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Archives for June 2011

5 Summer Staples: Eye Makeup Essentials to Beat the Heat

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Summer, summer, summer time!

Orange eyeshadow? Come to mama. Teal eyeliner? I’m all over it. You don’t have to ask me twice when it comes to trying trendy eye makeup. The answer is the same emphatic “Yes!” I’d give to an up-close-and-personal search from Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: SVU.

But while outrageous eyes can be a blast, this girl’s gotta have her steady staples, too. Tried-and-true eye makeup essentials, like the five summer staples below, can keep your eyes fly when the temperature climbs.

1. Waterproof mascara

urban decay cannonball review brush
Urban Decay Cannonball Waterproof Mascara

Don’t let melting mascara ruin your chances with that hot, muscled, baby-faced guy in your summer school statistics class — the one you thought was adoring you from across the room but later realized was probably wondering how you ended up with two black eyes.

Escape that fate with an industrial-strength waterproof mascara like Urban Decay’s Cannonball ($20). It’s a little pricey, but it stretches my lashes to the limit, resisting sweat and water like a champ (I’ve been wearing it in all my pictures as of late).

2. Eye primer


NARS Pro Prime Smudge-Proof Eye Shadow Base

Whether I’m applying a single eyeshadow or five, I reach for eye primers to protect my work from fading, creasing and melting in the heat. My favorite right now? — NARS Pro Prime Smudge-Proof Eye Shadow Base ($24), and I also like Urban Decay Primer Potion ($19) and Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($18).

I haven’t had the chance to try it yet, but Cover Girl’s $8 Intense Shadow Blast in Beige Blaze sounds like a great drugstore option. MBB reader Erin says it intensifies colors and keeps eyeshadows locked down all day long (thanks, Erin!).
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Go from Day To Night in a Flash with the MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions Collection

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mac bloggers obsessions

Never work for a cat. I’m serious. Mine has me running around like a chicken with its head cut off this week, and I’ve been puting in some long 14-hour days, dashing from meetings with kitty modeling agency executives, to working lunches, to Petco on behalf of Tabs, who just broke another cat toy, and apparently replacing it is “the company’s top priority.” WHATEVER, DUDE!

tabs broke his toy
Edward Scissorpaws strikes again!

What’s that old saying? When it rains it pours? I try to remember that this surge of stuff on my calendar is only temporary and something we all go through from time to time. We’re busy gals, after all, with places to go, pets to appease and shoes over which to obsess. 🙂


Michael Kors Braided Chain Platforms

Speaking of obsessions, I haven’t had a lot of time between errands and events to do my makeup this week, so I’ve been trying a new day-to-night routine using a mix of MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions items and pieces from the permanent collection. Here’s a look that with a few simple tweaks can take you from work to dinner/drinks.

mac bloggers obsessions
MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions products from the left: Eyeshadow in Hocus Pocus ($14.50), Lipglass in Evolution Revolution ($14.50), Lipglass in Caqui ($14.50) and Lipglass in All Of My Purple Life ($14.50)

mac bloggers obsessions
Additional MAC products clockwise from the pan on the lower left: Eyeshadow in Woodwinked ($14.50); Eyeshadow in Soba ($14.50); Lipstick in Impassioned ($14.50); Blush in Sunbasque ($19.50); Eye Kohl in Feline ($14.50, please note this is a limited edition color; Eye Kohl in Smolder also works); Lip Pencil in Subculture ($13); Lip Pencil in In Synch ($13)

As a bonus, you won’t have to haul your entire makeup collection around to switch things up — a HUGE plus if you’re already loaded down with technology (i.e. cameras, laptops and cell phones with 800 pictures of your cat).

Day look

When I have meetings and errands to run during the day, I like simple, conservative looks designed to subtly enhance my features while drawing just a little attention to my face. In a professional environment, I want people to see me, and not the multi-colored, neon eyeshadow on my lids, you know?

A look with slightly smokey eyes, soft matte cheeks and a nude lip fits the bill.

mac bloggers obsessions
Blush in Sunbasque on cheeks; Lipglass in Evolution Revolution atop Lip Pencil in Subculture on lips

mac bloggers obsessions
Eyeshadow in Soba in crease; Eyeshadow in Woodwinked on inner half of lid; Eyeshadow in Hocus Pocus on outer half of lid
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Outfit of the Day, Vol. 1: A Blue Summer Dress with Yellow Heels

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I totally smurfed out today! — and since I’m a big fan of “outfit of the day” posts, I thought I’d smurf two birds with one stone 🙂 and take pics of myself from head to toe.

The dress (about $40) is from a brand called Lush, and, um, I found it on the Nordstrom website in the Juniors Department… Yes, I have no shame when it comes to wearing clothing made for teenagers, but shopping for those clothes actually inside a store beside girls born after I graduated from college kindasorta freaks me out.

It comes in the blue pictured here, as well as black.

Unfortunately, when I checked online for the dress again today, I wasn’t able to find it, so if you’re interested and live near a Nordstrom store, it might be worth a quick call or visit, especially if you live somewhere hot.

The dress itself is rayon and weighs next to nothing, almost like a lightweight linen, and the elastic waist adds a little definition to my shape without feeling too clingy. So comfy in the heat!

I like wearing bold colors together, and one of my favorite ways to wear this particular dress is paired with these yellow shoes from Seychelles and this fun Kate Spade ring.

Then, to contrast with the brights, I might throw something quiet into the mix, like the off-white Kate Spade bag I’m holding here.

Seychelles Harlow


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Take a Bite Out of the Tarte for True Blood Collection

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That’s right, fangbangers. Tarte is getting ready to release a True Blood-themed collection, and it’s timed perfectly for the start of the new season this Sunday (can’t wait!).

Insert various vampire jokes here…

“I’m dying to try it!”

“Can’t wait to sink my teeth into it!”

“I hope it doesn’t suck!”

“I’d give blood to get my mitts on that cheek stain!”

Haha!

The three-piece limited edition release includes an Eye Palette with 17 powder shadows, a gel liner, mascara and primer ($52), as well as a Cheek Stain ($30) and a Natural Lip Tint ($24).

Now the big question: is the eyeliner Lafayette approved? Because homeboy’s tightlining is BEYOND fierce.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Two Ways to Win a $50 Gift Card from MAC (OPEN TO ALL READERS)

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Amy! Congratulations, Amy! 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 MAC gift card from Makeup and Beauty Blog

What an exciting day. As far as Tuesdays go, this one gets a thumbs up. I’m just about to hit the haaaay for the night (Tabs needs his beauty sleep), but I wanted to say thank you for making today one of the best days of my life.

I hope you had a good one, too. Get some rest, and I’ll see you soon. 🙂

Before you go, however, it’s…

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Win a $50 gift card from MAC

  • One (1) MAC gift card containing $50 sent to the winner by mail (international readers, you may opt to receive $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 was your very first MAC product? How many tubes of lipgloss do you own? What was the highlight of your day? Have you ever had a secret crush? — 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 Gift Card from MAC http://bit.ly/mwDmVp

  • The deadline to enter is Thursday, June 23, 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).
  • MAC gift cards can be redeemed in stores and online for purchases. The winner may opt to substitute the MAC card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
  • 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 Amy! Congratulations, Amy! 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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