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Archives for 2013

Stick Blushes With a Dewy Twist: The Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Colors in Blush Guilt and Bronzed Amber

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

Tom Ford Beauty Illuminating Cheek Color in Bronzed Amber
Oh, hai! It’s Tom Ford Beauty Illuminating Cheek Color in Bronzed Amber. I’m wearing it here on my cheeks atop MAC Face & Body Foundation.

I like makeup.

This probably comes as no surprise if you’ve been here before…but I’m particularly fond of blushes and highlighters that come in stick form.

Especially ones that leave my face looking all sweet and angelic, like I should be floating high above the earth on a bed of billowy clouds, sunlight dappling my skin, while a heavenly chorus sings, “Ahhhhhh!” The more people wondering if I had wings tucked beneath my blazer, the better. 🙂

Tom Ford’s two new summer 2013 Illuminating Cheek Colors ($58 each, OMG!) are the latest examples of this particular makeup weakness/obsession of mine.

Dewy, is that you?

Tom Ford Blush Guilt
Blush Guilt

Pinky peach Blush Guilt and Bronzed Amber represent TF’s take on cream stick blushes with an interesting twist. They give a sheer, glistening, almost wet look to cheeks.

Tom Ford Beauty Illuminating Cheek Color Bronzed Amber
Bronzed Amber

It’s as if the team in charge of the finish part of this equation went on a week-long spa trip to Canyon Ranch and never quite recovered, because when I wear either of these colors, I feel like I look like I haven’t got a care in the world…like my only concerns are whether I should have a hibiscus or a peppermint tea between my facial and my 120-minute shiatsu massage.

Seriously, my cheeks just glow. 🙂

The texture’s the balm!

Tom Ford Beauty Illuminating Cheek Color Swatches
Blush Guilt on the left and Bronzed Amber on the right

[Continue reading…]

There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Face, Makeup, Product Reviews, Tom Ford Beauty

Are You Following Makeup and Beauty Blog on Instagram?

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 4 Comments

makeup and beauty blog on instagram
Get more Tabs on Instagram!

Tabs thinks you should, mostly because I post a ton of pictures of him. 🙂

There’s also makeup pics and random snapshots of fun things I run into throughout the day.

You can follow me here. Hope to see you there soon!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 4 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

A New Friend

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments





A family of birds has moved into the oak tree just outside my living room deck. There’s usually at least three or four of ’em hanging out on the branches, so of course, on the day I had my camera handy, only one bird showed up for the photo session.

There are 15 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Beauty

K-Dawg

May 17th, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments



Circa 1980. Please note the fingernail polish and the side-swept bangs.

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Daily Photo

Dolce & Gabbana’s Three New Voluptuous Lipsticks Are Gentle, True and Nude

May 16th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Dolce & Gabbana Gentle Monica Lipstick 70
Wearing Dolce & Gabbana’s Voluptuous Lipstick in Gentle Monica 70, one of three new shades in the True Monica collection

My favorite thing about the three new Dolce & Gabbana Voluptuous Lipsticks in the True Monica collection? That even if you’re clad in frayed sweatpants and a t-shirt peppered with holes, and your hair passed the point when it probably should’ve been washed THREE DAYS AGO, and there are still sticky boogers all up in your eyes because you decided not to wash your face this morning…you’ll still feel like a seductive Italian screen siren wearing one of them, pouty lips and all.

Dolce & Gabbana True Monica Collection Lipsticks
Clockwise from the left: Nude Monica 20, True Monica 40 and Gentle Monica 70

The three $33 lipsticks, each of them inspired by Italian actress/model/all-around hot babe Monica Bellucci, whom you might remember from The Matrix Reloaded, or more recently from The Whistleblower with Rachel Weisz, and one of her signature makeup looks with smokey eyes and nude-toned, full lips.

Dolce Gabbana Monica Lipstick Swatches
From the left: Nude Monica 20, True Monica 40 and Gentle Monica 70

For the all important question: “Which of these warm, creamy lip colors would I wear to jury duty or the DMV?”

The answer: “Any of them.” 🙂 Creamy beige Nude Monica, pinkish beige True Monica or pale rose Gentle Monica.

But why stop at the courthouse? Slip one on anytime you want to stop traffic, perhaps with your hair down, a pair of femme fatale high heels and a body-con dress.

Dolce Gabbana Nude Monica Lipstick 20
Nude Monica 20

[Continue reading…]

There are 25 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Dolce & Gabbana, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

What Are Your Best Beauty Pick-Me-Ups?

May 16th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

MAC Impassioned Lipstick
Bright pink lipsticks like MAC’s Impassioned…

There’s nothin’ like a quick pick-me-up after a long day, ya know? A glass of lemonade, a couple dozen kitty hugs, a splash of perfume, a swipe of gloss, a brush of bronzer… 🙂

And when I want my pick-me-up to take the shape of something beautiful, I almost always go with a bright lip, like MAC’s hot pink Impassioned Lipstick, because it’s easy to use and packed with POW!

Other beauty-based pick-me-ups I frequently enjoy…

  • Nude Skincare Hydrating Water ($20) and MAC Fix+ ($21). I keep both refreshing bottles on my desk and spritz them on my face throughout the day to keep my skin hydrated and give my mood a quick lift.
  • Annick Goutal Neroli Les Colognes ($175). I like to dab a small amount on my wrists… First thing that comes to mind whenever I catch a whiff: summer vacation.
  • CND Solar Oil ($7.50). This one’s a little unusual, I know, but I get a thrill out of moisturizing my cuticles and nails with brush-on conditioners, perhaps because my mom’s always going on and on about how “you need to take care of your cuticles!”
  • MAC Plushglass in Nice Buzz ($20). The tingle tells me I’m alive! ALIVE! And the shimmery golden color looks great layered atop almost anything.

What about you? What are some of your best beauty pick-me-ups? Sock it to me in the comments.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

The Perforated Satchel Stylishly Answers the Question of What Shoes to Wear With Which Bag: The Perforated Satchel by Poverty Flats by Rian

May 16th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Poverty Flats by Rian Perforated Satchel

An insatiable appetite for “just one more purse.” I HAZ IT!

And rather than reeling myself in, controlling my hunger and mining my closet for classics like the quilted Kate Spade bag that rarely left my side during the summer of 2010, I find new reasons to adopt new bags, like “If the universe were really against my getting another purse, it would not have filled DSW with so many cute ones.”

At least, that’s what I told myself when I spotted the Perforated Satchel, a product of Poverty Flats by Rian.

The first time I saw it was at nordstrom.com a while back, but it was $80 at the time and sold out.

Each time I checked back, it was sold out, so I figured it wasn’t meant to be…

Then, when I spotted it at DSW for $49.95 two weeks ago, I jumped! I couldn’t say no to the black, tan and cream blocked design, which I thought would go with almost everything.

Now I have all this extra time on my hands (okay, it’s only about 2 extra minutes) that I’m not spending wondering which bag to wear with what shoes, since this lightweight, faux-leather zip-top satchel easily dresses up or down.

I can slip it on if I’m going casual with my tan platform wedges on the weekend, or going dressier with black strappy sandals for a nice dinner.

Poverty Flats by Rian Perforated Satchel
[Continue reading…]

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

Subscribe to Makeup and Beauty Blog

May 16th, 2013 by Karen 6 Comments

Subscribe to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Nestled among the junk mail you don’t want about “Niice&SeexxyPiils” from taylorzmark69@yahoo.com, get something you actually do want delivered to your Inbox, like pics of the resplendent red lipsticks in Tom Ford’s Jasmine Rouge Collection or photos of a husky tabby cat in compromising positions…

Save the time and energy it takes to wonder what MAC’s latest release looks like, and get the answer automagically by email.

Automagically! (Note: that is not a real word.) 🙂

If you aren’t already subscribed to my once a day emails, do it!

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Thanks for visiting.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

There are 6 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: News

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