Charlotte Tilbury

Checking In: Chocolate Epiphanies, Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Palette, Second Interviews and Shiseido

November 29th, 2023 by Karen 3 Comments

I don’t know when it happened, but sometime within the last few months, I switched from being on Team Milk Chocolate to Team Dark Chocolate, which is crazy to me because for years now, I’ve said to anyone and everyone who’ll listen that dark chocolate tastes like punishment, LOL!

They say that your sense of taste changes as you get wiser, so this isn’t a big surprise, but still.

It’s kinda weird to be at the checkout counter at Trader Joe’s and reach for impulse chocolate and buy dark instead of milk. Side note, who am I kidding? It’s not impulse chocolate when you buy it all the time. LOL!

Anywho, while we’re on the subject of chocolate, it’s been a minute since I’ve worn a Too Faced palette. I tried out their new Better Than Chocolate palette recently just for funsies to see if I still was feeling it…

It’s like a mashup between their Better Than Sex and Chocolate Bar themes.

Sigh, I dunno. Their first Chocolate Bar palette came out a decade ago (!), and I can’t believe they’re still recycling the same idea. One would think that in 10 years they could whip up something new, but I guess they really like to stick close to what they know.

Blending and pigment were fine, but I felt like the warm browns pulled very red on my skin (I’m an NC 42 in MAC, by the way). It’s a very distinct type of look, and I’m not always a fan of it on my skin tone because I feel like it makes me look like I’ve been crying, so I probably won’t be adding this palette into my regular rotation anytime soon.

Oh goodness, speaking of regular rotations, apparently now I’m on the “second interview” merry-go-round. I had one on Monday via video and a second one in person yesterday.

I defaulted to my usual MAC neutral lipstick, Velvet Teddy, to keep things “profesh” (air quotes), but after I saw myself in pics, I kinda wish I wore a brighter lip.
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Unexpected Mint Green Makeup of the Day

April 27th, 2023 by Karen 9 Comments

This makeup did out turn out anything close to what I was going for, LOL! Does that ever happen to you?

I saw this beautiful picture of black liner with mint green accents on the Shu Uemura Instagram, which was my original inspiration.

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A post shared by shu uemura (@shuuemura)

Isn’t it so cool? I love how it’s creative but doesn’t feel overworked.

Anywho, I don’t know what I was thinking giving myself 15 minutes to try to recreate something similar! Maybe if I had an hour or two I could’ve gotten there, but alas, it did not happen. I put way too much shimmery mint green eyeshadow into the inner corner, so I ended up buffing it all out.

I kinda like how the sparkles traveled haphazardly over my lids, though!

I’m wearing a new foundation that I picked up at the Sephora Sale — Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin in the shade 8 Warm. I used two pumps and set it with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. It was hot in Northern California yesterday and it held up well despite the warm temps.

Oh, and the glossy lip! I’m really into shine these days. It’s Hourglass gloss in Canvas, in case you’re curious.

Have a great rest of your Purrsday-Thursday. We’re almost to the weekend!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sephora Sale Shopping

April 18th, 2023 by Karen 11 Comments

I’m really excited about the skin care, makeup and hair goodies I picked up recently at the Sephora sale. 🙂

A couple of standby favorites were in the mix of course; Kate Somerville Anti Bac and Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown, I’m talking to you!

I also grabbed a few new-to-me things, including this box of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Peel Pads.

I’m hesitant to add any steps to my already very simple skincare routine, but I’ve been needing some help with hyperpigmentation and heard raves from derms and estheticians about how this product works wonders on acne, uneven tone and fine lines.

You’re supposed to use it the in evenings, two to three times a week, which I can totally handle. Anything more than that, ugh, forget about it.

Have you tried it? I’m excited about it!

And because I’m a sunscreen hoarder, I bought a tube of Innisfree Daily UV Defense. Side note, I write for Innisfree! Anywho, it has chemical filters and is supposed to layer well with makeup. I plan to use it as an everyday sunscreen.

I’ve come to the realization that I really love trying foundations and concealers and can no longer fight the obsession. I couldn’t resist the siren call of Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Foundation and Concealer. I bought 8 Warm in the Foundation and 8 in the Concealer, by the way.

The Foundation is spot on my color, but I’m thinking the Concealer might be a little too light for my under-eye area. Hmm. I’m debating on whether or not I need to exchange it.

Last but not least, I finally gave in and bought a full-size version of Bumble and Bumble’s Hairdressers Invisible Oil. I love this stuff! It’s great for softening and smoothing ends. The trick is, though, to apply a tiny bit, otherwise your hair will feel super greasy.

I’m hoping the bottle will last me forever. LOL!

Anywho, let me know if you’ve tried any of these things. I always love to hear what you like and don’t like.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday!

Feel the Ecstasy With Charlotte Tilbury: Cheek to Chic Swish & Pop Blusher in Ecstasy

April 6th, 2022 by Karen 5 Comments

Just in case you need some Sephora sale inspo! Ecstasy Blusher is one of my favorites by Charlotte Tilbury.

I can’t wear Charlotte Tilbury Ecstasy blush without thinking of mid-90s club banger Set U Free.

The way the lead singer breathlessly enunciates the word, “ecstasy,” about a billion times…

Welcome to the decade of my formative years.

Anywho…while I like how long this satiny, peachy pink blush stays on my cheeks, the main thing I love about $40 Ecstasy blush is that I can get it on my cheeks in three minutes, which is about how much time I typically have while Coy-Coy uses the potty, so I can walk out the front door looking like I actually slept eight hours and stretched my hamstrings in the morning. (In other words, with a spring in my step!)

Charlotte recommends doing your blush last to best gauge how little or how much you need, and I agree.

So, here’s my Ecstasy three-minute makeup routine:

Dot Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter all over your face with the wand, and blend it in with fingers.
Curl lashes and coat them with a layer of Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara.
Draw a thin line of black liquid liner with Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick on the upper lash line.
Dust Film Star Bronze & Glow Bronzer into the crease.
Coat lips with CT Pillow Talk Lipstick.
And finally, sweep Ecstasy on those cheekbones!

Don’t you love easy makeup? ? And don’t you also love it when Charlotte refers to blush as “blusher”?! (Or am I the only one?)

Charlotte designed Ecstasy (and this goes for all of her blushes) to be used as part of a two-step process. First, you swish the outer ring on your cheekbones to sculpt and shape, and then blend the brighter center shade on the apples of your cheeks for some color.

Of course…I usually end up swirling both colors together with a blush brush, and that works just fine for me.

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FOTD: Fall Vibes With Plum Lids and Berry Lips

September 29th, 2020 by Karen 7 Comments

mac prunella got a callback — Fall is a berry good time to wear dark berry lips!

Hiya! On this stop on our tour of MAC Eyeliner Greatest Hits is Prunella! AHHH!

In my opinion, it is one of the very best things in the entire MAC world.

Boom. There, I said.

In a nutshell, it’s a purple eyeliner…but not just any purple liner. It’s a deep blackened plum with a hint of shine to softly define your lash and water lines in ways a basic black liner just can’t do.

I’m wearing Prunella here as a one-and-done lid and lash line color. It’s a little smoked out and a little smudgy, which is my favorite way to wear it.

Prunella is a perfect perennial product, but I think it kicks major rear in fall when it’s paired with berry lipsticks, and it turns out that there are two great new berry shades in the MAC Powderkiss Liquid Lipcolour fam. Here I’m wearing Got a Callback, a mid-toned berry mauve; and Burning Love, a straight-up berry. Both have a soft matte finish that complements Prunella’s soft shine well.

mac prunella burning love — MAC Burning Love

mac got a callback burning love swatches — Fall vibes: MAC Powderkiss Liquid Lipsticks in Burning Love (a berry) and Got a Callback (a mid-toned mauve berry)

And because I can’t resist wearing pink lips with everything (!), I threw on a pink lip to see how it would look with these eyes… Definitely skews the makeup to a springier vibe.

If you’re into the pink, FYI, it’s Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic Pillow Talk lip liner and lipstick topped with Hourglass Fever lipgloss.

Speaking of Charlotte Tilbury, if you’re in a “bougie blush mood” (because they happen, LOL!), I highly suggest checking out her Ecstasy blush. It’s the one with a peachy outer ring and a pink inner ring. When you blend the two together, you get this perfect balance of a neutral pink with a slightly warm peach. It’s not too warm or cool, and it goes surprisingly well with most looks — especially plummy and purple lids and lips like this.

mac prunella eyes down — Just Prunella on my lids, babe!

mac prunella eyes — Pink lips! Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk (lip liner and lipstick) topped with Hourglass Fever Gloss

Makeup worn in this look

BASE

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Hydrating
Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand
Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 4.0

CHEEKS

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chick in Ecstasy

EYES

Chanel Eyeshadow Base
MAC Prunella Liner
Urban Decay Brow Beater in Neutral Brown
Laura Mercier Caviar Mascara
MAC Clear Brow Set

LIPS

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick
Hourglass Unreal Gloss in Fever
MAC Burning Love
MAC Got a Callback

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

FOTD: Khaki and Copper Tones for a Zoom Call

June 24th, 2020 by Karen 21 Comments

Wore this look on a Zoom call with a beauty brand yesterday (it was Urban Decay to talk about their latest Naked palette, for the nosey noodles who were wondering!), and in classic K-dawg fashion I banged it out in 15 minutes before it started because that’s how I roll.

And, um…Connor also had a social distancing playdate at the park shortly before the call was scheduled to start, and we made it back home by the skin of our teeth, ha ha ha! Whenever I’m pressed for time but want to look gussied up, I always fall back on smokey eyes and nude lips. This khaki and copper version relies on just two products.

I paired the eyes with peach lips and cheeks because EASY. PEASY.

I’m also wearing a little more base makeup than I have been lately because I knew that “makeup people” (air quotes) were going to be present, so if there were ever a time to load up on a little more concealer, this was it.

Since we’re on the topic of quick looks, what’s your default medium-impact makeup look when you’re pressed for time?

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Dreaming of Vacay With Wander Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and More

March 11th, 2020 by Karen 15 Comments

I woke up wishing I was on vacation this morning. There weren’t any viruses to worry about, no freaky headlines on the news, or piles laundry to fold, no meals to plan. Ah…

When I dream of vacation, it usually involves a beach, ‘cause I’m a sand, surf and sun girl.

I LIKE ALL THE TROPICAL PLACES, and I’m equally happy at remote, out-of-the-way secret beaches that are only accessible by rickety rope ladders as I am at Disneyland-like resorty beaches with all the accoutrements, including a big umbrella, a comfy chair, a clean bathroom and a snack shack. (Gimme all the snacks!)

Walking down to Hideaways beach on Kauai

A play on sheen, shimmer and shine

You know how when you’re at the beach on a hot day, you’re always kinda sweaty, even if you’re just sipping on strawberry shave ice? Well, that’s what I was aiming for with the base in this look. I wasn’t going for “sweaty” necessarily, but rather glistening. There’s an all-over subtle sheen on the skin (thanks, Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter), paired with bright, shimmery spots beaming from specific areas — the inner corners of the eyes, in particular, and the bridge of the nose. Then, there’s just the faintest amount of shine on the lips, thanks to a bright reddish coral lippie with a creamy finish.

I know I talk about “Char’s” Flawless Filter all the time, but really, it’s that good. I like it just as much as I ever have, and I still routinely say, WHAT THE HELL KIND OF MAGIC IS IN HERE? when I blend it in and look in a mirror.

If you’ve tried it and didn’t like it because you felt like the opalescent finish made you look sweaty, try setting it with a face powder that has a matte or demi-matte finish. For this, I’m a massive fan of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. And Chanel’s loose powder is good with Flawless Filter, too. Both temper the sheen a tad for a purrfect glow.

Cue the contrast

Did ya notice the matte lids and lash lines? Yup, that’s on purpose. I wanted a flatter finish on those areas to play against the intense inner corner highlight, and I’m wearing shadows from the new Wander Beauty Wanderess Escape Palette, which has a mix of matte, shimmer and glitter shadows in warm, summery shades of brown, bronze, gold and peach (there’s also a pop of teal in there). If you’ve ever fallen in love with any of the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess palettes, I think you’ll like it.

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All Star Products for 3-Minute, No-Makeup Makeup

February 4th, 2020 by Karen 14 Comments

Some days you have 20 minutes to put on your makeup…and some days you only have three.

Yesterday was a “three” day for me. I had to drop off Connor at preschool in the morning before heading to the bakery, as usual, but because I was running late (I’d just finished making her lunch, and then I accidentally dropped EVERYTHING on the floor, ARRGHHH! It happened in slow motion, too! I’ve re-lived those sliced bananas falling to the ground about 20 times already.), I only had a sliver of time to transform myself from full-on two-month-turned zombie to quasi, two-days-dead semi-zombie. Three minutes, to be precise, and yes, I timed it, because without a timer, I’d never make it out the door on time.

I’ll be the first to admit that there isn’t anything glamorous or dramatic or life-changing about this makeup, but you know what? Sometimes I crave looks like this, like on the days when lunch falls on the ground (THOSE BANANAS ARE STILL HAUNTING ME), and the last thing I need is to be deeply challenged by my concealer or crease color.

If I were to compare this type of makeup to a hair style, it would be like running a brush through your hair, and putting it in a neat, low ponytail before donning a cute baseball cap. 🙂

The real MVP in this look: Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter

I love and wear it ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME (my shade is 5 Tan). This tinted moisturizer has very fine pearlescent particles that make your skin look dewy (but not oily), and it gives enough coverage to hide redness and ever-so-slightly diffuse pigmentation and freckles. It’s also still somewhat sheer and doesn’t look thick.

(You will not look like you’re wearing a mask.)

From a few feet away, most folks won’t even be able to tell you’re wearing makeup. They’ll just assume you have naturally flawless skin. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOOOOOOVE IT.

Other key players

What else is doing the heavy lifting here?

I’m also wearing two gel cheek products by Chantecaille — their Radiance Gel Bronzer and Hydrating Gel-Cream Blush in Happy. I mixed a few dots of both on the back of my hand and patted/blended the combo directly on my cheeks with fingers. Just like Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter, these two moderately pigmented products deposit natural-looking color and don’t look obvious or heavy, so they’re ideal for fresh-faced cheek color that lasts all day long.

I wear them all the time and love them to bits.

Eyes and lips

I did the bare minimum on my eyes and lips.

A quick lash curl and a couple layers of mascara (IT Cosmetics Superhero, a superstar for thickness and curl) and a dash of dark brown eyeliner on the upper waterline (just at the roots of the lashes) immediately opens up my eyes.

Next, I quickly filled in my brows with MAC Brun eyeshadow using an angled brush, then ran a clear brow gel through them. I like to do the clear brow gel last because it mellows any overly dark spots.

Last, but not least, I lined and filled in my lips with a nude liner, then topped them off with a glossy lip tint.

Done and DONE, in less than three minutes! 🙂

Isn’t it nice sometimes to just get your face on quickly so you can jump directly into your day?!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen