My sleepy tabby boy.
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Archives for January 2012
New Year, New You: Jump Start Your Style with These Five Lip Looks
This post is part of a series sponsored by Walgreens.
Don’t you just love fresh starts and clean slates? I do! — and that’s what Januarys (and sometimes Februarys) are all about. New year, new excuse/opportunity to try something new, like perhaps pink streaks in your hair. 🙂
But say you’re not quite ready for a full-on commitment to a funky hair color. No problem. You can still freshen up your look, starting with your lips (and you don’t have to spend a small fortune).
Thanks to drugstore beauty aisles and brands like Revlon, Rimmel, Covergirl, Jordana and Maybelline, your new lip look could be less than $10 away.
Here are five affordable lip looks to give you some ideas…
1. A bright reddish pink
Nothing says “new start” like a bright reddish pink, unless you apply Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry ($7.79) atop Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 12 ($5.99), in which case it says it in all caps, with an exclamation mark, like this: “NEW START!”
Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry on the left and Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 12 on the right
Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry on the left and Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 12 on the right
2. A shimmery golden pink
How about a tender touch? Something soft and romantic, like a shimmery rosy peach? Here, I mixed both of the colors from Covergirl’s new Blast Flipstick in Snap ($9.79) and topped them with Jordana’s Lip Out Loud Super Shiny Gloss in TTYL ($1.99).
Jordana Lip Out Loud Super Shiny Gloss in TTYL on the top and Covergirl Blast Flipstick in Snap on the bottom
The two colors from the Covergirl Blast Flipstick in Snap (far left and center) and Jordana Lip Out Loud Super Shiny Gloss in TTYL (far right)
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A Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream for $7? Almost, Thanks to Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Eyeshadow
Hop on a unicycle, hitch a ride with a team of sled dogs, or lace up those rollerblades — use any means necessary to get thee to a drugstore to see these new Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Eyeshadows ($7 each) up close.
The potent pigments span an eclectic range of 10 colors from neutrals to brights, and either worn by themselves or as bases for powder shadows, these budget beauties can swagger all night long.
Maybe not the 24 hours advertised, but 10-12, nevertheless.
Of course, there is a catch (isn’t there always?)…
To coax out that kind of wear time, I have to wear them with something else — something like a primer applied beneath them or a powder shadow on top — and really pack them on my lids with a finger or a firm synthetic brush (like the MAC 249).
Even when I don’t, though, these shadows still hang tough for 5-6 hours before succumbing to creases and fading.
Not bad for seven bucks.
Their fluffy, smooth texture reminds me of the pricier Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams, but I think the Aqua Creams do have them beat in terms of drying time, which could be good or bad, depending on your point of view (or in my case, how far I’m running behind, haha), and longevity. MUFE’s versions last me 14-16 hours, versus 10-12 for these.
If you like neutrals, don’t miss Bad to the Bronze (my fave!). I’ve been wearing it with bronzy colors like NARS Star Sailor Duo, and with neutrals like the ones in Urban Decay Naked and Naked2.
If you prefer brights, check out Tenacious Teal and Edgy Emerald. Both should look great by themselves or as bases for teal/green eye looks.
Wearing Bad to the Bronze
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More Chanel Spring 2012 Noms
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipsticks in Superstition (left) Charme (right), $32.50 each. Available now at Chanel counters and also online. YUM!
NARS Diamond Life Shimmer Nail Polish Is No Cubic Zirconia: It’s a Purple Diamond for $17
When you work for a demanding, fashion-forward kitty dictator model/boss, you come to really appreciate the extra time that results from only having to apply one coat of nail polish.
When you’re on call 24/7 and have to be ready for anything, every second counts, and NARS Diamond Life Shimmer Nail Polish ($17) fits my hectic lifestyle. One electric, shimmery layer, and I can move on to more pressing matters, like reorganizing Tabs’ toy collection by theme — feathers, strings, catnip-filled, and crinkly balls.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 203
Product testing, testing, one, two, three…
- You might be wondering, “So what the heck is this Monday Poll thing anyway?”
Well, it isn’t much of a poll. It’s more just a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past four years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.
- Mood:
- Do you consider yourself an organized person, and if so, does it come naturally to you, or do you have to work at it?
- Your favorite hand cream?
- What do you usually order when you go out for breakfast or brunch?
- Have you ever been in a band?
- Ferris wheels: fun or frightening?
- What’s one of the most important traits to have in a partner?
- How often do you heat style your hair?
- Can you eat with chopsticks?
- Weekly goals:
Better now, but last night? Apocalypse dream. Yep, probably because I watched all 12 episodes of Survivors over the span of three days. A few of the characters were even in the dream, which was very unsettling. In it, everyone knew exactly when the world would end, but no one could do anything to stop it. It was inevitable, and people spent their final moments saying goodbyes and “I love you” to each other.
For me and I bet like most people, it depends on my state of mind. When I’m happy and physically comfortable, I think I do alright, but if I’m feeling down or overstressed, I start ignoring my to-do lists and let the clutter spiral out of control.
I’ve been totally into Clarins Hand and Nail Cream ever since I got a sample size as a GWP from Nordstrom a couple months back. I love the light, fresh scent, and it absorbs into my skin quickly without leaving a greasy film behind.
If they’re on the menu, banana pancakes! Om nom nom…
Have I ever! 🙂 If school marching band counts. Oh, and once I sang with a friend’s dad’s cover band at a random wedding reception.
Fun! Especially on a clear, starry night.
I was about to say, “The ability to make a mean scrambled egg,” but seriously, I think kindness, above everything else. I was lucky to marry the kindest man I’ve ever met.
Every time I wash it, which is about three times a week ever since I cut it shorter into a Cleopatra-style bob with bangs. I use a hairdryer or flat iron to smooth out my natural waves.
It’s a phase… Before long I’m sure I’ll be all about my waves again.
I can to pick up stuff that’s pretty big and relatively easy, like sushi, but tiny things like peas? Forget it.
I made it to two yoga classes last week, so I’d like to do that again. I also want to make sure I get to bed by 10 every night and read at least 30 minutes a day.
- To complete the Monday Poll, just copy the following list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.
Hello and happy holiday, friend. How’s it going?
Tabs is in the office this morning totally micro-managing my work… Scratch here, pet there, and at one point he plopped on top of the keyboard and refused to budge until I massaged his tum. It’s a miracle I was able to finish this post!
Assuming that you don’t have a cat/dog blocking your screen or keyboard right now, do you have time to touch base with the Monday Poll? I always love to hear from you, but especially on Mondays.
1. Mood:
2. Do you consider yourself an organized person?
3. Your favorite hand cream?
4. What do you usually order when you go out for breakfast or brunch?
5. Have you ever been in a band?
6. Ferris wheels: fun or scary?
7. What’s one of the most important traits to have in a partner?
8. How often do you heat style your hair?
9. Can you eat with chopsticks?
10. Weekly goals:
Hmm… having a little trouble staying focussed this morning. Let’s hope that wears off soon.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Chanel Knightsbridge Collection: Chelsea Glossimer
Chanel Glossimer in Chelsea ($28.50), from the Chanel Knightsbridge collection. Available now exclusively online.
Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 174
As you know, Tabs leads a jet-setting kitty lifestyle packed with party invites and dates with A-list celebs, but no matter how many professional accolades he receives (he’s up for a Golden Globe tonight in the Huskiest Kitty Model category), Tabs never forgets his humble beginnings. He keeps his paws on the pulse of the local street scene, and to most of the neighborhood cats, he’s just Tabby from the block.
Lately, he’s been wanting to give back to the community, and so he’s decided to take a kitty model intern under his wing. One of the candidates is a blue-eyed feline I call “The Cross-Eyed Kitty,” who lives a few doors down. Since Tabs was out of town this weekend (he was up at Jay-Z and B’s place and says the new baby is adorable), he asked me to conduct the interview.
We met on the grassy knoll at the edge of the parking lot, and the first thing I noticed about her is her size. She’s tiny compared to Tabs, about half his size, and has the most beautiful cream, black and brown markings I’ve seen in a while. When I asked her why she wanted to be a kitty model, she replied with a soft, raspy “ack-ack-ack” meow.
