Archives for 2014

Marsala Madness Strikes Sephora! Have You Seen the Sephora + Pantone Universe Makeup Collection?

December 31st, 2014 by Karen 29 Comments

Flashback! Marsala sooooo reminds me of the deep, dark reddish browns of the ’90s, like MAC Paramount. Take me back, homie…

I do like the shimmery twists and sheens Sephora incorporated to modernize marsala in their Sephora + Pantone Universe makeup collection, because back in the day, the shade probably would have been reserved for flat mattes, which were nearly impossible to blend.

From the left: Shimmering Marsala Cheek Trio, Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme, Bold Marsala Mascara & Brow Highlighter and Marsala Metalshine Liquid Liner

The Sephora + Pantone Universe Makeup Collection

A limited edition eight-piece release

Available now at Sephora stores and sephora.com

I’m really liking the $28 Shimmering Marsala Cheek Trio. Very easy to blend.

The $18 Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme is smooth and creamy and super pretty. Very ’90s, too.

The Marsala Metalshine Liquid Liner, also $18, is quite shimmery and pigmented.

While also pigmented, $20 Bold Marsala Mascara & Brow Highlighter is totally NOT wearable at all.

Overall, I can get behind the cheek trio, the lipstick and the liner…but the mascara and brow highlighter just make my brows and lashes look hella red. But not runway red in a fashion-forward way. More like red as in demon spawn. Think hard before going there… I’m just sayin’.

P.S. I’m on the way out the door to go to that restaurant/nightclub with the Prince cover band in San Rafael. If I don’t see you again tonight, please have a safe and happy New Year’s. See you in 2015! 🙂

24 Things I Loved From 2014

December 31st, 2014 by Karen 34 Comments

1. The lob

So, pretty much the best haircut ever! I saw someone with it on Instagram one day last summer and knew I had to try it. It’s basically an a-line shape, slightly shorter in the back and longer in the front. Good way to go shorter with your ‘do without having to go full-on short, if that makes any sense. You get the sensation of having short hair without actually…you know, having to chop off most of your hair.

2. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

BAH! Perfection in a bottle, but why does it have to be so expensive ($21.50 for a small 2.2-oz. bottle)?

You can use it as a dry shampoo, to lift your roots, to add volume, or just as a light hold hairspray.

Really, the only thing it doesn’t do is address the meaning of life.

OK, well, I’m exaggerating…a little.

WARNING: addiction ahead! Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is $21.50 for a 2.2-oz. purse-size bottle.

3. HomeGoods

Just take my money already. This store… It’s home decorating nirvana. Every time I go is a treasure hunt. I never know what I’m gonna find.

(A secret squirrel told me that you have to go on the certain days when they get their shipments in, so ask an associate at your local store.)

Anything and everything you can imagine for your house/apartment/igloo/condo — they probably carry it, at a steeply discounted price.

It is SO fun. Every time you go you’ll find cute stuff.

4. The MAC Brooke Shields Gravitas Palette

I can’t remember the last time I freaked out this completely over a MAC palette with so many amazing MAC neutrals, and it FLEW off the shelves. Even at $85, it was a major, epic MAC moment and well worth the price.

5. Laura Mercier Flawless Fluide Foundation

For me this is the. Best. Foundation out there right now. Basically a Hogwarts-caliber makeup miracle, and I love it so much that I would have a full-on breakdown if Laura discontinued it.

Please, Laura, don’t! I would immediately go into emergency stockpile mode and crawl to the ends of the earth for it. It’s THAT serious.

It covers everything, mellows out my pores, and it doesn’t feel heavy at all.

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation — Beside a MAC Lipstick for scale…

6. The Avocado Egg Rolls at the Cheesecake Factory

On the one hand, I’m glad I discovered these, because eating them is what I imagine strolling through the pearly gates to heaven would feel like… Sublime, ethereal, surreal.

But I almost wish I hadn’t discovered them because they’re also a billion calories! I’m serious. You probably just went up a dress size looking at this picture.

7. The Guerlain Night at the Opera Holiday Collection

There was so much glowing goodness in this collection that my eyes are rolling back in my head as I type this.

Ahh… Oh, yeah.

The Meteorites Perles d’Etoiles Illuminating Pearls and the Petrouchka Palette for Eyes and Cheeks — both super expensive, but pure perfection on every level.

The 10-piece limited edition Guerlain Night at the Opera Collection

8. Chanel New Moon cream shadow

Sparkly! New Moon is one of those weirdly wonderful colors that only Chanel could do this good. It’s a glittery copper with colorful sparkles, and I should’ve grabbed a second one when I had the chance, sigh….

9. The Progressive Wedge & Pop apple slicer doohickey

One of the (many) things I got at HomeGoods this year. It’s just this thingamabob that cores your apples for you, all nice and neat.

Yeah, it’s kind of useless, because you could also use a knife, but I love it. And I use it daily.

10. Gamma Ray Computer Glasses!

Yet another thing I use daily. El Hub got me these one nice, random day to help my eyes, which ache sometimes from hours and hours of staring at the computer screen.

The only thing is that the lenses are always getting smudges on them, so I’m cleaning them literally all day long.

But they definitely help my eyes.

11. Kate Spade Studs

I will forever remember 2014 as The Year of My Kate Spade Studs ($38). I started wearing them earlier this year, and they’ve pretty much become the only earrings I want to wear.

I’ve always thought of myself as a big earrings gal, but right now I’m really into simple studs. And I totally blame Kate Spade and her comfortable, adorable studs that look a lot more expensive than they really are (these are only $38!).

They’re also available in different colors, go with practically everything, and when I wear them, I don’t have to worry about Tabs swatting at big ol’ dangly hoops.

12. The MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection

So, being a water baby and all…I was totally enthralled by this collection’s aquatic theme.

The release was all about the MAC In Extra Dimension formula, and the bronzers? SWOON.

Serious contender for my favorite MAC collection of 2014.

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What Are the Next Hair or Makeup Looks, Styles or Techniques You’d Like to Learn?

December 31st, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Things that make ya go hmm... — Deep thoughts…

I’m kinda wishing I hadn’t chopped off my hair because now I really want to learn how to do intricate braids… You know, like those fancy combinations with the fish tail and the french braids in the same look.

Funny how the grass is always greener on the other side…

I’d also love to learn how to do really good ’40s-style finger waves and Victory rolls.

For makeup, I want 2015 to be the year when I finally break out of my smokey eye comfort zone, so I want to be able to do more variations on different kinds of glam makeup looks, like daytime-friendly glam, BIG glam, softer and more natural glam…

If it’s glam, I want to be all up in that ish!

I also want to experiment with more ’60s makeup looks. Like last month I watched an Audrey Hepburn movie called Charade, and Audrey’s cut crease and black cat liner action in it was INSANE.

I think I could probably do something like that now if I had a whole day to just futz with my makeup, but since Tabs keeps me on such a short leash (haha), I want to be able to do things like that faster.

Talk to me, babe! What are the next hair or makeup looks, styles or techniques you’d like to learn?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy New Year’s Eve morning! 🙂

P.P.S. Let’s party like it’s 1999 with The Purple Ones at Fenix in San Rafael tonight! Be there!!

Go Straight From Work to the Party With This 5-Minute Makeup Upgrade

December 30th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

One of my New Year’s resolutions? Go to more parties.

But the free food and drinks and great excuse to wear heels are not the primary drivers here (although, not gonna lie, they’re all super fun reasons)… My main reasons are “research.”

No, seriously. Parties are perfect places to talk to people about makeup!

Case in point: at my BFF Cindy’s birthday lunch a couple weeks ago (aka Carb Fest 2014!), I sat next to a gal named Stacy. When I introduced myself, the first thing she said was, “Oh! You’re Cindy’s makeup blogger friend!” which, of course, opened the floodgates. 🙂

We covered so many bases! We talked about under-eye concealer (run to the closest NARS counter, and pick up Pure Radiant, ASAP), highlighting, and traded makeup ideas for parties.

Stacy wanted ideas for fast ways to crank up her makeup after work, but she said she didn’t have the best blending skills.

I suggested three things — a black pencil liner, a bright lipstick, and five minutes.

First, the before…

The before/work look

Here’s the before look. I’m wearing the Tarte Tartlette Palette on my eyes, Le Metier Cheeky Chic Kaleidoscope on my cheeks and Tarte Ethereal Pink Lipstick on my lips.

This would be a typical standard-issue work makeup look for me with neutral eyes, cheeks and lips.

Step 1: Reducing shine, and applying black liner

Tarte Tartlette Palette and MAC Smolder on my eyes, Le Metier Cheeky Chic Kaleidoscope on my cheeks and Tarte Ethereal Pink Lipstick — MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder

First, blot or reapply powder on any shiny spots, and then line your upper and lower water and lash lines with a creamy black pencil eyeliner. Next, soften the lash lines with a pencil brush, then create a smokey haze around them.

Now, to intensify the look, apply a new coat of mascara to your upper and lower lashes.

Stop here if you just want to end with a smokey eyes/nude lips combo.
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10 More Things I Love About MAC

December 30th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Because a single list of 10 items was nowhere near long enough to fully convey my unbridled MAC passion, here are 10 MORE things I love about MAC.

1. Brun Eye Shadow

I’ve worn Brun in one form or another virtually every single day for the past 10 years.

A dark, satiny blackish brown may sound kind of boring and lame, but this one’s pure genius because 1) it’s dark, but it doesn’t look harsh or stark on the skin, and 2) it’s so versatile!

Seriously, I use it for almost errrthing. I use it as a brow filler (it’s a great all-purpose filler for brunettes because it’s neutral and not overly warm or red), as a liner when I’m pressed for time and lack the dexterity to be precise with pencils, gels or liquids; or as a dark brown to deepen the outer corners in neutral looks.

Oh! — and you can do the quickest smokey eye ever by just buffing Brun on top of MAC Smolder.

Brun might look like a basic brown, but it’s millions of miles from boring.

2. Powersurge, Teddy and Costa Riche

Otherwise known as the ultimate eyeliner trifecta. These are my go-to shades from the MAC Eye Kohl line, and I always have at least one of them with me in my purse, unless I’m on a trip and gotta have all three, or risk having a meltdown, LOL! Sounds silly, but it’s true. 🙂

MAC has a ton of beautiful eyeliners, but these are the ones I have backups of backups of at all times.

Deep bronzy gold Powersurge looks epic on lower lash lines, where it adds a little something-something without making my eyes look smaller.

Costa Riche and Teddy are two of the most beautiful brown liners on the planet. Costa Riche is a warm matte reddish brown (I wear it smudged along my lower lash lines all the time), and Teddy is a rich, bronzy reddish brown.

Both of them look amaze-balls with brown, hazel, grey, blue or green eyes.

MAC Costa Riche and Teddy swatches — Swatches of Costa Riche and Teddy on my NC42 skin

3. The Archie’s Girls Collection

That one time Tabs and I got cartoonified by Archie cartoonist Dan Parent for the Archie’s Girls collection…

4. Turquatic

Turquatic is a light, refreshing fragrance that everyone I run into and hug seems to love.

Er…now that I think about it, I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually finished a bottle of it because I’m always giving them away!

The last time was with my mom-in-law, when she hugged me and said, “I love that scent you’re wearing!” so I gave it to her right there on the spot.

Official fragrance notes include anemone, lotus, orris and Corsican blue cedar. Unofficial fragrance notes include summer crushes and stolen kisses. 🙂

5. Wonder Woman

Such a fun collection! Also, I will gladly take any excuse to dress up as a superhero and wander around the neighborhood.

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Gazing Into the Future for a Moment, How Are You (Probably) Going to Do Your Hair and Makeup Tomorrow?

December 30th, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

There is a 99.9% chance my makeup will look like this…

Seeing as how tomorrow is the very last day of the year…I think it does have more significance that a normal day, since we’re wrapping up 2014 and all!

I want to spend the day feeling good about myself and having fun with El Hub and Tabs. 🙂

I’ll probably do just enough to feel put tougher, but I don’t want to spend half the day futzing with my makeup and hurr (although, admittedly, sometimes I do).

Makeup-wise, I’m thinking easy, polished neutral eyes and a nude lip, like what I wore in the Mia Beauty Braidie post a few days ago.

It’s a look I can knock out pretty quickly (about 25 minutes if I’m focused), and I like the way it looks in the mirror.

If we end up staying in tomorrow night, I may just leave it at that, but if we go out for New Year’s Eve, I dunno… Perhaps I’ll top off my lids with a MAC Pressed Pigment, or add a sparkly Urban Decay Glitter Liner to my lash lines. And/or false lashes and a bold, bright lip.

As for my hair, I’ll be rockin’ the messy, choppy waves.

Most of the time these days we stay in for New Year’s, but we’re trying to get tickets to see a Prince cover band (She wore a raspberry beret! The kind you find in a second hand store!) at a nightclub in San Rafael.

Fun!

It’s very last-minute, so it may not pan out, but I hope it does! If it doesn’t, then I guess we’ll just be playing Prince at home and dancing around the living room. 🙂

Hey, babe! How about you? Gazing into the future for a moment, how are you (probably) going to do your hair and makeup tomorrow?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 353

December 29th, 2014 by Karen 44 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for December 29, 2014

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

I hate to shop for…
For someone who frequents Home Goods so much, I actually hate shopping for home stuff because I’m terribly indecisive when it comes to picking stuff for walls, or for the furniture. It’s just I have this irrational idea that once I get like a pillow I’m gonna be stuck with that pillow for the next 20 years, and I can’t – so I stand there, like I’m literally in the aisle looking at all the pillows, but what if I don’t like this blue seashell pillow when I’m like 55, I’ll still have to look at it till then, and it paralyzes me.

I love to shop for…
Everything else (other than home stuff), but shoes and makeup and kitty things especially. And coats.

Basically, I like shopping for anything that will still fit if my weight can fluctuate up and down.

Oh, and purses.

You have three minutes to freshen up your makeup, so what do you do?
Well, the first thing I do is fix my wonky right brow, which is shorter than my left brow, so the tail end usually fades throughout the day…

So I’ll fix my right wonky brow, then I’ll give my lashes a quick curl — but very gently, of course, because I don’t want to pull out any eyelashes. Then I’ll throw on another layer of mascara, and quickly rim my eyes.

Since I wear nude lips a lot (just because they’re easier for me and I don’t have to deal with lip pencil or whatever), I’ll usually do another layer of whichever nude lipstick or gloss or lip liner I happen to be wearing.

I kind of like to be a little shiny because I like my skin glowing, but if I have an extra 20 seconds or so, I’ll powder my forehead, which tends to get a little shinier than the rest of my face.

What’s the oldest thing in your closet that you still wear all the time?
Years ago (I think it was 2007) when I interviewed Paris Hilton, I’d been out of the corporate workforce for a long time, so I had to get an interview outfit. I bought this basic black dress at H&M for like $20 that I still wear.

It’s black jersey, easy to pack. It’s not really trendy… It’s kind of one of those timeless cuts, got short sleeves, hits right above the knee. I can dress it up, I can dress it down, and it’s stretchy. 🙂

What are some things you’d like to do more of in 2015?
Mostly, I would like to forgive myself more. I tend to beat myself up mentally for the things I do wrong, and I don’t want to do that so much, so I’d like to forgive myself more.

I’d also like to exercise more, but I don’t know if that will necessarily translate into doing another half-marathon, but I’d like to sweat more. I’d also like to see my friends more, and develop my friendships more. And I’d like to do more new things.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. I hate to shop for…
2. I love to shop for…
3. You have three minutes to freshen up your makeup, so what do you do?
4. What’s the oldest thing in your closet that you still wear all the time?
5. What are some things you’d like to do more of in 2015?

It’s the last Monday of 2014!

MONDAY!

I’m halfway through my second cup of coffee and really looking forward to my run this morning, because I did not exercise at all over the Christmas break.

Well, I did exercise my mouth… 🙂 And my tum. By repeatedly shoving lots of sugary things and carby things into them.

How was your weekend? Did you spend it with family or friends? Was it busy? Relaxing?

What about New Year’s? Per usual, I don’t have any plans yet. El Hub and I usually just go out to dinner, then come home and sit around, maybe watch the ball drop at midnight. I keep telling myself to try something new this time, so maybe we will. Who knows?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 327

December 28th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

This post is sponsored by Purina Pro Plan #proplancatpartner. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

Tim Gunn isn’t the only one in the fashion world with a famous catchphrase (“Make it work!”). Tabs has one as well.

Actually…he has dozens of them. In fact, he’s famous for his quick-witted kitty quips and outrageous statements, and rumor has it that Karl Lagerfeld himself steals his own viral memes from Tabs (who’s thinking about purr-suing legal action).

Here are 12 of my favorite Tabs-isms this year. 🙂

In other news, I’M BAAAACK! We got home from Redding a little while ago, and let me tell you — my roots are excited! Girlfriend has not washed her hair since Christmas-freaking-Eve.

Whoops! Too much info…

I have kitty snuggles to share because Tabs is being extra lover-boy right now. He must have missed me while I was gone.

Anybody else maxing and relaxing at home tonight? I’m going to try to paint my nails…but it’s gonna be hard with a 20-pound tabby rubbing his chin against every available body part.

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