Archives for 2013

Milani Liquid Eye Liquid-Like Liner in New Perfect Purple and Graphite for Eye Looks Both Bold and Gentle

March 22nd, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Milani Liquid Eye Perfect Purple Graphite — Milani has two new $6.99 Liquid Eye shades for spring: Graphite and Perfect Purple

With the days getting longer, hillsides turning green again and flowers beginning to bloom, I’m not as inclined to spend as much time indoors. I feel like getting out there in it, ya know? Playing outside. Going to the mall, extra trips to Target, the grocery store — whatever. Anything that’ll get me outside.

This applies to makeup. I don’t feel like spending as much time on mine when it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside.

Milani’s Liquid Eyes Liquid-Like liners in Perfect Purple and Graphite ($6.99 each) can help with that.

The company just added both new shades to their super smooth, long-wearing Liquid Eye Liquid-Like line for spring, and in short, they’re essentially drugstore dupes for the MAC Pearlglides.

Milani Liquid Eye Perfect Purple Graphite 1 — That’s Graphite on the left and Perfect Purple on the right…

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Haaay!

March 22nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Doesn’t Tabs look like he’s saying, “Haaay!” Or “Aaah…”

Or singing, “La la la la la la laaaa!”

It was actually a yawn. It’s so hard to catch those on camera.

EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Color Nail Lacquer in So Vain

March 22nd, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Color Nail Lacquer in So Vain ($20), new for spring 2013.

estee lauder so vain swatch — Three coats of So Vain

MAC Unsung Heroes: Sun Rush Lustre Drops

March 21st, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

Why wait for summer to wear MAC’s $21 Sun Rush Lustre Drops? The petite 0.60-ounce bottle, which fits in the palm of my hand and snugly into my teeniest makeup bag, is ready to go places NOW (spring break girls’ trip, anyone?).

And with the sun beaming down on the Bay Area today on this, the first official day of spring (See ya, winter! It’s been real!), I was in the mood for warm-weather makeup — tinted moisturizer, lots o’ lashes, lip gloss and Sun Rush’s peachy golden bronze shimmer.

Sometimes referred to as a water-based liquid bronzer, other times as a pearly highlighter, I call Sun Rush a reason to fall to my knees and humbly pay tribute to the Makeup Goddess of Faux Tans…whom you may refer to in whispers as Bronzeta.

Whenever I dot a couple drops of Sun Rush on my upper cheekbones and swirl them in with a MAC 224 or 217 brush, usually on top of whatever tinted moisturizer or light foundation I may be wearing (and possibly blush tint if I’m feeling extra ambitious), I’m transformed into one of those impossibly chic beach gals who wears Pucci print caftans, calls strangers dahhling and resort hops between the poshest places in the South of France.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, Duuuuude, I look relaxed.
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Space Bound! The China Glaze Hologlam Collection

March 21st, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

QUESTION: What do stylish space cadets wear on their nails?

ANSWER: One of the 12 out-of-this-world nail polishes in the China Glaze Hologlam collection, ba-dum-bum!

Sorry. Bad pun, but with these polishes having names like “Strap on Your Moon Boots,” “Sci-Fly By” and “Don’t Be a Luna-tic,” you knew I had to go there, right? If I hadn’t, the piece of my heart that dreams of attending Star Fleet Academy and exploring strange, new worlds would have stopped…

Always have to pick the low-hanging, intergalactic cheesy joke fruit. 🙂

Now, let’s just assume that Star Fleet is lax about their nail polish regulations, and that painting your paws in zero-gravity is easier than it looks.

When you’re ready to rocket with glimmering, holographic nails, check out…

Get Outta My Space: A powdered violet
Astro-Hot: A soft baby pink
Infra-Red: A warm magenta-ish pink
When Stars Collide: A warm maroon
Not In This Galaxy: A bright warm coral
OMG A UFO: A warm mossy green
Don’t Be A Luna-Tic: A turquoise-aqua
Sci-Fly By: A light silver blue
Take A Trek: A cool denim blue
Strap On Your Moonboots: A midnight sky blue
Galactic Gray: A warm gunmetal
Cosmic Dust: A silver metal

So what are holographic nail polishes?

Two coats of China Glaze Hologlam in Infra-Red

A long time ago (2007), in a galaxy far, far away, China Glaze started experimenting with reflective nail colors, or holographic shades (holos), and they were one of the first lines to do so in a big way.

Holos contain fine flecks of micro-glitter, finer than regular glitters, that appear to change colors in the light (from green to yellow to purple, for example).

CG’s first two holographic nail collections, OMG and 2BKEWL, were was so well received that they quickly sold out.

Arresting effects

Two coats of China Glaze Hologlam in Astro-hot

With holos, you get galactic nail effects without the drama of full-fledged glittery nail polishes (plus, I think they’re much easier to remove).

One of my favorite things about holos is how they can look like a regular nail polish one minute, but then take off at warp speed in bright or directional light (like when you walk outside in the sun).

One minute, you’re an inquisitive Vulcan — calm, efficient, restrained. Next minute — BAM! — you’re a rambunctious Romulan ready to play!

But these are subtle, and this kind of subtlety comes at a price…

Two coats of China Glaze Hologlam in Get Outta My Space

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What Beauty Rituals Do You Find Relaxing/Stressful?

March 21st, 2013 by Karen 39 Comments

EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Bittersweet — Painting my paws with two coats of EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Bittersweet ($20) is like my mental version of a massage…

Beauty rituals that relax me…

Painting my nails
Doing a face or hair mask
Massaging in a hand cream/cuticle oil
Exfoliating (hurts so goooOOOoood!)
Spritzing on a nice perfume

Beauty rituals that stress me out…

Filling in my brows (it’s been really hard getting them symmetrical lately)
Removing wayward chin hairs (those little stubs!)
Washing my brushes, mostly because I like doing it daily
And applying bronzer, because if I’m not paying attention/half-@ss it, I end up looking muddy