.

Unlike my look last week using the Stila Stunning in Sayulita palette, the green here isn’t as obvious or BAM! It’s a subtler hint of green. Read more…

MAC Surf Baby Swatches MAC SURF BABY COLLECTION
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

You asked some great questions in the comments on last week’s first MAC Surf Baby pictures post, and I thought it might be helpful to try and answer them here.

The collection breaks onto beaches makeup counters May 26 in North America (internationally, this month).

Q: How are the Skin Sheen Bronzer Sticks used?

A: Are you familiar with the NARS Multiples? These Skin Sheens are kinda like thicker, stickier versions of those (basically, like a cream bronzer). They’re more pigmented, though, so a little goes a really long way.

I generally use the non-shimmery shades, Billionaire Bronze and Tan-Tint, for contouring and to add a bit of color to my forehead and cheeks, which are parts of my face that tend to really darken when I tan. As for the shimmery color, Gilty Bronze, I like to use it as a highlighter, wearing it on my upper cheek bones, brow bones and down the bridge of my nose.

To apply the Skin Sheens, I usually swipe a synthetic skunk brush like the MAC 188 across the top of the stick and then apply the product to bare skin or atop a liquid foundation/tinted moisturizer. Fingers work great, too, but I find that a skunk brush deposits a great amount of color — neither too little nor too much — and blends the product well, so it doesn’t look obvious or streaky. Read more…

The Urban Decay Offices WELCOME TO THE OFFICES OF URBAN DECAY COSMETICS
WHERE WONDERLAND MEETS NEWPORT BEACH

At one point on my quick trip to Southern California this week, I must have taken my eyes off the sidewalk in front of me for a moment (oops!), because before I knew it, I’d fallen into a rabbit hole…

And this wasn’t just any rabbit hole. Nope, it was a magic one that transported me to Newport Beach and the offices of the largest independently owned color cosmetics company in the United States.

Despite appearances, this quiet, unassuming gray building nestled on a side street in Newport Beach isn’t an accountant’s office or a place that makes frames. It’s actually the offices of Urban Decay.

Sweet carnival of chroma, batgirl! The outside belies the pageantry of purple taking place inside these walls. The interior is a cornucopia of color (I never would have guessed it from the building’s facade). Read more…

MAC Clear Lipglass MAC UNSUNG HEROES
MAC CLEAR LIPGLASS

Kissed by the same shining light that blessed that pair of Manolo Blahnik patent-leather Mary Jane heels you’ve been coveting since forever, MAC Clear Lipglass ($14.50) makes other clear glosses question their line of work.

With wear time I can only characterize as supernatural, MAC Clear Lipglass outlasts them all. I applied it once before a marathon shopping day at a four-level mall (I was looking for a new bikini… Lipgloss always seems to ease the pain of seeing myself jiggling from all angles in the fitting room), and six hours later it was still going strong. When it comes to longevity, this is one lipgloss that does not mess around.

It even feels serious on my lips (even through MAC’s trademark light vanilla taste and scent), like it came to throw down. The thick, sticky texture gives it great wear time, but it’s a turnoff for some (I kinda love it though).

MAC Clear Lipglass is my favorite clear gloss, and just like a pair of black patent-leather pumps, it works in so many ways. Read more…

Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara THE LONG AND SHORT OF THE NEW BUXOM
AMPLIFIED LASH MASCARA

When the wands started oscillating, I thought I’d seen it all. After the whole vibrating/spinning mascara brush trend (so 2008!), what else could one possibly do with a basic mascara brush? Wait — I know. They could fashion one into the shape of a medieval flail, hi-ya!

But that wasn’t the end of innovation for the mighty mascara wand. Buxom’s Amplified Lash Mascara ($22), a Sephora exclusive, comes with a new twist (literally).

Available in just a single shade called Loud Black, it’s designed to thicken, lengthen and separate lashes. That’s all well and good, but I think the brush is what really sets it apart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before. By twisting a little knob on the end of the wand, right where you hold it, you can expand and contract the length of the brush part about a quarter of an inch. The different lengths, says Buxom, create different lash effects. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WARNING: High Voltage Dior Electric Tropics Swatches Follow

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From one of our first looks at Dior Electric back in March

Do you remember checking out the limited edition Nude Healthy Glow Powder in Sunset #002 ($46) from the Dior Electric collection with me earlier this year? The entire collection is out on counters now, and I did a little swatching on a recent excursion to the mall.

Makeup worn in the picture at the top…

Sweet basket weave pattern on those bronzer pans. Yum, I like that a lot.

dior electric tropics swatches

dior electric tropics swatches
Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Rosy Tan #754 ($58)

dior electric tropics swatches
Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Rosy Nude #534 (not carried at Sephora, $58)
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How Well Does Sally Hansen Microwaveable Eyebrow, Face & Lip Wax Work?

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Emma

Written by Emma

Should you take mustachioed matters into your own hands with the help of Sally Hansen’s DIY Microwaveable Eyebrow, Face & Lip Wax? Find out now in today’s guest post from Emma.

Sally Hansen Microwavable Eyebrow, Face & Lip Wax

I have to admit, I enjoy playing with makeup, but I also enjoy sleep. In the past, I chose to stay in bed as long as possible before getting up for work, and I generally didn’t leave enough time for proper makeup application.

However, all that changed last year when I moved to the U.S. and was unemployed for an extended period of time. I started to make an effort to “do my face” in the morning, and in doing so noticed a patch above my nose where plucking just wasn’t working. My makeup seemed to cling to the hairs, and after much thought I decided that I would be brave and wax.

My dirty little secret: I’ve been bleaching my upper lip for years, but I’d never waxed anything on my face before. While contemplating this foray into facial waxing, I noticed a product at my local supermarket that looked like interesting. Sally Hansen Microwaveable Eyebrow, Face & Lip Wax ($5.99) sounded perfect for me — no strips needed, and with results that last up to 8 weeks. I liked the sound of that because it reminded me of something my ex-beautician used on a rather more painful region. I thought, “This could be what I’ve been looking for!”

It’s supposed to be simple to use. Just heat based on the directions. Spread the wax using the spatula it comes with (apply in the same direction the hair grows). Then, let the wax cool for about 10-15 seconds. Using your fingers, peel up one edge, and quickly pull the whole section away, along with all of the hair it captured.

Having used it a few times now, here are my thoughts…

The positives
  • Well, it’s wax. It does what it’s supposed to do.
  • I do think it’s more convenient than wax that requires the use of strips.

Sally Hansen Microwavable Eyebrow, Face & Lip Wax
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Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora!

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

Win a $50 Sephora eGift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog

Rise and shine, morning glory. It’s going to be a beautiful day. 🙂 And if it isn’t, well, I have it on good authority that tomorrow will be better (I know people who know people, and they talk).

Did you do anything fun last night? El Hub and I grabbed dinner at a Puerto Rican place we really like not far from here in San Rafael and then came home where I proceeded to watch 27 Dresses for the umpteenth time.

Speaking of Puerto Rican cuisine, I saw what must have been the World’s Largest Plantain at the restaurant. It was sitting on a shelf with a couple of other gigantic specimens, but it was clearly the alpha male. I’m not kidding — it could have been a small canoe. I could have crawled inside the thing and worn it like a banana suit, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

I can’t believe I forgot to take a picture. That’s totally unlike me. I feel like I missed my Big Foot opportunity.

Oh, well. Maybe I’ll see it again one of these days stalking prey in the hills of Novato… It’ll become a bedtime story that the older neighborhood wild turkeys tell their young. “If you ever come across El Banana, little one, you must freeze in your tracks! The creature has no eyes, but it hunts by sound!”

Okay, sorry. I don’t think I’m totally awake yet. I feel a little loopy, LOL! While I get properly caffeinated, let’s have some fun. You know what time it is, right?

It’s…

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Win a $50 eGift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (or $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • 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 type of fruit? Do you do anything artistic (draw, paint, photography, music)? Describe your favorite outfit. How many languages do you speak? — you get the idea.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/lKQZjY

  • The deadline to enter is Sunday, May 15, 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 any country 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).
  • Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. The winner may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal.
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner 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 winner is Melissa! Congratulations, Melissa! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

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