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Archives for April 2012

Outfit of the Day: Romper Room!

April 18th, 2012 by Karen 48 Comments

leifsdottir romper

Cue internal monologue:

Oh please, oh please. Don’t let the sleeve fall in the toilet! Why is this thing so hard to get out of!? It’s like origami… I knew I shouldn’t have had that third cup of tea!

Here’s the thing about rompers: I think they’re super cute! — in theory. But they can be tricky in practice, especially — ahem! — if you’re accident-prone and have a small bladder.

leifsdottir romper

But that didn’t stop me! I’d been eying this Leifsdottir Scattered Wing Romper at Anthropologie for ages and finally caved.

Isn’t it cute? The color, the snazzy print, the fluttery sleeves. Oh, and it even has pockets! — which Tabs really appreciates because I use them to carry his turkey flavored Temptations when we go for walks.

leifsdottir romper
My left hand (is in my pocket)!

It’s very lazy-friendly, too, and being lazy at heart, I like not having to think about matching my pants with a shirt. With this, it’s all just there, BAM!

Since this particular romper has stylish little details like the sleeves and the print, it doesn’t need anything extra to jazz it up, but you could add a favorite pair of wedges, and maybe sunglasses or a simple ring.

leifsdottir romper
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There are 48 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion, Just For Fun Keywords: fashion

A Golden Shimmer Surrounds Tom Ford’s New Long-Lasting Cream Color for Eyes

April 18th, 2012 by Karen 24 Comments

tom ford guilt cream color for eyes

Tom Ford’s new line of Cream Color for Eyes cream eye shadows are easier on eyes than they are on purses and wallets, but I think the new $40 shadows are all kinds of awesome, especially if you like long-lasting makeup that doesn’t take a lot of fussing.

I’ve been getting to know Guilt and Illicit this week, two of the four limited edition shades, and both colors last all day long on my lids. Guilt, a warm, sheer golden shimmer, contains the finest flecks of gorgeous micro-glitter. And pearly reddish brown Illicit has a similar golden shimmer.

NOTE TO TOM: Please move these (and add more shades!) to the permanent line, because yeah, awesome!

For starters, they sure stick to lids. Both of them, Guilt and Illict, last all day long on my lids with or without an eye primer.

They’re fluffy, like a mousse, and feel wet. And they have a bit of bounce to ’em when I tap the pot with a finger. The consistency reminds me of the YSL Fard Lumière Aquarésistant, which I’ve long liked.

tom ford gold dust ultra shine lip gloss
Clockwise from the golden pot on the left: Cream Color for Eyes in Guilt ($35), Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust ($45) and Cream Color for Eyes in Illicit ($35)

tom ford spring 2012 swatches
Swatches from the left: Cream Color for Eyes in Illicit, Cream Color for Eyes in Guilt and Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust
[Continue reading…]

There are 24 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Eyes, Makeup, Product Reviews, Tom Ford Beauty Keywords: tom ford beauty

Gleam Me Up, Scotty

April 18th, 2012 by Karen 3 Comments


China Glaze Crackle Glaze Nail Lacquer in Gleam Me Up, $9.

There are 3 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty Keywords: china glaze

A Lunch Treat

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 4 Comments


I treated myself to a salad from Rustic Bakery. Pretty good! They even make their own bread on site.

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo

At NARS, Lips Play With Purple, Red and Rose for Summer 2012

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 20 Comments

nars never say never
NARS Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Man, I’m so tired… (How tired am I?) I’m so tired that I could go to bed right now. In my work clothes. Without removing my makeup.

I actually tried to take a nap this afternoon — which I almost never do because it throws off my sleep schedule — but the phone rang right as I was dozing off.

Rinnng! Rinnng!

“Wha!? Hello? This is Karen.”

“Did I wake you?”

“Oh, hi Mom. No, I was just napping…” 🙂

My mom’s superpower is her ability to call right as I’m about to fall asleep (“Did I wake you?”), or at the exact moment I’m contemplating doing something potentially unwise (“What are you doing?”).

After the call, I considered just blowing off the rest of the afternoon, grabbing some fro-yo, and passing out on the couch, but then I wouldn’t have been able to share the revelations I had about the NARS Summer 2012 collection at the dentist earlier today.

Yes, girl, I thought about makeup at the dentist’s office. It was the only thing I could do to keep from losing my sh*z!

nars summer 2012 never say never calabria buenos aires
Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24), Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24) and Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil ($24)

A little back story…

When I was a kid, I had a really mean dentist who seemed to derive great joy from making me cry (I’m pretty sure he was a masochist). To this day, I bawl like a baby during cleanings.

But my current dentist, who looks like Steve Martin, he’s an angel. He’s so nice and patient, and he’s great about walking me through the process, which I really like. He even reminds me to relax my shoulders and unclench my fists while I’m sitting in the chair.

But yeah, he looks like Steve Martin, and whenever he’s hovering over me with that little silver hook, I start playing tunes from Little Shop of Horrors in my head…

nars moscow
Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick, $25

Luckily, today’s cleaning went great (no cavities, yay!), but the anxiety of wondering things like, “What if an earthquake strikes while he’s scraping at my molars and he crochets my gums with that hook?” left me physically and mentally drained.

nars vendanges
Vendanges Lipstick, $24

Between swishing, spitting and trying not to cry, my mind wandered to the new NARS 2012 collection. I thought about François and how the team at NARS must have had lips on their minds when they created it, since four of the nine pieces in the release are lip products.

nars summer 2012 swatches
Vendanges Lipstick, Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick, Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil
[Continue reading…]

There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Lips, Makeup, NARS, Product Reviews Keywords: nars

With NARS Liberté Blush, Tanned Cheeks Have the Freedom to Rock

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 26 Comments

nars liberte blush

“Give me Liberté, or give me…!” Forget that, just give me Liberté. 🙂

Its name means “freedom” in French — freedom from cheeks that look blah! Freedom from having to apply layer upon layer of blush! Freedom from that mile-long to-do list! And freedom to embrace lazy days spent lounging in the sun by the pool!

Freedom!!

Yup, NARS Liberté Blush definitely feels like a vacation blush to me, and I sure do like the way it looks with a tan.

I can see it now… The tropics. A beautiful beach. We get up early to catch a few waves before the crowds. A week frolicking in the surf like that, and our cheeks are bronzed and tan.

Liberté would love something like that.

NARS describes the color as a burnished apricot, which leads me to wonder, “How do you burnish an apricot?” But I digress…

LOL! I think it looks more like a matte reddish orange on me — a lighter, slightly peachier matte version of NARS Taos Blush, and it’s the solitary blush in the new nine-piece Summer 2012 collection from NARS.

It’s classic NARS all the way, with a super pigmented, easy-to-blend formula that lasts all day, and wow! I can’t believe it looks so intense in these pics of the pan and the swatch, because as long as I use a light touch when I apply it with something like a fan brush, I think it looks very natural on my cheeks. It reminds me of the way my cheeks look right after a run (when my heart’s still beating a mile a minute).

Something tells me it would look amazing on darker skin tones — heck, on lighter skin tones, too, especially ones that wear warmer colors well. I think it looks pretty fierce on Ginta Lapina, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty featured in the campaign imagery.

nars liberte

nars summer 2012 swatches
From the left: Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, Ramatuelle Trio Eyeshadow, Marie-Galante Duo Eyeshadow and Liberté Blush
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There are 26 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face, Makeup, NARS, Product Reviews Keywords: nars

5 Bridal Beauty Tips: Glow in Your Gown With These Five Body Care Tips

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 58 Comments



This post is part of a series sponsored by Dove® ClearTone™ Deodorant.

It’s that time of year when knots are being tied, and many brides are slipping into strapless dresses. Yes, it’s wedding season!

I wore a strapless gown when El Hub made an honest woman out of me, which — wow! I can’t believe that was six years ago… It feels like yesterday! And I remember being a little nervous back then about baring so much skin.

If you’re planning a trip down the aisle and have your heart set on a strapless gown, consider these bridal beauty tips to get your arms, shoulders, neck and back in tip-top shape for the big day.

1. Glow on, exfoliate!

A gentle exfoliating scrub sloughs away dead skin cells, leaving you with a gorgeous full-body glow. I always keep a gentle scrub in my shower and use it every couple days. After rinsing, I like to follow it up with a rich moisturizer.

In a pinch, try mixing a small amount of granulated sugar with your shower gel.

No, really! 🙂 It’s a cheap, pretty effective way to get your scrub on.

2. Remember residue removal

Got body acne (it’s no fun)? Removing hair conditioner residue from your shoulders, chest, neck and back may help reduce breakouts.

I used to wash my hair and bod, and then condition and rinse. Now, after conditioning and rinsing my hair, I twist it up into a bun, clip it in place, and wash my bod with a shower gel, taking care to remove any remaining conditioner residue on my skin.

3. Here comes the sun (screen), little darlin’

I’m not gonna nag. I know you’re really good about wearing sunscreen every day on your face, so this is just a gentle reminder to remember your neck, chest and arms.

Even if you don’t plan to spend the day outside, your skin still gets some sun through the windows in the car and at the office.

And if you haven’t looked lately, check the expiration dates on your sunscreens. They become less effective after they’ve expired.
[Continue reading…]

There are 58 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Skin Care Keywords: dove, sponsored post

MAC Fresh Flare

April 17th, 2012 by Karen 2 Comments


My new favorite green! MAC Pro Longwear Eye Shadow in Fresh Flare, $20. Available now at MAC counters, stores and online.

There are 2 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty Keywords: mac

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