Archives for 2014

Dear Hourglass Cosmetics Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Glosses, You’re My Obsession

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Lush (bottom) and Origami (top)

Ever go through phases where you become totally obsessed with one makeup line? I’m going through one of those right now with Hourglass. 🙂

Soooo, along those lines, I’ve been looking for springy shades to wear with the new Ambient Blushes.

Feast your eyes upon these two Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss pretties! Lush and Origami.

I love how they look by themselves (and atop lipsticks and lip pencils).

The Extreme Sheens ($28 each and available in 13 shades) are among of my favorite glosses. What a formula. So moisturizing, and they have that high-shine, non-sticky thing going for ’em, too. Throw in a light cupcake fragrance, and we’re talking major win.

They’re available now at Sephora and hourglasscosmetics.com.

Swatches of the Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Lush (left) and Origami (right) — Lush (left) and Origami (right)

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Origami — Origami

If You Could Have a Do-Over for Any Single Makeup Moment in Your Life, What Would It Be?

January 30th, 2014 by Karen 28 Comments

Oh, this one’s easy. A few re-doable moments come to mind, like the super skinny brows I rocked during Madonna’s Dita years (I walked around with a perpetually surprised look on my face, haha!), but the one at the top of my list is the day I walked into The Body Shop and walked out with a cah-ray-zaaaay purplish black lip liner and frosty beige lipstick combo.

I remember it like it was yesterday… [CUE FLASHBACK JINGLE AND CAMERA FADE]

I was playing with some shimmery eye shadow when one of the sales gals approached, and we started chatting. “You should try this!” she said, to which I eagerly agreed. 🙂

She did a look on my lips that was very trendy at the time (this was the mid-’90s) — a barely blended in matte purply black lip liner around the edge of the lips topped with a frosty beige lipstick. Then she popped a little clear gloss in the center.

I remember thinking, “I look like a backup dancer in a Missy Elliott video.” Sold! LOL!

Little did I realize just how completely unflattering the look was on me… The dark liner looked stark and harsh, and the frosty lipstick emphasized every lip flake.

Seriously, I don’t know why, but I wore that look for months thinking I was the sh*t!

Um, dated much? Yeah…

Your turn! If you could have a do-over for any single makeup moment in your life, what would it be?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Smoothies!!! Ooh, I made a yummy one this morning, totally on accident. I chugged it before I could take pics (it was that good), but it’s worthy of documenting here. 🙂

First, blender. Add a couple hunks of frozen banana, a cup of frozen sliced peaches, half a ripe avocado (yup, avocado; trust me on this), a tablespoon of chia seeds and a squeeze of honey. Then, in separate glass (because I think it blends better that way), stir one full scoop of this vanilla protein powder into a cup of almond milk, and add that to your blender.

Blend, and when you’re done, you’ll have a delicious avocado peach smoothie, om nom nom!

Next time I have to remember to snap a picture because it was the awesomest shade of guacamole green…

Oh, the construction guys are back and pounding away outside my window. They say “wassup!” by the way.

NYX Baked Blushes, and They’re Sweet, Dainty and Only $7 Apiece

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

NYX Baked Blush in Ignite — Wearing NYX’s new Baked Blush in Ignite on my cheeks

I haven’t baked anything in ages, but right now I’m in the mood. (Ooh…maybe a pan of gooey brownies.)

Normally, I would blame a sudden urge like this on PMS, but not today. Today the cause is NYX.

Four of 12 new NYX Baked Blushes, $7 each

Their new line of Baked Blushes is just as sweet as can be (and they’re only $7 each), from the darling black bow on the front closure to the dainty shades. The pink, peach and tan ones here look almost as good as frosted cupcakes.

They’re designed to be applied wet (for more oomph) or dry. I prefer dry because I think they look a little more delicate that way.

After playing with four of the 12 shades, I came away impressed…but only after I broke through their tough outer layer. Like my BFF Cindy’s personality, they’re tough on the outside, but sweet and gentle on the inside. 🙂 Just gotta chip away at that bad-@ss exterior, which doesn’t take much to get through (I swirled a dense kabuki brush around for a minute or two in each pan).

After you shave off that top layer, eureka! — makeup gold. You reach a soft, easy-to-blend powder with a radiant sheen. Two or three layers quickly blended with a blending brush creates a lovely flush, and it doesn’t look like you’ve tried too hard.

NYX Pink Fetish Baked Blush — Pink Fetish

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Paul & Joe’s Spring 2014 Collection Is Bucking for Best Dressed This Spring

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Oh, Paul & Joe… You certainly know how to woo a girl who loves cute packaging.

The limited edition 19-piece spring 2014 collection recently sprung on Paul & Joe counters and online, and, as one might expect from the line, everything’s cute, cute, cute!

There are eight eyeshadow trios ($35 each), four Eyeshadow Compacts ($10 each), five nail polishes ($16 each), a Face Powder ($45) and one Face Brush ($30).

I wore three of the pieces last weekend to the Marine Mammal Center. A few brief thoughts… (On the pieces. I loved the Mammal Center!)

The Face Powder S — A little like Guerlain’s Meteorites Perles! I used it as a highlighter and got a gentle, barely there glow… Smells amazing, too. Like violets.
Face Brush — Soft like kittens? Check.
Eye Color Trio in My Little Kitty — Mostly glitter. Low in pigment (it’s pretty sheer). It reminds me of the Bobbi Brown glitter shadows. I wore the bronze shade on my lids, the gold in the inner corners and used the dark purply brown as a liner. They lasted on my lids for 12+ hours with primer but migrated into my fine lines and creases. Really pretty, though, for subtle, sparkly looks.
Nail Enamel in Petunia — An uber-sheer pink with tiny flecks of glitter in different shapes and sizes, which is cool. I think it’s cute, but a little too subtle for me.

Paul & Joe Face Powder S — Face Powder S, $45

Paul & Joe Eye Color Trio in My Little Kitty, $35 — Eye Color Trio in My Little Kitty, $35

My Little Kitty trio (far left) and Face Powder S (far right)

Wonder Twin Powers Activate! Shape of…the New Urban Decay Duo Shade Eyeshadows!

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

So bangin’!

No, I’m not referring to the pounding outside my window (this time), which, El Hub informs me, will be ongoing for two weeks.

Argh.

The new Urban Decay Duo Shades, $18 each

I predict that by the end of the day I’ll be rocking back and forth in the corner and clutching these two new Urban Decay Duo Shade Eyeshadows to my chest like a security blanket while mumbling, “Safe place, safe place…”

Urban Decay Duo Shades swatches: X and Half Baked (far left); Sin and Mushroom (far right) — X and Half Baked (far left); Sin and Mushroom (far right)

The duos, which just launched online at urbandecay.com, are like eyeshadow comfort food. Each one comes with two of UD’s bestselling shades — familiar, much-loved colors that give lurvies to your lids.

Urban Decay Duo Shades in Sin/Mushroom — Sin and Mushroom

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What’s the Craziest Eye Look You’ve Ever Worn?

January 29th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

I like to think of myself as pretty adventurous when it comes to eye makeup…especially when I know I’m only going to be modeling something for Tabs (it’s a different story when I’m out and about).

But seriously, I’ll try anything once, although generally, for regular day wear, I like glam eye looks that don’t go totally over the top.

The gloves come off, though, on Halloween! It’s a license to go all out (crazy cat lady says what??).

Well, all out for me, I guess… Plenty of purple, glitter and, of course, cats (because cats make everything better).

I like this one the most because it was also part of an ensemble.

What’s the craziest eye look you’ve ever worn? Tell me about it in the comments. And do you have any pics?? Please share (link them in your comment or email)! I want to see! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. It’s like Paranormal Activity up in here! I’m serious, my house sounds like a horror movie set right now.

We’re having our siding repaired this week and probably also next, and the noise is deafening. It’s like a cacophony of hammering, guys yelling (“Bring that 2×4 over here!”) and the next door neighbor’s dog barking like Cujo.

I apologize in advance if I sound distracted or type a lot of T699nmk;q5u48pbuiofdj%huibo8u#bg! — nonsense over the next few days. I’ll do my best to make sense, but I can’t guarantee it’s going to work out, LOL!

Latest Drugstore Obsession: $7 Maybelline Make Me Pink ColorSensational Lipcolor

January 28th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

It hasn’t even been three days since the first time I saw it, but I’m already full-on obsessed with Make Me Pink ColorSensational Lipcolor by Maybelline.

Um…it’s only $7! I got it last weekend on my lady date with Marisol when we went to Ulta. She happened to be wearing it when we met for lunch.

I’m so glad I picked it up. It’s full coverage but smooth, and it doesn’t feel heavy on my lips. It’s moisturizing, too.

If you like cooler-toned pinks, give it a whirl. 🙂

Maybelline ColorSensational Lipcolor in Make Me Pink

Get Chanel Style for $5 With Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer in Sangria Rush

January 28th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Oh, gosh. For some reason my rambling is, like, extra rambling-y in this video.

I just realized that I never quite finished the story about the brothers and the double date with my friend Jen.

Sorry about that…

I blame it on the construction racket outside. I can’t even hear myself think. One moment I’m telling a silly story, then there’s a loud bang outside and I’m wondering, “Ooh! That was loud. What the heck was that?”

So, yeah…I guess it would’ve made more sense if I’d actually finished the story.

What I was going to say, was that during that double date, I sat on my hands throughout pretty much the entire musical, but the brother who was my date wanted to hold hands… He just couldn’t because I was sitting on mine. 🙂 Haha! Apparently, it was a “thing,” because later he told the other brother (Jen’s date), who in turn told Jen, who then told me.

Also, it never occurred to me and Jen at the time that if we did, in fact, marry the brothers…our kids would be cousins.

Clearly, this was a life plan that hadn’t been properly vetted…

Anywho, if you’re reading this and thinking, “This makes absolutely no sense,” well, the rest of the story is in the video, between talk of my new favorite polish, Milani High Speed Fast Dry One Coat Nail Lacquer in Sangria Rush, which you might remember from my nails in the BECCA Fab 5 video, and further rambling…

This polish is THE BUSINESS! It’s like $5 Chanel. Keep a look out for it next month when it arrives in drugstores and at milanicosmetics.com.

Thank you for watching and putting up with my random stories, LOL! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen