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Archives for 2014

7 Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

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A Makeup and Beauty Blog giveaway

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway
A Makeup and Beauty Blog Sephora giveaway!

Mornin’!

Late mornin’. 🙂

Guess who slept in today…

No, not Tab. He actually got up with El Hub around 6:30, but I stayed in bed till about 9. Now I’m sipping coffee, catching up on Top Chef and trying to figure out what I want to wear on my nails…

I know — exciting stuff, isn’t it? Yup, that’s me. Mrs. Excitement.

No idea what I’m doing today. I’ll probably mostly take it easy. Go for a run on the treadmill when my tummy settles, also a walk around the neighborhood later today. I do need to do some grocery shopping at some point, but that’s about it for me.

It’s weird coming down from the hectic holidays, isn’t it? Things are actually slow again.

I hope you’ve got something fun lined up. If you do, let me know in your giveaway entry comment. That way I can live vicariously through you!

Speaking of giveaways…let’s get to it already! We’re off to a late start. As far as entry rules, you know how it works. Details down below in the widget. Talk to you soon.

Win a $50 gift card from Sephora

  • One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

  • Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
  • Open to U.S. and international readers.
  • You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
  • Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
    • What’s a good movie to rent?
    • Have you ever been to New York?
    • Do you ever mix foundation colors to create a custom shade?
    • Describe your warmest jacket or sweater.
    • What’s the weather like out there today?
    • Current favorite perfume?
  • You can enter in up to seven ways to boost your chances of winning.
  • The giveaway ends on Monday, January 13, 2013 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time).
  • Full terms and conditions are available in the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

With Provocative Pink Pairings for Cheeks and Lips, the NARS Final Cut Collection Arrives in Time for Valentine’s Day

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NARS Descanso Satin Lip Pencil
Wearing the new NARS Final Cut collection on my cheeks and lips

Right now, the only thing that sounds better to me than biscuits, mashed potatoes and buttered corn (I love KFC’s sides!) and my booty on the couch is the NARS Final Cut collection.

Key words: pink, blushes, lip pencils and illuminators. And pink.

NARS Final Cut Collection
Eight of the 9 pieces in the new NARS Final Cut collection

Grabby hands! I haz them. 😀

In Final Cut, a limited edition release coming arriving next month, NARS re-imagines pink lips and cheeks with modern femininity. Like @ss-kicker boots worn below a frilly lace dress, the colors are edgy and fierce.

Nice.

The collection includes four Blushes, four Satin Lip Pencils (my favorite formula in the NARS lip product line) and one shimmery liquid Illuminator. And yes, pink.

Lots and lots of pink.

The nine-piece NARS Final Cut collection…

  • Sex Fantasy Blush: a pale lavender pink ($29)
  • New Attitude Blush: a cherry blossom pink ($29)
  • Final Cut Blush: a peachy coral ($29)
  • Love Blush: a tea rose ($29)
  • Adelaide Illuminator: a shimmering lavender pink ($30)
  • Stourhead Satin Lip Pencil: a pale lavender pink ($25)
  • Villa Lante Satin Lip Pencil: a cherry blossom pink($25)
  • Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil: a peachy coral ($25)
  • Descanso Satin Lip Pencil: a tea rose ($25)

Each of the blushes has a matching lip pencil, with the idea being that you can wear matching sets of coordinating colors together — a lip pencil with its matching blush. Or, of course, you can mix things up and wear any of the colors together. The liquid highlighter goes with everything.

Here are pics and impressions on eight of the nine pieces (I’ll post my thoughts on the fourth blush, Final Cut, soon). In a word: beautiful. In two words: absolutely beautiful. And four more words for good luck: super wearable, super flattering.

NARS Sex Fantasy Blush
Sex Fantasy Blush
NARS Love Blush
Love Blush
NARS New Attitude Blush
New Attitude Blush
NARS Adelaide Illuminator
Adelaide Illuminator
NARS FInal Cut Satin Lip Pencils
The FInal Cut Satin Lip Pencils

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Makeup Tutorial Time! Coppery Golden Eyes With Black Cat Liner

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Looking for a new makeup look for date night (or any other fun evening activity)? If you’re in the mood to curl your hair and put on a cute dress, here’s a coppery gold eye look idea.

It’s a video makeup tutorial, from start to finish, with black cat liner (aka winged eye liner), coral cheeks and pink lips like I’m wearing in the video above.

I use a lot of different products in the video, including some drugstore makeup from the new COVERGIRL Bombshell collection.

Covergirl Bombshell Collection
The new Covergirl Bombshell collection
COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Cherry Twist ($8.99)
Applying COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Cherry Twist ($8.99) on my lips for a daytime look
COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lipcolor in Bombshell ($6.99)
Switching to COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lipcolor in Bombshell ($6.99) to turn up the intensity

By the way, if any of the COVERGIRL makeup in these pictures catches your eye, all COVERGIRL products will be buy one, get one 50% off at Ulta Beauty stores and online at ulta.com from January 5-25, 2014. #ULTABombshelling

Products mentioned…

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How To Do an Easy, Cute Half-Up, Half-Down Hairstyle

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Good morning and happy Friday, friend!

It’s been a little slow going here this morning at Casa de MBB because I stayed up late last night partying like a rock star…

Uh, not. Actually, I got sucked into a movie I started watching at 9 called The Brass Teapot (pretty good, Twilight Zone-ish) and stayed up past my usual 10 o’clock bedtime.

Forget brass teapots… Could someone please pass the coffee pot? Stat.

So I’m feeling kinda tired, but also actually pretty good, too. Last night during dinner El Hub and I had a long talk about the importance of positivity in our lives.

Yes, I know that sounds hella cheesy, but ya know, I am a hella cheesy person and proud of it. 🙂

It’s especially important as we get older…because more and more of the people we know start getting sick, passing away and facing truly difficult situations.

Sorry. I don’t want to bring you down at all (that’s never my goal, ever), but I just think it’s important that we try to be as optimistic and happy as possible in our lives, because what else is there, really? You gotta keep that boat afloat, ya know? As hard as it is sometimes.

Anywho, that’s enough waxing philosophic for now… How about a video?

This one’s just a quickie.

I posted a pic last week of my hair half up, half down to showcase an ear cuff I like by Kristin Perry, and a few of you asked to see a tutorial.

Well, I don’t know how much of a tutorial this turned out to be, but I tried.

The style’s pretty simple — kind of funky and Hunger Games-ish, which is probably why I like it so much — and you may be able to do it with products you already have around the house.

Products mentioned in the video

Do you have any well-behaved earrings at home that deserve to be shown off? Hint-hint! This is a good hairstyle for that.

You know, I really enjoy making these videos, but they are very challenging in different ways than writing and taking pics. A big thing I’m still trying to figure out is where to place the camera. I probably should have backed up a couple feet for this one to show my entire head, but we live and learn, I guess.

Oh, well. I still hope you like it and give it a try (even if it’s only in secret at home).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. tgif. 🙂

TGIF!

Anchored in Bold, Bright Shades, the NARS Spring 2014 High Seize Collection Sets Sail for Spring

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NARS High Seize Collection Spring 2014

Anchors aweigh, NARS fans! This is your captain speaking. Before we cast off, I’d like to thank you for choosing Tabs the Cat Tours (a division of Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC) for your travel needs.

It should be smoooove sailing up the coast this afternoon, and as we cruise into spring, you should see plenty of shimmery finishes, metallic moments and splashes of sheer color off the starboard bow.

I’d like to remind you to please wear your life jacket at all times. It is of the utmost importance, as we may experience sweeping moments of makeup ecstasy.

Our destination: the dreamy plums, turquoises, golds, pinks, greens and peaches in the nine-piece NARS spring 2014 collection. Hold on to your makeup brushes, because we’re heading into High Seize!

NARS Spring 2014 Collection High Seize
Set sail for High Sieze with the nine-piece NARS spring 2014 collection

The entire NARS Spring 2014 High Seize collection includes…

  • CHINA SEAS DUO EYESHADOW ($34): An iridescent turquoise with gold infusion and an iridescent plum
  • KAUAI DUO EYESHADOW ($34): A gold lamé and an iridescent smokey orchid
  • KHAO SAN ROAD LARGER THAN LIFE LONG-WEAR EYELINER ($24): A metallic aquamarine
  • PUERTA DEL SOL LARGER THAN LIFE LONG-WEAR EYELINER ($24): A parrot green with shimmer
  • ANNÉES FOLLES LARGER THAN LIFE LIP GLOSS ($26): A sheer violet
  • BIMINI LARGER THAN LIFE LIP GLOSS ($26): A sheer pink guava
  • TIMANFAYA SATIN LIP PENCIL ($25): A mandarin red
  • NĀ PALI COAST MULTIPLE ($39): A shimmering rosy peach
  • WIND DANCER NAIL POLISH ($19): A cantaloupe

NARS China Seas Duo Eyeshadow ($34)

NARS China Seas Duo Eyeshadow
China Seas Duo Eyeshadow

Please direct your gaze to the starboard side, as we plunge into the life aquatic with China Seas, the first of two eyeshadow duos in the collection.

Submerge your lids under its shimmery iridescent turquoise. Then, take a dip in its sparkling, iridescent reddish plum…

Both of the shadows in this duo will lap your lids with a soft sheen. I like how they blend seamlessly into each other — but please, do be careful of the fallout. A bit of powder finds its way onto my cheeks whenever I forget to tap off my brush before applying, but it’s not enough to need a life preserver.

MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

NARS China Seas Swatch
China Seas Swatch

NARS Kauai Duo Eyeshadow ($34)

NARS Kauai Duo Eyeshadow
Kauai Duo Eyeshadow

Hold on to the railing, friends, because we’re heading into some exciting big waves courtesy of the thrilling Kauai Duo Eyeshadow, which makes a splash with its mirror-like shine and bold pigment.

This duo is the flashier of the two. Every time I see that shimmery metallic yellow gold and iridescent smokey orchid sparkling on my lids, my breath catches, and I feel so alive! — like the time I paddled into a six-foot wave and actually surfed the damned thing (I even dropped in, OMG!).

Grab this one if you want to focus attention on your eyes, but more mature NARS fans might want to go easy on it by wearing these shadows close to their lids or lash lines, since the high-shine finish just loooooves to point out fine lines.

MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

NARS Kauai Swatch
Kauai Swatch

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These Milani Power Lip Lasting & Moisturizing Gloss Stains Pack a Powerfully Pigmented Punch

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Milani Power Lip Mango Tango
Wearing the new Milani Power Lip Lasting & Moisturizing Gloss in Mango Tango

Yeah, I’m turning into *that* girl — the one who applies a glossy lip stain right before bed just to see if it’ll still be there in the morning.

I did it the other night with one of Milani’s new Power Lip Lasting & Moisturizing Gloss Stains, and El Hub was like, “Why are you wearing lipstick to bed? Got a hot date?”

Milani Spring 2014
The Milani Power Lips collection, new for spring 2014

“First,” I replied, “it’s not a lipstick. It’s a stain. And second, yes, babe, Tabs and I are going as soon as you fall asleep.”

LOL! As if. Tabs is a total night owl, whereas I’ve usually zonked out by 11. I could never hang…but if I could, I’m sure any of these eight stains could hang with me.

These glossy lip stains are DOPE! They cling to lips like I cling to outdated ’90s references. 🙂

Milani Power Lip Swatches from the left: 01 Red Control, 02 Cabaret Blend, 03 Raspberry Tart, 04 Pink Lemonade, 05 Macaroon, 06 Strawberry Sugar, 07 Mango Tango and 08 Creamy Cafe
Swatches from the left: 01 Red Control, 02 Cabaret Blend, 03 Raspberry Tart, 04 Pink Lemonade, 05 Macaroon, 06 Strawberry Sugar, 07 Mango Tango and 08 Creamy Cafe

So, back to that bedtime test I was talking about, the following morning, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the coffee pot and saw the stain from the shade I’d applied before bed (07 Mango Tango).

That’s an 8-hour wear time! — assuming you’re just dreaming about RyGos and mumbling in your sleep. Add munchies and meals to the mix, however, and the wear time drops to 4-6.

Still not bad at all, considering that each tube is only $6.49.

I like these. They remind me of YSL Glossy Stains, only not…

I mean, they’re the same idea — they look and feel like shiny glosses but eventually wear down to satin lip stains — big come in totally different packaging.

The YSL Glossy Stains come in a tube with a doe-foot applicator, while the Milani products come in a click pen tube with a brush applicator.

I don’t mind the click pen, in this case, but I’m not exactly crazy about it. I think it’s a little more challenging to use, like to line the edges of my lips, than YSL’s doe foot, in part because it’s difficult to control how much product it applies. I can’t, for example, imagine using it in the passenger seat as we’re driving to the movies.

Milani Power Lip in 05 Macaroon
Milani Power Lip in 05 Macaroon
Milani Power Lip in 01 Red Control
01 Red Control

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How To Get Big, Bouncy Curls

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I’ve gotten a few requests for a video on the curly hairstyle I wear a lot in pics, so here goes.

Best (or at least my favorite) part about this style is that it’s easy. All you really need is a curling iron and some hairspray (and a sense of adventure!).

OOH! And get this: after you curl your hair, you can probably keep the same style for a couple (or few) days if you don’t wash your mop.

It’s the ultimate in lazy girl hairstyling. 🙂

Products mentioned in the video

Thank you for watching! Hope you’re having a great night.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. That’s NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu on my lips, in case you were wondering.

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