Archives for 2013

The Urban Decay Ammo Palette, Reloaded: Urban Decay Re-Releases the Ammo Palette, Cats Respond With Biscuits

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

The minute I sat down with the new Urban Decay Ammo palette, Tabs jumped up on the couch, pushed Ammo aside and started making biscuits on my lap.

Perhaps this impromptu biscuit sesh happened because I reeked of tuna fish and onions (um, guess what I had for lunch!), or maybe the universe was trying to tell me something…

Maybe the universe had something to say about Urban Decay’s habit of re-launching previously released eyeshadow palettes (like the Feminine, Dangerous and Fun palettes from late last year), and how it’s a little like Tabs and kitty biscuits, in that, sure, you know the drill, you know it’s going to happen when you sit down a certain way on the couch, but you really can’t do anything to stop it, so you just sit back, relax and enjoy. 🙂

The palette thing does get a little confusing, though, especially when UD releases new palettes with old names — names they’ve used before — like with their latest re-lauch, Ammo ($34), which is based on their original Ammo palette from a few years back.

Same name, same 10 colors (UD bestsellers!), but these use Urban Decay’s newer eyeshadow formulation.

UD also revamped the packaging, swapped out the old sponge-tip applicator for a mini-eyeshadow brush, and added a sample-sized tube of their primer potion.

Basically, it’s an updated version of Ammo. Ammo 2.0, so to speak.

Like the original palette, the products in this new Ammo are divided into two rows. You can mix and match any of the shades together, or use the recommended pairs.

Each column of colors creates a recommended duo; my faves are Chopper and Sin, because I just like how neutral they are, but I also like wearing the trio of Smog, Maui Wowie and Last Call together.

urban decay ammo palette swatches — Swatches from the left: Smog, Maui Wowie, Mildew, Shattered, Oil Slick, Polyester Bride, Last Call, Grifter, Chopper and Sin

[Continue reading…]

Naked Skin Beauty Balm, Urban Decay’s New Sheer, Pore-Shrinking Potion, Feels Almost as Light as a Feather

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

I’m sure that part of the reason why I’m sitting here with my laptop and a bottle of the new Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm ($34 for a 1.18-ounce tube) and thinking about Hawaii right now is because of what I’m wearing.

I’m wearing a thermal, a hoodie, knee-high socks and long pants (I also have a blanket wrapped around my shoulders) because, DUDE! — IT’S REALLY COLD OUT HERE!

Okay, I know that Bay Area winters are mild compared to many other parts of the world/country, but whatevs. Temperature’s a relative thing! And I’m a weather wuss. 🙂

Um…may I have another cup of hot tea, please?

PLEASE!?

Then there’s the freaking Hills… I’m still watching the show, despite my better judgment. Right now I’m on season 5, and the cast is currently vacationing at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu, which, side tangent, is where I got married (El Hub, if by chance you’re reading this, love you extra today, babes!).

So yeah, I’m sitting here daydreaming about Hawaii and wishing I was at the beach listening to waves crashing on the shore, instead of the heater’s low drone…

Ya know, if I were one of those cast members on The Hills, and the producers flew me out to Hawaii to talk about nonsense in a hot tub and say profound things like, “I think Audrina’s gonna hook up with Brody!” I’d probably wear Naked Skin Beauty Balm…assuming, of course, that I were also 23, which was probably when my skin was in the best shape of my life, and all I ever needed/wanted was minimal coverage and a matte finish.

A new face product from Urban Decay (launced online today, and coming to counters and stores this spring), Naked Skin Beauty Balm is basically a super sheer tinted moisturizer/primer with broad-spectrum SPF 20 and added skin benefits. Beyond its cosmetic powers, it also promises to firm and lift, and diminish the appearance of fine lines, with the help of magic-sounding “optical blurring pigments.”

It comes in just a single shade — a sheer peach — which should suit most skin tones. It also has a minty scent (kinda like toothpaste) and a texture that feels like a thin lotion.

urban decay naked skin beauty blam swatch — Swatches of Naked Skin Beauty Balm unblended on the left and blended on the right

[Continue reading…]

According to LancÃ´me, Hypnose Star Holds the Secret to Betty Boop’s Glamorous Lashes

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Years ago, I made a pact with myself to grow into one of those stylin’ 80-something-year-old women who wear Chanel suits.

It’s my ultimate goal — to be a tiny elderly lady in tweed clutching a quilted Chanel bag as I shuffle around the beauty department telling stories that start with, “Back in my day…” 🙂

I’m serious! — but I’d gleefully ditch that goal to be able to rock a miniskirt half as well as Miss Betty Boop does at her age. I mean, she’s 83 years young!

Fun fact: Betty made her first appearance in 1930 in the cartoon, Dizzy Dishes. Although silent movie-era actress Clara Bow and singer Helen Kane are often regarded as being the inspirations for Betty, the character was originally created as an anthropomorphic French poodle.

Wow, right? ‘Cause Betty keeps it tight! Just look at those legs and that black sequined dress! Not many octogenarians can pull off that look, for real.

So I happened upon this LancÃ´me display for the new Star Collection on my trip to Nordstrom a couple days ago, and that pic of Betty caught my eye.

It definitely got me to check out the makeup (to the marketing team: mission accomplished!). I spied a red lipstick, three sparkly eyeshadows, a liquid liner, a lash curler and a jet-black mascara for volume (“…the secret to Betty’s glamorous lashes”) — everything in the seven-piece release.

Judging by the level of pigment, this one’s for the girls who love dramatic eyes and lips.

[Continue reading…]

The New Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner Palette in Classic Nude

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

It’s raining nude palettes! This one’s new from Physicians Formula: Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Classic Nude ($10.98).

The colors should work for cool-toned cuties, although you might have to put up with a little bit of fallout.

PRICE: $10.98
AVAILABILITY: Coming to drugstores and mass-market stores nationwide this spring; available now at physiciansformula.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

The New Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner Palette in Natural Nude

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

physicians formula shimmer strips custom eye enhancing shadow liner nude natural nude

A new nude palette with nine sheer, shimmery pale powder eyeshadows that you can wear wet or dry.

It’s one of four palettes just released for spring; there’s also Warm Nude, Classic Nude and Smoky Nude versions, too.

The colors kinda get lost on my tan skin, but if you’re pale, then it might work for ya.

PRICE: $10.98
AVAILABILITY: Coming to drugstores and mass-market stores nationwide this spring; available now at physiciansformula.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

Dior’s Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara Has Some Serious Curve Appeal

January 2nd, 2013 by Karen 23 Comments

Even icons, like Dior’s Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mscara, like to brush up on their skills from time to time, with “brush” being the key word here.

What’s the biggest difference between the new Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara and the original Iconic Mascara first released in 2008? Two words: the brush.

The 2008 incarnation (which is still available) features a plasticky brush with short, stubby nubs, while its upstart offspring, codename Overcurl, has more traditional mascara bristles.

Overcurl’s new curve also helps it reach my lashes better at the roots, for thicker lashes around the base.

According to Dior, Overcurl, which is new for spring, delivers “spectacular volume and curl.” I’ve been putting that claim to the test for about two weeks now, and ya know, the darned thing does hold a curl really well (great for that doe-eyed effect). Plus, it doesn’t smudge, smear or flake, and it’s been a breeze to remove.

I like it, although maybe not as much as, say, the new Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara (which I’m still super obsessed with).

Because Overcurl doesn’t thicken or lengthen as much from root to tip, it’s good for a completely different, less dramatic kind of lash look than I get with Le Volume.

[Continue reading…]

I’ve Got a Brain Filled With Cheese Whiz and a Chanel Quad Filled With Plums: The New Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Raffinement

January 2nd, 2013 by Karen 48 Comments

chanel raffinement — Wearing the new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quara Eye Shadow in Raffinement ($59) on my eyes, from the new Printemps PrÃ©cieux de Chanel Spring 2013 Collection

Thanks to the 20-something hours (at least) of The Hills I watched on Netflix over the Christmas break, my brain is now cheese fondue.

Even though I could see my faculties deteriorating, could feel the brain cells evaporating, and even though I must have spent half of that time rolling my eyes and exclaiming, “OH, PUHH-LEASE!” whenever Spencer and Heidi were on screen, I simply could not look away.

And now, I feel like I’m in so deep (at the end of Season 4, right after Speidi got “married,” air quotes, in Mexico) that if I were to give up now, all of those 20-something hours would seem wasted…

Or, more wasted. More of a waste. LOL! 🙂

What does this have to do with the new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eye Shadow Quad in Raffinement, you may ask? Well, pretty soon, at the rate I’m losing brain cells, I may not be able to handle any makeup looks that require the blending of more than two eyeshadows.

Good thing this spring collection quad, with its mix of plum, mauve, taupe and purple, is really great at two-color eye looks…

I actually brought it with me when I visited my family last week over the holidays and did a number of quick looks with one of its lighter colors on my lids and one of the darker colors along my lash lines. And that was it.

If you’re one of those gals (or guys) who likes a little color, as in looks with far fewer than 18 blended shadows, and plums and purples that don’t scream “PUNK ROCK, 4EVER!” take a closer look at Raffinement.

Normally, when it comes to punk rock colors, I think of brands like Urban Decay. They do vibrant, sparkly punk rock plums and purples really well, and it’s a very distinct, eye-catching look that I like. Sometimes.

Chanel, on the other hand, excels at things like this quad, where they execute colors like purples, blues and greens in ways that make them blend so beautifully into your overall outfit and look.

Like, when you’re watching The Hills, and you see LC carrying a classic black Chanel flap bag (SWOON!), and you can tell that it was meant to be a part of her outfit, but not the only part — that’s how I feel about the way Raffinement looks on the eyes.

When I’m wearing these colors and see myself in the mirror, I see the color there, but I don’t feel like I’m wearing two tons of eyeshadow.

[Continue reading…]

May I Present to You the Flexible, Lightweight Zella Quilted Frame Clutch?

January 2nd, 2013 by Karen 31 Comments

Did I forget to tell you what I got my mom for her birthday last weekend? I actually ended up getting her a Galaxy hooded sweatshirt from Zella.

I know, BIG surprise. 🙂

Yes, I’m on a mission to get all of the ladies in my life Galaxy sweatshirt-ed out, and um…it was on sale, which is always a good thing.

I also got her this Zella Quilted Frame Clutch. It’s a lightweight, quilted fabric bag with a zipper. Hardly weighs a thing, too, and it’s super roomy.

Like the sweatshirt, it was marked down ($18 from $28). I filled it with a few things — a pair of birthday socks, a night cream and a serum that she likes — and tied a ribbon to the strap.

It turned out to be a cute, little present.

The bag itself is kinda like an all-purpose carryall (dimensions: 8″W x 5″H x 4″D). It would make a great, little makeup bag, or could maybe be something to store toiletries in a gym bag. You could even use it as a causal clutch.

My mom goes to the senior center a few times a week for group exercise classes (I know — so cute!). She takes yoga, Zumba and something called “Silver Sneakers,” which always cracks me up. It’s funny… All of her senior citizen friends call her “the baby” of the group, haha!

Anyway, she’s there a lot, and even though she’s not really into makeup, I figured that if she ever wanted to go out with The Golden Girls for a coffee date or to a juice bar afterwards, she could use this bag to store her toiletries, and freshen up at the senior center before going.

Now that I think about it…I might have to get one of these for myself! I love the little details, like the strap, the Zella quilting (look closely, and you can see the “Z” pattern in the stitching), and there are these buttons on the side that clamp down to reinforce the rectangular shape.

If you need the extra room, though, you can pop open the buttons to expand the bag to its full potential.

[Continue reading…]